On Nov 17, 2006, at 3:45 PM, Eric wrote:
> So Chavez lovers, what of this article? This seems to be theme
> among stories about Venezuela: the poor are getting some
> redistributive boost from the state, but social and property
> relations are largely untouched--despite the rhetoric of Chavez
> that suggests otherwise.
According to Tariq Ali, Chavez says that this is not an era of revolution, so all they can accomplish right now are left social democratic reforms. Anything stronger would be, as the Leninists used to say, adventurist. I think he's right. There's neither popular support or a welcoming international environment for the overturning of property relations, and anyone who tried it would be quickly destroyed.
Doug