It is often noted that Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws is the book that sets forth the concept of branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Through his influence on the French liberals, Montesquieu is one of the key figures of the 1789 French Revolution, whose cry was “Freedom, Equality, Fraternity.” There is, however, another central part of The Spirit … [Read more...] about Montesquieu’s Mistake, or Why Inequality Doesn’t Have to Be Part of the Latin American DNA
Julián Messina
Julián Messina is a Lead Research Economist at the research department of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Prior to joining the IDB, he worked at the World Bank and the European Central Bank, and he has taught at the Universities of Barcelona GSE, Georgetown, Girona, Frankfurt and Mainz. His research interests include labor economics, applied macroeconomics and the economics of education. He is author of three books, including two World Bank Latin American Flagship Reports. His work has been published in academic journals including the American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Economic Journal, Journal of the European Economic Association and Labour Economics, and he is often featured in popular blogs and media outlets including The Economist. He has extensive experience advising governments in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Dr. Messina obtained his PhD. in Economics at the European University Institute in 2002.
Not the Usual Recession: Why Inequality after Covid-19 May Get a Lot Worse
It is tempting to view the severe economic downturn of the Covid-19 pandemic through the same lens as other recessions that have struck Latin American and the Caribbean over the last three decades. Most of those previous events, after all, led to increases in poverty and unemployment, much as the current crisis has done. But when it comes to inequality, one of the region's most … [Read more...] about Not the Usual Recession: Why Inequality after Covid-19 May Get a Lot Worse
Understanding Social Unrest in Latin America
The last quarter of 2019 shocked Latin America with massive demonstrations on the streets of Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and other countries. Protesters had many demands, but there was a common theme: equal treatment, better opportunities for all, and a more level playing field. Why did these perfectly valid demands erupt like a volcano after two decades of progress and a … [Read more...] about Understanding Social Unrest in Latin America
Combating Inequality in the Covid-19 Era
Latin America and the Caribbean is the world's most unequal region, after sub-Saharan Africa, and income inequality there is getting worse as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of the expected long-term effects of the pandemic, inequality is likely to continue worsening for many years to come if the right policies are not put into place. This would be a tragedy for a … [Read more...] about Combating Inequality in the Covid-19 Era
Covid-19: The Challenge of Ensuring Assistance to Informal and Vulnerable Workers
Few measures could be more important during the current Covid-19 pandemic than ensuring that the poor and vulnerable can eat, buy medicine and pay for other basic needs as they endure a months-long shutdown essential to protecting public health. But in Latin America where about half the population works in the informal economy, that is no easy feat. Many people in the informal … [Read more...] about Covid-19: The Challenge of Ensuring Assistance to Informal and Vulnerable Workers