4 ‘ MILE ‘Now our copper belongs to us... By JOHN BIZZELL (The author recently visited Chile to attend the conference “Youth of the Americas Accuses Imperialism: Solidarity with the Heroic Peoples of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia” as head of the Canadian delegation. The confer- ence will be the subject of a later article.) I was rather spoilt in Chile regarding demonstrations. We were there for the first anniver- sary celebrations of the victory of the Popular Unity alliance in the 1970 presidential elec- tions. President Allende address- .@d the crowd of one million people. One million is big, very big. Of course President Allende is popular as evidenced by the universal posters and slogans, “Viva Allende.” But why did every ninth Chil- ean or alternatively every third citizen of Santiago feel the need to come out on a cold spring evening to celebrate the first anniversary of Popular Unity government? General Secretary ey marching with leaders of the Komsomol of the USSR (on his PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1971—PAGE 6 It was precisely because President Allende symbolizes everything that Popular Unity stands for and has done since its accession to power. ~ The Proud Record Le us look at the record, how their electoral promises have been honored: e The pinnacles of the econ- omy have been taken over by the state (read the people). Cop- per, nitrates, steel, textiles and brewing have been nationalized along with the great majority of the banks and financial in- stitutions (particularly those previously under foreign con- trol). At present 70% of the pro- ductive potential of the country is state controlled. e Land reform is well under way with the big latifundia ex- propriated. Thus 60% of the agricultural production of Chile has been handed to the people largely in the form of state, collective- and _ co-operative farms. Only those private farms that are well managed and pro- of the Chilean Communist Party, Luis Corvalan 7 ductive are at this stage in priv- ate hands, together with some small peasant operations. @ Prices have been frozen, and inflation halved. Unemploy- ment is running at half what it was a year ago and is on the way to being eliminated. @ Wages have been raised,in all sectors by some 40%. e@ Medical care has been made universal and is being cheapen- ed. Day care centres abound and in one particular case cost less than a round of pisco soura, the national drink after wine. (As you can gather this subject was under discussion one night in a Santiago bar.) e Education is being rapidly democratized and modernized. Quite an achievement for a. one-year old government! Type of Government Several questions arise out of so impressive a record. What sort of a government is the Popular Government? How did it come about? How did it enact this far-reaching legislation? I’ll attempt to answer them in order. Firstly, the composition of the government. The Popular Unity government is historical- ly evolved, having its roots in the class struggles of Chile. It is composed of four parties and two movements: the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Radical Party, and the Social Democratic Party, the Move- ment for Popular Action and Unity (a breakaway from the left wing of the Christian Democrats) and the Movement for Independent Popular Action (API). All are anti-imperialist and anti-monopoly and all agree on a socialist future for Chile, They all agreed to come together to fight ‘the presidential election and form the government. To do this they agreed on a Program of Popular Unity, which formed their electoral platform. No one part of the coalition enjoys a preferred position. All are equal and decisions are un- animous, based on the program and situations that arise from its implementation. History of Unity Secondly comes the question of how the unity was built. There was precedent for the concept because in 1938 Chile elected a Popular Front govern- ment. It was short-lived, but enactéd much progressive legis- lation. Salvadore Allende was the Minister of Health in that government. Then in 1958 the Socialist and Communist Parties set up a unity organization to fight the elections, FRAP (Front for Popu- lar Action). This lasted through to the last elections where its potential was realized by the other parties and movements which joined it, forming the Popular Unity. Mention here must be made of the common Chile’s Vice-President Toha (centre) seated between a Vi Mot delegate to the youth anti-imperialist conference and Gladys mur First Secretary of the Young Communist League of Chile. bavi in the background was painted by members of the Chilean ee: and has been used by thé lar Unity to enact muc nationalization program. tat Then there was the leg! ‘ of the Frei government, larly on the question reform, which he imp ashi? in a very lack-lustrée ud These laws are wide en? nt give the present govern” rena? action of the Communist Party and the Socialist Party in 1953 to weld together the separate trade unions in Chile into one mighty united voice, the Central Organization of Trade Unions (CUT). How it Functions Thirdly comes the question of how the Popular Unity gov- ernment managed to enact all this far-reaching legislation. This question is interesting par- ticularly in the light of the fact that it only: enjoys a relative majority in the National Con- gress and forms a minority in the Senate. On some pieces of legisla- tion left wing members of the Christian Democrats vote with the Popular Unity, especially those elected from working class constituencies. Doubtless some of these are honest people, while others are compelled to do this in the hope of re- election. During the Popular Front gov- ernment of 1938 laws were en- acted permitting the government to intervene in “troubled” in- dustries without recourse to Congress (that was the time of the great depression). This was never removed from the statutes the scope it needs to exproP the latifundists. Other Reforms ig There are still electoral Ftp ises to be fulfilled such jegisl? elimination of the tw° 3 tive bodies and their in¢ 2, tion into a single hovs of tH the much needed reform’ th judiciary (still one t wind) Ny strongholds of the righ! z cour and the need for people ques to handle neighborhoo? price tions such as rent af gouging. take These steps will i vic when they are sure 0 in the Congress. ides fo The constitution prove onc? the dissolution of Const, 0 during the term of a invol the president. This can a pop, ed at the point where t a 0 lar Unity feels it is 25° mus a majority at the polls. tend? be remembered that Ae epee 4 + ; i 4 id : Chilean children will grow up to take their place in the of nation-building their country has begun. —