What's Wrong With Venezuela?

Why isn't their socialism working?

 

Whats wrong with that whole continent really

 

^
Corruption.

Just the usual: they have a leader that doesn't give a shit about the majority of the country.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/01/05/as-socialist-venezuela-collapses-socialist-bolivia-thrives-heres-why/

This article was interesting, it contrasts economically thriving and socialist Bolivia with failing socialist Venezuela.

Apparantly Bolivia has had a budget surplus since the socialists took over 10 years ago, while Venezuela has ran up an enormous debt.

 

hugo chavez

the legacy remains

 

As far as Bolivia. Here's a Heritage Foundation profile on Bolivia.

Which policies are better for diversifying Bolivia's economy? Socialist or market policies?

http://www.heritage.org/index/country/bolivia

 

Why did our socialist policies fail?.....

Hey I have an idea! Lets try socialism!

 

Simple answer socialism is not magic. It still requires people in power who care for the people. Despite what some would argue it's actuly very easy to scam the system in the same ways as Capitalism. In other words you can make lots of money at the expense of others if you wish.

It also depends on what you mean by "working". If you are talking about no poverty in the streets I could argue that American capatilsim is not working considering the massive wealth gap that borders on a medieval class system. Government policies are just ideas and man is an imperfect vessel.

 

https://youtu.be/vCBiTaV-SOY?t=3060

Here's a take on it from a few socialists who have been there. The link should take you to the part where they start talking about it.

 

^ this

I'm not taking any ideological position on socialism here.

Having chavez in charge would have fucked up Venezuela regardless of the economic system

 

prolly because Bolivia grows better coca.
they are and have been the third largest producer for decades.
illegal or not, it still brings $$$ into the country.

 

Venezuela has lots of raw resources that brings in money as well. Or could bring if the economy didn't got raped by corruption.
I'm not sure if the government has profited most from coca(ine) export in Bolivia in the last decades... There were other groups/organisations controlling it as well.

 

the drug lords still gotta buy stuff and that influx of revenue helps the overall economy.
why do you think a lot of governments turn a blind eye to it.
think about it, I would imagine that everyone from the guy who grows and picks it in the mountains to the guy who cooks it down to the guy guarding it all get paid something and they in turn spend that money.
I guarantee you, the cocaine trade has helped those countries more than it has hurt them overall. The only way it has hurt any of them is via the conditions and sanctions imposed by U.S. law.

Escobar was friggin' hero to many, many people in Columbia because of the influx of $$$ his cartel brought into the country.

 

I'm in the middle of your highly-enjoyable article recommendation, and it takes me back to last semester when I studied political science. There was an assignment to write a critical analysis about a movie called "Our Brand is Crisis".

Also... I like this quote from the article.

The movie is about a political election in Bolivia. They apparently had a struggling democracy. I'm sure they're still democratic, but did not know they were Socialist. I didn't get that as a take-away from the movie. Have you seen this movie? I borrowed it from a local library one town over on the map. It was pretty cool!

 

Because it's socialism?

 

Eventually you run out of other people's money.

 

When you're a corrupt leader with dictatorial traits.

 

Well, it's begun. Riots and protests have turned deadly.

 

They're a big oil producer and oil prices fell off a cliff in 2014 and haven't really regained since. Their oil is expensive to produce also.

 

That's one part of the reason why it went so wrong. Good governing means not betting on one horse.
This Maduro guy should take the hint and step down if he actually gives a shit about his country and fellow citizens.