Macroeconomic Policies to Increase Social Mobility and Growth in Bolivia

Authors

  • Alejandro F. Mercado Bolivian Catholic University "San Pablo"
  • Lykke E. Andersen UNDP-BOL
  • Alice J. Brooks Bolivian Catholic University "San Pablo"

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35319/lajed.20050262

Keywords:

Poverty, Social mobility, Economic growth

Abstract

Poverty in Bolivia continues to be among the highest in Latin America despite decades of concerted national and international efforts to reduce it. The external aid has been generous and foreign direct investment has boomed; nevertheless, average productivity and incomes remain at the same low level as they were 50 years ago. 

This paper suggests that the failure of previous development policies is due to a lack of social mobility in the country. Without social mobility, there is little incentive for people to invest in human ad physical capital, and without investment there cannot be productivity growth. In addition, the lack of social mobility implies an inefficient use of human capital, and it hinders the construction of efficient social mechanisms for redistribution and consumption smoothing over the life-cycle. 

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Author Biographies

Alejandro F. Mercado, Bolivian Catholic University "San Pablo"

Director - IISEC

Lykke E. Andersen, UNDP-BOL

UNDP-BOL

Alice J. Brooks, Bolivian Catholic University "San Pablo"

Investigadora Asociada - IISEC.

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Published

2005-06-01

How to Cite

Mercado, A. F., Andersen, L. E., & Brooks, A. J. (2005). Macroeconomic Policies to Increase Social Mobility and Growth in Bolivia. Latin American Journal of Economic Development, 3, 65–102. https://doi.org/10.35319/lajed.20050262