Inequality in Chile

Economic and social inequality in Chile is a problem that has been dragg on for many years, one of its main causes being the economic crisis of 1973 and the modification of the countrys economic model by the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. This modification brought changes such as: reduction of taxes and inequality in what each company must pay to the state (there are hundreds of cases where multimillion dollar companies must pay a tax much lower than what a small company must pay), close of national industries and the admission of oligopolies, which consists of a form of market where the market is dominated by large companies and few, giving room for price collusion. A example direct of this for a student and future pharmacist is that 90% of the pharmaceutical market is dominated by 3 large chains: Farmacias Ahumadas, Farmacias Cruz Verde and Salcobrand, which have coluded with their high prices on multiple occasions.

Another major cause of inequality in Chile, specifically at the educational level, is that these modifications made during the dictatorship promoted the creation of private colleges and universities, leaving asid public education. This, at present, has brought multiple problems in Chilean education, since a child from a family of a low economic stratum in Chile has less possibilities of receiving a dignified and quality education, reflecting this, the academic results in comparison with a child from a family of high economic strata. Even today, Chilean universities have one of the high fees in the world, only below the United States, and with a notable difference in quality compared to the best universities in the world. This has led thousands of students to go into debt with banks or the government in order to study (the famous CAE where you end up paying much more than your degree costs). Although, in the government of Michelle Bachelet, gratuity was established, this is not a benefit for all students and there is still much to improve, for a dignified and quality education.

The economic model established in the military dictatorship has undergone very few modifications over the years, so it is currently very important to make a drastic change in this economic model and the creation of a new constitution,done by the people. and for the people, in order to reduce inequality in Chile once and for all.

Without a doubt , this is a very broad topic that cannot be covered in its entirety in a 200-word post, but without a doubt, it is a issue that affects the vast majority of Chileans and that change is necessary.