Culture Matters: The Real Obstacles to Latin American Development

Author(s): Oscar Arias

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 Culture Matters
The Real Obstacles to Latin American Development

Oscar Arias

Nearly two centuries after the countries region of the world. The countries of
of Latin America gained their indepen Latin America are not the only ones to
dence from Spain and Portugal, not one have faced an uphill battle in history.
of them is truly developed. Where have Latin American nations began this race
they gone wrong? Why have countries in with conditions equal to, or even better
other regions, once far behind, managed than, those prevailing elsewhere. They?
to achieve relatively quickly results that we?are the ones who fell behind.
Latin American countries have aspired When Harvard University opened its
to for so long? - doors in 1636, there were already well
Many in the region respond to such established universities in Argentina,
questions with conspiracy theories or self Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican
pitying excuses. They blame the Spanish Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.
empire, for making off with the regions In 1820, the gdp of Latin America as a
riches in the past, or the American empire, whole was 12.5 percent greater than that
which supposedly continues to bleed it of the United States. Today, with a popu
dry today. They say that international lation of about 560 million?some 250
financial institutions have schemed to million more than the United States?the
hold the region back, that globalization region has a gdp that is only 29 percent of its
was deliberately designed to keep it in northern neighbor s. Latin America won
the shadows. In short, they place the its independence 150 years before countries
blame for underdevelopment anywhere such as South Korea and Singapore did;
but on Latin America itself. today, despite their past as exploited
The truth is that so much time has colonies and their lack of significant nat
passed since independence that Latin ural resources, those countries' per capita
Americans have lost the right to use income is several times greater.
others as the excuse for their own failures. One consequence of Latin Americas
Various outside powers have indeed affected reluctance to face such comparisons
the regions fate. But that is true for every squarely has been a disconnect between

Oscar Arias served as President of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and 2006
to 2010. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.

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 Culture Matters
discourse and reality. Tired of empty To make matters worse, the region s
words and meaningless promises, people political leaders rarely have the patience
in the region are disillusioned with poli or the skill to walk their people carefully
tics in general. Recognizing their own through the processes of reform. In a
share of responsibility for the situation, democracy, a leader must be the head
however, could be the start of rewriting teacher, someone eager to respond to
history. The key is accepting that four doubts and questions and explain the
regional cultural traits are obstacles that need for and the benefits of a new course.
need to be overcome for development to But too often in Latin America, leaders
succeed: resistance to change, absence justify themselves with a simple "because
of confidence, fragile democratic norms, I say so."
and a soft spot for militarism. This dovetails neatly with the desire to
protect established privileges?a phenom
LOOKING BACKWARD
enon visible not only among the rich and
Latin Americans glorify their past so powerful but throughout society. Teachers'
ceaselessly that they make it almost unions decide for themselves how much
impossible to advocate change. Instead teachers should work and what they should
of a culture of improvement, they have teach. Something similar happens with
promoted a culture of preservation of the business owners and contractors in the
status quo. Constant, patient reform? private sector, who have provided low
the only kind of reform compatible with quality services for decades with no fear
democratic stability?is unsatisfying; the of competition, thanks to sinecures and
region accepts what exists, while occasion illicit transactions. And public officials
ally pining for dramatic revolutions that are also immobile: the civil services reward
promise abundant treasures only one those who do no more than sit at their
insurrection away. desks and say no.
Such an attitude would be easier to This attitude has many consequences,
understand in Canada or Norway, which particularly when it comes to entrepre
have achieved enviable levels of human neurship. Latin America has vasdy more
development. But what have Guatemala controllers than entrepreneurs. The region
or Nicaragua to prize so highly in their is suspicious of new ideas and lacks effec
pasts? In cases such as these, the conser tive mechanisms to support innovative
vative impulse probably springs not just projects. Someone seeking to start a new
from a desire to preserve the status quo business must begin by wading through
but even more from a desire to protect waves of bureaucracy and arbitrary re
established privileges and a general fear quirements. Entrepreneurs get minimal
of the unknown. Latin Americans hold praise or cultural reinforcement, little legal
on tight even to pain and suffering, pre protection, and scarce academic support.
ferring a certain present to an uncertain The regions universities, meanwhile,
future. Some of this is only natural, entirely are not turning out the kinds of profes
human. But for us, the fear is paralyz sionals that development demands. Latin
ing; it generates not only anxiety but America graduates six professionals in the
also paralysis. social sciences for every two in engineering

FOREIGN AFFAIRS January/February2011 [3]

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 Oscar Arias
and every one in the exact sciences. Visiting from politicians to friends. We believe that
a Latin American university campus is like everyone has a secret agenda and that it
traveling to the past, to an era in which the is better not to get too involved in collective
Berlin Wall had yet to fall and Russia and efforts. We are captives to a gigantic
China had yet to embrace capitalism. prisoner's dilemma in which each person
Instead of giving students practical tools? contributes as little as possible to the com
such as technological and language skills? mon interest.
to help them succeed in a globalized world, In a globalized world, however, trust
many schools devote themselves to teach is indispensable. The countries most
ing authors no one reads and repeating ready to trust are the countries most ready
doctrines in which no one believes. to develop, because their citizens can base
For development to occur, this has to their actions on a reasonable expectation
change. Latin American countries must of how others will behave. Legal insecurity
begin to reward innovators and creators. is a special problem. With alarming
Their universities must reform their aca frequency, citizens of Latin American
demic offerings and invest in science and countries do not know what the legal
technology. They must reduce burdensome consequences of their actions will be or
regulations, attract investment, and promote how the state will react to their projects.
the transfer of knowledge. In other words, In some countries, businesses are expro
they must understand that pragmatism priated without any justification, permits
is the new universal ideology?that, as are revoked because of political pressure,
Deng Xiaoping once said, it does not judicial verdicts fly in the face of the law,
matter whether a cat is black or yellow, as and the legal situation is so volatile that
long as it catches mice. it impedes the attainment of long-term
goals. As former Ecuadorian President
DEVELOPING TRUST
Osvaldo Hurtado recently noted in The
The second obstacle is the absence of American Interest\
confidence. No development project can Latin Americans do not trust legal insti
prosper in a place where suspicion reigns, tutions and actors . . . whether govern
the success of others is viewed with mis ment courts or private lawyers. Indeed,
giving, and creativity and drive are met the deep-rooted, centuries-old custom of
with wariness. Latin Americans are among flouting the law has been a more power
ful influence on the continent than the
the most distrustful people in the world.
countless laws passed over the centuries
The World Values Survey asks the ques
to regulate economic, social and political
tion, "Can most people be trusted?" In the relations. Latin American legislatures
year 2000,55-65 percent of those people have probably passed more laws over the
surveyed in four Nordic countries? past 175 years than their counterparts
Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden? anywhere on the planet, yet never have
said yes; only 16 percent of those people so many laws been ignored by so many
surveyed in Latin America did, and only for so long.
three percent did in Brazil. It has been said that legal security is
Latin Americans doubt the true inten the protection of trust. For economic
tions of all those who cross their paths, development to succeed, Latin Americans

[4] FOREIGN AFFAIRS - Volume 9o No. 1

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must be able to trust their states to act
reasonably and predictably They must be CHINADAILY
able to anticipate the legal consequences
of their actions. And they must be able to www.chinadailyusa.com
trust that others, too, will act in accordance
with the rules of the game.

COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY Please call us toll-free at 1-877-263-2459 or email us

at [email protected]
The third obstacle blocking development
is the fragility of the Latin American China Daily US Edition is a special customized edition
commitment to democracy. To be sure, of China's national English-language newspaper.
with the sole exception of Cuba, by some
Launched in 2009 and published Monday through
measures the region would be counted as
Friday, the US Edition was created to provide readers
entirely democratic today. After centuries in the United States and Canada with news about
of civil wars, coups, and dictatorships, China and the Chinese perspective on trade and in
democracy has indeed made remarkable ternational issues.
strides in recent decades. But the truth
Published in New York, Washington D.C., San Fran
is that its victory is incomplete. Despite
cisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston, China Daily
carefully crafted constitutions, grand US Edition is especially tailored to the North Ameri
proclamations, and high-minded treaties, can market.
Latin America still has a soft spot for
authoritarianism.
Fidel and Raul Castro in Cuba behave
like traditional Latin American caudillos?
but so do Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and
Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, who have
used democratic processes and structures
to subvert their countries, own democratic
systems. Once elected, they interpreted
their mandates as carte blanche to do what
ever they wanted, including persecuting
their opponents, shackling the media,
and trying to twist the system so as to
stay in power at all costs. Too many of
their countries' citizens, meanwhile, are
content to allow these leaders to proceed,
perhaps seeing their messianism and dem
agoguery as the exit from the prevailing
regional labyrinth of underdevelopment.
If Latin American democracies do
not live up to their political and economic
promise, if their citizens' hopes remain a
dream deferred, then authoritarianism

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 Oscar Arias
will rise again. The way to prevent that is Rica's footsteps, but I know that this
to show the public that democracy works, Utopia will not be possible in my lifetime.
that it truly can build more prosperous and I also know, however, that a responsible
equitable societies. Moving beyond political and gradual reduction of military spending
sclerosis, becoming more responsive to is not only possible but also imperative.
citizens' demands, and generating fiscal We owe it to the victims of dictatorships,
resources by taxing the wealthy are all who during the twentieth century wrote
essential steps to take in moving toward with their own blood the saddest pages in
a true culture of liberty and progress. Latin American history. We owe it to the
survivors of oppression and torture. We
A CULTURE OF PEACE owe it to those who saw their worst fears
Increasing public income is necessary, realized in the presence of a soldier.
but it is not sufficient. Those funds must Abandoning this martial culture is
also be spent wisely, to promote human also essential because the increased pres
development. Latin American countries ence of soldiers in our towns and cities
have spent a lot in the past, running up promotes a combative attitude that does
immense debts, but they have often not favor development. It suggests that
squandered their resources on inappro problems are best solved by fighting an
priate priorities. They have lavished on enemy, rather than building in solidarity
their armies the money that they should with friends and neighbors. It teaches
have lavished on their children. that conquests are attained with weapons,
Aside from Colombia, no country in shouts, and threats, as opposed to words,
Latin America faces an ongoing or im respect, and tolerance. The militarism
minent armed conflict. And yet each year, of the regions culture is a regressive and
the region spends $60 billion on arms destructive force, one that needs to be
and soldiers?double what it spent just replaced with a culture of peace.
five years ago. Why? Who is going to Latin Americans must look in the
attack whom? The enemies of the people mirror and confront the reality that many
in the region are hunger, ignorance, in of our problems lie not in our stars but in
equality, disease, crime, and environmental ourselves. We must lose our fear of change.
degradation. They are internal, and they We must embrace entrepreneurship. We
can be defeated only through smart public must learn to trust. We must strengthen
policy, not a new arms race. our commitment to democracy and the rule
Costa Rica was the first country in of law. And we must abandon the military
history to abolish its army and declare practices that continue to rub salt into
peace with the world. Its children have the wounds of our past. Only then will the
never known military service. They region finally attain the development it
have never seen the shadow of an armored has so long sought.?
helicopter or the tracks of a tank. And
since the abolition of its armed forces
62 years ago, Costa Rica has never suffered
a coup. I would like to think that all of
Latin America might follow in Costa

[6] FOREIGN AFFAIRS Volume 90 No. 1

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