National Falange

National Falange
Falange Nacional
Founded 13 October 1935
Dissolved 28 July 1957
Split from Conservative Party
Merged into Christian Democratic Party
Headquarters Santiago de Chile
Ideology Catholic social teaching[1][2]
Progressive Christianity[3]
Political position Centre
Politics of Chile
Political parties
Elections

The National Falange[1][4][5] (Spanish: Falange Nacional, FN) was a Chilean Christian political party that existed between 1935 and 1957. It was the basis of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC); still it is customary to use the expressions "Falange" and "Falangista" to refer to members and activities of the Christian Democrats and the same party, respectively.

History

In 1935 a group of younger social-Christians split from the Conservative Party to form the National Falange. Despite its name this group was largely made up of progressive and reformist[6] Catholics, and bore little resemblance to Spanish Falangism. In its early years it imitated elements of fascist movements with some of its members wearing uniforms and undergoing paramilitary training.[7] With its progressive economic program (creating an alternative to capitalism, "redeeming" the proletariat) it was in open conflict with the Catholic high clergy[8] who accused it of disrespecting the Church's leadership and siding with communists.[9] Despite its aim to be a centrist alternative to the left and the right, and relatively great public attention, it never received more than 4 percent of the votes.[8] Later it supported the administration of Juan Antonio Ríos (1942–46) and in 1957 merged with the Social Christian Conservative Party into the Christian Democratic Party.[10] One of its former members, Eduardo Frei Montalva, became President of Chile in 1964. Other notable members include Radomiro Tomic and Bernardo Leighton.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 Hawkins, Kirk A. (2003). Sowing Ideas: Explaining the Origins of Christian Democratic Parties in Latin America. Christian Democracy in Latin America: Electoral Competition and Regime Conflicts (Stanford University Press). p. 103.
  2. ↑ Hartlyn, Jonathan; Valenzuela, Arturo. Democracy in Latin America since 1930. The Cambridge History of Latin America. p. 124.
  3. ↑ Ensalaco, Mark (2000). Chile Under Pinochet: Recovering the Truth. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 13.
  4. ↑ Rector, John L. (2003). The History of Chile. Greenwood Press. p. 144.
  5. ↑ Luna, Juan Pablo; Monestier, Felipe; Rosenblatt, Fernando (2014). Religious parties in Chile: The Christian Democratic Party and the Independent Democratic Union. Religiously Oriented Parties and Democratization (Routledge). p. 122.
  6. ↑ Smith, Brian H. (1982). The Church and Politics in Chile: Challenges to Modern Catholicism. Princeton University Press. p. 95.
  7. ↑ Fleet, Michael (1985). The Rise and Fall of Chilean Christian Democracy. Princeton University Press. p. 47.
  8. 1 2 Fleet, Michael (1985). The Rise and Fall of Chilean Christian Democracy. Princeton University Press. p. 48.
  9. ↑ Smith, Brian H. (1982). The Church and Politics in Chile: Challenges to Modern Catholicism. Princeton University Press. p. 97.
  10. ↑ A. Hennessy, 'Fascism and Populism in Latin America', W. Laqueur, Fascism: A Reader's Guide, Harmondsworth: Pelican, 1979, p. 288
  11. ↑ Ensalaco, Mark (2000). Chile Under Pinochet: Recovering the Truth. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 13.
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