CUENTOS CHINOS

Excelente libro! La sociedad latinoamerciana ha preferido seguir los líderes populistas que le ofrecen una vida "fácil". Bajo esta doctrina, los gobiernos ayudan a la gente mientras siga siendo pobre. No hay planes económicos concretos y cuando los llega a haber, cambian los gobiernos y a volver a empezar! Aquellos que llaman el libro neoliberal no se dan cuenta que la propuesta de Oppenheimer aplica a todos los modelos políticos, siempre y cuando la economía se enfoque en la competitividad. Ha entrevistado a muchos de los actores principales del desarrollo económico mundial. Muy buen trabajo de investigación y opinión.

Estimado opinador: Permítame que respetuosamente discrepe de algunas de sus aseveraciones en su crítica a "Cuentos Chinos" de Andrés Oppenheimer. Pienso que este libro promueve EXACTAMENTE el mensaje que America Latina debe leer y asimilar, so pena de quedarse inevitablemente en el oscurantismo economico en pleno siglo XXI. Es verdad que, como usted dice, este no es un texto tecnico o riguroso desde el punto de vista macroeconomico. Dudo que esa haya sido la intencion de Oppenheimer, quien es un periodista y relator, mas que un tecnologo de ciencias economicas. Su prosa amena y anecdotica tiene como finalidad llegarle al comun de los lectores interesados, no aisladamente al aparatchnik academico. Oppenheimer SI menciona, en varias ocasiones, que la apertura total no es necesariamente la receta ideal. De hecho, en su demostracion de el exito alcanzado por China hace manifiesto el hecho que esta economia ha tenido exito abriendose poco a poco, y sin abandonar el ferreo control estatal en las areas que le interesan. Tambien menciona instancias en que paises han tenido exito al abrir sus economias, dandole la espalda a recomendaciones del FMI o el World Bank. (al no tener el libro a la mano, lamento no poder dar citas especificas, ni dar paginas). El mensaje mas importante que el libro da, y que es necesario que los latinoamericanos captemos, es que las vias populistas, izquierdosas y paternalistas representan una vision retrograda (CEPALista) de la cual nuestros paises no han podido zafarse, y que, al igual que un ladrillo encadenado al cuello, representan un lastre que impide el surgimiento de nuestras economias en el ambito de las naciones. El anti-americanismo a ultranza que su comentario pareciera proponer, forma parte del problema latinoamericano. Estados Unidos, como cualquier pais del mundo, velara SIEMPRE por sus propios intereses primero que los de los vecinos. (Usted cree que la Union Sovietica no era asi?) A sabiendas de este hecho, Los paises que, por su situacion geografica estan en el area de influencia del coloso del norte TIENEN QUE lograr establecer solidos acuerdos de desarrollo con los Estados Unidos, que por un lado impidan que este gigante atropelle nuestros intereses, pero por el otro lado, que nos permita abrir nuestra influencia a un mercado pudiente de 270 millones de personas, para poder comerciar con algo mas que economias extractivas, o rubros agricolas. Si el libro no menciona, como usted dice, el intervencionismo norteamericano en el pasado de nuestras naciones, es precisamente porque esa es la mentalidad NO PRODUCTIVA que hay que colocar a un lado si queremos crecer como paises. Olvidemonos de los rencores del pasado, que solo sirven a los politicos para ganar votos populistas! Vamos a seguir llorando por lo de Chiquita banana en centroamerica, y la explotacion Americana del cobre en Chile, del hierro y el petroleo en Venezuela, etc. etc.? Hasta cuando? Compare usted a Chile, a Costa Rica o incluso al

Great Read!! Highly recommended to the not so well informed on latinamerica and the well informed as well. Must read for every latinamerican!!! As I read it, could not help and compare it to classics like El Manual del Perfecto Idiota by Vargas Llosa, Montaner, and Mendoza, Who Prospers? and Underdevelopment is a state of mind: A Latin American Case Study by Lawrence Harrison. All in all, Andres Oppenheimer compares the political and especially economic policies of most Latin American countries(with the exception of Chile) with the policies of countries as diverse and far away as China, Ireland, Czech Republic, Poland, Botswana, Vietnam, South Korea, India and Chile(the lone latinamerican country according to Andres Oppenheimer that has gotten it right). It is here where Andres makes one of his very few mistakes. It is one made by ommission. He claims only Chile has gotten it right, which is not true. Small, tiny El Salvador has been doing the same thing for the last 8 or 9 years, with great results. As of today Chile and El Salvador enjoy the least risk to investors in Latinamerica according to Standard & Poors. Nevertheless hes absolutely right in stating that the latinamerican left has remained in the past, thinking about revolution, social justice, big government, looking at its belly button instead of opening up to globalization. As a matter of fact this very word, GLOBALIZATION, is a curse word in most latin american countries. He also straight shoots against latin entrepreneurs who have joined the government to establish monopolies. Our entrepreneurs are allergic to competion. The title and most of its content revolves around China and its free market revolution since the times of Deng Xiao Ping, which hits the nail right on its head because most latin american leftists(the majority) are under the delusion that China is an example of a communist revolution gone well. This book is going to shatter a great deal of myths all over latin america. In explaining why latin america has lagged behind, this is a TOP 5 book along the books mentioned above plus Fabricantes de Miseria also by Vargas Llosa, Montaner and Mendoza. Aside from not mentioning El Salvador, Andres makes two other mistakes, which in no way undermine the stature and quality of the book. In my opinion in an attempt to see his book legitimized by the latinamerican left(could and hope Im wrong), he joins the "Blame America First" crowd. He lays blame on America for not helping latinamerica enough, and the Bush administration for prioritizing the war on terror instead of Aid for latinamerica. Andres forget that no country has aided latinamerica economically more than the US. He forgets about organizations like US AID, which is an example of aid around the world, he also forgets that most NGOs in latinamerica are in some way financed by the US government or US citizens. As for the Bush administration prioritizing Irak or Middle East over latin amrrica,

Cuentos Chinos" is a great read, and makes an extraordinary contribution to current writings on Latin America. While most other authors compare Latin America's present to its past, Andres Oppenheimer compares its current situation with that of China, India, Eastern Europe and Ireland. Throughout the book, Oppenheimer tries to answer a key question: Why are countries like China and India succeeding in reducing poverty, and Latin America not? To find out, he takes us to China, and tells us through interviews with government officials, business people and academics, how China is ironically much more "capitalist" than Latin America. Among many examples, the author points out that while China is teaching compulsory English to all schoolchildren starting at 3rd grade, countries such as Mexico and Argentina are teaching English starting at 7th grade, two hours a week. "Cuentos Chinos" makes a compelling case that Latin American countries must become more competitive in the global economy, or they will fall farther behind.

I just finished Cuentos Chinos. A a veteran Latin Americanits going back to the beginning of the 60's I find that Latin America has stayed behind of other regions of the World- Europe and Asia. Poverty has kept at an intolerable rate of 42%. The massive fleeing of capital- $ 400,000 Million- most of the time hidden- shows total lack of confidence by their own business community. The worst part is the need for a major investment for education. Oppenheiomer leaves the door open for some poor countries to copy China, Ireland, Singapure and Botswana who made it very fast through education.Oppenheimer has done a very serious research with his traveling and interviews.he has shown courage when discussing crime rates in different areas. Mor policeman killed last year in the City of Rio de Janeiro than in all U.S.. Most of his findings are on the dot. Dr. Bernardo Benes- SURFISDE, FL.- 305-785-7028