Economists and social scientists, representatives of international progressivism, supported in a statement the proposal for a new Constitution – which will be plebiscite on September 4 – and praised the work of the Constitutional Convention.
Among the signatories of the declaration are economists Mariana Mazzucato – The New Republic considered her in 2013 as one of “the three most important thinkers on innovation” – Ha-Joon Chang – director of the Centre for Development Studies at the University of Cambridge – Thomas Piketty – associate professor at the French School of Economics – and social scientist Isabel Ortiz – former director of the ILO. Also signed by the Indian economist, Jayati Ghosh United Nations Development Programme Award; Philip G. Alsto, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Jomo Kwame Sundaram,, member of the board of directors of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Geneva, among other influential actors of global prestige.
“We, economists and social scientists around the world, commend the Chilean Constitutional Convention and the visionary document it has produced to ensure sustainable growth and shared prosperity for Chile,” they said in the text.
In the document, they said that the proposed new Magna Carta “sets a new global standard in its response to the crises of climate change, economic insecurity and sustainable development.”
In turn, they commented that the “economic provisions of the (new) Constitution will represent gradual but substantial advances for the people of Chile.”
“The gender approach of the Constitution represents a great advance in the economic model of development. For the first time, a Constitution recognizes the work of care, social reproduction and women’s health as fundamental to the prospects of the economy,” they added.
In that line, they pointed out that the “approach of public services and social security is another source of inspiration.”
“By establishing new institutions for the provision of universal public services such as education, health and social security, Chile successfully applies the lessons of recent history that show the importance of these services for both short-term economic resilience and long-term economic growth,” they said.
In addition, they pointed out that the fiscal policy mandates of the Constitution “promise to address Chile’s economic inequality, which is among the highest in the OECD,” while “raising the country’s income to OECD standards, reducing dependence on extractive incomes and contributing to the sustainability of public finances.”
Regarding the focus of the work on the constitutional proposal, the signatories maintained that “it represents an important and democratic response to our time. By enshrining the rights to work and collective action, the Constitution aims to correct the crisis of precariousness affecting economies around the world.”
On the Central Bank in the new Constitution, they pointed out that “it establishes a new global benchmark. By enshrining a mandate that takes into account financial stability, employment protection and environmental care, the Constitution establishes a responsible framework for central banking appropriate for the twenty-first century.”
Finally, they pointed out that the new Magna Carta “creates a legal framework that will prepare Chile for a new century of equitable growth, with provisions to attract investment, protect financial stability and promote the development of all Chileans.”
“The world has much to learn from the exemplary process of the convention and the visionary product that Chile will vote on in its September plebiscite,” they emphasized at the end of the document.
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