The Capitalist Right looking for help from The Socialist Left??
Dear Professor Southgate,
If you review your Dispatch column “Chavez feeling backlash
as Latin America takes right turn," * I think you will agree that it, probably unintentionally, raises an interesting perspective.
You argue that Latin America is turning to the right, a turn of which you seem to approve. Your last few paragraphs, however, undercut your approval.
You say:
“So Latin America is not falling in behind Chavez. But in a sense, the challenge that he has posed to the political status quo may turn out to be useful. Successful or not, the campaigns of President Evo Morales of Bolivia, Humala and Lopez-Obrador prove that, in places with reasonably democratic elections, economic expansion can be jeopardized if a sizable portion of the population remains impoverished.
Maybe Chavez and Co. will scare their opponents into improving education and other public services, thereby helping more people to rise out of poverty and to benefit from market-oriented economic development. If so, the greater good truly will have been served.”
There’s the rub: sizable portions of the population remain impoverished. They remain impoverished – as you point out - in countries presently controlled by the RIGHT, and – by your own indirect admission – they will stay that way UNLESS Lefties like Chavez “scare” “market oriented” Righties into helping the people.
Hence, unintentionally I’m sure, you argue that right/market-oriented systems -- even democratic ones – won’t act in the interests of a sizable portion of their people unless forced to.
Perhaps, if we really believe in democracy and government of, by, and for the people, we should hope for a turn to the Left in Latin America.
- Uke Man
* http://www.ukuleleman.net/2006/05/southgate-on-chavez.html
If you review your Dispatch column “Chavez feeling backlash
as Latin America takes right turn," * I think you will agree that it, probably unintentionally, raises an interesting perspective.
You argue that Latin America is turning to the right, a turn of which you seem to approve. Your last few paragraphs, however, undercut your approval.
You say:
“So Latin America is not falling in behind Chavez. But in a sense, the challenge that he has posed to the political status quo may turn out to be useful. Successful or not, the campaigns of President Evo Morales of Bolivia, Humala and Lopez-Obrador prove that, in places with reasonably democratic elections, economic expansion can be jeopardized if a sizable portion of the population remains impoverished.
Maybe Chavez and Co. will scare their opponents into improving education and other public services, thereby helping more people to rise out of poverty and to benefit from market-oriented economic development. If so, the greater good truly will have been served.”
There’s the rub: sizable portions of the population remain impoverished. They remain impoverished – as you point out - in countries presently controlled by the RIGHT, and – by your own indirect admission – they will stay that way UNLESS Lefties like Chavez “scare” “market oriented” Righties into helping the people.
Hence, unintentionally I’m sure, you argue that right/market-oriented systems -- even democratic ones – won’t act in the interests of a sizable portion of their people unless forced to.
Perhaps, if we really believe in democracy and government of, by, and for the people, we should hope for a turn to the Left in Latin America.
- Uke Man
* http://www.ukuleleman.net/2006/05/southgate-on-chavez.html
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