In Niall Ferguson's "The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World," the story of Salvador Allende's final moments is recounted. Allende, facing the imminent military coup in Chile, was armed with an AK47, a symbolic gift from Fidel Castro, reflecting the ideological alignment he sought with the Cuban leader. As government tanks advanced towards him, Allende understood his defeat was inevitable.

Caught in his residence and with no escape route, Allende made the tragic decision to take his own life rather than surrender to the forces opposing him. This act marked the culmination of his efforts to implement socialist reforms in Chile and symbolized the violent end of an era in the country's political history.