Аннотация: Three questions to Salvador Allende. A note about chapters 1-9 of Joseph Lavretsky 's book "Salvador Allende"
Three questions to Salvador Allende. A note about chapters 1-9 of Joseph Lavretsky 's book 'Salvador Allende'
A reader of the book 'Salvador Allende' (the author of the book - Joseph Lavretsky) understands the logic of the movement of political convictions of Salvador Allende, many of his ancestors and relatives. From supporting independence - through left-wing beliefs - to what Salvador Allende himself called "socialism."
Salvador Allende as one of the steps on the road of the (so-called) socialist development considered the nationalization of the mining industry.
'Exports of minerals (copper, iron, saltpeter and sulfur) gives to the country [Chile] 83 percent of the currency income; 61 percent from the export of copper.' (Here and further - quotes from the book by Joseph Lavretsky).
'The natural wealth of Chile is huge. We will learn how to use them, but first of all we should make them ours. We will fight for the return of copper, saltpeter and iron ore deposits to [in ownership of] the country. '
Gleb Krzhizhanovsky, who, by the will of circumstances, became one of the economic leaders of the USSR and created the State Planning Commission, formed the tradition of translating economic information into the language of digits.
In the USSR, natural wealth was declared a public property. An attempt was made to conditionally planned and relatively fair distribution of income from the use of natural resources. Despite the enormity of these riches (resources), the USSR faced a shortage of financial resources during the period of falling oil prices.
The first question for Salvador Allende could be related to the lack of specific digits. Suppose all the natural resources of Chile are nationalized. Will there be enough income to meet the demands of the broad masses of the population and to finance other necessary expenses? A reader of the book does not receive a clear answer to this question. If the answer to this question is absent, then, the feasibility, the appropriateness of the relevant plans is also in doubt.
Salvador Allende often mentioned the economic experience of the USSR to justify his economic policy.
The second major source (along a natural wealth) of funds in the USSR for financing a public expenditures was a new economy built in the 30-40-50s of the 20 century.
This economy was built at the expense of enormous economic deprivation (extending to the entire population) and at the expense of the forced (on the verge of slave) labor of workers and peasants.
The population of the USSR agreed to deprivation and to many years of forced labor, under the influence of at least two psychological shocks. Firstly, the strongest shock was caused by the fall of the tsarist regime, the course and results of the First World War and the Civil War. The second psychological shock was the result of the Great Patriotic War (World War II).
The second question for Salvador Allende could be related to the possibility of quickly building a new economy in Chile. Was the Chilean people ready - for the sake of fast (by historical standards) the creation of a new economy - for many years of deprivation, for many years of forced labor? Having no experience of living in Chile, a reader can conclude from many everyday details from the book of Lavretsky that, in general, the life of people in Chile was much easier and more joyful than in the USSR. Was the Chilean people ready to abandon the existing way of life for the sake of distant, albeit bright, prospects?
The third issue is related to geopolitics. Both a copper reserves and the geographical location of Chile are geopolitically significant.
Could global players turn a blind eye to the risks associated with the threat to the prevailing geopolitical balance?
The reckless game of Nikita Sergeevich Khrushev on the geopolitical field of the Western Hemisphere threatened both the interests of the United States, the interests of the USSR and other participants in geopolitical processes...
Nikita Sergeyevich, who showed a lack of abilities to peacefully achieve agreement with his co-citizens - with the workers of Novocherkassk, went (with a such diplomatic skills) to manage the world processes towards the Western Hemisphere ...
Having asked three hypothetical questions to Salvador Allende, we will continue to read Joseph Lavretsky's book "Salvador Allende".
May 15, 2020 19:53
Translation from Russian into English: May 16, 2020 03:40.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Три вопроса Сальвадору Альенде. Заметка о главах 1-9 книги Иосифа Лаврецкого 'Сальвадор Альенде''.