Dominican Republic have “mattresses” that prevents social movements similar to South America
SANTO DOMINGO.-In Dominican Republic elements of inequality prevail similar to the countries of South America who are immersed in social revolts, however, the The country has some “mattresses” that prevent similar social movements from being generatedsa recently registered in those nations.
To this conclusion came the academics Rosario Espinal, Pedro Silverio, José Luis De Ramón and Iván Gatón, during the analysis day "Social movements in South America: Interpretations and Implications for the Dominican Republic", organized by the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and Insurance Reservations.
Silverio stressed that, although in Dominican Republic there are similar causes to those of Chile, social peace cousin. Also, Espinal said that this is because lcitizens tend to forget what happened as There are "mattresses" that prevent social movements similar to those of South Americans..
“The Dominican Republic, unlike the South American countries, has been growing despite the inequality, there is a very high level of compaction with the power sectors, it is a migratory country, the remittance flow received goes directly to completing family budgets, there is a system of customer incorporation and a high level of party identification. This country is full of gunpowder, but there is no way to light it and, when there are protests, they tend to be peaceful, ”said Espinal.
While De Ramón said that the country is not rich enough so that the issue of inequality has been put as a motivating factor of stress and those expulsions are given and, in addition, he observed, that he has many leakage valves, among which he cited clientelism and growth.
"I don't think we are going to have those problems because we have many ways to take pressure off, however, without growth, without a functioning market economy, without a democracy that generates wealth, one cannot move forward," pondered Ramón.
Gaton considered that there are geopolitical strategies of the United States that would prevent a demonstration. “I don't think the United States would like to have a situation in the Dominican Republic like a Haiti. The United States has always had an impact and is going to have an impact on what its backyard is, I don't think they are going to let something overflow happen in the Dominican Republic, and it is a retaining wall, although it may also be who opens the dam. ”
In the activity, past director of Social Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Martin Hopenhaynstressed that the impunity, segregated security, abuse of power and inequality in health systems, education, of pensions were the triggers that caused social revolts in Chile.
The Chilean philosopher and expert in Social Policies, emphasized that the social movements that took place were not a revolution, but things change place. "The movements are not only anti-neoliberal, but also anti-state, anti-market, and largely anti-political, belong to a generation that lost fear and exceeds its generational (youth) and social class profile, it becomes transversal."
Hopenhayn stressed that the social networks have a centrifugal dynamic and have shown to have a centripetal force of society's outrage and they work as a mix in which they uncover scandals and expand information quickly.
In his opening speech, Rolando M. Guzmán, rector of INTEC, stressed that the purpose of this day of reflection is to open a space to think about the implications for Dominican reality, based on the healthy principle that seeing the beard of the neighbor burn , it is good to soak your own.
"It is remarkable that in some countries the causal element has been an apparently low impact measure, which suggests the image of a spark that was combined with a social powder, whose nature is necessary to scrutinize," Guzmán pondered.
Political scenario and its involvement in social movements
Rosario Espinal stressed that there is a political factor to pay attention to, not because he will generate protests immediately, because the electoral process will channel expectations and conflicts, but because in the post-election period the weakening of political party systems is a variable that must be taken into account.
For De Ramón, the level of dissatisfaction of personal expression is definitely increasing in the Dominican Republic and everywhere. "Corruption was something abstract until the Odebrech case, which was a personal pain, corruption has always been but now it was personalized because we had social networks," he said.
Gatón said that the reality of all countries is different, there is an accumulated social debt and has very similar implications, but obviously something has failed in the system. "There is a system that collapses and must be regenerated."
On how the Dominican Republic can shield itself so that a social and political crisis does not occur, Silverio said it is very difficult and, at present, the pre-electoral process does not present an immediate threat of having such protests, but in the post-election scenario There may be a special situation.
“The emergence of a new government will raise the need to make a series of reforms and even impose some sacrifices that will generate tensions in the Dominican Republic, but obviously, to the extent that governments are more legitimate, it is easier to process of making reforms When governments lose legitimacy to make reforms, then there if we are already at the point where anything can happen. ”
Also, De Ramón said no that he is not worried about the demonstrations. “The protest has an incentive to continue because they have been successful and the Government yields. Yes there will be riots that exist, but we have to focus primarily on increasing our institutionality, continue to grow and give people the opportunities they don't have, and this is fundamental but it doesn't shield us from anything, ”he said.