A construção da autonomia no campo da assistência social

Abstract

This study discusses the idea of autonomy as comprehended by the Social Assistance Policy (SA). Its main objective is to analyze this concept which sustains the warranty of autonomy development - one of the warranties offered by SA. The study is structured as the following: a) the documentary analysis method was used as a data collection technique, having the Archeology by Foucault and the Analysis of Discourse as theoretical references. The reading of official documents that orientate the SA work made possible a theorization about the warranty of individual, family and social autonomy development, and consequently about the concept of autonomy that sustains it; b) an elucidation of this concept was possible by using contributions from Human Sciences authors, and this elucidation contributes to the reading of the above-mentioned documents. The idea of potentialities development and the increase of the capacity of making decisions are the two major aspects related to autonomy in the SA. At the end, the discussion concludes the autonomy can be favored but not guaranteed. The SA creates conditions that allows the constitution of autonomous processes, but it cannot guarantee the realization of these ones. The concept of autonomy itself implies a self legislation, either individual or collective spheres. However, the autonomy should not be seen as an unreachable ideal, but as a possibility. Its important to recognize the capacity of autonomy of the public. The SA must assume as commitment the ampliation of this individual and social capacity as a project of democracy and good life. Only a democratic society can foster autonomy.