The Demographic Consequences of the End of Chile's Nitrate Boom, c.1907–1940. (6th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rivero‐Cantillano, Rodrigo; Navarrete‐Montalvo, Juan; Ordenes, Cristian; Llorca‐Jaña, Manuel
• Other Names: Benwell Matthew C. guestEditor.; Núñez Andrés guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Bulletin of Latin American research. Volume 39:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 483
• Page End: 499
• Publication Date: 2019-06-06
• Subjects: Chile -- demography -- Great Depression -- migration -- Nitrate era; Latin America -- Periodicals; 980.03805; 980
• DOI: 10.1111/blar.12989
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-3050

Abstract

Abstract: This article deals with the demographic consequences of the end of Chile's nitrate boom following the 1929 crisis. The traditional economic historiography has maintained that this crisis impacted heavily on nitrate production, and that in turn the crisis triggered a permanent exodus from the nitrate districts to other geographical zones. Contrary to this widely held belief, we have shown in this article that: there was no substantial fall in production; there was indeed a fall in nitrate population, but this was limited; this took place in some nitrate areas only; overall, the decline in nitrate population was a short term phenomenon only. The population making a living from nitrate production (or activities directly related to it) did not emigrate in as large numbers as previously thought, since production remained high up to the 1960s.