tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1214972120511573397.post2738090739467247122..comments2008-01-16T08:39:20.047-05:00mpkellogghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17877452326046388209noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1214972120511573397.post-34172468838099592982008-01-16T08:39:00.000-05:002008-01-16T08:39:00.000-05:002008-01-16T08:39:00.000-05:00this is, without a doubt, the single best piece of analysis on the Venezuelan referendum i've seen yet.<BR/><BR/>the notion of working class self activity is key here - and the way forward for Venezuela, as well as for broader struggles against imperialism globally is to fight for reforms where possible, of course, but using those reforms in a manner which allows them to be implemented, not by the bureaucratic state apparatus but by working people and the poor themselves, organized in the form of democratic worker's councils. <BR/><BR/>This necessarily brings people into conflict with more than imperialism, it brings them into conflict with capitalism itself, rendering talk about 'socialism' much more meaningful than the vague way that Chavez often uses the term, even if the necessary preconditions for actual socialism don't exist in Venezuela now.<BR/><BR/>one interesting thing about Venezuela is that, in a very limited, weak sort of fashion there already exists a kind of dual power situation, yet not at all similar to anything in history i'm familiar with - certainly not analogous to the dual power that existed in 1917, yet there is, at the very base of Venezuelan society already developed, and still developing, a network of community and workplace associations, "Bolivarian circles", etc - which can serve to both act as a way to transmit government policy down to local levels as they do now, as well as potentially develop in a way that renders the existing state apparatus as no longer necessary for the implementation of reforms - which in itself is a revolution far beyond the Chavez model thus far.<BR/><BR/>But such a development also requires, not as a precondition for its start, which may emerge spontaneously - but rather for its survival - the formation of a revolutionary organization dedicated to bringing these elements to the forefront and fighting relentlessly for a worker's agenda.<BR/><BR/>the defeat of the referendum, while a setback, is by no means a final defeat.jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10537747915658475441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1214972120511573397.post-52460654823343427512008-01-07T01:30:00.000-05:002008-01-07T01:30:00.000-05:002008-01-07T01:30:00.000-05:00Fantastic article, Paul. I always appreciate how you clearly and concisely explain political events of such complexity.<BR/><BR/>I also think this is easily one of the best short analyses of what happened in the referendum.DJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308588523084260841noreply@blogger.com