巴西全力避免经济陷阱
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近年来，巴西俨然已成为发展中国家的典范。它不断壮大的中产阶层已经转化为更加强大的购买力。根据巴西公众数据研究所(Instituto Datapopular )提供的数据，仅过去10年，巴西的中产阶级人数就增加了3,500万人。然而，它也让巴西陷入债务陷阱，因为政府先是向穷人发放生活补贴，然后提供低息贷款，以鼓励家庭购买汽车、电视和许多其他产品。 社会和经济的巨大变革对巴西的面貌产生了令人惊叹的影响。20世纪50年代，85%的巴西人居住在农村。今天，大约85%的巴西人居住在城市。大量未接受过培训和教育的巴西人找不到工作，陷入极度贫困的境地。根据联合国国际农业发展基金会(International Fund for Agricultural Development)提供的数据，35%的巴西人每天的生活费不到两美元。 最近几年，棚户区的暴力事件呈加剧之势，贩毒分子的争斗已经升级为战争。猖獗的暴力活动和不断飙升的死亡人数迫使学校停课，商铺关门。总部位于里约热内卢的巴西拉丁美洲研究中心(Brazilian Center for Latin American Studies)声称，巴西是全球第七大暴力问题最严重的国家；梅洛所在的巴西北部城市萨尔瓦多高居榜首。在这座城市，暴力活动逍遥法外已经司空见惯，90%的凶杀案都没有侦破。 --- 为了迎接世界杯和奥运会，巴西政府已经在加速实施它所称的平定行为，出动大量全副武装的警察接管毒枭和犯罪团伙盘踞的地盘。 除警察战术之外，安德拉德认为，教育和职业培训可以有效化解贫困和暴力现象。他计划再派遣2,000名巴西人去美国社区学院学习采矿、土木建筑、能源和工程等专业。 一心想攻占巴西消费市场的美国公司也把触角伸进了巴西当地的社区。比如，可口可乐公司(Coca Cola)推出了一项名为“合作社”(Collectivo)的计划。这项计划面向高危青少年、失业男子和女企业家开设了许多课后和就业准备项目，正在巴西各地的贫民区产生积极影响。一些参加者在回收中心接受培训，加工塑料，换取报酬，而这些塑料则将经当地妇女之手设计、制造成全新用途的商品在店铺中销售。合作社表示，这些女企业家的收入已经增加了50%。 与此同时，巴西去年的研发开支增长了7%，超过了除中国外的所有国家（中国的研发投资增长了11%）。然而，巴西在经济各个领域培养本土人才方面能够取得多大的进步将最终决定这个国家能否实现其在本国和海外的雄心壮志。（财富中文网） 译者：叶寒
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In recent years, Brazil became the poster-child for developing nations. Its expanding middle class -- which added 35 million people to its ranks in the past decade alone, according to Brazil's Instituto Datapopular -- has translated into greater purchasing power. But it has also led to a debt trap, as the government handed out cost of living subsidies to the poor and then offered low-interest loans to encourage families to buy cars, televisions, and a host of other products. The socio-economic transformation has had a breathtaking impact on Brazil's landscape. In the 1950s, Brazil was 85% rural. Today, it is roughly 85% urban. The untrained and uneducated face joblessness and crushing poverty, with 35% of Brazilians living on less than two dollars a day according to the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development. Favelas have seen an escalation of violence in recent years that drug lord combatants have elevated to war. Rampant violence and soaring death tolls have forced schools to close and shops to shutter. The Rio-based Brazilian Center for Latin American Studies claims Brazil is the seventh most violent country in the world; Melo's northern city of Salvador tops the list, where impunity is the norm and 90% of homicides go unresolved. In anticipation of the World Cup and the Olympics, Brazil's government has accelerated what it calls pacification, driving drug lords and gangs from their turf and installing a well-armed police presence in their stead. --- Police tactics aside, Andrade argues that education and job training can serve as a powerful antidote to poverty and violence. He plans to send 2,000 more Brazilians to American community colleges to study disciplines like mining, civil construction, energy, and engineering. U.S.-based corporations intent on penetrating Brazil's consumer market have also extended their reach into communities, with initiatives like Coca Cola's (KO) Collectivo. Targeting at-risk youth, jobless men, and women entrepreneurs, Collectivo is making its mark on favelas across Brazil with after-school and job readiness programs that lead to job placements. Participants work at recycling centers that train and pay them to process plastics for repurposed products that women design, make, and sell in stores. Collectivo says these women entrepreneurs have increased their earnings by 50%. Meanwhile, Brazil's spending on research and technology grew by 7% last year, outpacing every other country except China, where investments climbed by 11%. But, ultimately, the progress Brazil makes in cultivating homegrown talent across the economic spectrum will determine its ability to realize its ambitions, at home and abroad. |
