If this is supposed to be the death of socialism, someone forgot to tell the South Americans. Throughout the six years of this century, there have been many upsurges, from Argentina, to Bolivia, Uruguay and Chile, all have raised the spectre of socialism. The Lula government in Brazil proclaims the need for socialism. This does not mean that they have the right programme. The failure of insurrections in both Bolivia and Argentina show otherwise. But the masses hate capitalism andhave showed the determination to fight it.
In Venezuela there is an attempt to establish socialism from the top down. Chavez was elected on a popularist nationalist "Bolivarian" programme. After achieving a clear electoral majority, he has now declared his commitment to nationalisation of key sectors of the Venezuelan economy. This includes media and oil. He declared his commitment to socialism.
Chavez has a close relationship with Fidel Castro. He has declared his support to the Cuban revolution. He has also claimed his support for the great Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky.
It is progressive that Chavez wants to take certain sectors out of the hands of private enterprise. We urge proletarians to defend these nationalisations from any right wing attempts to de-nationalise. But we can not endorse the strategy of establishing socialism from the top down, by the government. Socialism can only be achieved by soviets, workers' committees which have won over sections of the middle class, acting as alternative power to the bosses. These must be armed with a revolutionary programme and organised to smash the capitalist state. Chavez has no such perspective.
Chavez also believes that sections of the armed forces are his ally. His strategy amounts to currying favour with the state to create socialism by his parliamentary majority. Industries may be nationalised but the bosses are given adequate compensation. Chavez believes in the parliamentary system. We urge workers and peasants to have no faith in the Venezuelan capitalist state. Many of Chavez�s measures may be progressive and must be defended. Workers and peasants should place no faith in his regime. Top down nationalisations are not the way forward. Building a revolutionary party and smashing the Venezuelan state is! A revolutionary party is a matter of urgency!