This is the third and last part of the seminal and historic Chilean documentary from Patricio Guzmán. Salvador Allende was elected as the President of Chile in 1970 and died in a coup in 1973 which was actively supported and financed by the United States government.
“The Battle for Chile” offers viewers a front row seat into the Allende ascension to power in 1970 culminating with his coup death in 1973. In fact, it is as if you have paid top dollar for seats to a sporting event but this is not a soccer match.
In Part 3 of “Battle for Chile: Popular Power” the concept of popular power supporting Allende is examined. The working class of Chile is poised to seize power to build a socialist state and, in this documentary, the Marxist playbook is evident. But Chile was a capitalist state and a transition to a socialist state was going to be a battle.
Imagine how a capitalist state would react to its copper, iron, coal and nitrate mines being nationalized! Not well. A counterattack of a transport strike in 1972 almost toppled Allende but bringing the military in his cabinet in 1972 looked as if it was a solution to civil war whereas it might have been his execution warrant.
The term “popular power” became a slogan for Allende supporters and consisted of creating “industrial belts” a sort of worker seizure of manufacturing and mining industries, a community commander corps and distribution co-ops.
Right wing opposition supported by the American government hacked away at popular reforms and the great Chilean socialist state was extinguished with Allende’s death in a 1973 coup.
“Battle of Chile” is a masterful documentary as leftist centric as it may be but as a viewer you have a front row seat listening to participants in the struggle including the right wing Christian Democratic party spokesmen. Patricio Guzman as director has offered you a seat amidst the Battle for Chile.
The immaturity of the mass leftist movement was no match for the capitalist backlash of the Chilean ruling classes and the United States government. At points the revolutionary zeal of Allende’s supporters precipitated his downfall?
An elected President and legislative assembly may for some equate with power but realities of a backlash financed by the United States government cause one to query the values of democracy that can be chipped away and destroyed by foreign intervention.
Part Three “Popular Power” will be screening at Anthology in New York from 8-15 September.
The “Battle of Chile” is a new 2K restoration.
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