Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993

This article analyzes urban change and food consumption in revolutionary Managua and during economic transition up to 1993. The Sandinista revolutionaries tried to establish new consumer ideals, ensure equal access to food for all Nicaraguans, and slow down urbanization. However, economic crises, t...

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Main Author: Christiane Berth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Iberoamericana / Vervuert 2025-03-01
Series:Iberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.iai.spk-berlin.de/index.php/iberoamericana/article/view/3170
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author Christiane Berth
author_facet Christiane Berth
author_sort Christiane Berth
collection DOAJ
description This article analyzes urban change and food consumption in revolutionary Managua and during economic transition up to 1993. The Sandinista revolutionaries tried to establish new consumer ideals, ensure equal access to food for all Nicaraguans, and slow down urbanization. However, economic crises, the Contra war, conflicts over agrarian reform, and stagnating food production undermined their political project. This article demonstrates that the supply problems and internal contradictions of Sandinista food policy eroded support for the revolution. Social crisis and hunger combined with luxury consumption of some Sandinista leaders led to disillusion by the late 1980s. During transition, consumption became a time-consuming, frustrating experience. The urban poor had to rely on old survival mechanisms while the new elites revived US consumer ideals as a model.
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publisher Iberoamericana / Vervuert
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series Iberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal
spelling doaj-art-5a8e3e8edcb8476ea588cc9710bd908c2025-08-20T02:10:38ZengIberoamericana / VervuertIberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal1577-33882255-520X2025-03-01258810.18441/ibam.25.2025.88.83-100Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993Christiane Berthhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6310-6609 This article analyzes urban change and food consumption in revolutionary Managua and during economic transition up to 1993. The Sandinista revolutionaries tried to establish new consumer ideals, ensure equal access to food for all Nicaraguans, and slow down urbanization. However, economic crises, the Contra war, conflicts over agrarian reform, and stagnating food production undermined their political project. This article demonstrates that the supply problems and internal contradictions of Sandinista food policy eroded support for the revolution. Social crisis and hunger combined with luxury consumption of some Sandinista leaders led to disillusion by the late 1980s. During transition, consumption became a time-consuming, frustrating experience. The urban poor had to rely on old survival mechanisms while the new elites revived US consumer ideals as a model. https://journals.iai.spk-berlin.de/index.php/iberoamericana/article/view/3170History of consumptionUrban historyManaguaNicaragua
spellingShingle Christiane Berth
Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993
Iberoamericana. América Latina - España - Portugal
History of consumption
Urban history
Managua
Nicaragua
title Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993
title_full Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993
title_fullStr Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993
title_full_unstemmed Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993
title_short Managua—A “Gringorized” City? Urbanization, Consumption, and Shopping Spaces in times of revolution and crises, 1979-1993
title_sort managua a gringorized city urbanization consumption and shopping spaces in times of revolution and crises 1979 1993
topic History of consumption
Urban history
Managua
Nicaragua
url https://journals.iai.spk-berlin.de/index.php/iberoamericana/article/view/3170
work_keys_str_mv AT christianeberth managuaagringorizedcityurbanizationconsumptionandshoppingspacesintimesofrevolutionandcrises19791993