Structuralist Reflections on Social Policy in Paraguay: 1989 – 2020

Abstract

From a structuralist perspective, this article examines the evolution and main determinants of social policies in Paraguay during the period 1989–2020. Despite the formal recognition of social rights and the implementation of programs aimed at vulnerable populations—particularly Tekoporã and the Non-Contributory Pension for Older Adults—Paraguayan social policy has been characterized by a predominantly welfare-oriented, targeted, and fragmented approach, with structural limitations in its capacity to sustainably reduce poverty and inequality. The analysis identifies as central factors behind these limitations the persistence of highly concentrated economic power structures, the unequal distribution of the benefits of economic growth, the regressivity of the tax system, institutional weakness, and the limited articulation between economic and social policies. In this context, state intervention has primarily functioned as a mechanism to mitigate the effects of the economic model rather than as an instrument for transforming its structural foundations. Although partial improvements can be observed in certain social indicators, they have not been sufficient to reverse historical inequalities or to ensure the full realization of social rights. Consequently, the study argues that, in the absence of profound economic transformations and greater coherence between economic growth and inclusive development, Paraguay tends to reproduce an exclusionary development pattern. The article concludes that the effective universalization of social rights remains an unresolved challenge, insofar as current policies continue to operate mainly as compensatory mechanisms rather than as instruments aimed at structural transformation.