Fifty years after the coup, democracy in Chile is not flowing without resistance. This is what the new edition of the Chile Dice survey describes in depth, entitled “Citizens’ Imaginings of Democracy in Chile.” The national survey of 1,150 cases, conducted by Criteria and Alberto Hurtado University, shows the state of the health of democracy from the perspective of citizens.
Although there is a social majority that values democracy over other authoritarian regimes, 33% of people view it with suspicion and the majority of the population (52%) indicate that they feel deeply dissatisfied with democracy today in Chile.
Study shows lights and shadows around our democracy. Some keys that seem relevant to me.
Lights:
1) Society values liberal democracy. The basic elements of democracy for people are participation in political decisions, respect for basic standards (human rights and freedoms), and equal rights (91% mention all three dimensions). On the other hand, the majority values democracy (64%) over other forms of government and for 83% of the population it is important to live in a democratic society.
2) Daily life has become democratized. Diversity of opinions is valued in communities, schools, work and families. Participation and opinion are intersecting in value and have special importance within the home, regardless of the income or status of each family member.
3) There is a clear majority (65%) that believes that the best democracy is one in which people, in addition to electing representatives, can make decisions on some issues through referendums, referendums, popular initiatives for laws and the abolition of elected representatives. Citizens want to be heroes and accidents in the country’s future.
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