Models of public sector intervention: Providing for the elderly in Argentina (c. 1890-1994)

Journal of Latin American Studies

Volumn 29, Issue 1, 1997, Pages 1-21

  Lloyd Sherlock, Peter ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ELDERLY CARE; ELDERLY PEOPLE; HISTORICAL STUDY; NINETEENTH CENTURY; PENSION SYSTEM; PUBLIC SECTOR ROLE; SOCIAL INSURANCE; SOCIAL POLICY; TWENTIETH CENTURY; WELFARE PROVISION;

ARGENTINA;

EID: 0030825043     PISSN: 0022216X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S0022216X96004610     Document Type: Review

References (108)

1. United Nations, Sex and Age Distributions of Population: the 1990 Revision (New York, 1991), and P. Lloyd-Sherlock, Social Insurance Reform in an Ageing World: the Case of Latin America (London, 1992).
2. United Nations, Sex and Age Distributions of Population: the 1990 Revision (New York, 1991), and P. Lloyd-Sherlock, Social Insurance Reform in an Ageing World: the Case of Latin America (London, 1992).
3. For example, P. Drake, Socialism and Populism in Chile, 1932-52 (London, 1978), pp. 214-67; E. Sader, 'Cuba no Brasil: influencias da revolução cubana na esquerda brasileira', in D. Filho et al., Historia do marxismo no Erasil. I. O impacto da revoluçães (São Paulo, 1991), pp. 157-84.
4. For example, P. Drake, Socialism and Populism in Chile, 1932-52 (London, 1978), pp. 214-67; E. Sader, 'Cuba no Brasil: influencias da revolução cubana na esquerda brasileira', in D. Filho et al., Historia do marxismo no Erasil. I. O impacto da revoluçães (São Paulo, 1991), pp. 157-84.
5. C. Mesa-Lago, The Economy of Socialist Cuba (Albuquerque, 1981), pp. 194-5.
6. Ibid., pp. 175-6.
7. J. Oddone, 'The Formation of Modern Uruguay, c. 1870-1930', in L. Bethell (ed.), The Cambridge History of Latin America, Volume V. (Cambridge, 1986), pp. 464-70 and H. Finch, Historia económica del Uruguay contemporáneo (Montevideo, 1980), pp. 16-21.
8. J. Oddone, 'The Formation of Modern Uruguay, c. 1870-1930', in L. Bethell (ed.), The Cambridge History of Latin America, Volume V. (Cambridge, 1986), pp. 464-70 and H. Finch, Historia económica del Uruguay contemporáneo (Montevideo, 1980), pp. 16-21.
9. C. Mesa-Lago, Social Security in Latin America. Pressure Groups, Stratification and Inequality (Pittsburgh, 1978), pp. 72-4.
10. M. Conniff, 'Introduction: Towards a Comparative Definition of Populism', in M. Conniff (ed.), Latin American Populism in Comparative Perspective (Albuquerque, 1982), pp. 3-30, and K. Sikkink, Ideas and Institutions. Developmentalism in Brazil and Argentina (New York, 1991), pp. 31-41 provide detailed analyses of these concepts.
11. M. Conniff, 'Introduction: Towards a Comparative Definition of Populism', in M. Conniff (ed.), Latin American Populism in Comparative Perspective (Albuquerque, 1982), pp. 3-30, and K. Sikkink, Ideas and Institutions. Developmentalism in Brazil and Argentina (New York, 1991), pp. 31-41 provide detailed analyses of these concepts.
12. C. Véliz, The Centrist Tradition in Latin America (Princeton, 1980), pp. 156-60 and 186-90 provides an examination of this strategy.
13. C. Mesa-Lago, 'Comparative Study of the Development of Social Security in Latin America', International Social Security Review, vol. 2, no. 26 (1986).
14. A. Cohn, Previdência social e processo politico no Brasil (São Paulo, 1981), pp. 5-34 and J. Arellano, Politicas sociales y desarrollo en Chile: 1924-84 (Santiago, 1985), pp. 71-97.
15. A. Cohn, Previdência social e processo politico no Brasil (São Paulo, 1981), pp. 5-34 and J. Arellano, Politicas sociales y desarrollo en Chile: 1924-84 (Santiago, 1985), pp. 71-97.
16. A. Cohn, Previdência social e processo politico no Brasil (São Paulo, 1981), pp. 5-34 and J. Arellano, Politicas sociales y desarrollo en Chile: 1924-84 (Santiago, 1985), pp. 71-97. S. Bitar, 'Neo-liberalism versus Neo-structuralism in Latin America', CEPAL Review, no. 34 (1988), pp. 45-62.
17. D. Vittas and A. Iglesias, The Rationale and Performance of Personal Pension Plans in Chile (Washington, 1992) give a very positive account of the Chilean reform. P. LloydSherlock, Social Insurance, draws attention to some of its shortcomings.
18. D. Vittas and A. Iglesias, The Rationale and Performance of Personal Pension Plans in Chile (Washington, 1992) give a very positive account of the Chilean reform. P. LloydSherlock, Social Insurance, draws attention to some of its shortcomings.
19. See C. Anglade and C. Fortin, 'Accumulation, Adjustment and Autonomy of the State in Latin America', in C. Anglade and C. Fortin (eds.), The State and Capital Accumulation in Latin America, volume 2 (London, 1990), pp. 264-70 for a detailed analysis of such policies; and J. Roddick, The Dance of the Millions: Latin America and the Debt Crisis (London, 1988), p. 98 for an examination of their impact on welfare programmes.
20. See C. Anglade and C. Fortin, 'Accumulation, Adjustment and Autonomy of the State in Latin America', in C. Anglade and C. Fortin (eds.), The State and Capital Accumulation in Latin America, volume 2 (London, 1990), pp. 264-70 for a detailed analysis of such policies; and J. Roddick, The Dance of the Millions: Latin America and the Debt Crisis (London, 1988), p. 98 for an examination of their impact on welfare programmes.
21. D. Felix, 'Privatising and Rolling Back the Latin American State', CEP AL Review, no. 46 (1992), pp. 31-46, is a good example of this argument.
22. See O. Rosales, 'An Assessment of the Structuralist Paradigm for Latin American Development and the Prospects for its Renovation', CEP AL Review, no. 4 (1988), pp. 19-36.
23. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Changing Production Patterns with Social Equity (Santiago, 1990), p. 81.
24. Bitar, 'Neo-liberalism versus', pp. 45-62.
25. International Labour Office (ILO), Introduction to Social Security (Geneva, 1984), pp. 2-5 and J. Midgely, Social Security, Inequality and the Third World (London, 1984), p. 79 provide more detailed discussions of these definitions.
26. International Labour Office (ILO), Introduction to Social Security (Geneva, 1984), pp. 2-5 and J. Midgely, Social Security, Inequality and the Third World (London, 1984), p. 79 provide more detailed discussions of these definitions.
27. A. Bunge, El seguro national (Buenos Aires, 1917), pp. 128-33. 'Working age', used in lieu of data for the economically active population, is defined here as between 15 and 64 years old.
28. C. M. Lewis, 'Social Insurance: Ideology and Policy in the Argentine, c. 1920-66', in C. Abel and C. M. Lewis (eds.), Welfare Poverty and Development in Latin America (London, 1993), pp. 177-8.
29. P. Ross, 'Policy Formation and Implementation of Social Welfare in Peronist Argentina', unpubl. PhD diss., University of New South Wales (1989), p. 19.
30. E. Isuani, 'Los origenes', in J. Feldman, L. Golbert and E. Isuani (eds.), Maduración y crisis del sistema previsional argentino (Buenos Aires, 1988), p. 29.
31. Ross, 'Policy formation', p. 154.
32. Decree law 3,727 (Ross, 'Policy Formation', p. 233).
33. E. Tenti Fanfani, Estado y pobreza: estrategias de intervención (Buenos Aires, 1989) examines in detail the activities of state-subsidised charities in Buenos Aires but makes no reference to programmes potentially of economic benefit to the elderly.
34. Lewis, 'Social Insurance', pp. 177-85.
35. For example, P. Lewis, The Crisis of Argentine Capitalism (London, 1989), pp. 104-6 and 123-5 and D. Rock, 'From the First World War to 1930', in L. Bethell (ed.), Argentina since Independence (Cambridge, 1993), pp. 142-3.
36. For example, P. Lewis, The Crisis of Argentine Capitalism (London, 1989), pp. 104-6 and 123-5 and D. Rock, 'From the First World War to 1930', in L. Bethell (ed.), Argentina since Independence (Cambridge, 1993), pp. 142-3.
37. Argentine Republic, Primera Conferencia National de Asistencia Social (Buenos Aires, 1934), Vol. 1, pp. 7-8, Vol. 2, pp. 160-5.
38. Tenti Fanfani, Estado y pobreza, pp. 72-6 and C. Díaz Alejandro, Essays on the Economic History of the Argentine Republic (New Haven, 1970), p. 97.
39. Tenti Fanfani, Estado y pobreza, pp. 72-6 and C. Díaz Alejandro, Essays on the Economic History of the Argentine Republic (New Haven, 1970), p. 97.
40. For example, M. Passanante, Pobreza y actión social en la historia argentina : de la beneficiencia a la seguridad social (Buenos Aires, 1987), pp. 125-33 and P. Waldmann, El peronismo (Buenos Aires, 1981), p. 155.
41. For example, M. Passanante, Pobreza y actión social en la historia argentina : de la beneficiencia a la seguridad social (Buenos Aires, 1987), pp. 125-33 and P. Waldmann, El peronismo (Buenos Aires, 1981), p. 155.
42. P. Lloyd-Sherlock, The Institute National de Previsión Social and Social Insurance Reform in Argentina, 1944 to 1953, Economic History Working Paper, London School of Economics (London, 1992), pp. 12-18 and Lewis, 'Social Insurance', pp. 187-90.
43. P. Lloyd-Sherlock, The Institute National de Previsión Social and Social Insurance Reform in Argentina, 1944 to 1953, Economic History Working Paper, London School of Economics (London, 1992), pp. 12-18 and Lewis, 'Social Insurance', pp. 187-90.
44. J. Mensa, 'Algunas consideraciones sobre legislación mutual', Crónica Mensual de la Secretaria de Trabajo y Previsión (Jan. 1946); J. Juárez, Los trabajadores en función social (Buenos Aires, 1947), pp. 127-33.
45. J. Mensa, 'Algunas consideraciones sobre legislación mutual', Crónica Mensual de la Secretaria de Trabajo y Previsión (Jan. 1946); J. Juárez, Los trabajadores en función social (Buenos Aires, 1947), pp. 127-33.
46. Review of the River Plate (Buenos Aires, 30 Dec. 1952).
47. Review of the River Plate (Buenos Aires, 20 April 1954).
48. Article 31 of the 1949 Constitution, cited in Ministerio de Finanzas de la Nación, Caja Nacional de Ahorro Postal, Ahorro obrero : manual para el dirigente (Buenos Aires, 1950), P. 21.
49. Ross 'Policy Formation', p. 246.
50. M. Navarro, 'Evita and Peronism', in F. Turner and J. Miguens (eds.), Juan Perón and the Reshaping of Argentina (Pittsburgh, 1983), pp. 23-6.
51. Calculated from Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censos (INDEC), Cuadros inéditos. IV censo general 1947. Caracteristicas de familia y convivencia, estado civil y fecundidad (Buenos Aires, 1948), pp. 108-10.
52. Calculated from Ross, 'Policy Formation', p. 545 and Review of the River Plate (Buenos Aires), 20 April 1954.
53. Ross, 'Policy Formation', p. 276. For an account of a similar presentation ceremony, though not specifically involving the elderly, see 'The First Lady Participates in the Distribution of Grants', Crónica Mensual de la Secretaria de Trabajo y Previsión (Nov. 1946), pp. 106-7.
54. Ross, 'Policy Formation', p. 276. For an account of a similar presentation ceremony, though not specifically involving the elderly, see 'The First Lady Participates in the Distribution of Grants', Crónica Mensual de la Secretaria de Trabajo y Previsión (Nov. 1946), pp. 106-7.
55. ILO, Economically Active Population Estimates: 1950-1980. Projections: 1985-2025. Volume 3, Latin America (Geneva, 1986), p. 79.
56. Lewis, 'Social Insurance', p. 293.
57. Review of the River Plate (Buenos Aires, 9 Oct. 1953) gives an account of the financial problems of the railway and urban transport funds. Similar accounts are given in J. Gonzalez Gale, Jubilaciones y seguro social (Buenos Aires, 1929), p. 5 and Argentine Republic, Caja Nacional de Jubilaciones y Pensiones, La situación de los funcionarios de la administración national en la actividad y la pasividad (Buenos Aires, 1914), pp. 51-63.
58. Review of the River Plate (Buenos Aires, 9 Oct. 1953) gives an account of the financial problems of the railway and urban transport funds. Similar accounts are given in J. Gonzalez Gale, Jubilaciones y seguro social (Buenos Aires, 1929), p. 5 and Argentine Republic, Caja Nacional de Jubilaciones y Pensiones, La situación de los funcionarios de la administración national en la actividad y la pasividad (Buenos Aires, 1914), pp. 51-63.
59. Review of the River Plate (Buenos Aires, 9 Oct. 1953) gives an account of the financial problems of the railway and urban transport funds. Similar accounts are given in J. Gonzalez Gale, Jubilaciones y seguro social (Buenos Aires, 1929), p. 5 and Argentine Republic, Caja Nacional de Jubilaciones y Pensiones, La situación de los funcionarios de la administración national en la actividad y la pasividad (Buenos Aires, 1914), pp. 51-63.
60. These transfers were made possible by the establishment of a coordinating agency, the Instituto Nacional de Prevision Social, in 1944. See Lloyd-Sherlock, The Instituto National.
61. Feldman et al., Maduración y crisis, pp. 33-7.
62. A clear example was the pledge made by the Frondizi administration in 1958 that average pension values would be at least 82 per cent of the recipient's previous earnings (Review of the River Plate, Buenos Aires, 21 Aug. 1958, 19 Sept. 1958 and 21 Sept 1959). A 1966 survey found that 26 per cent of pensioners had retired under 50 (Feldman et al., Maduración y crisis, p. 44).
63. A clear example was the pledge made by the Frondizi administration in 1958 that average pension values would be at least 82 per cent of the recipient's previous earnings (Review of the River Plate, Buenos Aires, 21 Aug. 1958, 19 Sept. 1958 and 21 Sept 1959). A 1966 survey found that 26 per cent of pensioners had retired under 50 (Feldman et al., Maduración y crisis, p. 44).
64. In 1963 it was estimated that the state owed the funds a sum equivalent to half Argentina's GNP (Review of the River Plate, Buenos Aires, 11 Nov. 1963).
65. Lloyd-Sherlock, The Instituto Nacional, p. 22.
66. 49 In Argentine Republic, Consejo Federal de Seguridad Social de la República Argentina, Informe acerca de la factibilidad financiera del plan argentino de seguridad social (Buenos Aires, 1967), p. 112, it is estimated that evasion rose from 31.3 to 55.0 per cent of total contributions between 1950 and 1958.
67. H. Diéguez and H. Petrecollo, 'Estudio estadístico del sistema previsional argentino en el periodo 1950-1972', Económica, vol. 23, no. 3 (1977), pp. 185-6.
68. Feldman et al., Maduración y crisis, pp. 51-2.
69. N. Ferioli, La Fundación Eva Perón/2 (Buenos Aires, 1990), p. 158.
70. Tenti Fanfani, Estado y pobreza, pp. 83-90.
71. A. Thompson, 'El tercer sector y el desarrollo social', in E. Bustelo and E. Isuani (eds.), Mucho, poquito o nada. Crisis y alternativas de politica social en los '90 (Buenos Aires, 1990). PP. 63-4.
72. See L. Golbert, 'El envejecimiento de la población y la seguridad social', Boletín Informativo Techint (Buenos Aires, 1988) for a detailed study of the Institute and its healthcare project: el Programa de Asistencia Medica Integral (PAMI).
73. In 1993 these discounts ranged from 30 per cent for drugs dealing with mild problems to 100 per cent for those treating serious illness.
74. A. Marshall, Políticas sociales: el modelo neoliberal (Buenos Aires, 1988) gives a detailed account of social policy during the Proceso.
75. R. Cortes, 'Elempleo urbano argentino de los '80. Tendencias recientes y perspectivas, in Bustelo and Isuani, Mucho, poquito o nada, p. 223.
76. Feldman et al., Maduración y crisis, pp. 41-2 note that there were occasionally dramatic hikes in benefit values. However, H. Diéguez and H. Petrecolla ('La distribución funcional del ingreso y el sistema previsional en la Argentina, 1950-1972', Desarrollo Económico (1974)) claim that over the long run average payments fell. This was due to a failure to index pensions to inflation.
77. Feldman et al., Maduración y crisis, pp. 41-2 note that there were occasionally dramatic hikes in benefit values. However, H. Diéguez and H. Petrecolla ('La distribución funcional del ingreso y el sistema previsional en la Argentina, 1950-1972', Desarrollo Económico (1974)) claim that over the long run average payments fell. This was due to a failure to index pensions to inflation.
78. Data from the Subsecretaría de Seguridad Social presented in '¿Por qué un plan social ?' Clarín (Buenos Aires, 18 Jan. 1993).
79. R. Frediani, La seguridad social en Latinoamerica: un estudio comparativo de seguro social en Argentina y Colombia (Buenos Aires, 1989), p. 80.
80. The ratio of contributors to pensioners in the system was projected to fall from 2.54 to 1.81 between 1980 and 1990 (Frediani, La seguridad social, p. 40).
81. Latin American Weekly Reports (London, 20 Nov. 1986).
82. Isuani and San Martino, La reforma previsionel, pp. 41-77, give detailed descriptions of the various reform proposals, put forward. Proponents included La Secretaria de Seguridad Social, La Asociación de Bancos Argentinos and a private think-tank. All advocated a mixed system, combining elements of both the public and private sectors.
83. By late 1992. complementary private funds had attracted over 370,000 affiliates, roughly three per cent of the total economically active population (Secretaría de Economía, Superintendencia de Seguros de la Nación, Información Estadística. Seguro de Retiro Buenos Aires, 26 Feb. 1993).
84. See A. Barbeito and R. Lo Vuolo, La modernization excluyente. Transformación económica y estado de bienestar en Argentina (Buenos Aires, 1992).
85. Tenti Fanfani, Estado y pobreza, p. 183.
86. For an example of this see A. Lezcano, 'La historia de la consolidación de Villa Jardín', mimeo (Buenos Aires, 1993), pp. 102-5.
87. The PAN programme led to the creation of a complicated hierarchy of state distribution agencies ranging from municipalities to the national headquarters. The BNSE was distributed through central trade union offices (G. Midré, 'Bread or Solidarity? Argentine Social Policies, 1983-1990', Journal of Latin American Studies, vol. 24, no. 2, 1992).
88. In fact, 18 per cent of PAN parcels distributed in Greater Buenos Aires in 1988 went to non-poor households.
89. INDEC, La pobreza en el conurbano bonaerense (Buenos Aires, 1989), p. 49.
90. P. Lloyd-Sherlock, ' Income Maintenance Strategies of Elderly Shanty Town Residents in Greater Buenos Aires', unpubl. PhD diss., University of London, 1994, p. 375.
91. M. Vargas de Flood, El gasto público consolidado (Buenos Aires, Nov. 1992), p. 6 and Fundación de Investigaciones Económicas Latinoamericanas (FIEL) El gasto público en la Argentina 1960-198; (Buenos Aires, 1987), pp. 189-93.
92. M. Vargas de Flood, El gasto público consolidado (Buenos Aires, Nov. 1992), p. 6 and Fundación de Investigaciones Económicas Latinoamericanas (FIEL) El gasto público en la Argentina 1960-198; (Buenos Aires, 1987), pp. 189-93.
93. Lloyd-Sherlock, 'Income Maintenance', pp. 134-5.
94. Midré, 'Bread or Solidarity?', p. 370.
95. P. Waldmann, 'The Peronisms of Perón and Menem : from Justicialism to Liberalism?' in C. Lewis and N. Torrents (eds.), Argentina in the Crisis Years (1983-1990) (London, 1993), pp. 90-102, effectively contrasts these two approaches.
96. Between September 1991 and September 1992 the real value of the minimum insurance pension fell by 15.8 per cent., Clarín (Buenos Aires), 29 Sept. 1992.
97. 'Las protestas de los jubilados en la mira', Clarin (Buenos Aires), 20 Oct. 1992.
98. Lloyd-Sherlock, 'Income Maintenance', p. 150.
99. This partly resulted from the attitudes of international funding agencies such as Help Age International, which did not consider Argentina to be a priority case (Lloyd-Sherlock, 'Income Maintenance', p. 152).
100. FIEL, Argentina: La reforma ecónomica 1989-1991. Balance y perspectivas (Buenos Aires, 1991), PP. 302-3.
101. El Cronista (Buenos Aires), 15 Oct. 1991, gives an account of one of several failed attempts to vote the bill through the National Congress.
102. Ambito Financiero (Buenos Aires, 24 Sept. 1993) gives details of the full contents of the reform bill.
103. Clarín (Buenos Aires), 3 May 1994.
104. Clarín Internacional (Buenos Aires), 19 July 1994.
105. Ambito Financiero (Buenos Aires), 13 Dec. 1995.
106. Microsemanario (Buenos Aires), 31 Oct. 1994.
107. M. Gordon, Social Security Policies in Industrial Countries (Berkley, 1988) and Arellano, Políticas sociales.
108. M. Gordon, Social Security Policies in Industrial Countries (Berkley, 1988) and Arellano, Políticas sociales.