84% of Venezuelan's rate Chavez "average to good"

[Cheung Mo]

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/...em/itemID/11528 (http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/11528)

Fuck...My keyboarads's acting up agiand.

[barista.marxista]

That's what you get with social-democratic regimes. :lol:

[Cheung Mo]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2006, 02:48 PM
That's what you get with social-democratic regimes. :lol:
I fail to see how combining social democracy/democratic socialism (depending on whom you ask) with a strong position against American imperialism makes for a bad or reactionary ideology...Relatively speaking though, I'm somewhat right-wing by this site's standards...

[The Grey Blur]

Originally posted by Cheung Mo+Apr 12 2006, 03:36 PM--> (Cheung Mo @ Apr 12 2006, 03:36 PM)
[email protected] 12 2006, 02:48 PM
That's what you get with social-democratic regimes. :lol:
I fail to see how combining social democracy/democratic socialism (depending on whom you ask) with a strong position against American imperialism makes for a bad or reactionary ideology...Relatively speaking though, I'm somewhat right-wing by this site's standards... [/b]
:lol: I thought he was referring to your keyboard?

[Cheung Mo]

Originally posted by Rage Against The Machine+Apr 12 2006, 03:49 PM--> (Rage Against The Machine @ Apr 12 2006, 03:49 PM)
Originally posted by Cheung [email protected] 12 2006, 03:36 PM

[email protected] 12 2006, 02:48 PM
That's what you get with social-democratic regimes. :lol:
I fail to see how combining social democracy/democratic socialism (depending on whom you ask) with a strong position against American imperialism makes for a bad or reactionary ideology...Relatively speaking though, I'm somewhat right-wing by this site's standards...
:lol: I thought he was referring to your keyboard? [/b]
I thought he was referring to Chavez's popularity.

[ComradeOm]

Originally posted by Cheung [email protected] 12 2006, 03:36 PM
I fail to see how combining social democracy/democratic socialism (depending on whom you ask) with a strong position against American imperialism makes for a bad or reactionary ideology...Relatively speaking though, I'm somewhat right-wing by this site's standards...
Ummm... because its not communist?

Edit: Chavez is progressive but not the next Marx as some would have you believe.

[chebol]

I'd like to know who would have us believe that.

As one of the main organisers of solidarity with venezuela in australia, having been in touch with solidarity activists around the world, and having been to venezuela a couple of times, I haven't come across anyone who thinks that.

Even if, as I assume, by the comment, you meant that some people think Chavez is "the answer", and communist revolution will automatically follow from the process in Venezuela, I think these people are pretty few.

However, Chavez HAS reopened the discussion around what it means to create socialism in the 21st century, combined with leading a process that makes such an alternative not only theoretically possible, but practically so too.

After decades of defeat, and especially after the collapse of the stalinist regimes, the left around the world has gradually rebuilt itself, overcome demoralisation and the "restarted history", but largely without a real, practical, focus. Chavez himself is subject to the evolution taking place in global left-wing ideological debate. He began office thinking there was a "third way" between capitalism and socialism. Experience has shown him otherwise, and that only socialism is the way forward.

What is important, nay, vital, about the process in Venezuela, is that the same lessons are being learnt by the people, and they are willing to act on these lessons. And the same thing is happening across the continent.

So, no, Chavez is no marx. He's not even a marxist (yet...). But the revolution he is leading is creating the space for rebuilding the socialist and marxist movements, firstly in Latin America, and secondly around the world. The challenge for us is to recognise this, and act accordingly. On one hand, to support the very real gains being made by working class forces in Venezuela (both material and ideological), and on the other, to campaign to make our own revolution "at home".

This is also the message that Chavez sent out with returning delegates from the 16th World Festival of Youth and Students:

That Imperialism is not only not invincible- but that it must be destroyed. A century and more ago, Marx and Luxemburg said that humanity faces a choice- Socialism or Barbarism. That is no longer the case. Today the choice is Socialism or Nothing, because Imperialism will destroy the planet.
Our task is to take that message, and spread it, and build another, more just world.

As the saying in Venezuela goes "Mundo mejor es posible, si es socialista". ("Another world is possible, if it's socialist").

[ComradeOm]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2006, 08:51 AM
However, Chavez HAS reopened the discussion around what it means to create socialism in the 21st century, combined with leading a process that makes such an alternative not only theoretically possible, but practically so too.
We ended the discussion on democratic socialism almost a century ago. It most certainly does not need to be reopened.