Chile in 1960 had a fairly high level of overall affluence, one of Latin America's most extensive welfare states, a militant labor movement, and 30 years of political stability and competitive politics. Nevertheless, it had an average life expectancy at birth of only 57 years and an infant mortality rate of 120 per 1000 – higher than the rate of 115 per 1000 in much poorer Brazil (Tables A1 and A3). Behind the high rate of infant mortality in Chile in 1960 was the neglect of basic health services in poor communities, especially in rural areas. Behind this neglect, in turn, were clientelistic ties between the rural poor and landowning elites, which created captive votes for conservative parties.

The next 45 years told a different story. Chile from 1960 to 2005 raised life expectancy and reduced infant mortality more, in percentage terms, than any other Latin American country. By 2005 Chile's infant mortality rate was second lowest (to Cuba's) in Latin America, and only slightly higher than the rate in the United States. From 1960 to 2005 Chile's infant mortality rate went from being nearly twice as high as Argentina's to about half as high, and from being higher than Brazil's to less than half the Brazilian rate (Table A1). Improvement in the public provision of basic health services to the poor bears a large share of responsibility for Chile's success at reducing infant mortality from 1960 to 2005 and at achieving a low level of infant mortality in 2005.