Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Economic Growth: Peru vs Bolivia


Peru: A bullshit statistically manipulated and massaged 1.12% GDP growth for 2009 that isn't being taken seriously by anyone that looks beyond the headlines and studies the figures. But all the same, Peru is being lauded by the empty-headed suits for its great effort amidst adversity.

Bolivia: A genuine and statistically sound 3.7% GDP growth for 2009, the best in the whole of the Latin America region (from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego). Totally ignored.

That Bolivia's has the best performing economy in the whole region is just too hard to swallow for the neolibs. So rather than address the issue they just pretend it doesn't exist and praise the economy of Peru that relies on 28% of its child population as workers to make money (and we're not talking paper rounds, folks, we're talking sweatshops, shoeshining and working in gold mines). Of course I'm not saying that child labor doesn't exist in Bolivia; all you need to do is check out who's guarding the sheep or llama herds to see the story. But the important thing is that you gringo types get the chance to invest your money in the child labor sectors of Peru. Far better for the world, right?