explain the Hugo Chavez upcoming reforms please...

[R_P_A_S]

what's the ultimate porpuse of them.
what do you think about them?
is there any other country out there that's done the same?
and how would it make the country "more socialist"? :blink:

Among the main changes to the constitution proposed by Mr Chavez last month were:


Removing term limits for the presidency, and extending the term of office from six years to seven

Bringing in a maximum six-hour working day

Increasing presidential control over the central bank

Strengthening state economic powers, allowing the government to control assets of private companies before a court grants an expropriation order.

[Demogorgon]

Some of those are actually common in Europe. France for example has a seven hour workday and used to have unlimited seven year terms for President (the terms were reduced to five years a few years ago).

The reason for giving the PResident control over the central bank is simply to remove a loophole which allows the central bank to act against the interests of socialism. (Central banks have a habit of favouring business for obvious trasons, though presently this isn't actually a problem i Venezuala).

The last reform is more technical. It seems to be about speeding up the process of allowing the state to control something when it is nationalised. It must relate to something in Venezuala's laws on the matter.

Another major reform which you didn't mention is changing the federal structure to allow federal cities outside the control of the states and also more COmmunal Councils. The purpose of that is more control to local people. Some observers believe Chavez is going for an "hourglass" shaped state with most power split between local communitie and the federal government with little in the hands of the state governments.

[Faux Real]

I think the Venezuelan government headed by him are trying to set the prerequisite conditions for an-as-genuinely-socialist-as-it-can-be revolution by the people, even if a US-sponsored military coup were to happen. It is giving the people something to fight for.

Maybe they're using this as a model for neighboring Latin American countries to build upon as well.

[R_P_A_S]

why do some believe that this is not the way to achieve socialism? like through a president with popular support.

[Faux Real]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 03:44 pm
why do some believe that this is not the way to achieve socialism? like through a president with popular support.
There's only so far a president can lead towards it before the central issue of private property comes up. It is up to the workers to abolish it, otherwise the president will be labeled a tyrant, authoritarian, etc.

[bootleg42]

I think Chavez is doing well.

He's progressed so much and that he (along with the past conditions of course) has woken the people up.

He becomes more radical as the people become radical.

Of course it will be the working class who abolish private property. They'll do it and Chavez will support it.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 02:32 pm
Some observers believe Chavez is going for an "hourglass" shaped state with most power split between local communitie and the federal government with little in the hands of the state governments.
That politics is mirroring economics and the hourglass business world? That's something for me to think about.