Progressive and Conservative Imaginaries of Discontent: Anti-Corruption Agendas in Chile and the United States

The progressive anti-corruption imaginary can be summed up with “business corrupts politics,” while the conservative anti-corruption sentiment is better described as “politics corrupts business.” The article defines and comparatively examines progressive and conservative anti-corruption efforts in Chile and the United States over a period of approximately 50 years (1969–2018). Using qualitative analysis of policy macro-narratives, the article examines the anti-corruption agendas of three Chilean Presidents (Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, Michelle Bachelet) and three U.S. Presidents (Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama). The findings suggest that the progressive anti-corruption macro-narrative in both countries is often characterized by a desire to limit the influence of money on politics and public life, while the conservative anti-corruption macro-narrative is often animated by a desire to limit the scope of politics by reducing government spending and administrative excess. The article argues that distinguishing between progressive and conservative anti-corruption macro-narratives in Chile and the United States holds salient implications for global anti-corruption efforts as it cross-cuts through Global North and Global South divisions.