Equity and growth are central concerns for development. They are often treated as separate questions, both in economic and social analysis and development policy. This separation is neither good theory nor good practice. This book examines the relationship between equity and growth in Mexico. The central thesis is that Mexico's poor growth performance of the last twenty five years is intimately linked to inequity. Specific inequalities in power, wealth, and status have created and sustained economic institutions and polices that both tend to perpetuate these inequalities and are sources of inefficiencies and lack of dynamism in the economy. No Growth without Equity? analyzes this thesis at two levels: first, exploring the links between inequality, interests, and economic growth; second, providing specific examples as to how rent-seeking behavior in key sectors of Mexico's economy produce inefficiencies that are a source of low growth and income concentration. Mexico's growth problem is unlikely to be solved if these underlying inequalities are not tackled; this has large implications for policy design.

Despite various reform efforts, Mexico has experienced economic stability but little growth. Today more than half of all Mexican workers are employed informally, and one out of every four is poor. Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes argues that incoherent social programs significantly contribute to this state of affairs and it suggests reforms to improve the situation. Over the past decade, Mexico has channeled an increasing number of resources into subsidizing the creation of low-productivity, informal jobs. These social programs have hampered growth, fostered illegality, and provided erratic protection to workers, trapping many in poverty. Informality has boxed Mexico into a dilemma: provide benefits to informal workers at the expense of lower growth and reduced productivity or leave millions of workers without benefits. Former finance official Santiago Levy proposes how to convert the existing system of social security for formal workers into universal social entitlements. He advocates eliminating wage-based social security contributions and raising consumption taxes on higher-income households to simultaneously increase the rate of growth of GDP, reduce inequality, and improve benefits for workers. Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes c onsiders whether Mexico can build on the success of Progresa-Oportunidades, a targeted poverty alleviation program that originated in Mexico and has been replicated in over 25 countries as well as in New York City. It sets forth a plan to reform social and economic policy, an essential element of a more equitable and sustainable development strategy for Mexico.

In 1997, Mexico launched a radical new program to combat poverty. Initially named Progresa and now known as Oportunidades, the revolutionary program has become an important example of a sustainable and scalable poverty reduction strategy in the developing world. In Progress against Poverty, Santiago Levy offers his unique perspective on the development of the program, the reasons for its success, the challenges it faces, and its applicability in other nations.