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People seem to take objection to the article by Michael Roberts on Venezuela. I think it is correct to characterize the regime there as bonepartist. Chavez rose to power based on the support of a layer of mid and lower level military officers. He never had the support of the Venezuelan capitalist class, but neither was he based on the organizations of the working class. In other words, he hovered above or between the classes. Yes, he carried through many reforms that benefited the working class and the poor, but they were not in control. And what is so strange about that? Didn't Peron do the same thing? Or Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico? A typical bonepartist regime can shift its balance over time. With the economic crisis there, according to Roberts, the Maduro regime is resting more directly on the military, such as for example the special priviliged stores open to the soldiers. Do people deny that? I also agree that as far as the economy goes, Chavez went part way. He nationalized many major industries (and gave state support to worker cooperatives in other cases). But what wasn't developed was a planned economy. Under democratic state planning, the economy could have been developed in a way that would have left it less dependent on oil exports. None of this means support for Capriles or the right wing opposition. But it also doesn't mean socialists should uncritically support Maduro. John Reimann -- "No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them." Asata Shakur Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com and // www.facebook.com/WorkersIntlNetwork?ref=stream _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
