Inflation in Bolivia
Inflation in Bolivia is at 7.18%, making the country fourth among the countries of its region. The cost of food products increased the most and, according to analyses, the ever growing demand from China and low production due to climactic conditions also influenced these annual numbers (Prensa, 2011).International analysts point at the Bolivian gasolinazo as the factor that increased inflation to 7.18%, way above the country's initial inflation rate of 4.5% at the beginning of the year 2010 (Prensa, 2011). Inflation has plagued, and sometimes crippled, the Bolivian economy since the 1970s. At one time in 1985, Bolivia had an inflation rate of more than 20,000 percent. Fiscal and monetary reform reduced the inflation rate to single digits by the 1990s, and in 2004 Bolivia experienced a manageable 4.9 percent rate of inflation (www.mongabay.com).
Bolivia has tried since 1985, with much difficulty to put a program of structural adjustment and economic stabilization into place. The best efforts in this regard date back to 1992 and 1993, when a major privatization program was launched. In 1994, the program started to show its first results. Inflation went down a great deal and many production sectors including agriculture were showing rapid growth (www.ciesin.org). Economic management has often been chaotic. By the mid-1980s, with crashing tin prices, rising international debt, and a world record inflation rate of 20,000%, Bolivia was close to collapse (Stalker 2011). The recovery started in 1985 with the ‘New Economic Plan’, which hugely reoriented the economy along free-market lines. Foreign firms were allowed to have 50% shares in the main state companies. These changes as well as others allowed Bolivia to enjoy investment-led growth which averaged 4% annually in the period from 1990–96. Subsequently, however, the Bolivian economy, like its neighbors, suffered a major slump. And since many people had received little benefit, there were often protests and
Bolivia has tried since 1985, with much difficulty to put a program of structural adjustment and economic stabilization into place. The best efforts in this regard date back to 1992 and 1993, when a major privatization program was launched. In 1994, the program started to show its first results. Inflation went down a great deal and many production sectors including agriculture were showing rapid growth (www.ciesin.org). Economic management has often been chaotic. By the mid-1980s, with crashing tin prices, rising international debt, and a world record inflation rate of 20,000%, Bolivia was close to collapse (Stalker 2011). The recovery started in 1985 with the ‘New Economic Plan’, which hugely reoriented the economy along free-market lines. Foreign firms were allowed to have 50% shares in the main state companies. These changes as well as others allowed Bolivia to enjoy investment-led growth which averaged 4% annually in the period from 1990–96. Subsequently, however, the Bolivian economy, like its neighbors, suffered a major slump. And since many people had received little benefit, there were often protests and
References: Prensa, L. (2011, January). Retrieved from Bolivia Bella: http://www.boliviabella.com/bolivia-4th-highest-inflation-rate-in-the-region.html Shahriari, S. (2010, September 24). Bolivian Inflation, GDP May Climb Less Than Expected This Year, Arce Says. Retrieved from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-24/bolivian-inflation-gdp-may-climb-less-than-expected-this-year-arce-says.html "Bolivia" A Guide to Countries of the World. Third Edition by Peter Stalker. Oxford University Press Inc. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Career Education Corporation (Greenspoint). 6 February 2011 unknown. (2006). Mongabay.com. Retrieved from mongabay.com: http://www.mongabay.com/reference/new_profiles/386.html unknown. (nd). Republic of Bolivia. Retrieved from http://www.ciesin.org/decentralization/English/CaseStudies/Bolivia.html