189.164.204.28
|
The original post here was really about the relative health of the Mexican economy, and how this was likely a good thing for the average Mexican over the long term. But counting Toyotas does not hide the fact that poverty continues to be real, not just in Mexico, but all over the world. Of course poverty is not something shown on a line graph - it is about real people and what they eat, where they live, what education and medical services they have access to. The Mexican government acknowleges that over 50 million people live below the national poverty line, and 11 million live in extreme poverty (you can Google that stat). The problem with economic growth of course is that it is mainly people in cities that benefit, a fact common to the rest of the world. The average wage in rural Mexico is somewhere around $100, half of the wages in the urnan areas. The problem teally is that the rural and indigenous people don't get access to the new wealth, and little access to basic services like education, medical and social services. We in La Manzanilla are well aware of the state of the schools, the lack of an ambulance, policing, and individuals with critical medical needs. To complain about the state of the streets seems almost absurb. Need proof? Look at the price of things in the local stores, the farmacia, the gas pumps. Not really much cheaper than home. How do even the better off people here get by? The really sad part is that the gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider. Not just here. Everywhere. As Mexico's economy grows to be one of the top ten in the world, we can hope that the rural areas get to share in these opportunities. |
| 120 |
|
Message Thread
|
|
|