History of Chile during the Parliamentary Era (1891–1925)
History of Chile during the Parliamentary Era (1891–1925)
Period of Chilean history from the 1891 Civil War to the adoption of the 1925 Constitution
The Parliamentary Era in Chile began in 1891, at the end of the Civil War, and spanned until 1925 and the establishment of the 1925 Constitution. Also called "pseudo-parliamentary" period or "Parliamentary Republic", this period was thus named because it established a quasi-parliamentary system based on the interpretation of the 1833 Constitution following the defeat of President José Manuel Balmaceda during the Civil War. As opposed to a "true parliamentary" system, the executive was not subject to the legislative power but checks and balances of executive over the legislature were weakened. The President remained the head of state but its powers and control of the government were reduced. The Parliamentary Republic lasted until the 1925 Constitution drafted by President Arturo Alessandri and his minister José Maza. The new Constitution created a presidential system, which lasted, with several modifications, until the 1973 coup d'état.
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 dissolution of parliament, leading to the calling of new elections in order to have the sovereign people arbitrate between the legislative and the executive. However, in the Chilean system, the President of the Republic did not dispose of this power of dissolution, thus restricting the Prime Minister's margins of decision.
The system of parties was very fluid, functioning on the basis of groups depending on individual personalities or caudillos who held the control of the parties and could form or dissolve cabinets. Furthermore, there was no established 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.
Parliamentary instability was quite strong during this period, with a large rotation of cabinets. This pseudo-parliamentary system was terminated with the 1925 Constitution which declared incompatible the charges of ministers with parliamentary offices and made the approval of the Ley de Presupuestos automatic, which included the organization of the state income, if the Congress did not approve it after a while. It also enacted the election of the President at universal direct suffrage.
These parties allied themselves either in the Coalition, grouping the Conservative Party and the liberals, or in the Liberal Alliance, composed by the liberals and the Radical Party.
The aristocracy was formed by the landlords, politicians, saltpeter entrepreneurs (many of whom were foreigners), 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.
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, JaimeChile 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.