Аннотация: A reality filled with contradictions. A note about chapters 10-13 of Joseph Lavretsky 's book "Salvador Allende"
A reality filled with contradictions. A note about chapters 10-13 of Joseph Lavretsky 's book "Salvador Allende"
Reading the book "Salvador Allende" (the author of the book - Joseph Lavretsky) does not give a clear understanding of the results of the economic policy of Salvador Allende.
On the one hand, seems an economic growth took place. On the other hand, the shortage of various kinds of goods became more and more obvious. Economic difficulties appeared and intensified.
On the one hand, supposedly the workers began to live clearly better. On the other hand, the middle sections of the population began to live worse.
("The wages of workers and office employees, which in 1970 amounted to 51.6 percent of domestic national income, in 1973 increased to about 65 percent." (Here and further, quotes from the book of Joseph Lavretsky)).
("From 1970 to 1973, Allende increased spending on national defense from 1 billion 119 million 700 thousand escudos to 7 billion 340 million 19 thousand, which, despite inflation, was a significant increase.")
As for the copper ore industry, the Chilean copper trade, after the nationalization of the copper ore industry, met ever greater difficulties in the world market. Copper prices have declined. Supplies to major consumers of copper were disrupted. A strike began at the main copper ore deposit, which lasted until September 11, 1973.
("Over 21 thousand truck owners ... went on strike. Only 2,600 trucks were operating").
The new economy was not built. Many private enterprises have been nationalized. Forms of ownership and management have changed. Apparently, such transformations were not enough to ensure clear economic success.
Most likely, all the efforts of Salvador Allende could to come up to the satisfaction of traditional social-democratic requirements: the establishment (confirmation) of an 8-hour working day, a five-day working week, a more or less long vacation, etc.
Significant masses of the population, possibly, didn't need and a such social-democratic achievements. A certain percentage of the population may not have been adapted (due to lack of education and due to lack of appropriate cultural traditions, technical culture) to life in a developed industrial society. A free life, life in the fresh air, in a friendly social environment, without detailed every-day (working, technological) regulation and discipline is obviously a more healthier thing and in many ways is a more attractive way of existence ...
Maybe Joseph Lavretsky is not saying of something, talking about the government of Salvador Allende? The book contains the phrase "disarmament of workers." But, according to Lavretsky, nobody armed the workers ... It's a not a clear moment... Cuba is almost invisible in Lavretsky"s book ...
A lot of obscure, incomprehensible circumstances ...
More or less obvious is the understanding: the nationalization of the mining industry did not at all lead to abundance (for a number of reasons), no one was planning to build a new economy with using of an intensive (forced) long-term labor. The nationalization of many enterprises alone could not provide significant economic gains.
Chile remained at about the same (and not at its worst) place in the roughly same system of the international division of labor. Social-democratic requirements could be achieved, without the nationalization of enterprises - by improving social legislation.
The influence and significance of a many traditional population strata remained, despite the nationalization and other transformations carried out by the Allende government.
A significant part of the Chilean population did not understand and / or feared the foreign policy and economic policies of the Allende government ... To some, the history of the USSR seemed attractive, but to others, on the contrary ... And the holders of opposite points of view were right - everyone in their own way...
The leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Eduardo Frei, hoped that after the removal from power of Salvador Allende, power would be transferred to him, and he, Frey, would appear before the whole world as the "savior" of Chilean democracy. But alas ... This did not happen ...
"The secretary to Allende ... also left the palace. To her Allende passed the original to the first Chilean constitution signed by the founder of the state O'Higgins. The original was kept in Allende's office. The soldiers took from Miria this national relic, ripped it to shreds and threw it into the fire."...
May 16, 2020 11:43
Translation from Russian into English: May 16, 2020 13:10.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Противоречивая реальность. Заметка о главах 10 - 13 книги Иосифа Лаврецкого "Сальвадор Альенде"".