Read more
The book is a comprehensive analysis of Chile's political and economic evolution, particularly focusing on the challenges of constitutional reform and systemic overhaul in emerging democracies. It explores the paradox of sustained economic growth alongside deepening social inequalities, using Chile as a case study to highlight the broader implications for countries in the Global South. The authoraddresses critical questions about the feasibility and impact of major reforms, particularly in societies with deeply entrenched political and economic systems. It is relevant to scholars, policymakers, and risk analysts interested in understanding the complexities of democratic transitions, offering lessons onbalancing the need for change with the risks of instability, and setting out to solve the problem of how to effectively implement constitutional and systemic reforms in a way that promotes stability, equity, and long-term success.
List of contents
Chapter 1 From stability to upheavel.- Chapter 2 The 1980 Constitution.- Chapter Neoliberalism Problem or solution .- Chapter 4 Two decades of stability.- Chapter 5 The paradox of progress.- Chapter 6 A shifting political system.- Chapter 7 The erosion of voter party linkages and representation backsliding.- Chapter 8 Emergence of a rupturist discourse.- Chapter 9 October 18, 2019.- Chapter 10 The constitutional design.- Chapter 11 The rise of Gabriel Boric.- Chapter 12 The first constitutional convention.- Chapter 13 Understanding rejection Why the first constitutional process failed.- Chapter 14 Constitutional resurrection.- Chapter 15 From instability to realignment.- Chapter 16 The second constitutional council.- Chapter 17 Coming to terms Why the second constitutional process failed.- Chapter 18 Looking back on four years of upheavel.- Chapter 19 Chile s reckoning and the limits of transformation.
About the author
Kenneth Bunker is Associate Professor at the Department of Economics and Director of the Democracy and Government Lab at San Sebastián University. He has held visiting positions at the University of Rome and Milan and is affiliated with the University of Verona. He runs the political consulting firm Tresquintos.
Summary
The book is a comprehensive analysis of Chile's political and economic evolution, particularly focusing on the challenges of constitutional reform and systemic overhaul in emerging democracies. It explores the paradox of sustained economic growth alongside deepening social inequalities, using Chile as a case study to highlight the broader implications for countries in the Global South. The authoraddresses critical questions about the feasibility and impact of major reforms, particularly in societies with deeply entrenched political and economic systems. It is relevant to scholars, policymakers, and risk analysts interested in understanding the complexities of democratic transitions, offering lessons onbalancing the need for change with the risks of instability, and setting out to solve the problem of how to effectively implement constitutional and systemic reforms in a way that promotes stability, equity, and long-term success.
