Reflection on research

Upon beginning my research I had a completely different point of view on Chile as I do now.

I learned that this country has came a long way and has a strong global economy which competes among the top affluent nations, BUT has a weak internal economy that is not visible by the statistics and reports noted by the government and economist.

This country is suffering civil outbreak just as many Latin American countries. This issue does have a resolution but it will take some adjusting to and a lot of work by the elite and the working class. There needs to be a constitutional reform to include social programs rather than being a complete free-market capitalistic system.

Here is a video of a Chilean citizen explaining the current situation:

Eventos actuales en Chile

               En martes 12 de noviembre, un panel de discusión se reunió en la universidad de para discutir sobre los problemas que están ocurriendo en el país de Chile. Antes de asistir a este evento yo no tenia mucho conocimiento sobre los problemas en Chile, sabía sobre manifestaciones que han ocurrido recientemente, pero a lo que había leído en redes sociales era sobre un incremento en las tarifas de tránsito público. En esta presentación había 4 personas que presentaron, pero el más destacado para mí fue el profesor de filosofía en la universidad de Chile llamado Cesar Pérez. Aprendí que esto lleva 30 años en y es más grande que una tarifa del metro, sino llega hasta la mismísima organización de la constitución.

               El primer presentador fue Pablo, quien es un profesor en SDSU, y el organizador del evento. Las estadísticas que mencionó Pablo son las que yo eh escuchado, sobre el país de chile siendo uno de los más progresivos y afluentes de latino América. Es el país ejemplario a lo que es ser un país capitalista exitoso. En el año 1973 el gobernante Salvador Allende fue deposado por golpe de estado liderado por el general Augusto Pinochet. En 1990 se cambio de dictadura a democracia y tuvieron sus primeras elecciones públicas. En este mismo año es cuando se formó una constitución para el país. Desde entonces este país ha seguido creciendo económicamente. Aunque esto suena positivo, tienes muchos problemas de los cuales no se habla mucho.

               El presentador Cesar Pérez explicó más en detalle la situación. Al parecer, esta constitución fue implementada y creada por los políticos del tiempo cuales eran más militares que preocupados por el bien estar de la gente. La causa de estas manifestaciones no son las tarifas del metro, sino que es la inequidad que hay en este país, empezando con la constitución, la gente no tiene derechos a nada. La constitución es completamente capitalista, no hay programas sociales para la gente. La educación es privada y cara, no hay ayuda medical gratuita, es privada, las pensiones de los ancianos no existen como en Estados unidos. No hay “social security,” pensiones son privadas y muchos ancianos cometen suicidio por que no pueden trabajar ni vivir. Hasta el agua ha sido privatizada, compañías grandes son dueños. Igual con el mar, hay 7 compañías que tienen derecho y nadie más, ni los indígenas nativos a la tierra, etas compañías son las únicas que pueden pescar. Si una perosna individual pesca sin permiso es un delito criminal. Esto es lo que las personas están manifestando. Lo injusto que es el sistema.  Aparte de eso, este gobierno está cometiendo delitos humanitarios contra la gente de las manifestaciones. La golpea a propósito dejando a miles hospitalizados y muchos hasta ciegos.

               La solución es tener una reunión diplomática y hacer cambios a la constitución. Algo que le ceda derechos a la gente y no a el capitalismo completo. En conclusión, aprendí que esto es un problema grave, no tiene solución fácil, pero después de estar viviendo en estas situaciones por casi 30 años, un cambio tiene que hacerse.

Agriculture and the economy of Chile

Upon my research for information on the economy of Chile, I found an article on the SDSU library website. This was from a book title Agriculture Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2013 OECD Countries and Emerging Economies. The reading was on Chapter 7 which is titles “Chile.” An interesting read on this report is how the Chilean government has been active in adopting policies to boost competitiveness, and small-scale farmers have high support, unlike other nations were faring is left to a few big corporations.

The article has graphs comparing agricultural figures from 1995-1997 to 2010-2012. The main takeaway from this is the “TSE as % of GDP” image, this shows how total support has decreased over time from 0.6% of GDP in 1995-1997 to 0.3% in 2010-2012. However, nominal spending constantly increased and half of it has been allocated to GSSE. There are very limited transfers to Single Commodity Transfer (SCT). In 2010-2012, SCT represented only 3% of the PSE.

With that said, the government policies are giving support to small scale farmers through budgetary allocations. In 2012, 54% of direct payments to farmers went to improving farm productivity and competitiveness. Most programs included in this category are designed to support small-scale agriculture and rural development. It is important to notice that the rural and territorial development program for indigenous communities (PDTI) has seen an increase year over year from 2010-2012.

Another important category of payments to farmers goes to soil recovery program, which in April 2012 was amended to better define and incorporate macro zones. The crop insurance program was also implemented and expanded in 2012, this covers 50% of the premium for medium and large scales farms, and up to 90% for small-size farms. The expansion in 2012 a livestock insurance was added, to help cattle producers to better manage animal death by decease, natural events, and civil responsibility. The second expansion to the program was the commodity price coverage that protects farmers from international price volatility.

              

Overall, policies keep getting introduced to help the economy, protect the agriculture business, and promote small-farming. This is huge for me because of the wealth being distributed amongst many farmers versus the elite. Small farming in the top nations has almost disappeared due to the governmental policies that promote giant corporations to monopolize the agriculture market.                      

indigenous population in Chile

According to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs:

There are 1,565,915 indigenous persons in Chile, that is 9% of the national population, and nine different indigenous groups. The Mapuche represent 84% of the indigenous population, while the Aymara, the Diaguita, the Lickanantay, and the Quechua peoples together represent 15%.

(https://www.iwgia.org/en/chile)

It is incredible how indigenous only make up 9% of the entire population in Chile. How did this happen? This country, as all Latin American countries were 100% indigenous prior to the colonization. 

Some of the key events have been:

- Pedro de Valdivia founded the capital city of Santiago on February 12, 1541

- December 1553, an Araucanian army of warriors organized by Mapuche chief Lautaro (Valdivia's former servant), assaulted and destroyed the fort of Tucapel. Valdivia fled but was later tracked down, tortured, and killed by Lautaro. 

- Battle of Mataquito 1557 - Lautaro was killed by the Spaniards. 

- The Araucanians were nomadic hunting and food-gathering peoples divided into three groups: the Mapuche, the Picunche, and the Huilliche.

- The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of present-day Patagonia. 

- Picunche - also referred to as picones by the Spanish, were a Mapudungun-speaking Chilean people living to the north of the Mapuches or Araucanians

- The Huilliche are the principal indigenous population of Chile from Toltén River to Chiloé Archipelago.

- The Spaniards generally traated the Mapuche as n enemy nation to be subjugated and even exterminated. 

- The conquerors appropriated mines and washings from the native people and coerced them into extracting the precious metal for the new owners. The crown claimed one-fifth of all the gold produced, but the miners frequently cheated the treasury. By the seventeenth century, depleted supplies and the conflict with the Araucanians reduced the quantity of gold mined in Chile.

- Because precious metals were scarce, most Chileans worked in agriculture

- The haciendas initially depended for their existence on the land and labor of the indigenous people. 

- In 1791 Ambrosio O'Higgins outlawed encominedas and forced labor.

- Free trade brought the spread of liberalism in Europe and the United States, but never reached the majority of mestizos and native Americans, who remained illiterate and subordinate.

http://motherearthtravel.com/history/chile/history-4.htm 

Latin American colonization and independence

As we have learned in class, the Spanish were the first to invade the territory which is now Spain.

In 1532, Francisco Pizarro led a group of men to overtake the Inca empire (modern day Peru and Chile).

According to the reading from John Charles Chasteen "The leader of the Peruvian expedition, Francisco Pizarro, was another seasoned conquistador who, like Cortes (his distinctive relative), employed a tried-and-true maneuver, something the Spanish had been practicing since their first Caribbean encounters with indigenous people, when he treacherously took the Inca ruler Atahualpa hostage in 1532. Then too, the Spanish advantage in military technology must be recalled."

Political system in Chile

The current leader is President Sebastian Pinera

The 36th President of Chile.
Chile is a democratic company which began in 1990 with the inauguration of President Patricio Aylwin.
Prior to the transition to democracy from dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.


The economy is strongly service based. Copper is Chile's top export and provides 20% of the government revenue.






https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/chile/government

Choosing my research topic: Chile

Student at SDSU majoring in International Business in Spanish and Latin America



Research topic on the South American country of Chile.

Unlike the rest of South America, Chile is a country that does not get much media coverage, sometimes we forget it exists or think of it as "just another third world country," when in fact, Chile is a prosperous country, compared to the rest of Latin America, Chile ranks favorable in human development and income. For this reason I have chosen to do my research on this interesting country and shed some light on the amazing this it has to offer, from it's vast ecological sites to it's open market economy focused on natural resources.

My focus in Chile is going to be the history of their political system. What system does Chile have? who runs the political spectrum in the country? And most importantly, how did it get to be this current system it has?

Prior to my research, I don't who is the president/prime minister/dictator/ruler. The only famous name I know from this country is "Don Francisco" - because of the TV show he held for years as I would watch this on Saturday nights with my family.