ABSTRACT
Chile's strategic value is limited, except for its control of the Strait of Magellan. Chilean politics is the reason for the great interest in that country. Between 1958 and 1964 a conservative government headed by President Jorge Alessandri tried to resolve Chile's problems of inflation, unemployment, and slow growth by emphasizing market incentives along with government programs in the areas of housing and a limited agrarian reform. The contrasting approaches to development adopted by successive Chilean governments have produced a large and controversial literature. The federalist tendencies of the Liberals reflected the opposition of the mining interests of the north and the medium-sized landholders of the south to the political dominance of the large landowners of the Central Valley around the capital, Santiago. In contrast to the plebiscite on the 1980 Constitution, the 1988 plebiscite was organized well in advance.
