Seems like we’ve seen this one before with disastrous results. ..
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Venezuela’s Chavez announces plans for ‘collective property’ under shift toward socialism
CARACAS, Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez announced Sunday that his government’s sweeping reforms toward socialism will include the creation of “collective property.”
Vowing to undermine capitalism’s continued influence in Venezuela during his television and radio program “Hello President,” Chavez said state-financed cooperatives would operate under a new concept in which workers would share profits.
“It’s property that belongs to everyone and it’s going to benefit everyone,” said Chavez, a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom opponents accuse of leading Venezuela toward Cuba-style communism.
Chavez — a leftist former paratrooper popularly known as “El Comandante” — said his government fully respects private property, but pledged to replace capitalist ideals with socialist principles on cooperatives such as cattle ranches and farms.
“It cannot be production to generate profits for one person or a small group of people that become rich exploiting peons who end up becoming slaves, living in poverty and misery their entire lives,” he said.
The legal framework for collective property will be established under a forthcoming constitutional reform proposed by Chavez. The Venezuelan leader has appointed a committee to prepare a blueprint for the pending reforms, which will be put to a vote in a referendum.
Chavez, who hosted Sunday’s program from a ranch in Venezuela’s sun-baked plains, said his government would move to expropriate large ranches and farms spanning more than 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres) and redistribute lands deemed “idle” to the poor under a nationwide agrarian reform.
Since the reform began five years ago, officials have redistributed over 1.9 million hectares (4.6 million acres) of land that had been classified as unproductive or lacked property documents dating back to 1847, according to a recent government census.
Critics say reform has failed to revive Venezuela’s agriculture industry, which does not produce enough food to satisfy domestic demand. The government has been forced to import food amid shortages of staples such as meats, milk and sugar.
“If Mr. Chavez really wants to help Venezuela’s poor farmers, he must offer them technical assistance and sufficient financing because land doesn’t become productive without investment,” said opposition leader Alfonzo Marquina. “We’re only seeing increasing shortages and more expensive products.”
It worked really well in Soviet Union and China. It has worked really well in India as well, especially in the 1950's-1960's, when all the large zamindars, kings and nawabs had their land confiscated and distributed to the poor peasants.
Even to this day, the 30 acre land limit is still in place.
But these days, it is not good for the modern economy.
I was talking to a Venezuelan woman in the mall the other day. She was bemoaning Chavez. She said when he "nationalized" the oil company, he kicked out 7,500 mid level managers and replaced them with political appointees and cronies. The production of the oil company dipped for nearly a year.
Presumably since is first experiment at nationalization did not get him thrown out of office, he will try it again on a grand scale. But let's not see this as anything more than it really is, which is Chavez taking over the whole country for his own personal benefit. Wonder what his Swiss bank account balance is up to now, it may have passed Arafats'.
(And what the heck is Fraudias avatar now? At least with the GQ picture my house was cockaroach free until the screen saver blinked on. Now what?)
Kudos to El Presidente Hugo...We need his vision in Pakistan to rid the masses of the feudal lords and their personal feifdoms and their subjugation of the haaris, poor field workers, and their other subjects...most of all we need it to purge the patronage of these scums by those in corridors of power in Islamabad and the GHQ in Pindi...
I am torn in my feelings about El Comandante. On the one side I like lots of the things he says and is trying to do. But on the other I am frightened about how powerful he is getting and some of the things he is doing (freedom of speech in the press is becoming less, he has been granted executive power for a time, etc.). He could be a good thing for the people of Venezuela, but he could also turn out to be a very bad thing.
The white settlers in south America own 90% percent of the land, minerals, wealth etc. It is time that the Native Americans who have been persecuted for so long and live in so much poverty take back their ancestor's lands from these white settlers.
In Zimbabwe the blacks are doing the same thing, and taking the 70% of the country's land which is controlled by only 1% of whites.
The like OhioGuy will cry, but Chavez is doing a good thing.
The natives must take their land back from these euro thieves
He is following the Arafat Reform Plan by stealing the country blind. Anybody who gives 6 hour television speeches may have just a wee bit too much ego.
This will end badly, as all of the Venezuelan peoples oil wealth is plundered and sent to Swiss bank accounts. Or maybe he will become King like the Saudis.
If land reforms mean breaking up of all ranches into tiny parcels will lead to grave inefficiency and particularly during multi-year crop failures, can be catastrophic. On the other hand if collective ownership is combined with co-operative farming then it can work, since economies of scale are retained. The latter is really a good mid-point between socialism and capitalism but needs service minded people to run it.
I have studied China's transformation a little bit. Apart from a strong centre which everyone sees in the news, they relied on recruitment and training of literally tens of millions of 'local' party & administrative reps in each village and hamlet who was responsible for two way communication and coordination of programs. Some of their work resembles that of 'tribal leader' and 'village elder' except all of them get their core message, material and instructions from the centre.
For very undeveloped and illiterate countries that might be the bes tchance for sustained development. As long as uncle sam's interests are not impacted! In case of venezuela, they are lucky that their enormous oil reserves are best protection against uncle sam, so they can act independent. The opec countries of the gulf on the other hand have no sense of shame or independence in spite of oil - all they are interested in is getting the latest gold plated toilet seat from bush and halliburton. (Unfortunately it is possible that the latest version of Musharaf may be going that way too, though not for material benefits)
In Zimbabwe the blacks are doing the same thing, and taking the 70% of the country's land which is controlled by only 1% of whites.
The like OhioGuy will cry, but Chavez is doing a good thing.
The natives must take their land back from these euro thieves
What stupidity. I expect you also rate Robert Mugabe a saint? Killed more than 60 000 opposition members when he took over in Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans dieing like flies because of Aids and poverty and hunger. In past Zimbabwe exported food and now they can feed less than 20% of own population. More than 2 million Zimbabweans presently in South Africa illegaly because of problems in Zimbabwe. But hey, Hail Robert Mugabe for letting a beautiful and prosperous country go to pieces.
Sounds like a discussion I once had just before the ANC came into power in South Africa. An ANC supporter wanted all companies and land to be redistributed to all the poor. I pointed out to him that it was the visionary leadership of three persons who started in their garage and at the time have grown a company that gave work for about 200 people, including this bloke. According to me these three persons are entitled to their BMW's and Mercs. According to this block though, rather ALL be poor and crappy than some rich. Absolute moronic views.
It is very easy to jump on the bandwagon of supporting all and sundry who give the USA the jitters just for being anti-USA.
A person should though also see the bad decisions some of these leaders make.
South Africa joined the security council early 2007 and have already made a number of stupid anti-democracy pro-dictator statements/votes. I can't for the life om me understand why the ANC (with their being a "liberation" movement) won't support others also seeking liberation from chaos, dictatorship, tyranny, etc.
South Africa (Mr. Mbeki) has come out in support for Iran, voted against the resolution on Myanmar, silently supports Mugabe, etc. We will be well rid of a stupid President come 2008.