Political Education as an Alternative in Working with Communities: The Experience of the School for Democracy and Local Development in Neiva, Colombia
Authors: Santa G. Ramiro 
Published: December 2007

The concentration of oil activities in developing countries gives companies in the sector growing importance in their economies, as a source of significant fiscal income - by means of taxes and royalties— for the nations and for the regions where exploration and production activities take place. However, other aspects of the importance they represent have been considered much less, because of the lack of a proactive attitude from the companies. Despite the commitment of the companies in the sector to the social area, through social programs, there is a certain apathy associated with their nature as multinational companies, which leads them to stay apart from greater involvement in political participation that could contribute to the generation of political processes to benefit the communities.

In many of these countries it is common to find the existence of political practices associated with corruption, favoritism, unfulfilled promises, poor management of public resources, among other visible manifestations of political activities exercised with criteria of personal benefit and the perpetuation of a traditional governing class in power.

Perhaps one of the more harmful consequences of these traditional practices is the apathy and suspicion that any proposal of a political nature generates among the citizens, particularly those that are economically and socially disadvantaged - members of the rural communities, inhabitants in marginal neighborhoods in cities and towns - who consider their participation in this area rather ineffective. This resistance has created a situation where many options that communities have to participate in the definition of plans and projects for their own benefit have not been put to good use; lack of cohesion and community organization, as well as the lack of proposals generated by the communities themselves, with a vision of sustainable development and for the long term.

In the face of this situation, it is a fact that the way the companies in the sector behave must change, seeking more active and permanent participation in public policies and trying to integrate possibilities and interests with the Community and the State.

A new experience undertaken in Colombia, "The School for Democracy and Local Development in the City of Neiva" is an example of what political education can achieve in the social area, as well as the role that companies in the sector - Hocol, in this case - can play in the development of the societies where they operate.

Introduction

During the last century, Colombia was a country dominated by two traditional political parties that alternated their presence in power and established a monopoly over the management of public functions which continues to date. A political class formed itself in the country which took advantage of the party fervor of voters and of deformed electoral procedures to get their members elected to public administration posts. High indices of electoral abstention have been a tradition that reflects the profound political apathy of thousands of Colombian citizens.

At the beginning oe decade of the nineties, and as a result of the need to renew the political scenario in the country, a Constitutional Assembly was brought together in order to define the terms of a new constitution which would provide space for the ideologies of certain political and social forces that were gaining favor within the nation's political arena. The institutional charter that was in effect at that time did not represent the interests of millions of Colombians, nor did it encompass the requirements to strengthen a participative democracy that would satisfy the demands of vast sectors of the population.

After a review process of the topics that were embodied in the Constitution of 1886, which had been subjected to certain reforms throughout the century, the Constitutional Charter of 1991 was enacted which, in its articles, offers the possibility for a more active participation by civil society in the definition of its own development and in defense of the citizens' personal and collective interests.