The protests of the past days show that Chile would need in-depth social reforms. However, not only the political elites, even Dating back to the Pinochet-era Constitution is to those reforms in the way.
“It is the abuse of power is not about 30 Pesos, but for 30 years,” is on the sign.
The protests in Chile to hold more. On the one hand, with peaceful mass demonstrations, on the other, with violence and vandalism. The government reshuffle does not seem to be enough to stop the social unrest that rocked the country in the biggest crisis since its return to democracy. Also, the withdrawal of the price increase for U-Bahn-Tickets – the spark that triggered the protests – and the announcement of an increase in the minimum wage and other measures, the population has not been able to calm down.
In the search of Ways out of the crisis
View Marco Moreno only President Sebastián Piñera’s not in a deep crisis of confidence. Also, the state and social institutions – the Parliament, the parties, but also Church, the armed forces, the police and the judiciary have lost their support in the population to a large extent. Therefore, it is urgently required, the level of confidence in the political class, government and Opposition, as well as in the political institutions.
Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera
“In Chile, a political solution is required, it is also about regaining the Dignity that was taken from us in many years,” says Moreno. “When the protesters shout: ‘It’s not about 30 Pesos, but for 30 years’, then it refers to all the errors that have been made since the Transition from dictatorship to democracy in Chile since the end of the 1980s. It is these 30 years, which are characterized by the disregard for our Dignity,” says Moreno. He describes the Frustration of a middle class that sees themselves as losers compared with one-of-touch Elite who don’t want to give up their privileges.
The historian Stephan rowers from the Catholic University of Chile holds changes essential: “It is now time, profound changes in the System to initiate. This will definitely take some time, but that is why it is so important to start now”.
A state with the logic of a company
Rowers, according to the still valid Constitution of 1980, the necessary changes in the way because it restricts the possibility to change the neoliberal System and the anchored Mercantile understanding of the state. In Essence, this Constitution, which dates from the time of the Pinochet dictatorship that has remained unchanged to this day.
“The Constitution lays down important rules of the game and emphasized excessively the Power of the President to the Parliament,” says Marco Moreno. “This imbalance is bad for the political culture in the country. The Constitution was created in the dictatorship, in order to control the democracy, and to keep up with a few changes authoritarian.” The political Elite of the country had written the Constitution at the time on the body and at the same time high barriers built-in, this difficult can be changed. In many areas of the state can intervene today, even though there is a need for urgent reform.
“The Chilean society has changed”
The Metro in Santiago de Chile is a good example of the dominant economic-oriented understanding of the state. “At peak time, when most people are on the go, the ticket prices are more expensive than other times of the Day. This is the logic of the Market, as a company, to make more profits. A government has a responsibility to the population, should not behave in such a way. Previously, this logic was never asked the question, because it is the Maxim behind all political Action in Chile,” says rower.
A new Pact
And it is precisely this Mercantile logic is to be changed by a new Constitution. “If Chile manage to develop a more pluralistic and democratic Constitution, there will be a legal framework that allows for in-depth reforms of pensions, education, and health systems,” says rower. He admits, however, that this process will not be easy and that the effects are more long-term in nature.
The Chilean Constitution has a strong self-protection mechanism, because any change requires the consent of two-thirds in both chambers of Parliament. However, the Pact of the political forces that enabled the Transition from dictatorship to democracy, is obsolete. Today, the company’s call for a new Pact, Moreno: “The country has not changed, the state but. That’s why we need a new social contract”.