In After Pinochet, general editors Silvia Borzutzky and Lois Oppenheim skilfully crafted a balanced, insightful and accessible account of Chile's path to democracy and the market. The volume offers a first rate comprehensive overview of the crystallisation of contemporary Chile's political and economic institutions, and adroitly analyses their effects on the nation's politics and society. The high quality of each chapter makes this book required reading for anyone evaluating the Chilean ‘model’ either for its intrinsic value, for comparative purposes, and for the classroom. Equally exciting, After Pinochet introduces new ‘Chileanists’ to an American and European readership.

The book focuses on the 16-year long rule of the reigning Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia (1990–2006), a centre-left coalition of political parties that has governed Chile since the end of iron-fisted military rule under General Augusto Pinochet (1973–1989). It pays special attention to the administration of President Ricardo Lagos (2000–2006) because, as Oppenheim and Borzutzky aptly argue in the introductory chapter, his government represented a closure for Chilean politics. The first two Concertación presidents were from the Christian Democratic Party. Firmly anchored in the centre of Chile's political spectrum, it had been the ideal party to guide Chile's transition from authoritarianism. It had opposed long-term military rule and resisted President Salvador Allende's ill-fated Popular Unity government (1970–1973), which ended in the violent coup d'état that ushered in General Pinochet. Lagos, by contrast, a life-long socialist, had been a minister of state under President Allende, activities for which he was imprisoned and sent into exile. Nevertheless, as President Lagos ran a very pragmatic and successful administration, Chile did not collapse in ‘chaos’ and he retained high approval ratings in the polls. Although it occurred too late for inclusion in this volume, Lagos' accomplishments contributed to the election of a second ‘third way’ socialist, and female, president in 2006, Michelle Bachelet. Thus, Lagos' presidency is an excellent yardstick by which to measure changes in Chile's polity, economy and society over three different eras: the democratic period before the military government, the dictatorship itself, and the current period.

Because the transition to democracy occurred under conditions established by the military government, the volume focuses on the Concertación's efforts to correct the most egregious institutional affronts to democratic governance embedded in the 1980 Constitution. These include human rights violations, bringing the military under civilian control, evaluating the Catholic Church's effect on politics, rethinking the state's role in the economy, and improving social equity. As the editors intended, analysing changes (or the lack thereof) in these key institutional areas establish solid benchmarks by which to assess the Chilean path to democracy and the market.

The editors' overarching assessment in the introductory chapter strikes a balance between continuity and change. Wherever possible, in its trademark incremental pragmatic style, the Concertación has patiently chipped away at authoritarian enclaves embedded in the 1980 Constitution, ever mindful not to provoke the economic right or the military. Its most galling features have been revoked or blunted, thus making the consolidation of democracy and a more tamed market possible. Chile in 2006 is not the same as Chile in 1989 (or pre-1970 for that matter) despite unresolved political tensions and the prevalence of market relations.

Part I of the book evaluates Chile's arduous path to consolidated democracy. In her illuminating chapter on human rights, Elizabeth Lira assesses the long road to truth, justice and reparations. She concludes that despite notable advances, significant unresolved tensions between Pinochet's supporters and detractors remain. These explain the Concertación's hesitant approach and the absence of satisfactory closure on these issues. Gregory Weeks follows with a first-rate examination of contentious civil-military relations. He argues that although the Concertación trimmed substantial military autonomy, civilian elected officials still face considerable constraints to full control. The book then turns its attention to the Concertación coalition itself – possibly the longest – lived multiparty governing coalition in all of Latin America, and certainly in Chile. Patricio Navia offers an informative analysis of tensions that might (eventually) pull the coalition apart. (One should note that the rise of the electoral right to the presidency would simply mean alternation in power, not the end of contemporary Chilean democracy.) William Lies closes this section with a hugely informative chapter on church-state relations. Under Pinochet it supported human rights and the opposition. After Pinochet it adopted a posture of conservative doctrinaire opposition to educational, reproductive rights, health and marital (divorce) reform bills introduced by the Concertación.

Part II examines the consolidation of the market. Lois Oppenheim opens with a wonderfully pithy overview of the Concertación's economic policies. She argues that small corrections to the free-market export-oriented model established by the military regime do not transform it. To the contrary, they help to consolidate it and nothing suggests major changes on the horizon. Joaquín Fermandois follows up with an in-depth analysis of some of those changes, especially in foreign economic policy. Shifting direction, Silvia Borzutzky focuses on the equity side of the Concertación's ‘growth with equity’ economic programme. In a masterful summary of social security and health policy reforms, she contends they do not challenge their fundamental market orientation, a legacy of Pinochet's rule. Sixteen years of centre-left government reinforced and consolidated market approaches to social policy instead of moving it in a social democratic direction. In the concluding chapter Aldo Vacs offers an insightful, sober evaluation of the book's overall contribution and of the challenges facing Michele Bachelet at the head of a fourth Concertación government. Since the publication of this book considerable speculation over whether the Concertación can win a fifth term dominates discussions about Chilean politics. Happily for Chile, one thing, as Vacs ably stated, seems certain: ‘Chile's democracy will no longer be threatened by military intervention or populist revolts’ (p. 173).