Salvador Allende Reader : Chile's Voice of Democracy [Paperback]

Salvador Allende (Author), Jane Carolina Canning (Author), James Cockcroft (Editor), James D. Cockcroft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2000

"This anthology is the first collection in English of Allende’s speeches and interviews . . . and will be of value for academic collections on Latin America."—Library Journal

Features a substantial biographical introduction on Allende and an extensive chronology and bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

On September 11, 1973, the Chilean military, led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, seized the Chilean presidential palace, La Moneda, and put an end to the three-year government, as well as the life, of President Salvador Allende. A longtime political leader and advocate of a Socialist Chile, Allende had been elected in 1970, and his presidency was characterized by his attempts to introduce Socialist programs and the resultant internal and foreign opposition. This anthology, edited by Cockcroft (The Hispanic Struggle for Social Justice), a noted expert on politics in Latin America, is the first collection in English of Allende's speeches and interviews, given primarily during his presidency. Most of this material has not been available previously in English. This reader will be of value for academic collections on Latin America.DMark L. Grover, Brigham Young Univ., UT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Salvador Allende was the popularly elected president of Chile, overthrown by a bloody, US-sponsored coup led by General Pinochet on September 11, 1973.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Ocean Press (June 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1876175249
• ISBN-13: 978-1876175245
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #713,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > History > Americas > South America > Chile

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The World Misses El Compañero, June 5, 2002

By 

JB (Sandy, UT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Salvador Allende Reader : Chile's Voice of Democracy (Paperback)

This is a very telling, informative and stimulating collection about not only the life of El Compañero Presidente, but Chilean history in general, especially during the years 1970-1973. One comes to understand Allende not as a Napolean of an Orwellian novel but as the embodiment of democracy, human rights and compassion. You will read about and come to understand how Allende came to power (the world's first freely elected socialist president), as well as the true socialist, not communist, nature of the programs he tried to introduce into Chile. You will read about his friendship and re-establishment of relations with revolutoinary Cuba. Included also are some great discourses given before world bodies such as the U.N., decrying, well ahead of the time it has become accepted to do so, what he viewed as the budding New World Order. More than anything, you will get a feel for President Allende's commitment to democracy, human rights and progress for Chile, as evidenced by his last words via radio to the Chilean nation before his assassination: "I have faith in Chile and its destiny."

His words and ideas resonate still in our day. Anyone who believes that Allende was a victim of U.S. policy of containment, of U.S. fears, "justified," during the Cold War of Red communism getting another foothold in Latin America, which is now inapplicable, need merely consider the recent coup attempt in Venezuela of Hugo Chavez, a president similar to Allende in his election, political inclinations and friendship with such world malcontents as Fidel. The fact that the U.S., besides El Salvador, was the only nation in the hemisphere to quickly endorse the new government of a rightist who, like Pinochet, suspended all legislative and judicial bodies speakd volumes. Essentially nothing has changed, which provides for the words of Allende to still be applicable and important 30 years later.

One need merely visit Chile to get a feel for and understand El Compañero Presidente. He lives on in the memories and hearts of many. The tension is still enough that it is a topic better left alone. Allende was a man of the people. He strove to give back to the people. He worked to include the Mapuche, the marginalized of Chile. There was complete freedom of the press in Allende's Chile, as well as not one political prisoner. The situation was entirely the opposite under Pinochet. You will read this and more in this good collection.

Perhaps the highlight of the Salvador Allende Reader is a word from Fidel Castro, meant as a possible warning to Allende, become the defining and stirring memorial to El Compañero Presidente. Castro told Allende he thought "he trusted in democracy probably a little too much."

10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE URGENCY TO UNDERSTAND ALLENDE, August 4, 2001

By 

K. Christian - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Salvador Allende Reader : Chile's Voice of Democracy (Paperback)

The words of Allende are not only important and inspiring, but are also urgently needed in our current de-evolutionary perspective of gross-consumerism. The intro. gives us a nicely detailed view of Chile and its potentials w/ Allende as its first democratically elected Marxist president. This was not a regime which ignored human rights. It seemed headed toward a true form of Communism, which may have only become possible by A) A defensive posture unified by the workers and the poor in Chile (i.e. Castroist Cuba during the Bay Of Pigs) and B) A willingness to further the great advancements Allende enacted, to their glorious ends. It reveals the true reality of Socialism and its real possibility and potential. The true failures of Allende were directed more-so by the counter-revolutionary tactics of Chile's Capitalists & those in the US government, who would rather see a military takeover by Pinochet & the deaths of 10,000 Allende sympathizers, including Allende himself, rather than a hint of true justice in the world.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of "Salvador Allende Reader: Chile's Voice of Democracy", February 27, 2009

By 

G. Gustin "gman620" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Salvador Allende Reader : Chile's Voice of Democracy (Paperback)

This is a compilation of writings and speeches of the late Chilean president Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed and killed by a US-assisted military coup in 1973 due to his socialist ideology and expropriation of American companies such as ITT. Contrary to America's fear at the time that he was turning Chile into a communist state, Allende demonstrated a remarkable respect for grassroots democracy and was unlike other Marxists in that he tolerated opposition. He was democratically elected by a plurality in 1970, which made the US government afraid that other countries would follow Chile and elect socialists. The American supported military junta under Augusto Pinochet Ugarte that replaced Allende ended up killing about 3,000 Chileans before democracy was restored around 1990. While I'm not a socialist and disagree with many of Allende's positions, I would never have wished such a terrible fate upon him or the Chilean people. At least Chileans and historical scholars still have this book to remember what he stood for, even if they disagreed with him.