The strategies of mining business power in the Argentine provinces: the case of Barrick Gold in San Juan (2002-2019)

Abstract

This paper analyzes, from the literature on business power of political economy, the relationship between the transnational Barrick Gold Corporation and the policies to promote mega-mining in San Juan. How is it explained that, for a prolonged period, mining exploitation is sustained despite social, normative and legal resistance that seeks to prevent it? And what is the repertoire of strategies used by the company for this purpose? Here the relevance of studying the hypothesis of no-change over time based on the entrepreneurial power of the company is addressed. From the development of three indicators (weight in the productive matrix, social legitimacy, and influence of the political decision) it is proposed that the repertoire of strategies developed by the Barrick Gold Corporation and the consequent stock of accumulated power is the central element that explains this positive relationship of the development of the mega mining in San Juan. However, contrary to expectations, this development is irregular and implied social, legal, and regulatory resistance that restrained that power.