what many Chileans understandably see as a war of the rich against the poor and middle class—is the real story of Chile’s economic “miracle.” By 1988, when the economy had stabilized and was growing rapidly, 45 percent of the population had fallen below the poverty line.50 The richest 10 percent of Chileans, however, had seen their incomes increase by 83 percent.51 Even in 2007, Chile remained one of the most unequal societies in the world—out of 123 countries in which the United Nations tracks inequality, Chile ranked 116th, making it the 8th most unequal country on the list.
