Slim/Mexico: Rich Slim, thin Mexico

Carlos Slim is now the world’s richest man. But the news that a Mexican entrepreneur has made more money than Bill Gates does not reflect well on Slim’s native land. His fortune is based on impoverishing, not enriching, most Mexicans. And it makes Mexico’s economic future less promising. Slim built his fortune by gaining control of Telmex in 1990, when the state monopoly telephone supplier was turned into private monopoly. Slim has defended his leading position with Gates-like single-mindedness....