The open veins of Latin American social protection

Impacts of the ideological and political alternation of progressive and conservative governments on the social agenda

Abstract

Social protection systems have their history tied to the achievements and concessions of the working class. Latin America, recognized as the most unequal region in the world, uses social protection as a way to address the
serious manifestations of the social issue and the opportunity to reduce social inequalities. However, the contemporary neoliberal and neoconservative agenda poses significant challenges to the neglected guarantee of collective rights. In this sense, this qualitative essay, based on exploratory bibliographic and documentary research, aims to problematize the characteristics of social protection systems in Latin America (especially in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay). The analytical axis of the ideological and political alternation between progressive and conservative governments was chosen to expose the imperativeness of the neoliberal orientation and forms of neoconservatism in the social agendas of these governments. Outlining this panorama will enable us to understand how these governments advocated, or failed to advocate, social protection, especially in the areas of health policy, education, and combating poverty.