Income distribution and poverty in Chile

Abstract

In this essay, the author sets up to demonstrate that: (i) the number of poor people in Chile  at least doubles the figure officially announced; (ii) the gap between the more rich ones and the poorer ones is much larger than the estimated figure; (iii) the social power structure is responsible for the fact that  development benefits accumulate within the richest population strata; and therefore, high rates of economic growth do not necessarily derive in poverty decrease; (iv) inequity is also present in specific economic activities, in territorial regions and genderwise; (v) a massive transfer of wealth occurs constantly from salaries and natural resources to the mass of entrepreneurial surpluses; (vi) a firm intervention by the State is required to correct the above situation.