Chile in 70s

[styrken]

Hey

Do any of you have som figures or numbers about the welfare-developement in Chile in the Allende-period? I would like to know what he Actually did for the working class, if he did anything, except from nationalise the cubber-mines??

And have any of you heard about this secret agreement Allende made with the former bourgeois goverment, about not to change anything in the military, the schools and the police (the bourgeois state)?

Comradely, Michael

[djn]

I can't claim to be an expert on Chile, but I have read a few books on the matter, one of which I recommend to you. It is called "Allende's Chile: An Inside View" written by Edward Boorstein, and published by International Publishers in 1977. Boorstein is a Marxist and he is very patient in explaining all the different problems faced by the UP leading up to, and following the 1970 election.

The UP did many things before nationalizing copper, almost all of which greatly improved the lives of the working class in a matter of months, and reduced the power of landholders, factory owners and foreign-owned industries. Boorstein's book demonstrates this with vast amounts of statistical facts (the book is not boring, though - its actually very exciting and inspiring).

As for the so-called secret agreement between the UP and the former government - it did not exist. One must fully understand the predicament of the UP in that they did not control congress, the carabinieros (police) or the army. Since they still didn't have full control of the country, they had to compromise since any radical action would have provoked instant bourgeois and/or military rebellion, and harsher punitive measures from Western nations. Boorstein describes these dilemmas in great length. He also places emphasis on the fact that the UP was composed of long-time socialists and Marxists who were very knowledgeable of what they were doing and were well aware of the problems they faced. He lambastes right and left armchair critics who constantly offer "obvious" solutions to the dilemmas of Allende's government.

[mir]

Do any of you have any knowledge of the Grenadan Revolution and the New Jewel Movement?  The Grenadan Revolution, I believe, is a better then the Chilean.  Both were overthrown by the US imperialists.  And one more question, the Chilean and Grenadan revolutions were both overthrown by the US during the cold war, what is to keep the US from trying to overthrow another socialist government that has recently come to power and has not had enough time to build a loyal army or militia?