Salvador Allende: the arguments of triumph and the arguments of betrayal

Abstract

The arguments of two iconic speeches of Salvador Allende are studied. Discurso de la Victoria (September 1970) and Último Discurso (September 1973). The study applies the classification of Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca (1989). It analyzes the typical arguments, it interprets them and then a comparative analysis is carried out to determine the type of argument that characterizes each of them. In the Argument of the Victory, arguments mostly appealing to logical structures are used. This allows rationally justify a fact that one sector of the Chilean society is still struggling to understand: the electoral victory of a socialist candidate. The last Argument however, presents more arguments based on what is real. This permits to support the argumentation on the force of the events occurred on September 11, 1973: the coup d'etat.