The following paper aims to assess the impact of U.S electoral aid and party assistance in the outcome of the aforementioned plebiscite. Chile, unlike other cases of U.S democracy promotion in the continent, is conspicuous for its relatively peaceful democratization, which is why it has become one of the exemplary cases of assisting democracy by these means. With the national referendum on October 25th of 2020, in which nearly 80% of the electorate agreed on the drafting of a new constitution that aimed to put an end to the lasting legacies of Pinochet’s dictatorship, Chileans set a historical milestone that would make room for new political reform and thus broaden democracy in the country.
Being ranked as the second most free country in Latin America, Chile has proven to have successfully reconsolidated democratic tradition after a nearly 20-year dictatorial regime under General Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990. In view of recent political events in the country, it results of vital importance to go back to the late 1980s. In this vein, the 1988 presidential plebiscite does not only represent a pivotal event for the 20th century but stands for a turning point in Chilean modern history, since it put an end to 17 years of dictatorial rule and set a breakthrough democracy.
It is worth highlighting that despite such development, the transition to democracy did not occur without difficulties. Legacies dating back from Pinochet’s era indeed continue to shape political debate until the present day. This, however, raises interesting and politically relevant questions around the long-term impact of democracy promotion, more specifically of electoral aid and party assistance.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical framework
2.1 Electoral aid
2.2. Party assistance
2.3 United States as major aid provider
3. Empirical analysis: Chile’s 1988 national plebiscite: the end of Pinochet’s dictatorship
3.1. Chile’s political background
3.2 U. S Electoral aid and party assistance in Chile
3.3 Assessment of overall U.S support of democracy in Chile
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
The paper aims to analyze the role and impact of U.S. democracy promotion, specifically electoral aid and party assistance, within the context of the 1988 Chilean presidential plebiscite, which served as a catalyst for ending the Pinochet dictatorship. The central research objective is to examine how these external support mechanisms interacted with local initiatives to influence the outcome of the referendum and the subsequent peaceful transition to democracy.
- The impact of U.S. electoral aid on the 1988 Chilean plebiscite outcome.
- The role of party assistance in strengthening the opposition coalition.
- Theoretical perspectives on democracy assistance as defined by Thomas Carothers.
- The intersection of U.S. foreign policy motives and democratic transition goals.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Chile’s political background
Before Pinochet’s takeover, Chile had been recognized in Latin America for its democratic tradition since 1831. Three years after Salvador Allende’s assumption of power, a military junta led by General Augusto Pinochet carried out a coup d’état in 1973, pretending to restore social unrest and political order. This would not only leave him as sole ruler, but would go hand in hand with the suspension of political parties, limitation of civil liberties, repression of the left-oriented political opposition, among other anti-democratic measures that marked the beginning of the democratic backsliding in the country (cf. NDI 1988: 14).
In 1980, a new constitution was launched, embracing the newly introduced autocratic presidential system, a limited Legislative with one-third of the senators appointed by the president, armed forces with extensive political faculties and an oversight body that targeted political opposition and any sort of antagonist expression of opinion (cf. ibid: 15). Despite the highly undemocratic nature of the constitution, it “provided for a plebiscite process by which Chileans would be allowed an opportunity to vote ‘yes’or ‘no’on a candidate designated by the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces” (NDI 1988: 15). This would have allowed Pinochet – as long as he was the designated candidate – to remain in power for eight more years. Conversely, a victory of the no would imply holding competitive elections in December 1989 and replacing the constitution introduced during his regime (cf. NDI 1988:15). Hence, the plebiscite was no proof of free, contested, pluralistic elections, since “voters [were] not given a choice among more than one candidate, and they [had] no role in selecting the candidate” (NDI 1988: 16).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the historical significance of the 1988 Chilean plebiscite as a turning point for democracy and establishes the framework for analyzing U.S. democracy promotion efforts.
2. Theoretical framework: This chapter defines electoral aid and party assistance, providing a conceptual basis for evaluating how international actors influence domestic political processes.
3. Empirical analysis: Chile’s 1988 national plebiscite: the end of Pinochet’s dictatorship: The chapter provides a detailed examination of the political landscape in Chile, the specific U.S. assistance provided to the opposition, and an assessment of the overall impact of this support on the plebiscite results.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that while U.S. aid was instrumental, it was part of a complex process influenced by local initiative and existing democratic tradition.
Keywords
Chile, Pinochet, 1988 Presidential Plebiscite, Democracy Promotion, Electoral Aid, Party Assistance, U.S. Foreign Policy, National Democratic Institute, Democratization, Command for the No, Transition to Democracy, Civic Education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the role of U.S. electoral aid and party assistance during the transition of Chile from the Pinochet dictatorship to democracy, specifically investigating the 1988 presidential plebiscite.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Central themes include the effectiveness of external democracy assistance, the strategic coalition-building of the Chilean opposition, the impact of civic education, and the ideological motives behind U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.
What is the core research objective of the study?
The research seeks to assess how effectively U.S. assistance, channeled through organizations like the NDI, supported the opposition in achieving a democratic breakthrough during the 1988 plebiscite.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study utilizes a qualitative approach, analyzing primary documents from the National Democratic Institute (NDI), secondary literature on democratic transitions, and historical reports on Chilean foreign policy and politics.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the conceptual definitions of electoral aid, the political context of Chile under Pinochet, the practical implementation of U.S. aid programs, and an empirical assessment of these efforts on the election outcome.
Which terms best characterize this text?
Key terms include electoral aid, party assistance, Chilean plebiscite, democracy promotion, political transition, and democratic consolidation.
How did U.S. aid specifically support the 'Command for the No' coalition?
U.S. aid provided essential technical and financial support, including equipment for vote counting, public opinion surveys, advertising literature for civic education, and funding for seminar training for local campaign leaders.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding U.S. intervention in Chile?
The author concludes that while U.S. involvement was instrumental and relatively successful in the context of the plebiscite, it was not purely altruistic, as it was also guided by U.S. political, ideological, and economic foreign policy interests.
- Quote paper
- Daniela Forero Nuñez (Author), 2022, U.S. Electoral Aid and Party Assistance. The 1988 Presidential Plebiscite in Chile, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1256853
