Nicaragua and Venezuela, who achieves greater social progress?
Social Progres
Imperative, a nonprofit NGO? publishes an Index which shows progress in the
field of Social Progress, which measures the satisfaction of basic human needs
(water, housing and others), the fundamentals of well-being (education, health,
environment) and opportunities (Rights, personal freedom and choice, among
others).
The Social Progress Index
allows to compare countries in terms of social progress performance and GDP per
capita. The graph compares two countries; Nicaragua and Venezuela; both with
leftist presidents, severely questioned by political, social and economic
mismanagement.
At first reading,
the chart has a positive message: It is not necessary to have a global PBII and
GDP per capita large to achieve the social development of a country. It only
requires a vision, discipline and transparency.
In 2016, Nicaragua achieved a
level of progress (63.03) slightly higher than Venezuela (62.60) with almost a
quarter of GDP per capita in Venezuela ($ 17,286 and $ 4,459, respectively).
These figures, if true, provide a good example of efficient management. In all
countries it should be this way; eventually the good example could be spread.
Looking at the positions of
Chile and Uruguay, it is seen that with a GDP per capita similar to that of
Venezuela, they have a social progress index significantly higher than the two
countries. It is not necessary to show details and although curiously both were
or are governed by socialists, they do not show subordination to the Cuban
matrix, in the two cases they are models of "Uruguayan socialism" and
"Chilean socialism", in which there is a country vision , institutionality,
the rule of law, a vision of greatness that drives them to be better. It is
true that Uruguay and Chile are not perfect, there is also corruption, crime,
robbery, but they do not meet the intensity and generalization as shocking and
hurtful as in Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Now let's try to read beyond
the data presented.
It is possible that the
relative location of Nicaragua and Venezuela is correct because they are
located in the surroundings of African and Arab countries, where the last thing
that matters to the rulers is the social welfare and the development of their
countries.
Venezuela. Queuing to buy staples
The question is now, why Nicaragua surpasses Venezuela? There are
several possibilities
A) Nicaragua grows and
Venezuela grows in social welfare. This situation would be possible at levels
very close to zero, but the current situation and the social, economic and
political deterioration in Venezuela discard this situation. Only Nicaragua
would be growing in social progress at a very low rate.
B)
Nicaragua grows, Venezuela stagnates or deteriorates. It is plausible, but
Nicaragua would grow at a very low rate
C) Nicaragua does not grow,
Venezuela does. Situation totally discarded by the situation of Venezuela.
D)
Nicaragua does not grow, neither does Venezuela. It is possible that both have
been staked or fallen, since Social Progress Index shows what exists in a
moment, there is no dynamic. The ideal would be to have the same data from
previous years.
In both countries there are
leftist governments, subject to the Cuban orbit, so that official figures
presented to international or published organisms can be manipulated
("statistical cooking"). A couple of reference data to illustrate the
reluctance to take absolutely certain data.
According to the Heritage
Foundation, which measures the Economic Freedom Index (2015), Nicaragua and
Venezuela occupy positions 108 and 176. Nothing promising for those who wish to
seek prosperity on their own initiative (in Cuba it is prohibited or very
restricted). International transparency that publishes the Corruption Index
(2015) reveals that Nicaragua and Venezuela occupy posts 130 and 159
respectively. Nothing favorable to social development and progress. In
addition, corruption is associated with a lack of economic freedom, and this in
turn has a negative impact on social progress.
Nicaragua. School in Tipitapa (indigenous population)
In summary, the chart shows the
status of two countries that are wrong, but it is not known if the standard of
living of its population is actually better. It is difficult to believe that
two presidents who share 100% ideology, habits, practices and ideological
subjection can show such a marked difference. Or perhaps, Nicaraguans,
regardless of who governs them, surreptitiously or informally, have found a
solution of their own that Venezuelans can not even imagine.
References
Indicadores
de progreso social 2016
