WILLIAM F. SATER

A History of Chile chronicles the nation's political, social, and economic evolution from its independence until the early years of the Lagos regime. Employing primary and secondary materials, it explores the growth of Chile's agricultural economy, during which the large landed estates appeared; the nineteenth-century wheat and mining booms; the rise of the nitrate mines; their replacement by copper mining; and the diversification of the nation's economic base. This volume also traces Chile's political development from oligarchy to democracy, culminating in the election of Salvador Allende, his overthrow by a military dictatorship, and the return of popularly elected governments. Additionally, the volume examines Chile's social and intellectual history: the process of urbanization, the spread of education and public health, the diminution of poverty, the creation of a rich intellectual and literary tradition, the experiences of middle and lower classes and the development of Chile's unique culture.

Una narración básica de la historia política de Chile, con una descripción y un análisis de su trayectoria económica y social. El libro se estructura en tres bosquejos panorámicos, que dan cuenta de tres grandes epocas asentadas en una trayectoria de estabilidad politica y de continuidad institucional hasta la decada de los setenta. Un manual profusamente documentado y clarificador.