Well it's only a single case and it doesn't really say a lot. In the short run the poor are probably better off under him than under anyone else, but in the long run hell no - his economic policies are ruining his country!

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Originally posted by St_Andrew Well it's only a single case and it doesn't really say a lot. In the short run the poor are probably better off under him than under anyone else, but in the long run hell no - his economic policies are ruining his country!

If that's "better off," I'd hate to see what "worse" looks like.

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Originally posted by NeoPhono If that's "better off," I'd hate to see what "worse" looks like.

For example, a good economic policy would be to spend his oil money on more long term projects, like infrastructure, an oil profit fund (to avoid "dutch disease" and still have good economic possibilites when the oil runs out), etc. But he spent his money on building free medical centers for poor people, food and housing subsidaires etc. Or to make more reasonble policies, fighting inflation instead of price control, letting private buisnesses invest instead of taking all the money for short term spending etc.

So surely someone is better off under Chavez right now if you are poor, compared to someone with more reasonble economic policies, but in 10 years time you sure wouldn't be.

He's too busy flying around trying to tell the West how evil we are.

Sounds like your a-typical autocratic dictatorship to me...

stogies with Castro stunt your brain....

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

Invade, Damnit Rummy! INVADE!!!!!!!

___________________
Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...

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Originally posted by MisterOpus1 Invade, Damnit Rummy! INVADE!!!!!!!

I am soooo ready for isolationism again.

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Originally posted by Fir3start3r He's too busy flying around trying to tell the West how evil we are.

Latin America IS part of the WEST. Albeit an extreme version as a frenchman said, but still part of the west.

Still, I do agree he is the typical "caudillo," a dictator-like larva.

>Mass demonstrations yesterday opposing Chavez<


viva'la revolucion'!!!!!!!

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Originally posted by KaNoS Latin America IS part of the WEST. Albeit an extreme version as a frenchman said, but still part of the west.

Not really. Chile is very Western. Uruguay, Argentina, and southern Brazil are fairly western as well. The problem is that the rest of Latin America is much poorer then western Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In fact, most of the countries of eastern Europe have a higher GDP then Latin America, and even Chile's GDP doesn't compare with the Czech Republic or Slovenia.
In Brazil's biggest cities the problem is the lack of a large Middle Class base. You've oftentimes got two thirds poor, and a third that are rich/wealthy. From what I've read the poorest parts of Brazil are in the north, while the 3 most southern states are the most prosperous with a good Middle and upper class base.
Colombia? Peru? Bolivia? Panama? Venezuela? Take your pick - unstable governments, mass poverty, and in many countries there it's even hard to find dairy products. Things might not be nearly as bad as parts of Africa (where in some countries 30 percent of the population has Aids) or Bangledesh, but they're not as good as in the West.