[ALEXIS_DH]

So, chavez in Venezuela, Morales in Bolivia…
And now elections in Peru.
Leading is Lourdes Flores, from the Popular Christian Party, representing the Peruvian “right” (which really is a social democrat.. i´d say she is a bit to the left from US democrats).
2nd is Ollanta Humala (a self proclaimed “national socialist” who bases his plan on a racial retribution to the Indian people, and extreme gvmt intervention), and close 3d is Alan Garcia (the guy who caused the 2000000% inflation in the late 80s, and left the country bankrupt with his crazy lefty policies).

The 90s have been a period of “neoliberal” (as they are called here) reforms, to free markets, privatize public companies under the direction the IMF and the world bank.
While I don’t think they´ve been a failure. (they fixed the hyper inflation in the millions in brazil and peru, and brought much needed capital to create jobs), they opened the doors for enormous bribes and corruption, and I´d say their success has been limited. People expected a lot from them, and in the eyes of the general population much of the benefits have stayed within what is widely considered the “elites” of European descent. (specially in the Andean countries like Bolivia, peru and ecuador).

People demand Changes, and they demand radical changes.. in hopes they will improve everyones conditions. But at the same time, the general population is poorly educated and virtually acts out of spite and guts instead of brains…. And wants a change for the sake of it, as long as it means cutting ties with the IMF (largely blamed for the failure of the “neoliberal” model) without 2nd thoughts about what really will ensue.

Chavez is the local bully, but he has the oil to bully around and not be disturbed by the US. And to push socialist candidates in other countries around to pursue his “Bolivarian revolution” to unite South America (as Simon Bolivar 200 years ago dreamed) against “American Imperialism”…….
Bolivia has the 2nd natural gas reserves after Venezuela, but its landlocked, and coca-leaf growing paradise with a recently elected Morales who promises the benefits of gas to be distributed among all Bolivians, and the liberalization of coca leafs.

What is coming now????
Thoughts on the responses of people?? What would jesus do?

 

[DaveW]

Well can't be any worse than the right wing govenments of the past like Pinochet, Noriega or the Batista's

 

[Changleen]

The 90s have been a period of “neoliberal” (as they are called here) reforms, to free markets, privatize public companies under the direction the IMF and the world bank.
While I don’t think they´ve been a failure. (they fixed the hyper inflation in the millions in brazil and peru, and brought much needed capital to create jobs), they opened the doors for enormous bribes and corruption, and I´d say their success has been limited. People expected a lot from them, and in the eyes of the general population much of the benefits have stayed within what is widely considered the “elites” of European descent. (specially in the Andean countries like Bolivia, peru and ecuador).

Do you think this is just a necassary step on the way to more wealth for everyone? After all a capitalist system seems to work best when there is a wealth disparity, it kind of moves everyone forward, albeit the poorer people move slower. Without a concentration of money anywhere, the system tends to stagnate. You need a few ultra-rich to drive the whole investment/job creation process.

People demand Changes, and they demand radical changes.. in hopes they will improve everyones conditions. But at the same time, the general population is poorly educated and virtually acts out of spite and guts instead of brains…. And wants a change for the sake of it, as long as it means cutting ties with the IMF (largely blamed for the failure of the “neoliberal” model) without 2nd thoughts about what really will ensue.

So people are expecting too much too fast?

 

[MudGrrl]

there are governments outside of the United States???????





holy crap.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Do you think this is just a necassary step on the way to more wealth for everyone? After all a capitalist system seems to work best when there is a wealth disparity, it kind of moves everyone forward, albeit the poorer people move slower. Without a concentration of money anywhere, the system tends to stagnate. You need a few ultra-rich to drive the whole investment/job creation process.So people are expecting too much too fast?

i think thats the case.
i remember a short interview on the ex economics minister, pedro pablo kuczynski on newsweek where he explains this stuff, that can be somewhat extended to most of SA. and i´d say i agree with him on that. but i´d say most (lile 9 out of 10) wouldnt agree.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6999743/site/newsweek

honestly, after the lefties of the 70s and theys nationalizations funded with debt, and 80s, the 7 digit inflation, the purchasing power and real wages declining as much as 80% in 20 years.... a 5% GDP growth rate for 5 or 10 years isnt enough to bring a country back from the grave, or at least is not so obvious to the general population.

the argument i hear from people around here is the usual, perfect solution fallacy. "i still see poor people, thus the neoliberal model doesnt work.... bring another!". which is pretty stupid IMO.
as good or bad as the free market ideas are working here (the 5% growth, 100% increase in exports in the last 5 years, the housing boom, increased house power consumption, higher population spending, lower poverty rates, better health indexes, even increased gini indexes!!, etc) ..... they are really the best available option right now.

granted the "improvement" isnt as fast as one would desire. (i once heard from PPK that for the growth to cause the improvement at the rate desired.. it would need to be in the double digits for 10 years in a row).

with unemployment, and underemployment being huge problems, the lefties often offer a "quick fix" to that.
that is "public companies", and "public employment", and markets intervention to control prices, which usually comes at the price of huge inflation (which is the untold story).

so when people face the 2 options. the "free market model" and its slow but somewhat steady improvement... and the lefties with the promises of "controlling prices" and the offers of jobs in the gvmt payroll...... a lot of people go for the 2nd.
and to top that, there is a racial component... in which the "neoliberal model" is associated to the whitish minorities, that causes even more rejection...