The costs of inequality in Latin America: lessons and warnings for the rest of the world
1. Introduction: Lessons from the Land of Inequality -- 1.1. Inequality is growing in developed countries... and it is even higher in Latin America -- 1.2. Exploring inequality through case studies -- 1.3. The book's argument: the economic, political and social costs of inequality -- 1.4. How do we move from here? Some Latin American lessons -- 1.5. The rest of the book -- 2. Latin America: Always the Most Unequal Region? -- 2.1. The most unequal region in the world? -- 2.2. It is about the rich, stupid! -- 2.3. Always Unequal? -- 2.4. No longer an exception: growing inequality in other parts of the world -- 3. The Economic Costs of Inequality: Poor Education, Lack of Innovation and Economic Crises -- 3.1. A historical excursion -- 3.2. The problem of education today -- 3.3. Inequality limits the opportunities to create more dynamic economies -- 3.4. The difficulties to tax the rich -- 3.5. Income inequality and financial crises -- 3.6. From the economy back to inequality -- 3.7. From Latin America to the rest of the world -- 4. The Political Costs of Inequality: Weak Democracies and Populist Solutions -- 4.1. The uncomfortable coexistence of democracy and elite power -- 4.2. The first wave of populism as a response to the democratic deficit -- 4.3. Coming to the present: the limits of democracy and a new populist response -- 4.4. Authoritarian breaks as extreme elite responses -- 4.5. From politics back to inequality -- 4.6. From Latin America to the rest of the world -- 5. The Social Costs of Inequality: Violence, Social Mistrust and its Consequences -- 5.1. The most unequal and most violent region at the same time -- 5.2. Inequality contributes to mistrust in neighbours and institutions -- 5.3. Inequality, discrimination and racism -- 5.4. From social problems back to inequality: the difficulties to create redistributive coalitions -- 5.5. From Latin America to the rest of the world: some warning signs -- 6. Changing Courses -- 6.1. Latin America as a warning to the rest of the world -- 6.2. The unexpected reduction of inequality in Latin America during the 2000s -- 6.3. What can Latin America do to reverse courses? -- 6.4. An agenda for equity in the rest of the world -- 6.5. Conclusion: hope or disappear?