Abstract

This article offers a comparative and historical perspective on political violence exercised against the Mapuche people of the Araucanía region in Chile. We consider two historical periods: the occupation (1850-1883), and the land-granting or radicación period (1884-1929). For each, we identify and compare the forms of violence and those responsible: namely, the Chilean State and para-state agents. During the occupation, the conquest of territory predominated, primarily exercised by soldiers or the civil guard. In the land-granting period, political violence included eviction and the seizure of lands and resources, with the police and settlers being the main actors. In both cases, political and judicial authorities shared responsibility. Violence against the Mapuche did not end in 1929, but continued at different levels and in different forms. Delineating the historical context of the violence, however, allows for a better understanding of the relationship between the Chilean State and the Mapuche today.