He came to power by exploiting the ignorance of those dependent on a government check. He promised an end to poverty and the triumph of the worker over the wealthy. He demonized the opposition party and avowed that he, and he alone, held all the answers to his nation's problems.
He commandeered the national press, suppressed free expression and persecuted those journalists who dared criticize his policies.
He nationalized a budding automobile industry and turned the wealth of the companies over to the workers...and quickly saw the industry die.
He demonized Big Oil, violated world standards of property law and nationalized the oil industry that resulted in a tripling of the cost of a barrel of oil.
He centralized power in the capitol and appointed "program lords" to dictate how every phase of the nation's economy was to be managed.
He spent his entire political career marginalizing and dismissing the nation's legislative branch as simply an obstacle to his achievement of total power.
He tried assessing massive hydrocarbon taxes on all carbon based energy sources and decimated his nation's economy.
He cheered the violence and spewing Christian hatred of the Arab Spring and called for the end of Western support for Israel.
He tried implementing price controls and brought about material shortages and a decline in his nation's economy.
He nationalized medical care and doctors and medical researchers fled to economies where advanced medical research was still valued. The good doctors fled the country in droves so that, when he developed cancer he had to go to Cuba to find 1950's era medical care that failed to restore his health.
Now Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela is dying and in his last hours. But he still has the golden memories of meeting the American hemisphere's biggest socialist at an Organization for America States conference a few years ago. The two grand socialists were said to have hit it off immediately.
3 comments:
The way the general populace (labor) of Venezuela was treated made Chavez's taking over that country look like falling off a log. "Big Oil" or the oil companies that controlled vast reserves and massive wealth kept that wealth in the hands of a very few, poverty was beyond the immoral, those who could work, were not paid living wages. Education and health care were virtually non-existent. So he managed to steal an election and the rest looks like obama's soon to be written history. Had education in Venezuela not been so lacking I don't think Chavez would have been elected (gotten away with it), same for obama in the USA. Like Chavez in Venezuela, obama's job is made easier by the intense animus felt by the electorate toward huge companies enjoying completely unfettered access to congress and courts. Like Chavez, our fearless leader (I mean Fearless) may just change our constitutional amendment limiting the president to just two terms. If he can I'm certain he will try. Unlike obama's USA, Venezuela's poverty was/is horrible where it exists, poverty in the USA is measured in having only two x boxes, two TV's, three cell phones and only two cars.
A few comments in response. Those were American oil companies who went into Venezuela, invested their own cash, took the risks on oil being there or not. Then a Socialist comes in and steals their investment out from under them.
As to wages, here's something to consider:
Government overreaching will always do more harm than corporate greed..always. You've read my .99 cent egg slicer blog so you know I believe corporate America has a role to play in advancing our nation..and we not suffer from "global corporate dominance"...but I don't believe you rationalize that with stealing property...that leads to the collapse of capitalism..and eventually the death of society.
When I first went to Korea in 1976, the typical home was 400 square feet, no refrigerator and they cooked on one burner kerosene stoves. Now they enjoy a very high quality of life, with good pay, and live in modern and comfortable homes. And they achieved that not from government intervention but from valuing free markets.
What I have learned about American enterprise off our shores is we really push the envelope. In Venezuela I would not dispute the initial investments were made by the American Oil companies, but by the time we were drilling in South America it wasn't really a guessing game, more scientifically reliable methods were in use.
BTW you must know by now, if not, let me clarify, I am a capitalist 1000%. I can't think of a single style of economy that brings out the absolute best in a man's innovation and production. It also conversely brings out the worst. Venezuela is one sad example of the worst. We installed the governments and saw to it that the business environment was the absolute best for American oil. At best economic conditions for those people living outside the "fence" were dismal and indefensible. American companies realizing huge profits become somewhat responsible for the welfare of that country. If we are installing governance that is protecting our investments and we are taking profits from that country it becomes incumbent upon us to see that the welfare of the populace is cared for. At least the basics like an education and some health care.
No way for the populace to improve themselves, they are kept in poverty, with no education. This is why Chavez met with so little resistance, actually support when installing himself. I had three uncles all Exec-Vice presidents of those corporations. They spoke of great successes but conversely spoke of some foul practices to achieve those successes. I just feel very strong that if we are to profit from the resources of these countries we should contribute in equal proportion to the society of that country.
Like my father would say of borrowed tools or rented property, "always leave it just a wee bit better than you found it".
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