According to a new report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Latin American countries with the most economic inequalities also face the highest risks for social unrest and conflict. The UNDP found that, as opposed to the rest of the world, “cultural tensions in Latin America are numerous…and are characterized by a high degree of citizen participation.” These discoveries further evince what many have long been arguing: poverty will not eliminate itself, and if we attempt to ignore the problems of the poor, then they will make their voices heard.
Nearly 2,500 social conflicts in over 15 countries were analyzed from October 2009 to September 2010; some countries’ totals (El Salvador, Chile, Costa Rica) were nearly 60, while others’ (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru) were over 200. Although most unrest takes the form of strikes and demonstrations, some do end up transforming into violent clashes, as evidenced by the coup in Honduras in 2009—the first transfer of power of this kind in post-Cold War Latin America.
These findings may seem obvious to some, but the fact that this data has been quantified and officially published is important, because it adds to the mounting scientific evidence that points towards poverty as a social disease which absolutely must be cured. While moral arguments against economic inequalities can be powerful and moving, there is also a need for hard facts—proof that letting people stay poor is not a victimless act. Similarly, armchair philosophers may speculate that countries with harder lives for the poor may experience more social uprisings; this report lends much credence to the formal arguments of proponents of development economics.
The report does, however, stress that not all social conflict is inherently bad. When people hold a demonstration to demand better working conditions, for example, they are asserting their rights as citizens in a democracy. It is important to take some happiness from this example of freedom, but it is also important to recognize that unrest arises out of “pragmatic demands for improvements in the quality of life.” If the needs of the poor were not so great, there would be no reason for these different forms of social unrest.
The UNDP recommends “social constructivism” as an escape valve for these social conflicts. By empowering individuals to organize, articulate their interests, and create institutions which assist in the implementation of proper solutions, we can help bring an end to global poverty. A focus on “strengthening and improving relationships” amongt the participants in these conflicts is an essential part of creating sustainable, effective organizations which can serve countries year after year. The UNDP describes Latin American countries as having “relatively weak state institutions of questionable legitimacy [and]limited citizen participation,” but stresses that the implementation of this report’s recommendations could help to drastically alleviate these troubles.
— Jake Simon