Democracy and Social Welfare in Uruguay and Paraguay

Abstract

This article aims to assess how democracy affects social welfare by analyzing Uruguay and Paraguay, one country with a vibrant democratic history and a progressive political landscape, the other with a generally authoritarian past and a conservative dominant party. The article maintains that welfare systems in these countries have been critically shaped by the impact of democracy, or by its absence, and by the strategies adopted by major social and political actors, especially parties; these strategies have been determined, in turn, by parties' ideologies and by the workings of electoral competition. The article also emphasizes that the impact of democracy on social welfare is critically mediated by the role of previous welfare legacies, the presence of welfare constituencies defending acquired rights and privileges, and social and economic variables, such as overall wealth levels, the formal or informal nature of labor markets, and the political organization of domestic economies.

Mapping Welfare State Development in (post) Neoliberal Latin America

“…Recent comparative studies have highlighted several variables and theories that could help us understand the different levels of welfare state development in the region, as well as the factors behind the emergence, consolidation and expansion of the welfare systems. The policy legacies of welfare institutions matter, as there is a strong positive relationship between the historical experience of social security systems and the development of the welfare state in the region (Grassi, 2014;Mesa-Lago, 1978;Sanchez de Dios, 2015). Democracy has been considered a necessary although not sufficient condition for welfare state development Cruz-Martinez, 2017a;Graziano & Jessoula, 2018).…”

The role of the ‘negativity’ factor in international news coverage: A case study of Latin America in the German press, 2000–2014

“…Due to the rights of women, labour and other groups, as well as the advantages of a welfare state, Uruguay is considered the ‘Switzerland of Latin America’ (ibid.). The country’s income distribution was astonishingly equal when compared to other states on the continent, and one associates its political history with the dominance of Left-leaning parties (Grassi, 2014: 126). The low visibility of these countries could be explained precisely due to their political stability, which shows no news value at all.…”

Urban Growth During Civilian and Military Administrations in Osogbo, Nigeria

“…Thus, there was injection of more funds into the provision of social infrastructure during the civilian administration than during the military administrations. Democracy affects not only social welfare, but also the strategies adopted by social and political actors to ensure equitable distribution of democratic gains [Grassi, 2014]. Revenue injection to the economy and consequently development-driven projects were made possible because of the rise in crude oil price in the world market.…”