Change in Power and Authority Practice Test
•15 QuestionsBased on the text, which event marked the beginning of the power shift in the passage?
Passage (Coup d’état: Chile 1973)
Political System and Authority Structure
Before 1973, Chile functioned as a constitutional democracy with competitive parties and a strong tradition of civilian rule. President Salvador Allende governed through electoral mandate but faced intense polarization, legislative deadlock, and disputes over economic policy. As political conflict escalated, some actors increasingly questioned whether existing institutions could manage the crisis.
Shift in Power: Military Seizure of Authority
On 11 September 1973, the armed forces removed the elected government and established a military junta. The coup relocated authority from elected civilian institutions to military command structures, suspending or constraining many mechanisms of democratic accountability.
Mechanisms Driving Change
The passage emphasizes that the coup emerged from a convergence of institutional paralysis, elite fragmentation, and military willingness to intervene as an arbiter. Domestic opponents of Allende viewed intervention as necessary to restore order, while supporters saw it as an illegitimate rupture of constitutional rule. International reactions varied: some governments condemned the overthrow, while others prioritized geopolitical alignment and stability.
Implications for Governance and Society
The new regime sought legitimacy through claims of restoring security and economic management, but it faced persistent questions about constitutional legality. Governance shifted toward centralized decision-making and reduced pluralism, reshaping civil-military relations and narrowing avenues for political contestation.
Based on the text, which event marked the beginning of the power shift in the passage?
Passage (Coup d’état: Chile 1973)
Political System and Authority Structure
Before 1973, Chile functioned as a constitutional democracy with competitive parties and a strong tradition of civilian rule. President Salvador Allende governed through electoral mandate but faced intense polarization, legislative deadlock, and disputes over economic policy. As political conflict escalated, some actors increasingly questioned whether existing institutions could manage the crisis.
Shift in Power: Military Seizure of Authority
On 11 September 1973, the armed forces removed the elected government and established a military junta. The coup relocated authority from elected civilian institutions to military command structures, suspending or constraining many mechanisms of democratic accountability.
Mechanisms Driving Change
The passage emphasizes that the coup emerged from a convergence of institutional paralysis, elite fragmentation, and military willingness to intervene as an arbiter. Domestic opponents of Allende viewed intervention as necessary to restore order, while supporters saw it as an illegitimate rupture of constitutional rule. International reactions varied: some governments condemned the overthrow, while others prioritized geopolitical alignment and stability.
Implications for Governance and Society
The new regime sought legitimacy through claims of restoring security and economic management, but it faced persistent questions about constitutional legality. Governance shifted toward centralized decision-making and reduced pluralism, reshaping civil-military relations and narrowing avenues for political contestation.