September marks the 50th anniversary of Chile's 1973 coup, where General Pinochet ousted Salvador Allende's democratically elected government, leading to 17 years of military rule. Allende, elected in 1970, pushed for radical reforms like raising the minimum wage, free school meals, and land redistribution. He also had a visionary plan to use computer and communications technology for social, economic, and political change. Chile's experiment with democratic socialism showed how political innovation can drive technological advancements, making science, technology, and design key features of their socialist journey.
But was Allende's techno-utopia ever going to work in reality, or was it just a socialist pipe dream? Click on to find out.