Fifty years after the civil-military coup d’état in Chile, which overthrew the legitimate government of Salvador Allende, a debate continues over whether the Popular Unity (UP) failed or was defeated. A debate that extends to this day due to the lack of decision, political and intellectual, to establish a historical truth. Unlike this fair story, installed and consolidated by all democrats in the world, in Chile history has been written by the victors. Even though the dictatorship ended in 1990 and Augusto Pinochet died in 2006, the political and economic regime built by the dictatorship is still in full force administered by many civilian coup plotters.
The sociologist from the Complutense University of Madrid Marcos Roitman Rosenmann (Santiago, 1955), author of numerous essays, columns and academic documents, has published this year “Why Salvador Allende’s government did not fail” (Sequitur, Madrid, 2023 and Libertaria Ediciones , Santiago, 2023), an essential book to read right now. This is a small, easy-to-read essay that should be read by every Democrat and, especially, by the younger generations.
Step by step, Marcos Roitman denies with data each of the falsehoods that the coup right has raised to justify the coup d’état.
Minority government?
In the 1970 elections, the UP obtained solid popular support, reaching 36.4% of the votes. Amid a climate of destabilization, the 1973 parliamentary elections saw an increase in support for the UP, reaching 44%. These results indicate that the UP was far from being a failure in terms of electoral support.
Furthermore, Salvador Allende’s legitimacy as president was consolidated both nationally and internationally. His leadership was gaining global recognition. The idea that the UP lacked democratic convictions and that it sought a totalitarian regime does not hold water. The UP was a proposal of the people and the working classes in search of a more just society.
The narrative of defeat and failure of the UP has been promoted by various sectors, including social scientists, social democrats and defenders of subsequent governments. However, this narrative hides the responsibility of those who broke the constitutional order: the right and the traitor military.
The question that arises is why the United States and the Chilean bourgeoisie tried so hard to overthrow a government that, according to the official narrative, was doomed to failure. If the peaceful path to socialism was so unattainable, why not wait for the 1976 elections to compete democratically?
The answer is that the UP represented a threat to the interests of the ruling classes and capital. The policies of expropriation, nationalization and redistribution of wealth were considered dangerous by those who held economic and political power.
Instead of accepting the official version of history, we must recognize that the fall of the UP was the result of a coup d’état promoted by the right, the United States government, and the traitor military. Accepting this premise puts an end to the idea of failure and defeat of the UP.
Ultimately, the UP did not fail in its quest for a more just and equitable Chile. It was a political project that had the support of broad popular majorities and that faced fierce opposition from those who feared losing their privileges. Beyond the official version, the UP continues to be a symbol of the fight for social justice and democracy in Chile.
Marcos Roitman Rosenmann
Here are some key aspects of that period:
- Social Housing: During the Popular Unity government, a significant effort was made in the construction of social housing to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged sectors of the population.
- Nationalization of Basic Resources: Key sectors of the economy were nationalized, including copper mining, which represented an important source of income for the country.
- Literacy: Literacy programs were implemented to reduce the illiteracy rate in the country.
- Agrarian reform: Agrarian reforms were carried out with the aim of redistributing land and improving the conditions of peasants.
- Salary Increase: Increases in workers’ wages and salaries were sought.
- Recognition of Rights of Indigenous Peoples: The rights of indigenous peoples, such as the Mapuche people, were recognized and respected.
- Commitment to Gender Equality and Youth: Demands for gender equality, feminist struggles and youth concerns were included in government policies.
The Libertaria Ediciones book is in the GAM, in the FCE bookstore and bookstores in general.
