Posted on 08/06/2006 6:57:56 AM PDT by Unam Sanctam
Early on in Hugo Chávez's political career, the Venezuelan president attacked my notion that liberal democracy together with a market economy represents the ultimate evolutionary direction for modern societies -- the "end of history." When asked what lay beyond the end of history, he offered a one-word reply: "Chavismo."
The idea that contemporary Venezuela represents a social model superior to liberal democracy is absurd. In his eight years as president, Chávez has capitalized on his country's oil wealth to take control of congress, the courts, trade unions, electoral commissions and the state oil company. Proposed legislation that would limit foreign funding could soon constrain nongovernmental organizations as well. And people who signed a recall petition against Chávez in the run-up to a 2004 referendum on his rule later found their names posted on the Web site of a pro-Chávez legislator; if they worked for the government or wanted to do business with it, they were out of a job and out of luck.
Chávez's success in attracting attention -- cozying up to Fidel Castro's Cuba, signing an arms deal with Russia, visiting Iran and incessantly criticizing the United States -- has popularized the notion that Chavismo embodies a new future for Latin America. By preserving some freedoms, including a relatively free press and pseudo-democratic elections, Chávez has developed what some observers call a postmodern dictatorship, neither fully democratic nor fully totalitarian, a left-wing hybrid that enjoys a legitimacy never reached in Castro's Cuba or in the Soviet Union
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Once push comes to shove it will be the same-old same-old.
there is nothing new under the sun, merely variations on a theme
Sounds like American Liberal utopia. They always said, "The right people just haven't been in charge of Marxist government. We know the secret to success."
If oil were to rise upon shock after a true ME conflagration, then many months later, drop back under $55 in a global recession, there would be uncontrollable food riots in downtown Caracas.
And the now heavily-armed Venezuelan "people's militia would be beating down the doors of the Miraflores Palace. The "Let them eat oil" of Chavism would come a'cropper.
Who will then come to Chavez's aid? The walking ghost of Fidel? Har har har. Hey Hugo, unscrew.
The left has yet to stop swooning over their new hero.
.....neither fully democratic nor fully totalitarian...
sort of like arkansqs under Governor Clinton.
Is this what the Democrats are after?
A guest on Cavuto yesterday said he has mismanaged to cut oil production in half. Lots of Venezuelans in
s Florida. Running off the rich and talented is obviously part of his genius. /sarc
Let's see how robust Chavez's economic system is once the rest of the world finds a replacement for oil.
Yes hybrid.
Communist totalitarian but selling products to Americans.
Profits used to prop up totalitarian regime and enslave millions.
Not sure but it is down from two years ago.
This is too funny....as much as they'd like to beable to out perform their counterparts....LOL...
Ping
America is great because our culture contributes to our economic success. The vast majority of those who are wealthy in America got that way through hard work and meeting a need/want of the society. In Venezuela, wealth is a product of accident. How does someone go about accidentally creating more wealth? But Americans' hard work creates more every day.
Some of the usual suspects on FR might object to including Russia in this trio, but a sober reflection will show why, sadly, Russia is the best (or worst, depending on how you frame it) example of this. And therefore, has the hardest row to hoe...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.