#PeoplesHistory | Today is the birthday of Salvador Allende, the first socialist president of Chile. Though his presidency was brief, Allende left an indelible mark on history by nationalizing key industries, most notably copper, and advancing sweeping social reforms aimed at redistributing wealth and expanding access to housing, education, and healthcare. His democratic socialist project was violently interrupted on September 11, 1973, when a US-backed coup led by General Augusto Pinochet overthrew his government. The coup not only ended Allende’s life but also dismantled Chile’s democratic institutions and installed a brutal dictatorship. Allende died defending his vision of socialism, staying true to his principles until the very end — choosing death over surrender as he defended the presidential palace with a rifle in his hands.