21st Century Socialism and the Breakdown of a Society
You've surely heard of Hugo Chávez , president of Venezuela from February 1999 to April 2013, known worldwide for his charismatic leadership and his vision of 21st-century socialism . But do we really know what his legacy was in a country like Venezuela , known for being one of the world's leading oil exporters?
President Chávez was a great charismatic and populist leader; the language he used at the beginning of his political career, back in 1996, resonated with more than half the South American country's hearts and minds. This is because Chávez was able to move and connect with every Venezuelan with his vision of socialism and the promise of a better future for the nation. But what were the consequences of such strong populism and such powerful political language?
There are many definitions of the concept of populism , but the one we want to refer to is that of Spanish analyst and politician Florentino Portero , used during his speech at the " Cumbre Iberoamericana " assembly in 2014. "Populism is the shortcut with which we play with people's ideals, feelings, and passions, leaving reason aside. A good leader," Portero continues, "takes advantage of a more or less critical circumstance, a situation of necessity, to promise the impossible, thus violating democracy." Populism calls itself democratic because it is much closer to the people than any democracy, but the underlying truth is that populism creates needs by playing with the needs of an entire population, thus imposing a true dictatorship.
"We are committed to leading the Bolivarian revolution towards socialism and contributing to the path of socialism. A 21st-century socialism based on solidarity , fraternity , love , freedom , and equality ."
These were Chavez's words in a 2006 speech; this was the Venezuelan leader's idea of socialism. The question then arises: if these were the premises, how is it possible that a country as economically and culturally rich as Venezuela is now in ruins? Chavez's idea of socialism was truly enticing, but his desire to help and support the less well-off backfired, exponentially multiplying the number of people in need. Impoverishing the country not only economically but also, and above all, mentally.
Venezuelan society has changed radically in recent years; Chávez's socialism failed to build a classless society and address the needs of its inhabitants. Today, Venezuela is a country where some of the essential freedoms of a democratic system, such as freedom of opinion or freedom of thought, are completely lacking. " Homeland, socialism, or death ": this was Chávez's slogan for years, but despite the 'Comandante''s death two years ago, things don't seem to have changed. Either you're with socialism or you're out.
We are facing a situation bordering on the surreal: a country with public healthcare but no doctors, because they are poorly paid, and no equipment to treat people; a country with public pharmacies but no medicines; and above all, a country with empty supermarkets because the nationalized food companies have not been supported by the government and the private ones are constantly bombed by the same government, hindering their productivity. After fifteen years of revolution, basic products are scarce, supermarkets are empty, but the lines outside are interminable. The average Venezuelan spends at least eight hours a day waiting in line outside a supermarket, waiting for some food item to arrive.
If Chavez's socialism is founded on democracy, why does Venezuela seem like a country with a full-blown dictatorship ? If Chavez's socialism is founded on freedom, why is freedom of thought completely absent ? What happened to the equality and desire for progress that Chavez spoke of? Speaking of questions, here's the million-dollar one: is socialism a truly effective model for a country, or is it simply an ideal used by leaders to promise the seemingly impossible, relying on the idea of starving the people to continue governing?
Sasha Sanchez
In this video you will find some examples of the situation in Venezuela.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL5UavqvB0Q
