Chilean youths want to mortgage their future
Many times, I have mentioned this: Chile is the Latin American country with the highest quality of institutions. Nevertheless, as probably in other countries, with shaky foundations. A recent report by the Fundación para el Progreso (FPP) by Eugenio A. Guerrero F., comments a research study on the subject. (“Valores y cultura política chilena en 2021).
Certainly, they do prefer democracy over any other political system (75%, + 1 from the previous year) and the importance of being a democratic country has even a higher preference (89%, +3). Chileans strongly support basic rights such as free speech, minority rights, the independence of justice and there is a prevailing rejection to the use of violence in politics (72%). Here, though, is where the problem starts to come up since among youngsters (18 to 29 years, and even 30 to 44) such rejection falls 20 points.
That’s where the problem is, the coming generations. And not only that 59% believe it would be justified to topple a government if considered corrupt. With regard to democracy, for 42% is just a process to select a government while only for 17% of respondents it should be a “limited” democracy. 73% of the sample believe that a democratic government must try to fulfill all demands requested by the majority. Only 48% think it basic the division of power.
Property rights are important for 77%, but only 28% of those 18-29 years old.
Great report, and the main question for me are these: will these young people mature and change their minds? Will it be too late when they realize that? Is it something that has nothing to do with age and is, instead, a generational change of values they will keep for the rest of their lives? Must Chile go through that again, to learn again the failure of populist and leftist ideas?
Maybe, after all these years, will young people on the other side of the Andes show them the importance to value freedom. Believe it or not, it looks like Argentinian youngsters want freedom.