Maximo Rossi

Polarization and the Middle Class

There is an increasing literature that discusses how to measure the middle class. Some approaches are based on an arbitrary deOnition such as income quartiles or the poverty line. Recently, Foster and Wolfson developed a methodology which lacks of arbitrariness that enables us to compare the middle class of two di§erent income distributions. We apply this new tool jointly with a complementary method nrelative distribution approach- to household income data in 1994-2004 and 2004-2010, to analyze the evolution of the middle class and polarization in Uruguay. During the Orst period, which is characterized by an increasing income inequality, we Ond that the middle class declined and income polarization increased. In the second one, where the Uruguayan economy experienced a recovery from the downturn su§ered in 2002, we Ond that the middle class rose and polarization decreased. However, this last result is attenuated when we do not consider the household income imputation because of the new health system implemented in 2008.

Inequality and Poverty in Uruguay by Race: The Impact of Fiscal Policies

In Uruguay the tax structure and social spending reduce inequality and poverty for the whole society (Bucheli et al. 2013). In this study we analyze the effect of fiscal policy by race considering whites, afros and indigenous. The main question of our paper is whether the reduction of inequality and poverty benefit a racial group over the others or affect racial ethnic groups equally. The three racial groups are equally likely to be taken off extreme poverty by the direct transfer system. However, the hazard of leaving moderate poverty is lower for indigenous than for the other two groups. So the direct transfer system reduces poverty of the three groups but does not achieve to put racial groups on an equal footing. When analyzing the average income, the qualitative conclusions are on the same direction. Racial gap narrows slightly –led by in- kind transfers- and does not disappear.

How do Cultural Activities Influence Happiness? The Relation between Self-Reported Well-Being and Leisure

Well-being, measured as self-reported happiness has many determinants, which range from gender to income and political affiliation. When it comes to more or less active ways of participating in cultural activities, leisure has a significant impact in the levels of reported happiness, which is in line with the proposed ideas of Stiglitz et al (2009). We also quantify the likelihood of being more or less happy in relation to different types of leisure activities. Our approach has the advantage that all these cultural activities can be considered at the same time, accounting for the individual impact of each on individual happiness levels.

Religion, religiosity and depression: re-assessing their relationship

We provide evidence on the significant effect of religiosity (measured by attendance to religious services) on reducing depression. In particular, it is found a significant negative effect of religiosity on the probability of being depressed. Findings of previous studies are extended by showing that while the religious denomination seems to have a non-significant effect on the probably of depression, other aspects of religiosity, in particular the religious diversity of the country of residence does affect the prospects of depression. The probability of being depressed is higher, the lower the religious diversity. Other personal socio-economic variables have the expected and documented effects.

Victimization and Vigilante Justice in Uruguay

This article analyzes the attitude of the Uruguayans towards the subjection to the law in the prosecution and punishment of offenders. Specifically, it addresses the approval of people taking justice into their own hands and justification for police action outside the law when capturing delinquents. The LAPOP database (Latin American Public Opinion Project, Vanderbilt University) conducted in 2008 is used for this purpose. Analyzing probit estimates, it is observed that the justification of people taking justice into their own hand is related to the respondent’s experience and situation. Having been victimized in recent months, feeling unsafe in their neighborhood and considering their economic situation as not good, increases the probability of assuming such position. On the other hand, adherence to police procedures is related to individual’s philosophical and political beliefs. This finding indicates that the formation of such attitudes has a differential dynamic and that Uruguayans, when justifying actions outside the law, consider the type of action and the actor involved.

Health Status of the Elders in Uruguay

Basing on the survey on Health, Well-being and Aging (SABE-PAHO/WHO, 2001) the determinants of health status for the cohort of 60 years old and over in Montevideo are estimated. Sixty seven percent of older adults perceived their health status as good. Estimates for the different indicators of health used (self-assessment, chronic diseases and functional limitations) allow to state that the conditions during the first years of life, either nutritional, sanitary or economic, are determinants of health status in the final stages of life. The facts above referred become extremely important when allocating resources, which are scarce by definition, to improve the population health status. As shown by the literature, the expansion of education as well as the improvement of nutritional status during the early stages of life have proved to be more effective in increasing life span than clinical medicine. In a country where the levels of poverty mainly affect children - at present these represent 60% of poor people - it could be possible to anticipate problems in health stock depreciation, thus in human capital depreciation, less productivity and an increased demand for health care as current cohorts grow old.