17.55, Introduction to Latin American Studies, Fall 2006 Prof. Chappell Lawson Session 11: The Breakdown of Chilean Democracy

Transcription

1 The Fall f Salvadr Allende 17.55, Intrductin t Latin American Studies, Fall 2006 Prf. Chappell Lawsn Sessin 11: The Breakdwn f Chilean Demcracy Intrductin The 1973 Chilean cup was a shcking plitical event Heard rund the wrld Gd scial demcrats replaced by evil reactinary dictatrs Eches f Nazism Allende s gvernment was leftist cause celebre at a time when the scialism was all the rage Seductive prmise f peaceful rad t scialism Marxists inspired by Engel s remarks in Hlland abut pssibility f demcratic rute Everyne cncludes peaceful transitin impssible; capitalists will never surrender pwer Intense criticism f freign plicy in U.S. We will spend a lt f time (3 weeks) n Chile fr tw reasns Such a well-knwn event Still discussed and debated; very cntrversial Issue f transitinal justice still alive (even thugh Pinchet will nt be tried) Chile is the mst verstudied cuntry in the wrld, s readings are very gd Chance t bserve the whle cycle (demcracy-dictatrship-demcracy) withut having t learn a whle new cuntry each time Chile in 1970 Mderately develped High educatin, literacy Quite unequal distributin f wealth Nefeudal relatins in sme areas Like Esteban s estate in The Huse f the Spirits Pckets f extreme pverty Dependent n minerals (cpper) and agriculture Lng traditin f demcracy and rule f law Military firmly under civilian cntrl Parties dminate plitical scene Electrate divided alng three-thirds (Left-Center-Right) Sme semi-lyal grups Rightist parties, wh want t turn back clck Leftist parties, wh want revlutin Nt s bad as in Weimar; semi-cnditinal acceptance f demcracy Gradual ersin f ld nrms Cmpetitin fr captured vtes in rural areas Extreme pliticizatin under Christian Demcrats (CDs) Reject prk-barreling and partisan cmprmises Aim at plitical hegemny Attempt t capture mass media

2 Plarize bth Left (wh fear challenge) and Right (wh feel betrayed) Push Radicals t Left As a result f CD behavir, Center and Right can t agree n cmmn presidential candidate in 1970 Allende wins in 1970 N majrity, s Cngress must ratify Oppsitin frm far Right and sectins f military Insistence frm Left that he be ratified CDs n a leftist kick, s they agree Oppsitin frces him t agree t new cnditins Respect fr rule f law Nt t pliticize military and plice Nt clear whether he keeps these prmises Allende s ambivalence Very charismatic and prminent plitician in Chile helped fund Scialist Party fur-time presidential candidate f the Left almst wn in 1958 Wants t make a Revlutin, but withut vilence A demcrat, a scialist, and a freemasn Himself an aristcrat and a bn vivant Installs his mistress (La Payita) in the presidential palace likes fine wine, brandy, and art Accepts bribes, but nt bught by anybdy A prtrait f cntrasts; deep ambivalence Revlutinary agenda, demcratic means Marxist views, bhemian life On the day f the cup, he appears with his gld-plated AK-47, given t him by Fidel Castr, a helmet, a cardigan sweater, and a tweed jacket Hneymn: Nv September 1971 Allende mves very quickly after electin Rapid wage increases Chilean way speech in May 1971 Cnstructive ppsitin frm Christian Demcrats Massive scial mbilizatin Mves t natinalize industry Freign cpper cmpanies; very ppular Largest Chilean industries Rapidly gets t ~50% f electrate Increasing plitical plarizatin Bid fr majrity f electrate; cmes very clse Munting vilence Class warfare factry ccupatins land seizures leftist terrrism Castr cmes t visit CDs break ff alliance in September 1971 Allende nw lacks majrity in legislature 17.55, Intrductin t Latin American Studies, Fall 2006 Sessin 11 Prf. Chappell Lawsn Page 2 f 5

3 Plarizatin: September 1971-Octber 1972 Gvernment by legerdemain (Davis) Thá case Requisitins fllwing gvernment-inspired strikes and factry seizures based n 1932 decree Use f develpment funds t buy stakes in private crpratins Negtiatins with ppsitin ver natinalizatins break dwn Chas in cuntryside ver radical land refrm MIR seizing land Munting vilence Deepening ecnmic crisis; inflatin Allende tries t steer middle curse, but far Left prpels him Culminates in Octber 1972 Tanks called in t put dwn street disturbances in Santiag Gvernment seizes last private distributin cmpany Truckers g n strike Allende suffers heart attack Military brught int cabinet UP calitin divided Far Left strategy (Scialists) Attack material base f burgeisie Mbilize, even if it means plarizing Arm the wrkers? Mderate UP strategy (Cmmunists) Cnslidate what we have; Dn t shck the ecnmy anymre Suppress the MIR Dialgue with Christian Demcrats Des this seem strange? Oppsitin restive Christian Demcrats increasingly frustrated Right begins t penly call fr military interventin Temprary respite? Octber 1972 t March 1973 Military invlved in gvernment Prats is cmmander Order restred in 4 days Strike ends Street mbilizatin dies dwn Prvcatins and missteps by gvernment unified educatinal curriculum ratining scheme (images f Cuban-style scial cntrl) run-up t electins ppsitin wants tw-thirds, t impeach Allende (unrealistic) UP says they will win mre than in 1973 (likely) Electins slve nthing Oppsitin wins 56% Insists n clear, legal, rderly plan f natinalizatins 17.55, Intrductin t Latin American Studies, Fall 2006 Sessin 11 Prf. Chappell Lawsn Page 3 f 5

4 Military presents grievances Supreme Curt decries uncnstitutinal measures Allende mves t center, but desn t break with far left Military withdraws frm Cabinet Final stages, April 1973-September 1973 Cnstitutinal slutin increasingly unlikely Jump in leftist paramilitary activity; melees in streets Truckers g back n strike; stay there until cup Ecnmy cntinues t tank High inflatin Cnstant shrtages Successive grups (Supreme Curt, Cngress, Cmptrller, military) declare that gvernment is acting utside the law Media and ppsitin parties call penly fr military cup Meanwhile, the military is readying itself Active cup planning in all services In July, Pinchet alters army cntingency plan. Nte that military cntingency planning is what military staffs d when they are nt actually fighting. What wuld a plan fr a terrrist attack n Cngress lk like? Purges inside military Leftist junir fficers Senir Cnstitutinalists frced ut r reshuffled by Allende Prats frced t resign; August Pinchet takes ver Cnditins dn t imprve; n agreement with CDs September 7, all cmmanders sign n t a cup Pinchet ne f the last t agree Allende appears t mve finally tward break with radical left plans speech ffering t submit himself t referendum plans break with MIR nt clear what wuld have happened His speech is scheduled fr September 10 He pstpnes it by ne day But the military has mved Institutinal military cup n September 11, 1973 ( institutinal in the sense that the whle military as an institutin basically mves against the gvernment, and the chain f cmmand inside the military is intact) Navy seizes Valparaís rapidly; Cncepción falls by 9 a.m. Military has disrupted leftist cmmunicatin Air Frce requests Allende s resignatin and guarantee safe passage Allende refuses t resign, but als refuses t call fr revlutin Trps advance n La Mneda; several killed by leftist snipers Carabiners split, but mst refuse t fight fr Allende Sme resistance within military, but nt chain f cmmand mstly intact Navy ffers president safe passage Junta gives 11 a.m. deadline Allende signals willingness t resign, but insists fficers cme t him; Junta suggests Allende cme t them at Ministry f Defense 17.55, Intrductin t Latin American Studies, Fall 2006 Sessin 11 Prf. Chappell Lawsn Page 4 f 5

5 Cntinuing negtiatins ver surrender fail La Mneda bmbed; tanks surrund palace and fire tear gas, then invade Allende kills himself (?); mst f supprters in La Mneda surrender Martial law and strict curfew impsed; nly scattered resistance in factries and universities 3,000-10,000 die; many f them executed; hundreds murdered in Natinal Stadium, where 7,000 detained 10,000 Chileans flee cuntry claiming asylum 17.55, Intrductin t Latin American Studies, Fall 2006 Sessin 11 Prf. Chappell Lawsn Page 5 f 5