Editora Nacional Quimantú

Editora Nacional Quimantú was a Chilean publishing house created in 1971 during the government of Salvador Allende and the Unidad Popular coalition. Its name, Quimantú, comes from Mapudungun and is commonly understood as referring to a “sun of knowledge.” The company emerged from a labor and ownership dispute at Editorial Zig-Zag, whose workers had gone on strike while seeking nationalization. On 12 February 1971, the government took control of 40 percent of Zig-Zag’s assets, a step that led to the formation of Empresa Editora Nacional Quimantú. Quimantú was conceived not simply as a commercial publisher but as a cultural and educational institution. Its stated purpose was to make literary, historical, political, educational, and general-interest works available to working-class readers at prices substantially below those normally associated with books. Distribution extended beyond conventional bookshops to newspaper kiosks and other high-volume retail points, helping books circulate among commuters, workers, students, and families. This approach challenged the established social image of books as products primarily consumed by a cultural elite. The catalogue combined international and Chilean literature, classic and contemporary authors, history, popular education, social thought, cultural commentary, and original research. Its principal collections included Quimantú para todos, Minilibros, Nosotros los chilenos, Cuadernos de Educación Popular, Cuncuna, Camino Abierto, Análisis, pensamiento y acción, Clásicos del Pensamiento Social, and Figuras de América. The publishing house also produced magazines for distinct audiences, including children, young people, women, and readers interested in culture and comics. Titles associated with this magazine program included Cabrochico, Onda, Barrabases, Paloma, and La Quinta Rueda. The scale of the operation was considerable for its brief existence. Between November 1971 and August 1973, Quimantú published approximately 250 titles and printed roughly 10 million copies. By the year after its creation, it was reportedly producing more than 500,000 copies per month. Its publishing model linked industrial production, low prices, broad distribution, and a political goal of democratizing access to knowledge. The original company was closed after the military coup of September 1973 and the establishment of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. Many Quimantú books were reportedly destroyed or burned. In 1974, the military authorities restarted a publishing operation under the name Editora Nacional Gabriela Mistral, but that successor later became insolvent and closed. The Quimantú name was subsequently revived outside the original state enterprise. Former general manager Sergio Maurín registered the name again in 1989 after returning from exile, although a plan to rebuild the publisher as a conventional corporation was abandoned because of the cost, weak bookstore infrastructure, and limited expected profitability. In 2000, an extraparliamentary left-wing collective registered the name once more. This later initiative, generally known as Editorial Quimantú, published its first title, Agenda del Che 2002, in November 2001 and used independent distribution channels such as popular fairs, including the group’s own Yo me libro events. The revived initiative is distinct from the original state publishing company, although it draws on its legacy of popular and politically engaged publishing.

Editora Nacional Quimantú was created in the context of Chile’s Unidad Popular government and a labor dispute at Editorial Zig-Zag. At the end of 1970, Zig-Zag employees struck while seeking nationalization of the publishing company. On 12 February 1971, the government assumed control of 40 percent of Zig-Zag’s assets, and the Empresa Editora Nacional Quimantú was established. Joaquín Gutiérrez, a Costa Rican writer and publishing figure close to President Salvador Allende, managed the new operation. Quimantú was assigned a broad cultural mission. It aimed to publish works that were inexpensive and accessible to ordinary Chileans, while presenting literature, history, social analysis, and Chilean culture outside what its founders viewed as the dominant bourgeois cultural tradition. Distribution through bookshops and newspaper kiosks was central to the model. Low prices and large print runs allowed books to circulate in places and among social groups that had not traditionally been served by the commercial publishing system. The publisher built a substantial catalogue in a short period. It issued literary classics and contemporary writing, educational and informational works, historical material, research, and collections dealing with social thought and Chilean identity. Its named collections included Quimantú para todos, Minilibros, Nosotros los chilenos, Cuadernos de Educación Popular, Cuncuna, Camino Abierto, Análisis, pensamiento y acción, Clásicos del Pensamiento Social, and Figuras de América. The company also published periodicals such as the children’s magazine Cabrochico, the youth magazine Onda, the comics title Barrabases, the women’s magazine Paloma, and the cultural magazine La Quinta Rueda. The operation reached a notable industrial scale. Sources describe approximately 250 titles and around 10 million printed copies between November 1971 and August 1973. By roughly one year after its creation, monthly output had reportedly passed 500,000 copies. Gutiérrez later described the social effect of the program as a change in the meaning of book ownership and reading: inexpensive books became visible in everyday public life, including on public transportation. The original enterprise ended after the military coup of September 1973. The new dictatorship closed Quimantú, and many books associated with it were reportedly destroyed or burned. In 1974, the authorities established Editora Nacional Gabriela Mistral as a replacement publishing operation. That publisher later went bankrupt and closed after approximately a decade. The Quimantú name did not disappear completely. In 1989, Sergio Maurín, a former general manager who had returned from exile, registered it with the idea of rebuilding the company as a formal corporation. The plan was abandoned after its organizers judged the required investment too high and the likely returns too weak, citing limited bookstore infrastructure and low public interest in reading. In 2000, an extraparliamentary left-wing collective registered the name again. Its successor initiative, usually referred to as Editorial Quimantú, published Agenda del Che 2002 in November 2001 and pursued independent distribution through popular fairs rather than relying solely on traditional bookstores. This later organization is a revival inspired by the original publisher, not a continuation of the 1971 state company in its original legal form.

• 2001

  Agenda del Che 2002 is published

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  The refounded Editorial Quimantú released its first identified title in November.

• 2000

  Name is registered by a new collective

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  A left-wing social and cultural collective initiated a separate revival of the Quimantú publishing project.

• 1989

  Quimantú name is registered after exile

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  Former general manager Sergio Maurín registered the name with plans for a corporate revival that were later dropped.

• 1974

  Editora Nacional Gabriela Mistral is created

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  The military government restarted a publishing operation under a different name.

• 1973

  Original company is closed

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher was shut down following the military coup and subsequent change of government.

• 1971

  Quimantú is established

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  On 12 February, government control of part of Zig-Zag’s assets led to the creation of Empresa Editora Nacional Quimantú.

• 1971

  First publishing program begins

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  Quimantú began issuing low-priced books and periodicals intended for broad popular distribution.

• 1970

  Editorial Zig-Zag workers strike

  [1]Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org

  Workers at Editorial Zig-Zag began industrial action while pressing for nationalization of the publishing operation.

Low-cost, mass-market publishing for popular education, cultural democratization, and politically engaged access to literature and knowledge.

• Popular book collection · 1971

  Quimantú para todos

  A broad low-price collection designed to place literary, historical, and informational works within reach of mass audiences. Its concept embodied Quimantú’s central mission of cultural democratization through inexpensive editions and distribution beyond specialist bookstores.

• Small-format literature · 1971

  Minilibros

  Compact editions of Chilean and international literary works. The format supported low production and retail costs and helped make canonical and contemporary writing portable for everyday readers.

• Chilean culture and society · 1971

  Nosotros los chilenos

  A collection focused on Chilean society, culture, history, and identity. It represented the publisher’s effort to create accessible accounts of national life outside elite-oriented cultural channels.

• Popular education · 1971

  Cuadernos de Educación Popular

  Educational booklets intended for accessible presentation of social, political, and general knowledge. The collection reflected Quimantú’s role as a publisher connected to mass education and civic participation.

• Children's books · 1971

  Cuncuna

  A children’s publishing collection forming part of Quimantú’s effort to extend affordable reading material to younger audiences and families.

• Children's magazine · 1971

  Cabrochico

  A children’s periodical associated with Quimantú’s magazine program. It complemented the publisher’s book collections by providing recurring, accessible reading for young audiences.

• Comics magazine · 1971

  Barrabases

  A comics magazine published within Quimantú’s mass-market periodical program. Its inclusion demonstrated the company’s willingness to treat popular entertainment and visual culture as part of broad public publishing.

• Agenda and political publication · 2001

  Agenda del Che 2002

  The first identified title of the refounded Editorial Quimantú initiative, published in November 2001 for the 2002 calendar year.

• 1973

  Destruction of Quimantú books after the coup

  Following the military coup and closure of the publisher, many Quimantú books were reportedly burned or otherwise destroyed under the subsequent dictatorship.

  Source

Read more

• 2001Independent popular distribution

  Chile

  The refounded Editorial Quimantú distributed books independently of traditional bookstores, using popular fairs and its own Yo me libro events to reduce consumer costs.

  Outcome. The initiative established a separate revival of the Quimantú publishing tradition, although the available reference material does not provide later performance figures.

  Source
• 1971Popular access publishing program

  Chile

  Quimantú used low prices, large print runs, and distribution through bookshops and newspaper kiosks to expand access to books and cultural material among working-class and popular audiences.

  Outcome. The program achieved substantial circulation and helped make inexpensive books visible in everyday public life before the company was closed in 1973.

  Source

• 2000

  Revive Quimantú as an alternative publisherStrategy

  Background

  A left-wing collective sought to develop an independent popular publishing project using the historical name.

  Action taken

  The collective registered the Quimantú name again and adopted independent distribution through popular fairs rather than relying exclusively on conventional bookstores.

  Aftermath

  The successor initiative published Agenda del Che 2002 in November 2001.

  Source

• 1989

  Consider a conventional corporate relaunchStrategy

  Background

  After returning from exile, former general manager Sergio Maurín sought to revive the Quimantú name.

  Action taken

  Maurín registered the name and explored forming a formal company with former colleagues.

  Aftermath

  The plan was abandoned because of high initial costs, weak bookstore infrastructure, and limited expected profitability.

  Source

• 1971

  Adopt a mass-access publishing modelStrategy

  Background

  The new publisher was created during the Unidad Popular government with an explicit cultural and educational purpose.

  Action taken

  Quimantú issued inexpensive literature, educational works, social analysis, and cultural material and distributed them through high-volume retail channels.

  Aftermath

  The company published approximately 250 titles and around 10 million copies between November 1971 and August 1973, according to the reference material.

  Source

1. 1Editora Nacional Quimantúen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Memoria Chilena: Editora Nacional Quimantúmemoriachilena.gob.cl