The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

Chapter 1
Introduction

Fifteen years of military ruleÊ V>“iÊ ÌœÊ >˜Ê i˜`Ê ˆ˜Ê £™nnÊ Ü…i˜Ê
Chileans voted in a national referendum. The electorate delivered
>ÊÃÕÀ«ÀˆÃˆ˜}ÊÀiLՎiÊ̜Êi˜iÀ>Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌ]Ê܅œÊ…>`ʅœ«i`Ê̜ÊÀiViˆÛiÊ
>ÊۜÌiʜvÊVœ˜w`i˜Vi°Ê˜ÃÌi>`]Ê܅>ÌÊvœœÜi`ÊÜiÀiÊvÀiiÊ«ÀiÈ`i˜Ìˆ>Ê
and parliamentary elections under a reformed constitution in 1989.
*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊÜ>ÃʘœÌÊ>ÊV>˜`ˆ`>Ìiʈ˜Ê̅>ÌÊiiV̈œ˜°Ê/…Àiiʓ>œÀÊVœ˜Ìi˜`-
ers emerged in the race for president: Büchi on the right, Errázuriz
œ˜Ê̅iÊVi˜ÌiÀÊÀˆ}…Ì]Ê>˜`Ê
ޏ܈˜Êœ˜Ê̅iÊVi˜ÌiÀʏiv̰ʘÊiVi“LiÀÊ£™n™]Ê

ޏ܈˜ÊÀiViˆÛi`Êxx¯ÊœvÊ̅iÊۜÌiÊ>˜`ʅˆÃÊ«>ÀÌÞ]Ê̅iÊpdc (Christian
i“œVÀ>Ìî]Êi“iÀ}i`Ê>ÃÊ̅iʏ>À}iÃÌÊۜÌiÊ}iÌÌiÀ°ÊˆÃÊVi˜ÌiÀ‡ivÌÊVœ>ˆ-
tion elected 22 senators and 72 deputies, against 16 and 48 for the
right rn-udi coalition led by Büchi. In 1994, after presiding over the
most prosperous and stable period in modern Chilean history, Ayl-
܈˜ÊLiV>“iÊ̅iÊwÀÃÌÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê«ÀiÈ`i˜Ìʈ˜ÊxäÊÞi>ÀÃÊ̜ÊLiÊÃÕVVii`i`Ê
LÞÊ>ʓi“LiÀʜvʅˆÃʜܘʫ>ÀÌÞ°
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

The 1988 referendum and the national election one-year later

ÜiÀiʅˆÃ̜ÀˆVÊiÛi˜ÌÃÊvœÀÊ
…ˆiÊ>˜`Ê`À>“>̈Vʈ˜ÃÌ>˜ViÃʈ˜Ê̅iÊ}i˜iÀ>Ê
Ü>ÛiʜvÊ`i“œVÀ>̈â>̈œ˜Ê̅>ÌÊÃÜi«ÌÊ̅ÀœÕ}…Ê>̈˜Ê
“iÀˆV>ʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
iˆ}…̈iÃÊ>˜`Êi>ÀÞʘˆ˜ïiðÊ/…iÃiÊÌÕÀ˜ˆ˜}Ê«œˆ˜ÌÃÊÜiÀiÊÀiˆ˜vœÀVi`ÊLÞÊ
subsequent events. In December 1993, Christian Democratic Senator
`Õ>À`œÊÀiˆÊÀ°Êܜ˜Ê̅iÊ«ÀiÈ`i˜VÞÊLÞÊ>ÊÀiÜ՘`ˆ˜}Êxn¯]ÊVÀÕň˜}Ê
̅iÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiʜvÊ̅iÊÀˆ}…Ì]Ê
iÃÃ>˜`Àˆ]Ê܅œÊ}œÌʜ˜ÞÊÓ{¯ÊœvÊ̅iÊۜÌi°Ê
˜Ê £™n™Ê ̅iÊ ÌÜœÊ V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ Vi˜ÌiÀ‡Àˆ}…ÌÊ …>`Ê œLÌ>ˆ˜i`Ê {x¯Ê
œvÊ̅iÊۜÌi]ÊLÕÌÊvœÕÀÊÞi>ÀÃʏ>ÌiÀÊ̅iÞÊÀiViˆÛi`ʜ˜ÞÊÎÓ¯]Ê܈̅ʜ̅iÀÊ
minor candidates of the left obtaining the rest. The political success
œvÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê>˜`ʅˆÃÊ«>ÀÌÞ]Ê̅iÊVœ…iÈÛi˜iÃÃʜvÊ̅iÊVi˜ÌiÀ‡ivÌÊVœ>ˆÌˆœ˜]Ê
>ÃÊÜiÊ̅iÊiÝÌÀ>œÀ`ˆ˜>ÀÞÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ«Àœ}ÀiÃÃÊ̅iÊVœÕ˜ÌÀÞÊi˜œÞi`ÊvœÀÊ

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González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
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Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

more than a decade have made Chile an intriguing case for identify-
ing the factors contributing to the transition to a stable democracy.
Ìʅ>««i˜ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊ>Õ̅œÀÊÜ>Ãʈ˜Ê
…ˆiÊ>ÌÊ̅iÊ̈“iʜvÊ̅iÊ£™n™Ê
L>œÌÃÊ>˜`ÊÜ>Ãʈ˜ÛœÛi`ʈ˜Ê̅iÊ>`“ˆ˜ˆÃÌÀ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ>ʘՓLiÀʜvʘ>-
tional polls of the electorate before and during the presidential cam-
«>ˆ}˜°Ê /…ˆÃÊ ÜœÀŽÊ ˆÃÊ L>Ãi`Ê œ˜Ê >˜>ÞÈÃÊ œvÊ Ì…>ÌÊ «œˆ˜}Ê `>Ì>]Ê ­œÀÊ >Ê
ÌiV…˜ˆV>Ê`iÃVÀˆ«Ìˆœ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊwi`ܜÀŽ]ÊÃiiÊ
««i˜`ˆÝÊ£]ʈi`ܜÀŽ®Ê
more precisely on the comparison of national surveys of the Chilean
electorate taken in April and November before the December elec-
tion.
/…iʈ˜ˆÌˆ>ÊµÕiÃ̈œ˜Ê̅ˆÃÊÃÌÕ`ÞÊÃiiŽÃÊ̜Ê>˜ÃÜiÀʈÃÊ܅ÞÊ̅iÊL>-
sic spatial theory of voting appears not to hold for the behavior of
Chilean voters in 1989. The spatial model predicts that in a situation
ÃÕV…Ê>ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ«ÀiÛ>ˆˆ˜}ʈ˜Ê
…ˆiÊ̅iÊÌܜÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃʜ˜Ê̅iÊiÝÌÀi“iÃÊ
܈Ê“œÛiÊ̜Ê̅iÊVi˜ÌiÀʈ˜Ê>˜Ê>ÌÌi“«ÌÊ̜Ê܈˜Ê>Ü>ÞÊÃÕ««œÀÌÊvÀœ“Ê̅iÊ
Vi˜ÌÀˆÃÌÊV>˜`ˆ`>Ìi°Ê"ÛiÀÊ̅iÊVœÕÀÃiʜvÊ̅iÊ£™n™ÊV>“«>ˆ}˜]ʅœÜiÛiÀ]Ê
candidates on both the left and the right moved, not to the center
>˜`Ê̅iÀivœÀiÊ̜Ü>À`Ê̅iʓi`ˆ>˜ÊۜÌiÀ]ÊLÕÌÊ̜Ê̅iˆÀÊÀiëiV̈ÛiÊiÝ-
tremes. In spite of this, the center candidate, Errázuriz came in a
«œœÀÊ̅ˆÀ`°Ê/…ˆÃÊ̅iœÀïV>ÞÊ՘iÝ«iVÌi`ʜÕÌVœ“iʈÃÊ܅>ÌÊ̅ˆÃÊ`ˆÃ-
ÃiÀÌ>̈œ˜ÊwÀÃÌÊÃiiŽÃÊ̜ÊiÝ«>ˆ˜°
˜Ê ̅iÊ £™n™Ê iiV̈œ˜Ê ÌÕÀ˜œÕÌÊ Ü>ÃÊ œÛiÀÊ ˜ˆ˜iÌÞÊ «iÀVi˜ÌÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ
iˆ}ˆLiÊiiV̜À>Ìi]Ê>˜`Ê̅iÀiÊi݈ÃÌÃÊ>Ê}i˜iÀ>ÊVœ˜Ãi˜ÃÕÃÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊiiV-
̈œ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊv>ˆÀÊ>˜`Ê̅>ÌÊÌÕÀ˜œÕÌÊ>˜`ÊÀiÌÕÀ˜Êw}ÕÀiÃÊ>ÀiÊ>VVÕÀ>Ìi°Ê*œˆ˜}Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

and data analysis are fairly sophisticated in Chile and my fortuitous

«>À̈Vˆ«>̈œ˜Êˆ˜Ê̅iÊ`iÈ}˜Ê>˜`Ê>`“ˆ˜ˆÃÌÀ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊÌܜʫœÃ‡œ˜iÊ
near the beginning and the other near the end of the election cam-
«>ˆ}˜‡>œÜÃʓiÊ̜Ê>``ÀiÃÃÊ̅iʵÕiÃ̈œ˜ÊœvÊ܅>Ìʅ>««i˜i`ʈ˜Ê̅>ÌÊ
VÀˆÌˆV>Ê ÃiÛi˜‡“œ˜Ì…ÃÊ «iÀˆœ`°Ê
œ˜Ãˆ`iÀÊ Ì…>Ì]Ê >ÃÊ ˆÃÊ Ã…œÜ˜Ê ˆ˜Ê />LiÊ
£°£]Ê̅iÊ
ޏ܈˜ÊV>“«>ˆ}˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ>LiÊ̜Ê܈˜Ê̅iÊÃÕ««œÀÌʜvÊ>LœÕÌÊ>˜Ê
>``ˆÌˆœ˜>Ê£ä¯ÊœvÊ̅iÊiiV̜À>ÌiÊvÀœ“Ê
«ÀˆÊÌœÊ œÛi“LiÀ]ʓ>ˆ˜ÞÊ
taken from Büchi supporters.

10 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
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Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

Table 1.1. Intent to Vote.

April November

ޏ܈˜ 47.73 56.42
Errázuriz 16.35 14.40
Büchi 35.92 29.18
ÞÊÃÕÀÛiÞÊ`>Ì>ÊŜÜÊ̅>ÌÊ>Ì…œÕ}…Ê̅iÊ>ÃÃՓ«Ìˆœ˜ÃʜvÊ̅iÊÃÌ>˜`>À`Ê
ë>̈>Ê“œ`iÊÜiÀiʓiÌʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜ÊV>Ãi]Ê̅iʓœ`iÊv>ˆÃÊ̜ʫÀi-
`ˆVÌÊ̅iʜÕÌVœ“i°ÊÊ܈Ê>À}ÕiÊ̅>ÌÊ̅ˆÃÊv>ˆÕÀiʈÃÊLÕÌÊ>˜ÊˆÕÃÌÀ>̈œ˜Ê
of fundamental limitations of the standard model developed in the
1˜ˆÌi`Ê-Ì>ÌiÃÊ>˜`Ê«Ài“ˆÃi`ʜ˜ÊÌܜ‡«>ÀÌÞÊVœ“«ï̈œ˜ÊˆŽiÊ̅>ÌÊVœ“-
mon in American politics. In Chile, like many other countries, multi-
V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊV>“«>ˆ}˜ÃÊ>ÀiÊ̅iÊÀՏi°Ê iV>ÕÃiÊ̅iÀiÊ>ÀiʓœÀiÊ̅>˜ÊÌܜÊ
candidates, there is no equilibrium outcome in the standard spatial
model and it produces no prediction. More sophisticated versions
of spatial models do produce predictions in multi-candidate elec-
tions, but as mentioned before, they still failed to predict the Chilean
case.
œÜÊV>˜Êë>̈>Ê“œ`iÃÊLiʓœ`ˆwi`Ê̜ʫiÀ“ˆÌÊ̅i“Ê̜Ê>««ÞÊ̜Ê
>ʓՏ̈‡«>ÀÌÞÊÃiÌ̈˜}¶ÊÞÊ>˜ÃÜiÀʈÃÊLœÌ…ÊÌiV…˜ˆV>Ê>˜`Ê̅iœÀïV>°Ê
Technically, it involves the use of a variant of multidimensional scal-
ˆ˜}]Ê>Êv>V̜ÀÊ>˜>Þ̈V>ÊÌiV…˜ˆµÕiÊ`iÛiœ«i`ÊLÞÊ
>…œœ˜Ê>˜`ʈ˜ˆV…1
­œÀÊ>ÊÌiV…˜ˆV>Ê`ˆÃVÕÃȜ˜ÊœvÊ̅ˆÃÊ>˜>Þ̈V>Ê«ÀœVi`ÕÀi]ÊÃiiÊ
««i˜-
`ˆÝÊÓ]Ê/…iÊ
>…œœ˜Ê*ÀœVi`ÕÀi®Ê̜Ê՘VœÛiÀÊ̅iÊ՘`iÀÞˆ˜}ÊÃÌÀÕVÌÕÀiʜvÊ
T-scores2 respondents give to candidates. T-scores are derived from
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

items asking respondents to rate candidates, political personalities,

>˜`ʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜Ãʜ˜Ê>ÊLJ«œˆ˜ÌÊÃV>iÊ>VVœÀ`ˆ˜}Ê̜ʅœÜÊ̅iÊÀi뜘`i˜ÌÊ
LiˆiÛiÃÊ̅iÊvœÀ“iÀÊ>ÀiʏˆŽiÞÊ̜Ê>`Û>˜ViÊ̅iÊÜiv>ÀiʜvÊ̅i“ÃiÛiÃÊ
>˜`Ê Ì…iˆÀÊ v>“ˆˆiÃ°Ê /…iÃiÊ ÃVœÀiÃÊ ÜiÀiÊ VœiVÌi`Ê vœÀÊ i>V…Ê V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊ
>˜`ʓ>œÀÊ«iÀܘ>ˆÌˆiÃÊ>˜`ʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜ÃÊ>ÌÊLœÌ…ʘ>̈œ˜>Ê«œÃ°Ê/…iÊ
1
>ÜÀi˜ViÊ -°Ê
>…œœ˜Ê >˜`Ê iÛˆ˜Ê °Ê ˆ˜ˆV…]Ê 
Ê i̅œ`Ê vœÀÊ œV>̈˜}Ê
Targets Using Range Only,» IEEE Transactions on Information Theory,
22(1976):217-225.
2
Ê /‡ÃVœÀiÃʜÜiÊ̅iˆÀʘ>“iÊ̜Ê̅iÊi“«ˆÀˆV>ÊÕÃiʜvÊ̅iÊ̅iÀ“œ“iÌiÀ‡Ìi“«iÀ>‡
/‡ÃVœÀiÃʜÜiÊ̅iˆÀʘ>“iÊ̜Ê̅iÊi“«ˆÀˆV>ÊÕÃiʜvÊ̅iÊ̅iÀ“œ“iÌiÀ‡Ìi“«iÀ>-
ÌÕÀiÊ>˜>œ}ްʘÊ̅ˆÃÊ>˜`ʜ̅iÀÊÀi>Ìi`ʓ>ÌÌiÀÃÊʅ>ÛiÊvœœÜi`Ê̅iʓi̅œ`-
œœ}ÞÊ>˜`ʘœÌ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ ˜iœÜÊ>˜`ʈ˜ˆV…°Ê>“iÃÊ°Ê ˜iœÜÊ>˜`ÊiÛˆ˜Ê°Ê
ˆ˜ˆV…]ÊThe Spatial Theory of Voting. An IntroductionÊ­ iÜÊ9œÀŽ\Ê
>“-
LÀˆ`}iÊ1˜ˆÛiÀÈÌÞÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™n{®\Ê>««i˜`ˆÝʙ°£°

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González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
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Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

Cahoon procedure seeks to identify the underlying ideological struc-

ÌÕÀiʜvÊ̅iÃiÊÃVœÀiÃÊLÞÊ«œœˆ˜}Ê>Ê̅iÊ/‡ÃVœÀiÃÊvœÀÊÀi뜘`i˜ÌÃÊ܅œÊ
ÃÕVViÃÃvՏÞÊ iÛ>Õ>Ìi`Ê >Ê ÌÜiÛiÊ V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃÉ«œˆÌˆV>Ê «iÀܘ>ÊˆÌˆiÃÉ
ˆ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜Ã°Ê
ÃÊÊ܈ÊŜÜ]Ê̅iÊ«ÀœVi`ÕÀiÊވi`ÃÊÌܜÊ`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜Ã°
“«ˆÀˆV>Þ]Ê Ê Ã…œÜÊ Ì…>ÌÊ Ì…iÊ ÌÜœÊ `ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜ÃÊ ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê
data recovered by the Cahoon procedure help me account for the
evolution of vote preferences from April to November. In addition
܅i˜Ê ۜÌiÀÃÊ >ÀiÊ V>Ìi}œÀˆâi`Ê œ˜Ê ̅iÊ L>ÈÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iˆÀÊ œV>̈œ˜Ê ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ
Ìܜ‡`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜>Êë>ViÊ̅iÊ
>…œœ˜Ê«ÀœVi`ÕÀiÊ«Àœ`ÕViÃ]ÊÊ>“Ê>LiÊ
̜ÊŜÜÊLœÌ…Ê܅ˆV…ÊۜÌiÀÃÊÃ܈ÌV…i`ÊvÀœ“Êœ˜iÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊ̜Ê>˜œÌ…iÀÊ
>˜`Ê܅ˆV…ʈÃÃÕiÃÊÜiÀiʓœÃÌʈ“«œÀÌ>˜ÌÊ̜Ê̅i“°Ê/…iÊÌܜÊ`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜ÃÊ
>ÀiÊ«Ài`ˆV̈Ûiʜvʜ̅iÀÊ`>Ì>ʈ˜Ê̅iÊÃÕÀÛiÞÃʅ>ۈ˜}Ê̜Ê`œÊ܈̅Ê`i“œ-
}À>«…ˆVÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆÃ̈VÃʜvÊ̅iÊÀi뜘`i˜ÌÃÊ>˜`Ê̅iˆÀÊ>Ì̈ÌÕ`iÃÊ̜Ü>À`Ê
such important issues as the market economy, the need for change,
the role of the Church, and human rights.
7…ˆiÊ Ì…iÊ i“«ˆÀˆV>Ê ÕÃiÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ ÌÜœÊ `ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜ÃÊ >ÀiÊ `i“œ˜-
strated, their theoretical implications are less obvious. I assume the
/‡ÃVœÀiÃÊÀiyiVÌÊ̅iÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiýÊÀi«ÕÌ>̈œ˜ÃÊ>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊ̅iʈ`iœœ}ˆ-
V>Ê«Ài`ˆÃ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊÀi뜘`i˜ÌðÊ/…iÊVÀˆÌˆV>Êˆ˜Ž>}iÊLiÌÜii˜Ê
reputation and ideology is provided by the concept of deception.
/…iÊ ÃÌÀ>Ìi}ˆVÊ «ÀœLi“Ê vœÀÊ Ì…iÊ V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊ ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ V>ÃÈV>Ê œÜ˜Ãˆ>˜Ê
model is to locate the median voter and position himself as close to
that voter as possible.
In the modified model I propose the strategic problem for the
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiʈÃÊ̜ʫÀiÃi˜Ìʅˆ“Ãivʈ˜ÊÃÕV…Ê>ÊÜ>ÞÊ>ÃÊ̜Ê>««i>ÀÊ>ÃÊVœÃiÊ
>ÃÊ«œÃÈLiÊ̜Ê>Ãʓ>˜ÞʜvÊ̅iÊۜÌiÀÃÊ>Ãʅiʘii`Ãʈ˜ÊœÀ`iÀÊ̜Ê܈˜Ê̅iÊ
race under the given institutional arrangements and the character-
istics of the competition. In this modified model I no longer assume
̅>ÌÊ̅iÀiʈÃÊ>ÊȘ}iÊ«œˆ˜Ìʈ˜Ê̅iÊë>ViÊVœ˜Ã̈ÌÕÌi`ÊLÞÊۜÌiÀýʈ`i>Ê
«œˆ˜ÌÃÊ>ÌÊ܅ˆV…Ê̅iÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊŜՏ`Ê«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê…ˆ“ÃivÊ̜ʓ>݈“ˆâiÊ
his support. Rather, there is a deliberately ambiguous space that is
>Ãʏ>À}iÊ>ÃʘiViÃÃ>ÀÞÊ̜Ê܈˜Ê̅iÊÅ>ÀiʜvÊ̅iÊۜÌiÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜ÃÊ
require.
œÀÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃÊ̜ʫÕÀÃÕiÊ̅ˆÃʓœÀiÊVœ“«ˆV>Ìi`ÊÃÌÀ>Ìi}ÞÊÊ>À-
gue that they must engage not only in deception of the voters, that is
>««i>Àˆ˜}Ê̜ÊLiÊ܅>ÌÊ̅iÞÊ>ÀiʘœÌ]ÊLÕÌʈ˜ÊÃiv‡`iVi«Ìˆœ˜Ê>ÃÊÜi°Ê/…>ÌÊ

12 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

politicians practice deceit is a truism as old as the earliest politi-

cal commentaries and easily incorporated by modern spatial models
though it is not central to them. The concept of self-deception (these
concepts are developed in Chapter 2, Theory), on the other hand, is
>ÊVœ˜Vi«ÌÊvœÀiˆ}˜Ê̜Ê̅iÊÀ>̈œ˜>ˆÌÞÊ>ÃÃՓ«Ìˆœ˜ÊœvÊLœÌ…ÊœÜ˜Ãˆ>˜Ê
and spatial theory.
/…iÊܜÀŽÊ̅>ÌʈÃʓœÃÌʅi«vՏʈ˜Ê՘`iÀÃÌ>˜`ˆ˜}ʅœÜÊ`iVi«Ìˆœ˜Ê
and self-deception can be incorporated into candidate strategies is
that related to the notion of the Adapted Mind, a game-theoretic ap-
proach to the problem of social interaction developed in the field of
iۜṎœ˜>ÀÞÊ«ÃÞV…œœ}Þ°Ê/…iÊ
`>«Ìi`ʈ˜`ÊVœ˜ÃÌÀÕVÌ]Ê܅ˆV…ÊÊ܈Ê
`ˆÃVÕÃÃÊ>Ìʏi˜}̅ʈ˜Ê̅iʘiÝÌÊV…>«ÌiÀ]ʈÃÊLՈÌʜ˜Ê̅iʈ`i>Ê̅>ÌÊ̅iÀiʈÃÊ
an evolutionary imperative to select for traits related to the detection
œvÊ`iVi«Ìˆœ˜°Ê˜ÊœÌ…iÀÊܜÀ`Ã]Ê̅iÊ
`>«Ìi`ʈ˜`ʈÃÊ̅iÊ«Àœ`ÕVÌʜvÊ>˜Ê
iۜṎœ˜>ÀÞÊ«ÀœViÃÃÊ̅>ÌÊÀiÜ>À`ÃÊ«iÀܘÃÊ>LiÊ̜Ê`iÌiVÌÊ`iVi«Ìˆœ˜Ê
ˆ˜ÊœÌ…iÀÃÊ>˜`Ê̜ʓ>ÎÊ̅iˆÀʜܘÊ`iVi«ÌˆÛiÊ>V̈œ˜Ã°Ê/…iʓœÃÌÊivviV-
̈ÛiÊ “i̅œ`Ê œvÊ …ˆ`ˆ˜}Ê `iVi«Ìˆœ˜Ê ˆÃÊ Ì…ÀœÕ}…Ê Ãiv‡`iVi«Ìˆœ˜°Ê i˜Vi]Ê
human beings may be hypothesized to have developed genetically
adaptive capacities to engage in both deception and self-deception
and, if so, these can be modeled to predict human behavior.
Based on the theory of the Adapted Mind, the empirical re-
Ãi>ÀV…ÊœvÊÃV…œ>ÀÃÊܜÀŽˆ˜}ʈ˜Ê̅ˆÃÊ>Ài>]Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊiۈ`i˜ViÊ}i˜iÀ>Ìi`Ê
LÞÊ “ÞÊ œÜ˜Ê >˜>ÞÈÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê «œˆ˜}Ê `>Ì>]Ê Ê ÜˆÊ >À}ÕiÊ Ì…>ÌÊ
̅iÀiÊ>Àiʜ˜ÞÊÌܜÊv՘`>“i˜Ì>ÊVœ}˜ˆÌˆÛiÊ`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜ÃÊ>œ˜}Ê܅ˆV…Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

individuals process information about social interactions and that

̅iÃiÊ>Àiʈ˜Û>Àˆ>˜ÌÊ>VÀœÃÃÊVՏÌÕÀiðÊÊ>À}ÕiÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊÌܜÊ`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜ÃÊ
«Àœ`ÕVi`ÊLÞÊ̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê`>Ì>Ê>ÀiÊiÝi“«>ÀÃʜvÊ̅iÃiÊÌܜÊv՘`>“i˜-
tal cognitive dimensions and not simply a reflection of the particu-
larities of Chilean politics in 1989. The first (in my study the most
ˆ“«œÀÌ>˜ÌÊÃÌ>̈Ã̈V>Þ]Ê iÝ«>ˆ˜ˆ˜}Ê >LœÕÌÊ …>vÊ Ì…iÊ VœÛ>Àˆ>˜Vi®Ê ˆÃÊ Ài-
lated to the common left-right, radicalism-conservatism polarity of
«œˆÌˆVðÊ/…iÊÃiVœ˜`Ê­vœœÜˆ˜}ʈ˜ÊÃÌ>̈Ã̈V>ÊiÝ«>˜>̜ÀÞÊ«œÜiÀ]Ê>V-
VœÕ˜Ìˆ˜}ÊvœÀÊ>LœÕÌʜ˜i‡ÃˆÝ̅ʜvÊ̅iÊVœÛ>Àˆ>˜Vi®ÊˆÃÊÀi>Ìi`Ê̜Ê>Ê`ˆvviÀ-
i˜ÌÊ>ëiVÌʜvÊ̅iʏiv̇Àˆ}…ÌÊ«œ>ÀˆÌÞ°ÊÊV>Ê̅ˆÃʈ`i>ˆÃ“‡Ài>ˆÃ“]Ê܅ˆV…Ê
ˆÃÊ Ài>Ìi`Ê ÌœÊ Ü…>ÌÊ Ì…iÊ ÃœVˆ>Ê «ÃÞV…œœ}ÞÊ ˆÌiÀ>ÌÕÀiÊ …>ÃÊ >Lii`Ê Ì…iÊ
ÌœÕ}…ÊœÀÊÜv̇“ˆ˜`i`˜iÃÂÊ`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜°Ê ÞÊ`À>܈˜}ʜ˜Ê̅iÊliterature

132008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

œ˜Ê̅iÊ
`>«Ìi`ʈ˜`Ê>˜`ÊÀi>Ìi`ÊܜÀŽÊˆ˜ÊiۜṎœ˜>ÀÞÊ«ÃÞV…œœ}ÞÊ
I am able to interpret the cognitive maps of voters and solve certain
problems spatial theorists have had in interpreting or labeling the at-
titudinal dimensions they have uncovered. They have tended to give
them issue-related, ideological, or substantive-policy labels. In other
ܜÀ`ÃÊ Ì…iÞÊ …>ÛiÊ Ãii˜Ê ̅i“Ê >ÃÊ «Àœ`ÕVÌÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ Ã«iVˆwVÊ Vœ˜ÌiÝÌÊ ˆ˜Ê
܅ˆV…Ê̅iÊ`>Ì>Ê>ÀiÊVœiVÌi`]Ê܅ˆiÊÊ܈Ê>À}ÕiÊ̅iÞÊ>ÀiÊ̅iÊëiVˆwVÊ
political manifestation of universal dimensions of cognitive struc-
ÌÕÀiÊ̅>Ìʅ>ÛiÊLii˜Ê՘VœÛiÀi`ʈ˜Ê>ÊVՏÌÕÀ>ÊÃiÌ̈˜}ÃÊ܅i˜ÊÃՈÌ>LiÊ
studies have been undertaken.

The 1989 Chilean Elections

/…iÊ`iw˜ˆ˜}ÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆÃ̈VʜvÊ̅iÊ£™n™ÊiiV̈œ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iÊ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜ÊÌ>Ž-
i˜Ê LÞÊ Ì…iÊ ÀiëiV̈ÛiÊ V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃÊ ÌœÜ>À`ÃÊ i˜iÀ>Ê *ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ
“>ˆ˜Ê>ëiVÌÃʜvÊ̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“iʅiʅ>`ʅi>`i`°Ê*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê
Ü>ÃÊV>ÀivՏÞÊ>“Lˆ}՜ÕÃÊ>LœÕÌÊ̅iÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊvÀiiʓ>ÀŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ
“œ`i]Ê܅ˆV…Ê>œÜi`ÊVi˜ÌiÀÊ>˜`ʏiv̈ÃÌÊۜÌiÀÃÊ̜ÊLiˆiÛiÊ̅>ÌʅiÊÜ>ÃÊ
}œˆ˜}Ê̜ʫÀœ“œÌiÊV…>˜}iʈ˜Ê̅>ÌÊ>˜`ʜ̅iÀÊ>Ài˜>ðÊi>˜Ü…ˆi]Ê̅iÊ
economic elite and voters on the right held the opposite perception
œvʅˆÃʈ˜Ìi˜Ìˆœ˜Ã°Ê/…iʓ>ˆ˜ÊœLiV̈ÛiʜvÊ̅iÊ
ޏ܈˜ÊV>“«>ˆ}˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ
̜Ê>ÃÜVˆ>ÌiÊ ØV…ˆÊ܈̅Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ>˜`ÊiëiVˆ>ÞÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊvÀiiʓ>À-
ŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVʓœ`i°ÊœÜiÛiÀ]ʜ˜Viʈ˜ÊœvwViÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê“>ˆ˜Ì>ˆ˜i`Ê̅iÊ
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

economic policies of the Pinochet regime in all essential respects.3

In addition, the Christian Democratic Party that led the coalition
Ü>ÃÊ>LiÊ̜Ê`iÛiœ«Ê>˜Ê>“Lˆ}՜ÕÃÊÀi>̈œ˜Ã…ˆ«Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
œ““Õ˜ˆÃÌÊ
Party by focusing on the national reconciliation theme stressed by
̅iÊ
ޏ܈˜ÊV>“«>ˆ}˜4.
ØV…ˆ½ÃÊvœÀ“>Ê«>ÌvœÀ“ÊVœ˜ÃˆÃÌi`ʜvÊ>ÊvœÕÀ‡«œˆ˜ÌÊ«>˜Ê>`ۜV>Ì-
ˆ˜}Ê>Ê`iVi˜ÌÀ>ˆâi`ʓ>ÀŽi̇œÀˆi˜Ìi`ÊÃÌ>Ìi]ÊLiÌÌiÀʍœLʜ««œÀÌ՘ˆÌˆiÃ]Ê
3
>ۈ`Ê °Ê œ“>˜]Ê 
…ˆiÊ
vÌiÀÊ *ˆ˜œV…iÌ\Ê
ޏ܈˜½ÃÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê i“œVÀ>ÌÊ
Vœ˜œ“ˆVÊ *œˆVˆiÃÊ vœÀÊ Ì…iÊ £™™ä½Ã‚]Ê Bulletin of Latin American Research
9(1990):25-47.
4

>˜Ê
˜}iÊ>˜`Ê i˜˜iÞÊ*œ>VŽ]ʁ/…iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê iV̈œ˜ÃʜvÊ£™n™Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊ
Politics of the Transition to Democracy», Bulletin of Latin American Re-
search 9(1990):1-23.

14 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

alleviation of the housing shortage, and privatization of the health

care system5. Most of his campaign consisted of arguing for the need
vœÀÊ >˜Ê ˆ˜`i«i˜`i˜Ì‚Ê i>`iÀň«Ê `ÕÀˆ˜}Ê Ì…iÊ ÌÀ>˜ÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê ˆ˜Ê œÀ`iÀÊ ÌœÊ
“>ˆ˜Ì>ˆ˜ÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ}ÀœÜ̅°ÊÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê̅iÊVœ>ˆÌˆœ˜Êi`ÊLÞÊ ØV…ˆÊ
Ü>ÃÊV>ÀivՏÞÊÛ>}ÕiÊ>LœÕÌÊ̅iÊvÕÌÕÀiÊÀœiʜvÊi˜iÀ>Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌʅˆ“-
Ãiv]Ê܅ˆiÊ«Àœ“œÌˆ˜}Ê̅iÊ«iÀVi«Ìˆœ˜Ê̅>ÌÊ ØV…ˆÊv>ۜÀi`Ê>˜Êi˜`Ê̜Ê
the human rights abuses and other unpopular matters associated
܈̅Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“i°Êˆ˜>Þ]Ê ØV…ˆÊ>ÌÌ>VŽi`Ê
ޏ܈˜ÊLÞʓ>Žˆ˜}Ê
ÀiviÀi˜ViÊ ÌœÊ >Ê ÃÕ««œÃi`Ê ÃiVÀiÌÊ «>VÌÊ LiÌÜii˜Ê ̅iÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê V>“«>ˆ}˜Ê
>˜`Ê̅iÊ
œ““Õ˜ˆÃÌÃ]Ê܅ˆV…ÊÜ>ÃʘiÛiÀÊÃÕLÃÌ>˜Ìˆ>Ìi`°
/…iÊ ÀÀ?âÕÀˆâÊV>“«>ˆ}˜Ê>`ۜV>Ìi`Ê>ʓˆÝʜvÊ«œ«ÕˆÃÌÊ>˜`ʘ>-
̈œ˜>ˆÃ̈VÊ̅i“iÃ]Ê՘`iÀÊ>ʁVi˜ÌÀˆÃ̂ʫ>ÌvœÀ“Ê܅ˆV…ÊV>i`ÊvœÀÊ̅iÊ
ÀivœÀ“Ê œvÊ Ì…iÊ iÝÌÀi“iÊ …>˜`ÃÊ œvv‚Ê iVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ «œˆVˆiÃ]Ê >ÃÊ …iÊ «œÀ-
ÌÀ>Þi`Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“i½ÃÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVʓœ`i]Ê>˜`Ê>ÌÌ>VŽi`Ê ØV…ˆÊ>ÃÊ
̅iÊ>ÀV…ˆÌiVÌʜvÊ̅>Ìʓœ`i°Ê ÀÀ?âÕÀˆâÊ«>Vi`ʅˆ“ÃivÊLiÌÜii˜Ê
ޏ܈˜Ê
and Büchi in the campaign and accordingly labeled himself as the
Vi˜ÌiÀʜvÊ̅iÊVi˜ÌiÀ‚°
In the modified spatial model I propose, politicians compete
vœÀÊۜÌiÀÃÊLÞÊ«œÀÌÀ>ވ˜}Ê̅iˆÀʜܘʫœÃˆÌˆœ˜ÃÊ>ÃÊLiˆ˜}Ê>ÃÊVœÃiÊ̜Ê̅iÊ
preferred positions of as many voters as is possible, rather than seek-
ˆ˜}ʜÕÌÊ̅iʓi`ˆ>˜ÊۜÌiÀÊ܅ˆV…ʈÃʘœÌÊ̅iÊÃ>“iÊ̅ˆ˜}°Ê/…ˆÃʈÃʘœÌÊ>˜Ê
easy task and the more capacity voters have to detect inconsistencies
and ambiguities, the less room there is for politicians to maneuver.
/…ˆÃÊ “>ŽiÃÊ ˆÌÊ ˜iViÃÃ>ÀÞÊ ÌœÊ “œ`ˆvÞÊ Ì…iÊ œÜ˜Ãˆ>˜Ê “œ`iÊ ÃœÊ Ì…>ÌÊ >Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

candidate or party does not select one point on the left-right scale,
LÕÌÊ>ÊÃi}“i˜ÌÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÞÊÌÀÞÊ̜ÊiÝ«>˜`ʈ˜Êœ˜iÊ`ˆÀiV̈œ˜ÊœÀÊ>˜œÌ…iÀÊ>ÃÊ
much as possible given the competitive pressures and the informa-
tion available to the voters.

œ˜Vi«ÌÕ>Þ]Ê̅ˆÃÊV>˜ÊLiÊiÝÌi˜`i`Ê̜ʓœÀiÊ̅>˜Ê̅iÊȓ«iʏiv̇
Àˆ}…ÌÊ`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜]Ê܅ˆV…ʈÃÊVœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜ÌÊ܈̅Ê̅iʓ>̅i“>̈V>ÊvœÀ“Õ-
>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ ˜iœÜÊ>˜`ʈ˜ˆV…°Ê
ÃÊ>ÊVœ˜Vi«Ì]ʈÌʈÃÊiÛi˜Ê“œÀiÊv>ˆÌ…vՏÊ
̜Ê̅iˆÀʜܘÊ>ÃÃՓ«Ìˆœ˜ÊÌ…>ÌÊ>ÊVœ““œ˜ÊÃiÌʜvÊ«Ài`ˆV̈Ûiʏ>LiÃʈÃÊ
used to describe political candidates, but that each label may suggest
different policy positions to different voters. Thus, political debate is

5
Ibid.

152008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

framed in terms of a common set of predictive labels, but each label

ˆÃÊ}ˆÛi˜Ê>ÊÃÕLiV̈Ûiʈ˜ÌiÀ«ÀiÌ>̈œ˜ÊLÞÊi>V…ÊۜÌiÀ°‚6 My assertion that
the average position of a candidate in the multidimensional ideologi-
cal space is the average of the different perceptions of his position by
̅iÊۜÌiÀÃʈÃÊVœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜ÌÊÜˆÌ…Ê ˜iœÜÊ>˜`ʈ˜ˆV…½Ãʓ>̅i“>̈V>Ê>˜`Ê
Vœ˜Vi«ÌÕ>ÊvœÀ“Տ>̈œ˜°Ê/…iÊ`ˆvviÀi˜ViÊLiÌÜii˜ÊÕÃʈÃÊ̅>ÌÊÊ̅ˆ˜ŽÊœvÊ
̅iÊV>˜`ˆ`>Ìi½ÃÊ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê>ÃÊ>˜Ê>ÛiÀ>}iʜvÊ>ʘՓLiÀʜvÊ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜ÃÊ>˜`Ê
˜œÌÊ >ÃÊ >Ê Ãˆ˜}iÊ «œˆ˜Ì°Ê ÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê ˆ˜Ê >Ê “Տ̈`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜>Ê ÃiÌ̈˜}]Ê
«œˆÌˆVˆ>˜ÃÊÌÀÞÊ̜ʫœÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê̅i“ÃiÛiÃʈ˜Ê>ÊVœ˜ÛiÝÊë>ViÊ­>˜>œ}œÕÃÊ
to the one-dimensional segment) and not at a single ideal point. This
˜œÌˆœ˜ÊˆÃÊiµÕ>ÞÊVœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜ÌÊÜˆÌ…Ê ˜iœÜÊ>˜`ʈ˜ˆV…½Ãʓ>̅i“>̈V>Ê
vœÀ“Տ>̈œ˜]Ê>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊ܈̅Ê̅iˆÀÊVœ˜Vi«ÌÕ>Ê`iÃVÀˆ«Ìˆœ˜Ê>ÃÊV>˜ÊLiÊ
seen in the passage quoted above.
œÀiÊÀiiÛ>˜ÌʈÃÊ̅iʓœ`i½ÃÊi“«ˆÀˆV>ÊVœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜VÞÊ܈̅ÊViÀÌ>ˆ˜Ê
salient political phenomena like the tendency of candidates to take
ambiguous positions and to engage in negative campaigning. There
is a clear advantage to a candidate if he can falsely portray himself
as closer to the voters than his competitors, either by sacrificing the
Vœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜VÞʜvʅˆÃʜܘÊÃÌ>Ìi“i˜ÌÃʜÀÊLÞÊiÝ>}}iÀ>̈˜}Ê̅iÊ`ˆÃÌ>˜ViÊ
of the other candidates from the voters. The more open a society
is to political competition, the tougher it becomes to engage in this
sort of manipulation. Over time, politicians are forced to take sides
and competitors can keep records and make them public. This is
especially problematic if one considers that even if voters do not
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

have incentives to gather a lot of information, an outright lie or a

}ÀœÃÃʈ˜Vœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜VÞʈÃʘœÌˆVi>LiÊLÞÊ̜`>Þ½ÃÊiiV̜À>ÌiðÊ/…iʓœ`ˆwi`Ê
ë>̈>Ê“œ`iÊ«ÀœÛˆ`iÃÊ>˜ÊiÝ«>˜>̈œ˜ÊvœÀÊ̅iÊÃÕVViÃÃvՏÊÕÃiʜvÊ`i-
ception even under these conditions. Moreover, negative campaign-
ing can be modeled spatially by assuming that the politician tries to
make the voter perceive his position as closer to that of the voter
LÞʓ>Žˆ˜}ʈÌÊ>««i>ÀÊ̅>ÌʅˆÃʜ««œ˜i˜ÌÃÊ>ÀiÊvÕÀ̅iÀÊ>Ü>Þʈ˜Ê̅iÊÌܜÊ
ideological dimensions than they really are.

6
>“iÃÊ°Ê ˜iœÜÊ>˜`ÊiÛˆ˜Ê°Êˆ˜ˆV…]ÊThe Spatial Theory of Voting. An
IntroductionÊ­ iÜÊ9œÀŽ\Ê
>“LÀˆ`}iÊ1˜ˆÛiÀÈÌÞÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™n{®\Ê«>}iÊ{ä°

16 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
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 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

Aylwin’s History

*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜ÊLiV>“iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê«ÀiÈ`i˜ÌÊ>ÃÊ>ʓi“LiÀʜvÊ̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ-
̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>̈VÊ*>ÀÌÞ]Ê܅ˆV…Êi“iÀ}i`ÊvÀœ“Ê̅iÊ
œ˜ÃiÀÛ>̈ÛiÊ*>ÀÌÞÊ
̅>ÌÊvÀœ“ʈÌÃÊvœÕ˜`ˆ˜}ÊÜ>Ãʏˆ˜Ži`Ê̜Ê̅iÊ
>̅œˆVÊ
…ÕÀV…°
A group of Catholics committed to the defense of the Church even-
tually became the Conservative Party in 1857. Scully has argued that
LÞʈ`i˜Ìˆvވ˜}Ê̅iÊV>ÕÃiʜvÊ̅iÊ
…ÕÀV…ÊÜÊVœÃiÞÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊ
œ˜ÃiÀÛ>-
tive Party, the Church hierarchy not only captured a loyal constitu-
ency for the Conservatives but also defined the political arena for
their adversaries.7
In 1925 President Arturo Alessandri reached an acceptable
Vœ“«Àœ“ˆÃiÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊ6>̈V>˜Ê̜ʓˆ˜ˆ“ˆâiÊ«ÕLˆVÊ`ˆÃ>}Àii“i˜ÌÊ>˜`Ê
brought about one of the smoothest transitions to formal separation
LiÌÜii˜Ê V…ÕÀV…Ê >˜`Ê ÃÌ>ÌiÊ ˆ˜Ê >̈˜Ê
“iÀˆV>°Ê Àœ“Ê ̅iÊ “ˆ`‡£™ÎäÃÊ
՘̈Ê̅iʏ>ÌiÊ£™xäÃ]Ê̅iÀiÊÜ>ÃÊ>Ê}À>`Õ>ÊLÕÌÊÃÌi>`ÞÊVœ˜Ãœˆ`>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ
«Àœ}ÀiÃÈÛiÊii“i˜ÌÃÊ܈̅ˆ˜Ê̅iÊV…ÕÀV…Ê…ˆiÀ>ÀV…Þ]Ê>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊ>Ê}ÀœÜ-
ing number of lay groups committed to the increasingly anti-liberal
and anti-capitalist social principles of the Church.8
In 1935 a group of progressive Catholic youths entered the

œ˜ÃiÀÛ>̈ÛiÊ *>ÀÌÞÊ Žii«ˆ˜}Ê ˆÌÃÊ ÌˆiÃÊ ÌœÊ Ì…iÊ
…ÕÀV…Ê ܅ˆiÊ ÀiÌ>ˆ˜ˆ˜}Ê
certain autonomy from the party hierarchy. At the time, their anti-
ˆLiÀ>Ê̜˜iÃÊÜiÀiʓœÀiÊVœÀ«œÀ>̈ۈÃÌÊ̅>˜ÊÜVˆ>ˆÃÌÊ>ÃÊV>˜ÊLiÊÃii˜ÊvœÀÊ
iÝ>“«iʈ˜Ê̅iʘ>“iÊ̅iÞÊ>`œ«Ìi`]ÊFalange Nacional (National Pha-
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

>˜Ý®°Ê/…iʘ>“iÊÜ>Ãʈ˜Ã«ˆÀi`Ê>˜`ÊiۜŽi`Ê̅iÊVœÀ«œÀ>̈ۈÃÌʓœÛi-
“i˜ÌÊ̅>ÌÊ>ÌÊ̅iÊ̈“iÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iÊLi>Vœ˜Êˆ˜Ê̅iÊw}…ÌÊ>}>ˆ˜ÃÌÊÜVˆ>ˆÃ“ʈ˜Ê
̅iÊ-«>˜ˆÃ…ÊVˆÛˆÊÜ>À°

ÌÊ̅>ÌÊ̈“i]Ê̅iÀiÊÜ>ÃÊ>ʓ>œÀÊÃV…ˆÃ“Ê>“œ˜}Ê̅iÊV…ÕÀV…Ê…ˆiÀ-
>ÀV…ÞʜÛiÀʅœÜÊ̜Ê`i>Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
œ““Õ˜ˆÃÌÊ«>ÀÌÞ½ÃÊ>`Û>˜ViÃÊ>“œ˜}Ê
̅iÊܜÀŽˆ˜}ÊV>ÃÃiðÊ7…ˆiÊ̅iÊ
œ˜ÃiÀÛ>̈ÛiÊ*>ÀÌÞÊ>˜`Ê̅iÊ
…ÕÀV…Ê
…ˆiÀ>ÀV…ÞÊ̅ÀiÜÊ̅iˆÀÊÃÕ««œÀÌÊLi…ˆ˜`Ê̅iÊÀi«ÀiÃÈÛiÊvœÀ“Տ>ʜvÊ̅iÊ
œ˜â>iâÊ 6ˆ`i>Ê >`“ˆ˜ˆÃÌÀ>̈œ˜Ê ­£™{ȇ£™xÓ]Ê ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ Vœ`Ê Ü>ÀÊ Ì…iÊ
7
Timothy R. Scully, Rethinking the Center Party Politics in Nineteenth and
Twentieth Century Chile (California: Stanford University Press, 1992): page
21.
8
Ibid., page 115.

172008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

Vœ““Õ˜ˆÃÌÃÊ ÜiÀiÊ œÕ̏>Üi`Ê ˆ˜Ê

…ˆi®]Ê Ì…iÊ Falange and their allies
ˆ˜Ê̅iÊ
…ÕÀV…Êœ««œÃi`Ê̅ˆÃÊ«œˆVÞ°ÊÕÀˆ˜}Ê̅iÊ£™xä½Ã]Ê̅iÊÃÌÀÕ}}iÊ
܈̅ˆ˜Ê̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê
…ÕÀV…ÊÜ>ÃÊÀi܏Ûi`ʈ˜Êv>ۜÀʜvÊ̅œÃiÊ܅œÊÃÕ«-
ported the Falange]Ê Ü…ˆV…Ê >ÌiÀÊ iۜÛi`Ê ˆ˜ÌœÊ ̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê i“œ-
cratic party, the pdc.
ÌʈÃʈ˜Ê̅ˆÃʅˆÃ̜ÀˆV>ÊVœ˜ÌiÝÌÊ̅>ÌÊ*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê>««i>Ài`]Ê>ÃÊ
̅iÊܘʜvÊ>Ê܈`iÞÊÀiëiVÌi`ʅՓ>˜ˆÃÌÊ­ˆ°i°]ʘœÌÊ>ÊV>̅œˆV®Ê܅œÊ>ÃÊ
>ʍÕ`}iÊÀi>V…i`Ê̅iÊ«ÀiÈ`i˜VÞʜvÊ̅iÊ-Õ«Ài“iÊ
œÕÀÌ°Ê
ÃÊ>Êޜ՘}Ê
>ÜÞiÀÊ
ޏ܈˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ>ÊÃޓ«>̅ˆâiÀʜvʅՓ>˜ˆÃ̇ÜVˆ>ˆÃ“°
˜Ê£™{x]Ê>ÌÊ̅iÊ>}iʜvÊÎä]ʅiʍœˆ˜i`Ê̅iÊFalange (later the Chris-
tian Democratic party). After some years, representing a minor ru-
À>Ê `ˆÃÌÀˆVÌÊ ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ œÜiÀÊ V…>“LiÀ]Ê …iÊ Ü>ÃÊ iiVÌi`Ê ÌœÊ Ì…iÊ Ãi˜>ÌiÊ ˆ˜Ê
£™Èx°Ê,iiiVÌi`ʈ˜Ê£™ÇÎʅiÊ«>Þi`Ê>ʓ>œÀÊÀœiʈ˜Ê̅iʏ>ÃÌÊ`>ÞÃʜvÊ
the Allende government in his position as President of the pdc, the
>À}iÃÌÊ«>ÀÌÞʜvÊ̅iÊ̈“i°ÊœÀʓ>˜ÞʈÌÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iÊv>ˆÕÀiʜvÊ̅iʘi}œ-
̈>̈œ˜ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê…>`Ê܈̅Ê
i˜`iÊ̅>Ìʜ«i˜i`Ê̅iÊ`œœÀÊ̜Ê̅iÊ
œÛiÀ̅ÀœÜʜvÊ
i˜`i9°Ê
vÌiÀÊ̅iÊ«œÃÈLˆˆÌÞʜvÊ>˜Ê>}Àii“i˜ÌÊÜ>ÃÊ`ˆÃ-
carded, the Christian Democrats in the Congress voted in coalition
܈̅Ê̅iÊÀˆ}…ÌÊ̜ʫ>ÃÃÊ̅iÊÀi܏Ṏœ˜ÊœvÊ
Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓÓ°Ê/…ˆÃÊ`iV>Ài`Ê̅iÊ

i˜`iÊ}œÛiÀ˜“i˜ÌʜÕÌÈ`iÊ̅iʏ>Ü]ʈ˜Ê܅>Ìʅ>ÃÊLii˜Êˆ˜ÌiÀ«ÀiÌi`Ê>ÃÊ
tantamount to an invitation by the anti-Allende pdc-right coalition
for the military coup of September 1973. The role of the Christian
Democrats in the pre-coup period has been thoroughly document-
i`ÊLÞÊœViÞ˜‡œÌ10°Ê
ޏ܈˜½ÃʜܘÊ>VVœÕ˜ÌʜvÊ̅iÃiÊv>VÌÃÊ>Ì…œÕ}…Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

sometimes confusing, is also very interesting11.

ޏ܈˜Ê`ˆÃ>««i>Ài`ÊvÀœ“Ê̅iÊ«œˆÌˆV>ÊÃVi˜iÊ܅i˜Ê̅iÊpdc came
out in opposition to the Pinochet government. The leadership of the
pdcÊÜi˜ÌÊ̜ʫiÀܘÃʓœÀiÊÜ«…ˆÃ̈V>Ìi`ʈ˜Ê̅iʈ˜ÌiÀ˜>̈œ˜>Ê“ˆˆiÕ°Ê
ÕÌÊ>ÌÊ̅iÊi˜`ʜvÊ̅iÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ«iÀˆœ`ʅiÊV>“iÊL>VŽ]Êܜ˜Ê̅iÊ«ÀiÈ-
dency of his party, unified the bulk of the opposition to the military
regime (including the support of his former adversaries of the Social-

9
Arturo Valenzuela, Chile: The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes (Balti-
“œÀi\Ê/…iÊœ…˜Êœ«Žˆ˜ÃÊ1˜ˆÛiÀÈÌÞÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™Çn®\™Î‡£äÈ°
10

vÀi`œÊœViÞ˜‡œÌ]ÊEl Chile perplejo (Santiago: Planeta/Ariel, 1998).
11
*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊEl reencuentro de los demócratas: del golpe al triunfo del
no (Santiago: Ediciones B Chile, 1998).

18 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

ˆÃÌÊ*>ÀÌÞ®Ê>˜`Ê`ivi>Ìi`Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌʈ˜Ê̅iÊ£™nnÊÀiviÀi˜`ՓÊ̜ÊiÝÌi˜`Ê
…ˆÃÊÀՏi°ÊÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê̅ÀœÕ}…Ê…ˆÃÊÃÌÀ>Ìi}ÞʜvÊÕȘ}Ê̅iʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜ÃÊ
of the 1980 Constitution, he kept and legitimized the free market
economic system, thereby changing the Chilean political landscape.
œÀÊ«œˆÌˆV>ÊÀi>ܘÃÊ­>˜`ʈ˜ÌiÀ˜>ÊVœ˜ÃՓ«Ìˆœ˜®Ê
ޏ܈˜Ê>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊ
œÝiÞÊ>˜`Ê œi˜ˆ˜}iÀʅ>ÛiÊ>À}Õi`Ê̅>ÌÊ̅iÀiÊ>ÀiÊÃÕLÃÌ>˜ÌˆÛiÊ`ˆvviÀ-
i˜ViÃÊ LiÌÜii˜Ê ̅iÊ iVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ “œ`iÊ œvÊ *ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ “œ`iÊ œvÊ
their administration12°Ê*œˆÌˆV>ÊÃVˆi˜ÌˆÃÌÃÊ>˜`ʅˆÃ̜Àˆ>˜ÃÊvÀœ“Ê>Ê܈`iÊ
ëiVÌÀՓÊVœ˜ÌÀ>`ˆVÌÊ̅ˆÃÊۈiÜ13.
iÊ«ÕÌÊ̜}i̅iÀÊ>ÊVœ>ˆÌˆœ˜Ê܈̅ʅˆÃÊvœÀ“iÀÊÀˆÛ>Ãʈ˜Ê̅iÊps-ppd,
̅i˜Ê `ivi>Ìi`Ê *ˆ˜œV…iÌ]Ê >˜`Ê >ÌiÀÊ Üœ˜Ê œÛiÀÊ ØV…ˆÊ >˜`Ê ÀÀ?âÕÀˆâ°Ê
Presiding over the mostly successful transition period from 1990-
£™™{]Ê …ˆÃÊ «ÀiÈ`i˜VÞÊ i˜`i`Ê ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…iÊ iiV̈œ˜Ê œvÊ >˜œÌ…iÀÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê
i“œVÀ>̈VÊ«ÀiÈ`i˜Ìʈ˜ÊiVi“LiÀÊ£™™ÎÊ܈̅Ê̅iʏ>À}iÃÌʓ>œÀˆÌÞʈ˜Ê

…ˆi>˜Ê…ˆÃ̜ÀÞ°Ê/…iÊiÝ«ˆVˆÌʈ˜VÕȜ˜ÊœvÊ̅iʓ>ˆ˜Ìi˜>˜ViʜvÊ̅iÊiVœ-
˜œ“ˆVʓœ`iÊˆ˜Ê̅iÊ«œˆÌˆV>Ê«>ÌvœÀ“ÊœvÊÀiˆÊ­>˜`Ê̅iÊConcertacion)
in the 1993 election did settle this issue14, despite the fact that there
are still significant arguments about the costs of the model15.
After the military coup of 1973 and the death of Allende, Chil-
i>˜Ê ÜVˆ>ˆÃÌÃÊ `ˆÛˆ`i`Ê ˆ˜ÌœÊ ÃiÛiÀ>Ê }ÀœÕ«Ã°Ê /…iÊ “>ˆ˜Ê Vi>Û>}iÊ Ü>ÃÊ
12
*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊEl reencuentro de los demócratas: del golpe al triunfo del
noÊ ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê `ˆVˆœ˜iÃÊ Ê
…ˆi]Ê £™™n®ÆÊ
i>˜`ÀœÊ œÝiÞ]Ê La economía
política de la transición. El camino del diálogo (Santiago: Dolmen, 1993);
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

Edgardo Boeninger, Democracia en Chile. Lecciones para la gobernabilidad

(Santiago: Andrés Bello, 1997).
13

vÀi`œÊ œViÞ˜‡œÌ]Ê El Chile perplejo (Santiago: Planeta/Ariel, 1998);
Tomás Moulián, El Chile Actual. Anatomía de un mito (Santiago: Lom-
Arcis, 1997).
14
Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia, Bases programáticas del se-
gundo gobierno de la Concertación (Santiago: Concertación de Partidos por
la Democracia, 1993); Edgardo Boeninger, Democracia en Chile. Lecciones
para la gobernabilidadÊ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê
˜`ÀjÃÊ iœ]Ê£™™Ç®ÆÊ*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊEl
reencuentro de los demócratas: del golpe al triunfo del no (Santiago: Edicio-
nes B Chile, 1998).
15
Joseph Collins and John Lear, Chile’s Free Market Miracle: A Second Look
­">Ž>˜`\Ê /…iÊ ˜Ã̈ÌÕÌiÊ œvÊ œœ`Ê >˜`Ê iÛiœ«“i˜ÌÊ *œˆVÞ]Ê £™™x®ÆÊ /œ“?ÃÊ
Moulián, El Chile Actual. Anatomía de un mito (Santiago: Lom-Arcis,
£™™Ç®ÆÊ >“iÃÊ °Ê *iÌÀ>ÃÊ >˜`Ê iÀ˜>˜`œÊ iˆÛ>]Ê Democracy and Poverty in
Chile: The Limits to Electoral PoliticsÊ­ œÕ`iÀ\Ê7iÃÌÊ6ˆiÜÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™™{®°

192008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

܈̅ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ “œÀiÊ œÀ̅œ`œÝÊ >À݈Ã̇i˜ˆ˜ˆÃÌÃÊ vœÀÊ Ü…œ“Ê ̅iÊ v>ˆÕÀiÊ

œvÊ Ì…iÊ
i˜`iÊ }œÛiÀ˜“i˜ÌÊ Ü>ÃÊ V>ÕÃi`Ê LÞÊ Ì…iÊ >VŽÊ œvÊ >Ê «œˆVÞÊ ÌœÊ
>V…ˆiÛiÊ ÜœÀŽˆ˜}‡V>ÃÃÊ …i}i“œ˜ÞÊ >ÃÌÊ ÕÀœ«i>˜Ê ÃÌޏi°Ê /…iÊ }ÀœÕ«Ê
̅>ÌÊܜՏ`ʏ>ÌiÀÊvœÀ“Ê̅iʓœ`iÀ>ÌiÊ܈˜}ÊÜi˜ÌÊ̅ÀœÕ}…Ê>Ê«ÀœViÃÃʜvÊ
ÀiۈȜ˜ˆÃ“Ê ˆ˜Ê ܅ˆV…Ê ̅iÊ Û>ÕiÃÊ œvÊ vœÀ“>Ê 7iÃÌiÀ˜Ê ÕÀœ«i>˜Ê ÃÌޏiÊ
`i“œVÀ>̈VÊ«ÀœVi`ÕÀiÃÊLiV>“iÊ>ÌÌÀ>V̈Ûi°Ê˜Ê£™Ç™Ê̅iÃiÊÌܜÊ}ÀœÕ«ÃÊ
led by Carlos Altamirano (Renovados or moderates) and Clodomiro

“iÞ`>Ê ­"À̅œ`œÝ®Ê ܜՏ`Ê `ˆÃ>}ÀiiÊ ˜œÌÊ œ˜ÞÊ >LœÕÌÊ ˆ`iœœ}ÞÊ LÕÌÊ
>ÃœÊˆ˜Ê̅iˆÀÊÃÌÀ>Ìi}ÞÊ̜Ü>À`Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“i°Ê7…ˆiÊ̅iʜÀ̅œ`œÝÊ

“iÞ`>Ê܈˜}ÊVœ>iÃVi`Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
œ““Õ˜ˆÃÌÃʈ˜Ê>˜Êˆ˜ÃÕÀÀiV̈œ˜>ÀÞÊ
line, the moderates denounced Leninism and the use of violence to
reach their goals.
Petras and Morley have argued that the failure of the left in
1986 to challenge the military regime by force and the subsequent
ÃÌÀ>Ìi}ÞʜvÊVœ>iÃVˆ˜}Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌÃʈÃÊ̅iʓœÃÌʈ“-
«œÀÌ>˜ÌÊ «œˆÌˆV>Ê iÛi˜ÌÊ ˆ˜Ê
…ˆi½ÃÊ ÀiVi˜ÌÊ …ˆÃ̜ÀÞ°Ê ÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê vœÀÊ
̅i“]ʁ̅iÊ`ivi>ÌʜvÊ£™nÈʏi`Ê̜Ê>ÊÀˆ}…̈ÃÌÊňvÌʈ˜Ê̅iÊi˜ÌˆÀiÊ«œˆÌˆV>Ê
ëiVÌÀՓ]Ê>ÊÀi>ˆ}˜“i˜ÌÊ܅ˆV…ÊÎiÜi`Ê«œˆÌˆVÃÊ̜Ü>À`Ê̅iÊ«ÀœviÃ-
sional political class and the predominance of the permanent insti-
ÌṎœ˜ÃʜvÊ̅iÊÃÌ>ÌiÊ>ÌÊ̅iÊiÝ«i˜ÃiʜvÊ̅iÊÜVˆ>Ê“œÛi“i˜ÌÃʈ˜ÊVˆÛˆÊ
ÜVˆiÌÞ°Ê /…iÊ iiV̜À>Ê ÌÀ>˜ÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê ̅ÕÃÊ Li}ˆ˜ÃÊ ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…iÊ `ivi>ÌÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ
Left and on the terrain established by the Pinochet regime»16.
Since 1984 and especially after the failed attempt on the life of
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

Pinochet in 1986, the leaders of the Altamirano faction succeeded

in unifying most non-Leninist factions and establishing a policy of
>ˆ>˜ViÃÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊVi˜ÌiÀÊ̜Ê`ivi>ÌÊ̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“iÊLÞÊ`i“œVÀ>̈VÊ
means. In December 1987, Lagos and the leaders of the Altamirano
faction of the Socialist Party formed the Partido por la Democracia
(Party for Democracy, ppd) in an effort to invite all parties in op-
position to the military regime to participate in one organization.
/…iÊ ˆ˜ˆÌˆ>̈ÛiÊ v>ˆi`Ê LiV>ÕÃiÊ Ì…iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê i“œVÀ>ÌÃÊ ÜœÕ`Ê ˆ˜ÃˆÃÌÊ
on their independent strategy, but the ppdÊܜՏ`ÊyœÕÀˆÃ…Ê>ÃÊ>ʏiÃÃÊ
ideological but leftist party.

16
Ê >“iÃÊ°Ê*iÌÀ>ÃÊ>˜`ÊœÀÀˆÃÊœÀiÞ]Ê>̈˜Ê
“iÀˆV>ʈ˜Ê̅iÊ/ˆ“iʜvÊ̅iÊ
…œ‡
>“iÃÊ°Ê*iÌÀ>ÃÊ>˜`ÊœÀÀˆÃÊœÀiÞ]Ê>̈˜Ê
“iÀˆV>ʈ˜Ê̅iÊ/ˆ“iʜvÊ̅iÊ
…œ-
era (London: Routledge, 1992): Chapter 2.

20 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

After being legalized in 1958, the Communist Party (Partido

Comunista Chileno, pcch) gradually gained in strength. By support-
ing Allende in 1964 and 1970, the pcch reached its highest level of
«œ«Õ>ÀÊ Ài«ÀiÃi˜Ì>̈œ˜Ê ÜˆÌ…Ê >LœÕÌÊ £È¯Ê ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ Vœ˜}ÀiÃȜ˜>Ê iiV-
tions of 1969 and 1973 and in the municipal elections of 1971. Al-
though the Socialist party surpassed the pcch½ÃÊ iiV̜À>Ê ÃÌÀi˜}̅Ê
during the Allende government, the more homogenous, consistent,
>˜`Ê`ˆÃVˆ«ˆ˜i`ÊVœ““Õ˜ˆÃÌÃÊÜiÀiÊ̅iÊÃÌÀœ˜}iÃÌÊÃÕ««œÀÌiÀÃʜvÊ̅iÊ>-
liance during the Allende government. Still, the effort to form a uni-
wi`ʜ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê̜Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊÜ>ÃÊÀiÈÃÌi`ÊLÞÊ̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌÃÊ
LiV>ÕÃiʜvÊ̅iˆÀÊÀivÕÃ>Ê̜ʫ>À̈Vˆ«>Ìiʈ˜Ê>˜ÞÊ>ˆ>˜ViÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊVœ“-
munists. This cleavage undermined the efforts to oppose Pinochet
in the referendum of 1980. Internally decimated, the communists
opted for a strategy of popular rebellion against the military gov-
iÀ˜“i˜Ì]Ê܅ˆV…ʈ˜VÕ`i`Ê̅iÊÕÃiʜvÊۈœi˜Vi°ÊÕÀˆ˜}Ê̅iʓœLˆˆâ>-
tion of 1983 the communists tried unsuccessfully to be part of the
alliance that Christian Democrats and moderate Socialists formed
to oppose the regime. So, in the division of socialism, the issue of
̅iÊ >ˆ>˜ViÃÊ LiV>“iÊ ÛiÀÞÊ Ã>ˆi˜Ì°Ê "˜Ê œ˜iÊ Ãˆ`iÊ Ü>ÃÊ Ì…iÊ “œ`iÀ>ÌiÊ

Ì>“ˆÀ>˜œÊv>V̈œ˜Êˆ˜ÊVœ>ˆÌˆœ˜Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌÃʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
Alianza Democratica (later in the Concertación coalition) and in the
œÌ…iÀÊ̅iʜÀ̅œ`œÝÊ
“iÞ`>Êv>V̈œ˜Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
œ““Õ˜ˆÃÌðÊ
ʓœ˜Ì…Ê
>vÌiÀÊ
ޏ܈˜½ÃÊ iiV̈œ˜Ê ̅iÞÊ Õ˜ˆwi`Ê >˜`Ê
“iÞ`>Ê Ü>ÃÊ ˜>“i`Ê >“-
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

L>ÃÃ>`œÀÊ̜Ê̅iÊ1--,°ÊiëˆÌiÊ̅iʅi>ÛÞÊVœœ«Ìˆœ˜Ê«œˆVˆiÃÊ̜Ü>À`Ê
̅iʜÀ̅œ`œÝÊÜVˆ>ˆÃÌÊLÞÊ̅iÊConcertacion]Ê̅iÀiÊ>ÀiÊÃ̈ÊܓiÊ܅œÊ
have denounced the betrayal of the people and their disenchantment
܈̅Ê̅iÊ>L>˜`œ˜“i˜ÌʜvÊ̅iʓœÀiÊi}>ˆÌ>Àˆ>˜ÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ>««Àœ>V…Ê
and the human rights issue17.

17
*…ˆˆ«Ê"݅œÀ˜]ÊOrganizing Civil Society. The Popular Sector and the Strug-
gle for Democracy in Chile. (University Park: Pennsylvania State University
*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™™x®ÆÊ>“iÃÊ°Ê*iÌÀ>ÃÊ>˜`ÊiÀ˜>˜`œÊiˆÛ>]ÊDemocracy and Poverty
in Chile: The Limits to Electoral PoliticsÊ­ œÕ`iÀ\Ê7iÃÌÊ6ˆiÜÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™™{®ÆÊ
Joseph Collins and John Lear, Chile’s Free Market Miracle: A Second Look
­">Ž>˜`\Ê /…iÊ ˜Ã̈ÌÕÌiÊ œvÊ œœ`Ê >˜`Ê iÛiœ«“i˜ÌÊ *œˆVÞ]Ê £™™x®ÆÊ /œ“?ÃÊ
Moulián, El Chile Actual. Anatomía de un mito (Santiago: Lom-Arcis,
1997).

212008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

The Transition

Àœ“Ê£nÎäÊ̜ʣ™ÇÎÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê«œˆÌˆVÃÊÜiÀiÊÀi}>À`i`Ê>ÃÊÀi“>ÀŽ>LÞÊ
ÃÌ>LiÊ >“œ˜}Ê Ì…iÊ ˜>̈œ˜ÃÊ œvÊ >̈˜Ê
“iÀˆV>°Ê ÝVi«ÌÊ vœÀÊ ÌÜœÊ LÀˆivÊ
“ˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ ˆ˜ÌiÀÕ`iÃ]Ê }œÛiÀ˜“i˜ÌÃÊ ÜiÀiÊ Vœ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜>]Ê `i“œVÀ>̈V]Ê
>˜`ÊVˆÛˆˆ>˜°Ê˜Ê̅ˆÃÊ«iÀˆœ`ÊiÝiVṎÛiÊ«œÜiÀÊÜ>ÃÊÌÀ>˜ÃviÀÀi`Ê>VVœÀ`-
ing to the institutions of the 1833 and 1925 Constitutions. Politics
Vi˜ÌiÀi`ʜ˜ÊÀœṎ˜iÊVœ˜yˆVÌÃÊ>˜`Ê>VVœ““œ`>̈œ˜ÃÊLiÌÜii˜Ê«œˆÌˆV>Ê
alliances that shifted quickly and easily.
œÃÌʅˆÃ̜Àˆ>˜ÃÊ>˜`ÊÜVˆ>ÊÃVˆi˜ÌˆÃÌÃÊÃ̈Ê̜`>ÞÊvœœÜÊ ˜Vˆ˜>½ÃÊ
suggestion that during the nineteenth century, despite the many and
Vœ˜vÕȘ}Ê >ÀÀ>ÞÃÊ œvÊ «œˆÌˆV>Ê Ìi˜`i˜VˆiÃ]Ê Ü…>ÌÊ Ài>ÞÊ “>ÌÌiÀi`Ê ÜiÀiÊ
̅iÊ ÌÜœÊ >À}iÀÊ ˆ`iœœ}ˆV>Ê VÕÀÀi˜ÌÃ]Ê ˆ°i°]Ê Vœ˜ÃiÀÛ>̈ÛiÃÊ >˜`Ê ˆLiÀ>Ã°18
/…ˆÃÊÀi}ˆ“iÊÜ>ÃÊV>«>LiʜvÊ`i>ˆ˜}Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊV…>i˜}iÃʜvʘiÜÊÜ-
Vˆ>Ê}ÀœÕ«Ã]ʓ>ˆ˜ÞÊLiV>ÕÃiÊ̅iÊiÝ«>˜Ãˆœ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊvÀ>˜V…ˆÃiÊLi˜iwÌi`Ê
both parties at different times: the conservatives from their control
of the rural areas, the liberals from the crescent of urbanization.
ÕÌÊLÞÊ£™Óä]Ê
…ˆi]Ê܅ˆV…Ê>“œÃÌÊ>ÊVi˜ÌÕÀÞÊLivœÀiʅ>`ÊiÃÌ>L-
ˆÃ…i`Ê>ʓœ`iÊÀi«ÕLˆV]ÊÜ>ÃÊVœ˜Ãˆ`iÀi`Ê>ʏiÃÃÊ>`“ˆÀ>LiÊiÝ>“«iʜvÊ
>˜Êœˆ}>ÀV…ˆVÊ«>Àˆ>“i˜Ì>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“i°ÊÌÊÜ>ÃʘœÌÊ>LiÊ̜Ê`i>Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ
œ««œÀÌ՘ˆÌˆiÃÊ̅>ÌÊ>ʓœÀiÊVœ“«iÝÊÜVˆiÌÞʜvviÀi`Ê̜ʫœˆÌˆVˆ>˜ÃʏˆŽiÊ
̅iÊÕ«‡>˜`‡Vœ“ˆ˜}ʏˆLiÀ>Ê«œˆÌˆVˆ>˜Ê
ÀÌÕÀœÊ
iÃÃ>˜`ÀˆÊ܅œÊ“œLˆ-
ˆâi`Ê̅iʘiÜÊÜVˆ>ÊvœÀViðÊ
vÌiÀÊ
iÃÃ>˜`ÀˆÊˆ“«i“i˜Ìi`Ê̅iÊ£™ÓxÊ

œ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜]Ê̅iʈLiÀ>Ê>˜`Ê
œ˜ÃiÀÛ>̈ÛiÊ«>À̈iÃÊϜ܏ÞÊ`iVˆ˜i`Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

܅ˆiʘiÜÊ«œˆÌˆV>Ê}ÀœÕ«ÃÊ>ÀœÃi°Ê
vÌiÀÊ̅iÊiiV̈œ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê
i“œVÀ>̈VÊvœÕ˜`iÀÊ>˜`ʏi>`iÀÊ `Õ>À`œÊÀiˆÊˆ˜Ê£™È{Ê>˜`ÊiëiVˆ>ÞÊ
after the electoral disaster of the parliamentary elections of 1965, the
ˆLiÀ>Ê>˜`Ê
œ˜ÃiÀÛ>̈ÛiÊ«>À̈iÃÊ>}Àii`Ê̜Ê՘ˆvÞÊ܈̅Êܓiʓˆ˜œÀÊ
nationalistic groups into the Partido Nacional (National Party).
Àœ“Êœ˜iʜvÊ̅iÃiÊ}ÀœÕ«ÃÊV>“iÊ̅iÊ>ÀV…ˆÌiVÌʜvÊ̅iÊ՘ˆœ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊ
right and their only relevant figure: Sergio Onofre Jarpa. The party
œ««œÃi`Ê̅iÊ `Õ>À`œÊÀiˆÊ>`“ˆ˜ˆÃÌÀ>̈œ˜Ê­£™È{‡£™Çä®]Ê«>À̈VՏ>ÀÞÊ
…ˆÃÊ VœiV̈ۈÃÌÊ iVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ «œˆVˆiÃ]Ê >˜`Ê Ãˆ˜}i`Ê œÕÌÊ >ÀÝˆÃ“Ê >ÃÊ Ì…iÊ
“>ˆ˜Ê̅Ài>ÌÊ̜Ê
…ˆi½ÃÊ`iÃ̈˜Þ°Ê˜Ê̅iÊvœœÜˆ˜}ÊÞi>ÀÃ]Ê̅ˆÃÊ«>ÀÌÞÊÀi-
18
Ê À>˜VˆÃVœÊ ˜Vˆ˜>]ÊHistoria de Chile desde la prehistoria hasta 1891 (Santia-
go: Editorial Nacimiento, 1952): page 143.

22 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

ViˆÛi`Ê̅iÊÃÕ««œÀÌʜvÊ̅œÃiÊ܅œÊÜiÀiÊ`ˆÃi˜V…>˜Ìi`Ê܈̅Ê̅iʏiv̈ÃÌÊ
leanings of the Christian Democrats.

Ì…œÕ}…Ê>À«>ÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iʓ>ˆ˜Êi>`iÀʜvÊ̅iÊ«>ÀÌÞ]ʈ˜Ê£™ÇäÊ̅iÊ
Nationals supported the independent candidacy of Jorge Alessandri.
After the election of Allende, the party assumed the hardest opposi-
tion line to the socialist government and Jarpa emerged as a national
w}ÕÀiÊ LÞÊ «ÕÌ̈˜}Ê Ìœ}i̅iÀÊ >˜Ê œ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê Vœ>ˆÌˆœ˜Ê ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…iÊ “œÀiÊ
«œÜiÀvՏÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌðÊ
Ì…œÕ}…Ê̅ˆÃÊVœ>ˆÌˆœ˜Ê`ivi>Ìi`Ê̅iÊ
Socialist-Communist coalition in the 1973 parliamentary elections,
ˆÌÊÜ>ÃÊ՘>LiÊ̜ÊÀi>V…Ê̅iÊÌܜ‡Ì…ˆÀ`Ãʓ>œÀˆÌÞÊ̅>ÌÊܜՏ`ʅ>ÛiÊ>-
œÜi`ʈÌÊ̜Ê̅Ü>ÀÌʜÀÊÀi“œÛiÊ
i˜`iÊ՘`iÀÊ̅iÊÀՏiÃʜvÊ̅iÊ£™ÓxÊ
Constitution.
After the military takeover in 1973, the National Party volun-
Ì>ÀˆÞÊ`ˆÃ܏Ûi`Ê>˜`ÊV>i`ʜ˜ÊˆÌÃÊvœœÜiÀÃÊ̜ÊÃÕ««œÀÌÊ̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ
Ài}ˆ“i°Ê"˜ÞÊ>ÊviÜʓi“LiÀÃÊÀiÈÃÌi`Ê̅ˆÃÊ`ˆÀiV̈ÛiÊ>˜`ÊV>ÀÀˆi`ʜ˜Ê
“ˆ˜ˆ“>Ê «>ÀÌÞÊ >V̈ۈ̈iðÊ
“œ˜}Ê Ì…iÊ “>œÀˆÌÞÊ Ì…>ÌÊ ÃÕ««œÀÌi`Ê Ì…iÊ
`ˆÃ܏Ṏœ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊ«>ÀÌÞ]ÊܓiÊÜiÀiʘ>“i`Ê̜ʫœÃˆÌˆœ˜ÃÊ܈̅ˆ˜Ê̅iÊ
“ˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ}œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ì]Ê>“œ˜}Ê̅i“Ê>À«>Ê܅œÊ>ÃÃՓi`Ê̅iÊ>“L>Ã-
sadorship to Argentina.
ÕÌÊ̅iʓœÃÌÊÀiiÛ>˜ÌʜvÊ>ÊÜ>ÃÊ>À«>½ÃÊ>««œˆ˜Ì“i˜ÌÊ>Ãʈ˜ˆÃ-
ter of the Interior in August of 1983, as the mobilization against the
military regime reached its peak. When Jarpa assumed his position,
the opposition had been able to organize three national strikes, on
May 11, June 14, and July 12. Political and union leaders, mainly
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

Christian Democrats, had for the first time in a decade been able to
ivviV̈ÛiÞÊV…>i˜}iÊ̅iÊÀi}ˆ“i]ÊLÕÌʘœÌÊ܈̅œÕÌÊ>ÊVœÃÌ°Ê/…iʓœLˆˆ-
zation of the people to oppose first the economic policies and second
the human rights abuses has been thoroughly documented by Aman
>˜`Ê *>ÀŽiÀ]Ê "݅œÀ˜]Ê ,œLiÀÌÃ]Ê >˜`Ê -V…˜iˆ`iÀ19. In the first strike,
19
Kenneth Aman and Cristian Parker, Popular Culture in Chile. Resistance
and SurvivalÊ­ œÕ`iÀ\Ê7iÃÌۈiÜÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™™£®ÆÊ*…ˆˆ«Ê"݅œÀ˜]ʁ/…iÊ*œ«Õ>ÀÊ
-iV̜À°Ê ,i뜘ÃiÊ ÌœÊ >˜Ê
Õ̅œÀˆÌ>Àˆ>˜Ê ,i}ˆ“i°Ê -…>˜ÌÞÌœÜ˜Ê "À}>˜ˆâ>̈œ˜ÃÊ
since the Military Coup», Latin American Perspectives 67(1991):66-91;
*…ˆˆ«Ê"݅œÀ˜]ÊOrganizing Civil Society. The Popular Sector and the Strug-
gle for Democracy in Chile (University Park: Pennsylvania State University
*ÀiÃÃ]Ê £™™x®ÆÊ i˜˜iÌ…Ê ,œLiÀÌÃ]Ê Àœ“Ê ̅iÊ >ÀÀˆV>`iÃÊ ÌœÊ Ì…iÊ >œÌÊ œÝ\Ê
Redemocratization and Political Realignment in the Chilean Left», Politics

232008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

Ìܜʫiœ«iÊÜiÀiʎˆi`]ʜÛiÀÊÈääʈ“«ÀˆÃœ˜i`Ê>˜`ʅ՘`Ài`Ãʈ˜ÕÀi`Ê
ˆ˜Ê̅iÊ`i“œ˜ÃÌÀ>̈œ˜ÃÊ>˜`ÊV>ÅiÃÊ܈̅ʫœˆVi°Ê˜Ê̅iÊÃiVœ˜`ÊÃÌÀˆŽi]Ê
three people died in confrontations. And in the third one, in spite of
>ÊVÕÀviÜÊ>˜`Ê̅iÊ«ÀiۈœÕÃʈ˜V>ÀViÀ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊ«ÀiÈ`i˜ÌʜvÊ̅iÊpdc,
>LÀˆiÊ6>`iÃ]Ê>˜`ʜ̅iÀʏi>`iÀÃ]Ê̅iÊVœÕ˜ÌÀÞÊÜ>ÃÊLÀœÕ}…ÌÊ̜Ê>ʅ>Ì]Ê
>˜`ÊÌܜÊޜÕ̅ÃÊ`ˆi`°
By August, the opposition formalized its cooperation by form-
ing the Alianza DemocraticaÊ ­i“œVÀ>̈VÊ
ˆ>˜Vi]Ê
®Ê ˆ˜Ê ܅ˆV…Ê

…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌÃ]Ê-œVˆ>ˆÃÌÃʭ̅iʓœ`iÀ>ÌiÊ܈˜}®]Ê,>`ˆV>ÃÊ>˜`Ê
others (but no Communists) agreed on three basic points:
£®Ê
ʘiÜÊVœ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜Æ
2) The resignation of Pinochet;
3) A transition government.

"˜Ê
Õ}ÕÃÌÊ££Ê̅iÀiÊÜ>ÃÊ>ÊÃÌÀˆŽiÊ̅>ÌÊÜ>ÃÊV>i`ʁ̅iÊ«Àœ«œÃ>Ê«Àœ-
ÌiÃ̂Ê̜ÊÃÌÀiÃÃÊ̅iÊv>VÌÊ̅>ÌÊ̅œÃiÊ̅ÀiiÊ«œˆ˜ÌÃÊÜiÀiÊLiˆ˜}Ê`i“>˜`i`°Ê
/…ˆÃÊ Ìˆ“iÊ Ì…iÊ …Õ“>˜Ê VœÃÌÊ Ü>ÃÊ …œÀÀi˜`œÕÃÊ LÞÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê ÃÌ>˜`>À`ðÊ
/Üi˜ÌއÈÝÊ«iœ«iÊ`ˆi`Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊ«œˆÌˆV>Êi>`iÀÃʅ>`Ê̜Êv>ViʘœÌʜ˜ÞÊ
̅iÊ`ˆÃVœ˜Ìi˜ÌʜvÊ̅iʓˆ``iÊV>ÃÃÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊÃÌÀˆŽi½ÃÊۈœi˜Vi]ÊLÕÌÊ>ÃœÊ
the increasing pressure of the Communist leaders to participate not
only in mobilization activities but also in the AD leadership. What
LiV>“iÊVi>ÀÊÜ>ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌʅ>`Ê̅iÊV>«>LˆˆÌÞÊ>˜`Ê̅iÊÀi܏Ṏœ˜Ê
to prevail by force, since the opposition leaders through the mobili-
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

â>̈œ˜ÊÜi>Ži˜i`Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“iÊLÕÌÊÜiÀiÊv>ÀÊvÀœ“ÊœÛiÀ̅ÀœÜ-
ing it20.

and SocietyÊÓέ£™™x®\{™x‡x£™ÆÊ
>̅ÞÊ-V…˜iˆ`iÀ]ʁ-…>˜ÌÞ̜ܘÃÊ>˜`Ê,iÈÃ-
tance in Authoritarian Chile», Latin American Perspectives 67(1991):92-
112; Cathy Schneider, Shantytown Protest in Pinochet’s Chile (Philadelphia:
Temple University Press, 1995).
20
>˜ÕiÊ >ÀÀi̝˜]Ê /…iÊ *œˆÌˆV>Ê "««œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ *>ÀÌÞÊ -ÞÃÌi“Ê ՘`iÀÊ
the Military Regime» en Drake, Paul; Jaksic, Iván (editors) The Struggle
for Democracy in Chile. 1982-1990 (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press,
£™™Ó®ÆÊ
vÀi`œÊ œViÞ˜‡œÌ]Ê El Chile perplejo (Santiago: Planeta/Ariel.
1998); Edgardo Boeninger, Democracia en Chile. Lecciones para la gobern-
abilidadÊ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê
˜`ÀjÃÊ iœ]Ê£™™Ç®ÆÊ*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊEl reencuentro de
los demócratas: del golpe al triunfo del no (Santiago: Ediciones B Chile,
1998).

24 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

Nevertheless, the military government had some problems too.

˜Êi>ÀÞÊ£™nÎÊ̅iÊVi>Û>}iÊLiÌÜii˜Ê̅œÃiÊvœÀÊ>˜`Ê>}>ˆ˜ÃÌÊ̅iʈ˜ÃÌ>-
lation of a market economy (the Chicago boys and the group behind
Jarpa) reached the highest level of confrontation. Many regime sup-
«œÀÌiÀÃÊ̅œÕ}…ÌÊ̅iÊÀiViÃȜ˜ÊVœ“Lˆ˜i`Ê܈̅Ê>ʅ>˜`ǜvvÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ
«œˆVÞÊÜ>ÃʓœÀiÊ̅Ài>Ìi˜ˆ˜}Ê̅>˜Ê̅iʜ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜°Ê/…iÊ«>ÌvœÀ“ÊœvÊ
>À«>ÊÜ>ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ̅ˆÃÊÜ>ÃÊ«œÌi˜Ìˆ>Þʏi̅>ÊvœÀÊ̅iÊÀi}ˆ“i½ÃÊ«œˆÌˆV>Ê
ÃÕÀۈÛ>°Êiʅ>`ÊȘViÊ
«ÀˆÊLii˜Ê>V̈Ûiʈ˜Ê̅iÊ>À̈VՏ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ>Ê«>˜Ê
̜ÊV…>˜}iÊ̅iÊÈÌÕ>̈œ˜°Ê*ˆ˜œV…i̽ÃÊÃÕ««œÀÌÊvœÀÊ̅iÊ«>˜ÊÜ>ÃʜLÌ>ˆ˜i`Ê
ˆ˜ÊՏÞÊ>˜`Ê>À«>ÊÜ>ÃÊ>««œˆ˜Ìi`ʈ˜ˆÃÌiÀʜvÊ̅iʘÌiÀˆœÀ°Ê/…iÊVi>Û-
>}iÊ ÜˆÌ…ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ “ˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ Ài}ˆ“iÊ œÛiÀÊ Ì…iÃiÊ “>ÌÌiÀÃÊ …>ÃÊ Lii˜Ê ̅œÀ-
œÕ}…ÞÊ `œVՓi˜Ìi`Ê LÞÊ "½ Àˆi˜Ê >˜`Ê ,œ``ˆVŽ]Ê -ˆÛ>]Ê >Vœvv]Ê
>Û-
>œ]Ê->>â>ÀÊ>˜`Ê-i«ÖÛi`>]Ê œÃܜÀ̅]ÊœÀ˜LÕÃV…Ê>˜`Ê>L?˜]Ê>˜`Ê
Walton21.
ÞÊ Ì…ˆÃÊ Ìˆ“iÊ >À«>Ê …>`Ê >Ài>`ÞÊ ˆ˜ˆÌˆ>Ìi`Ê Vœ˜Ì>VÌÃÊ ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…iÊ
moderate leaders of the pdc headed by Andrés Zaldivar. Prominent
>“œ˜}Ê̅i“ÊÜ>ÃÊ*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]Ê܅œÊ>ÃÊpdc president had been
>À«>½Ãʈ˜ÌiÀœVÕ̜ÀÊ>Ê`iV>`iÊLivœÀiÊ`ÕÀˆ˜}Ê̅iÊ
i˜`iÊ>`“ˆ˜ˆÃÌÀ>-
̈œ˜°Ê/œÊÃiiʅœÜÊ«Àœ“ˆ˜i˜Ìʈ˜Ê̅ˆÃÊ«iÀˆœ`Ê̅iʈÃÃÕiʜvÊ̅iʜ««œÃˆ-
̈œ˜Ê̜Ê̅iÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVʓœ`iÊÜ>ÃÊ>“œ˜}Ê̅iÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌÃÊÃiiÊ
œÝiÞÊ­£™nÎ]Ê£™nÇ]Ê>˜`Ê£™nn®]Ê<>`‰Û>À]Ê
ޏ܈˜]Ê>˜`Ê
Ài>˜œÊ>˜`Ê
Cortázar22.
21
*…ˆˆ«Ê"½ Àˆi˜Ê>˜`Ê>VŽˆiÊ,œ``ˆVŽ]ÊChile: The Pinochet Decade. The Rise
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

and Fall of the Chicago Boys (London: Latin American Bureau, 1983);
*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ-ˆÛ>]ʁÀœ“Ê̅iÊ
…ˆV>}œÊ œÞÃÊ̜Ê̅iÊ
 *
ʓœ˜ŽÃ]‚ÊJournal
of Latin American Studies°ÊÓέ£™™£®\Înx‡{£äÆÊ>ÀŽÊ>Vœvv]ÊModern Chile
1970-1989: A Critical HistoryÊ­ iÜÊiÀÃiÞ\Ê/À>˜Ã>V̈œ˜Ê*ÕLˆÃ…iÀÃ]Ê£™n™®ÆÊ
Ascanio Cavallo, Manuel Salazar, and Oscar Sepúlveda. La historia oculta
del Regimen Militar. Chile 1973-1988 (Santiago: Antártica, 1990); Barry
*°Ê œÃܜÀ̅]Ê ,Õ`ˆ}iÀÊ œÀ˜LÕÃV…]Ê >˜`Ê ,>ÕÊ >L?˜Ê ­i`ˆÌœÀÃ®Ê The Chilean
Economy. Policy Lessons and Challenges (Washington D.C.: Brookings In-
stitution, 1994); Gary Walton, (editor) The National Economic Policies of
ChileÊ­Àii˜ÜˆV…]Ê
œ˜˜iV̈VÕÌ\Ê
Ê*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™nx®°
22

i>˜`ÀœÊœÝiÞ]ÊDespués del monetarismo (Santiago: Aconcagua, 1983);

i>˜`ÀœÊ œÝiÞ]Ê Chile y su futuro: un país posible (Santiago: Cieplan,
£™nÇ®ÆÊ
i>˜`ÀœÊ œÝiÞ]Ê Experimentos neoliberales en América Latina
­j݈Vœ\Êœ˜`œÊ`iÊ
ՏÌÕÀ>Ê Vœ˜“ˆV>]Ê£™nn®ÆÊ
˜`ÀiÃÊ<>`‰Û>À]ÊExilio en
MadridÊ­>`Àˆ`\Ê
* ]Ê£™nήÆÊ*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊLa Alternativa Democráti-
caÊ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê
˜`>˜ÌiÊ£™n{®ÆÊœÃiÊ*°Ê
Ài>˜œÊ>˜`Ê,i˜iÊ
œÀÌ>â>À°Ê˜y>Vˆ˜]Ê

252008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

The moderates in the pdc had been declining in influence since

`Õ>À`œÊÀiˆ½ÃÊ`i>̅ʈ˜Ê£™nÓÊ>˜`ʏœÃÌÊ̅iÊVœ˜ÌÀœÊœvÊ̅iÊ«>ÀÌÞÊ̜Ê̅iÊ
«Àœ}ÀiÃÈÛiÊ܈˜}]Ê܅ˆV…ÊŽi«ÌÊVœ˜ÌÀœÊœvÊ̅iÊpdc until 1987. Their
leader, Gabriel Valdes had not been in the country during the Al-
lende years, and had no public record about having opposed the
ÜVˆ>ˆÃÌÊ}œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ì]Ê>ÃÊ`ˆ`Ê
ޏ܈˜°
*>À>“œÕ˜Ìʈ˜Ê̅iÊ՘`iÀÃÌ>˜`ˆ˜}ÊLiÌÜii˜Ê>À«>Ê>˜`Ê̅iʓœ`-
iÀ>Ìiʜ««œ˜i˜ÌÃÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iˆÀÊ`ˆÃˆŽiʜvÊ܅>ÌÊ̅iÞÊV>i`Ê̅iʅ>˜`ÃʜvvÊ
policies of the Chicago Boys and their political allies, Jaime Guzman
>˜`Ê -iÀ}ˆœÊ iÀ˜>˜`iâÊ ­Ì…iÊ ˆ`iœœ}ÕiÊ >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ «œˆÌˆV>Ê œ«iÀ>̜ÀÊ œvÊ
the 1980 Constitution and the future founders of udi). This agree-
ment became the raison d’etreʜvÊ>À«>½ÃÊivvœÀÌÃ]ʘ>“iÞ]Ê̜ÊV…>˜}iÊ
the unpopular economic policy and to negotiate an early return to
representative politics.
On August 13, three days after assuming the position of Min-
ister of the Interior, Jarpa requested that the Archbishop of Santiago
LiVœ“iÊ̅iÊ}œ‡LiÌÜii˜ÊvœÀÊ̅iʘi}œÌˆ>̈œ˜ÃÊ܈̅Ê̅iʜ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜°Ê"˜Ê
August 25, the leaders of the Alianza Democratica and Jarpa met in
̅iÊ
ÀV…LˆÃ…œ«½ÃÊ ÀiÈ`i˜Vi°Ê ÕÌÊ Ì…iÊ ˆÃÃÕiÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ ÀiVœ}˜ˆÌˆœ˜Ê œvÊ Ì…iÊ
legitimacy of the 1980 Constitution made an agreement impossible,
ȘViʘœÊ«>ÀÌÞʈ˜Ê̅iʜ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜ÊܜՏ`Ê>VVi«ÌÊ>Ê«Àœ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê̜ʘi-
gotiate its reform because discussing the issue implied accepting the

œ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜½Ãʏi}ˆÌˆ“>VÞ°
By September 1983, former regime officials, economists and
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

vÀiiÊ “>ÀŽiÌiÀÃÊ >ÃÊ ÜiÊ >ÃÊ >ˆ“iÊ Õâ“>˜Ê >˜`Ê -iÀ}ˆœÊ iÀ˜>˜`iâÊ
founded the Union Democratica Independiente (Democratic Inde-
pendent Union, udi®Ê̜ÊÃÕ««œÀÌÊ̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“iÊLÕÌÊvÀœ“Ê>˜Êˆ˜-
`i«i˜`i˜ÌÊ>˜`ÊVÀˆÌˆV>‚Ê«iÀëiV̈Ûi°Ê/…iˆÀÊÌÀÕiʈ˜Ìi˜Ìˆœ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ̜ʜ«-
«œÃiÊ>À«>°Ê˜Ê̅>Ìʏ>ÃÌʵÕ>ÀÌiÀʜvÊ£™nÎ]Ê>˜œÌ…iÀÊ}ÀœÕ«ÊÜ>ÃÊvœÀ“i`Ê
on the right. The Movimiento de Union Nacional (mun or National
Union Movement), formed by former members of the National Par-
ty, intended to have a broader appeal than the old right party and to
become the unifying force of all the different movements around the
center-right and right.

œ˜yˆV̜ÃÊ >VÀœiVœ˜“ˆVœÃÊ ÞÊ i“œVÀ>̈â>Vˆ˜Ê i˜Ê
…ˆiÊ Pensamiento
Iberoamericano 9(1986):331-363.

26 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

In 1987 this movement called on all these groups to form the

Renovacion Nacional (rn]Ê >̈œ˜>Ê,i˜iÜ>®°Ê/…iÊudi and the Fr-
ente Nacional del TrabajoÊ ­ >̈œ˜>Ê 7œÀŽÊ Àœ˜Ì]Ê fnt) responded
to this call. The fnt had been founded by Jarpa after his dismissal
vÀœ“Ê̅iÊ}œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ìʈ˜Ê£™nxÊ>˜`ÊÜ>ÃÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆâi`ÊLÞʈÌÃÊVÀˆÌˆVˆÃ“Ê
œvÊ̅iÊ}œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ì½ÃʜÀ̅œ`œÝÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ«œˆVˆiðÊ/…iÃiÊ̅ÀiiÊ}ÀœÕ«ÃÊ
ܜՏ`ʘœÌÊÃÌ>ÞÊ̜}i̅iÀʏœ˜}°Ê˜Ê>ÀV…ÊœvÊ£™nn]ÊÕâ“>˜Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊ
former udiÊܜՏ`ÊLÀi>ŽÊ܈̅Ê̅iʜ̅iÀÊ}ÀœÕ«ÃʓœÌˆÛ>Ìi`ÊLÞÊ`ˆvviÀ-
i˜ÌÊ«iÀVi«Ìˆœ˜ÃÊVœ˜ViÀ˜ˆ˜}Ê̅iÊ>`Û>˜Ì>}iÃʜvÊÃÕ««œÀ̈˜}Ê*ˆ˜œV…i̽ÃÊ
bid for a second eight-year period.
The 1980 Constitution established that a referendum should be
V>i`Ê̜Ê>««ÀœÛiʜÀÊÀiiVÌÊ̅iÊ՘Ì>½ÃÊiÝÌi˜`ˆ˜}ʈÌÃʓ>˜`>Ìi]ÊLÕÌÊ̅iÊ
՘Ì>½ÃÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊ`ˆ`ʘœÌʘiViÃÃ>ÀˆÞʅ>ÛiÊ̜ÊLiÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ>˜`ÊܓiÊ
regime supporters favored other candidates or even the option of
œ«i˜ÞÊVœ˜ÌiÃÌi`ÊiiV̈œ˜Ã°Ê>˜ÞʜvÊ̅œÃiÊ܅œÊœ««œÃi`Ê*ˆ˜œV…i̽ÃÊ
candidacy in rn did so because they thought he -as it happened-
ܜՏ`ʏœÃi°Ê
ÊVœ“«iÌiÊ>˜`Êi>ÀÞÊ>˜>ÞÈÃʜvÊ̅iÊ>`Û>˜Ì>}iÃʜvʅ>Û-
ˆ˜}ÊܓiLœ`ÞÊiÃiÊ­>À«>®Êœ˜Ê̅iÊ̈VŽiÌ]ÊV>˜ÊLiÊvœÕ˜`ʈ˜Ê>Vœvv23.
1˜vœÀÌ՘>ÌiÞÊvœÀÊ>À«>½ÃÊV>˜`ˆ`>VÞ]ʓœ`iÀ>ÌiÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Êi“œVÀ>ÌÃÊ
like Boeninger opposed him, even though they conceded that Jarpa
VœÕ`ÊLiÊ>ʁiÃÃiÀÊiۈ‚Ê̅>˜Ê̅iÊ}i˜iÀ>°Ê/…iÞÊviÌÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ
Vœ˜Ìˆ˜Õˆ˜}ʈ˜Ê«œÜiÀʁܜՏ`ʈ˜iۈÌ>LÞʏi>`Ê̜Ê>ÊvÕÌÕÀiʜvÊ«œ>Àˆâ>-
̈œ˜Ê>˜`ÊVœ˜vÀœ˜Ì>̈œ˜]Ê܅ˆV…ÊܜՏ`ʈ˜Ìi˜ÃˆvÞÊ̅iÊÀˆÃŽÃʜvʼ
i˜ÌÀ>Ê

“iÀˆV>˜ˆâ>̈œ˜½ÊœvÊ̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê«ÀœViÃÂ24.
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

/…iʜ̅iÀÊÈ`iʜvÊ̅iÊVœˆ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊiÀ˜>˜Ê ØV…ˆ½ÃÊV>˜`ˆ`>VÞ°Ê
ÃÊ
*ˆ˜œV…i̽Ãʈ˜>˜Viʈ˜ˆÃÌiÀ]Ê ØV…ˆÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iʓœÃÌÊ«Àœ“ˆ˜i˜ÌʜvÊ̅iÊ
ÃiVœ˜`Ê}i˜iÀ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊޜ՘}ÊiVœ˜œ“ˆÃÌÃÊ܅œÊÀivœÀ“i`Ê̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê
iVœ˜œ“Þ°Ê-ˆ˜ViÊLiVœ“ˆ˜}ʓˆ˜ˆÃÌiÀʈ˜ÊiLÀÕ>ÀÞÊ£™nxʭ܅i˜Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ
ousted Jarpa and his associates), the military government had re-
turned to the pro-market policies of the late seventies and in many
Ü>ÞÃÊ Üi˜ÌÊ “ÕV…Ê vÕÀ̅iÀ°Ê /…ˆÃÊ Ìˆ“iÊ Ì…iÊ “>ÀŽiÌÊ ÀivœÀ“ÃÊ ÜiÀiÊ i“-
LÀ>Vi`ÊLÞÊ̅iÊLÕȘiÃÃÊVœ““Õ˜ˆÌÞÊ܅œi…i>ÀÌi`ÞÊ>˜`ÊÜiÀiÊÃii˜Ê>ÃÊ
23
>ÀŽÊ>Vœvv]ʁ1°-°Ê*œˆVÞÊˆi““>‚ÊForeign Affairs (Spring, 1986):833-
848.
24
`}>À`œÊ œi˜ˆ˜}iÀ]Ê /…iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê ,œ>`Ê ÌœÊ i“œVÀ>VÞ‚Ê Foreign Affairs
(Spring, 1986):812-832.

272008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

̅iʏ>ÃÌÊV…>˜ViÊvœÀÊ̅i“°Ê/…ˆÃÊÜ>Ãʈ˜ÊÈ}˜ˆwV>˜ÌÊ«>ÀÌÊ>ÊÀiÃՏÌʜvÊ̅iÊ
intense anti-market position of the pdc and the ps25. The intensity
œvÊ̅iÊ`ˆvviÀi˜ViÃÊLiÌÜii˜Ê̅iÊLÕȘiÃÃʏi>`iÀÃÊ>˜`Ê̅iʜ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê̜Ê
Pinochet has been thoroughly documented by Constable and Valen-
âÕi>Ê>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊLÞÊÀ>ŽiÊ>˜`Ê>ŽÃˆV26.
iÌÜii˜Ê £™nxÊ >˜`Ê £™n™]Ê Ì…iÃiÊ ÞœÕ˜}Ê iVœ˜œ“ˆÃÌÃÊ «ÀˆÛ>̈âi`Ê
the companies and banks that had been taken over by the state as a
ÀiÃՏÌʜvÊ̅iÊw˜>˜Vˆ>Ê`iL>ViʜvÊ£™nΰÊÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê̅iÞÊ«ÀˆÛ>̈âi`Ê
many public enterprises that had been either formed by the state or
œ˜}Ê՘`iÀʈÌÃÊVœ˜ÌÀœÊ>˜`ÊÜiÀiÊ>“œ˜}Ê̅iʏ>À}iÃÌʜ˜iÃʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
…ˆ-
i>˜ÊiVœ˜œ“Þ°Ê/…ˆÃÊÜ>ÃÊ`œ˜iÊ̅ÀœÕ}…Ê>ÊÃÞÃÌi“ÊV>i`ʁ«iœ«i½ÃÊV>«ˆ-
talism» (capitalismo popular®Ê ̅>ÌÊ “>`iÊ “>˜ÞÊ
…ˆi>˜ÃÊ Ü…œÊ …>`Ê
˜iÛiÀʅ>`Ê>VViÃÃÊ̜ÊV>«ˆÌ>ÊœÜ˜iÀÃʜvÊVœÀ«œÀ>ÌiÊÃ̜VŽÃ°
ÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê Ì…ÀœÕ}…Ê ëiVˆ>Ê VÀi`ˆÌÊ >˜`Ê Ì>ÝÊ iÝi“«Ìˆœ˜Ê ˆ˜-
centives many employees of the state and former public companies
LiV>“iÊ Ã…>ÀiœÜ˜iÀÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ ˜i܏ÞÊ «ÀˆÛ>̈âi`Ê i˜ÌiÀ«ÀˆÃiÃ°Ê /…ˆÃÊ >˜`Ê
other policies contributed to the second pro-market reforms being
“ÕV…ÊLiÌÌiÀÊÀiViˆÛi`ÊLÞÊ̅iÊ«ÕLˆV]Ê܅ˆV…ʈ˜Ê«>ÀÌÊiÝ«>ˆ˜ÃÊ ØV…ˆ½ÃÊ
«œ«Õ>ÀˆÌÞ°Ê
ÃœÊ ØV…ˆ½ÃÊޜÕ̅ʭ…iÊÜ>ÃÊ{äʈ˜Ê£™n™®Ê>˜`ÊiëiVˆ>ÞÊ
his non-conventional appearance and eccentric personality gave cre-
`i˜ViÊ̜Ê̅iʏˆ˜iÊ̅>ÌʅiÊÜ>Ãʁ`ˆvviÀi˜Ì‚]Ê>ÃʅˆÃÊÜi‡œÀ}>˜ˆâi`ÊÃÕ«-
«œÀÌiÀÃÊÜiÀiÊÃ>ވ˜}ʈ˜Ê̅iÊV>“«>ˆ}˜°
/…iÊV>“«>ˆ}˜ÊÜ>Ãʏ>՘V…i`ʈ““i`ˆ>ÌiÞÊ>vÌiÀÊ*ˆ˜œV…i̽ÃÊ`i-
vi>ÌÊLÞÊ>Ê}ÀœÕ«ÊœvÊÓ>Êi˜ÌÀi«Ài˜iÕÀÃÊ>˜`Ê«ÀœviÃȜ˜>Ã]Ê܅œÊ…>`Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

25
Sergio Bitar, (editor) Chile, liberalismo económico y dictadura política
(Lima: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, 1980); Centro de Estudios Latino-
americanos (editor). Chile. Convergencia Socialista. Fundamentos de una
PropuestaÊ ­j݈Vœ\Ê 1˜ˆÛiÀÈ`>`Ê >Vˆœ˜>Ê
Õ̝˜œ“>Ê `iÊ j݈Vœ]Ê £™n£®ÆÊ

i>˜`ÀœÊœÝiÞ]ÊDespués del monetarismo (Santiago: Aconcagua, 1983);

i>˜`ÀœÊ œÝiÞ]Ê Chile y su futuro: un país posible (Santiago: Cieplan,
1987); Luis Maira, La Constitución de 1980 y la ruptura democrática (San-
tiago: Emisión, 1988); Gonzalo Martner, (editor) Diseños para el cambio
­
>À>V>Ã\Ê ÕiÛ>Ê-œVˆi`>`]Ê£™nÇ®ÆÊœÀ}iÊ
ÀÀ>ÌiÊ>˜`Ê*>ՏœÊˆ`>}œ]ÊPasión
y razón del socialismo chileno (Santiago: Ornitorrinco, 1989); Manuel Gar-
retón, Propuestas políticas y demandas socialesÊ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\ʏ>VÜ]Ê£™n™®°
26
Pamela Constable and Arturo Valenzuela. A Nation of Enemies. Chile Un-
der PinochetÊ­ iÜÊ9œÀŽ\Ê œÀ̜˜]Ê£™™£®ÆÊ*>ՏÊÀ>ŽiÊ>˜`ÊÛ>˜Ê>ŽÃˆVÊ­i`ˆ-
tors) The Struggle for Democracy in Chile. 1982-1990 (Lincoln: University
of Nebraska Press, 1995).

28 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

˜œÊŽ˜œÜ˜Ê«œˆÌˆV>Ê>vwˆ>̈œ˜ÃÊ>˜`Ê܅œÊV>“iÊvÀœ“ÊLœÌ…ÊV>“«Ã]Ê«ÀœÊ
>˜`Ê>˜Ìˆ‡*ˆ˜œV…iÌ°ÊÌÊÜ>ÃʘœÌˆVi>LiÊ̅>Ìʈ˜Ê̅ˆÃÊV>“«>ˆ}˜Ê˜œ˜iʜvÊ
the political figures from the military government or the parties of
̅iÊÀˆ}…ÌÊÜ>ÃÊ«Àœ“ˆ˜i˜ÌÞʈ˜ÛœÛi`°ÊÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê>ÌÊ̅iÊ̈“iÊ ØV…ˆÊ
resigned from the Cabinet to launch his presidential bid in April,
̅iÊ “>ˆ˜Ê «Àœ“œÌiÀÊ œvÊ …ˆÃÊ V>˜`ˆ`>VÞÊ Ü>ÃÊ -iL>Ã̈>˜Ê *ˆšiÀ>°Ê *ˆšiÀ>Ê
Ü>ÃÊ >Ê ÞœÕ˜}Ê iVœ˜œ“ˆÃÌÊ >˜`Ê i˜ÌÀi«Ài˜iÕÀÊ Ü…œÊ …>`Ê Lii˜Ê >Ê «Àœ“ˆ-
˜i˜Ìʜ««œ˜i˜ÌÊ̜Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ>˜`Ê܅œÊ…>`ÊVœÃiÊ̈iÃÊ̜ÊLœÌ…Ê̅iÊpdc
and to the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. But if before the refer-
i˜`Փʓ>˜Þʘ>̈œ˜>ˆÃÌÃÊÜiÀiÊ՘Ãޓ«>̅ïVÊ̜Ü>À`Ê ØV…ˆÊœÀʅˆÃÊ
«œˆVˆiÃ]Ê>vÌiÀÊ̅iÊÀiviÀi˜`Փ½ÃÊ`ivi>ÌÊ̅iˆÀÊ`ˆÃÌ>ÃÌiÊ}ÀiÜ°Ê œÌʜ˜ÞÊ
did they blame the economists and their policies for the defeat, they
>ÃœÊµÕiÃ̈œ˜i`Ê̅iˆÀʏœÞ>ÌÞÊ̜Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌ°Ê ØV…ˆÊV>“«>ˆ}˜i`ʜ˜ÞÊÈÝÊ
ÜiiŽÃÊ>˜`Ê̅i˜Ê܈̅`ÀiÜ]ÊV>ˆ“ˆ˜}ʘœÌÊ̜ʅ>ÛiÊ̅iÊ«iÀܘ>ˆÌÞÊ̜ÊLiÊ
a politician.
À>˜VˆÃVœÊ>ۈiÀÊ ÀÀ?âÕÀˆâ½ÃÊV>˜`ˆ`>VÞÊV>˜Ê>ÃœÊLiÊiÝ«>ˆ˜i`ʈ˜Ê
Ài>̈œ˜Ê̜ʅˆÃÊ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê̜Ü>À`ÃÊ̅iÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊÀivœÀ“ðÊœÀÊÞi>ÀÃ]Ê À-
rázuriz had been one of the most outspoken detractors of the young
iVœ˜œ“ˆÃÌýʫœˆVˆiÃ]Ê܅ˆV…Ê…iÊ«œÀÌÀ>Þi`Ê>ÃÊ̜œÊ…>À`ʜ˜Ê̅iÊ«iœ«i]Ê
܅ˆiʎii«ˆ˜}Ê>Ê«Àœ‡“ˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ«œ«ÕˆÃÌʈ“>}i°Ê
ÃÊÃÕV…Ê…iÊvœÀ“i`Ê>Ê
coalition named the Union de Centro-Centro (Center-Center Union,
ucc®°ÊiÊÀiViˆÛi`Ê̅iÊÃÕ««œÀÌʜvÊ̅œÃiÊ܅œÊ>Ì…œÕ}…ÊLiˆ˜}ʈ˜Êv>ۜÀÊ
œvÊ Ì…iÊ “ˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊ Ài}ˆ“iÊ ÜiÀiÊ ˜œÌÊ «>ÀÌÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ «Àœ‡“>ÀŽiÌÊ Vœ>ˆÌˆœ˜°Ê
/…iʓœÃÌÊ«Àœ“ˆ˜i˜ÌÊ>“œ˜}Ê̅i“ÊÜ>ÃÊi˜iÀ>Ê>˜ÕiÊ
œ˜ÌÀiÀ>Ã]Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

܅œÊ>ÃÊ̅iÊvœÀ“iÀʅi>`ʜvÊ*ˆ˜œV…i̽ÃÊÃiVÀiÌʈ˜Ìiˆ}i˜ViÊÃiÀۈVi]ÊÜ>ÃÊ
the real force behind Avanzada Nacional (National Advance Guard,
an).
In 1976, a group of nationalists published a magazine orient-
ed to the armed forces called Avanzada (Advance Guard) to stress
their commitment to be the first in the fight against the enemies of
̅iʘ>̈œ˜Ê­Ü…œÊvœÀÊ̅i“ÊÜiÀiÊ̅iÊ>À݈ÃÌʜ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜®°Ê/…ˆÃÊ}ÀœÕ«Ê
later formed a political party called Avanzada Nacional. Often this
}ÀœÕ«ÊvœœÜi`Ê>ÊVœÕÀÃiÊ̅>ÌÊÀiyiVÌi`Ê̅iÊLˆÌÌiÀÊ`ˆÃ«ÕÌiÃÊvœÀʈ˜yÕ-
i˜ViÊ܈̅ˆ˜Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi}ˆ“i]ʈ°i°Ê܈̅Ê̅iʓœÀiʈ˜yÕi˜Ìˆ>ÊiVœ˜œ-
mists (and their associates, the later udi®]Ê܅œÊ˜iÛiÀʅ>`Ê>˜ÞÊÃޓ«>-
thy for General Contreras. After the defeat of Pinochet in the 1988

292008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

plebiscite Avanzada insisted that Pinochet should run again in 1989,

a step that required amending the Constitution27.
/…ˆÃÊ ÃÕ««œÀÌÊ …>ÃÊ ˜iÛiÀÊ Lii˜Ê «ÕLˆVÞÊ >VŽ˜œÜi`}i`]Ê `iëˆÌiÊ
having even been conceded by some former associates of Contreras.
œÀÊ iÝ>“«i]Ê ˆ˜Ê
«ÀˆÊ ÓÊ œvÊ £™™£Ê >ˆ“iÊ /œÀ“œÊ «ÕLˆVÞÊ >VŽ˜œÜ-
i`}i`Ê̅>ÌÊ̅iÞÊ­
œ˜ÌÀiÀ>ÃÊ>˜`ʅˆÃÊ>ÃÜVˆ>ÌiîÊÜiÀiÊ̅iÊÀi>ÊvœÀViÃÊ
behind the Center-Center Union, their strategy against the rn-udi
Vœ>ˆÌˆœ˜]Ê >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ Ài>ܘÃÊ ÌœÊ œ««œÃiÊ Ì…iÊ
ޏ܈˜‡
>ViÀiÇ>À«>Ê Ài-
forms of 1989. Only Las Ultimas Noticias]Ê ­>Ê “ˆ˜œÀÊ ˜iÜë>«iÀ®Ê
published it, on back page (p. 4).

Interpreting Behavior

An important empirical question of this thesis relates to the posi-

̈œ˜ÊœvÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê­>˜`Ê̅iÊpdc®Ê܈̅ÊÀi}>À`ÃÊ̜Ê̅iʓ>ÀŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ÞÊ
>˜`Ê …Õ“>˜Ê Àˆ}…ÌÃÊ >LÕÃiÃ°Ê /…iÃiÊ ÌÜœÊ “>ÌÌiÀÃÊ …>ÛiÊ Lii˜Ê ̅iÊ “œÃÌÊ
important issues in Chile during the last three decades. The position
œvÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê­>˜`Ê̅iÊpdc®Êœ˜Ê̅iÃiʓ>ÌÌiÀÃÊLivœÀiÊ̅iÊÌÀ>˜ÃˆÌˆœ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ
V>Ìi}œÀˆV>\Ê̅iÞʜ««œÃi`Ê̅iʓ>ÀŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ÞÊ­
ޏ܈˜ÊÜi˜ÌÊ>ÃÊv>ÀÊ
>ÃÊ̜ÊÃÜi>ÀÊ̅>ÌʅiÊܜՏ`ʘiÛiÀÊÃÌi«Êˆ˜Ê>ÊŜ««ˆ˜}ʓ>®Ê>˜`ÊÜiÀiÊ
VÀˆÌˆV>Ê œvÊ Ì…iÊ *ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ Ài}ˆ“i½ÃÊ …Õ“>˜Ê Àˆ}…ÌÊ >LÕÃiÃ28. There still
Ài“>ˆ˜ÊµÕiÃ̈œ˜ÃÊ>LœÕÌÊ܅>ÌÊ>˜`Ê܅œÊˆ˜yÕi˜Vi`Ê
ޏ܈˜]ʜ˜Viʈ˜Ê
«œÜiÀ]ʘœÌÊ̜ÊV…>i˜}iÊ̅iÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊvÀiiʓ>ÀŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVʓœ`i°Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

Ãœ]Ê Ü…ÞÊ `ˆ`Ê Ì…iÊ

…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê i“œVÀ>̈VÊ }œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ì]Ê >«>ÀÌÊ vÀœ“Ê
“œ`iÃÌʈ˜VÀi>ÃiÃÊ ˆ˜Ê }œÛiÀ˜“i˜ÌÊ iÝ«i˜`ˆÌÕÀiÃ]Ê iÃÃi˜Ìˆ>ÞÊ “>ˆ˜Ì>ˆ˜Ê
the status quo economic program29?
27
/…ÀœÕ}…œÕÌÊ
…ˆi½ÃÊ …ˆÃ̜ÀÞÊ `ˆvviÀi˜ÌÊ }ÀœÕ«ÃÊ œvÊ ˜>̈œ˜>ˆÃÌÃÊ …>ÛiÊ vœÀ“i`Ê
movements and political parties, but they have never become a permanent
feature of Chilean politics. During the years of the Allende government Pa-
tria y LibertadÊ­>̅iÀ>˜`Ê>˜`ÊÀii`œ“®ÊÜ>Ãʈ˜ÛœÛi`ʈ˜Ê>Êv>ˆi`ʁ«ÕÌÃV…‚Ê
̅>ÌÊvœÀVi`Ê̅iʏi>`iÀň«Ê̜Êi݈i°
28
>ۈ`Ê °Ê œ“>˜]Ê 
…ˆiÊ
vÌiÀÊ *ˆ˜œV…iÌ\Ê
ޏ܈˜ÃÊ
…ÀˆÃ̈>˜Ê i“œVÀ>ÌÊ
Vœ˜œ“ˆVÊ *œˆVˆiÃÊ vœÀÊ Ì…iÊ £™™ä½Ã‚Ê Bulletin of Latin American Research
9(1990):25-47.
29
*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊUn Desafío ColectivoÊ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê*>˜iÌ>]Ê£™nn®ÆÊ
i>˜`ÀœÊ
œÝiÞ]ÊChile puede másÊ­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê*>˜iÌ>]Ê£™nn®ÆÊ
>ÀœÃÊ"“ˆ˜>“ˆ]ʁœViÊ
proposiciones acerca de América Latina en una era de profundo cambio

30 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

œÀÊ iÝ>“«iÊ Ì…iÀiÊ …>ÛiÊ Lii˜Ê ˆ˜`ˆV>̈œ˜ÃÊ Ì…>ÌÊ œi˜ˆ˜}iÀ]Ê
Þ-

Üˆ˜½ÃÊVœÃiÊVœ>LœÀ>̜À]Ê`iVˆ`i`ʜ˜Ê>ÊV…>˜}iʜvÊVœÕÀÃi°Ê ÕÌ]Ê̅i˜Ê
܅ÞÊ>Ãʏ>ÌiÊ>ÃÊ£™nÈ]ʅ>`Ê œi˜ˆ˜}iÀÊÃÌ>Ìi`Ê̅>ÌÊ̅iÊ£™näÊ
œ˜Ã̈ÌÕ-
̈œ˜ÊÜ>Ãʁ̅iʏi}>ÊvœÕ˜`>̈œ˜Ê>˜`ÊÜÕÀViʜvʏi}ˆÌˆ“>VÞʜvÊ̅ˆÃʜv-
ficial scheme to cripple Chilean democracy permanently»30. In spite
œvÊ̅>Ì]ʅiʅ>ÃÊLii˜ÊVÀi`ˆÌi`Ê܈̅ʈ˜yÕi˜Vˆ˜}Ê̅iʜ̅iÀÃʈ˜Ê̅iÊpdc
­ˆ˜VÕ`ˆ˜}Ê
ޏ܈˜®Ê ̜Ü>À`Ê >Ê “œÀiÊ Li˜ˆ}˜Ê «œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê œ˜Ê ̅iÊ vœÀ“iÀÊ
}œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ì½ÃÊiVœ˜œ“ÞÊ«œˆVˆið
/œ`>Þ]ʓœÃÌʜvÊ̅œÃiÊ܅œÊLiˆiÛiÊ̅>ÌʈÌÊÜ>ÃÊiÃÃi˜Ìˆ>Ê̜ʎii«Ê
̅iʓ>ÀŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ÞÊ̅ˆ˜ŽÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iʏœÜiÀÊ>˜`ʓˆ``iÊV>ÃÃiÃÊÜiÀiÊ
Àˆ}…ÌÊ ˆ˜Ê …>ۈ˜}Ê ÛœÌi`Ê vœÀÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê >˜`Ê Àiˆ]Ê iÛi˜Ê ̅œÕ}…Ê ̅iÞÊ “>ÞÊ
˜œÌʅ>ÛiÊÀi>ˆâi`ʈÌÊ>ÌÊ̅iÊ̈“iÊ̅iÞÊۜÌi`°Ê/…œÃiÊ܅œÊLiˆiÛiÊ̅>ÌÊ

ޏ܈˜Ê­>˜`Ê̅iÊpdc) should have brought in substantial economic
ÀivœÀ“ÃÊ ­Ü…ˆV…Ê ̅iÞÊ `ˆ`Ê ˜œÌ®Ê Vœ“«>ˆ˜Ê ̅>ÌÊ Ì…iˆÀÊ ÃÕ««œÀÌiÀÃÊ ÜiÀiÊ
deceived.
-Փ“>Àˆâˆ˜}]Ê̅iÀiÊ>ÀiÊÌܜÊVÀˆÌˆV>ÊµÕiÃ̈œ˜ÃÊ>LœÕÌÊ̅ˆÃʓ>Ì-
ÌiÀ\Êˆ`Ê
…ˆi>˜ÃÊ܅œÊۜÌi`ÊvœÀÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê>˜`ÊÀiˆÊ`œÊ̅iÊÀˆ}…ÌÊ̅ˆ˜}ÊvœÀÊ
̅iˆÀÊÜiv>Ài¶Ê
˜`Ê`ˆ`Ê
ޏ܈˜Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊpdc (and the other parties in
the Concertacion especially the ps-ppd®Ê Ž˜œÜÊ Ü…>ÌÊ Ì…iÞÊ ÜiÀiÊ }œˆ˜}Ê
̜Ê`œÊœ˜Viʈ˜Ê«œÜiÀ¶Ê
vÌiÀÊ>]Ê>ÃÊ*iÌÀ>ÃÊ>˜`ÊiˆÛ>]Ê
œˆ˜ÃÊ>˜`Êi>À]Ê
œÕˆ?˜]Ê>˜`ÊœViÞ˜‡œÌ31 have carefully demonstrated, the mainte-
˜>˜ViʜvÊ̅iÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVʓœ`iÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iʓ>ˆ˜ÊˆÃÃÕiʜvÊ̅iÊÌÀ>˜ÃˆÌˆœ˜°ÊÕÀ-
thermore, the partial impunity (or the issue of the human rights abuses
>ÃʈÌʈÃʓœÀiÊVœ““œ˜Þʎ˜œÜ˜®ÊœvÊ̅œÃiʈ˜Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞʈ˜ÛœÛi`ʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

ÕÃiʜvÊۈœi˜ViÊÜ>ÃÊÀi>Ìi`Ê̜Ê̅iÊ>À}Փi˜ÌÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊÕÃiʜvÊvœÀViÊÜ>ÃÊ>Ê
necessary cost to implement the market economy.
œÀÊ̅ˆÃÊ̅iÈÃÊ̅iÊÃiVœ˜`ʵÕiÃ̈œ˜Ê“>ÌÌiÀÃ]ÊLÕÌÊ̅iÊwÀÃÌÊ`œiÃÊ
˜œÌ°Ê/…iÊÀi>ܘʈÃÊ̅>ÌʈÌÊ`œiÃʘœÌʓ>ÌÌiÀʅœÜʏˆÌ̏iÊÃÕ««œÀÌʜÀʅœÜÊ

tecnológico.» Pensamiento Iberoamericano 13(1988):49-65.

30
`}>À`œÊ œi˜ˆ˜}iÀ]Ê /…iÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê ,œ>`Ê ÌœÊ i“œVÀ>VÞ‚Ê Foreign Affairs
(Spring, 1986):812-832.
31
>“iÃÊ *iÌÀ>ÃÊ >˜`Ê iÀ˜>˜`œÊ iˆÛ>]Ê Democracy and Poverty in Chile: The
Limits to Electoral PoliticsÊ­ œÕ`iÀ\Ê7iÃÌÊ6ˆiÜÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™™{®ÆÊœÃi«…Ê
œ-
lins and John Lear, Chile’s Free Market Miracle: A Second Look (Oakland:
/…iʘÃ̈ÌÕÌiʜvÊœœ`Ê>˜`ÊiÛiœ«“i˜ÌÊ*œˆVÞ]Ê£™™x®ÆÊ/œ“>ÃʜՏˆ?˜]ÊEl
Chile Actual. Anatomía de un mito (Santiago: Lom-Arcis, 1997); Alfredo
œViÞ˜‡œÌ]ÊEl Chile perplejo (Santiago: Planeta/Ariel, 1998).

312008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

much opposition there is ex ante for a market economy. After it is in-

ÃÌ>i`]Ê܈̅Ê̅iÊ>««Àœ«Àˆ>Ìiʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜>Êˆ˜Vi˜ÌˆÛiÃÊ>˜`ÊVœ˜ÃÌÀ>ˆ˜ÌÃ]Ê
iiVÌi`Ê«œˆÌˆVˆ>˜ÃÊ܈ÊŽii«ÊˆÌÊLiV>ÕÃiÊ̅iÞÊÀi«ÀiÃi˜ÌʈÌÃÊÃÞÃÌi“ÊœvÊ
property rights and the political institutions to protect them. While
ˆÌʈÃʈ“«œÃÈLiÊ̜ʎ˜œÜʈvÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê­>˜`Ê̅iʜ̅iÀîÊÜiÀiÊ`iViˆÛˆ˜}Ê
œÌ…iÀÃʜÀÊ`iViˆÛˆ˜}Ê̅i“ÃiÛiÃ]ʈÌʈÃÊ«œÃÈLiÊ̜Ê՘`iÀÃÌ>˜`Ê܅ÞÊ̅iÞÊ
opposed markets at first and kept the system later.

˜œÌ…iÀÊÃ>ˆi˜ÌʵÕiÃ̈œ˜ÊˆÃ\ÊœÜʓÕV…ʈ˜yÕi˜Viʜ˜Ê̅iÊÌÀ>˜Ãˆ-
̈œ˜Ê`ˆ`Ê̅iÊv>VÌÊ̅>ÌʎiÞʓi“LiÀÃʜvÊ̅iÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊVœ>ˆÌˆœ˜ÊiÝ«iVÌi`Ê

ޏ܈˜Ê̜ʎii«Ê̅iʓ>ÀŽiÌÊÃÞÃÌi“Ê>˜`Ê>VÌi`Ê>VVœÀ`ˆ˜}Þʅ>Ûi¶Ê˜Ê
œÌ…iÀÊ ÜœÀ`Ã]Ê ˜œLœ`ÞÊ œ˜Ê ̅iÊ Àˆ}…ÌÊ iÛiÀÊ ÕÃi`Ê Ì…iÊ ˆ˜Vœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜VˆiÃÊ œvÊ

ޏ܈˜Ê >˜`Ê …ˆÃÊ >ÃÜVˆ>ÌiÃÊ ­“i“LiÀÃÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ pdc or ps-ppd) to dis-
credit them in the eyes of the more egalitarian leftist and idealist
ۜÌiÀðÊ/…ˆÃʎiÞÊLÕÌʁ՘˜œÌˆVi`‚Êv>VÌÊŜՏ`ʅ>ÛiÊLii˜Ê̅iÊÃÕLiVÌÊ
œvʈ˜µÕˆÀÞÊȘViÊiÛi˜Ê>Õ̅œÀÃʏˆŽiÊ*ÀâiܜÀΈʅ>ÛiÊ>VVi«Ìi`Ê̅iʈ`i>Ê
̅>ÌÊ܅>Ìʓ>ÌÌiÀÃʈ˜ÊÌÀ>˜ÃˆÌˆœ˜ÃÊ̜Ê`i“œVÀ>VÞʈÃÊ̅iÊiˆÌiÊÃÌÀÕVÌÕÀiÊ
and the role of the market economy32.
œÌÊ œ˜ÞÊ …>ÃÊ Ì…iÊ œ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê œvÊ
ޏ܈˜Ê >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ pdc to the
market reforms implemented by the military government been thor-
œÕ}…ÞÊ`œVՓi˜Ìi`°ÊÌʈÃÊ>ÃœÊÌÀÕiÊ̅>ÌÊ
i>˜`ÀœÊœÝiÞÊ­
ޏ܈˜½ÃÊ
w˜>˜Viʓˆ˜ˆÃÌiÀ®]Ê܅œÊ…>`Ê>Ü>ÞÃÊLii˜Ê̅iʓ>ˆ˜ÊiVœ˜œ“ˆÃÌʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
pdc (as Director of Cieplan, the pdc think tank), opposed one by
œ˜iÊ>ÊœvÊ̅iÊiVœ˜œ“ˆVÊ«œˆVˆiÃʜvÊ̅iÊ
…ˆV>}œÊLœÞðʈÃÊ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê
V…>˜}i`Ê܅i˜ÊˆÌÊLiV>“iÊVi>ÀÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊpdcÊÜ>ÃÊ}œˆ˜}Ê̜ÊLiʈ˜Ê«œÜ-
iÀ°Ê
VÌÕ>Þ]Ê ˆÌÊ …>ÃÊ Lii˜Ê Vœ˜Ûˆ˜Vˆ˜}ÞÊ >À}Õi`Ê Ì…>ÌÊ Ü…>ÌÊ “>ÀŽÃÊ Ì…iÊ
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

V…>˜}iʈ˜Ê«œÃˆÌˆœ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊ̅iÊ>}Àii“i˜ÌÊÀi>V…i`Ê܈̅Ê̅iʓˆˆÌ>ÀÞÊÀi-
}ˆ“iÊ>LœÕÌÊ̅iÊ œ>À`ʜvÊ̅iÊ
i˜ÌÀ>Ê >˜Ž]ÊÜiiŽÃÊLivœÀiÊ̅iÊiiV̈œ˜Ê
œvÊ
ޏ܈˜Êˆ˜Ê£™n™33.
After that event the official rhetoric of the ConcertacionÊÜ>ÃÊ
supportive of the maintenance of the economic model34. At that time
32

`>“Ê*ÀâiܜÀΈ]ÊDemocracy and the MarketÊ­ iÜÊ9œÀŽ\Ê
>“LÀˆ`}iÊ1˜ˆ-
versity Press, 1991).
33
Edgardo Boeninger, Democracia en Chile. Lecciones para la gobernabilidad
­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\Ê
˜`ÀjÃÊ iœ]Ê£™™Ç®ÆÊ
i>˜`ÀœÊœÝiÞ]ÊLa economía política de la
transición. El camino del diálogo (Santiago: Dolmen, 1993): Cavallo, Ascanio.
Historia oculta de la transición: Chile 1990-1998Ê­->˜Ìˆ>}œ\ÊÀˆ>Lœ]Ê£™™n®°
34
*>ÌÀˆVˆœÊ
ޏ܈˜]ÊEl reencuentro de los demócratas: del golpe al triunfo del
no (Santiago: Ediciones B Chile, 1998)

32 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

œÝiÞÊ «ÕLˆÃ…i`Ê >Ê ÌÀ>VÌÊ ˆ˜ÃiÀÌi`Ê ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ “>œÀÊ ˜iÜë>«iÀÃ]Ê V>i`Ê
/…iÀiʈÃÊ>˜Ê Vœ˜œ“ˆVÊ
œ˜Ãi˜ÃÕÃʈ˜Ê
…ˆi‚35Ê>˜`ÊvœœÜi`ʈÌÊ܈̅Ê>Ê
concerted effort to silence any opposition to this dramatic change36.
This question first manifested itself to me in a conversation
܈̅Ê*Àˆ˜Vi̜˜Ê1˜ˆÛiÀÈÌÞÊ«ÀœviÃÜÀÊ*>ՏÊ-ˆ}“Õ˜`°Ê7iÊÜiÀiÊëi>Ž-
ing about the difficulty that Juan G. Valdes (a prominent socialist
«œˆÌˆVˆ>˜Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊVÕÀÀi˜Ìʈ˜ˆÃÌiÀʜvÊœÀiˆ}˜Ê
vv>ˆÀÃʜvÊ
…ˆi®Ê…>`Ê
ˆ˜ÊÀiVœ˜Vˆˆ˜}ʅˆÃÊ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê>Ãʓi“LiÀʜvÊ̅iÊ
ޏ܈˜ÊÀi}ˆ“iÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊ
“>ˆ˜Ê̅iÈÃʜvÊ6>`iýÊLœœŽ°Ê˜Ê̅iÊLœœŽÊ­L>Ãi`ʜ˜Ê…ˆÃÊ`ˆÃÃiÀÌ>̈œ˜Ê
that Sigmund directed and published in Spanish in 1989 and English
1995)37 the young Valdes argued about a conspiracy of the Chicago
economists and some North American organizations to dismantle
the Chilean state and destroy the political structure of pre-Pinochet
`i“œVÀ>̈VÊ
…ˆi°Ê˜Ê̅iÊ1°-°
°Ê>˜`ʓœÃÌÊVœÕ˜ÌÀˆiÃÊ̅>ÌÊLœœŽÊܜՏ`Ê
have been used to attack Juan G. Valdes politically. Why did this not
…>««i˜Êˆ˜Ê
…ˆi¶ÊÕÀ̅iÀ“œÀi]Ê܅ÞʈÃʈÌÊ̅>ÌʜݏiÞÊ>˜`ʜ̅iÀÊ«Àœ‡
“>ÀŽiÌÊÜVˆ>ˆÃÌÃÊÜiÀiÊVœ˜ÃÌ>˜ÌÞÊ>VVÕÃi`ʜvʈ˜Vœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜VÞʈ˜Ê«ÀˆÛ>ÌiÊ
(among the right) but have not been attacked publicly?
/…iÊ >˜ÃÜiÀÊ ˆÃÊ Ì…>ÌÊ Ì…iÊ ViÛiÀÊ ÕÃiÊ œvÊ >“Lˆ}ՈÌÞÊ …>ÃÊ vœÀÊ “>˜ÞÊ
years been a mayor asset among Chilean elites and that for the sup-
«œÀÌiÀÃʜvÊ̅iʓ>ÀŽiÌÊiVœ˜œ“ÞʈÌÊÜ>ÃÊLiÌÌiÀÊ̜ʎii«Êȏi˜Ìʜ˜Ê̅iÃiÊ
contradictions.
In the 1960s, before the election of Allende and the later mili-
Ì>ÀÞʜÛiÀ̅ÀœÜʜvʅˆÃÊ}œÛiÀ˜“i˜Ì]Ê
…ˆi½ÃÊ`i“œVÀ>VÞÊÜ>ÃÊVœ˜Ãˆ`iÀi`Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

՘ˆµÕiʈ˜Ê>̈˜Ê
“iÀˆV>°Ê*œˆÌˆV>ÊÃVˆi˜ÌˆÃÌÃʏˆŽiÊ>“>˜Ê-ˆÛiÀÌ]Êi`-
erico Gil and Peter Cleaves38 stressed that Chile had one of the lon-
35

i>˜`ÀœÊœÝiÞ]ÊHay un consenso economico en Chile (Santiago: Inserto,
1989).
36
iÀ˜>À`ˆÌ>Ê iÊ -œ>ÀÊ >˜`Ê >Àˆ>Ê /°Ê
}ՈÀÀi]Ê œÃÊ ˜ÕiۜÃÊ LœÞÃÊ `iÊ >Ê
iVœ˜œ“‰>°‚Ê Que Pasa 1.044(1991):24-29; Crisostomo Pizarro, Dagmar
Raczynski, and Joaquin Vial (editors) Políticas económicas y sociales en el
Chile democrático (Santiago: Cieplan-Unicef, 1995).
37
Juan G. Valdes, La Escuela de Chicago: Operacion Chile (Buenos Aires:
Grupo Editorial Zeta, 1989); Juan G. Valdes, Pinochet’s Economists: The
Chicago School of Economics in ChileÊ­ iÜÊ9œÀŽ\Ê
>“LÀˆ`}iÊ1˜ˆÛiÀÈÌÞÊ
Press, 1995).
38
>“>˜Ê °Ê -ˆÛiÀÌ]Ê Chile: Yesterday and TodayÊ ­ iÜÊ 9œÀŽ\Ê œÌ]Ê ,ˆ˜i-
…>ÀÌÊ7ˆ˜Ã̜˜]Ê£™Èx®ÆÊi`iÀˆVœÊˆ]ÊThe Political System of Chile (Boston:

332008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

}iÃÌÊ`i“œVÀ>̈VÊÌÀ>`ˆÌˆœ˜Ãʈ˜Ê̅iÊܜÀ`°Ê*>ÀÌÞÊ>vwˆ>̈œ˜Ê…>`ÊÌi˜`i`Ê
to be strong and political parties resembled more the North Ameri-
can and West European parties than those in other Latin American
VœÕ˜ÌÀˆiÃ°Ê ÕÌÊ
…ˆiÊ Ü>ÃÊ >ÃœÊ Vœ˜Ãˆ`iÀi`Ê Õ˜ˆµÕiÊ ˆ˜Ê ˆÌÃÊ >“Lˆ}ՈÌÞ°Ê
-ˆÛiÀÌ]Ê܅œÊ̅œÕ}…ÌÊ̅>ÌÊ`i“œVÀ>VÞʘii`ÃÊ>“Lˆ}ՈÌÞ]Ê>À}Õi`Ê>`>-
mantly that Chile had more than its share39. Cleaves, in his analysis
of the pre-military regime state-managed economy, gives a detailed
>VVœÕ˜ÌʜvÊ̅iʈ˜Vœ˜ÃˆÃÌi˜VÞÊLiÌÜii˜Ê̅iÊÀiÃՏÌÃʜvÊ̅iÊVœÀ«œÀ>̈ÃÌÊ
economy and the ideologically egalitarian democratic system40.
There are many observations that can be brought to support
̅ˆÃÊVœ˜Ìi˜Ìˆœ˜°Ê
…ˆi>˜Ê«œˆÌˆVÃʜvviÀÃÊÕ«ÊܓiÊÃÕÀ«ÀˆÃˆ˜}ÊÌ܈ÃÌÃÊ
and turns, but the prevalence of ambiguity in Chilean society is
>Ê«>À̈VՏ>ÀÞÊ`ˆvwVՏÌʜ˜iÊvœÀÊ̅iÊvœÀiˆ}˜ÊœLÃiÀÛiÀ°ÊœÀÊiÝ>“«i]Ê
Vœ˜Ãˆ`iÀÊ̅iÊÛi˜iÀ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊVœ“L>̈Ûiʈ˜`ˆ}i˜œÕÃʏi}>VÞÊ܅ˆiÊ
ignoring the presence of indigenous cultures in contemporary so-
VˆiÌÞÊ œÀÊ Ì…iÊ «À>V̈ViÊ œvÊ >˜˜Õ“i˜ÌÊ œvÊ “>ÀÀˆ>}iÃÊ Ü…ˆiÊ Žii«ˆ˜}Ê
divorce illegal.
/…iÊ wiÀViÊ ÃÌÀÕ}}iÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ >«ÕV…iÊ ˆÃÊ ˆ˜Ê Å>À«Ê Vœ˜ÌÀ>ÃÌÊ ÜˆÌ…Ê
̅iÊ-«>˜ˆÃ…ÊiÝ«iÀˆi˜ViÊiÃi܅iÀiʈ˜Ê
“iÀˆV>]ʘœÌʜ˜ÞÊLiV>ÕÃiÊ̅iÞÊ
often defeated the Europeans but also because they forced Span-
ish recognition of Indian territorial sovereignty. As in other parts
œvÊ-«>˜ˆÃ…‡
“iÀˆV>]ʓˆÃVi}i˜>̈œ˜ÊÜ>ÃÊVœ““œ˜Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊiÝÌi˜ÃˆÛiÊ
ˆ˜ÌiÀ“>ÀÀˆ>}iʜvÊ-«>˜ˆ>À`ÃÊ܈̅ʘ`ˆ>˜Êܜ“i˜Ê«Àœ`ÕVi`Ê̅iÊmes-
tizosÊ̅>ÌÊvœÀ“Ê̅iʓ>œÀˆÌÞ]Ê>LœÕÌÊÇä¯ÊœvÊ̅iÊ«œ«Õ>̈œ˜°Ê/œ`>Þ½ÃÊ
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

˜`ˆ>˜Ê«œ«Õ>̈œ˜Êˆ˜Ê
…ˆiʈÃÊ>LœÕÌÊx¯Ê>˜`Ê̅iÊÀi“>ˆ˜ˆ˜}ÊÓä¯Ê̜Ê
Óx¯ÊˆÃʜvÊ ÕÀœ«i>˜ÊœÀˆ}ˆ˜]ʓ>ˆ˜ÞÊ-«>˜ˆÃ…°Ê,>ViÊÃÌÀœ˜}ÞÊVœÀÀi>ÌiÃÊ
ÜˆÌ…Ê V>ÃÃ]Ê ÜˆÌ…Ê ÕÀœ«i>˜ÃÊ œ˜Ê ̜«Ê >˜`Ê ˜`ˆ>˜ÃÊ >ÌÊ Ì…iÊ LœÌ̜“°Ê ˜Ê
LiÌÜii˜Êœ˜iÊw˜`ÃÊ̅>ÌʈÌʈÃÊ«œÃÈLiÊ̜ʫÀi`ˆVÌÊ̅iÊÀi>̈ÛiÊÃÌ>˜`ˆ˜}Ê
of a Chilean by the closeness of their resemblance to either group.
Despite this being obvious to any foreign observer, it is largely ig-
˜œÀi`ÊLÞÊ
…ˆi>˜Ã°ÊœÀÊ̅iÊ
“iÀˆV>˜ÊœLÃiÀÛiÀÊ̅iÊVœ˜ÌÀ>`ˆV̈œ˜ÊœvÊ

œÕ}…Ìœ˜Ê ˆvyˆ˜Ê
œ°]Ê £™Èn®ÆÊ *iÌiÀÊ -°Ê
i>ÛiÃ]Ê Bureaucratic politics and
administration in Chile (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1974).
39
>“>˜Ê°Ê-ˆÛiÀÌ]ÊThe Conflict Society: Reaction and Revolution in Latin
AmericaÊ­ iÜÊ"Ài>˜Ã\Ê>ÕÃiÀÊ*ÀiÃÃ]Ê£™È£®°
40
Peter S. Cleaves, Bureaucratic politics and Administration in Chile (Berke-
ley: University of California Press, 1974).

34 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

an ingrained class system in the midst of Lockean, Jeffersonian and

>À݈ÃÌÊi}>ˆÌ>Àˆ>˜Ê«œˆÌˆV>ÊÀ…i̜ÀˆVʈÃÊ«>À̈VՏ>ÀÞÊÃ>ˆi˜Ì°
But more relevant for this analysis are the strong emphasis on
i}>ˆÃ“Ê܅ˆiÊÃ>˜V̈œ˜ˆ˜}ʓi>˜ÃÊ̜ÊÃÕëi˜`ʏi}>Ê«Àˆ˜Vˆ«iÃÊ>˜`Ê̅iÊ
emphasis on human and individual rights in a Catholic monist tradi-
tion that discourages dissent and considers the pursuit of individual
self-interest to be illegitimate41.
/…iÃiÊÌܜÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆÃ̈VÃÊV>˜ÊLiÊÌÀ>Vi`Êv>ÀÊL>VŽÊœ˜ÌœÊ
…ˆi>˜Ê
…ˆÃ̜ÀÞ]Ê>ÃÊvœÀÊiÝ>“«iʈ˜Ê̅iÊ«ÀiÛ>i˜ViʜvÊdisimulo (the readiness to
`ˆÃÃi“LiʜÀʜÛiÀœœŽ®Ê`ÕÀˆ˜}ÊVœœ˜ˆ>Ê̈“iðÊ
ÌÊ̅>ÌÊ̈“iÊ̅iÀiÊÜ>ÃÊ
ˆ˜Ê̅iœÀÞÊ>˜ÊœÛiÀ܅i“ˆ˜}Ê,œÞ>Ê>Õ̅œÀˆÌÞ°Ê ÕÌʜ˜iʅ>ÃÊ̜ÊVœ˜Ãˆ`iÀÊ
̅>ÌÊ̅iÊivviVÌʜvÊ̅ˆÃÊ>Õ̅œÀˆÌÞʜ˜Ê`>އ̜‡`>ÞÊiÝ«iÀˆi˜ViÊÜ>ÃʏiÃÃÊ̅>˜Ê
impressive. Actually, disimuloÊÜ>Ãʜ«i˜ÞÊÀiVœ}˜ˆâi`Ê>ÃÊiÃÃi˜Ìˆ>ÊvœÀÊ
̅iÊ >ÀÌvÕÊ «À>V̈ViÊ œvÊ «œˆÌˆVÃ°Ê ÌÃÊ }i˜iÀ>ˆâi`Ê «À>V̈ViÊ …>ÃÊ Lii˜Ê ÜiÊ
`œVՓi˜Ìi`ÊLÞÊ>«iÀˆ˜Êœ˜}…ˆ°ÊœÀÊiÝ>“«i]ʅiÊŜÜÃʅœÜÊÕÃivՏÊ
ˆÌÊÜ>ÃÊ>vÌiÀÊ>˜Ê՘ÃÕVViÃÃvՏÊÀiLiˆœ˜Êˆ˜Ê܅ˆV…Ê>Ê̅œÃiÊ܅œÊ…>`Ê«>À-
ticipated managed to hide their responsibility by practicing disimulo
in protesting their zealous loyalty to their sovereign. Remarkably, that
same sovereign practiced the same art by accepting these protests at
face value42.
That disimulo still permeates Chilean culture can be seen for
iÝ>“«iʈ˜Ê̅iʈÃÃÕiʜvÊ`ˆÛœÀVi°Ê
…ˆiʈÃÊ̅iʜ˜ÞÊVœÕ˜ÌÀÞʈ˜Ê>̈˜Ê

“iÀˆV>Ê܅iÀiÊ`ˆÛœÀViʈÃʓ>ˆ˜Ì>ˆ˜i`ʈ˜Ê>ʍÕÀˆ`ˆV>Ê˜œ‡“>˜½Ãʏ>˜`°Ê
/…ˆÃÊ`œiÃʘœÌʓi>˜Ê̅>ÌÊ`ˆÛœÀViÊ`œiÃʘœÌÊi݈ÃÌ°ÊÌÊ`œiÃÊvœÀÊ>ÊViÀÌ>ˆ˜Ê
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

ÜVˆ>Ê}ÀœÕ«Êq̅œÃiÊ Ü…œÊ V>˜Ê «>ÞÊ Ì…iÊ VœÃÌÃÊ œvÊ >Ê ÌÀˆ>Ê >˜`Ê “>ÀˆÌ>Ê
>ÀÀ>˜}i“i˜Ì‚°Ê˜`ii`Ê̅iÀiÊ>ÀiÊ
…ˆi>˜ÃÊ܅œÊ…>ÛiÊLii˜Ê“>ÀÀˆi`ʼi-
}>Þ½ÊÃiÛiÀ>Ê̈“iÃ]ÊVœ˜vÀœ˜Ìˆ˜}ʘœÊ«ÀœLi“ÃʜÀʜLÃÌ>ViÃʈ“«œÃi`Ê
LÞÊ̅iʍÕ`ˆVˆ>ÊÃÞÃÌi“°ÊÌÊ>Ê`i«i˜`Ãʜ˜Ê̅iÊÀiÜÕÀViÃʜ˜iʅ>ð
œÀÊ Ãœ“i]Ê
…ˆiÊ ˆÃÊ >Ê `ˆÛœÀVii½ÃÊ «>À>`ˆÃiÊ Vœ“«>À>LiÊ œ˜ÞÊ ÌœÊ
that of some states in North America. One obtains an annulment of

41
Glen Dealy, The Tradition of Monistic Democracy in Latin America. in
œÜ>À`Ê 7ˆ>À`>Ê ­i`ˆÌœÀ®Ê Politics and Social Change in Latin America:
The Distinct Tradition (Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press,
1974):71-103.
42
/ՏˆœÊ >«iÀˆ˜Ê œ˜}…ˆ]Ê  >VŽÜ>À`ÊœœŽÃÊ >˜`ÊœÀÜ>À`Ê ˆ“«ÃiÃÊ vÀœ“Ê >Ê
Quincentennial Vantage Point.» Journal of Latin American Studies Supple-
ment (1992):219-234.

352008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

the marriage in the Civil Registry Office based on the sole reason of
incompetence. This procedure in itself is so simple that it may cost
iÃÃÊ̅>˜Ê>ʅ՘`Ài`Ê`œ>ÀÃÊ­>ÜÞiÀýÊviiÃʈ˜VÕ`i`®°Ê/…ˆÃʓiV…>˜ˆÃ“Ê
ˆÃÊ Ã«iVˆ>ÞÊ ÃՈÌi`Ê ÌœÊ ÃœVˆ>ÞÊ `iVœ“«ÀiÃÃÊ >Ê «œÌi˜Ìˆ>ÞÊ iÝ«œÃˆÛiÊ
«ÀœLi“°Ê ÕÌÊvœÀÊܓi]ʈÌÊVœ“«Àœ“ˆÃiÃÊ̅iÊ`ˆ}˜ˆÌÞʜvʏ>ÜÞiÀÃÊq܅œÊ
“ÕÃÌÊVœ˜ÃVˆœÕÏÞʏˆiq]Ê̅iʍÕ`}iÃÊq܅œÊŽ˜œÜʈÌʈÃÊ>Ê>Êv>Ãi…œœ`Ê>˜`Ê
invented parody–, the respective ministers of the Appellate Court
q܅œÊ“ÕÃÌÊ>««ÀœÛiÊ̅iÃiÊ`ˆÃVÕÃȜ˜ÃqÊ>˜`Ê>ʘՓLiÀʜvʜ̅iÀÊܜÀŽ-
ers in the Judicial System.

From Ambiguity to Deception

By the end of August 1988 before General Pinochet decided to run

ˆ˜Ê̅iÊ«iLˆÃVˆÌiʜvÊ"V̜LiÀÊx]Ê£™nnʈ˜Ê܅ˆV…Ê
…ˆi>˜ÃÊVœÕ`ÊۜÌiÊ
him out43]ʅiÊÜ>ÃÊ̜`Ê̅>ÌÊL>Ãi`ʜ˜Ê̅iÊw}ÕÀiÃʜvÊ̅iʏ>ÌiÃÌÊ«œÃʅiÊ
Ü>ÃÊ}œˆ˜}Ê̜Ê܈˜°Êiʅ>`ÊÀi>ܘÊ̜ÊLiˆiÛiÊ̅iÊ«œÃÌiÀÃÊȘViʈ˜Ê̅iÊ
«ÀiۈœÕÃÊ«iLˆÃVˆÌiÃÊ­ˆ˜Ê£™ÇnÊ>˜`Ê£™nä®Ê̅iÞÊÜiÀiÊÀˆ}…ÌÊ>˜`ʅiÊܜ˜Ê
LœÌ…°Ê/…ˆÃÊ̈“iÊ̅iÊ«œÃÊÜiÀiÊÜÀœ˜}ÊLÕÌʅiÊvœÕ˜`ʜÕÌʜ˜ÞÊ>vÌiÀÊ̅iÊ
«œÃÊÜiÀiÊVœÃi`Ê>˜`Ê̅iÀiÊÜ>ÃʘœÌ…ˆ˜}ʅiÊVœÕ`Ê`œ°Ê>˜ÞÊ>“œ˜}Ê
̅œÃiÊ܅œÊŽ˜iÜʅiÊÜ>ÃÊ}œˆ˜}Ê̜ʏœÃiÊ­ˆ˜VÕ`ˆ˜}Ê̅iÊ1˜ˆÌi`Ê-Ì>ÌiÃÊ
State Department) believed that if Pinochet had anticipated defeat,
…iÊܜՏ`ʅ>ÛiÊvœœÜi`Ê>Ê`ˆvviÀi˜ÌÊVœÕÀÃi°
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

/…iÊ«Àœ«œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê̅>Ìʁ`iVi«Ìˆœ˜Ê“>ÌÌiÀÂʈÃÊL>Ãi`ÊwÀÃÌʜ˜Ê̅iÊ
v>VÌÊ̅>ÌÊ*ˆ˜œV…iÌʏœÃÌÊ«œÜiÀÊLiV>ÕÃiʅiÊ>˜`ʓ>˜ÞʜvʅˆÃÊÃÕ««œÀÌ-
iÀÃÊÜiÀiÊ`iViˆÛi`ÊLÞÊ̅iÊ«œÃ44°Ê˜Ê̅iʓœ˜Ì…Ê«ÀiۈœÕÃÊ̜Ê*ˆ˜œV…i̽ÃÊ
`ivi>Ì]Ê̅iÊÃ̜VŽÊ“>ÀŽiÌÊ`ˆ`ʘœÌÊiÝ«iÀˆi˜ViÊÈ}˜ˆwV>˜ÌÊV…>˜}iÃÊ܅ˆiÊ
̅iÊ`>ÞÊ>vÌiÀÊ̅iÊ«iLˆÃVˆÌiÊ̅iÀiÊÜ>ÃÊ>Ê`ii«Ê«Õ˜}i°Ê/…iÊ«œÃÊ>ÃœÊ
43
Ê /…iÊܜÀ`ˆ˜}ʜvÊ̅iÊ«iLˆÃVˆÌiʵÕiÃ̈œ˜ÊÜ>Ã\Ê
˜Ìiʏ>Ê«Àœ«ÕiÃÌ>Ê`iʏ>Êœ˜œÀ‡
/…iÊܜÀ`ˆ˜}ʜvÊ̅iÊ«iLˆÃVˆÌiʵÕiÃ̈œ˜ÊÜ>Ã\Ê
˜Ìiʏ>Ê«Àœ«ÕiÃÌ>Ê`iʏ>Êœ˜œÀ-
able Junta de Gobierno de nombrar Presidente de la Republica a Augusto
*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ «>À>Ê iÊ «ÀœÝˆ“œÊ «iÀˆœ`œÊ ÛœÌœÊ -ˆÊ œÊ œ°Ê /œÊ ̅iÊ «Àœ«œÃ>Ê œvÊ Ì…iÊ
œ˜œÀ>LÞʈˆÌ>ÀÞÊ՘Ì>Ê̜ʘ>“iÊ
Õ}ÕÃ̜Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌÊ«ÀiÈ`i˜ÌÊvœÀÊ̅iʘiÝÌÊ
«iÀˆœ`ÊÊۜÌiÊ9iÃʜÀÊ œ°
44
This is, of course, a manifestation of a traditional mode of deception long
appreciated by such observers as Machiavelli and is not pertinent to the
`iVi«ÌˆÛiÊÀi>̈œ˜Ã…ˆ«ÊLiÌÜii˜ÊV>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃÊ>˜`ÊۜÌiÀÃÊ܅ˆV…ʈÃÊ̅iʓ>ˆ˜ÊVœ˜-
cern of this thesis.

36 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

`iViˆÛi`Ê̅iʈ˜ÛiÃ̜ÀÃÊ>˜`ÊVÀi>Ìi`Êv>ÃiÊiÝ«iVÌ>̈œ˜Ã°Ê
Ãʏ>ÌiÊ>ÃÊ"V-
̜LiÀÊ{Ê>Ê
…ˆi>˜Ê˜iÜë>«iÀÃÊ«ÕLˆÃ…i`Ê>Ê«œÊLÞÊ̅iÊ1˜ˆÛiÀÈÌÞʜvÊ

…ˆiÊ«Ài`ˆV̈˜}Ê>ÊۜÌiʜvÊxä°Ç¯ÊvœÀÊ>««ÀœÛ>Ê>˜`Ê{x°Ó¯ÊvœÀÊÀiiV-
tion of his continued presidency.
œÜÊ̅ˆÃÊVœÕ`ʅ>Ûiʅ>««i˜i`ʈÃÊ«Õâ⏈˜}ÊVœ˜Ãˆ`iÀˆ˜}ÊvœÀÊiÝ-
ample that three months before the plebiscite, the Center for Public
Studies (Centro de Estudios Publicos, cep) had made public the re-
ÃՏÌÃʜvÊ>Ê«œÊÌ>Ži˜Ê̅>ÌÊÃ>“iʓœ˜Ì…Ê܅ˆV…ʈ˜`ˆV>Ìi`Ê>Ê̈iÊLiÌÜii˜Ê
̅iʁ9iÂÊ>˜`Ê̅iʁ œ‚°ÊÌʈÃʘœÌʎ˜œÜ˜Ê܅ÞÊEl Mercurio]Ê
…ˆi½ÃÊ
“œÃÌʈ˜yÕi˜Ìˆ>Ê˜iÜë>«iÀÊ>˜`ÊVœÃiÞÊ̈i`Ê̜Ê̅iÊLÕȘiÃÃÊVœ““Õ-
nity, did not publish the results, considering that cepÊ Ü>ÃÊ iµÕ>ÞÊ
VœÃiÊ̜Ê̅iÊLÕȘiÃÃÊVœ““Õ˜ˆÌÞÊ>˜`]Ê>ÌÊ̅iÊ̈“i]Ê̅iÊVœÕ˜ÌÀÞ½ÃʓœÃÌÊ
prominent research center.
*œÃÊ Ì>Ži˜Ê LÞÊ Ì…iÊ œ««œÃˆÌˆœ˜Ê Vœˆ˜Vˆ`i`Ê ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…œÃiÊ Ì>Ži˜Ê LÞÊ
cep°Ê >VܽÃÊ ­>Ê ÀiÃi>ÀV…Ê Vi˜ÌiÀÊ VœÃiÊ ÌœÊ Ì…iÊ ps-ppd) polls of June
££]Ê vœÀÊ iÝ>“«i]Ê ˆ˜`ˆV>Ìi`Ê >Ê Ìˆi°Ê
ÃÊ Ì…iÊ `>ÌiÊ œvÊ Ì…iÊ «iLˆÃVˆÌiÊ }œÌÊ
closer, the situation became more confusing. On October 2, pro-
}œÛiÀ˜“i˜ÌÊ>˜>ÞÃÌÃÊÃÌ>Ìi`Ê̅>ÌÊ̅iʁ9iÂÊܜՏ`Ê܈˜ÊLÞÊx{¯ÊœÛiÀÊ
{ȯÊvœÀÊ̅iʁ œ‚°Ê"˜Ê"V̜LiÀÊx]Ê̅iÊÃ>“iÊ`>ÞʜvÊ̅iÊ«iLˆÃVˆÌi]ÊEl
Mercurio½ÃÊvÀœ˜ÌÊ«>}iÊ«ÕLˆÃ…i`Ê>ʅi>`ˆ˜iÊ>LœÕÌÊ̅iÊ«œÃÊ܈̅Ê̅iÊ
mathematically absurd outcome of 55% for the «Yes», 46,1% for
the «No».
"˜iʜvÊ̅iÊVœ˜ÃiµÕi˜ViÃʜvÊ̅iÃiʓˆÃi>`ˆ˜}ÊiÛi˜ÌÃÊÜ>ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

ˆÌÊ̅Ü>ÀÌi`Ê̅iÊ«œÃÈLˆˆÌÞʜvÊ̅iʓ>ˆ˜ÊVˆÛˆˆ>˜Ê«œˆÌˆVˆ>˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊÀˆ}…ÌÊ
(Jarpa) presenting his candidacy or another civilian candidate com-
ˆ˜}ÊvœÀÜ>À`°Ê7ˆÌ…Ê>ÊVˆÛˆˆ>˜]Ê̅iʁ9iÂÊÈ`iʓˆ}…Ìʅ>Ûiʅ>`Ê}Ài>ÌiÀÊ
V…>˜ViÃʜvÊ܈˜˜ˆ˜}°Ê/…iÊÀi>ܘÊ̅iʈˆÌ>ÀÞÊ՘Ì>Ê`ˆ`ʘœÌÊÃiiVÌÊ>Ê
V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÊ`ˆvviÀi˜ÌÊvÀœ“Ê*ˆ˜œV…iÌʈÃÊ«>À̈>ÞÊiÝ«>ˆ˜i`ÊLÞÊ̅iÊ«œÃÊ
that assured a Pinochet victory. Some in the military regime also had
been misled and deceived by the public opinion polls.

372008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 Jorge González

The Plan of the Book

/œÊÀiV>«ˆÌՏ>Ìi]Ê̅iÊ«ÕÀ«œÃiʜvÊ̅ˆÃÊܜÀŽÊˆÃÊ̜ʓœ`ˆvÞÊ̅iÊV>ÃÈV>Ê
spatial model by introducing the roles of deception and self-decep-
̈œ˜Ê ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ ÃÌÀ>Ìi}ˆVÊ ˆ˜ÌiÀ>V̈œ˜ÃÊ LiÌÜii˜Ê ۜÌiÀÃÊ >˜`Ê V>˜`ˆ`>ÌiÃÊ ˆ˜Ê
̅iÊ
…ˆi>˜Êˆ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜>ÊÃiÌ̈˜}°Ê/…iÊ̅iœÀïV>ÊÕÃ̈wV>̈œ˜ÊvœÀÊ̅ˆÃÊ
“œ`ˆwV>̈œ˜Ê œvÊ Ì…iÊ ÃÌ>˜`>À`Ê “œ`iÊ ˆÃÊ Ì…iÊ ÃÕLiVÌÊ œvÊ V…>«ÌiÀÊ Ìܜ°Ê
/…iÀiÊ>ÀiÊ̅Àiiʓ>ˆ˜Ê̅iœÀïV>Êii“i˜ÌÃʈ˜Ê̅ˆÃÊܜÀŽ\ÊiۜṎœ˜>ÀÞÊ
«ÃÞV…œœ}Þ]Ê Ì…iÊ ˜iÜÊ ˆ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜>Ê iVœ˜œ“ˆVÃ]Ê >˜`Ê Ã«>̈>Ê ̅iœÀÞ°Ê Ê
begin by introducing the idea that the human mind is an adapta-
tion over relevant evolutionary time. I argue that recent advances
ˆ˜Ê̅iÊwi`ʜvÊiۜṎœ˜>ÀÞÊ«ÃÞV…œœ}ÞÊV>˜ÊLiÊÕÃivՏÞÊiÝ«œˆÌi`ÊLÞÊ
«œˆÌˆV>ÊÃVˆi˜Vi°ÊʘiÝÌÊŜÜÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊVœ˜Vi«ÌʜvÊ`iVi«Ìˆœ˜]Ê܅ˆV…Ê
is critical to the theory of the Adapted Mind, can be incorporated
ˆ˜ÌœÊ̅iÊ>˜>ÞÈÃʜvÊ«œˆÌˆV>Êˆ`iœœ}Þ°Ê`iœœ}ˆiÃ]ʅœÜiÛiÀ]Ê`iÛiœ«Ê
ˆ˜Ê̅iÊVœ˜ÌiÝÌʜvÊ«>À̈VՏ>Àʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜>ÊÃiÌ̈˜}ðÊ/…iÀivœÀi]ÊÊÌÕÀ˜Ê
ÌœÊ >Ê Vœ˜Ãˆ`iÀ>̈œ˜Ê œvÊ ÜœÀŽÊ Liˆ˜}Ê `œ˜iÊ Õ˜`iÀÊ Ì…iÊ …i>`ˆ˜}Ê œvÊ Ì…iÊ
˜iÜÊ ˆ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜>ˆÃ“Ê ˆ˜Ê œÀ`iÀÊ ÌœÊ «ÀœÛˆ`iÊ >Ê Ì…iœÀïV>ÞÊ ˆ˜vœÀ“i`Ê
>VVœÕ˜ÌʜvÊ̅iÊÀՏiÃÊ>˜`ʈ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜Ãʜvʓ>ÀŽiÌÊ`i“œVÀ>Vްʈ˜>Þ]ÊÊ
Vœ˜Ãˆ`iÀÊ̅iÊÃÌ>˜`>À`ÊœÜ˜Ãˆ>˜Ê>˜`ʏ>ÌiÀÊÛiÀȜ˜ÃʜvÊë>̈>Ê“œ`iÃÊ
œvÊ`i“œVÀ>̈VÊiiV̈œ˜Ã°ÊÊ«œˆ˜ÌʜÕÌÊ̅iˆÀÊÜi>Ž˜iÃÃiÃʈ˜Ê`i>ˆ˜}Ê܈̅Ê
multi-candidate races and suggest an alternative conceptualization
of candidate strategy.

…>«ÌiÀÊ̅ÀiiÊ«ÀiÃi˜ÌÃÊ̅iʓœ`ˆwi`ʓœ`iÊ܈̅ÊÌܜÊVœ}˜ˆÌˆÛiÊ
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

dimensions, succinctly stated, Left-Right, and Idealism-Realism.

The dimensions are produced through the application of the Ca-
hoon procedure, a variant of factor analysis, to the thermometer
ÃVœÀiÃÊÀi뜘`i˜ÌÃʈ˜ÊÌܜÊ
…ˆi>˜ÊÃÕÀÛiÞÃÊÌ>Ži˜Ê«ÀˆœÀÊ̜Ê̅iÊ£™n™Ê
presidential election gave to leading political figures and institutions.
I compare these conceptual maps of the electorate as they appeared
ˆ˜Ê
«ÀˆÊ>˜`ʈ˜Ê œÛi“LiÀ°Ê
ÃœÊÊ>˜>ÞâiÊ̅iÊÀi>̈œ˜Ã…ˆ«ÊLiÌÜii˜Ê
>ÊÀi뜘`i˜Ì½ÃʏœV>̈œ˜Êˆ˜Ê̅iʓՏ̈‡`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜Êë>ViÊ>˜`ʅˆÃʜÀʅiÀÊ
social class and age, relating these to theoretical arguments about
…ˆiÀ>ÀV…ÞÊ >˜`Ê ÌÀ>˜ÃviÀÊ œvÊ «œÜiÀÊ LiÌÜii˜Ê }i˜iÀ>̈œ˜ÃÊ >`Û>˜Vi`Ê ˆ˜Ê
̅iÊ«ÀiVi`ˆ˜}ÊV…>«ÌiÀ°Ê/…iʓœ`iÊˆÃÊ>ÃœÊÕÃi`Ê̜ÊŜÜÊ̅iÊiۜṎœ˜Ê
of vote intentions among respondents from April to November. The

38 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.
 The Effect of Ambiguity in the Chilean Transition

`>Ì>ʈ˜`ˆV>ÌiÊ̅>ÌÊ
Þ܈˜Êˆ˜VÀi>Ãi`ʅˆÃÊÃÕ««œÀÌʜÛiÀÊ̅ˆÃÊ«iÀˆœ`Ê«Àˆ-
marily by moving his perceived position in the ideological space of
ۜÌiÀýÊVœ}˜ˆÌˆÛiʓ>«ÃÊ̜Ê̅iÊÀˆ}…ÌÊ>˜`Ê܈˜˜ˆ˜}Ê>ÊÈ}˜ˆwV>˜ÌÊÅ>ÀiÊ
œvÊ ØV…ˆ½ÃÊۜÌiÀð
In Chapter 4 I lay out the political situation in Chile in the
aftermath of the Pinochet plebiscite and the main configurations of
the political institutions and rules as established by the 1980 Con-
stitution. I discuss the evolution of the candidacies to succeed Pi-
˜œV…iÌ°Ê Ê ÕÃiÊ Ì…iÊ «œÃˆÌˆœ˜ÃÊ œvÊ ÛœÌiÀÃÊ ˆ˜Ê ̅iÊ Ìܜ‡`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜>Ê “>«ÃÊ
constructed in Chapter 3 to divide the electorate into four distinct
ideological categories and trace the evolution of these groups from

«ÀˆÊÌœÊ œÛi“LiÀ°ÊÊŜÜÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊVÀi>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊvœÕÀÊV>Ìi}œÀˆiÃÊ
permits an illuminating analysis of changes in vote intentions during
the campaign.

…>«ÌiÀÊxÊ«ÀœÛˆ`iÃÊ>Ê`iÌ>ˆi`ÊiÝ>“ˆ˜>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ̅iÊÜ>ÞÊ̅iʈÃÃÕiÊ
preferences of voters and their perceptions of the issue positions of
candidates affected the evolution of vote intentions over the period
œvÊ̅iÊÃÌÕ`Þ°Ê/…iÊÕÃiʜvÊ̅iÊÌܜ‡`ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜>Ê“œ`iÊ«iÀ“ˆÌÃÊ>ʓœÀiÊ
>VVÕÀ>ÌiÊ>˜`Ê«i˜iÌÀ>̈˜}Ê>˜>ÞÈÃʜvÊ̅iÃiʵÕiÃ̈œ˜ÃÊ̅>˜ÊܜՏ`ÊLiÊ
«œÃÈLiÊLÞÊ>Êȓ«iÊVÀœÃÇÌ>LՏ>̈œ˜ÊœvʈÃÃÕiÊ«ÀiviÀi˜ViðÊÊiÝ«œÀiÊ
>Ì̈ÌÕ`iÃÊ ÌœÜ>À`Ê V…>˜}i]Ê …Õ“>˜Ê Àˆ}…ÌÃÊ Ûˆœ>̈œ˜Ã]Ê >˜`Ê Ì…iÊ “>ÀŽiÌÊ
economy.
In the final chapter I summarize my analysis and lay out its im-
plications for the application of evolutionary psychology to spatial
Copyright © 2008. RIL editores. All rights reserved.

models and to the study of politics and economics.

392008. ProQuest Ebook Central,

González, Jorge. The effect of ambiguity in the chilean transition, RIL editores,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universidadcomplutense-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3204528.
Created from universidadcomplutense-ebooks on 2020-04-09 12:48:07.