EVENT DETAILS

Stable but Unresponsive: The Rise and Demise of Pinochet's Constitution,
by Dr. Rodrigo Espinoza

February 18, 2020 | 3:30 PM-5:00 PM Event Location: SST 220B

About the Speaker
Dr. Rodrigo Espinoza is Professor and Researcher at Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago de Chile.

About the Talk
    Chile has been recognized as one of the most stable democracies and
    economic systems in Latin America. However, since last October, the
    system has been suffering its biggest collapse of the last three
    decades: millions of citizens took to the streets of Santiago demanding
    an end to corporate exploitation and politicians’ privileges. These
    protests forced political parties to open the path to constitutional
    change, which involves replacing Pinochet’s authoritarian constitution
    under the rule of a government committed to this system and the free
    market. Why did this sudden social explosion emerge? What explains this
    severe crisis of political representation? My argument points to Chile’s
    rigid constitutional system composed of multiple authoritarian enclaves
    and countermajoritarian institutions. This constitutional system was
    successful in neutralizing any attempt at effecting significant change
    on the part of social and political majorities. To be sure, this
    institutional architecture provided political stability, diminishing
    political polarization. Nevertheless, the rigidity of the system
    protected the interests of the minority that supported Pinochet’s
    regime, rendering the political system unresponsive to citizens’
    demands, especially in crucial areas such as social rights and political
    participation.