In the context of globalization, the conception of growth/development is oriented towards the market and international competitiveness, which, in its turn, is supported by economic adjustment policies that have produced a considerable social exclusion environment. In face of this situation, which has been threatening the system stability, the international organisms, the IMF, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)/World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), have alerted the governments on the seriousness of the problem and emphasized the need for State intervention in social services such as basic education and health. In this article, we state that focusing on basic education and health is an important part of the political ideological strategies in globalization and, therefore, they are vital variables in the process of implementation of economic adjustment policies to keep poverty at bearable levels, contributing, thus, for social and political stability.
development; globalization; economic adjustment policies; education; health
