The Long-Awaited Rise of the Middle Class in Latin America Is Finally Happening
In many developing countries, the supply of skilled workers is likely to continue to be stronger than demand, and this should drive down the skill premium and reduce inequality. Within the limitations of any exercise based on simulations, this pape...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2014
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/06/19642977/long-awaited-rise-middle-class-latin-america-finally-happening http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18767 |
Summary: | In many developing countries, the supply
of skilled workers is likely to continue to be stronger than
demand, and this should drive down the skill premium and
reduce inequality. Within the limitations of any exercise
based on simulations, this paper finds that the recently
observed reduction in inequality in Latin America may
continue. Building on counterfactual scenarios projecting
economic and demographic (including age and education)
growth, the paper also highlights that by 2030 the
long-awaited rise of the middle class in Latin America will
be in full swing, as its share will be 43 percent of the
total population, twice the value in 2005. This achievement
is not guaranteed, as countries with large initial
inequalities will have to achieve very high rates of
inclusive growth. At the same time, a larger middle class is
likely to exert a stronger influence on international and
domestic policy making. |
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