Journal Article
Decades lost and found: Mexico and Chile since 1980
Kehoe, Timothy J.; Kehoe, Patrick J.; Soto, Raimundo; Bergoeing, Raphael (2002-01)
Both Chile and Mexico experienced severe economic crises in the early 1980s, yet Chile recovered much faster than Mexico. This study analyzes four possible explanations for this difference and rules out three, explanations based on money supply expansion, real wage and real exchange rate declines, and foreign debt overhangs. The fourth explanation is based on government policy reforms in the two countries. Using growth accounting and a calibrated growth model, the study determines that the only policy reforms promising as explanations are those that primarily affect total factor productivity, ...
Quarterly Review , Volume 26 , Issue Win , Pages 3-30

Report
A decade lost and found: Mexico and Chile in the 1980s
Kehoe, Timothy J.; Kehoe, Patrick J.; Soto, Raimundo; Bergoeing, Raphael (2001)
Chile and Mexico experienced severe economic crises in the early 1980s. This paper analyzes four possible explanations for why Chile recovered much faster than did Mexico. Comparing data from the two countries allows us to rule out a monetarist explanation, an explanation based on falls in real wages and real exchange rates, and a debt overhang explanation. Using growth accounting, a calibrated growth model, and economic theory, we conclude that the crucial difference between the two countries was the earlier policy reforms in Chile that generated faster productivity growth. The most crucial ...
Staff Report , Paper 292