Paper short abstract:

Elite philanthropy in El Salvador addresses security through youth-focused initiatives, reinforcing wealth defense and market dominance. While framed as social solutions, these practices sustain inequality, enabling business coexistence with changing political regimes and limiting structural change.

Paper long abstract:

How does elite philanthropy shape the security landscape in postwar El Salvador? This paper examines the interventions and discourses of Salvadoran Family Business Groups (FBGs) over the last three decades, highlighting their relationship with wealth accumulation/defense, social inequality, and crime prevention initiatives. It argues that elite philanthropy, often framed as a solution to societal challenges like crime and violence, must be critically analyzed as a mechanism for maintaining and defending wealth amidst shifting economic and political dynamics.

Using critical discourse analysis, the study focuses on paradigmatic FBG practices, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability initiatives. Drawing on a rich dataset of over 100 public statements from foundations linked to FBGs (2010–2024), triangulated with institutional reports and 15 field interviews with key stakeholders, the research uncovers the limits of elite-driven security interventions. While philanthropic initiatives may partially achieve programmatic goals, they fail to tackle the structural inequalities that underpin violence and insecurity.

The findings reveal that philanthropic practices are instrumental in strengthening monopolistic/monopsonistic positions within value chains, shaping closed networks of skilled labor, and enhancing international positioning. Moreover, by targeting young populations, elite philanthropy redefines social change under a profit-driven, individualistic vision, solidifying self-regulation and facilitating business coexistence with democratic and autocratic regimes. Ultimately, the study concludes that these practices reinforce material inequalities, illustrating the boundaries of market-based solutions in addressing socio-affective issues and the crucial role of elite philanthropy in postwar security discourses and practices.