Self-employment as a cultural repertoire of action: reclaiming one own’s time in Santiago de Chile

Abstract

This article uses a longitudinal qualitative methodology to explore the increased appreciation of independent work in Santiago, Chile, following the 2019 protests and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest that workers in precarious conditions actively seek autonomy and control over their time. We argue that self-employment should be understood as a cultural repertoire of action and a resilience strategy in response to salaried jobs that fail to provide good working conditions in terms of working hours and fair treatment. We conclude that, in the short term, the pandemic facilitated access to state subsidies and accelerated digitization, boosting the viability of self- employment. In the long term, self-employment in Chile reflects a cultural response to perceived labor injustices and the pursuit of a better work- life balance.