Overview of Land and History 25
The Socialist Republic
The year following Ibáñez’s ouster was characterised by
instability. During this period a Socialist Republic was
installed. Although it lasted for a very short time, it is an
important moment in Chile’s history because it paved the way
for the formation of the Socialist Party the following year.
The Popular Front
At the end of this tumultuous year, Arturo Alessandri was
once again elected president. Now ruling with full authority,
Alessandri focused on the country’s economic recovery.
However, this was accompanied by repression, particularly
of workers and the left. Unified in their opposition to
Alessandri, political parties of the left and the centre joined
together to form the Frente Popular (Popular Front). Their
candidate, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, narrowly defeated the right
wing candidate to become president in 1938. He was forced
to leave office due to poor health in 1941 and the Popular
Front was soon dismantled.
A Homogeneous Society
With the demise of the Popular Front, the Chilean political
system underwent major changes. The large number of
political parties led to fierce competition and coalition-
building. Alliances were fragile, and Chilean society became
increasingly polarised between the right, center and left.
The 1952 presidential election was the first of a series with
no majority vote. Candidates took office with less than 50 per
cent of the vote. The fragmentation of the electorate continued
and in 1958 Jorge Alessandri, son of Arturo Alessandri,
the candidate for the right, took office with only 31.6 per
cent of the vote. The second runner-up, Salvador Allende,
the candidate of the Socialist-Communist Alliance (FRAP),
finished only 2.5 percentage points behind Alessandri.
Christian Democrats
Jorge Alessandri was unable to resolve the severe socio-
economic problems plaguing the country. This led many
Chileans to the conclusion that the parties of the right did
