After Neo-Liberalism?

Abstract

Although the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank are often (rightly) associated with the diffusion of ideas and practices underpinning neo-liberal globalization, a closer examination of their policy discourses over the last decade suggests that they have clearly gone beyond the brute neo-liberal prescription of welfare cuts and structural adjustment. This shift is particularly evident in their advocacy of public investment in childcare/child development programs, as ‘investing in children’ has come to be seen as a critical component of the paradigm. Different versions of this discourse, however, reflect a greater or lesser break from neo-liberal canons. This article explores such differences as they appear in the way the OECD and the World Bank have framed the need for early childhood education and care/development (ECEC).

Après le Néo-libéralisme? L’OECD, la Banque Mondiale et l’enfant Sauf que l’organisation de coopération et de développement économiques (OECD) et la banque mondiale sont souvent lié à la diffusion des idées et des pratiques de la mondialisation néo-libéral, un examen plus étroit de ses discours de politique pendant la dernière décennie, indique qu’ils ont vraiment dépassé la politique brute de néo-libéral pour les réductions des prestations d’aide sociale et de l’ajustement structurel. Ce bouleversement est particulièrement marqué dans ses recommandations des investissements public pour les programmes de garderie d’enfants et pour les programmes pour le développement de l’enfant. “Investir dans les enfants” est venu pour étre vu comme une part essentielle du paradigme. Les différentes versions du discours, cependant, indique d’une rupture générale des principes fondamentaux de néo-libéral. Cet article examine la variation dans les principes structuraux du OECD et la banque mondiale, comme discours sur les bénéfices sociaux de l’éducation et de l’accueil des jeunes enfants (anglais: ECEC).

¿Después del Neoliberalismo? La OCDE, el Banco Mundial y el Niño Aunque la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (la OCDE) y el Banco Mundial son asociados muchas veces (y con razón) con la difusión de ideas y prácticas que sostienen la globalización neoliberal, un examen riguroso de sus discursos de política durante la última década indica que se han distanciado de la fórmula bruta neoliberal de recortes de asistencia social y modificación estructural. Este cam-bio se ve especialmente en su defensa de la inversión pública en los programas de desarrollo infantil, y el concepto de “invertir en los niños” forma un componente muy importante del paradigma. Sin embargo, distintas versiones de este discurso reflejan una mayor o menor ruptura con los cánones neoliberales. El presente documento examina estas diferencias como aparecen en la manera en que la OCDE y el Banco Mundial han formulado la necesidad de la educación y el cuidado/desarrollo de la primera infancia (ECEC).

Keywords

early child development neo-liberalism OECD social investment World Bank

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