Which countries increased the territory of Chile. A Brief History of Chile. Treats - all year round
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general information
State. Device: Presidential Republic. The highest legislative body yavl. National Congress, consisting of 2 chambers: the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies; the highest executive body yavl. Cabinet of Ministers, headed by a President who, beginning in 2006, is elected by popular vote for a 4-year term, non-renewable. The current president is (Spanish: Sebastián Piñera Echenique). For a complete list of Chilean presidents, see.
In territorial and administrative terms, the state is divided into 15 regions (Regions).
State. language : official language Chile is Spanish. Many Spanish-speaking residents continue to communicate with each other in German and Araucano, by the way, most Chileans speak quite well English language. They also speak the Mapudungun language (Mapuche language), Aymara (in the northern region of the country) and Rapa Nui (in the area of the Polynesian Easter Island).
P.S. Chileans speak Spanish very quickly and incomprehensibly, often swallowing the last letters of words, they also like to include the English-style ending "s" when plural. In addition, slang terms and expressions are often used in everyday life, which even native speakers of traditional Spanish do not understand without explanation.
Religion : The dominant religion is Catholicism: more than 70% of the population are adherents of the Roman Catholic Church. In addition to Catholics, there are quite influential groups of Protestants (about 15% of the population), there are also believers who profess Judaism (1.06%), Mormons (0.92%) and representatives of other religions. 4.4% of Chileans identify as atheists.
Currency : State currency: (CLP).
Favorite sports games: Football is practically everything in Chile. Every local resident is simply obliged to have his favorite football team (in 60% of cases it is Universidad de Chile), sports such as rugby, tennis, running, cycling, etc. are also quite popular.
Population
The population of the state is about 18.05 million people, which are evenly distributed along the entire length of the country. The main concentration of the population was concentrated in the central regions: in the cities of Santiago, Concepcion, Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Antofagasta, Temuco, etc.
Chileans of the 21st century consist of 3 main groups: Hispanic Chileans; immigrants and their descendants from America, Europe and Asia who arrived here in the 20th century; indigenous Indian peoples.
It is also necessary to mention the Polynesians - the Rapanui (Easter) - the indigenous inhabitants of the island. Easter.
The racial composition of the population of Chile is approximately as follows: about 25% of the inhabitants belong to the white race (descendants of Spaniards, Italians, Germans), almost 70% are mestizos - descendants of mixed marriages of Indians with whites, native Indians and make up about 6.6%.
The national composition of immigrants is very diverse, but Spaniards and Italians predominate. In recent decades, immigrants have mainly arrived here from neighboring countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Peru.
Most of the population of Chile is employed mainly in mining, agriculture and fishing.
Chileans have an average of 10 years of education, the country's illiteracy rate is one of the lowest on the entire continent (no more than 4%), while the country boasts two laureates Nobel Prize in the field of literature: (Spanish Gabriela Mistral) and (Spanish Pablo Neruda). Life expectancy is 79 years, with low infant mortality (7.9%) and malnutrition.
The most characteristic physical attributes of the locals are rather dark skin tone, medium height (160 cm for women and 170 cm for men) and thick black hair.
Excursion into history
Before the Spanish invasion, Chile was inhabited by numerous nomadic Indian tribes. The strongest and most influential were the Araucan or Mapuche tribes inhabiting the Central part. Being very independent and warlike, they were the only major Indian tribal association of Indians who did not submit to the Spanish crown. Only in late XIX in. the Spanish conquistadors managed to push them into the southern forests and force them to submit.
The first attempt to conquer the country dates back to 1535, when the Spanish adelantado (Spanish Diego de Almagro), an ally (Spanish Francisco Pizarro) - the conqueror of Peru, led a military expedition, leading it through the glaciers of the Andes. The Spaniards reached the Central Valley of the country, but not finding treasures and meeting the desperate resistance of the Araucans, they returned to Peru.
In 1540, Pizarro sent his lieutenant (Spanish Pedro de Valdivia) to conquer Chile, who on February 12, 1541 founded the city of Santiago on the banks of the Mapocho River (Spanish Río Mapocho), making it the capital of the Spanish colony, in which about 1000 people lived. Spaniards. Then, moving further south, Valdivia founded several more cities, incl. (Spanish: Concepción) and Valdivia. In 1553, Pedro de Valdivia was captured and executed by Indians led by the Araucan leader Lautaro (Spanish Lautaro). Lautaro became the hero of Chilean legends and went down in history thanks to the heroic-epic poem "Araucan" by the Spanish conquistador and poet Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga (Spanish: Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga, 1533-1594)
There was too little gold in Chile to attract big number settlers from Europe. The colonists were engaged in the cultivation of wheat; cattle ranches, vineyards and orchards also provided a good income. Gradually, the Spaniards penetrated south to the river. Bio-Bio and through the Andes chain to the east, to the territory of present-day Argentina. In 1778, the colony was given the status of captaincy general, the captain general was appointed personally by the king of Spain.
Despite territorial isolation, the country experienced a steady population growth. Many of the Catalans or Basques who settled here formed an influential class of aristocratic landowners, which to this day plays an important role in the political and cultural life of the state. Since, according to the laws, all trade was conducted through Peru, there were illegal contacts with English and Dutch smugglers who got here through the Strait of Magellan.
One adventure from the life of smugglers served as the basis for Defoe's novel about Robinson Crusoe: the case of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, thrown by a storm on the uninhabited islands of the Juan Fernandez archipelago. The flow of smuggling decreased somewhat when the country gained the right to trade with the rest of the Spanish colonies.
When Napoleon overthrew King Ferdinand VII in 1808, the country was still a Spanish colony. On July 14, 1810, the Chilean Creoles revolted, removing the Spanish protege and replacing the governor with a Creole aristocrat, and in September the National Government Junta was formed. After 4 years of rebellion and anarchy, the Peruvian viceroy has regained control of Chile, but she has already tasted the taste of freedom.
Chile includes various geographical zones: valleys, desert, fjords, glaciers, archipelagos and islands.
By latitude, the entire territory is divided into 3 regions, which differ sharply from each other in terms of relief structure and climatic conditions:
- Desert region in the north, where the peaks of the Andes are highest;
- The Middle Chine is a high-mountain region of the Central Andes, where the northern mountain plateau merges into a valley almost 1,000 km long. and a width of 40-80 km, is the most densely populated region of the country;
- South China is the foothills of the Southern Andes, a zone of hills overgrown with dense forests, and a system of narrow straits and rocky islands in the extreme south. Almost 80% of the continental territory of Chile is occupied by mountains, there are about 600 volcanoes here (this is 1/10 of the number of all volcanoes on the Earth), of which 47 are active, so earthquakes are very frequent here. The highest point in the country is considered (Spanish Volcano Ojos del Salado; 6.9 thousand m), located on the border with Argentina.
Rivers and lakes
All rivers originate either in the Andes or in the Coastal Cordillera and flow into the Pacific Ocean. Most of the rivers are quite short. The most important rivers of the country include: Loa (Spanish Río Loa) - the longest (440 km) Chilean river, (Spanish Río Bío Bío, 380 km) - the second largest river, Elqui (Spanish Río Elqui, 170 km) and etc. For more information about the rivers of Chile, see.
Most of the lakes, predominantly of tectonic-glacial origin, are located in the picturesque "Lakeland", in the valleys and foothills of the Andes in southern Chile. Buenos Aires or General Carrera (Spanish: Lago General Carrera, area 1.9 thousand km²), the largest lake of glacial origin, is located on the border of Chile and Argentina (the eastern part of the lake belongs to Argentina).
Lake Llanquihue (Spanish: Lago Llanquihue, area 840 km²), the second largest, is located entirely on Chilean territory. In the central part, there are high-mountain freshwater lakes and coastal salt lakes, which, during high tides, penetrate sea waters. Salt is mined in coastal lakes, for example, in Lake Bucalemu (Spanish: el Lago Bucalemu) near Valparaiso. In the north of the country, virtually all lakes are endorheic and saline (the so-called "salars", Spanish Salar).
"Lakeland" in the foothills of the Andes
In addition to the main, continental part, the state includes several groups of coastal islands and islands that lie at a considerable distance from the mainland: the western part of the island "" (Spanish Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego), Easter Island, the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Wellington Island (Spanish Isla Wellington) and others. The islands of Chile have long attracted tourists from all over the world. For example, a Scottish sailor (Alexander Selkirk, 1676-1721), who became the prototype of the well-known Robinson, spent 4 years and 4 months (1704-1709) on a desert island (Spanish Isla Mas a Tierra, now the island of Robinson Crusoe). Easter Island is famous for its colossal stone figures erected by unknown masters of an ancient civilization.
Territorial distribution of the population
About 9/10 of the country's inhabitants live in the area between the cities (Spanish: Puerto Montt) and Coquimbo (Spanish: Coquimbo), which is less than a third of the total area of the state. Most of the population is concentrated around the capital, where natural conditions favor the development of agriculture.
In Central Chile, north of the Bio-Bio River, almost 2/3 of the state's population lives. In most of the Central Valley (between the cities of Santiago (Spanish Santiago) and Concepción, the rural population density reaches 50 people / 1 km². In the Metropolitan area, the population density exceeds 355 people / 1 km².
Here are large cities (Santiago, Valparaiso, Concepción), where government offices, financial, scientific and educational centers are located. Most of the fertile arable land is concentrated here. The majority of industrial state enterprises are located in the capital and its environs. enterprises. The overpopulation of the central regions led, in particular, to the fact that immigrants began to settle in the forest areas south of Bio-Bio, which for a long time remained under the control of the Araucans - indigenous Indian tribes. The growth of such settlements accelerated significantly due to the fact that the government of the country began to implement a policy of supporting colonists employed in agriculture.
Santiago
The southern third of the state is sparsely populated, the existing population is mainly concentrated near the eastern part of the Strait of Magellan, in the area (Spanish Punta Arenas), the southernmost city of all the major cities on the planet. In 3 regions of Northern Chile (Tarapaca, Antofagasta and Atacama), whose area is about 1/3 of the territory, almost 7% of the population lives. The Atacama Desert region is inhabited by about 1 million people living in small mining and port towns. Most of the local population is made up of workers and specialists recruited under contract in Central Chile. Also in the northern regions live specialists from different countries of the world working in the copper mines.
Nature and climate
Chile is a completely unique country in terms of climate and nature. It stretched from south to north along the entire South American continent. Such an unusual extent allows the state to possess almost all existing the globe natural and climatic zones, with the exception of only the humid tropics.
The north is characterized by the predominance of a tropical desert type of climate, here the average monthly temperatures range from +12 °C (mid-May-August) to +26 °C (December-mid-March). To the south, the climate becomes subtropical, with summer temperatures in the range of +22-24°C, and winter temperatures around +12-18°C. Similar weather on the islands of Easter and Juan Fernandez.
The central part is dominated by a temperate oceanic climate, the temperature there fluctuates from +3-15°C in winter to +25°C in summer. In the south, the climate is humid, subtropical, with heavy rainfall. In the north, in the Atacama Desert, there are places that have not seen a drop of rain for centuries. There are other areas in the Atacama where short rainfalls in winter cause an incredible burst of blooms in spring, a natural phenomenon known as the Blooming Desert. The coast of this part of the country is characterized by a temperate climate.
As the height above sea level increases, the daytime temperature rises, while the nighttime temperature drops. In the area, even in summer, nighttime temperatures can drop below 0°C. In summer, a natural phenomenon often occurs here, called "Bolivian winter", which is characterized by sudden severe thunderstorms with hail.
To the south, delightful Mediterranean landscapes prevail with a mild climate, dry warm summers and rainy winters: in summer (December-February) the average air temperature is + 28 ° C, in winter + 10 ° C. The coast is usually cloudy, humid and windy, and it can be colder here than in the hinterland.
Vast areas of this zone are covered with lush virgin forests. From May to August, the rainy season lasts in the interior of Chile, in the mountainous regions, precipitation, regardless of the season, falls more evenly, here the climate is rainy and cool. Strong winds often blow along the coast and in the Patagonian pampas. In the highland areas of the state it is much colder: in some places the temperature even in summer does not rise above + 3 ° C, and in winter it drops to -27 ° C.
The further south, the less rainfall and lower temperatures. The climate of the Antarctic part of Chile is polar, with frequent heavy snowfalls.
In the area of the Strait of Magellan and on the island of Tierra del Fuego, the climate is polar, in winter temperatures range from -16 to -4°C, in summer the temperature does not exceed +18°C. Here, even in summer, strong winds dominate, fogs and rains are not uncommon, and unpredictable sudden changes in the weather are observed. It is cold in the mountains and there is heavy rainfall.
On Easter Island and the islands of the Juan Fernandez archipelago, the climate is subtropical, mild, with moderate humidity, pleasant temperatures and little difference between the seasons.
Largest cities
Chile is one of the longest countries in the world, so the distance between northern and southern cities can reach several thousand kilometers. Thanks to a very long coastline, many cities are ports.
Considered one of the most urbanized Latin American countries. For example, in 2010, about 89% of the population lived in cities, and more than half of the inhabitants lived in the central regions, Santiago and Valparaiso.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| (Spanish Santiago) | 6.2 million |
| (Spanish Viña del Mar) | 322.2 thousand |
| (Spanish: Valparaíso) | OK. 300 thousand |
(Spanish: Puerto Montt) Flora and faunaThe vegetation of the country varies depending on the climatic zone. In the north, where the Atacama Desert is located, all kinds of cacti and thorns predominate. In Central Chile, there is a predominance of subtropical vegetation (evergreen forests and shrubs). In the south, the mountain slopes, turning into valleys, are covered with densely growing beech and coniferous forests, Chilean pines appear here. In the Central Plains, Copihue is found, a vibrant red flower with a bell-shaped calyx that has become the national flower. Further, the landscape gives way to the jungle, where beech, magnolia, laurel and several types of coniferous trees grow. Steppes overgrown with herbs lie in the extreme south. The fauna of Chile is not as rich as in other states Latin America, since the ridges of the Andes, forming a natural barrier, prevent the natural migration of animals. Of the representatives of mammals, the most common here are: alpaca, llama, vicuña, deer of two species, guanaco, puma, wolf, chinchilla, otter, coypu, skunk. Birds are represented quite widely, even ostriches are found here. In the rivers and lakes, except for the introduced trout, there are almost no freshwater fish. Due to the proximity of the Humboldt Current, coastal Pacific waters are rich in fish and other marine life, which in turn support a wide variety of waterfowl, including various penguin species. Whales are also found in abundance: about six (!) varieties of whales live off the coast. Chile Wonderland!
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Conquest and colonial period. Before the Spanish conquest, Chile was inhabited by numerous Indian tribes who led a largely nomadic lifestyle. Of these, the most powerful were the tribes of central Chile, collectively known as the Araucans, or Mapuche. Being very warlike, they remained the only large tribal group of Indians who did not submit to the Spaniards. Only in the last quarter of the 19th century. the Chileans managed to push them into the forests in the south of the country and bring them into submission.
The first attempt to conquer Chile was made in 1535 by the Spaniard Diego de Almagro, an ally of Francisco Pizarro, the conqueror of Peru. Almagro led a large military expedition and led it through the glaciers of the highest mountain range of the Andes. The expedition reached the Central Valley of Chile, but the treasures could not be found, besides, the Araucans put up desperate resistance. Discouraged, Almagro returned to Peru.
In 1540, Pizarro sent his lieutenant Pedro de Valdivia to conquer Chile. On February 12, 1541, Valdivia founded the city of Santiago on the banks of the Mapocho River, which became the capital of a small Spanish colony, where only about a thousand Spaniards lived. From here, Valdivia moved further south and founded several more cities, including Concepción and Valdivia. In 1553 Valdivia was captured and killed by a group of Indians led by the leader Lautaro; a few years earlier, Lautaro had been in the service of Valdivia and learned a lot about the Spanish army and weapons, which allowed him to successfully use his forces in the fight against the Spaniards. Although Lautaro himself died, he became the hero of Chilean legends and went down in history thanks to the epic poem Araucan by the Spanish poet and conquistador Alonso de Ercilla y Zuñiga.
There was enough gold in Chile to justify a conquest, but too little to attract large numbers of European settlers. The main economic activity of the colonists was the cultivation of wheat, which was exported to Peru; Orchards, vineyards, and cattle ranches also provided a good income. Gradually, the Spaniards spread south to the Bio-Bio River, along which the border with the lands of the Indians passed, and east through the Andes to the territory now belonging to Argentina. For the Spanish Empire, a distant colony in Chile was something like a poor relative. However, in 1778 the status of this colony was raised to a captaincy general, and it was now headed by a captain general appointed directly by the Spanish king; he was endowed with civil and military authority and could act virtually independently of the Viceroy in Lima.
Despite isolation, Chile experienced slow but steady population growth. Many of the Spaniards who settled here were Catalans or Basques; once settling and securing ownership of the Indians and mestizos - agricultural workers, they formed a class of aristocratic landowners who still have a great influence on the political and cultural life of Chile. Since the laws required all trade to be carried out only through Peru, illegal contacts with Dutch and English smugglers who traveled here through the Strait of Magellan greatly contributed to the revival of the economy. One of the smugglers' voyages served as a source for the story of Robinson Crusoe - the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who became the prototype of the hero of Defoe's book, was thrown by a storm onto the uninhabited island of the Juan Fernandez archipelago. A significant amount of smuggling also went overland to Buenos Aires. Smuggling subsided somewhat when Chile received the status of captaincy general and the right to independent trade with other Spanish colonies.
Fight for independence. By the time Napoleon dethroned and interned the Spanish King Ferdinand VII in 1808, Chile was still a colony with half a million inhabitants and its capital in Santiago. On July 14, 1810, the Chilean Creoles (Spaniards born in America) revolted, removed the Spanish governor and replaced him with a Creole aristocrat, and on September 18 of the same year formed the National Government Junta. After four years of riots and anarchy, the Viceroy of Peru managed to regain control of Chile, but by this time the country had a taste of independence and was eager to continue reforms. During this period, the outstanding military and statesman Bernardo O "Higgins, the illegitimate son of the Viceroy of Peru, who previously held the post of Captain General of Chile, came forward. In his youth, O" Higgins spent several years in Europe, where he was imbued with revolutionary ideas, in particular, having met Venezuelan patriot Francisco de Miranda. Returning to Chile, O "Higgins joined the patriotic movement. In 1810 he formed a regiment of peasants from his estate, in 1813–1814 he was the commander-in-chief of the patriots, then, together with José de San Martin, he prepared the so-called Andean army for the liberation of Chile and the southern part of the continent .At the beginning of 1817 this liberation army, numbering over five thousand people, made an extremely difficult transition through the Andes and entered the territory of Chile; having won three battles, she liberated Chile, and on February 12, 1818, Chile proclaimed its independence. The municipality of Santiago asked San Martin to head the new government, but he modestly rejected this proposal, after which O "Higgins was elected supreme ruler.
The evolution of republican government. During his reign (1818–1823), O'Higgins was very popular. The government of O'Higgins built schools, fought banditry, developed foreign trade, built roads and improved the water supply system, encouraged the publication of newspapers and the creation of libraries. However, some measures caused discontent among the radicals, and the conservatives opposed the abolition of titles of nobility and majorates (hereditary inalienable land holdings). The clergy met with hostility the government's attempts to control the activities of the church. Fair criticism was caused by the fact that O "Higgins concentrated all power in his hands, not wanting to transfer at least part of his powers to anyone. To maintain power, he was forced to resort to forceful methods, but in 1823 he was forced to resign.
For 7 years after the resignation of O "Higgins, anarchy reigned in Chile. Conservatives and liberals were heatedly arguing, some defended the principles of centralism (unitarianism), others defended federalism. By 1830, the conservatives won. A large role in the political life of the country at that time was played by the rich businessman Diego Portales, a consistent conservative who advocated the strong power of large owners and the church, based on a disciplined army.Portales' political views formed the basis of the constitution of 1833.
autocratic republic. Under the constitution of 1833, which remained in force until 1925, centralized administration was introduced in Chile: the country was headed by a president who had the broadest powers, including the right of absolute veto. The right to vote was granted only to men who could read and write and who met the requirements of the property qualification. Catholicism was recognized as the state religion, all other religions were banned. In 1836, Bolivia and Peru signed an agreement establishing a federation. The Chilean government perceived this treaty as a military threat and issued an ultimatum demanding the termination of the treaty, and after the refusal declared war. This step, taken on the initiative of Portales, displeased the military, and in 1837 Portales became the victim of a political assassination. However, the system of autocratic republican government he created continued to function in the future, when successive presidents, General Joaquín Prieto (1831–1841), General Manuel Bulnes (1841–1851) and Manuel Mont (1851–1861), successively replaced each other. During the reign of President Bulnes, an immigration policy was adopted with the aim of settling the southern lake district. Copper mines were developed in the north. Foreign trade expanded, which was greatly facilitated by the appearance of steam ships. Public education developed faster than in other Latin American countries. The minister of education in the government of Bulnes, Manuel Mont, founded the first teacher training school in 1842, offering to head it to Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, a remarkable Argentine educator, later president of Argentina. The University of Chile was founded in 1843, and the prominent Venezuelan educator Andrés Bello became its rector. Bulnes's progressive work was continued by his successor as president, Manuel Mont. During his time in power, construction was carried out railways population census was carried out. Progress in the system public education, the influence of political emigrants, mainly from Argentina, the publication of several magazines and newspapers, the emergence of national writers and poets - all these factors played a role in awakening public interest in social and political reforms. The expression of the new liberal spirit was the works of Francisco Bilbao and José Victorino Lastarria, who played an important role in the cultural development of the country.
liberal republic. In the 1850s, the liberals moved to more decisive action. President Mont abolished majorates and encouraged religious tolerance. By 1861, the liberals were able to win over moderate conservatives and achieve the creation of a liberal republic. Liberal presidents were José Joaquín Pérez (1861–1871), Federico Errázuriz Sañartu (1871–1876), Aníbal Pinto (1876–1881), Domingo Santa Maria (1881–1886) and José Manuel Balmaceda (1886–1891). During this time, a number of laws were passed that limited the privileges of the landed aristocracy and the church. The system of public education has expanded, transport, communication services and public utilities have improved significantly; the government encouraged immigration and further land development. Amendments were made to the constitution that abolished the property qualification, and also forbade presidents from being elected for a second term without interruption and limited the right of an absolute veto. The biggest conflict during this period erupted over attempts to limit the power of the church.
Of the other events of this period, the military clash at sea with Spain in 1866 and the Pacific War of 1879-1884 should be noted. In the 1860s, prices for saltpeter rose significantly, the deposits of which were located in northern Chile, in the coastal zone of Bolivia and in southern Peru. The borders between the countries were not clearly defined, and after several clashes and conflicts that arose due to issues of territorial ownership of deposits and taxation of the extracted raw materials, Chile sent a small army to Bolivian territory. In the ensuing war with Bolivia and Peru, Chile won. For three years, Lima was occupied by Chilean troops; Chile annexed the Bolivian coast and forced Peru to cede the Tarapaca region and give up the Tacna and Arica regions for 10 years, after which the question of their status was to be decided by a plebiscite. Chile held this territory until 1929, when, with the intervention of the United States, the sore point was finally resolved in such a way that Arica went to Chile, and Tacna to Peru.
Chile increased its territory by almost a third, and the income generated contributed to the growth of national wealth and private capital. For many years, duties on exported saltpeter amounted to half or more than half of the national income.
In the last period of the liberal republic's existence, there was a distinct tendency in the public mind towards a parliamentary form of government. The struggle for primacy between the president and Congress reached its peak in 1891, when President Balmaceda, contrary to the opinion of Congress, left the previous cabinet and announced that he intended to strictly follow the constitution. This outburst provoked civil war(January - August 1891), in which the supporters of the Congress won. Balmaceda, who took refuge after the defeat in the walls of the Argentine embassy, committed suicide. The last echo of the civil war of 1891 was the so-called. the Baltimore case. In Valparaiso, a mob, furious that US officials had taken Balmaceda's side in the conflict, attacked the sailors from the American cruiser Baltimore. The Chilean government ignored the US protest, which demanded an apology, but eventually agreed to pay compensation.
Parliamentary republic. The period of the democratic (or parliamentary) republic lasted from 1891 to 1920; although the constitution did not undergo significant changes during this period, the president practically lost a significant part of his powers, and a parliamentary form of government was established in Chile.
During the presidential campaign of 1920, Arturo Alessandri Palma enjoyed the support of the Liberal Alliance, which included left-wing liberals, radicals and democrats, as well as representatives of the working class. Alessandri advocated new social legislation, the separation of church and state, and the strengthening of the power of the president. He failed to win an indisputable victory, but given that the broad masses were on his side, his conservative opponents agreed to hold a special "Court of Honor", which ruled on the recognition of the legitimacy of Alessandri's election (otherwise the country was threatened with civil war). His first years in office were disappointing, as the Senate, where the majority were his opponents, blocked almost all of his bills. In 1924, when he was unable to hold financial reforms he had to retire. However, in 1925 he returned to the presidency and achieved the approval of a new constitution, which proclaimed the separation of church and state, introduced mandatory initial education, declared the priority of the public good over property rights and established the accountability of the cabinet to the president, not to Congress.
The 1925 constitution created the conditions for a strong and independent executive power. The elections of 1925 brought success to Emiliano Figueroa Larrain, the Conservative candidate. In 1927 he was replaced by Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, former Minister of War in Figueroa's government. During the presidency of Ibanez, a period of economic prosperity began in the country - the result of the stabilization of the financial system, carried out in 1926 by the government of Figueroa. Although the reign of Ibáñez was largely dictatorial, many reforms were carried out under him, in particular, aimed at improving the efficiency of government and combating illiteracy. With the fall in copper and saltpeter prices, the Chilean economy experienced a sharp decline. A general strike started by university students quickly spread to most of the country, and in July 1931 Ibáñez resigned from his post and left the country. Chaos reigned in Chile for more than a year. The economy eked out a miserable existence, various juntas and presidents came to power for a short time.
In October 1932, Arturo Alessandri Palma was re-elected president. In six years of rule, he restored order and achieved an alliance with the conservatives. However, a new political struggle flared up inside the country. The radical party of Chile, which supported Alessandri, together with several groups of the left and the communists, organized the so-called Popular Front. Candidate from People's Front Pedro Aguirre Cerda won the 1938 presidential election with a narrow majority, despite opposition from conservatives, liberals, and other right-wing groups.
Republic of Radicals. The new president came up with an ambitious program reminiscent of President Roosevelt's New Deal in the United States, and he even managed to partially implement it. At the same time, at every turn he had to wage a fierce struggle against the conservatives, and the communists, although they supported him in the elections, left the Popular Front and entered into an alliance with Nazi and fascist groups after the Soviet Union concluded a pact with Germany in August 1939 Perhaps Aguirre's most enduring achievement was the creation of the Manufacturing Development Corporation in 1939.
In the early elections held in March 1942, Juan Antonio Rios Morales, a member of the Radical Party, won. Like his predecessor, he was a lawyer and businessman, and tried to avoid extremes and harsh measures. The main problems that arose during his reign were connected with the Second World War, the attitude towards which in the country was ambiguous. At the beginning of the war, Chile, together with Argentina, remained neutral. However, aid from the United States, as well as the fact that other Latin American republics declared war on the Axis powers, forced the Chilean government to abandon its policy of neutrality. In January 1943 Chile broke off diplomatic relations with Germany and Italy, in February 1945 declared war on Germany, and in April on Japan.
In September 1946, special elections were held, which were won by the candidate of the coalition of the left forces, Gabriel Gonzalez Videla. Although the Communists supported González Videla and entered his cabinet, he later broke with them, blaming them for organizing demonstrations, strikes and disturbing the public peace. This led to various complications, in particular, the rupture of diplomatic relations between Chile and Soviet Union in 1947 and the ban in 1948 of the Communist Party of Chile. The right also created all sorts of obstacles, although an attempted military coup by former broadcaster Carlos Ibáñez in 1948 was quickly crushed.
González Videla showed extraordinary initiative in matters foreign policy. His claims to part of the territory of Antarctica flattered the vanity of the Chileans, although they irritated other powers. In early 1948, Gonzalez Videla personally went to Antarctica and named the coast he landed on O'Higgins Land. Another of his undertakings, negotiations on a trade agreement with Argentina, ended in failure. During Gonzalez Videla's presidential term, the government was under pressure from various parties on the issue of relations with the U.S. The left wing protested against Chile's financial dependence on the U.S. and in regard to exports, and these protests became particularly vigorous when commodity prices plummeted in the run-up to the Korean War. especially after the United States resumed high-priced purchases of Chilean copper and saltpeter and did not impose taxes on imported copper.Moreover, the US Export-Import Bank provided loans to Chile for the construction of steel mills and hydroelectric power plants, as well as to increase the productivity of the Chilean mining and manufacturing industry ty and agriculture.
Chile in the 1950s–1980s. The presidential elections of 1952 brought unexpected results. General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, who by this time was already 75 years old, won the elections, having received the support of voters of various political directions. The dictator, who was overthrown in 1931 and led rebellions with Nazi support in 1938 and 1948, had a reputation as a reactionary nationalist and admirer of the Argentine dictator Juan Perón.
Inflation, strikes and riots continued in the country. Ibáñez managed to cope with the general strike of 1954 and later to restore order by imposing a state of emergency, and after the general strike of 1955 he became completely in control of the political situation. In the spring of 1956, the harsh anti-inflationary measures taken by the president began to have an effect. By 1957, the inflation rate dropped to 20%, and the investment situation improved. The 1958 presidential election was won by Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (son of former President Arturo Alessandri Palma), a liberal supported by a right-wing coalition of conservatives and liberals, ahead of a rival supported by a coalition with a pronounced left orientation. The new president took drastic measures to save money, launched public works, the construction of schools and housing.
In 1960, serious damage to the economy was caused by a series of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions; in addition, strikes and demonstrations directed against his anti-inflationary policies hindered the success of the president's undertakings. The reforms did not produce the desired results. Dissatisfaction grew, and demands for a change in the political system, which many began to consider ineffective, were increasingly voiced. The result of the discontent was a spectacular increase in the popularity and numbers of parties on the left, including the Popular Action Front and the Christian Democrats. The shift of the electorate towards the moderate and even extreme left is shown by the results of the 1961 congressional elections and the 1963 municipal elections.
The general desire for radical social and economic change led to the fact that in the 1964 presidential election, both candidates came up with a reform program. One of them was Eduardo Frei Montalva, a Christian Democrat; he championed a program of further reform based on democracy. On his side were representatives of the left wing of the anti-communist reformists, moderate democrats and conservatives. Frey's rival, the socialist Salvador Allende Gossens, the candidate of the left-wing coalition, the Popular Action Front, proposed more drastic measures. With the support of conservatives, liberals and independents, Frey won by a wide margin, and his party won the majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies in the March 1965 parliamentary elections.
After victories in the elections of 1964 and 1965, the results of the municipal elections in April 1967 showed some weakening of the positions of the Christian Democrats. Factions of moderates, young reformists and a group close to business circles emerged in the party; each of these groups had its own interests, which often did not coincide with the interests of the government. The Frey administration began to "chillize" the copper mines, with the majority of the shares in the hands of the government during this process. Frey made serious progress in agrarian reform, in housing construction, in the organization of labor, and most of all in improving the education system; however, by the late 1960s, the middle class began to express dissatisfaction with the slow pace of reform.
In the presidential elections in September 1970, Allende won the largest number of votes, who led the Popular Unity bloc, which united communists, socialists and the left wing of the Radical Party. Since neither candidate won a majority, the congress had to choose between two candidates, Allende and the conservative candidate Alessandri Rodriguez. The Christian Democrats, whose candidate was in third place in the number of votes, joined the coalition of the left, and as a result, Salvador Allende became the first Marxist to become president of a Latin American country in a free election. In his government, the communists held three important economic posts, but the key positions - the portfolios of ministers of foreign affairs, interior and housing - were reserved for the socialists. The remaining posts in the government were divided between members of the other two parties and representatives of the two movements that were part of the bloc.
Allende's goal was to make Chile a socialist country. For this, private banks, copper developments and some industrial enterprises were nationalized. Diplomatic relations were established with Cuba, China and other communist countries.
From the beginning, Allende's government faced many political and economic difficulties. The legislature - Congress - was under the control of opposition parties, mainly Christian Democrats and the National Party. Plans for building socialism in Chile provoked protests from the middle classes. Some groups on the left, including those in the socialist party to which Allende belonged, accused the government of being slow. Allende's rise to power coincided with a catastrophic fall in the price of copper, Chile's main export. The rate of inflation was adversely affected by a decrease in private capital inflows as a consequence of nationalization, as well as a decrease in agricultural productivity. Industrial production suffered from unrest among the workers and the difficulties associated with nationalization. Major US and international banks have suspended lending. In 1972, President Allende made a statement at the UN session that a campaign of economic strangulation was being waged against his country.
In the government itself, a constitutional crisis was brewing due to the fact that the opposition blocked government bills and voted to remove the ministers who held the most important posts. In 1971 and 1972, massive anti-government demonstrations took place in large cities. The week-long strike ended only after Allende formed a new government in November 1972, which included three military men.
There was a growing wave of terrorism and armed conflicts between left and right groups. A failed military coup attempt in June 1973 was followed by a series of strikes under anti-government slogans. In an attempt to prevent a civil war, the government entered into negotiations with the Christian Democrats. On September 11, 1973, as a result of a military coup, the Allende government was overthrown, and the activities of the Congress were suspended indefinitely. A four-man military junta came to power, one of whose members, General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, was proclaimed president.
All left-wing political parties were banned, and the rest were declared "dissolved indefinitely." Trade unions were also banned and strikes outlawed. Strict censorship of the press was introduced. Elected local councils and local governments were abolished and replaced by officials appointed by the junta. Universities were purged and placed under the supervision of the military. Thousands of Allende supporters were thrown into prison, many died. In 1976, the junta organized the assassination of Orlando Letelier, a well-known political exile, who was in Washington. Pinochet put an end to Allende's reforms in social and economic policy; private enterprise was freed from government control, some nationalized enterprises were sold to private investors, and many welfare programs were suspended. Major international banks opened loans to Chile. Large foreign loans and high copper prices on the world market created the possibility of a rapid recovery of the Chilean economy in the late 1970s. In 1980, Pinochet achieved approval through a plebiscite of a new constitution, according to which Pinochet's tenure as president was extended for another 8 years, after which a partial transfer of power to a civilian government was envisaged. Political parties, outlawed in 1977, remained banned, and power (including the presidency) was to be in the hands of the military until at least 1986.
In the early 1980s, open protests began in the country against the military dictatorship. The economy fell into a deep depression, which was rooted in the fall in world copper prices since 1980, as well as the need to pay interest on Chile's external debts and large military spending. In 1987 the junta was forced to legalize political parties.
In 1988, a plebiscite was held in which voters could approve or reject the only presidential candidate nominated by the junta; if he received approval, he had to hold this post for the next 8 years; in case of negative results, Pinochet's regime was kept for another year, and then he had to call presidential elections on a multi-party basis. All centrist and leftist parties came out as a united front against the junta candidate. The strong support of the military made it possible for Pinochet to present his candidacy, and he used all the resources at his disposal in order to achieve the desired result; however, the air force, police and Navy, giving preference to a civilian candidate, refused to contribute to the falsification of the election results. Presidential elections were scheduled for December 14, 1989, and in order to avoid a continuation of military rule backed by right-wing parties, the center and left parties united to support the moderate Christian Democrat Patricio Aylvin.
The transitional period is the return to democracy. Aylvin took office in March 1990 and formed a civilian government with broad party representation. The National Congress resumed its work, settling in Valparaiso. Although General Pinochet remained commander-in-chief, Aylvin launched an investigation into human rights violations; these investigations uncovered mass graves of victims of the junta's repression in 1973 and subsequent years. Pinochet's attempts to obstruct the investigations were not supported by other military leaders.
The ruling coalition "Consent for Democracy", the majority of which were representatives of the Christian Democratic and Socialist parties, strengthened its position during the four years of Aylvin's rule. In the March 1994 elections, her candidate, the Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, became president. He received 57.4% of the vote, while his main rival, Arturo Alessandri Besa, a right-wing coalition candidate, won 24.7% of the vote; the rest of the votes went to two less popular candidates.
During the period from 1990 to 1996, a steady growth of the economy was achieved (an average of 7% per year), by 1995 inflation was gradually reduced to a level that did not exceed a few percent per year.
Spending on government programs in education, health, and housing has increased by 10% annually since 1990 (in real terms). Between 1987 and 1994, the number of Chilean families whose standard of living was below the poverty line dropped from 40% to 24%. Minimum pensions and wages increased between 1990 and 1994 by almost 50%, and by 1996, as a result of increased demand for labor in the labor market, real wages reached and exceeded those of the period preceding Pinochet's coming to power. The unemployment rate in the public sector in 1996 was 6.4%.
One of the most important steps towards the restoration of democracy was the constitutional amendment carried out by the Aylwin government, which provided for the use of the principle of proportional representation in local elections in 1992. Although most subsequent attempts to expand the scope of democratic principles and, if possible, reduce the influence of the reactionary part of the military by adopting new constitutional amendments were unsuccessful, the movement towards democracy was gaining strength under the influence of a clearly expressed popular will. It turned out that politicians, journalists and leaders of social movements often manage to expand the boundaries of the use of civil and political rights solely by creating an appropriate political climate in the country.
Attempts by the civilian government to bring to justice those responsible for numerous human rights violations met with a stiff rebuff from the military, but progress was also observed in this area. A special committee set up under the Aylvin government succeeded in dissecting mass graves and officially registering approx. 3000 cases of "disappearance" of people during the reign of Pinochet. The appearance of an official document made it possible for parents, children and spouses of victims of the military dictatorship to file suits in court and demand the payment of appropriate benefits. In addition, Aylwin's government freed ca. 380 political prisoners and contributed to the return of approximately 40,000 political refugees to their homeland.
Ensuring that the perpetrators of bloody crimes are punished as they deserved proved to be a much more difficult task. In July 1994, President Frei publicly announced that the government was distrusting the commander of the Carabinieri Corps (National Police) responsible for the massacres taking place in the country. However, under the current constitution, Frey could not remove him from office. In 1996, G. Marin, the leader of the Communist Party of Chile, was arrested for public criticism of Pinochet, but under strong pressure from public opinion both in the country and abroad, she was soon released.
Despite sporadic speeches and street demonstrations organized in protest by army units, the civilian government revised a number of provisions of the amnesty law; in addition, it managed to change the existing situation, when all crimes committed by the military against civilians were to be tried only by military courts. Over 20 army and police officers have served and are serving prison sentences for crimes committed during the years of the military dictatorship.
The largest of the trials that resulted in serious punishment was that of General Manuel Contreras Sepúlveda, former head of the secret police, and Brigadier General Pedro Espinosa Bravo, former head of military intelligence. They were accused of killing former Allende Minister of the Interior and Defense Minister Orlando Letelier and his American collaborator Ronnie Moffitt; in the end, both generals were arrested, found guilty, sentenced to prison and in 1995, despite threats, obstacles and protests from some military colleagues of the defendants, imprisoned.
On October 16, 1998, former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London. The arrest was made in connection with a Spanish demand for the extradition of the general so that he could stand trial for the murder of Spanish citizens in Chile. The decision of the High Court of Great Britain that Pinochet has diplomatic immunity as a former head of state was overturned by the Appeals Committee of the House of Lords, and on December 9, the British Home Secretary announced the start of extradition proceedings. In the meantime, the demand for the extradition of the former dictator was made by Switzerland; similar requests were prepared in a number of other European countries. The December decision of the Court of Appeal was upheld in March 1999.
In 1535, Spanish conquerors led by Diego de Almagro invaded Chile. Due to the fierce resistance of the Indians, the Spaniards did not advance further than the Maule River. In the future, Pedro de Valdivia undertook a more successful expedition, and on February 12, 1541, he laid the first city in the present territory of Chile - Santiago. July 14, 1810 began the war for the independence of Chile from the Spanish crown. On September 18, 1810, the National Government Junta was established. The Chileans, under the banner of Bernardo O'Higgins, defeated the Spanish army at the Battle of Chacabuco (1817). The independence of Chile was proclaimed on February 12, 1818. The first Constitution of Chile was adopted in 1833 with the participation of the leader of the moderate wing of the conservatives, Diego Portales. Favorable conditions for the further development of the country were created by the victory of Chile in the Pacific War of 1879-83 with Peru and Bolivia. The northern regions rich in saltpeter deposits came under Chile's control.
Attempts at deep reforms were made by H.M. Balmaceda. His attempt to nationalize the saltpeter industry, which was in the hands of British companies, caused a sharp rebuff from the conservative opposition. In January 1891 rebels from the saltpeter northern provinces entered the capital. Balmaceda shot himself. The reign of Arturo Alessandri (1920-25) saw the restoration of strong presidential power. The new Constitution adopted in 1925 endowed the president with almost unlimited powers. However, the real power in the country was concentrated in the hands of Minister of War C. Ibanes, who in 1927 established a personal dictatorship (1927-31). Democratic organizations were banned in the country, the saltpeter industry was placed under the control of the United States.
In 1932, as a result of a coup d'état, a group of officers proclaimed Chile a socialist republic. A Provisional Junta was created, councils of workers' deputies were formed, the central bank was nationalized, and Americans' privileges in the saltpeter industry were abolished. but socialist republic only lasted 12 days. The dictatorship of Colonel K. Davila was established in the country. But already in September 1932, as a result of a new military coup, the dictatorship, which had existed for 100 days, was overthrown. Arturo Alessandri won the election. The situation in the country has stabilized.
During the second reign of A. Alessandri (1932-38), the government's passions were manifested in the development of ties with Germany. In contrast, in Chile, in 1936, the Popular Front was created, which included the radical, socialist, and communist parties. Trade union organizations of the country united in the Confederation of Workers of Chile, which joined the Popular Front. Popular Front candidate Pedro Aguirre Cerda won the presidential election of 1938. His government (1938-41) expanded democratic freedoms, took measures against pro-fascist groups, but of particular importance was the creation in 1939 of the Corporation for the Development of Production (CORFO), which led to the formation of the state sector of the economy. After the death of Aguirre Cerda in 1941, J. Rios (1942-46), a candidate from the broad coalition of the Democratic Alliance, won the presidency, whose program largely continued the course of the Popular Front.
The Rios government hesitated to join the anti-fascist coalition, seeking to use the benefits of neutrality (Chile declared war on the Axis powers only in February 1945). In the presidential elections of 1946, the candidate from the Democratic Alliance, the radical R. Gonzalez Videla, won. His reign (1946-52) was characterized by the inclusion of representatives of left-wing parties in the government. The appearance of three ministers from the Communist Party caused concern for the centrists and the right. As a result, Videla eliminated the Communists from the government and on October 21, 1947 announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the USSR (which were established at the beginning of his reign).
In 1952-58, the presidency was again taken by C. Ibanez, whose rule bore national reformist features. In 1953, at a congress of Chilean trade unions, the United Workers' Center (UTC) was created, which united the vast majority of workers and employees.
In 1958, Jorge Alessandri, a representative of industrial and financial circles, became president of Chile. He was replaced in 1964 by the Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Montalva, who countered the line of the radical left revolutionaries with the slogan "Revolution in freedom." In 1964 diplomatic relations with the USSR were restored.
The hopes of a significant part of the country's citizens for a quick solution to cardinal problems contributed to the victory in the elections on September 4, 1970 of the candidate from the bloc of communists, socialists and other leftist forces of the Popular Unity of Salvador Allende. His government (1970-73) declared its goal to create the prerequisites for building a socialist society. The main Natural resources, most banks, key industries. However, the aggravated internal problems, the unwinding spiral of hyperinflation, the shortage of essential goods, the opposition of large owners led to the sharpest opposition of social forces.
Under these conditions, on September 11, 1973, the army elite under the leadership of General A. Pinochet carried out a coup d'état, during which President S. Allende died. The military dictatorial regime (1973-90) abolished the existing legislation, banned the activities political parties. In 1980, a new Constitution was adopted in Chile, which significantly strengthened the powers of the executive branch. In a referendum on October 5, 1988, the majority of Chileans voted for the restoration of democracy. On December 14, 1989, the first presidential elections were held after a long break. The victory was won by the candidate of the United Parties for Democracy Christian Democrat Patricio Aylvin (1989-93). He was replaced by candidates from the same bloc, first the Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Ruis Tagle (1993-99) and then the socialist Ricardo Lagos (since 2000). These three governments have consistently carried out the democratization process in Chile.
After World War II, Chile's economic situation began to deteriorate. The struggle between democratic and reactionary forces intensified, and strikes broke out. Vice President Alfredo Duarte at the head of the government. In 1946, González Videla was elected president. 3 communists entered the government, on whose initiative decrees were adopted on the expropriation of 7 latifundia and 35,000 land. The monopoly of the authorities on the trade in wheat and flour. Established Council of National Economy, expropriated, 2 railways. began to take shape national industry, trade and economic relations with the socialist countries.
Since 1947, Videlo eliminated the communists from the government. The reactionary law on the permanent law of democracy was adopted - the Communist Party is outlawed. Videla breaks off diplomatic relations with the USSR, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. A regime of terror is being established - 40,000 citizens are deprived of their rights, many are sent to prisons and concentration camps.
In April 1952, the United States imposed a bilateral defense agreement on Chile - the subordination of Chilean military units to the United States.
This angered the citizens. In February 1951, the People's Action Front (FRAP) was created.
The law in defense of democracy has been repealed. In 1958, the government of Jorge Amessandri came to power, which continued the policy of its predecessors - cooperation with the United States, lowering taxes from American monopolies, in 1964 diplomatic relations with Cuba were broken off. Trade and economic relations with the USSR. The agrarian reform law of 1962. But the economy is in decline, the budget deficit, the growth of external debt. All this led to the strengthening of the left forces. Moderate opposition revived.
In 1964, a new presidential campaign. Popular Action Front nominated by Salvador Allende. The programs of the opponents are similar. September 4, 1964
E. Frey became president. The slogans "revolution in freedom" and implements the program. Diplomatic relations with the USSR were restored, in 1970 - trade relations with Cuba.
In 1967, the law on agrarian reform - expropriation for the redemption of landlords' land. The land was transferred to the peasants in installments. Production cooperatives "asentomento" were created.
Increased spending on health and education. New schools. Since 1966, the "chillization of copper" is a constant buyback of state shares of US references. Inflation was growing in the country, the reform was carried out slowly.
The government demanded to consolidate the strikes and began to carry out forced savings at the expense of the workers - the growth of discontent. In November 1968, a general strike, 1 million people, it was brutally suppressed. The left forces were getting stronger.
In 1968, a bloc of national unity was formed. The bloc adopted a program - the restructuring of the organization of state power, the nationalization of national wealth, the acceleration and deepening of agrarian reform.
The history of Chile is typical for a country that was formed in South America. It began to be actively populated about five hundred years ago. In the XVI century, its massive conquest by Europeans began, the Spanish conquistadors began to subjugate the territories. The Chilean people gained independence from the powerful colonial power only in the 19th century.
First Europeans
The history of Chile often begins in 1520, when the first European set foot on local soil. It was the famous traveler Ferdinand Magellan. He landed with his team in the area of the current city of Punta Arenas.
Spanish troops began to actively conquer countries, take everything under their control. In 1533, the Spanish army under the command captured the untold riches of the Incas, which were stored in the territory of modern Chile. But until a certain time, only the coast of this state was being developed.
Europeans move inland
In 1536, Diego de Almagro penetrates deep into the country. He reaches a valley called Copiapó. To develop the south, he sends Gomez de Alvarado, who accompanied him on the road. For many tens of kilometers, local residents do not offer them any resistance.
Only near Rio Itata they encounter militant Indians. After a few hard battles the Spaniards retreat.
History of the Settlement of Chile
The Spaniards massively populate the country, because in Chile they find rich deposits of silver and gold. But despite this, economic development happens very slowly. For many years, the primary role has been played by agriculture.
In the fertile valleys located in the central part of the country, rich harvests are harvested, thanks to which the northern regions are supplied with the necessary food.
The British also played a certain role in the history of Chile. In 1578, at the direction of the Queen of England, a famous British corsair and navigator attacked the port of Valparaiso. Over the next few centuries, pirates regularly plunder Chile. In addition, the development of the country is constantly hindered by natural disasters - earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions.
Many cities are destroyed almost to the ground. In 1647, an earthquake occurs in one of the largest cities in the country. 12 thousand people die. In short, the history of Chile is constantly associated with cataclysmic natural disasters.
gaining independence
Many believe that the history of the country of Chile begins with its independence. It takes place in 1810 when the local Creoles rise up in revolt against the Spanish governor. The ruler is overthrown, and a Creole aristocrat is appointed in his place.
It takes place on September 18th. Since then, Chileans celebrate the day of national independence on this day. Then a government junta came to power, which had its own army, but failed to lead the country for a long time; the Civil War began.
In 1811, a national congress was founded, but it mainly included pro-Spanish politicians, which, of course, did not please the local patriots. Then one of the heroes of the war for independence, Carrera, seized power. He established a virtual dictatorial regime, which ultimately led to another civil strife.
Still, in the history of Chile there were important events: in 1812, the Constitution was developed, which provided for the independence of the state under the formal leadership of the Spanish king.
Chile was able to finally proclaim its independence in 1818 after the famous Battle of Maipu, in which the Spaniards were defeated. It was an important and strategic combat success; although the confrontation continued for many more years, the Chileans were able to win the final victory only in 1826.
modern history
In the 20th century, many people heard about Chile because of the socialist who won the presidential election in 1970. Allende raised pensions and salaries for state employees through money emissions, but soon this led to hyperinflation: prices for goods and services rose sharply.
To cover the growing deficit, the Allende government made the fatal mistake of turning on the money printing press and controlling price increases. All this led to shortages, the development of a black market, as a result, many goods simply disappeared from store shelves. Serious economic difficulties began. In 1973, a military coup took place in the country, the dictator Allende turned out to be the head of state, he committed suicide during the storming of the presidential palace.
Pinochet established a military dictatorship that lasted until 1990. These years passed under the motto of "national revival", while the economy experienced some growth, the education and health systems were partially privatized.
All this was accompanied by the persecution of opposition supporters. During the reign of Pinochet, about three thousand people were killed or went missing in the dungeons of the secret police.
As a result, the situation in the country worsened, housing became prohibitively expensive, and the workers became completely impoverished. It was not until 1990 that Pinochet was replaced as president by Patricio Aylvin. Now the country is led by Sebastian Piñera.
