The people’s rebuke is significant for Chile, a country once hailed as a miracle

Demonstrators clash with riot police during protests against Chilean President Sebastián Piñera on November 18 in Santiago, Chile. Mr Piñera announced Chilean lawmakers agreed on calling a referendum in April 2020 to replace the current constitution, written and approved during General Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship in 1980. Marcelo Hernandez / Getty

Poetry is the lifeblood of rebellion it is said, but not the whole story. Sometimes the narrative unfolds less lyrically, in prose. On Friday, Chile announced a referendum to ditch its dictatorship-era constitution, which prioritised the free market for nearly 40 years and ensured steady growth, little public debt, a large sovereign wealth fund and low…