Citizenship the birth of the Republic

Abstract

In the period of their independence, Latin American countries faced the challenge of building a political order, in which the legitimacy of power would adjust to the new republican values. This important challenge required more than simple reforms. Indeed, important transformations in the existing political culture and social order were required for the constitution of a modern citizenship. This new political structure would serve as a foundation of future democracies in the region. The early summoning of a National Congress in Chile and the popular election of representatives are two steps that reflect the attempts to organize a country based upon popular sovereignty, territorial representation of the provinces and the not corporate exercise of power.