Chile: Should Governments Change - Essay Example

? The Chilean 1973 coup d’etat will remain in the history books. The coup was an event exacerbated by Cold War. It followed as an after event of political and social unrest that existed between the conservative Congress of Chile and the Socialism of President Salvador Allende. The discontent of the two culminated to a coup d’etat, which was under the mantle of the Chilean military and endorsed by the United States government (Torcal and Mainwaring 57). Augusto Pinochet was the commander in chief of the armed forces at the time the coup was taking place. Before the fateful events of 1973, Chile prided itself as a country full of democracy and good constitutional practice (Silva 390). Unlike most of its neighboring countries, the military rule was usually short lived. The armed rule distanced themselves from the politics and public life. In the sixties, the Chilean politics became outwardly polarized. Divisions permeated the Chilean civil society. In this context, moderation that existed before was to be interpreted as a sign of weakness (Tusalem 360). This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the situation that affected the Chilean society in 1973 and the political and socio-economic situations that led to sequential events. A sequence of contributing factors led to the coup. One of the factors that had major prominence in the coup was the victory of the Salvador Allende. His victory made the political situation more polarized than before. In 1971, the economic situation in Chile became rattled by investor and the market reaction. The government intervention created tension between the supporters and the critics. The Parliament, in which the Populist Unity did not have a say, made a resolution accusing Allende for violating the constitution (Torcal and Mainwaring 57). They further alleged that Allende wanted to institute a totalitarian system of governance. Speculations were high that coup d’etat would follow. The economic and social reforms that were taking place in the country were linked to the polarization of the state. The reforms and the debate surrounding them led to tense moments. The process was to be stalled by a military coup, which was led by Augusto Pinochet. The subsequent policies that followed suit were aimed at causing enormous dislocations in the Chilean society. The aftermath of the political upheavals led to policies that were aimed at dismantling and destroying institutions that were considered to be an expression of the previous orders. It is also alleged that the coup was a watershed of Cold War that operated under the stewardship of the US government and the Soviet Union. The US feared that there would be a return of Marxist movement in Chile under Allende’s rule. Thus, the US government mounted pressure on the elected socialist government. Under his rule, Allende nationalized the US copper firms and the social program expenditure rose rapidly (Tusalem 360). The rule under Allende faced other major disappointments. The per capita of the country dropped considerably, there was poor international market trade between the country and other nations, and imports prevailed the exports. The country also faced high inflation rates (Torcal and Mainwaring 57). The poor social, economic and political issues were the major causes of resistance that triggered the revolt. The economic deadlock and an inflation of 15% were enough reasons to mount into political upheavals. The sudden change of government from socialism to military rule should be placed under two categories (Silva 390). The epicenter of this sudden transition in 1973 was underpinned in the question of whether the military rule had the enough competencies to revert the economic situation. The aftermath of the military rule should also be kept in mind when making the justification of the governmental change. Any governmental change within a country forges for a unified citizenry (Torcal and Mainwaring 57). However, during the military rule, the Chilean society remained divided. The governmental change was justified given the political and economic climate in Chile. The country, during Allende’s rule, experienced a high rate of economic imbalance. The economic situation was further worsened by transport strikes. Though there was increase in wages, it was further paralleled with increase in spending. This increased the cost of living by almost 50%. The Chilean socialism system of governance yielded a dictatorial stance. Preceding the coup, the economics minister at the time, Pedro Vuskovic, made policies affecting the currency that was in circulation. This further raised inflation by 140%. Apart from transport strikes, the country experienced a series of other major strikes, which led to further decline in economy. These were enough reasons for a call of change of government. Government should change if it does not meet the expectations of the people. However, the main concern should be how the transition is carried out (Aidt and Albornoz 201). Under the military rule, Chile faced serious economical upheavals under the military dictatorship. The international reaction towards the coup was unanimously negative. The international society was responsive by protecting persons who sought asylum in their embassies (Tusalem 360). The Chileans who were fleeing away from their country were accommodated in the neighboring countries. The governmental change in Chile was valid, but it should have been under the ballot box rather than military rule. Aristotle is considered one of the most influential thinkers in the philosophical field including the political theory. Political science, according to Aristotle’s view, dictates how politicians lead their subjects. This includes a system of moral education to the people. Aristotle makes an analogy between a politician and a craftsman. In the view of Aristotle teachings on political system, the situation in Chile was due to lack of flexible legal system. Adherence to constitution is a collective responsibility of the citizens. According to Aristotle, every change implies duality. For a change in government to take place, the old ways have to pass away and something new ways set in (Curtis 03). In the Chilean case, Allende regime was terminated by the military rule. However, the military rule was more repressive than the previous regime. According to John Locke, political revolutionaries of the past have their roots from the modern-day liberal democracies. He further alleges that the government is rendered necessary by troublemakers (Silva 390). He brought into the limelight the concept of liberalism, which aims at maximizing individual freedom. Liberalism, therefore, should be an outright thing for every citizen. In the Chilean case, the citizens should be allowed to elect another leader of their choice rather than being subjected to military sanctions (Lieberfeld 320). In conclusion, the 1973 Chilean coup was a situation that was based on economic turmoil, which rocked the country. It was further perpetuated by political upheavals that were partly due to objection of Allende’s rule. Apart from the internal conflicts that rocked the country, there was also a lot of pressure that came from external powers (Chossudovsky 02). Works Cited Aidt, Toke, and Facundo Albornoz. “Political regimes and foreign intervention.” Journal of Development Economics 94.2 (2011): 192-201. Print. Chossudovsky, Michel. “Chile, September 11, 1973: The Ingredients of a Military Coup.” www.globalresearch.ca., 2003. Web. 18 Sept. 2012. Curtis, Mark. “The Pinochet coup in Chile, 1973.” wordpress.com. 2 May 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2012. Lieberfeld, Daniel. “Reconciliation-Oriented Leadership: Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.” Journal of Peace and Psychology 17.3 (2011): 303-325. Print. Silva, Patricio. “Technocrats and Politics in Chile: from the Chicago Boys to the CIEPLAN Monks.” Journal of Latin American Studies 23.2 (1991): 385-410. Print. Torcal, Mariano, and Scott Mainwaring. “The Political Recrafting of Social Bases of Party. Competition: Chile, 1973–95.” British Journal of Political Science 33.1 (2003): 55-84. Print. Tusalem, Rollin F. “Determinants of Coup d’Etat Events 1970—90: The Role of Property Rights Protection.” International Political Science Review 31.3 (2010): 346-365. Print. Read More