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Motherhood, Social Policies and Women's Activism in Latin America pp 267–290Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Economic Modernization and Redefining Womanhood: Women, Family and Work in a Center Right-Wing Government

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Part of the book series: Studies of the Americas ((STAM))

Abstract

Chile, within the Latin American context, is found to be a country where the neoliberal state model is considered successful. Although a debt is acknowledged in relation to equity and social justice, this insufficiency is associated with a failure of an administrative nature, arising from slow development and modernization of government management and structure. In this context, the “fairness” of gender and economic empowerment of women have become substantial issues. From a critical perspective, this chapter analyzes discursive strategies around the entry of women into the labor market to promote their economic autonomy, as well as for the protection of motherhood and family during the center right-wing government of the Coalition for Change (2010–2014). This government aimed at “modernizing” labor legislation toward protection for women, with a commitment to ensuring childcare, to even out both parents’ responsibilities, while reducing employers’ costs associated with recruiting women. Tensions arising between the government’s modernizing attempts and the rearticulation of conventional gender roles are analyzed through examining the Presidential Commission on Women, Work and Motherhood (2010) and in debates generated by its proposals in relation to gender issues.

Many thanks to editors, the working group and especially to Alejandra Ramm for her perseverance and work coordination.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Project is entitled, “Neoliberalización del discurso de igualdad de género en el gobierno de la Alianza por Chile, 2010 al 2012”, and was developed by the Núcleo Temático de Investigación (NTI) Cultura, subjetividad y política, belonging to the Anthropology Department of the Academia de Humanismo Cristiano University. Primary researcher Carmen Gloria Godoy (Anthropology Department), and secondary researcher Paula Raposo (History Department).

  2. 2.

    In 2017 Piñera was elected President for his second nonconsecutive term in office (2018–2022).

  3. 3.

    The pact between the UDI and National Renovation was founded in 1989. In 2000 it changed its name to the Alliance for Chile when presenting itself in that year’s municipal elections. In 2009 the name changed again to the Coalition for Change when presenting Sebastián Piñera as its presidential candidate (Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional 2016a).

  4. 4.

    In 2005 he was the presidential candidate for the National Renovation Party, as the UDI backed its own candidate, Joaquín Lavín. In those elections, Piñera won 46.5 percent of votes versus the 53.5 percent won by Michelle Bachelet (República de Chile. Ministerio del Interior 2010).

  5. 5.

    “Piñera’s triumph was gained through an uptick in votes that favored him [not by greater voter turnout]. When compared with the votes he received when running against President Michelle Bachelet in 2006, he won 326,656 votes out of a total of 6,903,358, which is 56,055 votes fewer than the total 2006 vote count and 275,369 less votes than 1999” (Amar 2010: 4).

  6. 6.

    Tantauco is the name of the park, located in the south of Chile, managed by Fundación Futuro linked to Sebastián Piñera.

  7. 7.

    She is a family counselor and the mother of four children. About her it states: “Cecilia Morel, just like millions of Chilean mothers, has been able to balance her career with her family. At the same time, she has always been the unwavering champion of President Sebastián Piñera, a loyal compañera throughout his years of public service” (Oficina Sebastián Piñera 2016a).

  8. 8.

    Programs associated with the social protection network were: Chile Grows with You (a multi-sector support and protection system for children, from gestation to when girls and boys enter preschool in the public-school system) and the Work Social Protection System, which incorporates, among other measures, a Basic Solidarity Pension for elderly men and women from the 40 percent poorest sector (in 2010, it raised to 60 percent) (Hardy 2010).

  9. 9.

    Sebastián Piñera’s 2006–2010 government program had already introduced the topic of women’s participation in the labor market, making direct reference to the difficulties that “the poorest women” face when looking for work (due to the responsibility of caring for children), as well as the differences in pre- K-12 coverage, depending on the mother’s socioeconomic status.

  10. 10.

    On April 13, 2015, the Civil Union Law, N° 20.830, was approved under Michelle Bachelet’s second government.

  11. 11.

    The earthquake—magnitude 8.8—occurred off the coast of central Chile and initiated a tsunami which devastated some coastal areas of Chile (Rafferty and Pallardy 2016).

  12. 12.

    About the implementation of neoliberal policies during the Pinochet dictatorship, and its relation to right-wing ideas, see Vergara (1985).

  13. 13.

    Pilar Sordo is a Chilean psychologist, columnist and writer of various books on interpersonal relationships. She acquired a great deal of notoriety due to her book ¡Viva la diferencia! (Long Live the Difference!) (Sordo 2005), about the relationship between men and women, defending a posture that could be categorized as essentialist regarding gender identity.

  14. 14.

    This is not a novel strategy. Other political sectors, on the right and the left, have implemented it in different historical moments (Chaney 1992; Rosemblatt 1995; Power 2009).

  15. 15.

    See: “Presidente Piñera anunció plan nacional de reconstrucción ‘Mujer, levantemos Chile’” (Oficina Sebastián Piñera 2016b).

  16. 16.

    This expression refers to the movement of right-wing women that actively protested Salvador Allende’s government; in their public manifestations, they used domestic utensils like pots and brooms to protest (Mattelart 1977; Boyle 1993; Power 2009).

  17. 17.

    In the 2009 parliamentary elections, for the 2010–2018 period, she ran as an independent candidate for senator in the La Araucanía district, backed by the UDI Party. She lost to her fellow list-mate (from the same political coalition), José García Ruminot from National Renovation (Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional 2016b).

  18. 18.

    In the same edition, an article states: “The hottest minister dances ballet and flamenco”, adding that the public, including other recently named ministers, had been “marveled by her overwhelming beauty” (Las Últimas Noticias 2010: 3).

  19. 19.

    In the cases of María Irene Chadwick and Magdalena Piñera Morel, there are also family relationships. The first is the niece of the president and the second is his daughter.

  20. 20.

    According to the 1992 and 2002 censuses, women’s participation in the labor market increased from 28.1 percent in 1992 to 35.7 percent in 2002 (Tironi 2003: 15–76). Between 2010 and 2014, it was under 49 percent, although the overall employment rate increased from 41.0 percent to 45.1 percent (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas 2015, 4).

  21. 21.

    “Medical leave is a right that a dependent or independent worker has to reduce his/her work hours during a period of time, complying with a certified professional indication by a doctor, surgeon, dentist or midwife” (Superintendencia de Salud 2016). The Isapres permanently question the use of medical leave certificates.

  22. 22.

    Maternal fuero is guaranteed as a right in Article 201 of the Labor Code, “which establishes the right to maternal fuero: pregnant women during the entire period of pregnancy and up to a year after the end of maternity leave” (Riquelme 2011: 31).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile

    Carmen Gloria Godoy

  2. Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago, Chile

    Paula Raposo

  3. Economía y Gestión Pública Consultores Limitada, Santiago, Chile

    Paula Raposo

Authors
  1. Carmen Gloria Godoy
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  2. Paula Raposo
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile

    Alejandra Ramm

  2. Department of Geography, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK

    Jasmine Gideon

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Godoy, C.G., Raposo, P. (2020). Economic Modernization and Redefining Womanhood: Women, Family and Work in a Center Right-Wing Government. In: Ramm, A., Gideon, J. (eds) Motherhood, Social Policies and Women's Activism in Latin America. Studies of the Americas. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21402-9_12

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