The Battle of Chile 3, The Power of the People

The third of four films by Patricio Guzman covering the last days of the Salvatore Allende led government in Chile, and the new neo-fascist government of Gen Augusto Pinochet. This section is called The Power of the People, and was released in 1979.

This film does not continue the historical narration, but goes back and looks at the events already described, but from the point of view of the workers and their attempts at setting up organisations to run the country.

With the right trying its best to undermine the socialist advances of the Govt. bu organising strikes, hoarding essential items, and leaving land fallow, the workers take over transportation, distribution and start to build alliances with the peasantry so land can be put to use again.

In fact it seemed to work very well, with neighbourhoods setting up alliances to organise mutual aid, and to make sure that all the people are getting the basic supplies they need. But there is a blockade from the US, which is desperate that socialism should not succeed in south America, and times are difficult.