The PRO think tank made a critical diagnosis of social evolution in Argentina and noted that since 1983 the country “has added 17 million people: 14 million poor and 3 million non-poor.”
The Pensar Foundation, “think tank” of the PRO, launched its first report on the progress of poverty in Argentina, analyzing the last 40 years. The text warns that “democracy brought freedom but not progress” and points out that since 1983 “Argentina added 17 million people: 14 million poor and 3 million non-poor.”
In this sense, they stressed that in the democratic period, the “82% of demographic growth was an increase in poverty” and that “today 1 in 2 Argentines and 7 in 10 children are poor.”
In turn, the report by Pensar, an institution led by Maria Eugenia Vidalpoints out that one of the causes of these alarming numbers is social plans, public employment and the increase in social spending “during the Kirchnerist governments.” “Social spending increased at a rate of 11% annually, 11 times greater than Macri’s. 50% of the increase in Total state spending since 1983 was due to the increase in moratoriums and social plans. Since 2009, the number of beneficiaries of social, employment and AUH programs almost tripled (+185%), while public employment grew twice as fast as private employment (80% vs 42%).
However, the document highlights that state intervention helped to mitigate the growth of indigence, although it emphasizes that it did not manage to solve the problem of poverty.A typical family that only receives income from social programs is 11% below the extreme poverty line and 60% below the extreme poverty line.”
On the other hand, the study compares the evolution of poverty in Argentina with the rest of the countries in Latin America and points out that in almost all cases they managed to reduce the indicator by 20 points between 2000 and 2022The Foundation highlighted the case of Chile, which reduced the number of poor people by 26% between 2011 and 2022. El Salvador improved by 22% and Mexico by 18%.
The Pensar Foundation proposed “non-negotiable” points to reverse the situation of poverty
In conclusion, the report proposes a roadmap highlighting the “non-negotiable” points for carrying out an effective social policy. Among them, the need to a stable macroeconomy, containment of extreme poverty and hunger through income transfers.
In addition, it highlights the importance of the quality education, investment in early childhood, employability and the development of basic infrastructure.
Source: Ambito
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