We buy everything we crave at the supermarket; purchase the latest electronic gizmos the minute they appear; and download movies on the internet with abandon. Then we wonder why we have no money for a new car or savings for retirement. What in the world is wrong with us? The truth is that we aren't as morally weak as we think. Science shows that many of us are genetically wired … [Read more...] about Fighting the Spending Demon
Social Issues
Adjusting to Shocks to Protect the Region’s Future
Commodity prices are falling or are at their lowest point in years. The demographic boom is fading. Debts are on the rise, and many currencies have undergone sharp depreciations. What does all this mean for Latin America and the Caribbean? Our 2016 Macroeconomic Report Time to Act looks at some of the critical issues facing countries in the region. It explores the fiscal … [Read more...] about Adjusting to Shocks to Protect the Region’s Future
How the Rich Can Help Poor Countries
It's not always easy to be a billionaire. In the United States, resentment against the top 1%, with their immense share of national income, helped spur the Occupy Wall Street movement and its slogan "We are the 99%." And that resentment is even more intense for the one-tenth of 1% who are on the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans and earn more than millions of families … [Read more...] about How the Rich Can Help Poor Countries
Pride and Frustration on Women’s Day
Latin America and the Caribbean celebrate International Women's Day March 8 with a mixture of pride and frustration. Pride, because women have dramatically increased their level of education and their participation in the labor force. Frustration, because they still have trouble breaking through the glass ceiling into top managerial positions and continue to earn less than men … [Read more...] about Pride and Frustration on Women’s Day
The Miracle of Parenting Programs?
For decades now, researchers have suspected that investments in early childhood development pay off richly. That is because providing the right intellectual and emotional stimulation to children in their first years could open a new future. It may not only lead to smarter, more prosperous and more socially-adapted adults. It could generate more equality and productivity in … [Read more...] about The Miracle of Parenting Programs?