Abstract
In this paper we argue that Argentina, Brazil and Mexico must focus economic and social policies on creating employment if they want to provide decent work (i.e. formal jobs with social security coverage). During the 1990s, financial and trade liberalization and the associated laissez-faire policies did not deliver in terms of growth or employment in the countries under consideration. We assess the macroeconomic, trade, investment and labour-market policies of the countries during 1990-2004 and then propose a series of recommendations that give employment growth the priority it deserves.