An Economic Boom in a Recentralised Context: The Santos Administration (2010–2018)

Abstract

This chapter presents the main recentralisation reforms during the Santos administration (2010–2014 and 2014–2018), particularly the constitutional amendment of 2011 (general system of royalties). It mainly shows how an economic boom (commodities boom from 2010 to 2011) in a predominantly recentralised institutional context (PRI) (generated by the constitutional amendments of 2001 and 2007) induced further recentralising reforms. Also, the reform of 2011 starkly highlights some of the ambiguities over what is to be considered decentralisation or recentralisation. Here there is a central question about how to evaluate the interaction between different dimensions of the subnational autonomy. Specifically, in this case it is necessary to analyse whether the decrease in the policy-making dimension (administrative recentralisation) was more important than the redistribution of royalties among every subnational unit (fiscal dimension). The peace accord between the Colombian state and the FARC during this administration will be analysed in Chap. 10.