MAPU Obrero Campesino
Encyclopedia
The MAPU Obrero Campesino (Spanish abbr. MAPU/OC; MAPU Worker-Peasant) was a leftist
political party
in Chile
that was formed after a split of MAPU
in March 1973. It claimed to represent the political legacy of Rodrigo Ambrosio, the principal founder of the original MAPU, who had deceased in May 1972.
The MAPU/OC aimed at forming a "third proletarian party" in Chile, supporting cooperation with the Communist Party of Chile
and the Socialist Party. It adhered to the more “moderate”, legalistic tendency of Unidad Popular, like the Communist Party and Radicals. It regarded the formation of the government of Salvador Allende as the principal victory for people and democracy and distanced itself from more extremist left-wing groups like MIR
.
It had two ministers in Allende's government (Fernando Flores
and Juan Carlos Concha) and a number of other state functionaries were among its ranks.
The MAPU/OC proclaimed that "the Chilean revolution was going through a national democratic phase" and established formal relations with the CPSU and other governing communist parties of the socialist bloc
. It also supported the factions that sought a political compromise with the Chilean army and the Christian Democrats
.
After the 11 September 1973 coup, the party started to pursue clandestine activities. Its line was to form an alliance of all democratic forces that opposed the dictatorship. The party was more popular among the intellectuals (Tomás Moulián, José Joaquin Bruner, Augusto Varas), university students (who in 1976 founded the Unión de Jóvenes Democráticos) and peasants (the leaders of the Confederación Unidad Obrero Campesina).
At the beginning of 1980s, the party experienced internal ideological conflicts (between “Marxists-Leninists” and “Marxists-Renovators”).
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
that was formed after a split of MAPU
Mapu
Mapu may refer to:*The Popular Unitary Action Movement or MAPU , a small leftist political party in Chile*The Horse stance, a martial arts position, is known as Mapu in the Chinese language...
in March 1973. It claimed to represent the political legacy of Rodrigo Ambrosio, the principal founder of the original MAPU, who had deceased in May 1972.
The MAPU/OC aimed at forming a "third proletarian party" in Chile, supporting cooperation with the Communist Party of Chile
Communist Party of Chile
The Communist Party of Chile is a Chilean political party inspired by the thoughts of Karl Marx and Lenin. It was founded in 1922, as the continuation of the Socialist Workers Party, and in 1934 it established its youth wing, the Communist Youth of Chile .In the last legislative elections in Chile...
and the Socialist Party. It adhered to the more “moderate”, legalistic tendency of Unidad Popular, like the Communist Party and Radicals. It regarded the formation of the government of Salvador Allende as the principal victory for people and democracy and distanced itself from more extremist left-wing groups like MIR
Revolutionary Left Movement (Chile)
Revolutionary Left Movement is a Chilean political party and former left-wing guerrilla organization founded on October 12, 1965...
.
It had two ministers in Allende's government (Fernando Flores
Fernando Flores
Carlos Fernando Flores Labra is a Chilean engineer, entrepreneur and politician. He is a former cabinet minister of president Salvador Allende and was senator for the Arica and Parinacota and Tarapacá regions between 2001 and 2009...
and Juan Carlos Concha) and a number of other state functionaries were among its ranks.
The MAPU/OC proclaimed that "the Chilean revolution was going through a national democratic phase" and established formal relations with the CPSU and other governing communist parties of the socialist bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
. It also supported the factions that sought a political compromise with the Chilean army and the Christian Democrats
Christian Democrat Party of Chile
The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
.
After the 11 September 1973 coup, the party started to pursue clandestine activities. Its line was to form an alliance of all democratic forces that opposed the dictatorship. The party was more popular among the intellectuals (Tomás Moulián, José Joaquin Bruner, Augusto Varas), university students (who in 1976 founded the Unión de Jóvenes Democráticos) and peasants (the leaders of the Confederación Unidad Obrero Campesina).
At the beginning of 1980s, the party experienced internal ideological conflicts (between “Marxists-Leninists” and “Marxists-Renovators”).
See also
- Politics of ChilePolitics of ChileThe politics of Chile takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Chile is both head of state and head of government, and of a formal multi-party system that in practice behaves like a two-party one, due to binominalism. Executive power...
- Unidad Popular