From: michael a. lebowitz (mlebowit@SFU.CA)
Date: Sun Feb 27 2005 - 22:52:40 EST
Chavez returned again on today's 'Alo Presidente' to his rejection of
capitalism and to the question of building the socialism of the 21st
Century, proposing that the current 'revolutionary democracy' (as
exemplified by the land committees, the nuclei of endogenous development,
the bolivarian schools, barrio al dentro, etc) is the instrument for
constructing that new socialism.
The most important new aspect of his remarks was his call for opening up
discussion and debate about socialism--- especially calling upon his own
party, the MVR (movement for the 5th republic) [a party with many factions]
to begin such ideological discussions. You can hear his brief remarks (a
very small part of a 6 hour or so programme which included discussions with
Evo Morales, Shafik Handel and other visitors who had been in Venezuela for
a conference on the social deficit/debt) on audio accompanying an article
about this today on www.aporrea.org. Especially striking is his repetition,
'socialismo, socialismo...' and the response. The article seems to suggest,
though, that he also talked about returning to the original democratic
ideas of Marx and Engels but that's the writer's inference rather than
Chavez's words.
in solidarity,
michael
Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6
Currently based in Venezuela. Can be reached at
Residencias Anauco Suites
Departamento 601
Parque Central, Zona Postal 1010, Oficina 1
Caracas, Venezuela
(58-212) 573-4111
fax: (58-212) 573-7724
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