Review of the focalization model´s economic and ideologic context

Abstract

This article is aimed at presenting the findings of a review of the ideological and economical background in which the focalization model takes place in Colombia. To this end, an examination was carried out of some economic variables and social indicators in the 1970s and 1980s prior to the introduction of the focalization model with the implementation of SISBEN . This was done to find evidence of the presence of a series of economic characteristics not only in European, but also in Latin American countries that drove social policy changes going from a universal to a focalization approach based on population identification systems. It is worth noting that said economic characterization was accompanied by ideological changes regarding the concept of the state, its economic actions, and the role of social policy. The review revealed a coincidence between economic arguments that endorsed this new model. As a result of the deceleration that occurred in the industrial sector growth from the mid 1970s onwards and the poor dynamic of industrial sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing industry in the 1980s, accompanied by high unemployment rates, the Central Bank faced a rather unfavorable fiscal deficit situation as a percentage of the GDP, and Colombia registered a poor growth of 4.6%, on average, between 1950 and 1995.