latin+america chile

7/27/2019 Latin+America CHILE

1/22

Chile

Long tradition of democracy

Strong institutionalized parties

High voter turnouts Parties: backbone of the Chilean political

system

Labor unions ell incorporated into leftist

parties


2/22

Polarized Pluralism !"#$%&'()

*hree clear ideological alternatives

Conservatives+ Christian ,emocrats !center)

and Socialists

Polarizing issues: land reform- copper mines

"#./ election: C01 closely monitored it

2rei elected: middle&of the road approach

1llende3s socialists came second


3/22

2rei govt

1dvocated 45evolution in liberty6 !really: a

reformist program

alienated 5ight and Left:

Partial nationalization of copper

Land distributed to 7%+888 peasants

9S interested in the success of 2rei3s

democratic reformism 9S tried to prevent 4more Cubas6

9S&sponsored 1lliance for Progress


4/22

1llende3s government "#'8&'(

4,emocratic path to socialism6

5adical changes by legal means

1mbitious program:

Land epropriation- plus peasants seizing land

epropriation of industry: copper+ steel+ banks+ 0**+

2ord+ and other foreign ;villains3 of vote)


5/22

Splits ithin 1llende3s 9P !Popular 9nion)

5adicals versus moderates

"#'7: political climate superheated

*he 4?attle for Chile6

@pposition controlled congress

5ightist urban guerilla groups: terrorism

*he 5ight promoted instability to unseat 1llende Aion international blockade against Chile

2oreign investment stopped

5ight3s boycott campaign backed by 9S !C01)

Aion govt helped "#'( coup d3etat


6/22

Pinochet3s regime "#'(&"#%#

4Aational reconstruction61im: to destroy political system

?ureaucratic authoritarianism

=conomic policy: the 4Chicago boys6 in charge!free market economics)

Privatization+ deregulation+ free trade+ etcB

7+888 civilians killed+ disappeared ,0A1: secret police+ torture camps+ disappearances


7/22

Pinochet+ contB

"#'% 1mnesty La

@peration Condor:

Coordination of repression ith neighbors Constitution of "#%8

%&year terms

"8> of C@,=LC@ revenues for military

# senators designated by military


8/22

Plebiscite of "#%%

uestion of plebiscite: % more years ofPinochetD

Concertacion alliance of Center&Left parties

campaign for ;A@ 5esult: Ao+ $'>- yes: /(>

*ransition to democracy: elections in "#%#

Campaign issues:

5ight offered: order+ stability+ continued econ groth

Concertacion: etension of civil+ political rights+ asocial democracy+ more eEualityB


9/22

*ransition to democracy

Fhy did authoritarian regime accept the

plebiscite resultsD

Strong tradition of legality

Civilian political 5ight anted to abide by

results

Costs of annulling result and governing ould

have been very high


10/22

*ransition+ cont

Gilitary negotiated transition from a

position of strength

Gilitary as able to keep "#%8

Constitution

$/ amendments to the constitution made

?ut: authoritarian enclaves: Copper money ,esignated senators

9ndemocratic electoral la

Civilian president ithout much poer over military


11/22

*ransition

,emocracy: 4the institutionalization of

uncertainty6

0n transitions+ outgoing regime needs

institutional 4guarantees6 !iBeB bounded

uncertainty)

*hose guarantees restrict Euality

democracy+ but ensure stability


12/22

President Patricio 1ylin !"##8/)

4roth ith eEuity6 agenda

0ncrease taes to pay for more social

spending !health+ education+ etcB)

Chile SolidarioIelfare program for poor

Poverty declined (# to 7%>

Jept the market reforms of Pinochet


13/22

Human 5ights

Creation of Aational Commission of *ruth and

5econciliation

,ocumented deaths+ but did not name perpetrators

5esults: 7+7'# deaths =fforts to annul "#'% 1mnesty la: blocked by

Conservatives

Letelier case: diplomat killed in Fashington+ ,C Pinochet retires+ takes seat as lifetime senator

1ttempt to impeach Pinochet


14/22

ContB

Pinochet arrested in London on order bySpanish Kudge in "##%

President 2rei appealed to violation ofsovereignty !iBeB dictator should be tried in Chile)

Layers eploited loophole of 1mnesty La:disappeared kidnapped

Pinochet alloed to return to Chile: declaredmentally ill

*oday: restrictions on freedom of speech eist!eample: prohibition of The Black Book ofChilean Justice)


15/22


16/22

uest for overnance

1ylin proposed =nd designated seats in Congress

5eplace binomial electoral system

1uthority to remove heads of 1rmed 2orces *he 5ight blocked above reforms

1ble to increase the size of senate by "7 seats!diluted the 5ight3s poer)

*oday: no more designated senators+ civilianauthority over military

Chilean transition to democracy has beencompletedB


17/22

Chilean parties today

*he 5ight Independent Democratic Union!9,0): pinochetista+

inheritors of Pinochet3s legacy

National Renovation!5A): more moderate

*he Left Socialist party

Party for Democracy!PP,)

Center: Christian ,emocracy Concertacion alliance has on all four

democratic elections since "#%#


18/22

5icardo Lagos

Socialist party government in poer 7888&

788.

Lagos: ,uke Ph, economist

2ear about their economic policy much

reduced

Ao return to 1llende3s socialist policies

2ree trade agreement signed ith =9


19/22

President Gichelle ?achelet:

788.& Concertacion party alliance ins a fourth

consecutive election

?achelet: another socialist&led

government

Shos ho much polarization has diminished


20/22

Jeys to economic success

'> ,P groth for 78 yearsMM

Strong institutions: the best in Latin 1B

Lo ta evasion Combination of

free trade+

fiscal responsibility: no budget deficits social spending

Political class is united behind free market

economics


21/22

=conomic performance

=conomists in all political parties have

poer

Povery levels reduced dramatically


22/22

Political trends post "##8

0ncrease in abstention rates

Citizen disenchantment ith political class

=nhanced conflicts over ho theeconomic pie is distributed

0ncrease in strikes

0ncreased labor union militancy+ etcBB

latin+america chile

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