News from the end of the earth

John Hickman describes Chile's recent experience in its regional and historical setting. He examines the reforms undertaken by the Christian Democrats in the 1960s; the political earthquake which followed the election of Salvador Allende and the Popular Unity coalition; the coup of 1973 and the subsequent ruthless repression of opposition by the military regime of General Pinochet; and the eventual economic renaissance within a free market system introduced by Pinochet, which made Chile's economy the most successful in Latin America. This book presents a new view of the bitter conflicts of the 1970s and '80s and the struggle to restore democratic government which ended with the defeat of Pinochet in 1988-9. Finally it offers a preliminary assessment of the civilian governments of Patricio Aylwin and Eduardo Frei since 1990.