Sojourn in Chile

Friendly Observer

By Arthur Keefe

Sojourn in Chile

              My son has lived in Chile for over 12 years, with his Chilean wife and three children, and I have been fortunate to be able to visit him every other year.  I only stay for a month at a time, so I would not call myself an expert, but I do consider I am familiar enough with the country to offer some reflections and comparisons.

                The history of Chile has uncanny parallels to here.  It was first colonized by the Spanish, who drove one of the largest groups, the MAPUCHE, to the South, and exterminated many of the native population.  They introduced Spanish as the language, which is the national language today, in its clipped South American form.  They imposed Catholicism which although still practiced is increasingly in name only in a growing secular society.

                Chile and other S.A countries liberated themselves a century before the Philippines, and as a result has a more independent and less colonial culture.  The leaders of the liberated movement had a mix of Spanish, English, and Indian ancestors.  After the Spanish era, settlers from England came largely to mine potash and in the North, Copper, and German settlers developed European style farming in the cooler South.  In more recent time, the USA has been the dominant investor, but without much significant settlement.  Chile has a small population of only 16 people, over one third of whom, live in Metropolitan Santiago.  Despite the absence of much obvious destitution (there are only few squatter area).  Chile is a very unequal society, a large and wealthy middle class live alongside a fairly poor, much larger, working class.  People work long hours for low pay, and few Chilean can afford to travel abroad, except by bus to neighboring Argentina, across the high Andes Mountains - and very  spectacular are the snow topped volcanoes.

                Chile is an extremely long and narrow country, sitting between the Andes and the sea in the North and between the plains of Patagonia (shared with Argentina), and mass of small islands in the South meet Antarctica, with glaciers and tumultuous seas.

                It is over 4000 km in length but only 175 km wide.  This given enormous variation, and allow for rich agriculture in the Central area, with fertile land led by raging mountain rivers.  Chile exports wine and fruit all over the world and rivals copper as the mainstay     of the economy.

Salvador Allende, Chile's first Communist President
Photo Source: www.noticiassin.com

                Chile had been hardly noticed by the world, until it had the first elected Communist President, Salvador Allende in 1970.  The USA immediately took sides under President Nixon, opposing middle class and capitalist, and helped to sabotage the economy and create the conditions for a military corps led by the service chief.  They bombed the presidential palace in which Allende was either killed or committed suicide (the evidence points to the latter), and general Pinochet was installed as ruthless dictatorial 1973.

General Augustu Pinochet ruled Chile for 17 years after the 1973 coup.
He died December 2006 at 91 years old.
Photo and Information Source: wwww.telegraph.co.uk

                His justification was similar to that of Marcos.  He was a true nationalist, selflessly saving the economy and the country from itself!  Over the 16 years of his reign, many extra judicial killings and tortures took place, and it now seems that he amassed considerable personal wealth abroad.

                Unlike Marcos, as he became increasingly unpopular, he allowed an election, in which a left-leaning president was chosen.  He left office peacefully, having granted himself lifelong immunity from prosecution, and installing members of the army in the Senate.  A position they still hold today "to protect the constitution!”

                This period sharply divided Chilean society and was akin to a civil war, with families split along pro and anti Pinochet lines.

                The Chilean economy, once again supported by Uncle Sam, flourished.  Today the main debate concerning this period is    "was it worth it" few defend to human right abuses, but many welcome to return to full blown capitalism- especially the middle class who reap most of the benefits.

                Quite similar to views I hear about the Marcos period here.

                Today Chile is benefitting from the high price of copper and in probably the most successful and stable country in S.A. It has now elected 4 presidents, each limited to one 6 years term, 3 on the left including women, Michelle Bachelet who left office 2 years ago with an 84% approval rating!

                It now has a deeply unpopular wealthy right wing president, who many saw every night on their TVs as the Chilean miners were rescued in the capsul one by one.

                While the histories of Chile and the Philippines have many similarities ( Spanish conquered, Catholic, Agriculture, Military  Coup etc.), the present day circumstances are very different.

                Chile is stable, prospering and modern.  While it has major inequalities, there are safety nets for the poor largely absent here.

                Crime in the cities is a problem, but there is nothing like the rampant disregard for the law shown here (tax evasion, environmental harm, the absence of law on the roads etc.)  There is very little corruption in public life, and people by and large trust public officials, the policy and even the armed forces.

                When these two countries have diverged so much in recent times is hard to say.  Some say, the influence of English and German settlers softened the harsh Spanish influences.  Some point to the high population growth here, which outstrips the growth in the economy.

                All probably play part.  

I suspect the fact that Chile has been independent for nearly 200 years and the Philippines for only around 70 years is another part of the answer.  Chile is a confident native society. Which the Philippines is still in historic terms, a young and immature democracy.

                Chile has fully cast off its colonial legacy, and now sees itself as a member of the South American Family of Nations.

                The Philippines still clings to America's coat tails, and sees itself as a Western nation accidentally located in S.E. Asia! Perhaps, the best way forward is to follow Chile's example, and become a self reliant and confident nation within the Region?