Peruvian Society III Getting and Keeping a Job

Peruvian Society
(An Ocasional Series)

These articles are not written from a superior attitude which despises Peruvian society. If they are critical, it is the criticism of someone who is trying to understand and then to explain, what he has observed as a foreigner living in Peru. As such, they are a humble attempt to explain matters to outsiders from the point of view of an outsider who has had the privilege of “insider” knowledge.

They are not the product of profound reading, but of simple observation, and are personal reflections from an Evangelical perspective and with application to evangelicalism in Peru. All that is said in them should be seen in this light.

Getting and Keeping a Job

Like many other places in the world, getting a job in Peru often boils down not to what you know, but to who you know. Relatives are one source of getting into work. Another way is through the system of padrinos. The translation often given for “padrino” is “Godfather” (not necessarily in the Mafia sense). But padrinos are acquired at a child’s baptism, a girl’s fifteenth birthday party, a graduation, and weddings (instead of a best man). Usually parents will look for an influential padrino for their children so that they can help them through life. The padrinos at a wedding are life-long marriage counselors, for example. Ahijados have responsibilities to their padrinos, but padrinos not only help out with crises in a marriage but also look out for their ahijados in every aspect of life, including providing openings in the job market.

Another way to get a job, at least in the public sector, is by political affiliation. This is precarious at times as when your particular party is out of power then you are out of a job. This results in full-scale exploitation of the position whilst one is there as in a few years time one may not be. Many people in Peru have membership cards for several political parties so that they can take advantage of various options.

Once one is in a job then your authority obviously increases the higher up you are, or even the higher up your padrino o relative is. Qualifications are becoming increasingly important, but even with a degree; it is not what you know but who you know which counts.

However once one is in a position of authority it is normal to abuse this, especially with people below you. So job applicants can be asked to pay so much if they want a particular post. This may be a lump sum or even several months’ wages promised in advance. In the case of women, sexual favours are quite commonly expected as an entrance requirement.

Once a person is in a job he or she is still not clear of problems. Those higher up the ladder often expect those lower down to do them favours, which they see as their right. So people will run errands for their bosses during or even outside working hours. They may also look after the boss’s children as a matter of course.

The boss may not be very competent, but this is not important. The important thing is to make others below you look incompetent. This may lead to inefficiency, but again, that is not an issue.- the issue is, does the boss look good? The answer to that is, surprisingly, “yes”. The reasoning is simple: no one can do the job properly unless the boss is directly supervising.

So a boss will deliberately withhold vital information (telephone numbers, keys of a safe, computer passwords, or reports) o even delay a signature. This gives him or her a sense of power: “no one can do anything unless I allow them to do it”. So a boss will go off on holiday leaving everything in order but withholding vital information which means that work cannot be done. When he returns he is a heroe. Everyone is incompetent, or stupid, or lazy, or all three, but fortunately he has returned to save the day. The office cannot possibly run without him, but fear not! Wonderwoman, or Superman is here to put things in order.

Keeping people waiting for a signature is a sure way of letting underlings, or the general public, know who is in charge. Another trick is to tell someone they need certain forms, or photos or whatever in order to apply for what they want, and then when they arrive having gathered the necessary documentation, to tell them that of course they should also have brought another document. This can go on several times before all the right papers are in place and even then all is not well. People can queue for over an hour only to arrive at the window to be told that the office has closed for lunch. This may mean that a person has to return several hours later as siestas are long here. It may even mean coming back the next day as there is no attention to the public in the afternoons.

The final signature is delayed because the boss is “in a meeting”, or even more blatantly, he is off today as it is his birthday. When told the boss is not in today, my wife often asks, “why? Is it the cat’s birthday?” Instead of being indignant, the underling will often give a furtive smile. A sense of humour is a great help. You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps!

Peruvian Society II Dictatorship and Democracy

Peruvian Society
(An Ocasional Series)

These articles are not written from a superior attitude which despises Peruvian society. If they are critical, it is the criticism of someone who is trying to understand and then to explain, what he has observed as a foreigner living in Peru. As such, they are a humble attempt to explain matters to outsiders from the point of view of an outsider who has had the privilege of “insider” knowledge.

They are not the product of profound reading, but of simple observation, and are personal reflections from an Evangelical perspective and with application to evangelicalism in Peru. All that is said in them should be seen in this light.

II Dictatorship and Democracy

Democracy is said to be a recent development in Peru and perhaps to be still fragile. Yet at one level it is very deep in society. Communities in the countryside and neighbourhood associations in the cities have constant assemblies to debate everything imaginable, from the distribution of land for this year’s sewing, to having electricity and water installed in new areas of the constantly growing cities.

Everyone must participate in constant elections and referendums. It is obligatory to vote in municipal, regional, national and presidential elections, and there are heavy fines for non-participation. However, after a couple of months these are usually revoked.

Political leaders of all persuasions must of necessity be populist in their promises. Even the most serious politicians, including two ex-presidents had to put on shows and personally dance as integral parts of their election campaigns.

Until recently Peruvians made the mistake of actually believing all the promises which politicians made, no mater how extravagant. Obviously bitter disappointment and disillusionment followed, until the next “messianic” figure appeared on the scene with a new programme and a new party, and the promise of changing the world.

Another reaction was to see the whole state as corrupt and oppressive, and work for its overthrow. Thus the terrorist movement, “Shining Path” was “Gang of Four” Maoists who wished to put the calendar back to zero and start again.

However, despite the democratic rhetoric of many, when they came to power they looked after themselves and their party members, or even their own family in some cases, first. Most ex-presidents face accusations of corruption and anti-constitutionalism as a matter of course.

Whilst some have worked hard to improve society and the economy, the general feeling of the people is that, if they personally are not corrupt, then their families and close political allies certainly are.

Again, despite all the democratic talk and the detestation of dictatorship, many former dictators (mainly military) are often admired for their achievements. Whilst democracy debates every issue from every angle, dictatorship does things.

Once again this is reflected in Evangelical churches, where sadly often the pastor and his friends and family control everything, including the money or even the title deeds to church property, and give account to no one for anything they do. The authority of the pastor, based on his exposition of the Word of God, is often replaced by the authority of his office in itself, or even in that of his forceful personality. The sheep of Christ either suffer in silence (and often resentment) or find another leader and split the congregation to go off and form a new church two streets, or less, away and are soon accepted by all as a true church. No wonder the Cardinal Archbishop of Lima described Evangelical churches as “a few insignificant people meeting at the corner of a street”. Compared to that, Roman Catholicism has a history and seriousness not to be ignored.

Peruvian Society I History and Attitudes

Peruvian Society
(An Ocasional Series)

These articles are not written from a superior attitude which despises Peruvian society. If they are critical, it is the criticism of someone who is trying to understand and then to explain, what he has observed as a foreigner living in Peru. As such, they are a humble attempt to explain matters to outsiders from the point of view of an outsider who has had the privilege of “insider” knowledge.

They are not the product of profound reading, but of simple observation, and are personal reflections from an Evangelical perspective and with application to evangelicalism in Peru. All that is said in them should be seen in this light.

I History and Attitudes

Oppression is a reality in Peru. In the 1980’s, during the period of apartheid in South Africa, Peru was known as “the hidden South Africa”. Your surname, the colour of your skin, or your features determined your place in society. This is changing, especially in the last 20 years, and may perhaps go to the opposite extreme.- a 360 degree turnaround that will bring us to a position where the more “European” one is the more discrimination there will be against one.

The Inca Empire is seen as an ideal time in Peruvian history, when everyone was equal. The political Left has seen it as an almost utopian model. However this is simply a myth. The Inca, his family and court were very much in power. Everyone else was equal and society provided for all the needs of all the people in a form of collectivism. But there was no real freedom.- come to think of it, perhaps this does reflect a leftist utopia.

The Spaniards are seen as the cause of all the problems in Peru. Less than 20 men conquered the entire Inca Empire by holding the Inca to ransom for two rooms of gold and then killing him anyway.

The Incas had three basic laws: Do not lie, do not rob, do not be lazy. It is said that the Spaniards practiced just the opposite. They became owners of vast territories and enormous numbers of slaves. Whilst the slaves worked they put their feet up and enjoyed themselves (when they weren’t fighting amongst themselves or putting down futile rebellions).

So the idea exists in Peru that one has “arrived” when he is in charge and doesn’t actually do anything, but has everyone dependant upon him. The Spanish exploitation of the riches of the Inca Empire is seen in the attitude of the professional classes of a generation ago. Professional men expected to work for 30 years (women for 25) and then retire on full pension without tax. Thus a man could retire at 50 and expect to spend the rest of his life eating, drinking and making merry with his friends. This ideal is still cherished by the older generation of middle class professionals, who resent the law which now obliges their children to work until they are 65.

Oppression of the “indians” (now a politically incorrect term and a great insult) resulted in two opposite reactions: one is an almost masochistic resignation which does not expect anything to change and is indifferent to anything except authoritarianism, to which it responds with instant obedience; and the other is an almost institutional view of Revolution as something desirable and to be applauded.

Leading revolutionary leaders almost invariably have come from high society (with a few exceptions such as Hugo Blanco in Cuzco who is indigenous, but is married to a Swiss woman).

Sadly these situations are reflected in Evangelical churches and organizations, where “indians” are loyal to their churches, but know they will be ignored in major decision-making, unless the church is almost totally indigenous (as in the sierra). They are often resigned to this, but often harbour a deep resentment to authority.

Pastors and other leaders (“Servants” is the in term) are often authoritarian and these types of people actually achieve many things, but at the cost of harshness and dictatorship.