Left Behind: Chronic Poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean

TLDR: The chronic poor in Latin America and the Caribbean as mentioned in this paper are the group of people who have never known anything but poverty, and thus have been left behind by policies and programs that have otherwise been effective in improving the lives of millions.

Abstract: Latin America and the Caribbean’s story in the 2000s was one of rapid progress for many. More than 70 million people moved out of poverty and started on the path to a better life for themselves and their families. The middle class grew at an impressive rate, and despite recent slowdowns in growth, remains a large segment of Latin American society. Income inequalities shrank between those at the top and those at the bottom, albeit not nearly enough. Despite these improvements, still too many Latin Americans are trapped, unable to see the progress that their compatriots have experienced. One in four people is still living in poverty. And of the millions who have moved out of poverty, most are stuck between poverty and the middle class, making up a growing vulnerable class that remains at risk of losing their hard-won gains. One very concerning group is the focus of this book: the nearly 130 million chronic poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. These are the one in five people in the region who have never known anything but poverty. They have not benefitted from the rising tide driven by the growth over the past fifteen years, and thus have thus been left behind by policies and programs that have otherwise been effective in improving the lives of millions. These are the poorest of the poor, concentrated in communities that share the same issues, and for whom an escape from poverty seems unattainable. This book points to a few areas where policies and programs can have more and better impact. First, improving the enabling environment for the chronically poor to succeed, balancing direct support to poor families with critical improvements in their communities as a whole. It is not enough for people to have skills or education; they need to be able to find good jobs, have access to universal quality health care, and build their businesses in safe neighborhoods.