[page 29]
CHILE The threatening catastrophe The election of the "Government of Popular Unity" in Chile last November was an event the "Communist" Party have presented it as a step towards Socialism "through the ballot The experience of the Allende Government will serve as a test-case of the possibility of the "parliamentary road to Socialism". It holds vital lessons for every thinking member "Popular Front"governments in Spain, France and Chile itself. of the C.P. "theoreticians" we must point out that in every single case "Popular Frontism" has led to a bloody defeat for the working class. The Allende government is a coalition of the Socialist Party and the C.P., with a number of middle-class "democratic" parties and grouplets - some of them so small that The "theory" of Popular Frontism argues that the workers' parties must unite in parliament with the parties of the "liberal" bourgeoisie in order to win over the middle In point of fact, parties like the Radicals are not the political representatives of the middle class but their parliamentary exploiters. the Radicals is to keep the middle class under the yoke of Big Business by means of deception, Such unprincipled blocs with the professional deceivers of the middle class can only serve ultimately to demoralise and disorient these sections, who from parties basing themselves on the class interests of the proletariat. Class collaborationism, under no matter what "Socialist" or "Communist" banner it hides, has always had baneful results for the working class. The Chilean variety is no exception. In the first period of its life, Allende's government has scored some apparent successes: free milk for school-children, rise in the minimum wage and pensions, freeze on rents and prices, nationalisation of copper, the lowering of the voting age to eighteen and the begin- These reforms have been greeted by the masses with enormous enthusiasm - whenever the downtrodden, demoralised people see a government that appears to mean business, taking real steps of great importance for every Socialist. of the Labour Movement.
'Popular Front Contrary to the legend, "unique" about the developments in Chile. the pre-war saccharine "optimism"
make no mark upon the country's political life: M.A.P.U. and A.P.I.
classes from reaction.
lies and "democratic" demagogy.
can only be won by bold class policies. Masses Radicalised ning of an agrarian reform.
to improve their lot, the response is always dramatic. overwhelming majority of peasants and workers | uncritically at this stage.
28 assiduously fostered by the Stalinists, there is nothing By ALAN WOODS Both the capitalist press and the journals of Allende is merely repeating the experience of Against the the Radicals, "Social Democrats", The function of But a firm, revolutionary policy can only come a shadow of doubt, the see this as "their" government and support it
[page 30]
In the elections to the students union (FECH) held shortly as President, the candidates representing the parties of the "popular" unity front" swept April revealed the same profound process of radicalisation in the working masses. The C.P.'s share of the votes in these elections went up from 15.9% (1969) to 17.36% but the Socialist share shot up from 12.2% to 22.89% of the vote. The most significant result however, was the vote of the Radicals. this decline by the split-off of the right-wing of the Radicals. that the Radicals were the only one of the major "Bopular Unity" parties to suffer a setback The conclusion is irresistable. The support for the Allende government It is significant that the Socialist Party - which stands (verbally, at least) to the hand, the bourgeois partners in the coalition have no support among the masses. represent the peejudices of the middle class of yesterday. They are doomed to decline still more in the months ahead. of the future behaviour of the middle class cannot be determined by parliamentary mangalvanise the intellectuals, small shopkeepers and peasants around the working-class. Unprincipled combinations only serve, in the. last analysis, to drive the despairing middle At the roots of the situation in Chile is the agrarian problem. was only made possible by the failure of the "liberal" Christian Democrat Frei to break up The condition of the peasants is illustrated by the situation in Cautin province in the The Mapuche Indians who make up 758 of the population in this region hold only They have the highest infant mortality rate in the country. Under the Frei government, the peasant masses were led with lavish promises of agrarian at last it dawned on the peasants that the politicians were betraying them. when the land-hungry peasants, in desperation, tried to seize the land, they were In 1968, troops and armoured cars were sent to put down a legal peasant strike. The following year 200 troops of the hated Mobile Guard killed eight peasants and wounded another twenty-seven in Puerto Montt. The village poor of Chile learned a harsh lesson in Allende's election served notice on the politicians that the peasants were no longer prepared to be fobbed off with empty promises of reform which boiled down to a hypocritical News of the victory of the "Popular Unity" kindled a spark of hope in the minds of the stinctively that only a revolutionary offensive could break the iron rule of the landowners. By making a militant appeal to the farm labourers, Allende could have mobilised even the most backward, benighted sections of society in defence of the Chilean revolution. armed peasantry, organised in peasant committees would have overwhelmed their oppressors The power of the landlords would be smashed forever - and the board, increasing their vote by 40%. barometer of tendencies at work in society as a whole. doubled in these elections.
rebuff, now accounts for 188 of the vote. vote slumped from 13.08 in 1969 to a mere 8.18%. at the polls.
represents support for Socialist policies. left of the "Communists" - received the class on the basis of capitalism.
middle class.
oeuvres but the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism. class into the arms of reaction.
The Peasantry the big estates (latifundia) South.
25% of the cultivatable land.
190,000) unemployed.
reform.
But hot lead.
the value of liberal "reform".
defence of the Big Landowners.
despondent masses of the farm labourers. Cautin carried out fifty-six seizures of land. with a minimum of bloodshed.
with it the hopes of a reactionary overturn in Chile. The right-wing Nationalist Party, which suffered a sharp most dramatic vote of confidence.
The policies of the Radicals are the death of the and hand over the land to the peasants. 37% of these peasants are illiterate, 20,000 lout of after Allende's confirmation As always in such cases, the students are a The municipal elections held in The S.P. vote nearly Their share of the Attempts have been made to explain-away But the plain fact remains On the other There is no future for that The question A bold revolutionary policy would The victory of Allende met with In the first six months, the Indian farmers of The dispossessed masses understood in- 29
[page 31]
Instead of this, Allende has bent all his energies to prevent the peasants from seizing Far from rousing the masses, his appeals have been to warn them "not to provoke Sullenly, mistrustfully, the Indians withdrew - but hadn't they heard this Didn't the Christian Democrats use to sing the same song? The "Comrade President" - as Allende likes to call himself - has spent the past few months Unfortunately, events have shown that the reaction needs no excuses to act. The landowners - especially in Cautin - are arming to the teeth for a struggle. According to an official police report "more than 2,000 men have been recruited in assault water, gas and power supply and thus causing widespread discontent. Santiago police, earlier this year, discovered a big cache of revolvers, machine guns, sub-machine guns and rifles in the home of Major Jose Cabrera. existence of a nation-wide fascist-type organisation called "Country and Liberty" pledged to a programme of terror, assassination and subversion against the government. Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of the ARmy was shot down on his way to the Ministry of Defence. Subsequent investigations established the existence of a widespread plot involving the ultra right-wing organisations (The Alessandri Legion, "Don't Surrender Chile", The Nationalist Offensive and the Independent Republican Front) pledged to carry out terrorist acts in various Among the thirty-two persons detained were one admiral, several big estat Three attempts have been made on the life of Allende, involving armed gangs. assassination was intended to cause a crisis and prevent Allende's installation as President. in Frei's government - Edmundo Perez Zujovic - was machined-gunned. bore all the hallmarks of a provocation against the government. The right-wing press has raised a clamour for the "disarming of political groups." The intention is clear: to force the Allende government to disarm the workers and peasants, No ruling class ever parts with its power and privileges without a fight with no holds and bowed by the movement of the masses, the ruling class has been forced to play a waiting The landlords and capitalists understand that it is impossible to overthrow the Under these circumstances, an attempted coup could lead to an explosion, the out- Nevertheless, careful preparations are being made, arms are being collected, plots hatchthe land.
the reaction."
sort of thing before?
Reaction Arming practicing this song in various keys:
anti-government forces to act."
Goebbels - owner of a huge estage - declared to expropriate his land would be met by machine-guns. bought a large quantity of arms in Argentina. detachments for the purpose of engineering parts of Santiago.
owners, generals and political personalities. Attempted Assassination Its failure was followed by a lull.
while the Reaction is permitted to stockpile weapons. barred.
While Allende preaches Reaction is gathering its strength for a counter-stroke. game - at least for the present.
"Popular Unity" government at this stage. mood.
come of which might be disastrous for their class. ed in the top of the army and the Civil Service. 30 publicly Already before Allende's election, the Reaction struck. "responsibility" and "discipline" to the masses, the The masses are in an aggressive, "Don't provoke the Reaction", "Don't give excuses to Pablo that any governments official coming To underline the point, Goebbels has breakdowns in the transport system, disrupting Investigations proved the On October 22nd 1970, Rene The Schneider Then, in June of this year, a former right-wing Minister Badly shaken by Allende's victory, self-confident The danger is very real.
[page 32]
In his reformist blindness, Allende imagines that his position can be maintained by However, to preserve his reputation as a "Marxist" and a "revolutionary", the "Comrade President" advances demagogic slogans like: By this winged phase, Allende wishes to place the entire responsibility for his own his own responsibility and piously advises the masses to "win the power" - while simultaneously appealing to them not to act, not to"provoke the Reaction." One might well wonder how it is possible to "win the power" without provoking the Reaction! contradictions do not bother the "Comrade President" who is proud of his contempt for In an interview with Regis Delray - who oblgingly feeds Allende with suitably polite inquiries concerning the viability of the "parliamentary road" - Allende put forward the idea of a single chamber to defeat the obstruction of the Senate and the setting up of Evidently he was adjusting the tone of his arguments to his company, because the "Comrade President" no sooner encountered resistance in Parliament, then he irony, the Economist correspondent quoted Allende's reply that "for the moment, constitutional haughty, bureaucratic contempt in which Allende holds the masses is equalled only by in the so-called "Communist" Party, one of whom is reported in the Economist "We want the people with us, but they must not be allowed to go beyond the government line." That "government line" is laid down for Allende by the Chilean ruling class. His very confirmation as President was made conditional on a pledge not to go beyond the Constitution. The representatives of the "revolutionary" government - faced with an ultimatum from the Christian Democrats - "compromised" - and signed the notorious "Estatuto de Garantias Allende understands quite clearly what he must do and what he must not do in order to keep the masses quiet by granting a number of secondary concessions - which do not alter the fundamental class balance of power, and which can all be taken back on the morrow when the as he likes, provided none of them actually leads to any decisive action on the part of the On the other hand, the landlords and capitalists will make sure that the nationalisations do not go so far as to take the power out of the hands of the fifty giant companies which out a stream of dirt and lies against the "Marxist" regime. to alter the Constitution, which holds him in a straightjacket and enables the Christian Democratic opposition, the senate and the High Court to block and sabotage fundamental The role of the organs of state is clearly shown by the behaviour of the Supreme Court of the right-wing Radical Democratic Party was implicated in the plot and the Military Prosecutor demanded the lifting of his parliamentary immunity. organising a conspiracy which involved bringing five hundred machine-guns from Argentina but the Supreme Court overruled the decision, protected Adriasola and frustrated subsequent Parliamentary Cretinism "clever" manoeuvres in parliament.
figure in his plans.
the government.
inaptitude on the shoulders of the masses. "dogmatic" theory.
"peoples' tribunals."
dropped his single chamber, peoples' tribunals and all! changes are not high on his list of priorities." The his colleagues (April l0th) as commenting:
Democraticas."
out of trouble with the Powers-that-Be. masses are demoralised and incapable of resistance. workers and peasants.
control the lion's share of the Chilean economy. He must not act against the "freedom"
forces.
legislation.
in the investigation of the murder of General Schneider. in order to overthrow the government.
Now they must win the power."
The revolutionary initiative of the masses does not "The people have won Like Pontius Pilate, he washes his hands off Not without a touch of malicious On the one hand he is graciously allowed to keep He can issue as many demagogic speeches Allende must not interfere with the armed of the monopoly Press which daily pours Above all, he must not attempt Senator Raul Morales Adriasola Adriasola was accused of The Court of Appeal approved the lifting of immunity 31
[page 33]
The ruling class has worked out a convenient division of labour: reactionary stage armed provocations on the streets, while the Christian Democrats act as a fixed on the agrarian programme which, they shout, is proceeding too fast, "jeopardising By this cunning and hypocritical formula, these "Christian" gentlemen are blaming the "Popular Unity" in advance for the terrible famine which the landlords and capitalists seek PEASANTS GUARDING OCCUPIED FARM IN CAUTÍN PROVINCE WITH SHOTGUNS The only way to prevent the complete breakdown of food supplies to the cities is to nobilise the peasants now, to take over the big estates. Allende is hypnotised by the A revolutionary solution of the agrarian problem would win the mass of peasants - the Christian Democracy would break in pieces. Instead of relying on the revolutionary peasantry, Allende prefers a parliamentary deal In fact, he merely echoes their accusation of "anarchism" "If this (agrarian reform) is done in an anarchical way, it would be impossible to plan "Respectable" cover in Parliament.
the Christian Democrats obstruct and sabotage reforms. food production."
to inflict on the Chilean people.
slaughter of cattle and the failure to plant grain. PAN TIERRA SOCIALISMO YENCE REMOS.
apparent strength of the Christian Democrats. inertia of the peasant masses.
with the Christian Democrats.
directed at the peasant squatters:
production" (Conversations with Allende, p.105) 32 NICION. LATIERRA гд.
Under the slogan of "preventing Marxist excesses", Above all, they have their sight Already, news is coming in from the countryside of the But that party's strength is based on the
[page 34]
and orderly solution of the land problem is to arm and organise the peasantry in peasant It is precisely Allende's parliamentary cretinism which is paving the way for "anarchy" - a bloody civil war and a terrible famine - for the working people. while Allende and the C.P. are performing the Parliamentary minuet with the bourgeois Investment has dropped sharply, as the capitalists pull out their money. "Popular Unity" is prepared to take drastic measures, factory closures will continue to nationalisation of copper mines was immediately sabotaged by a walk-out of 300 Technical staff have been leaving the country in a steady stream. Meanwhile, the threat of an economic blockade from the U.S.A. is constantly suspended over Allende's head as a further gentle "encouragement" not to "If the compensation for the $724 million confiscated investment is bad....then the American authorities, already bristling with ill-will, could cause havoc with Chile's Inflation is rapidly eating away the workers' gains in wages. These facts spell disaster for the Chilean economy - a catastrophe which will wipe out at one blow most of the reforms of the present administration. Despite the increasing hardships, there is no doubt that even now the vast majority of Chile's workers and peasants faithfully support Allende. If unemployment and inflation are allowed to go unchecked, if Allende continues to retreat before the Right in Parliament, if armed fascist gangs are allowed to gather strength Begining with the middle-class, who looked to Allende to halt rising prices, a mood of The peasants will no longer believe that there is any difference deprived of their jobs, will lose faith in a government that proclaimed the right to work, Once the government has dashed the hopes placed in it by the masses, its fate is sealed. noralised and disheartened, the Reaction will become bolder. gangs will be stepped up, while the army and police look on. In Parliament, the Christian Democrats, voicing the fright of the petty bourgeois, will demand harsh measures to end "anarchy" and restore Law and Order. en the first fateful steps in this direction, by sending police to close down bases of the Allende, like every reformist, imagines that his "respectable" behaviour will stave blow struck against the Left, increases the danger from the Right. will be set for the final installment - the intervention of the military. The whole process unfolding in Chile poses the question of the army with increasing Thus far, the forces of Reaction have been cowed by the sweep of mass radicalisation. Only a case-hardened bureaucrat, with the movement of the masses with "anarchy." committees.
parties, the bankers and industrialists are busy is already heavy and is increasing.
a sea of human misery.
create The mine managers.
Production has slumped.
"overstep the mark."
production."
the ascudo is raging unchecked:
then inevitably the attitude of the people will change. Peasants Feel Betrayed bitterness will set in.
between Frei and Allende.
but could not guarantee their jobs.
The balance of forces can change radically. 1. I.R. where workers were learning the use of arms. peasant "squatters" from the land.
On the contrary.
off reaction.
urgency.
The army has remained cautiously in the sidelines. As the Economist gleefully commented:
the black market rate is now twice the official amount. They will feel betrayed by the "politicians." Workers, a contempt for the working people, can identify Actually, the only way to ensure a peaceful sabotaging his reforms.
Unemployment Already in March, the figure in Santiago was 88. Unless the Speculation against But that can change.
In the measure that the workers become de- The activity of the fascist Allende has already tak- The army has been used to evict Every retreat before bourgeois "Public Opinion, " every In this way, the stage
[page 35]
This has given Allende the possibility of claiming for the Chilean army a "special", Allende has made a special point of attending big parades, distributing him to the general staff. But perceptive bourgeois observers can see further than this "It has been said that Allende, by flattery and increase of pay has already neutralized Army out of politics while he maintains the constitution. So convinced is Allende in the omnipotence of his manoeuvering with the tops of the army that he modestly declined the opportunity of staffing it with his own supporters after the assassination of General Schneider - which he was constitutionally entitled to do. Allende's sole act of interference with the armed wing of the state was the disbanding of the infamous "Mobile Guard" - a kind of mobile gendarmerie used for suppressing strikes. But the Caribineros remain - "a professional corps equipped with modern, heavy armaments, communication, transport and an efficient bureaucratic organisation. It comprises 30,000 men, distributed all over the country in specialised units." in the last days of the old regime makes it illegal for Allende to remove the old officials! Allende's slavish respect for Authority - in the form of an Army jackboot will not save his skin when conditions permit the counter-revolution to raise its head. The tops of the Army, Police and Civil Service are linked by a thousand threads with the The passive sympathy of the soldiers will be of no avail unless the hold of Yet Allende persists in propping up the general staff with The "Communist" Party of Chile has played a despicable role in all this. an internal bulletin of the C.P. - published months before the September "Do you know how much the general of a division, or a vice-admiral, or an airforce general The basic salary for these military chiefs is 857 escudos. increases, professional bonuses, allowances for houses and ranches and other increments, their monthly earnings are in the region of 3,000 escudos. the fact that these are the highest officials in the Armed Forces, and that they also have these are men with 30 or 40 years of service behind them and have graduated through all the military ranks, that at this level, they have son's and daughters to clothe, feed and educate not permit them to live in one place, if we take all this into consideration, we can come to no other conclusion than that such a wage is insufficient." "Io a comrade who lives in poverty, a salary of 3 or 4 thousand escudos a month may seem However, it goes on to "answer" one question by posing another, even more significant: "Could anyone consider it acceptable for a senior (state) official with 20 years' service and after three years in the same grade, to receive 1,156 a month? "democratic"
, "non-political" character.
constantly flattered the army and its general staff. increased.
been medals, lavishing praise on the army.
styled "Marxist":
the armed forces.
one can predict what would happen. (quote Sunday Times Nothing has been done to touch the old bourgeois state landlords, bankers and capitalists.
in uniform is with the government.
and revolver.
the officer caste is broken.
his own authority.
CP's Despicable Role is an extract from elections:
the greatest responsibilities in the army at good schools ("Ciceos") or universities The document goes on, as if to excuse itself: enormous...."
34 This seems to be an over-statement.
June 14th).
and its functions:
From the moment he took office, Allende has The, pay of the armed forces has He fondly imagines that this grovelling will endear self What he has done is to keep the If he were to go beyond it, nomachine. Indeed, an act passed Undoubtedly, the sympathy of the rank-and-file workers But behind their backs stands the officer with his stick The following Together with 5 yearly If we take into consideration if, moreover, we consider that and that the nature of their employment does Then it is
[page 36]
clearly intolerable that a senior army officer after 25 years' service.... should receive These stalinist bureaucrats corrupted to the marrow, are thinking only in terms of their "Socialist tomorrow" - in a comfortable government office, in which a wage of 1,156 escudos "It is clear then," the document goes on, "that the unrest in the country is beginning to take note of, is absolutely justified. to state that in our opinion it is the duty of the Chilean nation to resolve this problem. Iomorrow or the day after, we may be facing some external danger or other. such an eventuality, which god forbid, patriotic sentiments is not enough. The main thino will be the solid unity of the country around the objectives which correspond to the tendency in the direction of social advance (sic!) and which, in general (!) are identified If we bear in mind that these lines date from the period of the Frei administration and are the product of the general secretary of the C.P.C. we can see to what depths of nationathis elementary truth 50 years after Lenin wrote State and Revolution? For the leaders of the "Communist" Parties have learned nothing from the whole history of the last 50 years, while they have forgotten whatever scraps of the basic ideas of Marxism By their latest policy of "Popular Frontism" - which they are pushing forward country - they are preparing the way for new and bloody defeats for the workers in France, Everywhere they resort to the same pitiful excuse to explain We have different traditions. It happened in Indonesia, it happened in Greece, but it can't The Chilean Popular Frontists claim a "special" road for Chile, on account of her past It is true that the Chilean bourgeoisie is a particularly entrenched and "solid" class. The rule of Capital has been maintained through Parliament all these years, precisely be- Yet precisely in a country with long traditions of stable bourgeois rule, the task of a The story of the "peaceful" traditions of Chilean politics is a myth. where the ruling oligarchy felt its position challenged by the workers and peasants, they Debray describes it as "one of the most violent and perhaps the most bloody histories in Latin America," and quotes a series of bloody repressions: "from the first great strike of port workers in Valparaiso in 1903 (30 dead, 200 wounded) 'meat strike' in Santiago in 1905 (200 killed), the massacre of Santo-Maria at Iquique, the cradle of the workers' movement, in 1907 (more than 2,000 victims mowed down by machine guns in the city square), the Punta Arena massacre of 1920, the Coruna massacre of 1925 (3,000 killed in the saltpetre mines), the massacre of peasants at Ranquil in 1934 (60 1,363 escudos. "
without including the numerous uniforms, apartments, batmen, etc.) with the interests of the people."
Marxism Forgotten list and reformist degeneration these people have sunk. For a Marxist, the state "armed bodies of men in defence of private property." they ever knew.
Italy, Spain and elsewhere.
away the policy of class collaboration: happen here!"
history of of the Army's "non-interference" in politics. cause it has never been seriously challenged. socialist revolution is infinitely more difficult. idable machine of class rule in its state. Allende sanctifies the consitution.
Bloody Repression have lashed out brutally.
other perks and increments, like free use of staff cars, is not an parliamentary democracy, the relative stability of her (These figures by the way, give only the basic salary, "impartial" body which stands above society, but Is it really necessary to repeat "But things will be different in our country. institutions, the tradition It is "the England of Latin America."
The bourgeoisie has perfected a form- The Constitution sanctifies that state. 35
[page 37]
to the recent exploits :: =he Christian Democracy at the El Salvador mine in 1966, via the Santiago riots of agri: :957." (conversations with Allende, P.31.) The "civilized" veneer of capitalist democracy lasts only as long as it does not feel its while the landlords and capitalists are safely tucked up in their beds. logic of all forms of reformism and "gradualism" is to prepare rivers of blood for the workforces is still enormously in favour of the workers' movement. not be more favourable for the complete routing of the reactionary forces and a peaceful A public opinion poll held in santiago earlier this year showed that Allende has the overhousewives - not usually among the most advanced political elements. illustrates the profound process of radicalisation which has affected the Chilean masses If that enormous reservoir of enthusiasm is not to be squandered, decisive measures are necessary to check inflation, halt unemployment and disarm the reaction. obstruction of the state apperatus and the right wing opposition in Parliament give Allende a golden opportunity to appeal to the masses outside of parliament. must be mobilised to carry through the entire programme of reforms "from below. No "Constitutional" trickery must be allowed to stand in the peasants would respond enthusiastically to an appeal which called for the setting up of Peasant Committees to take over the land in an organised manner compensation can be passed later to "legalise" the seizures. Workers control should be introduced to prevent factory closures and halt management, with minimum compensation on the basis of need, decided by workers' the trade unions should set up Committees of Action, drawing in housewives and tenants, to force landlords to reduce rents and prevent price increases. Above all, a workers militia should be set up, linked to the trade unions, to Instead of ingratiating himself with the generals, Allende should appeal to the rank-and-file to set up soldiers' committees with powers to run their own affairs, ful movement of the workers and soldiers, the officer caste would be suspended in The mass-media, which at present constitute an important rallying point of reaction, This is the programme of a peaceful transition to a workers' state, a revolution without bloodshed, like the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. It is possible on the basis of a correct rule challenged by the workers.
reveal the mailed fist of reaction.
"Popular Frontists" think they The Chilean "choosing" the Parliamentary road.
ing people.
There Is Still Time The fate of the Torres regime in Bolivia ately, Allende is deaf to all warnings. transition to a workers' state in Chile. whelming support of the working class.
class women supported the government.
these past months.
Allende has his mandate.
The workers and way.
1) without waiting for parliament.
2) unemployment.
and housewives' committees.
3) 4) 5) supervise discipline, etc.
troops and draw them mid-air.
6) should be nationalised.
guaranteed only to workers' and peasants' the revolution.
Marxist leadership.
36 When that day comes, the velvet glove is cast aside to But there is still time to act!
Factories which close down must be nationalised defend the workers gains against the onslaught closer to their brothers in industry.
are avoiding civil war and bloodshed by But socialism cannot be smuggled through Parliament, is a warning to the Chilean workers.
Unfortunbalance of The In fact, the situation could A highly significant figure was that 89% of working The majority of these women must be ordinary working This fact strikingly The masses themselves A decree of land nationalisation without under workers'
of reaction.
Trade Unions must have full rights to organise the Faced with a power- Access to radio, I.V., and the printing press should be parties which support the programme of
[page 38]
people is that such a leadership does not exist at the present On the "outside left" of the "Popular Unity" is the M.I.R. (Movimiento Izquierda other quasi-Guevaristguerillas, the M.I.R. is made up mainly the Allende government, but its general position is ambiguous, and its ultra-left orientation effectively cuts it off from the mainstream of the working class. Claiming alliegiance to Marxism-Leninism, the M.I.R. had departed from Instead of working patiently inside the mass workers' organisations, trying to win the and Socialist workers, the Miristas cling to the childish without winning the masses to your programme, guns are of little use. are frittering away their energies in heroic but isolated and futile military actions. There is every indication that the Allende government - under pressure from the Right - That task will be made all the easier if the M.I.R. continues to isolate itself from the masses by its quasi-anarchist, military orientation. A revolutionary alternative to Allende cannot come from the discredited policies of "Guaverism," but only fromthe advanced layers of the workers' movement itself. have been rumblings of discontent at some of Allende's policies. "Estratuto de Grarantias Democraticas" was criticised by the Socialist Youth as un- Undoubtedly, the criticism of Allende's backsliding will grow in the weeks and months ahead, especially among the Socialist and Communist Youth, although initially there will have been a tendency to give the government "the benefit of the doubt." MARXIST LEADERSHIP NEEDED The citadels of the poor The tragedy of the Chilean Allende, who has disgraced the name of Revolucionano) - the guerilla organisation. Like the Tupamaros and of students and intellectuals.
Leninist position by boycotting elections boycotting the mass of the Chilean workers. ear of the advanced Communist illusions of a "protracted war" in the countryside. barrel of a gun"
will clamp down on the M.I.R.
necessary and dangerous.
"Marxism", cannot provide it.
leaders of the "Communist" Party.
This organisation has made several correct criticisms of ALLENDE:
MARXIST IN WORDS ONLY Neither can an elementary - which at the present time means effectively The idea that "power grows out of the But what is not explained is that Already the Miristas Already there The signing of the 37
[page 39]
Events will teach the advanced workers to reject the policy of class collaboration The demand will de raised to break with the bourgeois parties in the coalition and to press ahead witr. Socialist policies directed against the rule of the The need to arm the workers will become all too evident in the coming given the enormously favourable objective factors, could still clear the way for a MILTANT THE PAPER THAT GIVES THE MARXIST LEAD TO THE LABOUR MOVEMENT THE WEEKLY MILITANT is the Marxist voice of the Labour Movement. In no other paper, will you find a consistent Marxist coverage of events in Britain and the international Labour Movement. The Tory leaders have openly admitted that they have no idea what to do about the British economy, other than lay the blame on the working class. The brutal misery of unemployment; attacks on housing and the social services; rising rents and prices, only underline the complete bankruptcy of the capitalist system. As We think that the Labour Movement must use every ounce of its hard-earned strength to bring this Tory government down. But we don't want the Labour leaders to carry out the same policies as before. The movement must be conscious of the need to return a Labour government pledged to socialist policies. This means that we must fight for the taking over of the big monopolies under workers' control and management. Only then can we really plan the economy and rid ourselves for ever of the Tories and Militant provides you with up-to-date inOr mati on, ammunition and arguments to achieve this aim. Ensure you get a copy every week. Get your newsagent to take a few copies and promise to buy unsold copies. Dut copies in your local library. Get your TU GMC or LPYS branch to take a regular order. Individual Subscription Rates - One Year: £2.50, 6 Months: £1.30, 3 Months : £0.70 and "reformism. "
50 Companies.
period.
All now depends in the ability and to fight for a change of course.
successful struggle for power.
of attraction for the downtrodden masses Class Compromise!
battle cry of the Chilean proletariat.
catastrophe and lead the way forward to Socialism• usual, the only ones to suffer are the working class. the rotten system they serve.
Sell copies to your mates at work.
Bulk Orders for Sale or Return 38 The advanced workers will realise the danger. in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina.
A Socialist Chile in a Socialist Latin America!" of the conscious elements to quickly absorb the lessons The creation of a genuine revolutionary tendency, A workers' and peasants' Chile would be a powerful force "An End to It is the only way to stave off the threatening Sept. 1971.
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Militant DERRY- THISIVAS MURDER T.
ISSUE No. 91 determination to win aftermore The miners'
than " weeks' strike, without strike pay, is unbroken more inflexible and the entire strike • fight for thon when class war of the bosses, has who has been the pickes actions of killed, to the instructions of the higher-ups oreos.
police grester rettect PUBLISHED WEEKLY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT I saw Paras' shoot down unarmed men BRIAN DOHERTY, Militant supporter, sent us the following eye-witne Militant 3 THE MARXIST PAPER FOR LABOUR AND YOUTH II FEBRUARY Y WITH ACTI ONE DAY STRIKE Ireland's BLOODY SUNDAY: It is ta be c •Porke mossacre of 1920 when block • The moder ents of British Paratroopers who black t appeared in the British Press, in etely shor defenceless men and boys, some of th WITHDRA REPLACE ARMED T NAME ADDRESS EMERGENCY:
TORIES MUST GO or the emeral Strike:
By ALAN WOODS 512252 which was un sited in LOTI wish to take out a bulk order for —copies every week I wish to take out an individual subscription for 12 months/6 months/3 months MILITANT:
375, Cambridge Heath Road.
London E29RA subscribe now WEEKLY PUBLISHED Militan THE MARXIST PAPER FOR LABOUR AND YOUTH JARROW MARCH 1YEAR £2.50 6 MONTHS £1.30 3 MONTHS 70 p 39
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