Salvador Allende, Popular Unity, and the Chilean road to socialism: a study of the idea of a peaceful transition to socialism

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorDickerson, Mark O.
dc.contributor.authorFord, Robert Michael
dc.coverage.spatial2000003374en
dc.date.accessioned2005-07-19T21:19:57Z
dc.date.available2005-07-19T21:19:57Z
dc.date.issued1974
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 149-155.en
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this thesis is to examine how the political concepts of persuasion and coercion can be used in a rapidly changing polity. The polity, Chile, elected Salvador Allende, a Marxist, as President in 1970. Allende led a minority coalition, Popular Unity (UP), which was, for the most part, founded on Marxist political and economic theory. Popular Unity believed that massive programs of socialization, nationalization, and income and land redistribution could be carried out peacefully by the use of persuasion and legal provisions contained in Chilean law. The alleged neutrality of the Chilean armed forces and the democratic tradition in Chile convinced UP that a peaceful transition to socialism was possible. The Allende government successfully persuaded the opposition in Congress to support the nationalization of large United States copper interests. However, when the government pressed ahead, nationalizing other monopolistic and semi-monopolistic enterprises by the use of decrees enacted in the early 1930's, confrontation developed between the government and the majority opposition. By 1973, the opposition feared that the government would soon control the economy and destroy the private base of opposition support. Confrontation escalated into acts of violence. The key to restoring stability was the military. Allende was a close associate of commander-in-chief Carlos Prats. But Prats' enthusiasm for Allende's policies was not shared by most of the officer corps. As confrontation increased, economic collapse became evident. Prats was forced to resign by his fellow officers, who then intervened to restore order on the side of anti-Marxist forces. A brutal golpe overthrew UP, and many of its leaders and supporters died or were imprisoned. The fact that UP may have been moving toward majority voter support might well have prodded the military to act when it did. Also, clandestine U.S. forces gave substantial support to groups opposing Allende, and therefore, helped make the golpe possible.
dc.description.notesThis title is not available online. Access options are: - consulting the copy from Archives in our reading room in person - https://asc.ucalgary.ca/visiting/ - borrowing a circulating copy from the Library catalogue – https://ucalgary.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01UCALG_INST:UCALGARY&lang=en
dc.format.extentviii, 155 leaves ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier82480900en
dc.identifier.citationFord, R. M. (1974). Salvador Allende, Popular Unity, and the Chilean road to socialism: a study of the idea of a peaceful transition to socialism (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/14458en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/14458
dc.identifier.lccF 3100 F67 1974 Microficheen
dc.identifier.other82480900en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/14908
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject.lccF 3100 F67 1974 Microficheen
dc.subject.lcshChile - Politics and government - 1970-
dc.subject.lcshAlende Gossens, Salvador, 1908-1973
dc.titleSalvador Allende, Popular Unity, and the Chilean road to socialism: a study of the idea of a peaceful transition to socialism
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplinePolitical Science
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (MA)
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 200 82480900
ucalgary.thesis.notesPLen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleasenoen
Files
Collections
Restricted Theses and Dissertations