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Chile completed ten years of democracy in the year 2000. The end of a decade of civilian rule under a centre-left coalition (the Concertacion), the assumption of presidential power by a socialist (Ricardo Lagos), and a recent break in nearly two decades of uninterrupted economic growth via the much vaunted 'neoliberal economic miracle', all indicate a watershed in the country's history. Some have argued that this watershed marks the end of transition. The chronology and nature of the so-called transition however have been, and remain, highly contested. Due to definitional vagaries, borne partly of persistent (though partially tamed) political differences, Chile's democratic transition has been challenged, supported, and praised to varying degrees from different quarters. In essence the term transition' refers to the shift from military control to civilian democracy, though these terms in themselves are not easily agreed upon. Accordingly, different commentators have analysed this crucial period of political and socio-economic change from distinctive ideological and methodological perspectives. While some have concentrated their efforts on the role of the military and human rights (e.g. Fuentes 1996, 2000; Barahona de Brito, 1997; Verdugo, 2001), others have focused on the economic model (e.g. Montero, 1997; Fazio, 1997, 2000), while others have concentrated on the dynamics of contemporary social change (e.g. Moulian, 1997; Tironi, 1999). Although seemingly disparate in their efforts, all have had to deal to lesser and greater extents with the military to civilian shift in control over the political system. Notwithstanding this shared central theme, there have been few attempts at a holistic appraisal of the transition (Diaz and Martinez, 1996 is one exception), with many discussions appearing in edited volumes (see for example Drake and Jaksic 1999, and Menendez-Carrion and Joignant, 1999). This special issue does not pretend to be exhaustive, but it does aim to provide an interdisciplinary

This paper critically appraises the core philosophies of the three Concertacion governments with respect to agrarian change and rural restructuring in Chile since 1990. It identifies common ideological ground in the successive administrations' perspectives on the nature and role of agriculture in the wider economy, arguing that a ‘neoliberal inheritance» has pervaded each. In drawing on primary and secondary data from the non-traditional fruit export sector the paper challenges the concept of reconversion as a panacea for rural under-development and grower failure. Given the simultaneously regionalising and globalising context which frames the Chilean transition, the paper highlights the tough choices that face policy makers at the current time. Developmental dilemmas are increasing in the sector, given the stated desire of the Concertacion governments to move beyond pure, efficiency-driven, neoliberalism towards the incorporation of equity and sustainability goals. After ten years of democratic transition it is timely to ask if policy shows any signs of moving beyond reconversion.

This paper explores the implications of increased competition in global fruit markets for the Chilean small-grower sector. Stagnation in the growth trajectory of such exports has precipitated significant changes in the structure and strategy of the private fruit export company sector. It is proposed that this restructuring discriminates against small growers, whose position within the market has become increasingly vulnerable. To support this idea, evidence obtained from a field study of small-scale grape growers operating in the locality of El Palqui, Region IV is presented. It is argued that increased vulnerability is not simply a function of the inefficiency of diminutive scale per se . Rather, the nature of economic power relations, which tilt heavily in the favour of export companies, form an important explanatory factor in the increasing rate of failure among the fruit growing parceleros . It is argued that the implications of the failure among small growers who have already ‘reconverted’ is of particular importance. It is proposed that steps re-dress structural imbalances in the market could precipitate productive gains, increase the potential success of small growers attempting to ‘reconvert’ to fruit production and improve rural equity. If applied to the small scale fruit sector as a whole such moves could help sustain Chile's fruit export sector — an objective which can be seen as crucial to Chile's economic well-being. In this way the argument of free-market purists — that rural economic differentiation which has taken place to date is inevitable and desirable — is challenged.