President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela Succumbed to Cancer, March 5, 2013
Leaving behind this pressing question whether his proudly worn label, "Socialist President," died with Hugo Chávez?
Leaders don't chain themselves to defending socialism. Hardly a peep from Scandinavian minds on cash flow, and there's a sort of general acceptance today that behind the smoke and mirrors, capitalism funds socialism. And, loosely put, socialism is just too expensive when capitalism can't function.
Its hardly still worth it for Cuba to carry the laurel. Nor is parading Kim Jong-un's Socialist credentials necessary if North Korea's negative legacy remains an aristocracy shielding both their country and themselves from facing straight facts about commercial interaction?
Gleaned from an expert PBS News Hour summarization, and William Neuman's send off, Chávez Transformed the Way Venezuelans View Themselves, in The New York Times - is Chávez's sincere and earnest theatrics achieved less actual socialism than capitalist America. Cha-ching.
Because, as per usual, Venezuela's economic system is crippled from corruption, that could be a testament to Chávez's attempt to grow a corporate state socialism. But, or more accurately, naturally, especially in socialist states, corruption is capitalism and generally economic advantage is as corrupt as it has to be.
America's own lunging attempt around profit's temptation vaulted Congress' solid six figure salaries that will still never compete with the lucrative free marketplace.
Yet Congress' Health Care Plan, "the American people" can't afford for themselves, is so expensive that could be the worst joke ever. No?
Well, President Chávez had the theatricality down too. Taking a public stand and being dramatic about it. Even cool announcing the closing of two "bourgeois" golf country clubs. Using symbolism as a toy to bounce around for media consumption. Is there evidence kids are programmed against golf? Programas is a feature on the current Caracas Country Club website so trickle up, at least on the electronic surface, must not be totally dried up?
Chávez could no more eliminate corruption than capitalists can. So he beat his chest standing for fair play as Americans have from different frames of mind. We giggle when a Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerburg achieves infamous wealth while mere kids. And snicker Hugo Chávez built his political revolution at the same time. According to Wikipedia, he saw the poor weren't getting a fairer share of the country's worth and how really tough that is to get right.
Cubans have been sent to the United States for more advanced cancer treatment. Bet even Cuban doctors admit they're not state-of-the-art. What if Señor Chávez could have bought more time for his life's revolution in the United States?
Maybe with time for reflection on the exploiter's soil, he might have conceded how little difference there is between successful socialism and capitalism. Because when either works correctly they're the same difference. You have to, or at least should, love Fire Departments as Social Enterprise.
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Already Nostalgic for an Era's
Imagery?
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Possibly Chávez on reflection would have used his personal charismatic magnetism to simmer down an already worn out economics debate?
Socialism may not be ripe for nation-states to bet their farms. But there's certainly room for more celebrity stars despite, or in spite of our historical scars.
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July 28, 1954 - March 5, 2013
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in VICE Magazine by Greg Palast
HUGO CHAVEZ AND THE GLOBAL POVERTY CONSPIRACY
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The Bright and Sunshiny Reform Agenda?
Was also featured on a related note in Sunday, March 3rd's REUTERS. In Luxury villas, designer labels: jailed Mexico union boss' U.S. oasis, by Marty Graham, there's an overview deconstruction of the alleged corruption of Mexico's teachers' union boss, Elba Esther Gordillo, whose fantasy defense probably includes how expensive it is competing at every political level, and most notably, national ones.
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