Chile: the making of a republic, 1830-1865 politics and ideas - Collier, Simon (Cambridge University Press, 2003)
Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-262) and index
The early republic: a sketch -- The conservative system -- Authoritarians and moderates, 1835-1846 -- The liberal challenge, 1846-1851 -- Progress and its instruments -- Political argument -- Model republic -- Looking outward -- The conservative defection, 1851-1858 -- The triumph of liberty, 1859-1864
"Chile enjoyed unique prestige among the Spanish American republics of the nineteenth century for its stable and increasingly liberal political tradition. How did this unusual story unfold? The tradition was forged in serious and occasionally violent conflicts between the dominant Conservative Party, which governed in a sometimes authoritarian manner from 1830 to 1858, and the growing forces of political Liberalism. A major political realignment in 1857-8 paved the way for comprehensive liberalization. This book examines the formative period of the republic's history and combines an analysis of the ideas and assumptions of the Chilean political process from the consolidation of the Conservative regime in the 1830s to the beginnings of liberalization in the early 1860s. The book is based on a comprehensive survey of the writings and speeches of politicians and the often rumbustious Chilean press of the period."--Jacket