Abstract

GAETE, Jorge L.. Altruists with Precarious Lives: Winners of the Virtue Awards in Chile (1912-1940). Secuencia [online]. 2022, n.113, e1911.  Epub May 30, 2022. ISSN 2395-8464.  https://doi.org/10.18234/secuencia.v0i113.1911.

This article analyzes poor Chilean women who received the Virtue Awards, for which philanthropist Manuel Arriarán provided in his will to celebrate those who distinguished themselves through their continuous charitable acts. The study, based on the nominations of the winners and the sessions of the entity responsible for managing this initiative, the Santiago Charity Board, examines its historical origins, characteristics, and implementation in the country. On the one hand, it will show that these women represented the set of values Arriarán wished to celebrate. On the other, analysis of their testimonials shows that their poverty had dissimilar origins despite the fact that they met the same requirements for qualifying for these awards. Accordingly, the research suggests that future studies should continue to explore the Chilean Virtue Awards, which had various elements, practices, and symbols.

Keywords : charity; poor women; social order; rewards; values.