2. The Economic Dimension: A Nation Grown by Means of Neoliberal Policies

Often branded the “Switzerland of the global South”, Chile in many ways corresponds to its excellent economic and financial reputation when observed from the outside—but steers through rough waters to maintain enthusiasm with its own citizens. One family’s tale embodies the history of the country between imported neoliberalism and domestic socio-economic emancipation that led to today’s situation: the story of the Matte siblings. To know this story and thus to understand the economic basis of current Chile and its inbuilt ideological battles that reach back to the 1970s and 1980s is the indispensible prerequisite to getting an insight into the constellation and perspectives of the nation as it stands today, including its political, financial, social, and cultural dimensions.