>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/14/02 04:22AM >>>
Welcome scenes on CNN of the return of Chavez to the Presidential Palace.
The situation obviously still remains dangerous. In terms of how the risk
of such coups against radical democratic governments should be avoided, I
note that
An "Imminent Coup in Venezuela" written by Gregory Wilpert on 10th April argued
Chavez' greatest failure, from a progressive point of view, probably lies
in his relatively autocratic style, which is why many of his former
supporters have become alienated from his government. Whenever someone
opposed his policies he has tended to reject them and cast them out of his
government circle.
^^^^^^^^
Charles: Evidently , this is petit bourgeois misreading of democratic centralism, the
working class form of rule , which these events seem to reveal has been established in
Venezuela.
^^^^^^^
The result has been a consistent loss of a relatively broad political
spectrum of government leadership and a significant turn-over in his
cabinet, making stable and consistent policy implementation quite difficult.
This loss of broad-based support
^^^^^^^^
Charles : Evidently, Chavez's "broad-based" support, i.e. real mass support was and is
very much maintained and alive and active in the crunch, when it counts , in defense
of the revolution. All these lying bourgeois news outlets are busted, exposed for what
they are.
^^^^^^^
has made itself felt particularly strongly
during the recent crises, making Chavez look more isolated than he might
otherwise be. Other than his party supporters, who are quite significant in
number and come mostly from the poor "barrios," the progressive sectors of
civil society have been neglected by Chavez
^^^^^^^^
Charles: This is exposed as lying , false bourgeois propaganda. Most of the population
is in the poor "barrios" , and they are not quiet , but active, and controlling the
government. All goddamn power to the People !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
^^^^^^^^
and have thus not been active.
Instead, the conservative sectors of civil society, such as the chamber of
commerce and the old guard union leadership are among the main mobilizers
of civil society.
There is now talk of "middle class" leaving Venzuela, and presumably
capital is fleeing even more rapidly out of the country.
^^^^^^^^
CB: And moving where ? To Miami, with all the fascist trash kicked out by Latin
American revolutions ?
^^^^^^^^
On the other hand it was the determination of his supporters who
demonstrated outside the presidential palace yesterday, and the
determination of the presidential guard not to give up without a fight to
the death, that probably led to the resignation of the imposed president
Carmona within one day. These are traditional qualities of the
"proletariat", courage and resolution in crisis.
The situation is a contradiction, and should be analysed as a contradiction.
The forces of Chavez would have every right now to impose a dictatorship of
the proletariat, hopefully nuanced in the way Hal Draper has argued, as
emergency dicatatorial powers. There are already reports that the events of
the last few days have exposed who is a true friend of Chavez and who is
not. There must be scores to settle.
At the same time the return to the palace must have been the result of some
deals and compromises. It may be a good sign that Chavez resisted the
temptation to make an immediate revolutionary statement outside the palace.
I agree with Louis Proyect's reservations about the concept of civil
society. It too is a contradiction. Originally used in a somewhat negative
sense by Marx, it has been used by Gramscian supporters as a potentially
positive arena for struggle. IMO Wilpert uses it in a dialectical sense
referring to progressive and conservative attitudes to civil society.
The good news of this year is that militant street demonstations in
Argentina and Venezuela can force the fall of a government.
^^^^^^^^^^
Charles: The qualitative leap is that mass, militant street demonstrations can PROTECT
AND SAVE a truly democratic government. This is historic.
The bad news is
that the balance of forces in the world overwhelmingly favours finance
capital and its supporters in each country. A progressive regime needs both
a resolute core of supporters, and the ability to defuse the opposition, if
not win over the great majority of the population.
That IMO opinion points to the need for an agenda that is not exclusively
socialist, but is "new democratic", embracing civil rights issues but from
a progressive social perspective.
Let us hope Chavez can stay and this has an impact on the global balance of
forces.
Chris Burford
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