Venezuela: On the Road to Socialism?

Hugo Chavez proclaimed in his inauguration speech following his re-election in December that “We are moving towards a socialist republic of Venezuela”. Chavez had won a third term as President with 63% of the vote and went onto refer to the ideas of Marx, Lenin and Trotsky.

Jim McFarlane, Dundee

However, what does he actually mean with statements like that as well as his proposal to rename Venezuela as a “socialist Bolivarian republic”. First of all these statements are very significant. Chavez has moved significantly to the left since first coming to power in 1998. He has just announced the nationalisation of the country’s largest private electricity company and a big telecommunications company, both of which were privatised in the early 1990’s. This reflects partially the pressure from the Venezuelan workers and poor for more far reaching attempts to alleviate the poor living conditions of much of the country. It also marks the rejection of neo-liberalism throughout Latin America and how the ideas of socialism have been revived as a genuine alternative to super-exploitation and mass poverty.

Chavez has brought in social programmes that have helped the poor. He has taken some steps against the power of big business as well as curbing the power of the Central Bank but has a long way to go. 25% of Venezuelans are still living on less than 1 US$ a day. Chavez has been able to invest in education and public services partly due to the revenues the country receives due to the current high oil prices.

There is clearly a mood for more far reaching change reflected in a recent poll in a right wing newspaper in Venezuela. 75% of non-Chavez voters were in favour of the appropriation of factories and 60% were in favour of the appropriation of land.

While the workers and poor masses have saved Chavez from attempted coups 3 times now, the forces of reaction both internationally and domestically have not gone away.

Chavez has proposed the formation of a United Socialist Party to of Venezuela to replace the current coalition of different parties supporting Chavez. How this party will build and develop is unclear. Nothing is yet known about its future political programme or whether there will be clear democratic structures. Any bureaucratic type party will hinder the development of what is needed to not only consolidate the gains made so far but also the vital necessity of a mass socialist party with a genuine socialist programme. The party needs to have open debate, the right of tendencies to exist and must insist on its representatives to be paid a skilled worker’s wage with the right of recall. It is the working class that has the central role in transforming society and any socialist party worthy of the name must be based upon the working class its independent class interests.

As Marxists we support every gain or reform that benefits the working class and poor masses. We are resolutely opposed to the United States allied with the Venezuelan capitalist’s attempts to overthrow the Chavez government to further their own interests and reverse the partial advances made by the masses under the Chavez regime.

So far Chavez has built a kind of half way house and this puts at risk the advances made and also encourages reaction to organise again to overthrow his administration. There have been very limited nationalisations where the government has taken a majority shareholding in some workplaces under the banner of co-management. What is necessary is the nationalisation of decisive sectors of the economy under democratic workers control. This requires a conscious working class with a mass party armed with a socialist programme.

Chavez talked of his admiration of Leon Trotsky and in favour of Trotsky’s theory of Permanent Revolution. He is right to point to the importance of this theory but more importantly it is crucial to apply that theory into practice. The problems of Latin America and the effects of capitalism internationally cannot be resolved by small timid steps. The revolution must be permanent in its aim to break out of the constraints of one relatively small country. The establishment of socialism is impossible within the borders of one nation. This means that the socialist revolution must flourish and spread to other countries in Latin America.

These enormous tasks cannot be carried out by well intentioned leaders on behalf of the working class and poor masses. They must be carried out with the full participation and leadership of the workers. Chavez has so far displayed a top down approach that has substituted the independent role of the workers by the use of government or presidential decrees. New threats will occur and the strength of working class organisations such as independent trade unions and a mass socialist party need to be built urgently. The right wing opponents of the government have regrouped and will work at undermining Chavez before moving against him again.

Latin America is a continent in revolt and at the forefront of class struggle at the moment, with huge potentially explosive movements taking place in Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico. Socialist consciousness has taken a grip in some areas. But 41% of Latin Americans live on less than $2 a day while a tiny minority have a vast wealth. If the price of oil due to an economic downturn were to take place then that would cause big problems to leaders like Chavez.

A democratically planned socialist economy could start to radically alter society and improve the lives of millions across the continent. A mass movement for socialism is the only way to defend and extend the gains and to build a socialist federation of Latin America as a first step in building socialist world.