Between Order and Chaos: The Formation of the Chilean Political Culture from a Historical Perspective

Abstract

the determining factors for the formation of political culture. One theory departs from the principle that political culture is created in the foundational period of a country and maintains its key characteristics thereafter for centuries. In contrast to that, the other theory denies the permanent character of political culture and defines it as phenomenon that changes in the course of history as a result of dramatic events. In the case of Chile political culture is particularly characterized by values of order, social tranquility and respect for authorities. This inclination towards public order could be explained as a consequence of the country´s specific historical development, following the thesis that defines political culture as a long term phenomenon and seeks its origins in the remote past. Nonetheless it’s more likely that political culture proves to be a changing phenomenon and that Chileans´ aversion against social agitation is the product of a collective trauma caused by the dramatic experiences of the Allende and Pinochet periods.