The political transformation of Chile: Why Chile's 1980 constitution was the catalyst for transition to a moderate regime

Result of 18 years on the scene observation and interviews, Bouchey offers a unique look at dynamics of post-Allende Chile. Puts the "Pinochet personality" and his role in Chilean politics in a new perspective. Expands significantly insights of Manuel Garreton and Karen Remmer regarding Chile's transition from authoritarianism to a reconstituted democracy.;Chile's transition from an authoritarian interregnum to a reconstituted democracy surprised specialists. Events demonstrated social scientists wrongly grouped these regimes together Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, ignoring differences in history and political culture. (1) Chile never fit the bureaucratic-authoritarian model elucidated by Guillermo O'Donnell. (2) Chile did not have the chief characteristic O'Donnell ascribed to bureaucratic-authoritarian regimes, namely exclusion of practitioners of the political art by military bureaucrats. (3) Chilean respect for rule of law sired the 1980 Constitution, which defined a clear legal process and established a transition agenda.;Defines phases of the Pinochet era and details role of young functionaries in the interregnum government who saw the future in a prosperous, upwardly mobile society based on free markets. First, restore the economy; then reasonable political dialogue could ensue.;The reconstitution required an ideological dialogue and examination of conscience, on both the right and left. On the right, elitist with a corporatist orientation were confronted by free market modernizers. The new democracy proponents were 30ish youth who synthesized free market economics, representative political institutions and the social teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Identified among the new democracy proponents are Jaime Guzman, Sergio de Castro, Miguel Kast and Sergio Fernandez and Hernan Cubillos. This new generation of civilian politician persuaded military junta to accept their new vision and implement their program.;Subsequently, the left had to reconcile their eagerness for state directed property/wealth redistribution with restraint required for restoring and maintaining a democratic regime. This contest was between social democrats and Castro admiring marxists. Incumbent President, Recardo Lagos was among those who helped reorient the Chilean left.