History of Chile during the Parliamentary Era (1891–1925)

Republic of Chile
*República de Chile*
Republic of Chile República de Chile
1891–1925
	Flag Coat of arms
	Anthem: Roman Catholicism (official religion) until 1925
Government	Unitary quasi-parliamentary republic under military dictatorship (1924-1925);
Arturo Alessandri Palma (last)
History
• Civil War	18 September 1891
• Constitution of 1925	18 September 1925
Currency	Chilean peso
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Liberal Republic
Presidential Republic

Santiago de Chile

, ex-seat of the parliamentary power.

The Parliamentary Era in Chile began in 1891, at the end of the

presidential system, which lasted, with several modifications, until the 1973 coup d'état

.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chile temporarily resolved its border disputes with Argentina with the

Cordillera of the Andes Boundary Case, 1902

.

Parliamentarism

The pseudo-

motion of confidence or the refusal to vote laws of lesser importance proposed by the executive

.

While a Parliament may withdraw its confidence in the Prime minister in the Westminster-style parliamentary system, the head of government is normally granted the power of

President of the Republic

did not dispose of this power of dissolution, thus restricting the Prime Minister's margins of decision.

The system of

voting discipline

in the parties. The custom was soon established for the President to nominate "universal cabinets" which included ministers from all parties. The stability of these cabinets was therefore dependent on the political intrigues in the National Congress.

universal direct suffrage

.

Political structure and electoral practices

The main parties between 1891 and 1925 included, from

Socialist Workers Party, associated with the labour movement

, began to gain some importance.

These parties allied themselves either in the

Liberal Alliance

, composed by the liberals and the Radical Party.

As opposed to the

ballot boxes

were frequent in rural zones.

Social groups

Three main

working classes

.

The

bankers, physicians, intellectuals, etc. They lived in neoclassical palaces or mansions, followed European fashion

, etc. The oligarchy, however, was internally divided on some points; hence the many parties, the two main alliances, with the liberals joining either the Conservative Party or the Radical Party.

The working classes were formed by saltpeter workers, industrial workers and workers in public works, as well as landless peasants. The first lived in the north, in huts made of

Calamina, where differences in temperature between day and night spanned 30 degrees Celsius. Others workers lived in conventillos (dormitories) or in round quarters (rooms without windows or lighting). Peasants lived on ranches. All worked without contracts between 12 and 16 hours daily without Sunday sabbath. Some were paid by company scrips

.

The economy of saltpeter

Saltpeter, sodium nitrate, was the main resource of Chile and the economy revolved around it. A third of the profits of saltpeter mining were taken by foreigners, the second third by the state, which taxed exports, and the last third was used to re-invest in the saltpeter mines. The state used the revenue to build infrastructure (roads, railroads, ports, etc.).

Presidents of the Parliamentary Republic

The charge of Vice-President was exercised as an interim by the Minister of Interior if the President died.

Alm. Jorge Montt Álvarez
(1891–1896)
Federico Errázuriz Echaurren (1896–1901)
Germán Riesco Errázuriz
(1901–1906)
Pedro Montt Montt
(1906–1910)
Elías Fernández Albano (1910 as Vice-President)
Emiliano Figueroa Larraín
(1910 as Vice-President)
Ramón Barros Luco (1910–1915)
Juan Luis Sanfuentes (1915–1920)
Arturo Alessandri Palma
(1920–1924)
January Junta
(1924–25)
Arturo Alessandri Palma
(1925 - 1925)

Bibliography

Castedo, Leopoldo (1999) Chile: Vida y muerte de la República Parlamentaria (De Balmaceda a Alessandri)
Donoso, Ricardo Alessandri, agitador y demoledor. Cincuenta años de historia política de Chile.
Edwards, Alberto (1976) La fornda aristocrática. Historia de Chile.
Eyzaguirre, Jaime Chile durante el gobienro de Errázuriz Echaurren 1896-1901.
Heise, Julio (1974) Historia de Chile. El periodo parlamentario 1861-1925
Vial, Gonzalo (1981) Historia de Chile (1891).

Sources

The original version of this article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Spanish-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of 4 May 2007.