Argentina was another country where the Chicago School expirament was attempted. Results were very similar to those in Chile. After the financiers had looted the country and left the banking sector in collapse, many now fired workers took a look at their now empty factories, looked at their hungry children, and had a realization. Who needs owners? These buildings are sitting here empty, rusting. We are the ones that know how to create products. Let's just keep working and we'll run it ourselves.
Take a guess what happened. The former owners came back, and did what they could to get the state to enforce their "property rights." They demanded that the workers leave the factories, and the bought and paid for politicians of course sent in the goons with their tear gas, billy clubs, and guns.
The workers had a reasonable claim to ownership of the factory. The owner built the factory with government subsidies. The owner hadn't compensated them their full wages. The real issue though is owners fear worker control. If workers control and run the factory they quickly realize that the non-working owner is unnecessary. That means the gravy train for the owner is at an end. And since the owner has money today he can buy the influence and through violence reinstate his preferred arrangement.
But in Argentina the workers resisted. The documentary below captures what played out.
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