Chile

It also has the legend Por la razón o la fuerza (By right or might or By reason or by force).
. [24]. The coat of arms depicts the two national animals: the condor (Vultur gryphus, a very large bird that lives in the mountains) and the huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus, an endangered white tail deer). He has since plead guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return related to embezzlement and theft from Wal-Mart while serving as a member of its board. The national flower is the copihue (Lapageria rosea, Chilean bellflower), which grows in the woods of southern Chile. Former members of the board of directors of Wal-Mart include Hillary Clinton (1985-1992), who also worked for Wal-Mart as a lawyer, [22] and Tom Coughlin, who went on to be vice chairman [23]. Master artists from Chile include: Carlos Catasse, Roberto Matta, Camilo Mori, Carlos Sotomayor. The presence of unions and the difficulty obtaining building permits are two possible reasons for this lack of success.

His three highly individualistic homes, located in Isla Negra, Santiago and Valparaiso are popular tourist destinations. In Germany, however, after eight years in the market, Wal-Mart's yearly revenue is still less than one-tenth of the leading retailer, EDEKA. Chile's most famous poet, however, is Pablo Neruda, who also won the Nobel Prize and is world-renowned for his extensive library of works on romance, nature, and politics. ASDA in the United Kingdom is the largest of the international businesses by sales. Gabriela Mistral, was the first Chilean to win a Nobel Prize for literature. Dollars):. Chileans call their country País de Poetas which means land of poets. Current store counts and revenue for Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2005 (revenue amounts in U.S.

In the mid-1960s native musical forms were revitalized by the Parra family with the Nueva Canción Chilena, which was associated with political activists and reformers. Wal-Mart operates 5 major retail formats under 3 retail divisions:. Arising from music imported by the Spanish colonists, it is distinguished from the cueca by an intermediate melodic section and a more prominent melody. He believes that Wal-Mart is merely a symbol of capitalism and success that leftists attack in order to associate capitalism with "exploitation" and "unfairness" to further their own big government/socialists objectives. Another form of traditional Chilean song, though not a dance, is the tonada. He compares this criticism to the same attacks upon Hummer SUVs while ignoring the issues with many other gas guzzling competitors like old cars the poor could only afford. The national dance is the cueca. According to Jay Nordlinger of the National Review, criticism of Wal-Mart is more about what Wal-Mart represents; the sucess of capitalist enterprise and how Wal-Mart is the largest retail store in the world rather than what it actually does.

Other European influences, primarily English and French, began in the 19th century and have continued until today, as in other Western societies. Specific areas of controversy include the company's product selection; treatment of suppliers, competitors, and employees; impact on local communities, and effects on world trade and globalization. Afterwards, their culture was dominated by the Spanish during the Colonial and early Republican period. Some praise Wal-Mart for benefiting consumers, while other criticise it for being harmful to employees, the community, the economy, and the environment. Northern Chile was an important center of culture in the medieval and early modern Inca empire. [20]. About 85% of Chile's population lives in urban areas, with 40% of the country's population living in Greater Santiago (6.5 million people). [19] And, this savings has the largest effect on the poor since the average Wal-Mart customer earns $35,000 a year, compared with $50,000 at Target and $74,000 at Costco.

Most retained their traditions, cultures and national affiliations by maintaining close-knit communities - although many also mixed into the majority - while at the same time co-existed peacefully with the host population. However, that $4.7 billion is overwhelmingly offset by the $263 billion it has saved Americans from spending from 1985 to 2004, ($2,329 per houshold) according to a Global Insight study. Although the combined number of immigrants never comprised a large segment of the population, they nevertheless contributed greatly to Chilean society and the development of the nation. The efficiencies created 210,000 jobs that would not otherwise exist, but at the same time reduced take-home pay for all retail workers (including the company’s competitors) by $4.7 billion. In the last decade there has been an influx of Koreans who settled in small sections of Santiago. Wal-Mart increased net consumer purchasing power by $118 billion in 2004. There are also people from Middle Eastern and North African backgrounds, including the second largest Palestinian colony outside of the Middle East. Additional findings from the Global Insight study include: Wal-Mart increased the US economy's overall productivity by three-quarters of a percent by highly efficient distribution systems and pressure on suppliers to be more efficient.

Other historically significant immigrant groups include people of Italian ancestry (Valparaíso Region), Croatian (Antofagasta and Punta Arenas), French, and Polish backgrounds. The study indicates that "nominal wages are 2.2% lower, but given that consumer prices are 3.1% lower, real disposable income is 0.9% higher than it would have been in a world without Wal-Mart." (Global Insight Study). A government-sponsored immigration from Germany began in 1848, and in time, changed the cultural makeup of the southern provinces of Valdivia, Llanquihue, and Osorno, which still show a strong German influence. Also in that time period, it is responsible for the creation of 210,000 net jobs for the economy. They include an influential number of descendants of Irish immigrants which arrived in Chile during the Spanish colonial period and descendants of English immigrants, arrived during and after independence (mainly merchants and sailors). From 1985-2004, Wal-Mart "can be associated with a cumulative decline of 9.1% in food-at-home prices, a 4.2% decline in commodities (goods) prices, and a 3.1% decline in overall consumer prices" and, that this has saved consumers $263 billion in that time frame ($2329 per household). Chileans descended from non-Spanish European immigrants are numerous. economy (Several notable economists oversaw the study, including both political conservatives and liberals [18]).

However, Argentina's eventual economic collapse in 2001 caused such an escalation in their migratory influx into Chile, that by 2005 Argentinians comprised the largest immigrant group, outnumbering Peruvians. A 2005 study by Global Insight, the world's largest economics organization, that was commission by Wal-mart found that the company has had a positive net economic impact on the U.S. Peruvians have historically constituted the largest immigrant group of the country. In 2004, the University of California, Berkeley published a study which asserted that Wal-Mart's low wages and benefits resulted in an increased burden on the social safety net, costing California taxpayers $86 million.[17]. Throughout much of Chile's modern history there has been a slow but steady work related trans-Andean migration to Chile - primarily from Peru and Bolivia - due mostly to the economic situation of its neighbours. Basker's study did not distinguish between low-paying and high-paying jobs. There are also around 5,000 polynesian people who are indigenous to the Chilean territory of Easter Island (Rapanui) in the Pacific. Basker concluded that the net change in the number of jobs was not significant.

Aymara and Quechua-speaking populations live along the northern border with Peru and Bolivia. Basker found an average decrease of 30 retail jobs in neighbouring counties and 25 wholesale jobs in the entered county. Of that 700,000, around 80% are Mapuche that reside mainly in the south-central area of the country. Half of this increase disappeared as other retail establishments closed over a five-year period. People that self-identify solely as members of any of the country's many indigenous groups number around 700,000 individuals, or 5% of the country's total population. Basker found that Wal-Mart's entry into a county increased net retail employment in that county by 100 jobs in the short term. Those of unmixed European ancestry are estimated in ten percent of the population. A 2002 study[16] by Emek Basker of the University of Missouri examined the impact of Wal-Mart on local employment.

People of relatively unmixed Spanish ancestry are not uncommon. The next largest employer employed the parents of less than 800 children in the program.[15]. The combination of an economy based on temperate-zone agriculture, Amerindian resistance to Spanish occupation, and a continuous influx of Spaniards from the mid-sixteenth century to the end of the colonial period defined the main body of Chile's mestizo majority population to one where the average Spanish input is greater than in neighbouring Andean mestizo populations. More than 10,000 children who qualified for the program had parents working at Wal-Mart. Many of these ended up settling in Chile. In 2002, the state of Georgia's survey of children in the state's subsidized health care system, PeachCare, found that Wal-Mart employed more of the parents of these children than any other employer. Spaniards arrived from all regions of Spain, including Andalucia, Extremadura, and the Basque country. Dean found that point out that though Wal-Mart openings cause some small businesses to close by offering lower prices, it also creates opportunities for other small businesses and that as a result, "the process of creative destruction unleashed by Wal-Mart has no statistically significant impact on the overall size of the small business sector in the United States" (the researchers also claim that the Stone study is flawed) [14].

During the colonial period, Spain found it necessary to maintain a continual influx of soldiers to protect its distant American colonies. Sobel and Andrea M. Around 95% of Chileans descend from early Spanish colonists, with the overwhelming part also possessing Native American ancestry in varying degrees - thus deeming the population majority as mestizo. In 1997, Stone found that small towns "lose up to 47 percent of their retail trade after 10 years of Wal-Mart stores nearby."[12] In [2003], Stone collaborated with collaborated with Georgeanne Artz, also of Iowa State University and Albert Myles of Mississippi State University to show that there "are both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates."[13] A study by Russell S. Unlike some of its South American neighbours, Chile is a relatively homogenous country. Stone of Iowa State University has published several studies on Wal-Mart. Chile has a population of 16,136,137 people (June 2005, Estimated). Kenneth E.

The two countries maintain consular relations. Several studies have been conducted to determined the nature and extent of this effect. Chile and Bolivia severed diplomatic ties in 1978 over Bolivia's desire to reacquire territory it lost to Chile in 1879-83 War of the Pacific. As Wal-Mart is an enormously large business, it has a significant impact on economies, especially in the United States. It settled its territorial disputes with Argentina during the 1990s. Deaver who formerly worked on behalf of Ronald Reagan, Leslie Dach who worked on behalf of Bill Clinton, and Robert McAdam who worked on behalf of the Tobacco Institute [11]. The Chilean Government has diplomatic relations with most countries. Operatives hired include Michael K.

An associate member of Mercosur and a full member of APEC, Chile and has been an important actor on international economic issues and hemispheric free trade. Edelman has set up an internal "war room", a rapid-response public relations team, staffed with high-profile political operatives to respond to negative media attention. Chile hosted the Community of Democracies ministerial in April 2005. It was reported in the New York Times on November 1, 2005 that in response to increased criticism the public relations firm Edelman had been retained. Chile hosted the Defense Ministerial of the Americas in 2002 and the APEC summit and related meetings in 2004. In 2005, Wal-Mart officials embarked on a public relations campaign to counter some of the criticism it receives, through its public relations website as well as through television commercials which show employees who have had a medical emergency and have been sent by Wal-Mart to the Mayo Clinic. Chile is an active member of the UN family of agencies and participates in UN peacekeeping activities. Different explanations have been offered for this success:.

Chile completed a 2-year non-permanent position on the UN Security Council in January 2005. Its stock has dropped more than 20% since then, closing under $50 in August 2005. Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. Since then its stock has climbed from 5 cents (split adjusted) to a high of $63 in March 2002. Although not a de-facto mandate in it's mission, the Policia de Investigaciones keeps an eye on the Carabineros in order to weed out corruption, Carabineros reciprocates the duty and both institutions have exposed corrupt officials within their counterpart. Wal-Mart went public in 1975. In addition to investigating crimes, the Policia de Investigaciones also complements the functions Carabineros in times of civil unrest, and is in charge of all immigration procedures. Sam Walton's family's holdings in Wal-Mart if combined would comprise the nation's largest fortune; at $100 billion combined they are significantly ahead of Bill Gates.

Mr Arturo Herrera heads the Policia de Investigaciones. Wal-Mart also does 20 percent of the retail toy business. It is a special arm of the Public Ministry whose main task is to investigate crimes and apprehend the suspects once firm evidence has been established. $51 billion). In addition to the Carabineros, who are part of the military, Chile also has the Policia de Investigaciones, a police force composed of civilians which is similar in purpose to the FBI. Wal-Mart is now the largest grocery chain in the U.S., with 14 percent of all grocery sales -- nearly twice the sales of Kroger ($95 billion vs. Alberto Cienfuegos is the head of the national police force of 30,000 men and women who are responsible for law enforcement, traffic management, narcotics suppression, border control and counter-terrorism throughout Chile. workers.[5] According to Wal-Mart's website, Wal-Mart provides insurance to more than 1 million people.[6].

Gen. According to an October 2005 article in BusinessWeek, Walmart's health insurance covers 44% or approximately 572,000 of its 1.3 million U.S. With the return of democratic government, the Carabineros were placed under the operational control of the Interior Ministry but remained under the nominal control of the Defense Ministry. At some Sam's Club these employees inspect the contents of the shopping carts of exiting customers. After the military coup in September 1973, the Chilean national police (Carabineros) were incorporated into the Defense Ministry. All Wal-Mart stores in the United States have employees referred to as "People Greeters." They welcome people to the store and help prevent shoplifting. F-16 aircraft in 2006, and a contract for 18 used F-16 more has been signed with Holland. Wal-Mart refers to its employees as "associates," and encourages managers to think of themselves as "servant leaders." Each shift at every store, club, and distribution center (theoretically) starts with a store-wide meeting where managers discuss with hourly employees daily sales figures, company news, and goals for the day.

The FACH will begin taking delivery of 10 U.S. However, this proposal was rejected by the city councillors [4] on June 28, 2005 for several reasons including worry over the possible negative impact to small businesses and a potential increase in traffic as customers drive longer distances to go shopping. The Air Force also operates an airbase on King George Island, Antarctica. This design, too, included wind turbines, geothermal heating and collecting rainwater. Air assets are distributed among five air brigades headquartered in Iquique, Antofagasta, Santiago, Puerto Montt, and Punta Arenas. An environmentally-friendly design for a Wal-Mart in Vancouver, BC, Canada was proposed. Osvaldo Sarabia heads a force of 12,500. Critics, such as the Institute for Local Self-reliance [3], while acknowledging that the features in the new stores are an improvement, still contend that Wal-Mart practices increase driving, and that it has a poor record of locating stores on environmentally sensitive sites, especially wetlands.

Gen. The buildings also include many other energy and cost-saving technologies. Pendant of delivery one new Scorpene class SSK and up to 4 ex-dutch Fokker F-27 MPA. Recently, Wal-Mart has designed two experimental stores [2], one in McKinney, Texas, the other in Aurora, Colorado, which feature wind turbines, photovoltaic solar panels, and biofuel-capable boilers. Currently, the Navy will replace almost all the surface ships with 4 ex-dutch ships(2 Karel Doorman multi-role and 2 Jacob Van Heemskerck air defence frigates) and 3 ex-british ships (Type 23 ASW frigates). The WFF has also donated to advocacy groups promoting school privatization, such as a $3 million donation in 2003 to the Knowledge Is Power Program. The Navy also operates three submarines based in Talcahuano. From 1998 through 2003, the WFF contributed $25,000 to the Heritage Foundation, $15,000 to the Cato Institute, $125,000 to the Hudson Institute, $155,000 to the Goldwater Institute, $70,000 to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, $300,000 to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, $185,000 to the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, and $350,000 to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

The Navy operates its own aircraft for transport and patrol; there are no Navy fighter or bomber aircraft. Also in 2004, Alice Walton donated $2.6 million to the Progress for America PAC, which supported the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Those ships are based in Valparaíso. Walmart's company political action committee, the second largest corporate donor to the GOP, gave away $2.1 million in 2004, compared to $100,000 in 1994. Of the fleet of 29 surface vessels, only six are operational major combatants (destroyers and frigates) due to be replaced with 8 2nd hand frigates in the 2006-2008 period. The Walton Family Foundation (WFF) gave away $106.9 million in 2003, twice as much as in 2000. Rodolfo Codina Díaz directs the 25,000-person Navy, including 5,000 Marines. According to the November 21, 2005 issue of The Nation, recently both the Arkansas-based company and the Walton family have elevated their charitable giving.

Adm. About $1.5 million in emergency aid was given to displaced employees, and employees displaced by the storm were offered work at Wal-Mart locations elsewhere in the country. It also operates Leopard I and AMX-30 main battle tanks. An emergency contact website was set up by Wal-Mart to help locate displaced persons, accessible by Internet and at every store in the country. The Chilean Army is 45,000 strong and is organized with an Army headquarters in Santiago, seven divisions throughout its territory, an Air Brigade in Rancagua, and a Special Forces Command in Colina. In addition, an estimated $3 million in merchandise was donated to victims in several states, and in some cases the corporation was able to provide supplies before the federal government. Juan Emilio Cheyre. These donations made it the largest single corporate contributor.

Gen. After the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster on the United States Gulf Coast, Wal-Mart donated $2 million to the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross and $15 million to the Bush-Clinton Hurricane Katrina Fund for a total of $17 million. The commander in chief of the Chilean Army is Maj. More than 90 percent of cash donations from Wal-Mart Stores and the Wal-Mart & SAM'S CLUB Foundation target local communities. However, reforms made in 2005 to the Constitution now give the President the right to remove the Commanders in Chief of the Armed Forces. The typical Supercenter channels $30,000 to $50,000 a year to local causes and events. Under the 1980 Constitution, the services enjoyed considerable autonomy, and the President could not remove service commanders on his own authority. Unlike most corporate donors, Wal-Mart does not provide a figure for its corporate contributions; instead Wal-Mart's reported contributions include those made by its customers in a larger aggregate figure.

Chile's Armed Forces are subject to civilian control exercised by the President through the Minister of Defense. In 2004, cash donations to non-profit organizations by Wal-Mart, its employees, and its customers made through Wal-Mart, the Wal-Mart Foundation and the Sam's Club Foundation totaled more than US$170 million. The combined public and private foreign debt was roughly over 50% of GDP at the end of 2004—low by Latin American standards. According to a New York Times story, it is seen by 130 million people a month, making it the fifth largest network in America, behind NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox. The government is paying off its foreign debt. The Wal-Mart Television Network is an in-store network showing commercials for products sold in the stores, concert clips and music videos for recording artists products sold in the stores, trailers for upcoming movie releases, and news. Nearly all of the funds raised go to finance investment. By focusing on a small number of low-cost products, and siting their retail operations in extremely convenient locations (primarily very small towns which cannot support a Wal-Mart as well as low-income areas of larger metropolitan areas), retailers such as Family Dollar and Dollar General have successfully competed head-to-head with Wal-Mart for home consumer sales.

markets through American Depository Receipts (ADR's). Due to Wal-Mart's success in selling consumer goods and its necessary focus on more expensive items (and larger population areas) to increase revenue, a niche has been carved out of Wal-Mart's dominance by several shrewd retail corporations ^[1]. There are three main ways Chilean firms raise funds abroad: bank loans, bond issue, and the selling of stock on U.S. Chief competitors of Sam's Club are Costco, which is slightly larger than Sam's in terms of sales, as well as the smaller BJ's Wholesale Club chain operating mainly on the East Coast. Chile maintains one of the best credit ratings (Standard & Poor's A+) of countries in Latin America. Wal-Mart's move into the grocery business has also positioned it against major grocery chains such as Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Giant Eagle, Safeway and dozens of local grocery chains. Chile's private pension system, with assets worth roughly $54 billion in late 2004, has provided an important source of investment capital for the capital market. Wal-Mart's chief competitors in the discount retail space nationally include Sears Holdings Corporation's Kmart chain and Target, Best Buy, along with many smaller regional chains such as Meijer in the midwest.

The introduction of these new products has been accompanied by increased use of traditional instruments such as loans and credit cards. Wal-Mart stock is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. Chileans have enjoyed the recent introduction of new financial tools such as home equity loans, currency futures and options, factoring, leasing, and debit cards. In 2003 McLane Company was sold to Berkshire Hathaway. The Chilean government implemented a further liberalization of capital markets in 2001. In 1990 Wal-Mart acquired The McLane Company, a foodservice distributor. Chile's financial sector has grown faster than other areas of the economy over the last few years; a banking reform law approved in 1997 broadened the scope of permissible foreign activity for Chilean banks. In the past, Wal-Mart operated dot Discount Drugs, Bud's Discount City, Hypermart*USA, OneSource Nutrition Centers, and Save-Co Home Improvement stores.

Currently it is negotiating with African nations. This purchase has been approved by Seiyu Group shareholders and The Seiyu will be consolidated into Wal-Mart International in FYE 2006. Chile also has signed trade agreements with China, as well as a four-party agreement with Singapore, New Zealand and Brunei (P4). in Japan, with a proposed US$597 million to increase its stake to 50%. Chile is a strong proponent of pressing ahead on negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). In addition to its wholly-owned international operations, Wal-Mart owns a 42% stake in The Seiyu Co., Ltd. The U.S.-Chile FTA entered into force January 1, 2004 following approval by the U.S and Chilean congresses. Wal-Mart also operates the largest real estate company in the United States, with an entire division devoted to building new stores, selling old stores, and developing shopping centers around its stores.

The agreement will lead to completely duty free bilateral trade within 12 years. Internationally, Wal-Mart employs over 410,000 people (excluding Japan) for a company-wide total of 1.7 million employees. After two years of negotiations, the United States and Chile signed an agreement in June 2003. Apart from retail locations, it operates 99 Distribution Centers and Transportation Offices in the United States. Continuing its export-oriented development strategy, Chile completed landmark free trade agreements in 2002 with the European Union and South Korea. Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters are located in Bentonville, Arkansas. Chile, a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization, is seeking to boost commercial ties to Asian markets. As of January 2005, Wal-Mart employed 1.3 million people in the United States.

An association agreement with Mercosur--Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay--went into effect in October 1996. Wal-Mart also operates Sam's Club—a "warehouse club" (similar to Costco and BJ's) that sells discounted bulk merchandise to due-paying members. Chile also concluded preferential trade agreements with Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. Wal-Mart operates discount retail department stores selling a broad range of non-grocery products, though emphasis is now focused on the "Supercenters" which offer a full line of grocery items. During the 1990s, Chile signed FTAs with Canada, Mexico, and Central America. . Successive Chilean governments have actively pursued liberalizing trade agreements. retail stores being spent at Wal-Mart.

Chile will have to phase out the price bands within 12 years under the terms of the U.S.-Chile FTA. It holds an 8.9 percent retail store market share, with $8.90 out of every $100 spent in U.S. The price bands were ruled inconsistent with Chile's WTO obligations in 2002 and the government has introduced legislation to modify them. It is the largest private employer in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Higher effective tariffs are charged only on imports of wheat, wheat flour, and sugar as a result of a system of import price bands. For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2005, Wal-Mart reported net income of US $10.3 billion on US $285 billion of sales revenue (3.6% profit margin). Chile unilaterally lowered its across-the-board import tariff for all countries with which it does not have a trade agreement to 6% in 2003. It is the largest retailer in the world and one of the largest companies in the world based on revenue; in 2004 it was the largest, but the recent rise in oil prices has taken at least one oil company past it.

As a bloc, the European Union (EU) in 2004 supplied 16.3% of Chile's imports, while Argentina contributed 16%. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) was founded by Sam Walton in 1962. The United States represented 14.6% of Chilean imports in 2004. Accessed January 11, 2006. Capital goods made up about 66% of total imports. ^  Wal-Mart giant can be tamed The Boston Globe, November 23, 2003. Chilean imports increased 30% in 2004, to $23 billion, reflecting a positive change in consumer demand and economic recovery. 121; Can't Wal-Mart, a Retail Behemoth, Pay More? The New York Times, May 4, 2005.

Asia has been the fastest-growing export market in recent years. ^  See Palast, p. The U.S., the largest national market, takes in 17.3% of Chile's exports. ^  Down and Out in Discount America, The Nation, January 3, 2005; Wal-Mart's Welfare Dependency, San Francisco Chronicle by Sally Lieber, November 7, 2003. Chile's export markets are fairly balanced among Europe (25.1%), Asia (33.1%), Latin America (15.7%), and North America (19%). House of Representatives Representative George Miller, Senior Democrat, February 16, 2004; Wal-Marts Cost State, Study Says, San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2004. Total exports in 2004 were $32 billion, a 52.1% increase from $20.4 billion in 2003. ^ Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart (pdf), A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce U.S.

The trade balance for 2004 showed a historic surplus $9 billion, considerably higher than 2003. ^  Wal-Mart public relations web page, section regarding Benefits (retreived May 25, 2005). The most important non-mineral exports are forestry and wood products, fresh fruit and processed food, fishmeal and seafood, and wine. ^  Retaliating first, Wal-Mart in Canada, The Economist, Feb 24th 2005; Ex-Wal-Mart Workers Win Battle Globe and Mail, Rhéal Séguin, September 17, 2005. In 1975, non-mineral exports made up just over 30% of total exports, whereas now they account for about 60%. Coughlin Told Others Bogus Expenses Hid Plot Against Unions Retailer Disputes His Claim, Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2005. Nontraditional exports have grown faster than those of copper and other minerals. ^  Petty Cash A Wal-Mart Legend's Trail of Deceit Mr.

Chile has traditionally been dependent upon copper exports; the state-owned firm Codelco is the world's largest copper-producing company. 119-120; Chinese Workers Pay for Wal-Mart's Low Prices, Washington Post, February 8, 2004; [Wal-Mart faces sweat-shop lawsuit Wal-Mart faces sweat-shop lawsuit], Financial Times (London), September 14, 2005; Suit Says Wal-Mart Is Lax on Labor Abuses Overseas, New York Times, September 14, 2005; Workers Sue Wal-Mart Over Sweatshop Conditions, Reuters, September 13, 2005, Sweatshop Workers on Four Continents Sue Wal-Mart in California Court, Press Release, September 13, 2005; Human cost behind bargain shopping Dateline hidden camera investigation in Bangladesh, Dateline NBC, June 17, 2005. In 2004, exports accounted for about 34% of GDP. ISBN 0745318460., p. Chile's economy is highly dependent on international trade. The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth About Globalization, Corporate Cons, and High-Finance Fraudsters, Pluto Press. The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement offers a number of other investor protections. ^  Palast, Greg (2002).

Registration is simple and transparent, and foreign investors are guaranteed access to the official foreign exchange market to repatriate their profits and capital. ISBN 1585424226.. Chile's welcoming attitude toward foreign direct investment is codified in the country's Foreign Investment Law, which gives foreign investors the same treatment as Chileans. The United States of Wal-Mart, Tarcher. The government also has encouraged the use of Chile as an "investment platform" for multinational corporations planning to invest in the region. Dicker, John (2005). The Chilean Government committed, in early 2002, to undertake a series of microeconomic reforms designed to create new incentives for private investment. ISBN 155369855X..

Both foreign and domestic investment in Chile had declined during the country’s period of slower economic growth from 1999-2003, but appear to be recovering strongly. Megamall on the Hudson: Planning, Wal-Mart, and Grassroots Resistance, Trafford. Total foreign direct investment rose to $7.1 billion in 2004, up from $2.5 billion in 2003. Porter, David (2003). Under the compulsory private pension system, most formal sector employees pay 10% of their salaries into privately managed funds. ISBN 0745318460.. Most wage settlements and spending decisions are indexed, reducing inflation's volatility. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, Owl Books.

Chile registered inflation of 2.4% in 2004 and is expected to see a 3% increase in 2005 and 2006, due gas-price factor. Ehrenreich, Barbara (2002). Inflation has not exceeded 5% since 1998. ISBN 1580086683.. Chile's independent Central Bank pursues a policy of maintaining inflation between 2% and 4%. How Wal-Mart Is Destroying America and the World: And What You Can Do about It (3rd edition). The share of Chileans with incomes below the poverty line--defined as twice the cost of satisfying a person's minimal nutritional needs--fell from 46% of the population in 1987 to 18.8% in 2003. Quinn, Bill (2005).

Wages have risen faster than inflation as a result of higher productivity, boosting national living standards. ISBN 0465023169.. Unemployment remained at 8.8% at the end of 2004 in spite of strong economic growth. Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart. Unemployment has hovered in the 8%-10% range in recent years, well above the 5%-6% average for the 1990s. Featherstone, Liza (2004). The privatized national pension system has encouraged domestic investment and contributed to an estimated total domestic savings rate of approximately 21% of GDP in 2003. ISBN 1932857249..

High domestic savings and investment rates also helped propel Chile's economy to average growth rates of 8% during the 1990s. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, Disinformation Company. Chile has signed Free Trade agreements (FTAs) with several important economies, including an FTA with the United States, which was signed in 2003 and implemented in January 2004. Spotts, Greg (2005). Chile is strongly committed to free trade and has welcomed large amounts of foreign investment. ISBN 0385513569.. The government's role in the economy is mostly limited to regulation, although the state continues to operate copper giant Codelco and a few other enterprises. The Bully of Bentonville: How the High Cost of Wal-Mart's Everyday Low Prices Is Hurting America.

The 1973-90 military government sold many state-owned companies, and the three democratic governments since 1990 have continued privatization at a slower pace. Bianco, Anthony (2006). Chile has pursued generally sound economic policies for nearly three decades. ISBN 155860684X.. The high degree of governability, the absence of corruption for Latin Standards, the high level of consumer and business confidence on the Chilean stability and the broad network of free trade agreements with most of the First World are the great bases for the Chile's the macroeconomic situation. Data Warehousing: Using the Wal-Mart Model. The Chile's real GDP per capita has risen in two years from $4,568 in 2003 to $7,300 US dollars in 2005 -the highest in Latin America- although a sharp income inequality persists -among the world's top-10 countries- extreme poverty rates less than 18%. Westerman, Paul (2000).

The Chilean economy finished 2004 and 2005 with growth of 6.1% and a similar economic growth ( 6.3%)is forecasted for 2006. ISBN 0785261192.. The economy remained sluggish until 2003, when it began to show clear signs of recovery, achieving 3.3% real GDP growth. The Wal-Mart Way: The Inside Story of the Success of the World's Largest Company. After a decade of impressive growth rates, Chile experienced a moderate downturn in 1999 brought on by the global economic slowdown. Soderquist, Don (2005). Also controlled but uninhabited are the small islands of Sala y Gomez, San Ambrosio and San Felix, these islands are notable because they extend Chile's claim to territorial waters out from its coast into the Pacific. ISBN 1591840430..

Chile controls Easter and Sala-y-Gómez Islands, the easternmost islands of Polynesia, which it incorporated to its territory in 1888, and Robinson Crusoe Island, more than 600 km from the mainland, in the Juan Fernández archipelago. The Wal-Mart Triumph: Inside the World's #1 Company. Chile is the longest (N-S) country in the world (over 4,200km), and also claims a large section of Antarctica as part of its territory. Slater, Robert (2004). The Andes Mountains are located on the eastern border. ISBN 1591840066.. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas, and islands. The Wal-Mart Decade: How a New Generation of Leaders Turned Sam Walton's Legacy into the World's #1 Company.

Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. Slater, Robert (2003). This area also is the historical center from which Chile expanded in the late 19th century, when it integrated the northern and southern regions. ISBN 0812963776.. The relatively small Central Valley, which includes Santiago, dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural resources. In Sam We Trust: The Untold Story of Sam Walton and Wal-Mart, the World's Most Powerful Retailer. The northern Atacama desert contains great mineral wealth, primarily copper and nitrates. Ortega, Bob (1998).

Chile stretches over 4,630 km (2,880 miles) north to south, but only 430 km (265 mi) at its widest point east to west. ISBN 1595580352.. A long and narrow coastal Southern Cone country on the west side of the Andes Mountains. Wal-Mart: A Field Guide to America's Largest Company and the World's Largest Employer, New Press. There is speculation that the numeral system will be dropped in favor of their formal names. Lichtenstein, Nelson (2006). Being designated by numerals 14 and 15, both break the geographical numerical order from north to south. ISBN 0471679984..

In 2005, the Chilean congress passed a reform to create two new regions, one in the north, around the city of Arica, and one in the South centered around Valdivia (aka Region of the Rivers). What I Learned from Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World. The only exception is the region where Santiago is situated, which is designated RM, that stands for Región Metropolitana, Metropolitan Region. Bergdahl, Michael (2004). In general, the Roman numeral is used, rather than the name. [26]. Each region has traditionally been designated by a name and a Roman numeral, assigned from North to South. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, a 2005 documentary by Robert Greenwald, the creator of Outfoxed.

This has being a main problem due to the big size of capital city (over 5.5 millions people) that retains most of those taxes. Independent America, a 2005 documentary on the larger issue of independent businesses fighting for survival against corpprate chains. However all tax incomes from regions goes to central government in Santiago where the final destination of the money not necesseraly returns to the regions. Outrageous Fortunes, BBC Three, aired on 26 April 2004, about the workings of Wal-Mart. Finally each province is divided into various Comunas each with its own mayor, elected by their inhabitants. Featuring interviews with both Wal-Mart top brass and critics, it won a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award for television excellence. Every region is further divided into provinces with a Gobernador Provincial, also appointed by Santiago. The Age of Wal-Mart, a 2004 documentary produced by CNBC.

Chile was divided into 13 regions in 1975, each of which is headed by an intendente appointed by the President. and China. The reform replaced inquisitorial proceedings with an adversarial system more similar to that of the United States. Frontline: Is Wal-Mart Good for America?, a PBS Frontline documentary on the impact of Wal-Mart in the U.S. Chile completed in mid-2005 a multi-year overhaul of its criminal justice system. Store Wars, a PBS special taking a close look at one community's battle over Wal-Mart. Chile's judiciary is independent and includes a network of courts of appeals, a system of military courts, a constitutional tribunal, and the Supreme Court of Chile. Why Wal-Mart Works & Why That Makes Some People Crazy, a pro-Wal-Mart documentary (not affiliated with Wal-Mart).

Michelle Bachelet, a Socialist moderate, was elected President on January 15, 2006, beating her closest rival Sebastián Piñera. Wal-Mart Space a blog run by Bobby Gerry which explores Wal-Mart's financial statements. (See Chilean presidential election, 2005.). AlwaysLowPrices.net a blog run by Kevin Brancato (discontinued on November 14, 2005). In 2005, both leading parties, the Christian Democrats and the UDI lost representation in favor of their allies Socialist Party (which became the biggest party in the Concertación block) and National Renewal in the right-wing alliance. Wal-Mart political donations. The Communist Party again failed to gain any seats in the 2001 elections. 2004-04-09 10-K.

In the 2001 congressional elections, the conservative Independent Democratic Union surpassed the Christian Democrats for the first time to become the largest party in the lower house. WMT: Profile for WAL-MART STORES - Yahoo! Finance. Only if the leading coalition ticket out-polls the second-place coalition by a margin of more than 2-to-1 does the winning coalition gain both seats. Company Profile. Typically, the two largest coalitions split the seats in a district. Yahoo! - Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Each coalition can run two candidates for the two Senate and two lower chamber seats apportioned to each chamber's electoral districts. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price A feature-length documentary.

Chile's congressional elections are governed by a unique binomial system that rewards coalition slates. The New Rules Project(critiques big box development, not limited to Wal-Mart). The Congress is located in the port city of Valparaíso, about 140 kilometers (84 mi.) west of the capital, Santiago. Wal-Mart Free NYC A group fighting to keep New York City Wal-Mart free. Currently 4 Deputies have their voting rights suspended on legal grounds. Wal-Mart Wiki Though not strictly critical, this wiki is definitely weighted against Wal-Mart in its current state. The current lower house—the Chamber of Deputies—contains 60 members of the governing center-left coalition and 56 from the center-right opposition. Wal-Mart Watchlabor union-funded website.

(Chile's Constitution provided that former presidents who have served at least 6 years shall be entitled to a lifetime senate seat.) The last congressional elections were held in December 2001. Wake-Up Wal-Mart website by the United Food and Commercial Workers. Nine institutional senators were appointed in 1999, and two "senators for life," former President Pinochet (who resigned in 2002) and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle. Index of numerous studies on Wal-Mart's economic and social impacts from The American Independent Business Alliance. The current Senate is evenly split 24-24 between pro-government and opposition Senators. Sprawl Busters, site Al Norman, an activist who helps local "site fights" against big box stores. Senators serve for 8 years with staggered terms. Rotten Library: Wal-Mart.

Deputies are elected every 4 years. Video report of Wal-Mart using child labor, CBC News, November 30, 2005. Chile's bicameral Congress has a 48-seat Senate—38 elected, 9 appointed, 1 for life—and a 120-member Chamber of Deputies. Wal-Mart caught using child labor, CBC News, November 30, 2005. The President is currently elected by the people to a 4-year term, the term was reduced from 6 years in 2005 which was in turn reduced from 8 years in the original 1980 constitution. Maryland's House approved a bill that would require all businesses in the state with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits for workers. In 2005, after 3 democratic elections for presidential periods, over 50 reforms were approved, which eliminated the remaining undemocratic areas of the text, such as the existence of non-elected Senators (institutional senators, or senators for life) and the inability of the President to remove the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Sweet Victory: Maryland Stands Up To Wal-Mart, The Nation, Sunday, April 17, 2005.

However the following years, the new Constitution was amended to ease provisions for future amendments to the Constitution. Retaliating first, Wal-Mart in Canada, The Economist, Feb 24th 2005. New elections were held in 1989 as was programmed, initiating a normal Democratic process. Wal-Marts Cost State, Study Says, San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2004. Pinochet's was defeated in the 1988 plebiscite, but he kept the Army force commanding. House of Representatives Representative George Miller, Senior Democrat, February 16, 2004. If the plesbicite was not approved, free elections will be called the next year (1989) with new candidates for president as well a Congress. Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart(pdf), A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce U.S.

Also the 1980 voting programmed another plebiscite for 1988 for approving a new 8 years period with Pinochet plus a Congress (replacing the Junta). Article argues that the decline of Union Industry jobs and the rise of Wal-Mart is destroying America's middle class. The new constitution established an 8 years government lead by President Augusto Pinochet without a Congress, supported by an Army/Navy/Air/Police Forces Junta instead, that was confirmed along with the approval of the new constitution. In Wal-Mart's America, Washington Post, August 27, 2003. It entered into force in March 1981, replacing the old one from 1925. Up against the Wal-Mart, Business Week, March 13, 2000, Explains union's attempt to unionize Wal-Marts. Chile's Constitution was approved in a tightly controlled national plebiscite in September 1980, under the military government of Augusto Pinochet. "Wal-Mart: High Prices for American Workers" file, (PDF February 16, 2004) from the Democratic Staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

(see below). California Legislators Call for Oversight of Wal-Mart's Health Benefits (Study of Peachcare). Ms Bachelet will be sworn in for a 4-year term (one of the Constitution's reforms since old format was a 6 years period). "The Wal-Mart You Don't Know", Fast Company, Issue 77, December 2003, Page 68 Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. The other candidates were previous Alliance for Chile right-wing candidate Joaquin Lavin and Tomas Hirsch, the far left candidate. "Inside the Leviathan" by Simon Head for The New York Review of Books, December 16, 2004. She won the 2006 runoff election against central-right-wing candidate Sebastián Piñera after none of the 4 main candidates obtained the necesary 50% of the votes in the first round of voting. UC Berkeley report on the community impact of Wal-Mart's lower wages(pdf).

She is the first and so far the only woman president in the country's history. How Costco Became the Anti-Wal-Mart, The New York Times, July 17, 2005. Ms Bachelet continues the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy government in their fourth term. Costco's Dilemma: Is Treating Employees Well Unacceptable for a Public Corporation? The Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2004 Costco's compensation for its employees with comparison to Wal-Mart. Chile's current president-elect is the former health and later defense minister Michelle Bachelet, daughter of Alberto Bachelet, an air force general who was captured and tortured in the military coup of 1973 and died shortly after. Company for the People Seattle Weekly, December 15 - 21, 2004, Article which contrasts Wal-Mart with employee-friendly Costco. The last period of president Frei due to the economy disaster led to a lower popularity for the Concertacion block. The Freedom to Hate Wal-Mart?, Paul Jacob, The Free Liberal, December 5, 2005.

He was sworn in March 11, 2000, for a 6-year term. Should We Admire Wal-Mart? Fortune Magazine, March 8, 2004. Ricardo Lagos Escobar of the Socialist Party led the Concertación coalition to a narrow victory, with 51.31% of the votes. Economy a study funded by Wal-Mart, determining the net economic impact of Wal-Mart at the national, city, and county level. A presidential election was held on December 12, 1999, but none of the six candidates obtained a majority, which led to an unprecedented runoff election on January 16, 2000 between Ricardo Lagos and Joaquín Lavín of the rightist Alliance for Chile. Measuring the Economic Impact of Wal-Mart on the U.S. During his government Chile's economy had their best years, although bad managing during last year plus the fact of the Asian crisis in 1998 got the country involved in a very bad situation affecting mainly to the middle class and to the small-Mid-Sized Companies. of Economics, University of Missouri, 2002.