Venezuelan shoppers face food shortages (classis case of socialism failing)

The BBC ^ | Tuesday, 10 January 2006, 15:12 GMT | By Greg Morsbach, Caracas

[alnitak]

Unusual to see such a story on the BBC, considering it is a complete slam-dunk condemnation of socialism.

1. Massive government interference in private enterprise.

2. People react to the interference in a rational manner by not selling coffee.

3. Market collapses.

4. Government responds with threats (nationalisation, sequestration)

5. The industry enters long term decline.

[LIConFem]

Forgot who said this --

"You can't get good Chinese takeout in China, and Cuban cigars are rationed in Cuba. That's all you need to know about Communism."

[atomicpossum]

Hopefully we see some cracks forming in this tinpot dictator.

[gondramB]

"Unusual to see such a story on the BBC, considering it is a complete slam-dunk condemnation of socialism."

Maybe they are concerned about their coffee supply?

[B.Bumbleberry]

It's a sad indictment of human nature that the lesson has to be learned over and over again.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings LIConFem:

"You can't get good Chinese takeout in China, and Cuban cigars are rationed in Cuba. That's all you need to know about Communism."

Wish I did, that's a great quote!

Cheers,
OLA

[wmileo]

"A new bridge will not be ready before the year 2010 according to government estimates."

Why don't they ask Banana Boat Harry to help them by forking over the money he made in the good old USA to build them a bridge? DAH OH, DAH HAH HAH OHH. Harry Belafonte is an A$$HOLE.

[BooksForTheRight.com]

The socialist American dominant media will not report this because it shows the effects of socialism.

[tort_feasor]

P.J. O'Rourke

[wolfcreek]

No Coffee! That's enough to start a revolution! If that happened here, people would die, literally.

[Waco]

Looks ike the Zimbobwe Syndrome to me.

[tort_feasor]

1991 - from Parliament of Whores

[KarinG1]

Communism just doesn't work. I personally am very accident prone but I seldom cripple myself the same way twice. Mankind (and girlkind) must learn from their errors.

[Accygirl]

Shocking... You mean that the theory of supply and demand actually works!!

[driftless]

The ignorati in every country are always pleased to hear some tinhorn dictator like Chavez tell them that they can have something for nothing. They simply have to take them from the people who create the wealth. As long as there are appreciable numbers of very stupid people, Marxists like Chavez will have power.

[Pete98]

"Chavez enjoys 60% public support, problems in the food supply chain could dent his popularity in the long run."

Dictators don't need popularity.

[dropzone]

it's just a preview of coming attractions

[doc30]

Chavez is following in Mugabe's footsteps. I'll wager a dollar that food will be used as a political weapon over the next year or two. Chavez will also get 99% of the vote, too. If his Bolivar revolution continues to spread, we will need a South American death watch.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Azlan Shrugged. :)

[Aquinasfan]

Venezuela's leftwing leader has authorised the use of the National Guard to "find every last kilogram of coffee" being stockpiled by coffee roasters.

I'd burn it before I'd let them get it.