“First of all, to consolidate the political power.  Second, to broaden that political power, the people’s power....  To consolidate power it is necessary to organize the mobilization of the people, not only for elections, but mobilize it daily because class conflict occurs every day, at all hours, every minute.  And we have to be aware of this.  A disciplined, organized, and conscious people, together with the clear loyalty of the armed forces and the police force, is the best defense for the Popular Government and the future of the country.  To strengthen, broaden and consolidate people’s power means winning the battle of production.”
 
May 1, 1971
 
To "the map"

Back to The Rhetoric of Allende

Back to previous page

Back to Chilean homepage

Salvador Allende Gossens, “Address to International Workers Day Rally,” in Salvador Allende Reader: Chile’s Voice of Democracy (New York: Ocean Press, 2000), 78.