Hybridization of Neoliberal Policies. The Case of Chilean Electric Policy (2014-2016)

Neoliberal policies are characterized by their plasticity, an attribute that makes them particularly prone to adaptive changes. However sometimes transformative changes occur, when instruments and goals from other doctrines are added, while the neoliberal essence endures. To analyze this phenomenon, this article proposes the concept of neoliberal hybridization, which refers to the incorporation of principles alien to neoliberalism in policies where this legacy lasts. The concept is developed through a case study of the recent reform of the electricity policy in Chile known as "Energy Agenda". Through a deductive process tracing, based on press review and official sources, as well as twenty interviews, it is established that the emergence of new ideas in the sector and the characteristics of the ministerial team were the main drivers for the neoliberal hybridization of the electric policy.