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Perspectivas Año
Núm. 2
febrero 2021
28
I Have a Dream
Author:
King, Martin Luther, Jr. (Southern Christian Leadership Conference)
Date:
August 28, 1963
Location:
Washington, D.C.
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963
Dedicamos la portada de este número de Perspectivas al discurso que Martin Luther King (MLK) pronunció en agosto 28 de 1963, posiblemente
uno de los discursos de mayor impacto que se han ofrecido en Estados Unidos. Los últimos años fueron unos en que la violencia y el
discrimen fueron la orden del día, en que solo ser afroamericano se convirtió en un riesgo de muerte. Esa violencia culminó con el asalto al
Congreso el pasado 6 de enero. El discurso de MLK es un llamado al civismo y al entendimiento; un llamado a que la frase de la Declaración
de Independencia se haga realidad: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, ….”.
Los Editores
I
am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history
as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of
Contenido
our nation. I Have a Dream......................................................................................................................................................................1
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic China, the US, and a new world order......................................................................................................4
Aumento en salario mínimo: ..............................................................................................................................5
shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
un asunto de justicia vs protección de empleos.........................................................................5
This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope
¿Cuáles son los lugares más accesibles de Puerto Rico?..................................................7
to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames
Continúa en la página 2
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o a través del 787-751-1675. © 2021. Domenech 113 Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 00918-3501 • estudiostecnicos@estudiostecnicos.com.
Perspectivas febrero 2021
Viene de la portada
of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the
long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One
hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by
the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.
One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of
poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One
hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners
of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.
So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.
When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words
of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they
were signing a promissory note to which every American was to
fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as
well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights
of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory
note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of
honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro
people a bad check, a check which has come back marked
“insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice
is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds
in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come
to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the
riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident:
to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of that all men are created equal.”
now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to —Martin Luther King Jr. (1963)
take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make
real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the
dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro
racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people,
to make justice a reality for all of God’s children. for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with
moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is
discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march
beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the
steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never
nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable
tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as
rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging
foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a
on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long
the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their
wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”. We cannot be satisfied
by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New
York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like
dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise
2Perspectivas febrero 2021
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and
great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from justice.
narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a
quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin
and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been but by the content of their character.
the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith
that unearned suffering is redemptive. I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious
racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words
of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama,
little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little
white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill
and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made
plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory
of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of
despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform
the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of
brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to
pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand
up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing
with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s
pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So
let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let
freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow
this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of
valley of despair. Georgia!
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From
deeply rooted in the American dream. every mountainside, let freedom ring.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when
the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self- we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every
evident: that all men are created equal.” state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles,
of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in
to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank
God Almighty, we are free at last!”
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state
sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of
3Perspectivas febrero 2021
China, the US, and a new world order
por David Jessop
A few days ago, China’s President, Xi Jinping, addressed the and deepen South-South cooperation through a more open,
opening of this year’s Davos World Economic Forum. His remarks balanced, and inclusive form of economic globalisation.
imply that China is positioning itself to be the voice for a new The wide ranging and integrated nature of President XI’s remarks
multilateral world order. reinforce comments made by the new US Secretary of State,
The full text warrants careful reading. It suggests that Beijing Antony Blinken, at his Senate hearing when asked about China’s
believes it has achieved global equivalence to the US and as ambition.
its economy and influence grow stronger, it intends playing a “They are much more assertive in making clear that they seek to
much broader, higher profile leadership role in every aspect of become in effect the leading country in the world, the country
international relations. that sets the norms, that sets the standards, and to put forward
Underreported in the West, President Xi’s words, delivered virtually, a model they hope other countries, and people will ascribe to”,
have significant implications. Mr Blinken said.
Indicating that the world will not revert to the past, China’s This, he told Senators, obliged the Biden Administration “to
President identified four major tasks which his government and demonstrate that the vision we have, the policies we pursue, and
party believes should shape the world of the future. These were, the way we do it, is much more effective in actually delivering for
he said, the promotion of inclusive worldwide economic growth our people, as well as for people around the world, to make sure
through macroeconomic policy coordination; abandoning that our model is the one that carries the day.”
ideological prejudice through recognition that each country’s Achieving this will be challenging. President Xi’s remarks reflect
system of governance is unique; closing the prosperity divide an approach to policy that China’s centralised consensus-based
between developed and developing countries, while enhancing single-party-linked system of government can deliver over
the latter’s voice in global economic governance; and a renewed decades with few domestic challenges. By contrast, leaders
focus on multilateralism. and political parties in western democracies rise and fall with
Without mentioning the US by name, he criticised nations that regularity, making consistency and policy sustainability complex
seek to “build small circles or start a new Cold War, to reject, and uncertain.
threaten or intimidate others, to willfully impose decoupling, Washington is now short on time to develop, enunciate and
supply disruption or sanctions, and to create isolation or deploy a coherent new vison of how it intends responding to
estrangement”. This, he warned, will only push the world into China’s ambition which, to quote Mr Biden’s Press Secretary,
division and confrontation. “threatens our alliances and our influence in international
In his remarks President Xi also proposed a more open world organisations”.
economy and the promotion of measures that increase Despite the pandemic, China’s economy is rapidly recovering.
multilateral trade, investment, and technological exchange. He In 2020 it grew by 2.3 per cent and analysts forecast that it will
said, too, that China will encourage a much stronger and better
coordinated responses from the G20. Selective multilateralism”,
he observed, “should not be our option”.
Then, without mentioning directly western criticism of Beijing’s
troubling approach to human rights, dissent and democracy,
China’s President said that such issues should not be an excuse Despite the pandemic, China’s economy is
for antagonism or confrontation. “We should respect and rapidly recovering. In 2020 it grew by 2.3
accommodate differences, avoid meddling in other countries’ per cent and analysts forecast that it will
internal affairs, and resolve disagreements through consultation
and dialogue”, he told the annual high-level gathering. experience 5.7 per cent average year-on-year
China itself, he observed, is “on course to finish building a
GDP growth up to 2025, with its economy
moderately prosperous society” and has embarked on building overtaking that of the US between 2026 and
“a new development paradigm” with its domestic market as its 2028.
mainstay with “domestic and international circulations reinforcing
each other”. His country, he said, would continue to promote a
new type of international relations, seeking to bridge differences
4Perspectivas febrero 2021
experience 5.7 per cent average year-on-year GDP growth up to They also indicate that China would have the world accept that
2025, with its economy overtaking that of the US between 2026 vastly different forms of democracy can co-exist, and that there
and 2028. are alternative interpretations of human rights.
This suggests that if a far from unified west wants to counterbalance What President Xi says about multilateralism, climate change,
China’s global influence, Washington will need to develop viable respect for sovereignty and equity, all resonate strongly with
economic and political coalitions with its allies. This will require regional thinking. Despite this, the region is within the geographic,
much more than ‘smart sanctions’ and common expressions of economic, security and political ambit of the US, and as Jamaica’s
concerns about human rights, the treatment of the Uighur people, Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently told Bloomberg
the future of democracy in Hong Kong, and China’s military Television, it is “intrinsically and inextricably” linked.
presence in the South China Seas. If the Caribbean is to benefit from the emerging new world order,
To respond, Washington will need to grow its economic influence Washington and its allies should reflect on President Xi’s remark
around the world by pursuing an outward looking policy that that “no two leaves in the world are identical” and create and
creates linkages, incentivises US private investment, actively deliver recognisably different, well-funded, collegiately arrived at
encourages supply chains, and pursues and delivers tomorrow’s programmes that meet the recovery needs of the region.
technologies, while demonstrating domestic stability and the For the Caribbean, co-existing in a world in which two dominant,
relevance of its values. philosophically different powers vie for supremacy will require
It will also require trust being restored after four years in which new thinking.
a US president and his cabinet saw relationships as transactions
and pushed aside and even insulted allies and friends. Note:
President Xi’s remarks indicate that China will now seek to redefine David Jessop is a consultant to the Caribbean Council and can be contacted at
the western dominated global norms that have been in place david.jessop@caribbean-council.org. Previous columns can be found at www.
caribbean-council.org. We are very grateful to Mr. Jessop for permission to
since the end of the Second World War, and to reshape, repurpose reproduce his columns.
global institutions in ways that will enhance Beijing’s influence.
Aumento en salario mínimo:
un asunto de justicia vs protección de empleos
por José García
El aumento propuesto de $15 la hora al salario mínimo federal misma creó la Junta de Salario Mínimo en el año 1941, la cual era
por el Presidente de Estados Unidos, J.Biden debe ser materia un organismo adscrito al Departamento del Trabajo y Recursos
de reflexión y de análisis profundo por parte del gobierno, los Humanos. Este organismo autónomo compuesto por comités
empresarios, el movimiento sindical y los economistas en la isla. A sectoriales, llevaban a cabo un análisis económico de cada
pesar de que existe un consenso entre los diversos sectores sobre industria, a fin de determinar la capacidad de esta asumir un
la necesidad de realizar un ajuste aceptable al salario mínimo aumento en el salario a sus empleados y establecer un decreto.
actual de $7.25, es necesario que el mismo no resulte al final en Fue muy lamentable que el Gobierno de la isla por razones
menoscabo de la clase trabajadora y la comunidad empresarial; ideológicas eliminó la Junta de Salario Mínimo.
principalmente a los pequeños y medianos negocios. En este
artículo repasaremos algo de la historia y la evidencia empírica Evidencia Empírica
en la isla ante aumentos en el salario mínimo federal como los El debate sobre el impacto del salario mínimo sobre la economía
criterios que deberían tomarse en cuenta para su aplicabilidad. de la isla ha sido estudiado por economistas del patio como
extranjeros durante más de cincuenta anos. Uno de los estudios
Historia pioneros fue el realizado el de Reynolds-Gregory (1965),
Fue en el año 1938, que el Congreso de los Estados Unidos concluyeron que el salario mínimo tuvo un efecto negativo en
aprobó el Fair Labor Standard Act, la cual estableció un salario el empleo total en de la isla. Santiago (1993) concluyó que el
mínimo federal luego de las luchas del movimiento sindical. Esta aumento en el salario mínimo estimulaba la emigración. Por
legislación de vanguardia fue aplicada de inmediato a la isla. No otro lado, Krueger (1994) y Castillo-Freeman (1993) encontraron
obstante, el Gobierno de Puerto Rico para poder establecer la
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5Perspectivas febrero 2021
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de la isla en el corto y mediano plazo. De igual forma, el sector
comercial ha experimentado múltiples cierres de establecimientos
ante el lockdown y un aumento desproporcionado del mínimo
federal propiciaría mayores cierres y quiebras de negocios. No
debemos de permitir que una medida para hacer justicia a los
trabajadores conlleve la destrucción de empleos en vez de la
fomentar la productividad y el trabajo.
Recomendación
Por tanto, recomendamos que la legislación que se proponga
a nivel federal debe proveer un mecanismo de flexibilidad a
la isla para que la aplicación del salario mínimo sea uno que
contribuya a mejorar las condiciones de vida y la productividad
laboral; sin afectar la competitividad de los sectores y toda la
un impacto negativo en el empleo a nivel agregado. En cambio, economía. Una alternativa es que su aplicación sea una gradual
Caraballo (2016) sostuvo que el salario mínimo tiene un efecto como mecanismo de ajuste o volver a restablecer los comités
negativo en el empleo de pocos sectores y los más pequeños de salario mínimo. Estos fueron bastante efectivos al lograr un
en Puerto Rico. Un análisis reciente de Hernández, Valdés y balance óptimo entre la capacidad económica de la industria y
González (2018) identificaron que los sectores más vulnerables la justicia salarial que merecen los trabajadores. Se sugiere que
a un aumento en el mínimo federal fueron la manufactura, el el aumento inicial del salario mínimo federal aplicable a la isla no
gobierno y los servicios. La Junta de Planificación (2018) realizó debería de superar a $8.25 la hora, conforme a lo recomendado
un estudio y encontró que los sectores del comercio al detal, en un estudio realizado por la Junta de Planificación (2018).
alojamiento y servicios de alimentación serían afectados. En En resumen, apoyemos un aumento justo en el salario mínimo
resumen, el consenso de la literatura es que el aumento en salario que nos permita hacer justicia y a la vez proteger los empleos
mínimo federal ha tenido un impacto negativo sobre el empleo a existentes porque de lo contrario nos quedaremos sin la soga y
nivel agregado como sectorial principalmente en los pequeños sin la cabra; como dice nuestro refranero popular.
y medianos negocios.
Criterios para considerar Referencias
Caraballo, J. (2016). Is there a minimum wage biting in Puerto Rico? Updating the
Lo primero a considerar es que cerca de una tercera parte (30%) debate. Industrial Development Journal.
de la fuerza laboral empleada se encuentra alrededor del salario el
Castillo-Freeman A., & Freeman. R. (1992). When the minimum wage really bites: The
mínimo federal ($7.25). Otro elemento crítico para considerar es que effect of the U.S. level minimum on Puerto Rico. En G. Borjas & R. Freeman (Eds.),
la economía de la isla se encuentra en un estancamiento secular Immigration and the work force (pp. 177–212). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.
desde el año 2006, contrario a la economía norteamericana. Hernández, Valdés y González (2018) Efectos del Salario Mínimo sobre el empleo
Además, en la etapa de reconstrucción en que nos encontramos industrial en Puerto Rico. Forum, Vol.23, Núm.1, verano de 2018.
ante los desastres naturales y la pandemia; debe evaluarse los Krueger, A. (1994). The effect of the minimum wage when it really bites: A
efectos en sectores como la construcción, comercio, turismo y los reexamination of the evidence from Puerto Rico. NBER Working Papers, 4757
servicios. En particular las pequeñas y medianas empresas donde Reynolds, L. and P. Gregory. (1965) Wages, Productivity and Industrialization in
se concentran dichos sectores que son las de mayor creación de Puerto Rico.Homewood,III:Irwin.
empleos. El caso particular del sector de la construcción, este es Santiago, C. (1993). The migratory impact of minimum wage legislation: Puerto
uno intensivo en mano de obra y cuyos costos de construcción Rico, 1970-1987. International Migration Review, 27(4), 772–795
han aumentado vertiginosamente; el incremento propuesto en
el mínimo federal podría ser devastador. Dado el alto impacto Nota:
multiplicador de empleos indirectos e inducidos, podría limitar El autor es profesor adjunto de economía y finanzas públicas de el Departamento
el proceso de reconstrucción y la recuperación de la economía de Economía y la Escuela de Administración Pública de la Universidad de Puerto
Rico.
6Perspectivas febrero 2021
¿Cuáles son los lugares más accesibles de Puerto Rico?
por Estudios Técnicos Inc.
Los lugares más accesibles a todas las familias de Puerto Rico son actividad económica. Eso queda claramente evidenciado en la
precisamente donde se ubican los siguientes centros comerciales: distribución de empresas de distinto tipo.
Plaza Las Américas, Plaza San Patricio, Montehiedra y el Walmart Por eso, en el mapa 2 queda muy claro que las áreas de mejor
Supercenter de Santurce. Estos 4 centros están localizados en accesibilidad son las que reflejan mayor actividad económica.
las zonas que han sido catalogadas como las más accesibles Esas áreas son definidas por la PR-52, PR-22 y PR-30. Las áreas del
de Puerto Rico, por la División de Data Analytics de la empresa centro y Oeste de la Isla, las áreas más rezagadas en términos de
Estudios Técnicos Inc. indicadores económicos y sociales, se ven con poca accesibilidad.
Esta información resulta ser información muy útil para decisiones De inmediato, esto apunta a la deseabilidad de ver el acceso
relacionadas a la ubicación de nueva actividad económica, pero como una necesidad para el desarrollo económico local y podría
tiene un valor muy importante al facilitar entender la realidad estimular medidas dirigidas a mejorar el acceso a estas zonas.
socio-económica del país. Las zonas urbanas de mayor tamaño Esa falta de acceso tuvo consecuencias muy serias luego del
generan lo que se conocen como “economías de aglomeración” huracán María.
que son un factor importante en su desarrollo como centros de
Mapa 1: Índice de accesibilidad por tiempo
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7Perspectivas febrero 2021
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Para llegar a este hallazgo, Estudios Técnicos Inc utilizó un En los mapas se presenta el promedio de estas distancias a
software especializado que le ayuda a calcular la distancia por todos los hogares de Puerto Rico, resumidos para cada ‘grupo
carretera entre dos puntos, usando un algoritmo similar al que de bloques censales’, unos polígonos definidos por la oficina del
usa Google Maps para estimar distancias, a una hora promedio Censo, que engloba cada uno a unos 1,000 habitantes.
del día. Esto genera millones de datos, que luego se promedian
para cada área de Puerto Rico.
Mapa 2: Índice de accesibilidad por tiempo
34
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