64 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
64 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
The **Uruguayan General Strike of 1984** was a [general
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strike](List_of_General_Strikes "wikilink") in Uruguay in
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[1984](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_South_America "wikilink")
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which brought an end to the dictatorship in the country and creation of
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a [liberal democracy](Representative_Democracy "wikilink").
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## Background
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Before 1973, Uruguay had been one of few countries in Latin America with
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a near perfect record of political stability and a strong democracy
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(others included [Chile](Chile "wikilink") and [Costa
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Rica](Costa_Rica "wikilink")). The military coup in 1973 came as a
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profound shock to Uruguay. To make matters worse, this once peaceful
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nation was now living under a regime that used fear, threat, and
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intimidation to keep control of its populace. Many people were arrested
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and jailed as political prisoners, people “disappeared” or were
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tortured, political parties were banned, parliament closed, trade unions
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repressed, wealth concentrated in the hand of an elite (alongside a
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severe economic crisis that hurt the working class), and the media
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censored.
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In 1980, the government tried and failed to have a referendum to
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legitimise their regime. Then the government allowed several [May
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Day](May_Day "wikilink") rallies to be held (although some believed it
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was a ploy to strike fear around the left) which backfired. Soon, a
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general strike began to be organised over anger of the severe
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[stagflation](stagflation "wikilink") in the country (51%
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[inflation](inflation "wikilink") and 15%
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[unemployment](unemployment "wikilink")) and a demand for wage
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increases, greater union rights, freedom of political prisoners and
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democracy.
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## Events
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### First Strike
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The first strike was held on the 18th of January, 1984 and lasted a full
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day, paralysing the country, however, it did not see a crackdown.
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Less than two months, another strike was organised, 90% of people did
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not attend work and many others who did began occupations of their
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workplace. The government responded with riot police to block the
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occupations and banned all media coverage. However, some magazines
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covered the story anyway (but were quickly shut down). The government
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ordered public transportation to resume, but only empty buses drove
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through the streets with signs in the windows reading, “obligatory
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emergency service.”
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### Third Strike
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On the 27th of June, the 11th anniversary of the military coup, the
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opposition parties organized one final strike that shut down the
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country.
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## Results
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The strike led to the fall of Uruguay's dictatorship and the subsequent
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freeing of all political prisoners, legalisation of trade unions and
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political parties, free press, increases in workers wages and the
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creation of one of the most progressive countries in the world.
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## References
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<http://libcom.org/history/1984-uruguay-general-strike> |