In the states, walking into a bookstore is similar to
perusing artisanal cheeses (you just want a wheelbarrow-full and you devour
your purchase within a few days). However in Chile, where a novel could easily
run you $50, buying a book is more of a life decision, like what skis to ride
or how many pounds of dried mangoes you really need. There’s a standard 19% tax
on books here, with an extra 6% added on imports from countries without free
trade agreements. Chile is the only country in the western hemisphere that
doesn’t exclude books from their VATs. In my opinion, books are one of the
obvious fundamentals of education. It’s such an easy and cheap way to spread
knowledge among all people. Even Pinochet realized this during his regime when
he essentially censored the Chilean culture with mass media control: burning
books, closing publishing houses, and adding this tax on knowledge. Even now
people are still hawking used books on the streets alongside copper jewelry and
handmade pottery. Though the government is obviously part of it, I think that
there’s also a fused mindset of the leftovers from Pinochet with the more
current technology-driven craze. Bookstores are hard to find (and used
bookstores even harder) because there’s such a small demand for hard copies. Without
the tax, books would be more affordable for the average Chilean, increasing the
demand and spread of bookstores, and augmenting the knowledge and power that
the population holds. Not a bad idea...
