Customer Reviews

Weavers of Revolution: The Yarur Workers and Chile's Road to Socialism

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The seizure of Yarur factory on April 25, 1971 marked the beginning of a tumultuous struggle for socialism in Chile. Salvador Allende, of the popular unity party, ran on a platform that sought to unify the working population. Allende's vow to guide Chile down the democratic road to socialism is one of his greatest legacies. The democratic road to socialism was paved, at least symbolically, with the efforts of the working class. The failures and successes of Allende's travel through la "via Chilena" hinge on whether "the Chilean revolutionary process was of and by the workers or merely for the workers." Allende would die the death of a martyr: machine gun in hand in an enflamed national palace that had been besieged by a hostile coup. If Allende died the death of martyr, to whom was he a hero? Inconsistent with traditional revolutionary ideology Allende feared a rampant revolution. As a self-proclaimed Marxist his views irked both capitalists and the middle class. El presidente compañero, regardless, was a president for the people. His core constituency demanded a revolution from below and thus complicated the revolution from above that Allende attempted to impose. With these conflicts in mind Peter Winn analyzes the extent to which Allende (a socialist) both failed and succeeded as a revolutionary.

Winn's book gives a detailed (and Trotskyist) account of a "revolution from below" that transpired during Allende's "revolution from above." It depicts the struggles of textile workers as they grew conscious of their class standing, became unionized and, ultimately, siezed control of the nation's most prominant mill. In the end, however, Winn demonstrates how the Yarur workers and the Popular Unity government imagined different Chilean roads to socialism, and how this divergence brought the social revolution and the Ex-Yarur mill to a tragic conclusion. It is a well-crafted and readible book...a "must" for any student of Latin American history, social revolution or Marxist theory.

I agree with the last reviewer, except for her\his curious reference to this being a "Trotskyist" view. What I like about this book is the way one can see the dilemnas and perspectives of different actors within the coalition that backed Allende. Less an endorsement of any one tendency's political line, this book brings out the tragedy of various democratic revolutionary factions all trying to do the right thing and unable to unite the face of repression. Best of all, it links the perspectives of ordinary workers with the difficult choices face by leaders.

This book is a great read for anyone who studies Latin America or Chile or simply wants to learn more about Chile under Allende. The book describes the history of the Yarur textile mill from its creation to occupation and eventual return to Yarur family control. Winn gives a descriptive account of the unionizing efforts inside the mill.

Winn is currently a History Professor at Tufts University (added the link to his office below) but at the time he began the research for this book he was completing his doctorate at Cambridge University. It is an interesting read, mostly documented with interviews with workers at the mill themselves. Winn gives good insight into the history of the mill itself and in doing so carefully explains the Chilean political class structure and the generational differences between the less politicized older workers and the more vocal younger workers.

His main thesis, is essentially that Allende was to cautious in believing that he could appease the Christian Democratic faction of the Popular Unity coalition and instead should have embraced the calls from his own Socialist Party faction to immediately turn over factories to workers. While one may disagree with his perspective, there is no doubt that this work should be read by people from all political stripes if they want a detailed work into the politics within the PU government and grassroots activism in Chile during the Allende years.

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i don't agree with the author's point of view. 1989, Tinamen square, a million chines college students marched to protest against their communist government of oppression: it was broadcasted all over the world, they were asking communist government to give them ;freedom for speech, freedom of media, business, religion, true-democracy ( not like few communist party people controlling, governing) but by election. Sooner the communist government sent them tanks and guns and indiscriminately shoot them and ran over with tanks. Whole world watched through television broadcast and shocked by their brutality. There is no "equal Justice" like the communist ideologist deceives people. Only "Elite Party Comrades" have the privileges of special health care, food market for themselves only, supply stores for them only, but the rest of the citizens live in dirt poor situation deprived from basic human rights. It's just a power shift from have to have not. Maybe somebody should arrange some "exchange living tourism" between these communist countries and America, Send those "Deceived communism lovers" to live in those communist countries for a year or two years by themselves without any privileges as American, but just as like their citizen, then maybe all these communism, socialism, totalitarian movement in American will learn the true lessons of the reality, and waken up. Also, reading the books by real defects form those communist countries will give real ideas, not just full of bologna, lying ideology (theory) books out there.

Now some ignorant Americans already forgot about this just 20 years ago's brutality that we watched with our own eyes, want to change this great nation into communist?
Please study the real history. I mean the "real history" not just that stupid "ideology of communist". In a word, if you study the true history, communist repeatedly failed last 150 years.
and it's the most evil regime in the history. Why?: Stalin communist government killed 90 millions including the vicinity nations that were turn into communism, Macho-tong communist killed 100 millions, 2 millions by North Korea, by Cambodia each, 2 millions in Africa, 200,000 latin America..so on . But most of all they all became terribly poor after communist regime,oppressing the free capitalism, except China, because they started to adapt the partial capitalism from 10 years ago after they realized the harsh economic state. Now history tells also other totalitarianistic evil regime; Hitler killed 6 million jew with other 4 million of Europeans; Japan' imperialism killed 20 million Asians during WWII, ..so on.

When communism and socialism oppress people's creativity and force them to work for "common Good", the productivity drops automatically. Why? men were not made to work for Common good. Maybe some aliens from different planet or maybe Jesus will do for common good. But not men's nature. That's why communism make every one poorer and poorer from their establishments throughout the history. When men get prosperous by working w their hards, with their creativity, they eventually help others if they are normal. because normal people appreciate God's wisdom of love and peace. But if the much power goes to God-hating communist, socialists or totalitarianistic government, you will see the corruption everywhere in their regime, instead of trying to help others or common good. Because they basically don't know, or appreciate God's wisdom of love and peace for all, they will fully manifest their selfishness and brutality filling only their throats. Why? that's the human nature w/o god. Human nature could be most brutal and selfish if they don't learn the true love from the creator as history repeatedly teach us.

Men can't govern themselves.They are naturally selfish, greedy and evil w/o god. If any political party, government have too much power, they will certainly hurt others unless they truly know jesus who always teach love and peace. That's why our America's constitution is truly great, because it was written by the God's fairness and wisdom protecting basic human rights that is originally from God , over any political unbalance. I realized only those who hate God fall into these"denying the constitution, or "let's change it "theory saying they are too old or whatever nonsense. Too old constitution? Then why the whole world always look upon America when it comes, most well practiced freedom and human right? Please have reasons.

If USA turned into communism, the power will shift to only those who hate the existing American system. They secretly controlling medias ( I already see it happened ) and brainwashing the youth with distorted facts in textbooks last 20 years. They keep change their names, their activity, and theory. Why? if they openly speak up, they know they will fail because any normal mind people will see the deception and its perversion. Look at these behind scenes of the head members. They are not normal mind, full of hatred, and causing always divisions, manipulations. Sadly this government & Geroge Soro' socialic, communistic, riots causing union leaders, hired many "paid bloggers from 4 years ago intensively promoting public hatreds & division. Real sad thing is most American publics are so ignorant, not knowing the behind scenes, get brain wash step by step through facebook, twitters, googles' net traffic.
Many good people's web site had been already blocked from public access from 2010.Do u know who r the major donors to all the ivy league schools in America? Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists sponsoring extremists. We pour our oil money into these middle eastern countries, these islamic extremists trains terrorists w our money, sending back to USA to brain wash college kids, funding mosques, from 1960' pouring into American textbook committees to distort our history, fanning the Anti-america propaganda w socialists, communism movement
together to destroy this great nation, but Americans are sleeping. While these trillion's forein oil money are eating up our nation, last prolong Democratic congress, government prohibit our own oil production saying "environmental protection". no wonder our debt is no more controllable. To any nation to be strong, they have to have their own supply of power sources. Get it? Can't go on with debts, especially to middle east. Though we fully develop all forms of green energy,it is still less than 50% of our energy sources. Before polar bears or dolphins, we are getting total broke, can't even protect them from international slaughters. Please think people & wake up from those hired bloggers & medias who were own by few extreme liberal bosses.

Collect the real historic facts, separate from the author's propaganda. Lineup the real facts, then you will see the history more accurately. Always develop the "reasoning power" of your own this way, not swayed by many false propagandas in most books, medias out there. If you don't have your own reasoning power, you will be always vulnerable and get deceived.
Interestingly always angry, poor people seem becoming the front line of deceived victims of these evil ideology. So instead, ask God to enlighten your heart to live with love and peace& goodness with others and ask your personal blessing instead of trying to destroy others who seems have.

If you believe somebody or some classes hurt your people, look at this. Bible says: forgive your enemy, don't live with your past: Don't covet your neighbors: work diligently on your own hands so you don't steal, become a burden to others. And lastly, love your neighbors as yourself. Then you will live in the true blessing of God, the creator.Robbing others' or violance, riots r not the answers. God wants us to be : good, righteous, & truthful. Those citizens of china and all the other communist countries, including north koreaa, who are brutally oppressed in the middle Eastern Islam tyrannies still wants their human freedom with the destruction of the oppressing totalitarianistic regime still today. So why move to backward of mistakes people?