Social Public Spending in the Countries That Comprise the Andean Community of Nations (CAN)

Abstract

The Andean Community of Nations (CAN) is a South American economic and trade block that includes four countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. At the beginning of the 1990s, these countries made a bet for a higher economic growth through international trade. At the end of the decade, goals were prioritized and were oriented to improve the quality of life. It is in this last scenario that social policy takes a protagonist role in an environment of integration. According to that context, the aim of this work is to develop the following research question: Is social spending reflected in the improvement of quality of life conditions? Results show a social spending growing tendency that has helped to reduce poverty levels, but an inadequate quality of life persists allowing to argue for a promising future. For example, analphabetism has been eradicated, but the education cycle is incomplete; mortality has decreased, but there are morbidities since two centuries ago (tuberculosis).