Chile Conclusion

Abstract

This chapter argues that Foreign Office officials sought to moderate the actions of Labour ministers, but were only partially successful. It discusses how far social class was responsible for the FCO’s pro-business, conservative views and suggests that informal social networks between government officials and the private sector shaped the Foreign Office’s stance towards the military regimes and gave business leaders easy informal access to policy-makers. It explains that during the Labour period of office, campaigners had leverage over key policy-makers because of their institutional links to the Labour party and trade union movement, during a period of minority government and widespread labour militancy. Furthermore, the cost of acceding to campaigners’ demands was relatively low because Chile was a small market for Britain.