You'd think that after 90+ years of overwealming evidence that communism is a dead end, that even the most ignorant would reject it. You'd be wrong. I'm convinced that every generation will produce people whose economically illiterate desire to share-the-wealth will result in the usual poverty, tyranny, and bloodshed.
Posted at 2007-03-26 04:44:48 [PermaLink]I first read it as "collective poverty" rather than "collective property". Eyes must be going.
Has anyone noticed that collectivization has to be imposed by government by force of law, whereas free enterprize is what modern people do naturally when they have the freedom?
Ideologues never learn from the travails of their predecessors. Like, Vietnam was an agricultural basket case until the sector was decollectivized in the late 80s, and now food security is the least of their worries.
Posted at 2007-03-26 07:26:56 [PermaLink]I'd feel a lot sorrier for Venezuelans if they hadn't voted for this clown time and again. As things stand, I couldn't care less if they start dropping from malnutrition. You get the government you deserve.
Posted at 2007-03-26 07:58:59 [PermaLink]Don't want to sound too pedantic, but "collective" is an adjective; after "to" comes a verb in the infinitive, which in this case would be "collectivize." Of course, take out the "to" and there's no problem...
As for Chavez's plan, as has been already said, he did seem to have won a majority of votes in an election not long ago - though by no means a completely fair one. I just feel sorry for those Venezuelans who know the sad results of this kind of action in other countries over the last hundred years.
Venezuela will survive so long as the price of oil remains high and they have sufficient reserves. El Comandante will use shortages to strengthen his hand as the people become more reliant on the government for the necessities of life. And American Leftists will idolize him just as the do El Caballo (Fidel Castro).
Posted at 2007-03-26 11:02:15 [PermaLink]Bruce: You are correct but the devil may also be in the details. From what I've read, Venezuela's oil infrastructure is now poorly maintained and the professionals running the industry (I'm referring to the real professionals and not Chavez supporters parachuted into the industry) are in all liklihood sought after worldwide. I've read some stories in the Canadian press about Venezuelan engineers working in Alberta oilsands. Wasn't it last year that Venezuela had to buy oil from Russia to meet it's contracts? This is like a train wreck that isn't in slow motion anymore
Posted at 2007-03-26 12:01:27 [PermaLink]John B; that's likely a good thing; the speed thing, I mean. The faster the standard of living declines the more likely the population, and most importantly the military, will feel inclined to 'reverse' the process. Not a lot of living communist leaders around anymore...
Latin Americans tend to be rather volatile.
John,
I expect Chavez will bring in experts if the situation deterioriates to the point their oil production drops off substantially.
He's a megalomaniac, but he's not stupid.
Likewise, Fidel has not been above making economic accomodations in order to keep his regime from collapsing -- reportedly including sex tourism and child prostitution.
Hmm. Looks like I should've compared him to Stalin instead of Hitler.
Posted at 2007-03-26 13:04:57 [PermaLink]"He's a megalomaniac, but he's not stupid."
I'm not so sure about that Bruce. Given the chaos in Venezuela and the high crime rates there, why would an oil expert want to go there when they can write their ticket anywhere else?
This from the International Herald Tribune (Business) last November:
CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuela's state oil company said the International Energy Agency is publishing erroneous Venezuelan oil production figures and is declining invitations to visit and verify supply from the South American country.
Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, said in a statement late Sunday that it wanted to "alert public opinion about figures from secondary sources, like the International Energy Agency, whose figures are clearly incorrect."
Venezuela says it produces about 3.3 million barrels a day, but many outside sources — including the IEA, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and the U.S. Energy Information Agency — put actual production closer to about 2.5 million barrels a day.
Critics of President Hugo Chavez's government say his administration has mismanaged the oil industry by appointing political allies to PDVSA and by using oil revenues on government social programs instead of reinvesting in PDVSA operations.
PDVSA denies charges of mismanagement and pledges to double production over the next six years.
[External Link]
I'm with Bruce on this, I think Hugo has things thought out to retirement. His nationalized oil production will work just fine, even if it's not the most efficient. Chavez and his social agenda will be very well funded at least until they run out of their extensive light sweet crude deposits. By then there will probably be enough homegrown expertise to be good at extracting their heavy crude.
He's 53 now, and Venezuela might have a few hundred billion barrels of crude oil in the ground. Barring a complete meltdown, he'll probably die in his sleep.
The kicker is that the Venezuelans have Orinoco to fall back on. If they can eventually extract from there and continue the dream past his time, Hugo might get the kind of giant statues he dreams about.