The wave of structural reforms in Latin America and elsewhere has stimulated the development of a wide body of theoretical literature on the political economy of reform, i. e. , the study of the political constraints that condition the timing, speed and sequencing of reforms. This paper tests...

This paper assesses how electoral outcomes in both presidential and legislative elections in Latin America have been affected by the adoption of economic policies that seek to improve macroeconomic stability and facilitate the functioning of markets. The database includes 17 Latin American...

This paper compares growth conditions in China and Latin America to assess fears that China will displace Latin America in the coming decades. China`s strengths include the size of the economy, macroeconomic stability, abundant low-cost labor, the rapid expansion of physical infrastructure, and...

(PDF disponible en Español en WP-536) Este artículo compara las condiciones de crecimiento económico de China y de América Latina con el fin de evaluar los temores de que la economía china desplace a la latinoamericana en las próximas décadas. Las fortalezas de China se basan en el...

Panel data for seven Latin American countries are used to assess the influence of public indebtedness on public investment in infrastructure in the period 1987-2001. Debt increases are associated with higher public infrastructure investment, an effect that is robust to the inclusion of many...

Se usaron datos de panel para siete países de América Latina para evaluar la influencia del endeudamiento público de la inversión pública en infraestructura durante el período 1987-2001. Los aumentos de deuda se asocian con inversión alta de infraestructura pública, un efecto que es...

(Disponible en idioma inglés únicamente) Este trabajo fue preparado para la IIC Asamblea anual del BID en 1998, titulada: El empleo en América Latina: ¿cuál es el problema y hay que resolverlo o no?, que tuvo lugar en la ciudad colombiana de Cartagena en marzo de 1998. Los problemas del...

This paper was prepared for the 1998 IDB/IIC Annual Meeting entitled: "The Employment in Latin America: What is the Problem and Should it be Addressed?" held in Cartagena, Colombia in March 1998. Despite macroeconomic stabilization and structural reforms, employment problems have persisted in...

This article, which serves as an introduction to a group of studies prepared by the IDB Office of the Chief Economist, presents the perceptions of Latin American citizens and employers concerning the employment problem. It compares them to the conditions in the labor markets of the region.

This paper makes use of the 2006 Gallup World Survey, which includes opinions on satisfaction with various aspects of life in 130 countries. Although a very solid relationship is found between satisfaction and income (both across and within countries), raising doubts regarding the well-known...