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Vol. 8 No. 16 (2026): Julio - Diciembre
Published 2026-07-31
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Artículos Producto de Investigación

From neoliberal technocracy to social dialogue: strategies for reforming the pension system in Chile, 1981–2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/0zr9xr14
Francisco Javier Rivera Tobar Fundación Henry Dunant
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In Chile, since the creation of the individual capitalization system in 1981, public debate has repeatedly focused on low pensions, gender inequalities, pension contribution gaps, and the disconnect between the system’s institutional design and the actual experiences of contributors. By contrast, analyses of reform mechanisms have received less attention in a context marked by conflicting interests, vetoes, and accumulated mistrust. This article examines strategies for reformulating Chile’s pension system between 1981 and 2025, with particular attention to the tensions between technocracy, citizen participation, and social dialogue. The analysis is grounded in a historically oriented qualitative approach, supported by a review of documents, specialized literature, and semi-structured interviews with actors involved in pension reform processes. The article argues that the trajectories of pension reform reveal the exhaustion of a top-down decision-making model. In this context, the 1981 reform was able to prevail because it was backed by an authoritarian regime, whereas democratic reforms have had to seek legitimacy, negotiate with social actors, and create spaces for listening. Although the 2025 reform does not resolve the conflict, it constitutes a significant shift by partially reinstating social security principles displaced by the original model: solidarity, participation, state responsibility, and employer contributions.

keywords: Chile, citizen participation, pensions, pension reform, public policy, social dialogue, social security, technocracy
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How to Cite

Rivera Tobar, F. J. . (2026). From neoliberal technocracy to social dialogue: strategies for reforming the pension system in Chile, 1981–2025. Análisis Jurídico Político, 8(16), 17-44. https://doi.org/10.22490/0zr9xr14
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