The most worrying problems of Peru

Abstract

The problem singled out by this sample of 170 highly educated and well positioned opinion leaders of diverse professions (125 men and 45 women) are indeed serious: 1) poverty (56%), 2) un- and underemployment (53%), 3) lack of institutionalization (45%), 4) the educational system (29%), 5) street violence (20%) and, 6) centralism (13%). Surprisingly, however, a number of equally serious problems were mentioned by less than 2% of the opinion leaders: injustice, corruption, rapid population growth, foreign intervention, and narcotrafficking. The prospects for Peru 's development are seen by 57% of the sample as either very promising (9%) or promising (48%); only 11% perceive these prospects as doubtful (10%) or very doubtful (1%). The optimism prevalent among these elites may inhibit recognition of and therefore effective responses to Peru 's most serious problems.