Argentina Works: territorial analysis from the Social and Solidarity Economy in Mendoza

Abstract

Introduction: From 2003, Argentina developed a set of policies centered on the Social and Solidarity Economy. In particular, the social policy Argentina Works had a broad development throughout the country.

Objective: The purpose of the paper is to describe and analyze the territorial application of the programs included in the social policy Argentina Works in the province of Mendoza during the years 2010-2015, based on the socioeconomic principles of the Social and Solidarity Economy and the social integration of the work.

Method: The methodology used has been qualitative, with an exploratory-descriptive design. The instruments used were the documentary analysis of technical reports published by the national government and interviews with referents of the Ministry of Social Development of the Nation in Mendoza and organizations reached by the Argentina works policy, in different territories of the province.

Results: The territorial application of the Argentina works en Mendoza policy was concentrated in the metropolitan region. The socio-economic principles of Social and Solidarity Economy in particular that prioritize the implemented programs are social production and circulation. Regarding the social integration of work, they present diversity in the integration stages and the dimensions to which they contribute.

Conclusions: The Argentina Works policy was a relevant bet to tackle the problem of unemployment, it was halfway there, since the predominant conception of Social and Solidarity Economy was welfare and focused. In Mendoza, it reproduced the territorial concentration in the metropolitan region.