Presidenta Bachelet?
Chilean voters on Sunday gave the lead in presidential balloting to Socialist Party candidate Michelle Bachelet.
In a four-way race, Bachelet led the pack with about 46%. Her leading conservative opponent scored about 26% and another right-wing candidate had about 23%. A candidate running to her left picked up about 5% of the vote.Next month, then, Bachelet will face a run-off election against wealthy conservative Sebastian Pinera. Bachelet is the favorite to win, though her election is hardly guaranteed.
Assuming she does win the run-off, there’s both more and less here than what meets the eye. Chile, once a forward-thinking and liberal society, fell into a cultural black hole during the 17 years of General Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973-1990). It legalized limited divorce only last year and abortion is still outlawed. Its Catholic University national television network regularly runs ads against condom use.
So the probable election of an officially agnostic, single mother like Bachelet could signal a landmark cultural and social shift toward modernity and land a crushing blow to Chile’s archaic machista structures.Bachelet, 54, is the daughter of deceased Air Force General Alberto Bachelet who served in the cabinet of Socialist President Salvador Allende (working as Allende’s translator, I met Bachelet on two or three occasions). After the 1973 military coup, General Bachelet was imprisoned, tortured and died in custody. His daughter Michelle was also detained by the military and also suffered torture while in captivity.
Politically, however, there’s a strong strand of disappointment and concern in Bachelet’s numbers. If elected in next month’s run-off, she will be the fourth consecutive Chilean President to arise out of the governing center-left “concertacion” coalition – an alliance between the Christian Democratic and moderate Socialist Party.
Those of us who know Chilean politics well can’t help but notice that this civilian alliance has now been in power almost as long as Pinochet was but has strikingly failed to build a broad governing consensus. Current president, Socialist Ricardo Lagos was elected in 2000 with barely a point of advantage over his extreme right-wing opposition.
Bachelet now goes into the January run-off having won less than 50% of the vote (her two right-wing candidates actually polling more than she did). Up against an opposition inextricably tied to the legacy of a brutal dictator like Pinochet, you’d think the governing concertacion would command a huge majority.
Unfortunately, the Chilean center-left is plagued with an almost endemic lack of courage and a resulting inability to sharply distinguish itself from its own tainted right-wing opposition (sound familiar?). While other emerging populist governments in Latin America – from Venezuela to Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil—have strongly distanced themselves from the Washington Consensus of free-market nostrums, the Chilean administration has continued to toe the neo-liberal recipe only with slight modifications. Only now, after her coalition has been in power for 15 years, is Bachelet daring to propose reform of the country’s notoriously inadequate private pension system which was imposed on Chile by force of bayonet (note that the Chilean Armed Forces meanwhile retained for itself the more generous state social security scheme).Chile’s economy has shown consistent growth over the last decade and a half, but it remains one of the most wildly unequal in the hemisphere. The poor remain really poor; salaries are very low; health care is abominable; basic education is semi-privatized; and the country survives basically by selling-off finite natural resources.
To become a true history-changing President, Michelle Bachelet is going to have to go beyond the immediate symbolism of her secularism and her gender. She’s going to have to be able to make some dramatic and concrete improvements in the lives of the bottom half of Chileans – a task at which her three predecessors have not distinguished themselves.
December 11th, 2005 at 7:35 pm
You make some good points, Marc, but as I said in response to your similar comments with regard to a post I made about Bachelet, they finally have the yoke of Pinochet’s limiting constitution off their necks: no more appointed senators, no more senator-for-life position and military commanders are now answerable to civilian authority. Let’s see what they do with those changes.
What is interesting also is Joaquin Lavin’s decline. Maybe the nutty Opus Dei wing of Chilean Catholocism is losing its appea in Chilean politics.
December 11th, 2005 at 8:28 pm
Perhaps the most powerful meditation on autocratic rule is Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “Autumn of the Patriarch.” One of the most telling points is how personal dictatorship infantalizes the political institutions of a country, crippling its ability to operate under a legitimate system.
December 11th, 2005 at 9:08 pm
And the latest act of the ‘socialists’ in defense of the working people of Chile was to sign a free-trade agreement with China, no less, so that its permanently cowed and threatened billion-strong non-unionized workforce can wipe out whatever few jobs were left back in the Southern Cone. So is it such a big deal if Dr Bachelet, who is actually a very nice lady, to win? Would things change so awfully much under a businessman billionaire like Pinera? I’m not so sure.
December 11th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Hi Tim.. excellent point. Which brings me to Randy. Well, yes, Randy the yoke of Pinochet’s constitution has been lifted. But the concertacion was always a bunch of very willing oxen. Take my word for it.. Both I and Tim above were in Stgo when the dictatorship was voted of power and apart from the legal obstacles involved, the concertacion leadership could never find its voice to issue much of a moral repudiation of Pinochetismo. The general was a conveniet bogeyman for these folks. As fearful of the Chilean people as he was, the concertacion used the chimera of not wanting to provoke Pinochet as en effective brake on social and economic reform that they simply were NOT interested in. One of the reasons that scumbags like Lavin can still get 25% of the vote, and that another 25% goes to bloated fat cats like Pinera is precisely because the Chilean Right has been infinitelty more aggressive than the government in real grass roots organizing in the poor neighborhoods and shanty towns which — two decades after the Chilean miracle– still fester in marginality. Entire swaths of outer Santiago there were motor forces of the Left during Allende now have mayors from the hard right. It’s pretty sad.
I have no problem giving Bachelet the benefit of the doubt for…say… 3 months. And then it’s showtime. Either a sea change or simply the same old same old. Im betting on the latter. Her campaign was a depoliticized and lackluster venture in Americanized cereal box salesmanship. Her brief stint as Defense Minister was marked by her negotiation of the purchase of a fleet of F-16′s — about the very last thing in the world that anyone in Chile needed.
December 12th, 2005 at 12:15 am
“… toe the neo-liberal recipe”? No wonder they’re so screwed up economically. If you want to stir the required amount of toe-jam into the stew, you must first rinse it off your toes with the finest balsamic vineger into a catch basin, then pour it into the mix. Yum!
As for Chile having exposed itself to freer trade with China, I believe Brazil has already headed in that direction, and that’s a regional economic heavyweight that’s going to pull everyone else along with it. As long as the momentum of foreign direct investment into China continues, a lot of other countries are going to be stuck with just jumping up and down on the sidelines, with signs saying “We’re a good deal too! Try US!”
December 12th, 2005 at 1:22 am
Marc — the question I always ask myself is why Latin America has done so poorly compared to the Asian Tigers. Compared to South Korea (world’s most wired nation, everyone has broadband), Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Honk Kong (highest per-capita income in Asia) and of course Japan; all of Latin America is horrid when it comes to economic growth. Even Petro Dollars have done nothing for Venezuela or Mexico.
Don’t you think fundamentally it’s not the Washington Consensus nor the neo-Statist alternative (Chavez in a time of rising oil prices has done nothing for his poor) but corruption, lack of rule of law, and essentially legalized banditry on the poor and middle class? Isn’t this endemic to the time of Bolivar in Latin America?
Do you think if Chile simply had “good government” on the classic Progressive Movement line that encouraged domestic economic growth it would help?
December 12th, 2005 at 6:45 am
I see very little evidence that the bottom rung populaces are ever considered anywhere. These places are still very much banana republics. I had an instructor who claimed CIA intervention in Chile helped create the mess. I don’t know enough about it to have a thesis.
December 12th, 2005 at 8:50 am
Despite what many percieve as his cult of personality, Chavez has done a hell of a lot for the poor of Venezuela, moreso than Lula, who has disapointed his supporters, to say the least. Even if one accepts that wages have not yet grown (they have) the non-financial gains, such as the missiones and advanced health care and education for the poor, the increased power of the public sector, points Venezuela in the right direction, away from neoliberalsm. Bolivia may be next and Argentina is moving that way but Brazil is still neoliberal, with some exceptions.
Its interesting that Marc, such a critic of Chavez would like Chile to emulate anti-neoliberal policies such as in Venezuela. No comment on Rockford’s post about how capitalism, Asia style, is actually benefiting the mass of the population, or more likely Hong Kong is rich while the rest of China is poor, Taiwan is heavily unequal, less so than the authoritarian dictatorships of Malaysia and Singapore though. These are not alternative models.
Why do liberals have such a problem with Chavez’s economic model (setting aside other issues?)
December 12th, 2005 at 8:51 am
Bachelet seems to be bleeding voters to both the left and right. As always, it will be the Christian Democrat voters who decide this election.
Damn. It was only 6 years ago that me and my family were huddled in front of the TV hoping for a Lagos defeat. We were scared out of our minds. How wrong we were. I can’t wait to be back in Chile for the runoff!
December 12th, 2005 at 9:23 am
I live in Chile, and while i believe Chile has a long way to go in improving the education, distribution of wealth, etc… I think we are on a positive road, Pinochet was a non-item in this election and was not allowed to even vote due to being under house arrest, people have high use of internet and cellphones and are just as good consumers and good at getting themseleves in debt as anyone in the supposed first world. We might have our problems but on the whole they are small compared to many that reside in the US and Europe. The people in chile are homogeneous on the whole and are striving for the same goals as peopel in other countries that are developing in to “nice places to live” they want and will get: better education for their kids, health, plasma TVs etc….
The voting was done quickly, efficiently and even though I did not vote for Bachelet, I believe she will be the next president of Chile and it will be a progressive step forwards. We are not going backwards nor are we stagnant. Every day things improve in Chile and in some areas we are better than most countries in the world.
Just looking back 5 years and you can see improvements.
4Mb internet, internet cafes, goods, malls, clothes, food international and national, services at even the government level are mostly done on web pages, where waits of 2 days were previously at some government institutions they can mostly be done on internet, or require a short wait of 30 minutes where internet and a digital camera will solve most of ones needs, these changes are happening daily.
So when I read comments that are often quite negative, I usually get a bit pissed off. Sure there is room for a lot of improvement, but come on, every country can be improved and everyone has their pet gripes…
In Chile we are a universe above any of our neighbours… Maybe we will never be a powerhouse industrially however as great place to live, with all the modern ammenities, probably the most varied landscape and tourist location for differant environments in the world, the future does not look so bad…….
December 12th, 2005 at 10:08 am
David — I agree completely. I lived there back in ’99 during the Asian financial crisis. There were power cuts for hours on end during the day, people doing anything they could to make a few hundred pesos, and the gap between rich and poor was certainly much worse then than it is now.
If you look now, model homes have become the norm in once exclusive places like La Dehesa. Begging is pretty much non-existent and services work all the time. There’s that new highway that just got built straight down the center of Santiago — you can reach a place as far away as Los Andes, which used to take an hour and a half, in just half an hour! It’s quite amazing and I expect the next 5 years will be just as amazing.
December 12th, 2005 at 10:50 am
Marc,
That’s entirely my point. Pinochet’s constitution will no longer be a yoke nor will it be an excuse.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:02 am
David and Robert: Allow me to politely remind you that you are not the only two people to live or to have lived in Chile. I have an entire Chilean family who lives there. Not everyone’s experience is the same.. which is my point. Spend a week or two living, says, in Poblacion Rio De Janeiro and see how all those wonderful ecobomic advancements look from that vantage point. Make sure to bring a telescope.
Robert, why were you and ur family so frightened of Lagos in 1999? He can generate all sorts of reactions, but fear? Ive never heard that one before.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:18 am
Well I do live here, at least for the last 18 years and have become a Chilean, funny you should mention Telescopes since I work with them. My point Marc, was that sure there is poverty, the incomes could be better distributed, but hey that doesn’t mean this doesn’t happen in other countries.
I still belive that most Chileans lives have been improved in the last 10 years and especially in the last 5, and here’s hoping that the next 5 will be even better.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:24 am
“While other emerging populist governments in Latin America – from Venezuela to Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil—have strongly distanced themselves from the Washington Consensus of free-market nostrums…”
Marc, a good reporter would choose some macro-economic criteria, like unemployment, real GNP growth, GNP per capita, and inflation, then compare Chile with these neighbors. Now and 5 and 15 years ago. I’m pretty sure Chile looks much better now, but even looked better 15 years ago.
Funny how you’re concerned about a CULTURAL black hole (no abortion, little divorce, Catholics against condoms), but are unwilling to actually compare the objective economic performances.
There will be poor folk everywhere (– I’ve read that Brasil’s are among the poorest.)
The main solution should be to encourage more job creation — but increasing the public/ gov’t sector, and taxes (on job creators) to pay for it, seems unlikely to do so in the medium/ long term.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:30 am
David,, of course peoples lives have been improved in the last 10 years.. and certainly in the last 20 when they were living under a Neanderthal dictatorship.
But that’s not enough. There has to be a development strategy in place that goes beyond the current model. Chile lacks a political leadership willing to break that mold which continues to leverage progress on the backs of the most vulnerable.
And what was the fear u mentioned about Lagos?
J Cummins: You’re a broken record. And a boring one to boot.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:43 am
The fear I’m talking about is the fear that Lagos could be a return to Allende-style government which, despite your previous working for him, you must admit was an absolute disaster. Given the economic crisis that was underway and the trends surrounding Latin America (look what happened to Argentina!), it was definitely within the scope of possibility. I’m glad I turned out to be wrong, and must say that Lagos has done a good job on every level. he deserves his popularity. Good policy is good politics after all.
My connection to Chile was one of U.S. military at the time, and then in 2003-2004 living with a Chilean family for a year. I had a girlfriend in the lower-middle class who split an apartment with another family, but their lives were good. They could take trips to Vina for the weekend and put something other than bread on the table. That is increasingly the lifestyle that Chileans are able to obtain, and even higher.
But outside of Santiago and Vina, there does need to be some more serious development. South Santiago is still much worse off than the north end and then the south is a void all in itself.
But economic growth that reaches the bottom takes a long time and it looks like people in Chile are rather satisfied with its pace. The difference between 99 and 03 blew my mind.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:48 am
I am adverse to rapid change when it comes to government plans, a slow process where peoples lives are improved over time is a lot better, than rapid swings or trying in one or two governments to obliterate poverty (historically impossible and unsustainable) In venezuela, I am not sure with the current situation aside from what one reads occasionally, poor people might have their lives or greviances aired due to populist blather, but in the long run, I think say 20-30 years time Venezuela will still be a shit dump with lots of poor people, no health, no education and whole lot less oil, where as Chile will be a Great tourist destination, most people will be in the service industry(tourism + hotels), we will have smart educated students that can bring technology related jobs and industry to Chile, and basically a well running country with reasonable Education and Health standards on a par with Spain (last I remember Chile has half the GDP/capita of Spain) . In other words a great country to live in where most of the 18 year olds don’t even know what the old folks are going on about Pinochet. This election was the first time that 18-24 year olds joined the voting list in huge positive numbers (+200000), considering the last elections (lagos/lavin) apathy this is a great step foward and it sounds like young people( I am 29 and do not consider myself though) are having a greater interest in the direction they want the country to go in.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:58 am
What exactly is your problem with Venezuela as an economic model, Marc? I may be boring, but you don’t answer questions.
December 12th, 2005 at 12:00 pm
It’s an economic model????? Okaaaaayyy….
December 12th, 2005 at 12:15 pm
Check the growth rates. Check the oil revenues. Check the shrinking gap between rich and poor, and the social programs. Check the endogenous development and informal sector organizations. Check the profitable autonomously managed enterprises.
Marc cited Venezuela as an alternative to neoliberalism. Yet he normally has a problem with that, preferring to defend capitalism. Venezuela is embarking on a post-capitalist economic experiment, with a still robust private sector. The Venezuelan bourgeoisie are still wealthy. The Venezuelan poor are far better off though. Many compare Chavez to Allende, except more wily, and pragmatic.
December 12th, 2005 at 12:15 pm
The Chile thesis is a dog that can bark but not hunt. It falls short on a narrow plank of logic. The Reagan trickle down reverse logic wont work here. Try that somewhere else. Banana Republic and CIA –spitballs againts a battleship.
December 12th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
I support Capitalism (not absolute capitalism), I believe that people have to learn the value of a Dollar and getting handouts does not help in the long run, because people get used to handouts and when the money stops(oil price goes down) then a revolution occurs and people get killed, I prefer a system that slowly improves peoples lives without killing them every 30 years.
Most people during the 20-40s thought that the Soviet Union was a model of success, technologically advanced (sputnik) and socially better off for most of its people, health and education taken care of. After 80 years of thinking this was cool we can now look at the state of Russia today after spending Trillions of rubles on that great experiment.
I think that Venezuela is moving way to fast for stability to take place.
December 12th, 2005 at 1:14 pm
How is Venezuela moving too fast? Aside from the fact that your individualist leanings may prejudice you against the non-state socialism of Venezuela (far different from the Soviet Union, much more akin to West Germany under Willy Brandt,) what is wrong with hand-outs when they are alongside job-creation programs and new types of non-capitalist development that will outlast the cyclical trends of capital markets and up and down oil prices? I seriously suggest you do some more research into Venezuela’s economy, plus read David Harvey’s book “A short History of Neoliberalism.”
December 12th, 2005 at 2:46 pm
Well, there’s that whole other problem with Venezuela — you know, giving weapons to FARC guerillas harbored inside the Venezuelan border in an attempt to re-destabilize Colombia.
December 12th, 2005 at 3:10 pm
Well, I don’t know whether the allegations about FARC are correct, but surely Columbia wouldn’t have close trade pacts with a country that is “Destabilizing” it, as Columbia has with Venezuela. Farc, in fairness, whatever you think of their means, are fighting for at the very least more of a just Columbia than the right wing narco-paramilitaries. But nothing has been proven about Venezuela and FARC…and if it were the case, I’m sure it is with the tacit support of some elements of the Columbian state itself
December 12th, 2005 at 6:31 pm
Farc, in fairness, whatever you think of their means are fighting for at the very least more of a just Columbia than the right wing narco-paramilitaries
Which is about as valid an argument as saying that liver cancer is better than pancreatic cancer. The FARC’s goal is to make Colombia ungovernable.
Perhaps you can explain how the use of gas cylinder bombs on civilians is making Colombia just.
December 12th, 2005 at 6:53 pm
J Cummins doesnt know if the allegations against the FARC are correct?? Are u kidding? Can you not read or do u choose not to read that which contradicts ur world view?
The FARC are fighting primarily for the same thing the paras are — control of the coca fields. The FARC are serial and serious human rights violators who kidnap and murder with abandon.Saying yo dont know reminds me of the know-nothings of the Vietnam era who said they didnt know what was going on there because they had never been there. Ive never given birth to a baby either… but I understand the process/
David.. Im not going to debate the Allende period with you. Ur free to read my book on it. All I will say is that what made the Allende period disastrous was the destabilization and subversion perpretrated by precisely those forces who in 1973 installed a fascist military dictatorship. When it comes to government disasters in Chile ur gonna have to reach pretty far to even get a runner up to Pinochet’s bloody rule.
December 12th, 2005 at 6:58 pm
PS.. on the FARC… here is my report from Colombia published in The Nation in March 2001
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010319/cooper
December 12th, 2005 at 8:28 pm
I don’t doubt your characterization of FARC, but I was simply stating that I haven’t seen proof that Venezuela funds FARC. If they do, I will still stipulate that
A) I think Chavez’s connections with Mugabe are far more of a way to discredit him than a trojan horse in a reactionary neighbour.
B) I don’t think, in the scheme of the world right now Venezuela theoretically helping FARC or other unsavory allies (like the US) discredits the economic programme that exists now in Venezuela..
C) Why don’t you simply say what it is you, as someone who professes to oppose neoliberalisn dislike about his economic programme?
December 12th, 2005 at 9:41 pm
What does that mean? U think that an “economic program” exists independently in the air, detached from a political system?I dont. So my first argument with Chavez’ economic program is that the man directing that program shows distinctly anti-democratic instincts and is now preparing to extend his rule until 2018.
More to the point.. what economic program? You actually believe ur looking at some anti-capitalist program? if u think that ur dreaming. More than 95% of the economy remains and will remain in private hands. Ur not even looking at social democracy– mainly because Venezuela is not developed enought to sustain such a system. What your are seeing in Venezuela is pretro-fueled patronage/welfare system. It provides undeniable short-term benefits for the poor people it serves, offering them needed health care, education etc. But the entire scheme is staked on high oil prices and will collapse if and when the price of crude dips or sinks.
What Venezuela needs is a DEVELOPMENT strategy which uses the petro-profits for long term investment in economic infrastructure, freein Venezuela (eventually) from dependency on one export subject to the whimsy of global market fluctuations.
Of course such a strategy would not permit quite the level of short term welfare that Chavez is handing out and it would dent the political popularity he has puchased with it. But I dont think he thinks very much about those things. He continues to act, speak and behave like a megalomaniac drunk with power and if u think ANY economic program is safe in those hands, well good for you.
December 12th, 2005 at 10:25 pm
I’m glad I at least got an answer there. I don’t neccesarily agree or disagree, but its better than calling someone boring. You may be right about development (you sound like the old left-meets-right critics of Sandanistas when you point out the extent of the private sector) and the curse of oil, but I honestly believe that much of Chavez’s movement, if not Chavez himself is thinking longterm.
But anti-democratic? Give me a break. No country is a perfect democracy, but Venezuela is a hell of a lot more democratic than the United States.
December 12th, 2005 at 10:36 pm
You see, Cummings, that’s where u go off the rails. Venezuela is more democratic than the United States? That’s a staggering statement. Democracy is much much more than the formalities of a political system. It’s about a civil scoiety as well. The US has a deeply and richly developed layers of democratic society, from PTA’s to neighborhood councils, to Vermont town halls, to thousands of publications unfettered by government restrictions, to a an extremely high educational and cultural level among its population. We have a deeply flawed political system that is nevertheless held partially accountable by campign finance laws, and a very sophisticated criminal and civil justice system. A system by the way that is based on a bill of rights and a trial by jury. And if you think that’s chump change try for yourself standing trial in a country that doesnt have those constitutional guarantees.
Venezuela is a country that currently has not one representative of the political opposition in its parilament, where a journalist can be jailed for “insulting” the presdent, where there is no public accountabilty nor transparency in government, where more than a quarter of the population is barely literate (ipso facto limting democratic capacities), where huge quotas of domestic government have been turned over to the military… and further… it occurs to me that it is plain ridiculous to even be debating such an off-the-wall notion with you. You are free to scorn or even depise the US but ur statement about it being less democratic than Venezuela merely robs of you any shred of credibility.
I was a plaintiff in a successful ACLU class action lawsuit against the LAPD for illegal political spying. But given the option, I would PAY to be arrested by the LAPD if the other choice was to be arrested by Venezuelan police (which Amnesty Intl accuses of torture practices). That’s all ABOUT democracy.
December 13th, 2005 at 6:01 am
I agree that I don’t want to debate about the allende period since I agree with much of your conclusions, I was actually merely trying to get the point across that Chile is basically a great country now and getting better every day. The age of Pinochet has passed , though there are I admit a few quite a few remanents of his legacy, these I feel however are being cast down when they are found, and this process I believe is accelarating.
In a few more years, say 10, I think Chile will still be a great country with an even better future.
As for Venezuela I completely agree with you Marc on all points.
Been nice chatting.
January 15th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Iagree with some of the comments but the Chilean reality is that there is improvement in many aspects in the life of chileans ,it that not mean we live in luxury but the average people have a chance to study and improve and live peacefully ,we the majority of chileans hope this goverment will continue improving the living standars in our country and these economical changes will go to those at the lower status of our societe .
January 16th, 2006 at 4:41 pm
What is Leonardo talking about… The average people? The majority of chileans? There are many in Chile who live in poverty, they are the average people. Domestic violence and child abuse are real problems among the ‘average’ people. Obviously it is difficult to make statements about the ‘majority’ of people given the tear evident in the election’s results. Many years later the poor stays poor and the rich gets richer while the moral fibre of the country weakens. Consumerism is the god worshipped by many of those who can in Chile while those who cannot live only to long to have access and overcome the deprivation. The longing will go on. To think otherwise is not only illusory but dangerous. As a human being, I am glad about another human being about being reinvindicated. Many who suffer in Chile can identify with someone’ pain to the point of giving their vote. It is dramatic but it takes much more than drama to undo the price many pay for the lack of courage and innovative fibre in leaders. It amazes me how so many still believe one can have the cake and eat it too: enjoy the economic growth and pretend one is a revolutionary.
La esperanza del pobre… prometida.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Interesting discussion.
While there still social issues on Chile’s agenda, I think my country is making the right steps into development. Presidential campaing – according me – was mainly focused on which the coalitions will do the best and whether improving growth or taking care on social issues are the two main focus. Between the two major political force i think there is a great consesus about fundamental values : be responsable, work hard and be open to the world to catch new opportunities are no points of discurssion.
Chileans improved dramatically our standards of living in the past years and there is no rupturist project that attracts to a large number of persons. Thirty years ago political violence was natural and political projects absolute exclusives.
(The following is not pollitically correct)
“Los caminos del Señor son misteriosos” we could say. During Pinochet period a major economical shift was made. Both right and left previous 1973 were strongly nationalists on economics but when democarcy returned the new leaders found a new economical model and successfully continued. One of the reasons could be that many of the exiled leaders went to Western Europe countries and saw those countries reality. Christian democrats knew Helmut Kohl, forme leninist socialists knew Felipe Gonzalez and François Miterrand and turned socialdemocrats. And when they came back, force the update of the right into this forms of politics.
When I see other Latinamerican politician I feel like in a Garcia Marquez novel. Once i heard Chavez saying “the flowers are with me”. I grew up accostumed to rational, sometimes tough but rational political discussion and that’s a value a strongly appreciate instead of yesterdays fantasies of epic tales and instantaneous wealth.
January 20th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
Carlos Y… the social ills are of such magnitude in Chile that it is almost impossible to begin describing them. The upper middle class is so very good at denying this while the politians exercise their skills at getting votes from those whom they do not serve – the poor, whose faith and hearts can be so easily engaged. The rights steps into development? Campaigns can be well run and strategically choreographed. Those with access to wealth and opportunities, the middle class and the upper middle class, have the responsibility to look at themselves and see how they are contributing to exploiding the less fortunate in this seemingly progressive country. Whether you are right, left or middle the fact remains that this is a country whose progress rests on great injustice and real struggle.
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