Eduardo Frei Montalva was elected president of Chile in 1964 and his campaign promised to assist the lower class by increasing their incomes. Chile eventually took control of over half of the shares nation’s copper industries (many were previously companies from the United States) in order to achieve this goal. He also lowered the amount of imported agricultural goods to increase lower class jobs and, subsequently, income. However, by focusing solely on improving life for the lower class (and gaining their support), he lost the support of many middle class citizens. The increased political participation by the lower class brought on by Frei’s many reforms caused a shift in political parties and several parties banded together to form the
