zein al-abdeen
31st December 2008, 13:22
editorial of issue # 4 / socialist venezuela newsletter
The Revolution Continues
Results of the last municipal elections in Venezuela has offered a great emotional satisfaction to the supporters of the revolution due to what these elections have carried of some meanings that might not be deeply radical but came in perfectly suitable timing specially in light of the local conditions; the regional reality in general, in spite of some difficulties facing parts of its revolutionary steps, is heading towards the right direction, either through the increase in the independancy of latin tendencies away from USA particularily, or through the fact that some latin governments that have been closer to the modest left is getting rather closer to the pure left reflecting the change in the tendencies of the latin people in general from te social thoughts towards the socialist thoughts after Venezela offered a clear example of the active role of socialism and its ability to reach a better future for revolutionary people.
In Venezuela, however, the opponants of the revolution promote that its supporters will soon give it up; they justify those expectations by two points: international fuel prices are continuously decreasing which difenately means that the projects of the revolution in all fields will slow down and some of them will even stop processing; the second point they relied on claims that a large number of Venezuelans does not vote for the revolution in the elections anymore no matter what level of elections they are; even if they don't vote for the opposition, their neutrality is enough to say that the popularity is retreating; this in light of a democratic system means that the control over the government is becoming weak and therefore the active role of the revolution is becoming weaker and heading towards the end.
to a certain extent, most of thier justificaions seem to be true; however, this kind of explanation to the meanings of realities, following certain methods of linking them to one another, and sometimes relying on events that have nothing to do with reality without even any realistic basis that support expecting such events all this would make them sink in disappointments even if they claimed this wrong, the only element that can determine weather the revolution is getting weaker or stronger is the path of the revolution and not the headlines of the El Nasional.
the prices of fuel are decreasing, but they are not decreasing because the political authority in Venezuela is lead by a socialist party, they are rather decreasing because the world is lead by capitalists that are causing the release of more and more employees in their countries, and the crisis of their economies and therefore the decrease in demand for energy especially fuel derivatives. In spite of this clear image, the opposition insists on linking between the decrease in fuel prices and the socialist policies that exist in the country. With each decrease in prices, the opposition places its headlines in a way as if the decrease is caused by the Venezuelan economy hoping that this economy gets damaged as much as possible; for any failure of the revolutionary government is considered a victory for them which clearly contradicts their slogans that claim the benefit for Venezuela and the Venezuelans.
These hopes or expectations of the collapse of the economy did not start since yesterday but since the bigenning of October when they sought to provoke fear within the Venezuelan people that the changes that have occured since president Cahvez took over the government will completely vanish and that Venezuela will encounter social and economic disasters as well as political disorders trying to urge the electors to find an alternative that could make them avoid the crisis; the popular response however was clear saying that if the economic crisis was actully coming carrying disasters, it would be better to face them aside with president Chavez who continues supervising over the launch of various social and economic projects in order to enhance and support the Venezuelan social structure by seeking to build a social security network that is able to provide free basic needs of livelihood for humans and provide continuous new job opportunities which caused a decreas in the rate of unemployment to reach its lowest level since more than a decade by reaching 6%, the government plan seeks to achieve a lower percentage by the end of the year in order for Venezuela to become one of the best countries in the world in this field. These projects with all their sectors form a srong economic rlief on which the revolution may depend in the upcoming stage.
The president has previously mentioned that the revolution will never be able to continue without a materialist structure, without changing the form of property from the private to the social or without creating a developed productive - in particular - and socialist economy.
We may diagree on our analysis of the statistis but we may not disagree on obvious realities to which those statistics refer. When unemployment decreases, this means that new economic projects are opening in the country; those projects mean the expantion of the economy and the increase of its role. All this will also reveal new statistics, such as the percentages of economic growth which even though it retreated to 3% it has partially transferred its 100% dependancy on fuel over to other economic projects that are able to push economy forward even if by 1%.
In this context, the Venezuelan economy is heading forward in spite of the large decrease in fuel prices which may worry the Venezuelans but will not make them choose who has previously lead them to disaster when the price was already low. Today, we have two clear numbers along with the decrease in fuel prices, we are also waiting for the third number during the first months of next year: in the last municipal elecions, the united socialist party of Venezuela, the governing party, scored 5.7 million voises, and before a short period of time, the party was able to collect the signatures of 4.7 million Venezuelan citizens in favor of a suggestion for amending the constitution in order to allow the leader of the revolution to run for another presidency election period.
On what basis have the opposition built its future expectations? We can say that the dreams of a person may occupy his thoughts for a while, and it would be better for them to go on with those beliefs forever. Despite the damage in economy that might be caused by the unstability of the energy prices, there are other alternatives that have been operating and that will be enough thanks to the existance of revolutionary efforts and ideas. Now, the statistics offer us results that unemployment is decreasing and the economic growth is continuing; and also the revolution is continuing with its party and leader through obtaining the majority of popular support in spite of the lies and rumors that are being promoted by the Venezuelan media which falls mostly in the hands of the private sector.
The revolution always awaits hard days; 4.7 million signatures, however, force us to smile; and 5.7 million votes also force us to be optimistic that the revolution has reached that level of strength that makes it able to face harsh battles and obtain victory or at least continue its struggles towards victories which makes it a real revolution without any limits and therefore we may not stop feeling proud of this revolution which exceeds traditional limits towards a new future with the help of its achievements.
The Revolution Continues
Results of the last municipal elections in Venezuela has offered a great emotional satisfaction to the supporters of the revolution due to what these elections have carried of some meanings that might not be deeply radical but came in perfectly suitable timing specially in light of the local conditions; the regional reality in general, in spite of some difficulties facing parts of its revolutionary steps, is heading towards the right direction, either through the increase in the independancy of latin tendencies away from USA particularily, or through the fact that some latin governments that have been closer to the modest left is getting rather closer to the pure left reflecting the change in the tendencies of the latin people in general from te social thoughts towards the socialist thoughts after Venezela offered a clear example of the active role of socialism and its ability to reach a better future for revolutionary people.
In Venezuela, however, the opponants of the revolution promote that its supporters will soon give it up; they justify those expectations by two points: international fuel prices are continuously decreasing which difenately means that the projects of the revolution in all fields will slow down and some of them will even stop processing; the second point they relied on claims that a large number of Venezuelans does not vote for the revolution in the elections anymore no matter what level of elections they are; even if they don't vote for the opposition, their neutrality is enough to say that the popularity is retreating; this in light of a democratic system means that the control over the government is becoming weak and therefore the active role of the revolution is becoming weaker and heading towards the end.
to a certain extent, most of thier justificaions seem to be true; however, this kind of explanation to the meanings of realities, following certain methods of linking them to one another, and sometimes relying on events that have nothing to do with reality without even any realistic basis that support expecting such events all this would make them sink in disappointments even if they claimed this wrong, the only element that can determine weather the revolution is getting weaker or stronger is the path of the revolution and not the headlines of the El Nasional.
the prices of fuel are decreasing, but they are not decreasing because the political authority in Venezuela is lead by a socialist party, they are rather decreasing because the world is lead by capitalists that are causing the release of more and more employees in their countries, and the crisis of their economies and therefore the decrease in demand for energy especially fuel derivatives. In spite of this clear image, the opposition insists on linking between the decrease in fuel prices and the socialist policies that exist in the country. With each decrease in prices, the opposition places its headlines in a way as if the decrease is caused by the Venezuelan economy hoping that this economy gets damaged as much as possible; for any failure of the revolutionary government is considered a victory for them which clearly contradicts their slogans that claim the benefit for Venezuela and the Venezuelans.
These hopes or expectations of the collapse of the economy did not start since yesterday but since the bigenning of October when they sought to provoke fear within the Venezuelan people that the changes that have occured since president Cahvez took over the government will completely vanish and that Venezuela will encounter social and economic disasters as well as political disorders trying to urge the electors to find an alternative that could make them avoid the crisis; the popular response however was clear saying that if the economic crisis was actully coming carrying disasters, it would be better to face them aside with president Chavez who continues supervising over the launch of various social and economic projects in order to enhance and support the Venezuelan social structure by seeking to build a social security network that is able to provide free basic needs of livelihood for humans and provide continuous new job opportunities which caused a decreas in the rate of unemployment to reach its lowest level since more than a decade by reaching 6%, the government plan seeks to achieve a lower percentage by the end of the year in order for Venezuela to become one of the best countries in the world in this field. These projects with all their sectors form a srong economic rlief on which the revolution may depend in the upcoming stage.
The president has previously mentioned that the revolution will never be able to continue without a materialist structure, without changing the form of property from the private to the social or without creating a developed productive - in particular - and socialist economy.
We may diagree on our analysis of the statistis but we may not disagree on obvious realities to which those statistics refer. When unemployment decreases, this means that new economic projects are opening in the country; those projects mean the expantion of the economy and the increase of its role. All this will also reveal new statistics, such as the percentages of economic growth which even though it retreated to 3% it has partially transferred its 100% dependancy on fuel over to other economic projects that are able to push economy forward even if by 1%.
In this context, the Venezuelan economy is heading forward in spite of the large decrease in fuel prices which may worry the Venezuelans but will not make them choose who has previously lead them to disaster when the price was already low. Today, we have two clear numbers along with the decrease in fuel prices, we are also waiting for the third number during the first months of next year: in the last municipal elecions, the united socialist party of Venezuela, the governing party, scored 5.7 million voises, and before a short period of time, the party was able to collect the signatures of 4.7 million Venezuelan citizens in favor of a suggestion for amending the constitution in order to allow the leader of the revolution to run for another presidency election period.
On what basis have the opposition built its future expectations? We can say that the dreams of a person may occupy his thoughts for a while, and it would be better for them to go on with those beliefs forever. Despite the damage in economy that might be caused by the unstability of the energy prices, there are other alternatives that have been operating and that will be enough thanks to the existance of revolutionary efforts and ideas. Now, the statistics offer us results that unemployment is decreasing and the economic growth is continuing; and also the revolution is continuing with its party and leader through obtaining the majority of popular support in spite of the lies and rumors that are being promoted by the Venezuelan media which falls mostly in the hands of the private sector.
The revolution always awaits hard days; 4.7 million signatures, however, force us to smile; and 5.7 million votes also force us to be optimistic that the revolution has reached that level of strength that makes it able to face harsh battles and obtain victory or at least continue its struggles towards victories which makes it a real revolution without any limits and therefore we may not stop feeling proud of this revolution which exceeds traditional limits towards a new future with the help of its achievements.