The Costs of Profit Priorities

What are the impacts of the Chilean government's priorities when facing conflicting social, environmental and economic demands? How can these demands be balanced in a responsibly? Despite a growing economy, the vast wealth gap in Chile is widening. Using a political ecology framework, this research critiques the Chilean government's prioritization of extractive exports at high social and environmental costs. To address the resulting inequality and ecological damage, the government must measure the country's health and progress in more meaningful ways, reallocate public funding to benefit people and nature instead of subsidizing private industry, and implement strong, creative policy supporting simultaneous economic growth, environ­mental preservation, and social justice. Included is a brief history of the forest plantation development, an overview of the government's role in creating the industry that exists today, statistics showing the scope and significance of the industry, and suggestions of avenues for change. Sources with different interests - each with its own evidence - are presented, demonstrating the complexity of the controversies surrounding the plantations.