Anti-poverty Programmes in Venezuela, Brazil and Mexico

1133 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: poverty in latin america 2018

While Venezuela, Brazil and Mexico have each tackled the poverty issue by increasing social spending, the types of programs and use of resources has had and will continue to have different effects for the future. Venezuela, relying on the revenue of high oil prices, has vastly increased social spending on building homes and clinics. Brazil has tackled education and health to address the issue of poverty, while Mexico has concentrated on stipends to poor families that is slated to be the most successful at tackling the actual causes of poverty. While in the short run these programs grant benefits to the poor, in the long run the failure to significantly address the causes of poverty can contribute to continued dissatisfaction with the quality of democracy.

Venezuela's state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela have spent more than $3.7 Billion in the last year on social and agricultural programs, building medical clinics and hundreds of thousands of homes for the poor. It has been able to accomplish this by solely relying on the booming oil wealth of the country. This ambitious effort to help the poor is an integral part in Chavez's "social revolution", yet critics says that this squandering of oil proceeds won’t do away poverty in the long run. The program is criticized for not tackling the causes of poverty and simply trying to spend the money in a visible way so as to gain loyalty and support. Also, the reliance on an unstable source has the potential to create devastating consequences should the source of wealth fail to bring in the revenue needed for continued support of the program. Rather, it has been suggested that the government should invest its earnings, as volume of production is falling, rather than simply spending it s...

... middle of paper ...

...erty and inequality successfully addresses two key concerns for Mexicans. It also has the effect of reducing crime and increasing education, overall benefits for the nation with a government that has successfully met the demands of the people.

So while all three countries have made advances in the issues of poverty in the short run, in reality it is Mexico's stipend program and Brazil's similar program that have the potential to truly improve the quality of democracy, while Venezuela's oil-financed programs are vulnerable to devastation and altogether failure of the program should the revenue of oil drop. All in all, addressing the issue of poverty at all does satisfy a key concern in government, yet whether it can maintain alleviating the problem of poverty depends on the nature of the program and whether the it can have stable allocation of funds and resources.

Show More
Related

  • The Lasting Effects of the Hugo Chávez Regime

    1900 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today’s world, a leader of a country has an immense power. That person can either wisely nurture the nation he or she has sworn to guide, or be responsible for the steps backward that country will be doomed to take at the end of their rule. There is no in between. Venezuela, a South American country that has a coastline on the Caribbean Sea, is a prime example of this truth. Venezuela is an oil-rich country that suffers from a multitude of problems created by previous governments, most notably the Chávez regime. Under Chávez’s rule, the country was guided down a devastating and highly controversial path (Rohter). Although this oil-rich nation had been lead by flawed leaders before, Hugo Chávez was the man who is ultimately responsible for the fact that Venezuela is currently spiraling out of control. A champion of the poor, his legacy in Venezuela can be felt still today (Rohter). Although he died over a year ago, the ultimately disastrous choices Chávez made for Venezuela have culminated into violent protests that began in February 2014. Hugo Chávez was a highly controversial leader whose socialistic ideologies and policies that focused on elevating the poor continue to affect not only the current president, Nicolas Maduro, but the country as a whole by providing the fuel to the violent protests occurring in the country due to issues such as inflation, government corruption, terrible crime rates, and food shortages.

    Read More

  • Evicted By Matthew Desmond Analysis

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    Poverty is not just an issue reserved for third world countries. Instead, poverty is a multifaceted issue that even the most developed nations must battle

    Read More

  • Venezuela

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the 1970s, Venezuela has gone from being South America’s richest nation into a nouveau-poor society in search of an identity. Once known as the Saudis of the West, Venezuelans have seen their economic fortunes decline in exact proportion to the general fall in world oil prices. Even so, Venezuela’s many problems were hidden from view until relatively recently, when severity measures heralded the sort of economic crises so painfully familiar to other Latin American countries. Runaway inflation, currency devaluations and even food riots have marked this new phase in Venezuelan history, to which the country is still trying to adjust.

    Read More

  • Are Democracy and Capitalism Compatible

    2012 Words  | 5 Pages

    Przeworski, A., 2004. Capitalism, Development and Democracy. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 24, No. 4 (96), Pp. 489-497

    Read More

  • Mexican Immigration Discrimination Essay

    2918 Words  | 6 Pages

    As Martin Luther King, Jr, described, oppression is a worldwide problem, however though the most crucial group is the Mexican immigrants in America, due to the economical, educational, and societal discrimination they face in a country where is everyone is said to be free; consequently though due to anti- immigration groups and non- acceptance in America, this problem has remained unsolved, and will remain so until people can learn to accept people for who they are, and not where they come from.

    Read More

  • Poverty in Less Developed Countries

    469 Words  | 1 Pages

    Poverty in Developing and Less Developed Countries The world includes less developed countries and developing countries. Less developed countries are countries considered to be poor and often contain many people who are in absolute poverty. Developing countries are countries like India, which are gaining in wealth. There are two types of poverty within the world.

    Read More

  • Poverty and Classism

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    Most people of the society still blame the poor for their own predicament. They believe that "if there is a will there is a way". However, they do not think about their government that might had made bad decisions and policies that could actually harm successful development. This causes of poverty and inequality are usually less discussed and often neglected. We must recognize the effects poverty could have on the society and seek ways to create better understanding and resolve the issue before it is too late.

    Read More

  • Venezuela

    2388 Words  | 5 Pages

    Venezuela was one of the richest countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: a polarized political environment, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

    Read More

  • The Devastating Effects of Neoliberal Policies

    1391 Words  | 3 Pages

    The neoliberal policies have benefited some people in generating great wealth for them, but controversially, the policies have failed to benefit the people who live in extreme poverty and those people are the most in need for financial support (Makwana, 2006). In the last 2 to 3 decades, the wealth disparity between nations as well as within nations has increased. Currently, one out of every 5 children in the United States is in a state of poverty, continual hunger, insecurity and lack of health care (MIT, 2000). This situation is becoming even more desperate. Between 1960 and 1980, the developing countries’ economic growth was 3.2 percent. Then it dropped significantly to 0.7 percent between 1980 and 2000, and this is the period when neolibe...

    Read More

  • The Venezuelan Crisis: Protest, Shortages, and Violence

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hugo Chavez was a powerful and positive force in addressing social issues, however, his singular focus on social issues at the expense of other matters of the country left the Venezuelan economy in tatters. In 1998, 50.4% of the Venezuelan population was living below the poverty line, where as in 2006 the numbers dropped to 36.3% (Chavez leaves). Although he aggressively confronted the issue of poverty in Venezuela, many other problems were worsened. Some Chavez critics say he used the state oil company like a piggy bank for projects: funding homes, and healthcare while neglecting oil infrastructure and production. Without growth in the oil ind...

    Read More

  • What’s Venezuela Crisis Really About?

    994 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the fourteen years that remained in power Chávez followed strategy of introducing a socialist government in Venezuela in stages. According to Enrique Standish in the article titled “Venezuela Finally Turns Communist” it happened in four stages. The first stage consisted of obtaining t...

    Read More

  • Reducing Poverty : Poverty And Poverty

    1378 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many people do not realize that there are tens of millions of people in America who are living in poverty because they are stuck on the fact that America is one of the richest nations. People who are living in poverty barely have enough money to survive on basic necessities like food, shelter and electricity. They often have a hectic schedule filled with work, school, or other activities that they have to do in order for them to live a somewhat stable life. Unfortunately, there are others who are living in poverty that may be ill or disabled and barely able to survive even if they are receiving money to help with their situation. There are a few programs that help those in poverty with their financial problems, but they only help them to a certain extent. Changes need to be done to help alleviate the poverty rate because these people should not have to deal with all of these hardships or have such a negative perspective of life. Therefore, America can reduce its poverty by raising the minimum wage, making health care more accessible, and by making child care more affordable. These solutions will be a great start to reducing poverty and they will lead America into a brighter future.

    Read More

  • Poverty In Mexico Essay

    619 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mexico is a country that has progressed much over the years. Although it has had many advancements, the country is still facing many problems. One problem that is still affecting many that are living there is famine. ”Sixty million people, half the Mexican population, live in poverty, and 20 million of them live in extreme poverty” (Eslbee). There are many reasons as to why famine exists in such a high number in Mexico. The one most obvious reason would be poverty. I feel that famine due to poverty has dictated Mexico more that it has in any country.

    Read More

  • Women's Economic Opportunities and Health in Brazil

    2521 Words  | 6 Pages

    Brazil’s distribution of income is one of the most unequal and like many other countries, serves the interest of the rich. The richest 10 percent possess 50 percent of the income. Men earn 29.2 percent more than woman in the same employment field. Black Brazilian women receive 40 percent lower salaries than white woman and the black population is more likely to be poor overall (Blaney, 2004). Between 1960 and 1990, the share of national income of the poorest half of the population fell from 18 percent to 12percent, and the richest 20 percent increased from 54 percent to 65percent. The nine states in the Northeast have the lowest socioeconomic indicators in the country (PAHO, 1999). Adequate housing, water sanitation, education and daycare centers for women are some of the areas affected by the Brazil’s social inequality.

    Read More

  • Poverty in Developing Countries

    590 Words  | 2 Pages

    As developed countries quench their thirsts for petrol, developing countries around the world are left behind, force to watch on without any help from the outside community. Being poor means to be disadvantaged in every single way. It means not being able to support yourself or your family or have the basic necessity to life. Without substantial help for these helpless people then we should be feeling guilty that we are living lives far better than what others are experiencing. Poverty may because by wars, disease or lack of education and infrastructure and the resulting consequences may be hunger, starvation, crime and ultimately death. If poverty is not eradicated then injustice will continue, increasing death tolls and lives.

    Read More

More about Anti-poverty Programmes in Venezuela, Brazil and Mexico

Open Document