This article analyses the costs in terms of income distribution of the crisis and adjustments of the 1980s, as well as the effects of the subsequent recovery and resumption of sustained growth patterns. This analysis is based on comparable pairs of estimates of income distribution and poverty prepared by ECLAC for the ten largest and predominantly urban countries of the region. The method of analysis consists, on the one hand, of comparing the changes in distribution and in the macroeconomic and labour market variables during similar macroeconomic phases in the course of the adjustment process…
1 Jun 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:31
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IntroductionNearly 20 years ago, ECLAC put forward a proposal for structural change and productivity growth with social equity. At the time, the countries of the region were emerging from the severe crisis of the 1980s, with all its associated difficulties in terms of internal stabilization and external adjustment, and heading into a decade of structural reform which heeded the call of the Washington Consensus. In the midst of perplexity and pessimism regarding the region's prospects, ECLAC espoused a view of the situation that ran counter to the orthodox line of thought that marked econo…
12 Mayo 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:31
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In the midst of broad global market turmoil and mounting fears of a recession in the U.S., emerging markets have shown strong growth and economic resilience. For the first time in recent history, the external meltdown has not sparked capital flight from Latin America. Quite the contrary, Latin American markets have been seen by investors as a safe haven from the supbprime woes afflicting the U.S. economyDespite showing significant resilience, Latin American debt spreads widened in the first quarter of 2008, and after reaching record lows in May 2007, they are now re-approaching pre-Asian crisi…
1 Mayo 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:31
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IntroductionNearly 20 years ago, ECLAC put forward a proposal for structural change and productivity growth with social equity. At the time, the countries of the region were emerging from the severe crisis of the 1980s, with all its associated difficulties in terms of internal stabilization and external adjustment, and headed into a decade of structural reform which heeded the call of the Washington Consensus. In the midst of perplexity and pessimism regarding the region's prospects, ECLAC espoused a view of the situation that ran counter to the extremely orthodox line of thought that mar…
One of the drivers of economic growth is innovation, which raisesproductivity by creating new production methods, technologies, productsand firms. This article examines an instrument that supports this process,venture capital, and highlights the need for a financing system coveringeach phase of innovation. It starts by illustrating Latin America's innovationdeficit. It then proceeds to a general analysis of the difficulties affecting thefinancing of innovation and the provision of venture capital to overcomethese. It goes on to examine the form taken by these obstacles in theregion and, c…
Over the past decade, a growing number of companies have recognized the business benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies and practices. Their experiences are bolstered by a growing body of empirical studies that demonstrates that CSR has a positive impact on business economic performance and is not detrimental to shareholder value. Maximization of profits is perhaps the most important element for ensuring the continuity of the business over the time. However, value creation is also related to social issues such as health and safety, equality and environmental protection, und…
31 Oct 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:31
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The external environment has deteriorated sharply as a result of the spiraling financial turmoil, and has led to a weakening in commodity prices and fears of a worldwide recession. Latin America and the Caribbean's fastest expansion in 40 years may be threatened as the global credit crunch makes financing scarce and squeezes demand for the region's commodities. This time around the region is better positioned to weather the crisis than in the past, given improvements in macroeconomic and financial policies as well as a reduced net dependency on external capital inflows. However, Lati…
1 Abr 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:26
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Stable, higher income democracies often have both a strong middle class and relatively low levels of inequality. In contrast, lower and middle income countries with highly unequal patterns of income distribution and stratified social structures often have a weak middle class, more social conflict and a tendency to populist and/or authoritarian politics. This paper investigates, for a sample of more than 120 countries, some empirical correlations between the size of the middle class and the following set of variables: the level (mean); of per capita income and wealth, the degree of inequality (…
14 Oct 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:31
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Rasgos generales de la evolución reciente En 2007, la economía cubana registró una expansión de 7,3%. Como el crecimiento demográfico fue nulo, el producto interno bruto (PIB) por habitante aumentó proporcionalmente con el PIB. El déficit fiscal global se incrementó ligeramente, de 3% del PIB en 2006 a 3,1% en 2007, mientras que la tasa de inflación varió 2,8%, la mitad que el año anterior (5,7%). Por último, la cuenta corriente de la balanza de pagos ascendió a un superávit equivalente a 0,8% del PIB. Cuba: Economic evolution during 2007 and Outlook for 2008 Abstract: General fea…
El Entendimiento Relativo a las Normas y Procedimientos por los que se rige la Solución de diferencias de la Organización Mundial del Comercio se ha convertido en el principal instrumento jurídico mediante el cual los países en desarrollo, incluidos los de América Latina y el Caribe, pueden defender sus derechos e intereses comerciales. Este instrumento es ya una referencia obligada para la solución de diferencias comerciales a nivel regional y bilateral, traspasándose varias de sus normas a instrumentos recientemente negociados, o bien permitiendo, mediante la elección de foro, resolver una c…
1 Jun 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:31
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Abstract This paper presents an overview of current developments in macroeconomic modelling for forecasting and policy analysis in Latin America, based on material presented at a REDIMA project meeting at the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Santiago de Chile, in September 2007. Some particular issues that arise in modeling emerging economies are described, in the context of recent developments in modeling developed economies.…
This survey provides an overview of the economic performance of countries of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) for the year 2007 and their outlook for 2008. The report consists of three chapters. The first chapter provides a regional analysis of the main economic indicators from a comparative perspective starting with a brief discussion of the principal events in the world economy. The second chapter deals with two selected topics that are pivotal for the economic development of Caribbean countries, namely public debt sustainability and competitiveness in the tourism s…
This year’s issue of the SSI features regional tables in the introductory section followed by summary
country tables. As far as possible, a full series of economic and socio-economic indicators is given for all
CDCC member States for the period 2001-2007. In addition, the data sources for each country are
provided, thereby making this publication a good starting point for researchers who are interested in more
detailed statistics. Every effort was made to ensure that those changes did not compromise the quality
and usefulness of the publication. To ensure accessibility to the full data series,…
This report proposes a series of gender indicators as instruments to support Member States of the United Nations in monitoring the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, by virtue of which all Latin American and Caribbean countries, among others, have agreed to guarantee the exercise of the rights established by the Convention, and to adopt all necessary measures to ensure the exercise of those rights. The purpose of these indicators is to highlight the scale and intensity of the different forms of gender inequity within a framework that facilitates interna…
1 Ene 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:34
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This document examines the effects on CARICOM countries of changes in the EU import regimes for banana, rice and sugar. Changes have been pursued by the EU since the formation of the Single Market in 1992 and were determined by both internal and external factors - cost to the EU budget and WTO requirements, respectively. Changes were made to tariff quotas affecting mainly non ACP exports of bananas to the EU market; reduction in the price of sugar in the EU market and reduction in both price and tariffs in the EU rice market.…
9 Abr 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:33
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The bursting of the property bubble – subprime mortgage crisis – in 2007 in the United
States has engendered panic, recession fears and turmoil in the global financial system. Although
the United States economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the last quarter of 2007, down from 4.9 per
cent in the previous quarter, day by day worsening scenarios emerge, from escalating oil prices,
to a depreciating dollar and financial institutions’ bailout by the Federal Reserve. Many
economists and policy makers share the view that a subprime-led recession – i.e. two consecutive
quarters with negative growth – is in…
1 Ago 2008, 00:00 - 14 Oct 2025, 08:32
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This article reviews the formal institutional framework forimplementing rural development policies in Guatemala, which originatedin the State modernization process promoted through the Peace Accords.The main thesis is that rural development policies will be more efficientif they are based on the institutional framework that the Peace Accordsprovided, which distinguishes between three levels of government: central,deconcentrated and decentralized. While the two sub-national levelsexecute 43% of total public investment, central government needs to targetthe budget on poor zones, cut subsidies to…