The same article, now in Castilian.
THE REAL OBSTACLES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LATIN AMERICA
By Oscar Arias (Costa Rica)
served as President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica from '86 until '90 and then from 2006 to 2010. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
Nearly two centuries after the Latin American countries gained their independence from Spain and Portugal, none of them are really developed. Where went wrong, what went wrong? What countries in other regions, perhaps most backward relatively quickly achieved the results that Latin American countries have aspired for so long?
Many in the region, answer these questions with conspiracy theories and self-pitying excuses. Blamed the English empire, for taking the riches of the region in the past, or the U.S. empire, which supposedly is bleeding today. They say the international financial institutions have conspired to keep the backward region, that globalization was designed deliberately to prevent their development. In short, blame underdevelopment of others instead of Latin America itself.
The truth is that much time has passed since the independence of Latin America that has lost the right to use others as an excuse for their own failures.
fact, several foreign powers have influenced the fate of the region. But that is true in all regions of the world. Latin American countries are not the only ones who have faced an uphill battle in history.
Latin American nations started the race on equal terms, or even better, than those in other places. Yes, we are the ones who stayed behind.
When Harvard opened its doors in 1636, there were already well established universities in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru.
In 1820, the GDP of Latin America as a whole was 12.5% \u200b\u200bhigher than the U.S.. Today, with a population of about 560 million, some 250 million more than the United States, the region has a GDP that is only 29% of its northern neighbor. Latin America gained its independence 150 years earlier than do countries like South Korea and Singapore today, despite past and colonies also exploited despite lacking significant natural resources per capita income countries is several times higher.
One of the consequences of Latin America's reluctance to fully address such comparisons has been the disconnect between rhetoric and reality. Tired of empty words and meaningless promises, people in the region are disillusioned with politics in general. Recognize their own share of responsibility for the situation, however, could be the beginning of the rewriting of history. The key is to accept that four regional cultural features are the obstacles to be overcome for the successful development: resistance to change, lack of confidence, the fragile democratic norms, and a penchant for militarism. LOOKING BACK
Latin Americans endlessly glorify their past, which makes it almost impossible to advocate for change. Instead of a culture of improvement, have promoted a culture of preservation of the status quo. Constant, patient reform the only type compatible with democratic stability is unsatisfactory, the region accept what exists, while occasionally yearn for dramatic revolutions that promise abundant treasures only a short distance from the insurgency.
Such an attitude would be easier to understand in Canada or Norway, which have achieved enviable levels of human development. But what merits such high Guatemala and Nicaragua have in their stories? In these cases, the conservative impulse probably comes not only from a desire to preserve the status quo, but more so by the desire to protect established privileges and a general fear of the unknown. Latin Americans remain strong and still in pain and suffering, preferring a safe present to an uncertain future. Some of this is natural, and human. But for us, the fear is paralyzing, generating not only anxiety but also paralysis.
To make matters worse, political leaders rarely have the patience or the ability to direct his people carefully through the processes of reform. In a democracy, a leader must be the head that teaches anyone willing to answer questions and concerns and explain the need for the benefits of a new course.
But too often in Latin America, leaders are justified with a simple "because I said so".
This fits perfectly with the desire to protect the privileges set, a phenomenon visible, not only among the rich and powerful, but throughout society. Education unions decide by themselves, the number of teachers who should work and what to teach. Similarly with business owners and contractors in the private sector, which have always provided low-quality services for decades without fear of competition, thanks to perks and transactions illegal. And public officials are also still: the civil service reward those who do nothing but sit on their desks and say no.
This approach has many implications, especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. Latin America has much more business drivers. The region is suspicious of new ideas and lacks effective mechanisms to support innovative projects. Someone who wants to start a new company must start wading through the waves of the bureaucracy and arbitrary requirements.
entrepreneurs get a minimum of worship or cultural reinforcement, little legal protection and little academic support.
Universities, for their part, are not producing the kind of professional development required. Latin American graduates six social scientists in two in engineering and each of the exact sciences. Visit a college campus in Latin America is like traveling back to a time when there was the Berlin Wall, and Russia and China had not yet embraced capitalism.
Instead of giving students practical tools-such as language and technology skills, to help them succeed in a globalized world, many schools are dedicated to teaching authors read and repeated no doctrines in which nobody believes. For
that development occurs, this must change. Latin American countries must begin to reward innovators and creators.
Its universities should reform their academic years, investing in science and technology. It should reduce the regulatory burden, attract investment and promote the transfer of knowledge. In other words, they must understand that pragmatism is the new universal ideology, as Deng Xiaoping once said, no matter if a cat is black or yellow, as long as it catches mice. DEVELOPMENT OF TRUST
The second obstacle is the lack of confidence. No development project can thrive in a place where there is distrust, success the other is viewed with suspicion, and the creativity and momentum are satisfied with caution. The American people are among the most distrustful of the world.
World Values \u200b\u200bSurvey asked the question, "most people can be trusted?" In 2000, 55 to 65% of respondents in four Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, said yes, and only 16% of respondents in Latin America did, and only 3%, made in Brazil.
Latin Americans doubt the true intentions of all who cross paths, politicians or their friends. We believe everyone has a secret agenda and it is better do not get too involved in collective efforts. We are captives of the giant prisoner's dilemma, in which each person contributes as little as possible to the common interest.
In a globalized world, however, trust is indispensable. Countries with more confidence are better equipped for developing countries because its citizens can base their actions on a reasonable expectation of how others behave. Legal uncertainty is a particular problem. With alarming frequency, citizens of Latin America do not know the consequences of their actions or how the state will react to their projects.
In some countries, firms are expropriated without justification any, permits are revoked by political pressure, the judgments are against the law and the legal situation is so volatile that impedes the achievement of long-term goals. As former Ecuadorian President Osvaldo Hurtado said recently in The American Interest, "do not trust the American legal institutions and government or courts or lawyers. Indeed, the ingrained habit of flouting the law has been the most powerful influence on the continent that for centuries many laws enacted to regulate economic, social and political. For the Latin American legislatures have probably been more laws in the last 175 years than their counterparts anywhere in the world, however, never so many laws have been ignored by so many for so long.
is said that legal security is the protection of confidence. For economic development to succeed, Latin America must be able to trust that their states to act reasonably and predictably. Must be able to anticipate the legal consequences of his actions. They must be able to trust others, too, act according to the rules of the game.
COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY
The third obstacle blocking the development is the fragility of the commitment of the region with democracy. Surely, with the exception of Cuba, the region now has to be entirely democratic. After centuries of civil wars, coups and dictatorship, democracy has indeed made significant progress in recent decades. But the truth is that his victory is incomplete. Despite carefully crafted constitutions, proclamations and treaties great high view, Latin America still has an attraction to authoritarianism.
Fidel and Raul Castro in Cuba behave like traditional Latin American caudillo, but so do Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, they tend to use democratic processes and structures to subvert their own systems of democratic countries. Once elected, they interpret their mandate as carte blanche to do whatever they want, including persecution of their opponents, the subject of the media, and try to twist the system to maintain power at all costs. Many citizens, for their part, are happy and allow these leaders continue, maybe see their messianism and demagoguery as the output of existing regional labyrinth underdevelopment.
If Latin American democracies do not fulfill their promises and economic policies, if the hopes of their citizens remain a dream deferred, then the authoritarianism will rise again. The way to prevent this is to show the people that democracy works, you really can build a more prosperous and equitable society. Beyond the political sclerosis, increasingly sensitive to demands of citizens, and generating tax revenue or taxes on the rich are all essential steps to move towards a true culture of freedom and progress.
A CULTURE OF PEACE
The increase in revenues is necessary but not sufficient. These funds should also be spent wisely, to promote human development. In Latin American countries a lot has happened in the past, carrying huge debts, but often have squandered their resources in inappropriate priorities. It has been lavished on their armies, money that should have been lavished on their children.
Apart from Colombia, no Latin American country faces an imminent military conflict. And yet, every year, the region spends over 60 billion dollars in weapons and soldiers, twice what it spent only five years ago. Why? Who's attacking whom? The enemies of the people are hunger, ignorance, inequality, disease, crime and environmental degradation. They are internal, and can be defeated only through an intelligent policy, not an arms race. Costa Rica was
the first country in history to abolish its army and make peace with the world. His children have never known what it is military service. They have never seen the shadow of a helicopter gunship or tank tracks. And since the abolition of its armed forces 62 years ago, Costa Rica has never had a coup. I would think that Latin America may follow in the footsteps of Costa Rica, but I know that this utopia is not possible in my life.
I also know, however, that a responsible phased reduction in military spending is not only possible but also necessary.
We owe the victims of dictatorships during the century XX wrote with his own blood the saddest pages in the history of Latin America. We owe it to survivors of oppression and torture. We owe it to those who saw their worst fears realized in the presence of a soldier. Abandoning this
martial culture is also essential, because the increased presence of soldiers in our villages and cities promoting a combative attitude is not conducive. It is suggested that problems are best solved by fighting an enemy, rather than build solidarity with friends and neighbors. It teaches that the gains are achieved with arms, shouting and threats instead of words, respect and tolerance. The culture of militarism the region is a regressive and destructive force that must be replaced by a culture of peace.
Latin Americans should look in the mirror and face the reality that many of our problems lie not in our stars but in ourselves. We must lose the fear of change.
We must embrace entrepreneurship. We must learn to trust. We must strengthen our commitment to democracy and the rule of law. And you have to leave the military practices that continue to rub salt in the wounds of our past. Only then will we come at last to achieve the development that we have long been sought
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