ADSactly World: Exploring Venezuela’s collapse and the measures that caused it
Introduction
In Venezuela’s current state of affairs, there hasn’t been any significant news for the past few days, apart from the fact that some opposition leaders went to negotiate with the chavistas in Norway with the goal of figuring out a way to remove them from power without having any violent action taking place. However, as some people expected, the government doesn’t have enough incentives to leave power so the talks ended up being a failure.
There were a lot of people very disappointed because going to negotiations with the government means there is the chance for them to get away with their crimes, which is obviously an unthinkable option for the millions of people that have suffered due to their socialist revolution. Everyone wants to see them pay for the destruction they caused and the horrible crimes they have committed against the people. Besides, what previous negotiations were able to do was simply to buy time for the chavitas without actually fixing anything and much less achieving a change of government.
As time goes on, Guaidó’s public support will eventually start to decrease as people get frustrated due to the lack of result in removing the socialists from power. It has been almost 6 months since he became Venezuela’s interim president and despite having a lot of local and international support, the chavistas are still ruling Venezuela, or what is left of it.
The clock is ticking and for the good of all the Venezuelan people, let’s hope a solution is finally reached and Venezuela can once and for all reclaim the freedoms that were lost thanks to socialism.
As some of the readers might remember, for the past few weeks I have been writing articles about Karl Marx’s measures from the communist manifesto and explaining if they were applied in Venezuela, the previous article can be found here and today we are going to continue the discussion with the remaining measures.
Karl Marx measures
The next measure that still hasn’t been discussed is the following one:
- Equal liability of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture Source: this measure could be divided into 2 parts. The first one saying “equal liability of all to work” wasn’t exactly applied in the country. I mean, no one is actually forced to do any job whatsoever, but there are constant calls from the government to encourage people to “defend” the revolution with any means. Although I don’t think that is what this measure is about.
The second part of the measure says “Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture”, I would say this was indeed applied. It is very common for totalitarian governments to create militant movements full of indoctrinated people and use them as they see fit. There has also been reports about public employees being forced to participate in government events because otherwise, their employment could be at risk. This is a common strategy used by socialists to coerce vulnerable people into supporting them and create their own “industrial armies”.
There are even reports about public employees being ordered to expose any person with a public job that doesn’t support the revolution so they can fire this person and give the job to an individual who does support the revolution. As we can see, the intolerance to other people’s opinions that socialists bring with them is totalitarianism at its best.
The most extreme case happened back in 2002-2003 when there was a massive purge in Venezuela’s well-known oil company PDVSA. In this purge, the government fired more than 2000 employees that were against the revolution. The result of this takeover has been a terrible decline in the productivity of the company, it is reported that this decline of productivity is over 70%, a real tragedy especially because the country’s economy depends on oil. The wisest thing would be to use the oil revenue and diversify it and invest it in other industries, something similar to what Norwegians did with their oil revenue, but in Venezuela, this wealth was stolen by the chavistas.
When it comes to agriculture, as I have already mentioned in previous articles like this one, the food production in Venezuela has been decreasing which is one of the causes of the massive food shortage that the country is currently facing. Even though the chavistas tried to create strong militant groups through the expropriation of several companies and keeping only the employees that supported the revolution, most of these companies ended up in bankruptcy thanks to the government’s mismanagement and looting. There is one successful company that produces a lot of food in the country and it is a private one, the well known “Empresas Polar” that creates a great variety of products and thankfully it has survived the current economic collapse.
One of the “solutions” from the chavistas to the food shortage, is to make people even more dependent on the government and give free food away through a government program called “Clap”. This can also be used as a tool to buy votes from the people and gain their support. Sadly, there are individuals willing to jeopardize their future in exchange for a box full of food.
Conclusion
In this article, I continued with the exploration of Venezuela’s current collapse and expanded the discussion to include a few issues regarding the government control over public employees and the creation of something resembling the concept of industrial “armies”.
Right now it is clear the socialist model is collapsing and it is just a matter of time until a big change happens to start rebuilding a prosperous society.
I would like to ask the Venezuelans readers if they have first hand experience of the chavistas government forcing public employees to somehow express support towards the revolution. It would be good to enrich this discussion with this type of first hand experience.
Thanks for reading!
Authored by @dedicatedguy
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I would like to remove from power all that capitalistic and neoliberist peoples and that they pay for all the horrible crimes against human beings that they caused and are constantly causing:
What us have to do? 🙄
Well, everyone must pay for their crimes right? Although in Venezuela there are not many capitalistic or neoliberist people? Only socialists, sadly.
Greetings @adsactly and @dedicatedguy
Commenting on labor armies, or reserve industrial armies, Karl Marx's approach refers to capitalist systems designing work systems to do a lot of work with little staff, thus generating greater wealth for few people. In my perspective, I have known this as efficiency, where through the application of planning and a schematic system as well as the professionalization of human resources, we can do more with less, not only with less labor and therefore with the benefit that this entails, but also economy of energy, raw material and generation of lower environmental impact, improving quality levels in all areas. This generates a population of people without work, since in the efficient processes only the necessary resources must be used. Now, because the socialist state does not focus on preparing the unemployed society so that it can generate added value through generations of goods and services, based on a strategic plan of the country, in the direction of positioning each Venezuelan as a potential prospect for any company in the world. The greatest resource that Venezuela has is its people, and this populist system is ending it. Currently Venezuelans, unfortunately, we are behaving like the heirs of the deceased who left property, everyone is fighting their part, generating more resentment and hatred. When each Venezuelan understands that with knowledge and teamwork, developing feasible projects, and generating value, within the country or outside of Venezuela, we will be building a true homeland, which was often posed by Doctor Arturo Urlar Pietri, "sow the oil"Technology innovations destroy jobs but they also create new ones, look for example the amount of jobs destroyed by the internet, and then think about the amount of jobs that were created by the internet.
There is however, some discussions that try to solve the lack of jobs in the years ahead once robots and AI have taken over major industries. It hasn't happened yet, but when it does we would have to figure out a solution.
If you are referring to the political class, I agree. Being all leftists they all behave like the country is their property, hopefully in the next free elections after Maduro is outed we can choose a new government that isn't leftist, socialist, or anything similar. We need a pro free market, pro-business government.
Take a look at this document, it briefly explains how we got to this situation, and it also explains the potential solution and the best case scenario for the future of Venezuela: http://www.angelgarciabanchs.com/venezuelaelprimermilagroeconomicodelsigloxxi.pdf
Greetings @dedicatedguy
Thank you for your comment, and I am in agreement with your criteria, we need leadership with criteria "of great company" to make the most of the resources we have in this kind and blessed country, with only its tropical climate and beauty can generate more economic resources than with the exploitation of non-renewable resources, with the damage to the ecosystem that this entails On the other hand, the loss of a job because of the innovations generated, of human creation, has always been taking place; an example, the creation of the steam engine and the industrialization that this produced, as well as the start of the academies where studies necessary for the management of the new technology for the time were generated, generated ideological disputes, has always been like this, made the doctrines of "Karl Marx" are based on the criticism of the industrialization of the processes of that time. Based on the above, it can be said that the technological advances have always gone through conflicting processes; from the discovery of fire, the use of the stars for nautical navigation, the creation of fiduciary coins, the invention of gunpowder, as well as the printing press, the steam engine, electricity, the telegraph, the scientific method, serial production, modern science and technology; all these have generated a basis for many social questions and answers, policies and ideologies, but despite the initial inconveniences of each process, the initiative is adapted and accepted; going through improvement processes until a better substitute technology is created and displacing the previous one, in this way humanity has evolved. After the last 3000 years of experience in technological and social advances, what advantages would we obtain from the efficiency approach; understanding, accepting, adopting and adapting new technological proposals, seeing them as the result of the advancement of humanity, and not as sources of social, political and / or ideological polemics, allowing the advancement of societies in a more harmonious way , promoting inclusion and not exclusion!El artículo no es mío, solo que me gustó ese análisis y lo comparto cuando lo considero oportuno.
I read the comments, and I don't think it's possible that there are still people who defend socialism. I wouldn't know where to start with my presentation, because as always, @dedicatedguy, your post lends itself to debate. I know, from the first source, of people who are threatened to attend chavista rallies. However, I must confess that before the control was greater, now many people do not attend even if they are threatened. I do not know if it is because of rebellion or because it reaches a point where the person does not give a damn because he has lost even hope. First hand I also know the control that there is with the bags of the Clap. I live in a neighborhood of Cumaná and I watch with great sadness how people get excited when the bag arrives and the only way to see them protest is by telling them that the Clap will not arrive. But it's not for nothing! If in the market a package of rice has a value of 8,000, pasta 9,000, oil 15,000 and grains 7,000, and if in a bag given to you by the government there are 3 packages of rice, three of pasta, one oil and caraotas for 2,000 bolivars, obviously the people will not only be subdued, but humiliated. Even the bravest dogs are tamed with a piece of meat. As for Guaidó, it is better not to speak so as not to soak the crying keys. Trapped and with no way out, especially if there are still people who defend this government and believe in their stories out of the night. A big hug for you and thank you for sharing.
It is hard to believe, but there are people who still defend this totalitarian ideology.
Yes, coercion and socialism go hand in hand.
Thanks for the comment!
Hello @dedicatedguy, a few days ago I read an article of yours dedicated to Venezuela and what you call "Karl Marx measures". On that occasion I decided not to participate with comments on your publication. This time I'm going to take the risk.
In your conclusions there is something like receiving "free food through a government program called Clap." That man named Clap is NOT free or in the case of the destitute. The Clap even when they are subsidized are paid. And the worst of the case is that they are paid with blood, sweat, tears, lack of opportunities and freedoms. In a game of words in Spanish, it would be called Esclavizados (Es-Clap-vizados).
As for some first-hand experience. I have several. For example, in Sucre State, in practically all of its municipalities, public employees dependent on the governorship or mayors' offices are obliged to sign lists of assistance in support of the so-called revolution and to manifest their support to the government in squares or political gatherings, although not agree It is a long and painful issue because there are already many people wounded, dead, displaced or imprisoned because of not agreeing with the communism that has been applied in Venezuela since Chávez ascended to power. It's about the loss of 20 years, in every way. Greetings @dedicatedguy and greetings @adsactly. Hot topic
I agree, maybe instead of free I should have written "free". Nothing is free, and "free" things are usually the more expensive ones.
As always, socialism is all about coercion and the destruction of all sorts of freedom.
Very good post. Regarding Guaidó, I must say I am among the disappointed ones. I understand it does not entirely depend on him to make the changes people expect become a reality and soon, but he has done very little to dissipate the suspicions that this is nothing but some sort of dirty gentlemen's agreement and the good of the people will be left for some paralell universe or next life.
All the "achievements" I see have to do not with stopping the massive migration that will make the recovery of the country impossible, but to guarantee that such migration will be accelerated (countries accepting expired passports, etc.).
God point. Actually, they have encouraged laziness and state dependance. As for the establishing of industrial armies, especially for agriculture, that was not done either. I wish they had had the discipline and sense of duty to at least have done that. It would have justified their demand of fidelity. The only armies they have created are armies of blind innepts and dimwits who were burried in poverty and mediocrity so much that they see it as an honor to serve in the army that is making the destruction of the country something irreversible.
I agree with what you say about Guaido, he now seems to be among those that collaborate with the chavistas (criticizing them, but not taking action to remove them from power). I don't understand why Guaido or the national assembly haven't yet requested international help. Negotiations with this type of criminals are pointless because they have no reasons to leave the government, they have committed crimes against humanity which is a type of crime that is not forgiven, and the only layer of protection they have, is because they are a "government", that is, until they stop being a "government" by the means of force. Once this happens they will either end up dead or imprisoned, maybe some of them will end up hiding in another corrupted country. So they pretty much have no reason to negotiate their way out.
Well, you also have to take into account that chavistas and socialists in general treat the population as their own hostages, (Berlin Wall, North Korea...) and for the people in Venezuela renewing their passports or acquiring them is very expensive due to corruption in the public sector that basically extort people if they want these documents. So for people with little money they literally are unable to have valid passports because they don't have the money to pay for them, usually charged in dollars by the way...
Allowing other nations to accept Venezuelan with expired passports is a way to help these people stop being hostages for the chavistas. I understand this doesn't help in removing the chavistas from power, but it does help the people being treated like hostages by their own "government."
Yes, that is what socialism does.
O.o
It seems irreversible, especially the social degeneration, not so much the economic one because economies can be build up with a proper free market model. Only time will tell if the children that are currently suffering from hunger can eventually become competitive and productive adults.
That's what I see as the real problem, one that can turn the economic recovery up the hill. Of course you can always do what Perez Jimenez did in the 50s
After your excellent article-denounces, @dedicatedguy, and what other people have contributed, it's a little difficult to add something new.
I will only refer to something that came out of the opinion of one of the participants in the debate: why do people continue to support the current regime in Venezuela, after having almost completely destroyed the country? If we look at it from the inside, there is a large part - I would say the majority - that simply acts out of the need for survival that the regime has created to manipulate, debasing many in their own ignorance and misery. But there is another part, and I want to emphasize this one, that acts (or opines) in favor of what could be called "ideological blackmail"; they are those who got hooked years ago on the ideology of a supposed egalitarian and just society that would represent socialism, a thesis that past and recent history has been in charge of demonstrating as a terrible fallacy, but that many insist on not wanting to see or accept. This is the case with many foreigners who, unaware of the crude reality of our country (I continue to live in Venezuela), dare, naively or shamelessly, from the comfort of their country, to advocate for this regime. And here have appeared some.
Thanks again for your post, @dedicateguy. Greetings.
Venezuela is a very rich country... With it collapsing the oil companies can get the resources out very cheaply... And I think Venezuela turned their backs to the world bank... And I think the world bank with the oil companies funded the Civil unrest... It's terrible as South Africa is in the same situation at this moment.
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I feel that the current situation it's a result of a financial war: isn't it really clear? 😜
It is the result of socialism. The crisis began before any sanction and the sanctions are against politicians.
Yes most definately... There is always wars in countries with rich resources... Sadly
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Even Italy is under financial (capitalistic) attack. Greece has been already almost completely invaded! 🤔
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Yes... True... Both of those countries are in trouble... Do you think it's also because they embrace cryptocurrencies?
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No, those countries have "bad" economies for other reasons, such as not having enough economic freedom, and maybe for sharing a currency with countries that are more competitive (Germany).
Switzerland for example also embraces cryptocurrencies, they even have something called the "Crypto Valley" (like Silicon Valley) in the Zug canton, and as you surely know, Switzerland is one of the most prosperous countries on Earth, it is no surprise that it is also one of the countries with the most economic freedom, one of the best countries for businesses, etc... you know, the complete opposite of socialism.
The civil unrest is caused due to the collapse, which in turn, was the result of implementing a flawed socialist model that has never succeeded in the history of the world... There are, of course, a lot of nations interested in Venezuela's resources, so far Cuba has been collaborating with the looting for over 20 years.
With a proper free market model these problems wouldn't be happening. I really hope that Venezuela can regain its freedom and be a prosperous and free country once again. It is very sad that the voters in Venezuela got confused with socialism, which always ends with totalitarianism and collapses.
Hi, @adsactly!
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