In 2001, a coalition of academics and newspapers united in what was known as the Grupo Oaxaca to propose and advocate for a so-called Freedom of Information (FOI) law. Proponents argued that a FOI law, which would force the government to reveal virtually all but national security information, would usher in a new era of government transparency. People would be given the tools … [Read more...] about Release Information; Give Power to the People
Social Issues
Crime, Inequality and the Rio Olympics
Before and during the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, two different visions of the city emerged, at least partly from portraits in the foreign press. There was a glamorous Rio with its well-to-do sports fans, elegant neighborhoods and nightclubbers fired up by Samba and caipirinhas. And there was a Rio of the slums or favelas, with their poverty, drug gangs and killings. To be … [Read more...] about Crime, Inequality and the Rio Olympics
Argentina’s Residential Real Estate: A Magnet for Savings that Trumps Bank Accounts
When it comes to their savings, households want to make sure they choose a type of investment that keeps their money safe and provides a reliable return. While in developed economies these requirements can be met by a simple bank account, in Latin America lack of trust in financial institutions discourages individuals from investing their savings in financial products. Some … [Read more...] about Argentina’s Residential Real Estate: A Magnet for Savings that Trumps Bank Accounts
Can Good Parenting Make an Olympic Star?
She barrels down the mat like a sprinter, pivots, soars into the air backwards with two somersaults and a half twist, and lands blindly and perfectly on her feet, with arms outstretched and an irrepressible smile. It is an acrobatic feat of such difficulty, grace and poise by the 19-year-old, four feet eight gymnast Simone Biles, that it has come to be known as “the Biles.” And … [Read more...] about Can Good Parenting Make an Olympic Star?
Can Culture Affect Economic Outcomes?
To what extent is economic behavior determined by culture and to what extent by the economic environment? In an extensive IDB study entitled Saving for Development: How Latin America and the Caribbean Can Save More and Better, the authors consider culture as a possible factor in the region’s abysmally low savings rates. They enter, in the process, into a heated debate that has … [Read more...] about Can Culture Affect Economic Outcomes?