Latin America: Social Movements in Times of Economic Crises

[The most striking aspect of the prolonged and deepening world recession/depression is the relative and absolute passivity of the working and middle class in the face of massive job losses, big cuts in wages, health care and pension payments and mounting housing foreclosures. The Venezuelan social movements retain their vigor in part because of the encouragement of Chavez' leadership, but the movements are also held back by powerful reformist currents in the regime.]

Latin America: Social Movements in Times of Economic Crises

August 17th 2009, by James Petras

The most striking aspect of the prolonged and deepening world recession/depression is the relative and absolute passivity of the working and middle class in the face of massive job losses, big cuts in wages, health care and pension payments and mounting housing foreclosures. Never in the history of the 20-21st Century has an economic crisis caused so much loss to so many workers, employees, small businesses, farmers and professionals with so little large-scale public protest.

To explore some tentative hypotheses of why there is little organized protest, we need to examine the historical-structural antecedents to the world economic depression. More specifically, we will focus on the social and political organizations and leadership of the working class; the transformation of the structure of labor and its relationship to the state and market. These social changes have to be located in the context of the successful ruling class socio-political struggles from the 1980's, the destruction of the Communist welfare state and the subsequent uncontested penetration of imperial capital in the former Communist countries. The conversion of Western Social Democratic parties to neo-liberalism, and the subordination of the trade unions to the neo-liberal state are seen as powerful contributing factors in diminishing working class representation and influence.

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Venezuelan President Calls for “Re-definition” of Socialist Party

[On his weekly talk show Aló Presidente on Sunday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), of which he is president, will undergo a "re-definition" in which sectarianism and corrupt party leadership must end and the party must strengthen its ties to social movements.]

Venezuelan President Calls for “Re-definition” of Socialist Party

May 4th 2009, by James Suggett – Venezuelanalysis.com

Mérida, May 4th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) -- On his weekly talk show Aló Presidente on Sunday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), of which he is president, will undergo a "re-definition" in which sectarianism and corrupt party leadership must end and the party must strengthen its ties to social movements.

The PSUV is "on course toward the redefinition of many things in the party's internal operating," Chávez said on the nationally televised talk show. "In the PSUV, we must distance ourselves from the tendencies of the past; we cannot let ourselves be trapped by sectarianism," he said.

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