Declining inequality in Latin America

"Why is inequality finally declining in a region marked by uncommonly high--and previously persistent--income disparities? And what does it imply for the future? In this excellent book, Lopez-Calva, Lustig, and their outstanding team of authors do not shy away from the complexity inherent in the interaction of economics, policy, and politics that lay behind changes in the distribution of incomes."--Francisco H.G. Ferreira, Deputy Chief Economist for Latin America, World Bank. "A work of both exceptional scholarship and practical policy assessment on Latin America's most intractable, and potentially explosive, challenge--the massive income and wealth inequality that characterizes most countries of the region. Its findings and conclusions should set the stage for distinguishing between serious policy efforts to build more equitable societies in Latin America and the demagoguery that pervades so much of the region's politics."--Peter Hakim, President, Inter-American Dialogue. "This very important book documents a surprising decline in income inequality throughout much of Latin America and analyzes the long-term effects of education expansion and anti-poverty programs. Its findings have major implications for policy and political economy analysis. It will be of great interest to anyone concerned with issues of social development in Latin America, including economists, political scientists, and the policy community."--Robert Kaufman, Rutgers University. "An excellent and necessary book that will be welcomed by all interested in Latin America's development. Through a mix of analytical essays, abundant empirical evidence, solid economic analysis, and individual country case studies, the contributors to this volume help us understand one of the most difficult and, until very recently, persistent features of the region: high income inequality."--Santiago Levy, Vice President, Inter-American Development Bank. "This important book shows how markets and policy are beginning to favor the poor in Latin America. Declining Inequality is a must-read for all those worried about the huge economic distance between rich and poor in the world's most unequal place."--Jeffrey G. Williamson, Harvard University and University of Wisconsin --Book Jacket.