Becoming a good cook is not easy. It takes burning more than one pan and, hopefully, learning from mistakes. As the needs and preferences of the diners evolve, the same old recipe may no longer work and the cookbook may have to be adapted. The availability of new ingredients, cooking techniques, and kitchen gadgets may also call for innovation in the kitchen, leading to the … [Read more...] about Structural Reforms: New Recipes for Evolving Needs
growth
Where Are the Opportunities for Chile to Resume a Growth Path?
Over the last three decades, Chile has stood out by achieving the highest income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean, in addition to the highest ranking on the Human Development Index in line with average levels of OECD member countries. Chile has also led progress related to the Sustainable Development Goals, ranking 30th worldwide. Despite these advances, Chile … [Read more...] about Where Are the Opportunities for Chile to Resume a Growth Path?
Corruption and growth, revisited
Some years ago, there was a tsunami in the economics literature on the relationship between economic growth and corruption. When it became clear that correlation is not causation, and that perception is not necessarily reality, the wave dwindled, although a corruption-index industry did thrive, (for a while). A recent paper retakes this issue from a more rigorous … [Read more...] about Corruption and growth, revisited
The tip of the Iceberg
One of the first things I do most mornings is check-out Chris Blattman’s blog. He recently posted a very provocative entry on corruption, criticizing the emphasis that many international agencies place on it, calling it an “Anglo-American fetish.” Westerners care about corruption far out of proportion to its impact on poverty alleviation and economic growth. […] To be … [Read more...] about The tip of the Iceberg
Corruption and education: three stories
The idea that corruption has negative effects on investment and growth has been in the development economics literature for quite a while. Some believe that the real problems lie on institutional and political structures and that the focus should be placed in reforming them. Others think that corruption cannot be solved if poverty and exclusion are not addressed. A … [Read more...] about Corruption and education: three stories