Self-employment: myth and reality

In this paper we confront rhetoric and statistics on self-employment and entrepreneurship. First, we analyze the evolution of the data of the last 27 years worldwide, and then narrow down the object in temporal, spatial and conceptual terms, so that it serves as a reference for a basic analysis of entrepreneurship in Spain. The evidence shows that, in relation to our environment, there are many firms, relatively small and that both elements are related to our productivity gap. The article reflects on the apparent contradiction between these data and the continued appeal to the convenience of higher rates of entrepreneurship and protection of small businesses that are carried out from various positions.