Venezuela

[Pi]

Another socialist failure:

Once again socialist government ends up with the usual bred lines and gulags.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36319877


http://time.com/venezuela-brink/


Considering the historical failures of socialist / Marxist government you have to wonder why people persist in trying it, and why it survives as a viable theory on just about every university campus.

Crony corporatism and corruption may well be a root cause of malcontent but socialism and socialist economics are definitely not the answer.

It wont end well, it never does.

[thesoretoothsayer]

I think now is about the time the "but it wasn't really socialism..." chorus starts up.

[Mugwump]

^ nobody who reads anything I write will expect me to defend socialism, but in truth Venezuela is really a corrupt oil state where military populists have used the people's oil wealth to buy loyalty. I think the verdict of history is pretty clear that good societies need a little socialism to moderate the malign effects of an essentially capitalist model of allocation. I think it is also clear that primitive capitalism can make a society relatively well off as long as competition is assured by government, whereas primitive socialism is always the road to serfdom and poverty.

[npalm]

The worse thing about socialism\communism is that it gives capitalism a good name.

I always wonder what kind of economic systems are employed by the universe's intelligent species.

[Pies4shaw]

Singing it all together: "Tomorrow Belongs to Me ...."

[Wokko]

Capitalism, really just the free trade of goods and services between consenting individuals has raised more people out of poverty than any other system ever devised. The only people against it are brainwashed lefty kids and those who consider themselves academics or intellectuals. Socialism has been thoroughly and totally discredited, time and time and time again but something about our empathy and bizarre need for equality seems to bring this evil back to life again and again.

[Pies4shaw]

Because all academics and intellectuals are deluded and stupid and need to be sent to reeducation camp forthwith?

[thesoretoothsayer]

Because all academics and intellectuals are deluded and stupid and need to be sent to reeducation camp forthwith?

Sounds reasonable.

[stui magpie]

Because all academics and intellectuals are deluded and stupid and need to be sent to reeducation camp forthwith?

Sounds reasonable.

or just send them to work as a brickies labourer for 6 months and make them live off the wage

[Pies4shaw]

Why?

[David]

[stui magpie]

Why?

real world work experience

[pietillidie]

Ah, Venezuela; a chance to panic over the revolutionary intentions of all 116 infuriating Facebook posters who voted for the Communist Party of Australia, and glory in the brilliant decision of being born in a high-income, low-authority country whose economy is not distorted by a single, dominant resource.

[Pies4shaw]

Why?

real world work experience

Why?

[stui magpie]

Ah, Venezuela; a chance to panic over the revolutionary intentions of all 116 infuriating Facebook posters who voted for the Communist Party of Australia, and glory in the brilliant decision of being born in a high-income, low-authority country whose economy is not distorted by a single, dominant resource.

Dunno if it counts as dominating or a resource, but they put out some damn fine looking women, as attested by their performance over the years at international beauty contests.