For My Bampy
Rather than tell you another of my exciting stories, in this article, I wanted to give you a better understanding of Chile and the Chilean people, but mostly how the way of life is reflected in a history riddled with inequality and neoliberal economics. I am no political expert, and the views expressed here are based on personal experience. I am aware of pre-1970s historical importance which is still relevant today, but this article is meant more as a point of access into Chilean history for foreigners wanting to come here, or who are simply interested in the country.
Childhood Ignorance
When I was younger, and I mean, a lot younger, I consider that I was an extremely ignorant and frankly, very naïve person.
The reason I say this is because of a very uninformed view I used to maintain, due in part to my laziness at that age and like many people, living a sheltered life in the sense I was born and raised in Swansea, not leaving the country much, and had never had that moment of cultural redemption in which we open ourselves to the world ready to break our minds away from the shackles of American influences from TV, and the British culture in which I grew up, accepting that there are other values and ways of life in the world.
This view that I used to maintain; a selfish one that I am ashamed of and quite embarrassed of, is this: “It is not worth studying history. What happened in the past, happened in the past, and does not affect me.” I am sure I am not the only person to have ever thought this at a younger age, but I do consider myself to have been an extreme case of cultural and historical ignorance.
In our childhood, we only care about the present and want to enjoy every moment. This is still a dream for many of us, but what we do not realize at that age is that this type of lifestyle is something to be achieved and something of which the potential can be expanded with a better understanding of our own societies, the world, its cultures and its history.
My moment of enlightenment came when I got to the age where I started to think about my future. I knew studying French and Spanish was the right choice for me, because I really enjoyed them at school, and I count myself lucky that I was born an ambitious person, with dreams of always living in different countries, because it was not until after this decision about my life that I actually realized the full benefits of another language.
With cultural enlightenment, came historical enlightenment as I began to acknowledge that my own values, beliefs and traditions, as well of those of my close family and friends were rooted to some extent in the history of our countries. One clear example to me is that of my late-grandfather, and I write this article on the day of his birthday to honor him. He worked as a coal miner, a trade he was so passionate about he even wrote his own poem called “The Miner”. It was a humble trade, that of an honest man wanting to get by, and that of one who truly valued his family above all else. I've attached the incredible poem which my family considers to be part of my Bampy's legacy as an image below.
Rather than tell you another of my exciting stories, in this article, I wanted to give you a better understanding of Chile and the Chilean people, but mostly how the way of life is reflected in a history riddled with inequality and neoliberal economics. I am no political expert, and the views expressed here are based on personal experience. I am aware of pre-1970s historical importance which is still relevant today, but this article is meant more as a point of access into Chilean history for foreigners wanting to come here, or who are simply interested in the country.
Childhood Ignorance
When I was younger, and I mean, a lot younger, I consider that I was an extremely ignorant and frankly, very naïve person.
The reason I say this is because of a very uninformed view I used to maintain, due in part to my laziness at that age and like many people, living a sheltered life in the sense I was born and raised in Swansea, not leaving the country much, and had never had that moment of cultural redemption in which we open ourselves to the world ready to break our minds away from the shackles of American influences from TV, and the British culture in which I grew up, accepting that there are other values and ways of life in the world.
This view that I used to maintain; a selfish one that I am ashamed of and quite embarrassed of, is this: “It is not worth studying history. What happened in the past, happened in the past, and does not affect me.” I am sure I am not the only person to have ever thought this at a younger age, but I do consider myself to have been an extreme case of cultural and historical ignorance.
In our childhood, we only care about the present and want to enjoy every moment. This is still a dream for many of us, but what we do not realize at that age is that this type of lifestyle is something to be achieved and something of which the potential can be expanded with a better understanding of our own societies, the world, its cultures and its history.
My moment of enlightenment came when I got to the age where I started to think about my future. I knew studying French and Spanish was the right choice for me, because I really enjoyed them at school, and I count myself lucky that I was born an ambitious person, with dreams of always living in different countries, because it was not until after this decision about my life that I actually realized the full benefits of another language.
With cultural enlightenment, came historical enlightenment as I began to acknowledge that my own values, beliefs and traditions, as well of those of my close family and friends were rooted to some extent in the history of our countries. One clear example to me is that of my late-grandfather, and I write this article on the day of his birthday to honor him. He worked as a coal miner, a trade he was so passionate about he even wrote his own poem called “The Miner”. It was a humble trade, that of an honest man wanting to get by, and that of one who truly valued his family above all else. I've attached the incredible poem which my family considers to be part of my Bampy's legacy as an image below.
The Poem of An Incredible Man, "The Miner".
Me Holding A Picture of My Bampy at the Site of the 2010 Chilean Mining Disaster, A Place He Had Wanted To Visit To Pay Respect the the Brave 33
One thing I never came to grips with however, was how decent men like himself were exploited by the Thatcher government. As Robert Peston, a journalist for the BBC once wrote, “In her world, striving for equality and economic success were antithetical aspirations, so equality must die - and it did”. In her view, this meant that creating a less fair UK was the only way of gaining economic stability. In fact, what this meant was reducing government subsidies to national industries, just like mining. This meant that people were being forced to take jobs at lower wages, because for the non-elite, the job market was becoming increasingly tight and difficult.
But why is this relevant to Chile you may be thinking. Besides the neoliberal economic structures which spread from Chile to not only the UK, but Reagan's US and Russia being among the biggest examples; this is a personal link. Whereas it took me a while to realize how the history of the miners affected my grandfather until the end of his life, a fact reflected in the late writing of his poem; living in Chile has opened my mind in the same way, and what seems like an extremely politicized way of life here, is clearly rooted in the past.
What is 9/11?
A fact that many of you may not know, is that while the date 9/11 is renowned worldwide as the attack on the World Trade Center in America, the date gained significance in Chile a long time before that.
I currently work as a journalist in Chile; one without a specific field, but with core interests lying in politics (particularly the student movement), business and business politics, as well as technology. I recently wrote an article called “Walking Among the Tombstones - Salvador Allende”, and I believe that the article marks a moment in which I have proven to myself that I have come to grips with my target audience. I would advise you to read it as it provides a great explanation of this key moment in history, which will also help you to understand the context around the information in this article.
No expat can come to Chile without knowing possibly its most important stage of modern history. Salvador Allende, the communist ex-president of Chile who died in uncertain circumstances on the 11th September, 1973. at the time of a US-backed military coup which put Augusto Pinochet in power as a dictator for 17 years. This period was one of Chile’s darkest, one which is characterised by neoliberal economics, an increasing wealth gap, killings, disappearances and a clandestine growth of populism. One of the more infamous of these killings is that of Víctor Jara, a musician and activist of whom I wrote another article which you can see by clicking here.
The neoliberal economic model is the part which the majority of lower-class Chilean citizens will react to with an equal amount of hatred. It was mainly influenced by an economist from Chicago called Milton Friedman whose idea of a successful economy was one which controlled itself - a free market. This meant privatising everything: healthcare, electricity, education, etc, although Pinochet decided to keep mining under national control (although this idea of nationalization is severely flawed in Chile’s mining industry).
The idea was brought into Chile after Chilean students were sponsored to study under Friedman before returning to Chile as economic advisers. In this time, they became known as the Chicago Boys, and they would eventually write in 1969, El Ladrillo (The Brick), a sort of instruction manual for how to construct a successful neoliberal economy.
The results were not as expected, with Chile undergoing hyperinflation which added an extra 0 to the currency it has today, with a CL$1,000 note being equivalent to roughly £1.10, as well as increasing the wealth gap to the point where Chile is a country with one of the highest Gini (Inequality) coefficients in the world. The all-so infamous, yet apparently inaccessible ‘trickle-down’ never reached the lower classes.
My Observations of How History Has Impacted Everyday Life
Santiago is certainly an expensive city, especially given the quality of things such as meat, of which you could buy a better quality in the UK for around the same price. It is also a country in which the unspoken commandment of the UK (which actually tends to drive people nuts), the customer is always right, does not exist. If something goes wrong, you pay the fine. The private companies will squeeze everything they can out of you, as well as the everyday worker.
One thing I will say, is that Chile is a very hardworking country. The value of money is appreciated, and people are willing to work extra-long hours for extra-low pay because it is the only way they know how to survive. This leads some people to be more creative in how they make money; with several people performing comedy routines or music on the metro before asking the passengers for money (many of which are actually very talented). Another interesting technique are circus performers, puppet shows and dancers who all show off their talent in the short time that cars are stopped at a red light, before knocking their windows to ask for money.
A last technique that I will mention is that of this man who practically lives on the street outside my house. The area I live in is not exactly the safest, with it not being uncommon for cars to get stolen during the day. This particular man therefore appointed himself as the sort of unofficial superhero of the street. He will stand watch there all day looking out for the cars. Every time you then use your car after having parked it on the street, he will approach you and expect you to pay him. However, he will only look out for the cars of those who pay him. If you do not, he would be more lenient towards people trying to steal your car.
His way of working is testament to a society which values money, and in which the lives of the average citizen are so consumed in money. This hard-work, determination and money driven way of life is also reason enough for what can sometimes be poor customer service and an unpreparedness towards dealing with foreigners.
The feeling of solidarity among the lower-classes is strong, as it is very easy for each to empathize with the others problems. However, some seem unprepared for foreigners, perhaps because of a belief we do not share their history and transcendent values.
Education
Currently, the most relevant historical reflection is in the fights for education - a topic so interesting it made me decide to do a second dissertation on it when I return to England.
The neoliberal-rooted increase in the wealth and the privatization of education has caused tuition fees so high that families are expected to give up roughly 33% of their yearly earnings to send one of their children through school. A lack of state intervention and government subsidies means many students look for alternative ways to make money to support themselves through university, the most common being bag-packing in a supermarket, a very tedious and laborious chore.
As of late, the student movement has gained momentum again, and the city has been in a weird state of panic. Companies have advised their employees to go home early to avoid clashing with the protesters. While I 100% back the movement that education should be more accessible (although I do not believe in free education), teachers should receive pay rises and that profiteering should be regulated, I cannot condone that isolated groups of protesters, namely the encapuchados (a literal translation would be “the hoodies” as they hide their faces under black hoods), have burnt businesses to the ground, have spray-painted statues and turned the central area into a war-zone. Just today, student solidarity broke as there were fights between the majority and these hooded radicals.
But why is this relevant to Chile you may be thinking. Besides the neoliberal economic structures which spread from Chile to not only the UK, but Reagan's US and Russia being among the biggest examples; this is a personal link. Whereas it took me a while to realize how the history of the miners affected my grandfather until the end of his life, a fact reflected in the late writing of his poem; living in Chile has opened my mind in the same way, and what seems like an extremely politicized way of life here, is clearly rooted in the past.
What is 9/11?
A fact that many of you may not know, is that while the date 9/11 is renowned worldwide as the attack on the World Trade Center in America, the date gained significance in Chile a long time before that.
I currently work as a journalist in Chile; one without a specific field, but with core interests lying in politics (particularly the student movement), business and business politics, as well as technology. I recently wrote an article called “Walking Among the Tombstones - Salvador Allende”, and I believe that the article marks a moment in which I have proven to myself that I have come to grips with my target audience. I would advise you to read it as it provides a great explanation of this key moment in history, which will also help you to understand the context around the information in this article.
No expat can come to Chile without knowing possibly its most important stage of modern history. Salvador Allende, the communist ex-president of Chile who died in uncertain circumstances on the 11th September, 1973. at the time of a US-backed military coup which put Augusto Pinochet in power as a dictator for 17 years. This period was one of Chile’s darkest, one which is characterised by neoliberal economics, an increasing wealth gap, killings, disappearances and a clandestine growth of populism. One of the more infamous of these killings is that of Víctor Jara, a musician and activist of whom I wrote another article which you can see by clicking here.
The neoliberal economic model is the part which the majority of lower-class Chilean citizens will react to with an equal amount of hatred. It was mainly influenced by an economist from Chicago called Milton Friedman whose idea of a successful economy was one which controlled itself - a free market. This meant privatising everything: healthcare, electricity, education, etc, although Pinochet decided to keep mining under national control (although this idea of nationalization is severely flawed in Chile’s mining industry).
The idea was brought into Chile after Chilean students were sponsored to study under Friedman before returning to Chile as economic advisers. In this time, they became known as the Chicago Boys, and they would eventually write in 1969, El Ladrillo (The Brick), a sort of instruction manual for how to construct a successful neoliberal economy.
The results were not as expected, with Chile undergoing hyperinflation which added an extra 0 to the currency it has today, with a CL$1,000 note being equivalent to roughly £1.10, as well as increasing the wealth gap to the point where Chile is a country with one of the highest Gini (Inequality) coefficients in the world. The all-so infamous, yet apparently inaccessible ‘trickle-down’ never reached the lower classes.
My Observations of How History Has Impacted Everyday Life
Santiago is certainly an expensive city, especially given the quality of things such as meat, of which you could buy a better quality in the UK for around the same price. It is also a country in which the unspoken commandment of the UK (which actually tends to drive people nuts), the customer is always right, does not exist. If something goes wrong, you pay the fine. The private companies will squeeze everything they can out of you, as well as the everyday worker.
One thing I will say, is that Chile is a very hardworking country. The value of money is appreciated, and people are willing to work extra-long hours for extra-low pay because it is the only way they know how to survive. This leads some people to be more creative in how they make money; with several people performing comedy routines or music on the metro before asking the passengers for money (many of which are actually very talented). Another interesting technique are circus performers, puppet shows and dancers who all show off their talent in the short time that cars are stopped at a red light, before knocking their windows to ask for money.
A last technique that I will mention is that of this man who practically lives on the street outside my house. The area I live in is not exactly the safest, with it not being uncommon for cars to get stolen during the day. This particular man therefore appointed himself as the sort of unofficial superhero of the street. He will stand watch there all day looking out for the cars. Every time you then use your car after having parked it on the street, he will approach you and expect you to pay him. However, he will only look out for the cars of those who pay him. If you do not, he would be more lenient towards people trying to steal your car.
His way of working is testament to a society which values money, and in which the lives of the average citizen are so consumed in money. This hard-work, determination and money driven way of life is also reason enough for what can sometimes be poor customer service and an unpreparedness towards dealing with foreigners.
The feeling of solidarity among the lower-classes is strong, as it is very easy for each to empathize with the others problems. However, some seem unprepared for foreigners, perhaps because of a belief we do not share their history and transcendent values.
Education
Currently, the most relevant historical reflection is in the fights for education - a topic so interesting it made me decide to do a second dissertation on it when I return to England.
The neoliberal-rooted increase in the wealth and the privatization of education has caused tuition fees so high that families are expected to give up roughly 33% of their yearly earnings to send one of their children through school. A lack of state intervention and government subsidies means many students look for alternative ways to make money to support themselves through university, the most common being bag-packing in a supermarket, a very tedious and laborious chore.
As of late, the student movement has gained momentum again, and the city has been in a weird state of panic. Companies have advised their employees to go home early to avoid clashing with the protesters. While I 100% back the movement that education should be more accessible (although I do not believe in free education), teachers should receive pay rises and that profiteering should be regulated, I cannot condone that isolated groups of protesters, namely the encapuchados (a literal translation would be “the hoodies” as they hide their faces under black hoods), have burnt businesses to the ground, have spray-painted statues and turned the central area into a war-zone. Just today, student solidarity broke as there were fights between the majority and these hooded radicals.
Student Protest, 19th April 2015. Photo by Samantha Cambrelen.
This is not to say that the Carabineros (the police force as it is called) are not to blame either, as their sometimes overly-aggressive demeanor provokes them to launch tear gas and water cannons before any actual physical or aesthetic damage has been caused, or any disobedience of laws and rights which coincide with the rights to assembly and association.
With the strikes continuing, many of my friends have expressed concern to me as it means that they will sit their exams at later dates when they have already booked plans to travel or to start an internship, etc.
There is a lot of panic in the air, and what has resonated in my mind more than anything is how younger me could be so blind. Decisions made nearly half a century ago, still impact Chile in a very large way to the extent they touch on the attitudes, the ideologies and in general, the daily lives of several citizens.
I am lucky to have freed myself from my ignorance, but I wish I had realized the importance even earlier. Such ignorance is unhealthy, and Chile is a perfect case study to break my former impossible view.
I want to end this article on a quote. It is from a woman who contributed to a conversation I had about Chilean Christmas traditions, a group called The Chile Experience; information which I used in a previous article. She said:
“Welcome to the real travel experience then. It is enriching for the soul and to our humanity. Traveling and learning to embrace that which is different from us makes us better humans. I wish more people had that experience, there would be more tolerance in this world”.
It is a beautiful way to sum up a fundamental change in my character which this year abroad has awoken.
With the strikes continuing, many of my friends have expressed concern to me as it means that they will sit their exams at later dates when they have already booked plans to travel or to start an internship, etc.
There is a lot of panic in the air, and what has resonated in my mind more than anything is how younger me could be so blind. Decisions made nearly half a century ago, still impact Chile in a very large way to the extent they touch on the attitudes, the ideologies and in general, the daily lives of several citizens.
I am lucky to have freed myself from my ignorance, but I wish I had realized the importance even earlier. Such ignorance is unhealthy, and Chile is a perfect case study to break my former impossible view.
I want to end this article on a quote. It is from a woman who contributed to a conversation I had about Chilean Christmas traditions, a group called The Chile Experience; information which I used in a previous article. She said:
“Welcome to the real travel experience then. It is enriching for the soul and to our humanity. Traveling and learning to embrace that which is different from us makes us better humans. I wish more people had that experience, there would be more tolerance in this world”.
It is a beautiful way to sum up a fundamental change in my character which this year abroad has awoken.