Enhancing democracy

Since the end of the Pinochet regime, Chilean public policy has sought to rebuild democratic governance in the country. This book examines the links between the state and civil society in Chile and the ways social policies have sought to ensure the inclusion of the poor in society and democracy. Although Chile has gained political stability and grown economically, the ability of social policies to expand democratic governance and participation has proved limited, and in fact such policies have become subordinate to an elitist model of democracy and resulted in a restrictive form of citizen participation. {u2028}Gonzalo Delamaza is a Chilean sociologist and Professor at the University of Los Lagos, Chile. He has actively participated in the design and evaluation of many social programs implemented by NGOs in cooperation with the Chilean government. He is the author of several books and articles on public policy and democracy in Chile, including Tan lejos tan cerca: políticas públicas y sociedad civil en Chile (2005). --Provided by publisher.