John Bellamy Foster makes the case that Venezuela is building socialism on the principles elaborated in Meszaros. With all due respect to Foster, I question the plausibility of socialism in a single country especially one like Venezuela whose economy is so tightly knitted into global social property relations to use the Brennerite formulation. I've been meaning to write something about the whole question of 'building socialism' prompted by a query from Ahmet Tonak, especially in light of discussions that took place in the USSR in the early 20s. If Soviet Russia, with its immense territory and unlimited resources, could not take this task on, what hopes can Venezuela have? For all of the sneering references to "left Keynesianism" from people like Alex Callinicos, it may be the case that given the relationship of class forces globally, this might be the glass ceiling that will exist for some time. When such an economic policy can lift the standard of living in Venezuela as dramatically as has happened, why not accept it as a step forward?
http://monthlyreview.org/2015/04/01/chavez-and-the-communal-state/ _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
