User:Connor Cadaver/Por la razón o la fuerza (By reason or force)

"Por la razón o la fuerza" (In English, by reason or force) is the insignia of the National Coat of Arms as well as the national motto of the Republic of Chile. The phrase goes back to the Age of Independence and, due to it's meaning, it's considered a modern version of the Latin motto "aut consilio aut ense" ("either by counsel or by sword").

The expression was officialized in 1920, but it's origin has roots in the phrase that accompanied the first national emblem, designed by José Miguel Carrera.

History
Due to having a similar meaning, the motto "Por la razón o la fuerza" (by reason or by force) is considered a version in Spanish of the Latin motto "aut consiliis aut ense" ("either by counsel or by sword"), which is linked to the origins of rule of law.

The phrase "aut consiliis aut ense" dates back to Ancient Rome and is an expression of the classic dualism knowledge-power (consilium-auxilium; "advice"-"aid"), that is possible to find in Platonic thought and that was developed in medieval Europe. From that dualism, in turn, is an expression of most familiar symbol of Justice: the scale (which is an expression of reason and law) and the sword (which represents power and force). Said Latin motto was included in the first national coat of arms, created in 1812, in the national historic period referred to as Patria Vieja (Old Motherland). This one bore an inscription that said «Post tenebras lux» ("After shadows, light") on the upper part, and, on the lower part, "Aut consilio aut ense" ("Either by counsel or by sword"). The historian Sergio Villalobos explains that the intention of the "Patriots" was to signify that Chile was advancing in it's own autonomous or independent identity, by means of reason or exercising force if necessary.

With time, The latin caption was replaced by the current "Por la razón o la fuerza" (By reason or by force), being utilized in chilean coins since 1818. As an example, silver coins minted between 1837 and 1852 (1/2, 1, 2, and 8 reales) bore the phrase "Por la razón y la fuerza" (By reason and by force) and gold coins minted between 1818 y 1834 (1, 2, 4, and 8 escudos) the version "Por la razón, o la fuerza" (By reason, or by force). Because of it's origins, the meaning of the motto is not linked to a bellicist character, but rather it's intention to establish the the supremacy of reason in collective life (the law), nevertheless, if this life is threatened, (the law is violated), it can reestablish itself by force.

The current chilean coat of arms dates back to 1834, but in it's orginal design, created by the english artist Carlos Wood Tailor, didn't include any motto. However, in various versions the motto "Por la razón o la fuerza" (By reason or by force) was indeed included. On the other hand, in 1854, it was stipulated that the national coat of arms that bears the presidential flag bear the same caption. In 1920 the inclusion of the motto "Por la razón o la fuerza" (By reason or by force) was officialized by a decree from the Ministry of National defense (decree 2271 published on September eighth in 1920.) In the December of 1967, a supreme decree from president Eduardo Frei Montalva ratified the officialization mentioned above. (supreme decree 1534 from the Ministry of the Domestic Chile, published on the twelfth of December in 1967).

In 1996, the chilean rock group Los Prisioneros (The Prisoners) used the national motto as a title for their third collection of hits, Ni por la razón, ni por la fuerza (Not by reason nor by force).

In 2000, at the beginning of the governing by the president Ricardo Lagos, a debate was generated due to some members of parliament of Concertation (Concertación) that intended the insignia to "Por la fuerza de la razón" (By the force of reason), but this new motto was considered "menos belicoso" (less bellicose) than the traditional. That proposal was on the discussion table for several months but the motion didn't catch on due to it's lack of quorum in the Congress. In 2004, the Chilean senator Nelson Ávila presented a bill with the motive of actualizing such change, but it failed just the same.