Reflections on the strengthening of democratic engagement in Chile and public-policy design

Abstract

After the return to democracy in 1989, Chile has experienced a noticeable decline in electoral engagement, an increasing political disaffection, and an emerging crisis of trust toward institutions following the recent corruption scandals. This essay discusses the scope of strengthening of democratic engagement in Chile and identifies structural subjects that public policy could intervene in order to guarantee an effective rise of civic-engagement indicators, thus protecting the stability of the Chilean democratic system. These subjects include the role of social capital, valuation of public goods, civic engagement among youth, gender and geographical gaps, quality and renewal of political leaders, and mechanisms for citizen assessment.