One Firm, Two Distributive Outcomes

Abstract

Abstract This chapter turns to a pair of mines located in Peru. Both mines were owned and operated by the same, domestic company. The Peruvian context provides a contrast to the previous cases because the state has been more supportive of firms. Yet, the firm was still subject to intense political pressure from various local actors. In both cases, the firm privileged actions that would further fragment the societal groups that challenged it. In one case, societal groups nevertheless became incrementally more cohesive and were able to extract benefits for large swaths of the community out of the firm. In the other case, fragmentation and polarization became extreme. The firm faced constant fighting among factions for particularistic benefits and was unable to convert investments in social services into support for the firm.