Change as an idea is to be carried on our back and paraded through the street, change as an action is terrorism. Those who enact change typically end up dead with their legacy and beliefs whitewashed into more palatable and safe versions easily thrown away or put into a social media bio. “I will pay for loyalty to the people with my life”, Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens’s in his final moments before his life ended. A man of the people, speaking one last time to the people. Allende’s vision for Chile was one of democracy, freedom and equality. All things championed by the west, but though a lens of socialistic values seen as a virus to be eradicated less it shows true opposition at home.

Pathology studied though the lens of social determinants was a long-standing concept proposed by one professor Max Westenhofer. Preaching aliments suffered by the impoverished we’re preventable if not for fiscal limits. Allende’s time studying under Westenhofer implanted these values he later advocated for politically. Free and truly accessible health care. Allende’s political ideology found roots earlier in life. Learning from his grandfather, actively engaged with the radical party of Chile. The idea of suffering will never compare to seeing it first hand. 1910’s Valparaíso was a stark reminder of the sharp divides between the working class and elite. Seeing these impossibly steep class ladders left Allende with a lifelong vision for radical change.

Second way socialist reform was Allende’s claimed alternative to soviet socialism. Emphasizing free elections, free press and democracy. A flower that bloomed too early, fated to die. I believe this vision at this point to be completely and totally unattainable. Since WWII every democratically elected socialist experiment was killed or perverted in its inception by the United States and Neo-liberalism as a whole. Before Allende’s dream can be fully realized America as it stands must fall by means of revolution, not reform.

Expropriation of Chile’s copper mines. A large straw placed on this weary camel’s back. American capital took threat to this. Boycotts, denied aid and loans along with manipulation of the copper market to sabotage the Chilean economy. Over 200 companies returned to the people before Allende’s fall. I.T.T. a phone company expropriated by Allende was alleged to have aided in the 1973 coup.

Reform for legacy feudalist land ownership. More divisive than the wage increases and rent freeze most cheered about. Land reform laws took hold of land owned by foreign interests and elites divided them up and returned it to the working class. Farmers previously starved of resources found themselves in abundance. Lands untilled and neglected now producing food for the Chilean people. By 1973 roughly 59% of agricultural land was redistributed in full or in part. Large landowners expectedly fought back, but the majority voluntarily initiated the redistribution. 1973 producing more wheat than any year in Chilean history.

The disadvantaged given opportunity thought out of reach. An ember of education reform lit by Eduardo Frei was set ablaze under Allende. Expanding access to rural areas along with making all three levels of education free. University access jumping 89%, attributed to a rise in adult literacy. Experimenting with new teaching methods and the creation of vocational programs. Doubtlessly these reforms touched and changed the lives of countless Chileans. Those with and without means shown opportunity. Not without criticism, these systems were not perfect. The quality of education being a common critique of Allende’s efforts. I’d argue education made free and accessible to all is vastly more important and beneficial to long term growth than the alternative’s. Holding presidential power for less than 4 years that level of reform is impressive regardless. Staunchly more than any recent American president.

Under professor Westenhofer Allende learned a still understudied concept to the west, social determinants. During these years in college Allende became more politically active while he studied medicine. Eventually his fight for change and his radical activism left him unable to find a job as a physician. This love for medicine found a new outlet through his push for expanded free nationalized healthcare/health services. The NHS (Chilean national health services) proposed by Allende during his time as a senator marked death for privatized healthcare. Funded by a 7% wage tax (less than American’s today pay for private healthcare), hospitals were constructed around the country and funded the doctors working there. The “health trains” we’re a brilliant idea enacted for traveling health services to more rural areas. These teams also broke down each reign of the country focusing on each reign’s individual needs. The NHS and the push for socialized health care changed and saved lives. Infant mortality rates dropped sharply, Chile having some of the lowest in the reign.

After the coup of 11 September 1973 most of these reforms were halted and or reversed. Taking away opportunity and closing doors for vast numbers of underprivileged people. Allende and his reforms were far from perfect and riddled with flaws and oversights. It’s imperative for us to remember that a majority of these actions happened in such a short amount of time. Growth without growing pains is a fantasy only the shortsighted and naive expect. Who knows what Chile would look today with 50 more years to fully realize Allende’s dream for humanitarian first socialist democracy. America intervened constantly through diligent propaganda campaigns, sabotage and even funding militant groups. Allende still came into power against the odds and showed the world socialism through democracy IS possible and could work. For this dream to work in Chile, Italy or any country today the first hurdle is ending the American experiment of Neo-liberalism and Neo-colonialism and starting a new great American experiment.

Castro once said to Allende “If you don’t get those people under control, the revolution is not going to succeed. We were never up against anything like this in Cuba.”, this was in reference to how the United States’ view the free press and Democratic elections as open season for intervention in the way of multimillion dollar propaganda campaigns and political assassinations. The former playing a large role in the political dissent at the time and lead up to the coup and fall to American backed dictatorship. Although far from perfect Cuba has survived and prospered through decades of foreign intervention, economic blockades and hellfire from its next door neighbor the all powerful United States.

With real revolutionary change I believe I’ll someday see Allende’s dream fully realized around the world.