Military Prerogatives and the Stalemate of Chilean Civil-Military Relations

Abstract

This article examines the state of Chilean civil-military relations since the transition to civilian rule, taking Stepan's discussion about the importance of military prerogatives as its frame of reference. After discussing the background of the 1980 constitution and the relevance of the National Security Doctrine, it examines in detail four prerogatives granted to the military. It then reviews the reforms that have been enacted or proposed, and assesses the democratizing impact of each. It concludes by noting the stalemated state of Chilean civil-military relations, attributing it to a clash of incongruous political cultures, and argues that until this is resolved either through a process of political learning or an open confrontation, the Chilean armed forces and Chile's democratic government will confront each other in an uneasy truce punctuated by recurrent crises.