Chile: the balanced view : a recopilation of articles about the Allende years and after

Chile: Current Real ities and Historical Perspectives(*) By HAROLD BLAKEMORE Few events in conternporary world affairs have excited more passionate attention and created more violent aontroversy Ihan the overthrow by the Chilean armed forces of the regime of Salvador Allende on 11th September 1973. Even ayear and a half later, anyone writing about il slill runs the risk of being profounC:iy misunderstood, and not only by those whose commitment is reflecled in dogmatic assertion ralher Ihan dispassionate judge– ment. World opinion on Chilean evenls has, in fact, been polarized, as Chilean society itself was sharply split between 1970 and 1973, though the tuture historian will do well lo look ciosely at the internal political complexion of many other states besides Chile in explaining . their reaction lo the mililary take-over, as well as reflecling on the paradox that "the Chilean road to socialísm" attracted remarkably little atlentión whílé it was actuaJly in Irain from manyof those who most deplore its disappearance now. But this aspect of the affair, though relevant, is not the central issue here: the basic reason for entering the controversy at all is simply lo suggest some largely ignored perspectives on Chílean events, and also to make an interím assessment of the progress and prospects ofthe present regime. THE MILITARY INTERVENTION AND WORLD REACTION The most common outside reaction lo the events of Seplember 1973 in Chile was simply shock that they had occurred at all; though informed observers had long been predicting some kind of breakdown. But here, after all, was ¡he most democratic state of Latin America, with the longest and strongest tradition of civilian government, based on a multi-party political system which permitled sharply conflicting ideologies to compete in full freedom. Within the system, the separation of powers had long existed and, no less significant in the country's distinctive evolution, the armed forces and the police did not intervene in the polítical process. Indeed, both the Chilean constitution of 1833 and that of 1925, the only two fundamental charters in the country's history, specifically forbade them to do so, and infractions of that prohibition had been exceptional. Against this generally-accepted picture of civic maturity, there occurred the coup in 1973 which overthrew Allende. It was a combined operation oi ¡he three services and Carabineros which was carefully planned, closely coordinated, and executed with surgi" cal precision. Overt resistance was speedily crushed and large numbers of servants and supporters of the former regime were rounded up andimprisoned. After tne coup ¡he ·Reprinted by permission Irom the Bank of London and South America Review. March 1975, London. 15