The globalisation of utilities liberalisation : impacts upon the poor in Latin America

This paper provides a brief overview of the global trend towards the market liberalisation of public utilities, looking at the background and experiences of nations in Latin America. The focus in on the impacts that market reforms have had upon the poorer sections of Latin American society, including the terms and conditions to which governments and consumers have been subject to. The paper outlines some of the risks that reforms can pose for nations, looking specifically at the experience of Argentina since the economic crisis of 2001, before asking whether such liberalisation reforms are appropriate for Latin America, and what lesson can be learnt.