Why were most ordinary Chileans excluded from government after independence?

Following independence, ordinary Chileans were largely excluded from government because political power was consolidated by a narrow oligarchy of landowning elites.12

After a period of political instability and chaos between 1823 and 1830, authoritarian factions within this elite class seized control. Under the influence of Diego Portales, who acted as a virtual dictator, a new constitution was established in 1833. This framework created a strong central government specifically designed to be responsive to the interests of the landowning class, which maintained firm control over the parliament.3412

This system prioritized the protection of elite privileges and interests over broader democratic participation, effectively marginalizing the general population from the political process for decades.15