Home truths

They govern in very different continents,but there is a degree of ideological kinship between some of the centre-left governments in South America...

They govern in very different continents,but there is a degree of ideological kinship between some of the centre-left governments in South America,Europe and now the United States. All are trying to mix the economic efficiency prized by the right with the social justice championed by the left. Back in the days of Tony Blair and Bill Clinton this link was formalised in progressive governance get-togethers. These have been revived: the latest meeting took place in Viña del Mar,a Chilean seaside resort,on March 27th and 28th. Yet this time,thanks to the world recession,the differences between participants from north and south seemed wider.

The leaders of Chile,Brazil,Uruguay and less convincingly Argentina reckon their countries have followed progressive policies more rigorously than their friends in the north. They expressed anger that the crisis has halted five years of rapid economic growth in Latin America. In an oddly racist comment,Brazils president,Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,said it was all the fault of white,blonde,blue-eyed bankers. He added,even more bluntly,that three of his fellow-summiteers,Britains Gordon Brown,America8217;s vice-president,Joe Biden,and Spain8217;s José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero unfortunately carry most responsibility for the debacle.

Chile8217;s president,Michelle Bachelet,reminded the visitors that because her country had saved much of its windfall copper revenues during the boom,her government can now safely stimulate the economy for several years. That drew praise from Mr Brown,who pointed to Chile as proof that progressive politics can change the world. But Ms Bachelet8217;s homily was promptly construed by Mr Brown8217;s Conservative opponents back home as a put-down of his past fiscal laxity. The fact that the meeting was being held in the southern hemisphere for the first time was also seen by some as a symptom of the world8217;s changing balance of power.

Amid the barbs were some common beliefs,such as the need for not just for fiscal stimulus but a better balance between state and market. All agreed with Mr Brown8217;s idea for an export-credit fund to get trade flowing again. All solemnly denounced protectionism even if some are starting to practise it. For Latin America,the meeting carried another meaning: when it comes to engaging with the rest of the world,there is a gulf between the progressive left and the self-styled 21st-century socialists,led by Venezuela8217;s Hugo Chávez. Mr Chávez got the message. He complained that Ms Bachelet had endangered South American unity by inviting along,in Messrs Brown and Biden,two representatives of the empire.

The Economist Newspaper Limited 2009