Toxic inequality in Chile

This post is also available in: Spanish

In a recent article in El País, Moisés Naím compares the protests occurring in Athens, Madrid and New York with those occurring in Chile.

Naím argues that the protests, and the growing discontent that fuels them, are a consequence of Chile’s success in bringing many of its poor into the middle class, and its failure to provide the services and opportunities that the new middle class expects. “Building a school or a hospital,” he points out, “is easier than improving the quality of education or healthcare.” The emerging middle class expects the state to help it continue making progress. Naím suggests that Chile’s experience in addressing this challenge may produce valuable lessons for other countries, in Latin America and beyond.