Saturday, May 12, 2012

Economic and Political Reality in Chile


I find fascinating foreign Journalist columns when they write about Chile but let me provide you a very brief overview of the political reality of Chile. After the military regime that governed the country until 1990, Chile has democratically elected its presidents and has transitioned to a society where, in appearance, democracy prevails. Though this is true in many ways, there is an ever increasing resentment by the general public that our authorities from the private and public sector, politicians, both those in government, and in the opposition, are a well established groups of people that are more interested in perpetuating the establishment they have created, than really addressing the needs of the more unfortunate ones and the country in general. Over the last years the country has witnessed several major scandals related to corruption, not only to discover that after major public outcries by the politicians of all colors, nothing really happens. Not even mentioning the scandals in the private sector like the “La Polar” case. On occasions some lower level civil servant may serve some time in jail and some minor changes in legislation may be enacted, though they do little to really solve the problems. I think this is just one of the areas of the many that need reform.  Seeing that there is an increasing apathy among the general public towards politics and politicians and the financially privileged ones in the private sector, the resentment especially among the younger generations is enormous.  The issue is that is growing a large independent group that can provide a new space to do profound changes in how the system works and education is one of them.  However, as it is the desire of citizens a new way of doing things, free of corruption and other bad habits that have become common in our established system, thus people search a system fair free from commitments to groups in the economy and political powers that run the country, especially if they have not evolved to the ethical standards that should prevail in the third millennium. Naturally Chile is not alone in the world with this kind of problems. Worth mentioning, and in line with the hypothesis that the world is seeking change, is the initiative of Nobel Prize winner Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus that he is promoting worldwide in Social Business as a new paradigm in humanizing society. Chile is seeking Economic Justice, fair terms and opportunities to compete in the economic system and Human Rights protection to the abuses that the economic and political system is creating. Especially, in the issue of fair distribution of income. I think you should spend some time down here to see: that creating a business will not take few days to create one, oligopolies are not fair, they control most of the economy of the country, the balloting system to elect our representatives in congress and presidency does not give opportunities to people like me “independent” can run for elections. Communism is nothing compared with what is really going on in the country. The press and the media is controlled, so all you can see from outside is great when in reality all we are doing  is to exploit our natural resources and we do not invest in R&D, Human Capital, health, education and so on "a rising tide lifts all boats" John F Kennedy.

Bernardo Javalquinto, Economista, University of Maryland AA, BSc, MBA, PhD (IP)

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