Abstract

AHUMADA-BELTRAN, Consuelo; CANCINO-CADENA, Arturo  and  CHAVEZ-GARCIA, Carlos. Social Policies in the Andean Region: The Case of Colombia(2000-2007). Pap.polit. [online]. 2008, vol.13, n.1, pp.323-364. ISSN 0122-4409.

The study and assessment of the social policies adopted in Colombia during the period 2000- 2007 must stem from two main considerations: 1) Although the social consequences of neoliberal reforms -suffered by the Andean Region at the end of the past decade- present its particularities in the Colombian case, the main traits of the social crisis are similar in all the Andean countries. 2) The recent history of Colombia has been signed by the persistence and aggravation of the armed conflict. In addition, the country became the center of the counternarcotics strategy and of the struggle against terrorism in the Andean Region. This situation and the international and regional policies implemented to confront it, have significantly affected social conditions and public policies in the country. Taking into account such considerations, this paper is broken up into four parts. The first is an assessment of the social situation of the country during the present century. The second is devoted to the analysis of two key policies with strong impact on social issues: the fiscal adjustment policy and the military expenditure. In the third part, the analysis of the program of Acción Social is undertaken and in the fourth the social strategies derived from Plan Colombia are examined.

Keywords : Public policies; fiscal adjustment; military expenditure; Plan Colombia; Public policies; fiscal adjustment; military expenditure; Plan Colombia; Colombia.

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