Mauricio
Cárdenas
Department
of Economics Commencement Address
May 18, 2000
|
Mauricio
Cárdenas, director of the Department of National Planning
in Colombia, is a cabinet member of Andrés Pastrana's administration,
an author of the "Plan Colombia," and involved in the peace talks
with insurgent leaders in Colombia. He gave the Department of Economics
commencement speech, reprinted below, on May 18. He also met with
CLAS faculty and students for a breakfast and informal discussion.
Cárdenas is a UC Berkeley alum, and obtained a PhD in Economics
in 1991.
Mauricio
Cárdenas, director of the Department of National Planning
in Colombia, is a cabinet member of Andrés Pastrana's
administration, an author of the "Plan Colombia," and involved
in the peace talks with insurgent leaders in Colombia. He gave
the Department of Economics commencement speech, reprinted
below, on May 18. He also met with CLAS faculty and students
for a breakfast and informal discussion. Cárdenas is
a UC Berkeley alum, and obtained a PhD in Economics in 1991.
(Full
text of Cárdenas' commencement address:)
Chairman
Obstfeld, faculty, alumni, members of the class of 2000 and all
other graduating candidates, proud parents and families, distinguished
guests:
I am profoundly honored to be here today, celebrating this special occasion
with you. It is an ideal opportunity to come back to Berkeley, especially to
such an important ceremony and I thank the Department for this invitation.
The Greek Theater is one of my favorite places on this truly beautiful campus.
I used to live a couple of blocks from here, where I heard many concerts from
my room at the International House. As for graduation speeches, I have to be
honest and tell you that I did not leave the window open so that I could finish
that last term paper.
|
| An
informal discussion with Cárdenas (left) at CLAS. |
I also remember well what all of you are feeling. Nine years ago, in the spring
of 1991, I was here finishing what I regard as my most valuable experience
ever. Without any doubt, the years I spent here shaped not only my interests
and my way of thinking, but also my values and my beliefs, as no other period
of my life. And now, almost a decade down the road, I am better able to understand
what an education from this University means. It is about so much more than
academic excellence; it is also about commitment to others, which in my case
has meant a career dedicated to public service. At the same time, it is about
true democratic principles and respect for others. It is about questioning
the status quo, about asking the tough questions without fear.
One of the great things about this University is the opportunity to think freely,
to challenge our ideas with those of others. I am sure that all of you recall
a person here who questioned your thoughts -- and might even have led you to
change your views about something. You have been given the tools to think,
to think critically and constructively. You have also learned to distinguish
between humility of gifted minds and the arrogance of the shortsighted.
These tools and values can help you build meaningful and successful lives.
In fact, you are being given the unique treasure of an education that is on
the cutting edge of scientific knowledge, while still grounded in the humanistic.
No previous generation has been better equipped than yours to come to some
understanding and wisdom, to face complexity based on sound judgment. I am
sure that your years at Berkeley have made you more tolerant of people, that
your interests are now more diverse, and that your horizons have expanded to
become more pluralistic and universal. These legacies will only grow within
you as you leave this pillar of American higher education: U. C. Berkeley.
Think, for a moment, about all those fortunate coincidences that
brought you here. Think about your parents and the education they
gave you. Remember your
high school, your friends and teachers. Think about the chance encounters
that changed your options. That person that you met while having
lunch on Sproul
Plaza who gave you an idea, or the friend that you made at the Strada Café who
pointed you in the right direction. I know it takes a lot of hard work to
make it to this ceremony. The countless nights you spent solving problem
sets or
writing term papers stand as a testimony to your effort and self-discipline.
But it's about more than just hard work. There is also luck. And you know,
you are lucky.
| "This
University taught us that diversity is no obstacle for
peace and prosperity. On the contrary, no place like
Berkeley illustrates better the wealth of opportunities
that diversity brings." |
By now you appreciate the fact that being educated in one of the finest schools,
in one of the most prosperous and powerful nations in the world, gives
you more opportunities than most. But such a privilege carries a burden
-- the burden of responsibility. And the big question is: how are you going
to use that power in a socially responsible way? There are many ways to
use what you have been given. You just have to find your own way, because
there is always a problem -- small or big -- that you can help to solve.
Your education is a precious, invaluable asset, the best investment you and
your parents could have made. Just make sure you use it wisely -- and well.
First, you must keep it alive and allow it to grow. Human capital depreciates
very quickly, and you must protect it by continuing to learn throughout your
life. Then, you will notice that true satisfaction comes when you and others
benefit from your knowledge.
The United States is experiencing an extraordinary period of prosperity and
growth. That sense of well-being, of the sky's the limit of opportunities,
may tempt you to worry only about yourselves. This frenetic world may lead
you to believe that if you waste time thinking about others, you will be left
behind. Make no mistake: that is wrong.
Let me illustrate this point with a parallel that applies to nations.
It is not hard to see that there is a correlation between prosperity
in the north
and sustained growth in the south. I have no doubt that the promotion of successful
development serves the advanced nations' core interests. Increased global prosperity
means stability and peace, and it means more freedom, because nations that
succeed economically are more likely to become democratic. Such global prosperity
also means less environmental degradation. Poverty is a major cause of destruction
of ecosystems, simply because landless peasants have no alternative in order
to survive. And poverty needs no passport or a visa to travel. It was François
Mitterand who once said that 'our entire planet would become unlivable if we
believe in the illusion that it would have to be habitable just for a few.'
Sustained prosperity and improvement in living conditions in the more advanced
nations should make everyone more sensitive and less indifferent to the concerns
of others. I have often heard the following argument: If the poor are incapable
of solving their problems, it is their own fault. This is as fallacious as
saying that poverty is a direct consequence of the fact that some people are
doing well and getting wealthier.
In the same way that advanced nations should worry about investing in the promotion
of prosperity in the developing world, you should worry about teaching, advising,
providing insights to others who may need your help. Today, assistance alone
is no solution. There can be no substitute for a country's will and determination
for growth and stability. But, when a developing country is committed to reform
and change, foreign aid can be of enormous help. This principle also applies
to people.
Perhaps you have noticed my emphasis on the social dimension of your education.
I emphasize this because I believe it is what is truly distinctive about Berkeley.
Many places will teach how to solve hard analytical problems, or how to use
sophisticated techniques. These are, of course, very important -- you certainly
learned them here -- but that is not what makes the difference. The difference
lies in the understanding that no single model can provide all the answers,
that there are no universal truths. You realize the need to take into account
history and institutions. You feel the need to bridge the gap between the perfection
of our models and the imperfection of reality. This is what you have learned
here at Berkeley.
As you know, I come from Colombia, a country facing many political, social,
and economic challenges that illustrate in an extreme way the tensions that
arise in the development process. In my country, as elsewhere, armed confrontation
arises, among other reasons, because of lack of common ground about the choice
of economic and social strategies. This means that even if we agree about the
need for a comprehensive view of development, consensus is limited and the
possibility of disagreement is enormous.
Being educated here at Berkeley has had very practical implications
for me. I am a cabinet member in the Administration of President Andrés
Pastrana, who has devoted great efforts in building peace. I have been
involved in the
peace talks, meeting regularly with the insurgent leaders and discussing ideas
about the economic model that best fits our nation. And if we are to find a
negotiated solution to the armed conflict -- and I am certain that we will
-- then all parties must be willing to listen, to understand the fundamental
social problems, and do away with any and all one-dimensional preconceptions.
President Pastrana is committed not only to put an end to the armed
conflict -- which has intensified and degradated in the recent years
-- but also to
fiscal reform. This is necessary in order to get our economy back on the track
of growth and stability, after years of poor performance. Being responsible
for Planning, I have had to divide my time between the cold offices of the
International Monetary Fund in Washington and the tropical mountains of San
Vicente del Caguán, where the negotiations with the insurgents are being
held. These are two difficult fronts, which probably sound a lot like an interesting
game theory problem. Sometimes I would rather be dealing with it in the classrooms
of Evans Hall!
Whether in Washington or in El Caguán, I often think about Berkeley.
I think about everyone I met that came from different places, with different
backgrounds, different ideas, even different languages. This University taught
us that diversity is no obstacle for peace and prosperity. On the contrary,
no place like Berkeley illustrates better the wealth of opportunities that
diversity brings. It allows us to grow, personally and professionally. All
systems are imperfect and have contradictions -- we just have to understand
their limitations. And in this regard, being here still helps, because no place
like Telegraph Avenue better exemplifies those inherent to American society.
| "[Berkeley
students learn] the need to bridge the gap between the
perfection of our models and the imperfection of reality." |
In
the end, this institution embodies as no other that I know what
true democratic principles mean and imply. Principles that allow
us to reconcile opposing views without resorting to force and
violence. Principles that allow us to reward performance and
intellect not position or influence. And without democratic efficiency
there can be no economic prosperity.
In keeping with this spirit, the peace process in Colombia is part of a broader
strategy, which also includes political and economic reform in order to improve
living conditions and reduce the factors that cause violence. The strategy
has been named the "Plan Colombia." In addition to negotiations with the guerrillas,
the Plan includes actions for the protection of human rights, the strengthening
of the State, assisting in economic recovery, controling illicit crops and
combating drug trafficking activities, and safeguarding our irreplaceable environment.
In relation to the fight against drugs, let me just say that narco-trafficking
not only generates corruption, but also provides weapons for the groups that
operate outside the law, which in turn serves only to intensify the conflict.
Our Plan promotes development programs, programs that offer economic alternatives
to peasants who are not criminals, who have grown illicit crops simply because
they had no other viable options. These alternatives must be comprehensive,
to include not just crop substitution but also new investments in physical
and social capital, institutional development, and the promotion of environmental
sustainability.
A few in this nation think that this is no solution and are opposed to U.S.
support for our Plan. Some argue that legalization is the only way out. To
them I say go and read George Akerlof, one of our most admired professors here
at Berkeley. Assume that people are a little less rational than what Milton
Friedman thinks, and you will discover that legalization can do a lot of harm
to people.
Some, on the other side, oppose legalization but argue that it is a supply
problem, ignoring that it is demand that fuels the entire industry. To them
I would say that more than alternatives to our peasants, we must ask consumers
whether or not they can find alternatives from drugs.
Let me close by saying that I definitely learned a lot about Economics here
at my alma mater, which made me very proud the day of my graduation. Looking
back, I realize that I've forgotten many things I learned here. But there are
some things that I have not forgotten. I have not forgotten the values and
the vision embodied by this University.
Members of the Class of 2000: You are leaving this university full of noble
ideals and a strong sense of the power of your own actions and words. You are
leaving Berkeley believing in yourselves, ready to institute changes, ready
to improve things. You are also leaving this Campus with high ethical standards.
And you must be aware that your success in life -- along with the success of
your countries -- is going to depend on your integrity and character. Admire
and emulate ethical behavior wherever you find it. Apply a rigid standard of
morality to your lives, and never lower the standards that you have now.
You will have to make choices, and some of them will be difficult. Not all
of them will change the world, but all of them should be based on the same
principles. All of them should make you proud of who you are.
In the end: try to keep your consciousness growing. Develop the sensibility
that allows you to look beyond your own life and reach out to others. Follow
your own path because there is no model. Believe in yourselves and listen to
your heart. And, as C. S. Lewis once wrote, do not let yourselves be driven
by the desire of being insiders at the terror of being left outside. As long
as you are governed by that desire you will never get what you want. Conquer
the fear of being an outsider and break the desire to be an insider, because
more meaningful lives are out there. Explore the new, the unknown, and show
it to others.
Finally, let me leave you with these recent words of Gabriel García
Márquez, who said: 'Remember that the things of this world, from heart
transplants to Beethoven's quartets, were in the minds of their creators before
they became realities. Expect nothing from the 21st Century; it is the 21st
Century that expects all from you. A Century that does not come factory-ready
but that comes ready to be shaped by you, and that will only be as peaceful
as you are able to imagine it.'
Thank you and good luck. |
