Given by Harvard’s economic historian Jeffrey Williamson:
Most analysts of the modern Latin American economy hold to a pessimistic belief in historical persistence — they believe that Latin America has always had very high levels of inequality, suggesting it will be hard for modern social policy to create a more egalitarian society. This paper argues that […]
Archive for the 'LatinAmerica' Category
Mar23rd2009
Latin America Fact Of The Day
Published by in Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 0 CommentsOct22nd2008
Fighting Corrupt Teachers Unions In Mexico
Published by in Economics, Education, Hispanics (Minority Issues), LatinAmerica and Unions. 4 CommentsMexican President Felipe Calderon is doing his part in fighting teachers unions corruption:
Tens of thousands of teachers are blocking highways and seizing government buildings across Mexico to protest a federal education reform ending their longtime practice of selling their jobs or giving them to their children.
In central Morelos state, where opposition is centered, about 20,000 […]
Aug6th2008
Remember Hugo Chavez?
Published by in Communism, Economics, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 9 CommentsWondering what he has been up to? The New York Times keeps us informed:
President Hugo Chávez is using his decree powers to enact a set of socialist-inspired measures that seem based on a package of constitutional changes that voters rejected last year. His actions open a new stage of confrontation between his government and […]
Apr29th2008
Quote Of The Day
Published by in Economics, FreeTrade, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 2 Comments“Free trade with Colombia can’t have anything to do with loss of US jobs: Colombia’s exports already enter the US duty-free. Rather, the Free Trade Agreement would reduce remaining Colombian barriers to imports from the US….It is hard to escape the conclusion that the only reason Congressmen are opposing the Colombian […]
Feb29th2008
Democrats Will Improve Our Image Abroad?
Published by in (modern day) Liberalism, Economics, FreeTrade, Hispanics (Minority Issues), LatinAmerica and ModernPolitics. 8 CommentsIt looks like they are making the problem worse:
Candidates rebuked for attacks on Nafta
Mexico and Canada on Wednesday voiced concern about calls by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, as the Democratic presidential hopefuls compete to adopt the most sceptical stance towards free trade ahead of next […]
Jan30th2008
Quote Of The Day
Published by in Economics, FreeTrade, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 1 Comment“Gustavo Vega, director of the Center for International Studies at the prestigious Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City, said that while NAFTA has helped create more jobs for Mexicans, it has not helped create enough of them. Still, had it not been for passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993, Mexico would […]
Nov20th2007
The video is viewable here. Via my friend Peter.
A must see for anybody interested in Latin America.
Nov16th2007
“In fact, for the malcontents of Hollywood, academia, and the catwalks, Chávez is an ideal ally. Just as the sympathetic foreigners whom Lenin called “useful idiots” once supported Russia abroad, their modern equivalents provide the Venezuelan president with legitimacy, attention, and good photographs. He, in turn, helps them overcome the frustration John Reed once felt—the […]
Sep13th2007
Immigrants Attraction To The United States
Published by in General, Hispanics (Minority Issues), Immigration and LatinAmerica. 1 CommentHistorian Victor Davis Hanson makes an interesting comment:
One final thought here. Why would deported illegal alien and activist Elvira Arellano, who according to the LA Times, “symbolized inhumane treatment of migrants to some,” wish to return to the US?
News reports suggested she does in petitioning the Mexican government for a diplomatic visa. Surely she might […]
Aug7th2007
The To Be Venezuelan Dictator?
Published by in General, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 2 CommentsThe BBC reports:
Chavez seeks end to term limits
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has confirmed that he will try to change the law to allow him to remain in power indefinitely.
Under the current constitution, Mr Chavez will have to leave office at the end of his term in 2012.
But he says he wants […]
Jan30th2007
Quote Of The Day
Published by in Books, Communism, Economics, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 8 Comments“Since the collapse of the Soviet empire, many defenders of socialism have argued that dictators, including Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot, were aberrations; they took Marx’s ideas in the wrong direction. They claim that nationalization of the means of production (call it communism, socialism, or Marxism) and democracy can be compatible. In The Road to […]
Jan10th2007
Time To Pray For The Citizens Of Venezuela
Published by in Communism, Economics, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues), LatinAmerica and Personal. 13 CommentsI don’t pray very often but there are times when events are so catastrophic, so desparate, and so predictable that prayer is in order and Venezuela has reached that point. While Hugo Chavez is big on socialist rhetoric, he has always been very short on actual implementation.
James Surowiecki, the financial columnist for the New Yorker, […]
Dec21st2006
Capitalism In Latin America
Published by in General, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 0 CommentsGary Becker, Nobel Laurette in economics and professor of economics at the University Of Chicago, writes on capitalism in Latin America:
One legitimate reason for the opposition to capitalism in Latin America is that it frequently has been “crony capitalism” as opposed to the competitive capitalism that produces desirable social outcomes. Crony capitalism is a system […]
Dec14th2006
In Praise Of Guatemalan Manuel Ayau
Published by in Economics, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues), LatinAmerica and Poverty. 3 CommentsThe Washington Times writes about this remarkable man:
More than a half-century ago, after returning from the U.S. with his engineering degree in hand, a young Guatemalan named Manuel Ayau wondered why there was little demand for his engineering services in his home country. Rather than just fret about the sorry Guatemalan economy, he decided to […]
Dec13th2006
The Difference A Dictator Makes
Published by in Capitalism, Communism, Economics, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues) and LatinAmerica. 15 CommentsWith the recent death of Pinochet, Chile’s former dictator, it is a good time to stop and compare two ideologically opposed dictators - Chile’s Pinochet vs Cuba’s Castro/Che.
The Washington Post writes:
A Dictator’s Double Standard
Augusto Pinochet tortured and murdered. His legacy is Latin America’s most successful country.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006; Page A26
AUGUSTO PINOCHET, who […]
Nov30th2006
Right Vs Left View Of The World
Published by in (modern day) Liberalism, General, Hispanics (Minority Issues), LatinAmerica and ModernPolitics. 17 CommentsMichelle Dion, writing in her blog, details the troubling circumstances Mexico is in:
As the time nears for the swearing in of Mexico’s new President, the PAN’s Felipe Calderon, the situation is not looking good. Earlier this month, the PRD’s Lopez Obrador had himself sworn in as President in an unofficial ceremony. Yesterday, a small fight […]
