Silvia Borzutzky – författare

Vital Connections is the first book-length treatment in English of the evolution of social security in Chile and its privatization under the Pinochet regime. Borzutzky's study contains a dynamic history of Chilean politics, a sophisticated discussion of social inequalities, and an in-depth analysis of social security policies in Chile from 1924 to the present. Her work focuses on three critical historical periods: the mid-1920s, the late 1960s, and the early to mid-1970s. In each of these key epochs, Chile experienced a crisis which prompted a reform of its socioeconomic organization and, consequently, of its social security system.Throughout this concise, readable book, Borzutzky argues that Chile's social security system presented to the world a positive image, while hiding a political reality that was steeped in profound inequality. According to Borzutzky, Chile's social security system helped to create a narrative that portrayed the country as a unified society with a legitimate political system. Efforts on the part of the Chilean people to make this narrative a reality threatened those in power and ultimately led the Pinochet regime to destroy the political system and create a new "narrative" that stressed individualism, but in actuality perpetuated rampant human rights abuses.Borzutzky's timely analysis is particularly relevant to current considerations of social security reforms. Chile's social security system is often presented as a model for the rest of Latin America and other regions of the world, including the United States. Borzutzky's book highlights the impact of privatization on various segments and aspects of society, including women and the fiscal budget.With an impressive array of historical and current data to support her statements, Borzutzky offers a compelling counter-argument to privatization and to traditional interpretations of Chilean politics. She offers a new window on the intimate connections between politics, policies, and the distribution of socioeconomic resources in Chile.

Vital Connections is the first book-length treatment in English of the evolution of social security in Chile and its privatization under the Pinochet regime. Borzutzky's study contains a dynamic history of Chilean politics, a sophisticated discussion of social inequalities, and an in-depth analysis of social security policies in Chile from 1924 to the present. Her work focuses on three critical historical periods: the mid-1920s, the late 1960s, and the early to mid-1970s. In each of these key epochs, Chile experienced a crisis which prompted a reform of its socioeconomic organization and, consequently, of its social security system.Throughout this concise, readable book, Borzutzky argues that Chile's social security system presented to the world a positive image, while hiding a political reality that was steeped in profound inequality. According to Borzutzky, Chile's social security system helped to create a narrative that portrayed the country as a unified society with a legitimate political system. Efforts on the part of the Chilean people to make this narrative a reality threatened those in power and ultimately led the Pinochet regime to destroy the political system and create a new "narrative" that stressed individualism, but in actuality perpetuated rampant human rights abuses.Borzutzky's timely analysis is particularly relevant to current considerations of social security reforms. Chile's social security system is often presented as a model for the rest of Latin America and other regions of the world, including the United States. Borzutzky's book highlights the impact of privatization on various segments and aspects of society, including women and the fiscal budget.With an impressive array of historical and current data to support her statements, Borzutzky offers a compelling counter-argument to privatization and to traditional interpretations of Chilean politics. She offers a new window on the intimate connections between politics, policies, and the distribution of socioeconomic resources in Chile.

This book argues that the implementation of compulsory, highly regulated, privately administered, defined contribution pensions facilitates rent-seeking behaviour on the part of the pension fund administrators and undermines the retirees’ income and well-being. While the book focuses primarily on Chile, its analysis and conclusions are applicable to several Latin American and Eastern European countries where privately administered pension systems have been implemented. Chapters evaluate the scholarly literature and empirical evidence around three aspects of the pension fund industry: structure, pricing and performance. The authors conclude that state regulation has facilitated the accumulation of capital in the hands of the pension fund administrators. They also demonstrate that these systems owe more to the values and principles of conservative philosophy than to neoliberalism in providing alternative solutions to the rent-seeking approach to retirement.

This book analyses Chile’s “truth and justice” policies implemented between 1990 and 2013. The book’s central assumption is that human rights policies are a form of public policy and consequently they are the product of compromises among different political actors. Because of their political nature, these incomplete “truth and justice” policies instead of satisfying the victims’ demands and providing a mechanism for closure and reconciliation generate new demands and new policies and actions. However, these new policies and actions are partially satisfactory to those pursuing justice and the truth and unacceptable to those trying to protect the impunity structure built by General Pinochet and his supporters. Thus, while the 40th anniversary of the violent military coup that brought General Pinochet to power serves as a milestone with which to end this policy analysis, Chile’s human rights historical drama is unfinished and likely to generate new demands for truth and justice policies.

This book analyses Chile’s “truth and justice” policies implemented between 1990 and 2013. The book’s central assumption is that human rights policies are a form of public policy and consequently they are the product of compromises among different political actors. Because of their political nature, these incomplete “truth and justice” policies instead of satisfying the victims’ demands and providing a mechanism for closure and reconciliation generate new demands and new policies and actions. However, these new policies and actions are partially satisfactory to those pursuing justice and the truth and unacceptable to those trying to protect the impunity structure built by General Pinochet and his supporters. Thus, while the 40th anniversary of the violent military coup that brought General Pinochet to power serves as a milestone with which to end this policy analysis, Chile’s human rights historical drama is unfinished and likely to generate new demands for truth and justice policies.

This book analyses Chile’s “truth and justice” policies implemented between 1990 and 2013. The book’s central assumption is that human rights policies are a form of public policy and consequently they are the product of compromises among different political actors. Because of their political nature, these incomplete “truth and justice” policies instead of satisfying the victims’ demands and providing a mechanism for closure and reconciliation generate new demands and new policies and actions. However, these new policies and actions are partially satisfactory to those pursuing justice and the truth and unacceptable to those trying to protect the impunity structure built by General Pinochet and his supporters. Thus, while the 40th anniversary of the violent military coup that brought General Pinochet to power serves as a milestone with which to end this policy analysis, Chile’s human rights historical drama is unfinished and likely to generate new demands for truth and justice policies.