I'm inclined to agree with Louis about
the trajectory of NACLA which retains credibility
among some because of ancient history. In the
case of the particular author in question, she
has very significant credibility among
intellectuals outside Venezuela because of her
past work. Last year, she was, for example, the
candidate of Atilio Boron to succeed him as head
of the association of Latin American Social
Scientists [CLACSO] and lost only after a very
bitter battle to Emir Sadr of Brazil. She also
was invited to write about social movements in
Venezuela for the next Socialist Register.
Her article will be predictable, given
her most recent paean (reprinted in aporrea,
dated 24 June) to the Venezuelan middle class,
where she identifies them with political
democracy (noting their gradualist orientation)
and bemoans Chavez's courting of the poor, the
radicalisation of his discourse, the
polarisation, etc. Distressing and debilitating
to observe, she confesses--- this process which
still offers hope to the poor but which goes in
the direction of the intolerance,
authoritarianism, inefficiency and corruption of
the failed socialism of century XX. Marx had a
few things to say about where she's coming from.
I'm sure the editors of the Register had no idea
of where she was going when they commissioned the
piece, but they know now what to expect.
michael
At 05:05 AM 01/07/2007, you wrote:
Paul Zarembka wrote:
The May-June issue of NACLA has an interview focusing on Chavez with
prominent Venezuelan Margarita Lopez Maya. She sees Bolivia as more ground
up than the Bolivarian movement in Venezuela and notes the possibility that
it may have more long-run strength.
Maya wrote: This business of changing the
Constitution to allow for indefinite reelection
has to do with this cultivation of his personal
rule, and reflects the political conception of
the "maximum leader." So far, this is all we
know about Chávez's socialism of the 21st century.
Isn't it clear at this point that NACLA is a counter-revolutionary cesspool?
---------------------
Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6
Office Fax: (604) 291-5944
Home: Phone (604) 689-9510
