Indispensable to begin, is to make a small biographical review of Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, grandson of Don Mateo. He devoted himself to the free practice of his profession as a lawyer and to commerce and finance, although he was more fond of business than law. He became manager of the Guarantor Bank and was a driver of large personal businesses; He had manifested himself as an intelligent, active and insightful financier. Married to Emiliana Subercaseaux Vicuña, owner of the land that would generously serve the planting of vineyards of the future and prestigious Concha y Toro Vineyard. And why is it so necessary to mention Don Melchor in this story? Because his achievements have not only been the rich and select musts. Yes, he was a senator, deputy, minister of finance and also participated and signed the Political Constitution promulgated in August 1828. And, for greater seasoning and consistency of its multicolored history, it participated in the Constituent Congress of 1870 whose objective was to make reforms to the Fundamental Charter of 1833!
But let’s go “To bread, bread and wine, wine.” It is worth mentioning that back in 1868, the third bank that would give rise to the current Bank of Chile, the Banco Agrícola, was born, starting its operations on December 3 of the same year. Domiciled in Santiago, the bank was located in the rooms of the first floor of Don Melchor’s house that overlooked Bandera Street, two blocks from the Alameda.
33% of its first board was made up of members of Parliament, which shows the strong connection between politics and business.
Nothing new under the sun! All things are more tiring than man can express, the eye of seeing and the ear of hearing are never satisfied.
But King Solomon said so: “What was it? The same thing it will be. What has been done? The same thing that will be done… And there is nothing new under the sun.”
And so we are, but we must ask ourselves responsibly: do we really want nothing new under the sun? That, then, the “cat” that many caress, lull and defend at all costs, ends up imposing egomania, utilitarianism and so many other vices of the current status quo?
Karl Marx saw organized religion as a means for the bourgeoisie to keep the proletariat satisfied with a status quo unequal. And something even more worrying, others closer will be able to conjecture, speculate and discern, being in all their right, and convinced that they act correctly, advising democratically constituted directors, for example, referring and validating in the background, the original quote from gatopardismo that expresses the following apparent contradiction: “If we want everything to remain as it is, it is necessary that everything changes. And now what will happen? Bah! Stitched deals with innocuous shootings, and then everything will remain the same even though everything will have changed.” And it is that, already many intellectuals of great significance, who have an intense academic life and high-level publications, maintain that the appointments made by Congress to integrate constituent commissions, with some exceptions, do not guarantee beyond that those selected are close to parties, confusing being “expert” with having media coverage.
We must be vigilant and prepared for one of those battles being fought to end, once and for all, the strong connection between politics and business.
There is a lot of light and a new sun at the end of the tunnel that we are forced to go through for many reasons. Do not believe Solomon, rather let us look for a Solomonic solution allowing and encouraging an attractive and possible “festival” of agreements that manage to open and clear the convenient and necessary paths, that lead us to that so elusive and sought after “novelty” under a shining, illuminating sun. How can we not remember here the hopeful symbolism shared by that crowd that came to Plaza Italia a few days ago to listen to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and his “Hymn to Joy”, an anthem that in all Spanish-speaking countries has become known as a symbol of peace.
“Listen brother the song of joy / The joyful song of the one who awaits a new day / Come sing, dream singing Live dreaming the new sun. Listen brother to the Song of Joy, in which men will once again be brothers!
That the whole of Chile cries out to listen to it and make it its own, in a fraternal approach and a transformative encounter.
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The content expressed in this opinion column is the sole responsibility of its author, and does not necessarily reflect the editorial line or position of El Mostrador.
