Libertad y Desarrollo

Libertad y Desarrollo
Name	Libertad y Desarrollo
Established	1990
Type	Think tank
Location	Santiago, Chile
Focus	Public policy, economic research

Libertad y Desarrollo is a Chilean think tank founded in 1990 in Santiago de Chile that conducts policy research on public affairs, economic policy, and social programs. The organization interacts with institutions such as the Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization of American States and Chilean ministries. Since its founding it has engaged with figures linked to the Chicago Boys, the Concertación, the Alianza por Chile and international networks like the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, and the Centennial Institute.

History

The institute was created in the wake of the Chilean transition to democracy after the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite and following economic legacies tied to reforms influenced by the University of Chicago, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, and technocrats associated with the Pinochet regime. Early directors and affiliates included economists who studied at the University of Chicago, worked with the Central Bank of Chile, participated in policymaking with the Ministry of Finance (Chile), engaged in debates with the Christian Democratic Party (Chile), and contributed to drafting laws debated in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and the Senate of Chile. Over decades the institute has interacted with international scholars from Harvard University, Stanford University, Columbia University, Oxford University, and policy actors from the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and regional think tanks in Argentina, Peru, Mexico, and Brazil.

Mission and Ideology

The stated purpose emphasizes promotion of public policies aligned with market-oriented principles traced to voices such as the Chicago School (economics), the Milton Friedman tradition, and classical liberal thinkers connected to the Austrian School. The institute frames priorities in terms of regulatory frameworks debated in forums like the World Economic Forum, tax policy discussions involving the Tax Reform (Chile) debates, social policy exchanges with the Pan American Health Organization, and educational reform conversations featuring actors from the Ministry of Education (Chile), the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and the University of Chile. Its intellectual alliances include collaborations with libertarian and conservative organizations such as the Atlas Network, the Fraser Institute, the Adam Smith Institute, and scholars affiliated with George Mason University and Johns Hopkins University.

Organizational Structure

The governance model features a board of directors that has included business leaders linked to corporations listed on the Santiago Stock Exchange, alumni of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, former officials from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, and academics from research centers like the Centro de Estudios Públicos and the Instituto Libertad y Desarrollo. Operational divisions mirror departments found in other policy institutes such as the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute, encompassing units for economic studies, regulatory analysis, social policy, and communications that engage with media outlets such as El Mercurio, La Tercera, Radio Cooperativa, and broadcasters active in the Televisión Nacional de Chile. The institute maintains advisory councils composed of former ministers, judges from the Supreme Court of Chile, and representatives from chambers like the Confederación de la Producción y del Comercio.

Research and Publications

Outputs include policy papers, working papers, and books distributed to legislators in the Palacio de La Moneda, to officials at the Ministry of Finance (Chile), and to delegates at international summits such as the Summit of the Americas. Their research topics address pension reform tied to debates over the AFP system (Chile), labor markets referenced against statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas (Chile), tax policy comparable to proposals discussed in the Comisión de Hacienda, and regulatory analysis relevant to cases before the Corte Suprema de Chile. Publications circulate in academic and policy venues alongside research from the Inter-American Dialogue, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, and Latin American counterparts like the Fundación de Estudios del Círculo de Economía.

Policy Influence and Political Involvement

The institute has briefed legislators in the National Congress of Chile, advised cabinets during administrations of presidents associated with the Renovación Nacional, the Unión Demócrata Independiente, and engaged in public debates with members of the Partido Socialista de Chile, the Frente Amplio (Chile), and the Partido Comunista de Chile. Its staff have testified before congressional committees such as the Comisión de Constitución and participated in advisory roles connected to the Banco Central de Chile, the Superintendencia de Pensiones, and the Dirección del Trabajo. Internationally it has sent delegations to conferences hosted by the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and policy forums organized by the Atlantic Council and the International Republican Institute.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources reported in public documents have included donations from corporate foundations tied to firms on the Santiago Stock Exchange, grants from international networks like the Atlas Network and the John Templeton Foundation, contract research for multilateral organizations such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, and collaborations with universities including the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Partnerships extend to private sector actors grouped in trade associations like the Cámara de Comercio de Santiago and philanthropic players engaged in regional initiatives with the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics from political parties such as the Partido por la Democracia (Chile), academics from the Universidad de Santiago de Chile, and civil society organizations like Movimiento por el Agua y los Territorios have challenged the institute over perceived alignment with business interests and policy proposals affecting the AFP system (Chile), privatization debates around utilities regulated by the Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles, and reform proposals that attracted scrutiny in protests recalling the 2019–2021 Chilean protests. Investigative reporting in outlets such as The Clinic and debates in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile highlighted disputes about transparency, donor influence, and connections between think-tank recommendations and legislation advanced by parties including Renovación Nacional and Unión Demócrata Independiente.

Category:Think tanks based in Chile