Beginning in the 1970s, corporatism became a key concept for analyzing state–society relations in Latin America, particularly in the context of authoritarian regimes. It offered an alternative to pluralist models, providing a lens to examine state control over interest group politics. This chapter traces the conceptual development of corporatism in the Latin American literature, highlighting two early features: (1) convergence around core definitions, and (2) a shared view of corporatism as a subtype of the broader category of interest intermediation. As scholarship progressed, conceptual innovations emerged. These included (3) revising the overarching concept to incorporate overlapping or conflicting meanings, and (4) differentiating between classical subtypes, where corporatism is present along with added traits, and radial subtypes, where a core attribute is missing. This refined conceptualization contrasts with a broader tradition that equated corporatism with an Iberic-Latin legacy of hierarchical state authority. That tradition has drawn criticism for lumping diverse cases into one category and for advancing overly broad claims. Nonetheless, the chapter urges caution in dismissing this broader usage, suggesting that while flawed, it may still hold analytical value. In all, the chapter underscores the value of conceptual precision and innovation in the comparative study of group politics.