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The Political Pre-requisites for a Chilean Way

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2014

J. Biehl del Rio  and
Fernandez R. Gonzalo
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Extract

WE PROPOSE TO ANALYSE HERE SOME OF THE BASIC PROBLEMS POSED by the attempt to pursue ‘the Chilean road to socialism’, and in particular to assess the possibilities of successfully following this path within the political and constitutional framework in being when Allende became president, always bearing in mind that he came to power with the support of 36·3% (or little more than one third) of the popular vote. It is necessary first to discuss the constitutional system, the background to the 1970 election and the election campaign. This will serve to place Allende and his coalition in proper perspective. Subsequently we will attempt to analyse the legal and political resources at Allende's disposal after his election in order to see if the powers these gave him were sufficient for the Unidad Popular to honour its commitments and the alternative strategies he could have pursued when and if these resources proved insufficient. Finally, there will be some discussion of the present state of the Unidad Popular, and its future prospects.

Type
Research Article
Information
Government and Opposition , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , 01 July 1972 , pp. 305 - 326
Copyright
Copyright © Government and Opposition Ltd 1972

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References

1 All literate Chileans over 21 had the duty to vote in elections. Towards the end of the Frei administration a constitutional reform lowered the age to 18, and extended the vote to illiterates.

2 Cf. Sigmund, Paul, Models of Political Change in Latin America, Praeger Inc., New York, 1970.Google Scholar

3 See H. Bicheno, below, p. 382.

4 Declaration of the Executive Committee of the Socialist Party published in No. 46 of Punto Final, Santiago, 16 January 1968. Translated by P. Sigmund, op. cit.

5 Programa básico de gobierno de la Unidad Popular, Ed. Horizonte, Santiago, 1969, P. 45.

6 El Mercurio, 13 September 1970.

7 At the beginning of Frei's ‘revolution in freedom’.

8 Direcciόn del Registro electoral, oficina de informaciόn del Senado, Boletín de informaciόn general No. 67, 30 June 1970.

9 Programa básico de Unidad Popular, p. 15.

10 Quoted in Garcés, J., La pugna política por la presidencia en Chile, Editorial Universitaria, Santiago, 1971.Google Scholar

11 Programa básico de Unidad Popular, pp. 19–20.

12 Martner, G., ed., El pensamìento político del gobiernode Allende, Editorial Universitaria, Santiago, 1971, pp. 32–3.Google Scholar

13 La Naciόn, 8 August 1971.

14 Ibid., 4 August 1971.

15 The El Arrayan Report, February 1972, as translated by the Chilean Embassy in London.