The 2019 Chilean Social Upheaval: A Descriptive Approach

In 2019, student protests over an increase in subway fare in Chile escalated into violence and a leaderless nationwide social upheaval. This research note takes a descriptive approach that goes beyond the protester/non-protesters dichotomy, because we believe we need a richer understanding of the “w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of politics in Latin America 2024-04, Vol.16 (1), p.68-89
Main Authors: Cox, Loreto, González, Ricardo, Le Foulon, Carmen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bachelet, Michelle
Constitutional law
Democracy
Demonstrations & protests
Education
Income inequality
Inequality
Left wing politics
Pandemics
Political parties
Political representation
Polls & surveys
Referendums
Social activism
Social change
Violence
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Summary:In 2019, student protests over an increase in subway fare in Chile escalated into violence and a leaderless nationwide social upheaval. This research note takes a descriptive approach that goes beyond the protester/non-protesters dichotomy, because we believe we need a richer understanding of the “what, who, and how” of citizens around this outbreak. Based on a survey fielded amidst the upheaval, we distinguish protesters by intensity, and non-protesters by their position towards the upheaval. As expected, protesters tend to be young and educated. Strong protesters are more left-wing, interested in politics, and more participative, including electorally. They endorse democracy but are critical of its functioning, and more likely to justify illegal/violent actions as a means for social change. Inequality appears as a cross-cutting concern, even among opponents, but strong protesters are more distrustful of its sources and of the rich themselves. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings.
ISSN:1866-802X
1868-4890
DOI:10.1177/1866802X231203747