Table Of ContentWILPERT
GREGORY
CHANOING
VENEZUELA
BY TAKINO POWER
THE HISTORY AND POLICIES
OF THE CHAVEZ GOVERNMENT
"0utstanding, and highlY informative" Noam Chomsky
ililil/ililt
079
"This fascinating study-deeply informed, penetrating in its
analysis, comprehensive in scop*Xplores the historical and
socioeconomic roots of the Venezuelan initiatives of recent years'
the conflicts they have engendered, the achievements and pitfalls,
the animating ideals of a genuinely participatory society, and the
prospects for realizing them in ways that if successful, might have
significant impact not only for Latin America but well beyond."
Noam ChomskY
"Gregory Wilpert's book combines academic insight with
perspectives gained from living in Venezuela through the
tumultuous years of the Chdvez administration. His book offers the
best geReral introduction to the complex politics of a country and
a leader rilaking a profound impact on global politics at the dawn
of this new century." Daniel Hellingeri Professor of Political Science
at Webster University and co-editor of Venezuelan Politics in the
Chdvez Era
"Greg Wilpert knows Venezuela intimately and gives us the most
thorough and objective analysis of the Ch6vez government's
policies we are likely to find. A thoughtful and useful book for the
21st century and, let us hope, beyond." Susan George, Chair of the
Planning Board of the Transnational lnstitute, author of Another
World is Possible lf ...
Since coming to power in 1998, the Chdvez government has inspired
both fierce internal debate and horror amongst Western governments
accustomed to counting on an obeisant regime in the oil-rich state.
ln this rich and resourceful study, Greg Wilpert exposes the self-
serving logic behind much middle-class opposition to Venezuela's
elected leader, and explains the real reason for their alarm. He
argues that the ChAvez government has instituted one of the world's
most progressive constitutions, but warns that it has yet to overcome
the dangerous specters of the country's past. j
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Cover photo: Ho/Corbis
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Changing Venezuela by
Taking Power
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Changing Venezuela by
Taking Power
The History and Policies of the Chiuez Goaernment
GREGORY \TILPERT
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VERS O
London . NewYork
Changing Venezuela by
Taking Power
The History and Policies of the Chiuez Goaernment
GREGORY \TILPERT
v
VERS O
London . NewYork
Contents
Acknowledgments vlt
First published by Verso 2007 Introduction
@ Gregory \i?ilpert 2007
987.064 All righa reserved 1. The Dialectic of Counter-Revolution and Radicalization 9
w86C 2. Governance Poliry 29
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
3. Economic Policy 69
2007
13579108642 4, Social Policy i05
l5r
5. Foreign Policy
Verso 6. Opportunities, Obstacles, and Prospects 183
UK: 6 Meard Street, London \(1F OEG
USA: 180 Varick Sueet, New York, NY 100141606
Epilogue: 2007-Year of Transition to
www.versobooks.com
Twenty-first Century Socialism? 219
Verso is the imprint of New Left Boola
Appendi* \0flhat is Twenty-first Century Socialism? 237
ISBN: 978-l -8 4467 -552-4 (pbk) Notes 267
ISBN: 978-l -8 4467 -07 | -0 (hbk) References 295
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Index 303
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Caaloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Typeset in Garamond by Hewer Text UK Ltd, Edinburgh
Printed and bound in the USA by Courier Stoughton Inc.
t
Contents
Acknowledgments vlt
First published by Verso 2007 Introduction
@ Gregory \i?ilpert 2007
987.064 All righa reserved 1. The Dialectic of Counter-Revolution and Radicalization 9
w86C 2. Governance Poliry 29
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
3. Economic Policy 69
2007
13579108642 4, Social Policy i05
l5r
5. Foreign Policy
Verso 6. Opportunities, Obstacles, and Prospects 183
UK: 6 Meard Street, London \(1F OEG
USA: 180 Varick Sueet, New York, NY 100141606
Epilogue: 2007-Year of Transition to
www.versobooks.com
Twenty-first Century Socialism? 219
Verso is the imprint of New Left Boola
Appendi* \0flhat is Twenty-first Century Socialism? 237
ISBN: 978-l -8 4467 -552-4 (pbk) Notes 267
ISBN: 978-l -8 4467 -07 | -0 (hbk) References 295
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Index 303
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Caaloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Typeset in Garamond by Hewer Text UK Ltd, Edinburgh
Printed and bound in the USA by Courier Stoughton Inc.
t
Acknowledgments
This book was a long time in the making-about five years' My wife and
I originally came up with the idea back in 2002, shortly after the coup
atrempt, thinking that after the coup had called the world's attention to
Venezuela, it would be a good idea to write a general overview of what
the Ch6vez government has done since it came into office. However, it
proved to be far more difficult to simultaneously work as a freelance
writer and to write an unremunerated book than I had imagined. I
originally thought I could simply Put together an anthology of my
articles on Venezuela, but this did not work well. So, I then proceeded to
write the book in my spare time, between freelance jobs. fu a result and
due to a variery of other unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, it
took far longer to complete than originally anticipated.
Finally, though, here it is! And the person I have to thank first and
'Without
foremost for it seeing the light of day is my wife, Carol Delgado.
her unquestioning suppon, critical suggestions, dedication, faith, patience,
and love, it would never have gotten done. This is her book and if it
weren't for the fact that I am the one who ultimately bears responsibiliry
for the boolis shortcomings, her name ought to be on the cover too'
Over the years, others have also helped me along the way. Here I
should particularly mention the many, many Venezuelans, ordinary and
leaders, opposition, pro-goverrirhent, and "ni-ni" (neither Pro- nor anti-
Chivez) who allowed me to interview them or casually talkwith them for
this book, and for my other writing projects that contributed to this
book. There are too many to mendon and I am bound to leave many out
if I try because some of these interviews or conversations took place many
years ago. Many of the interviews, though, are transcribed on the website
Venezuelanalysis. com.
Acknowledgments
This book was a long time in the making-about five years' My wife and
I originally came up with the idea back in 2002, shortly after the coup
atrempt, thinking that after the coup had called the world's attention to
Venezuela, it would be a good idea to write a general overview of what
the Ch6vez government has done since it came into office. However, it
proved to be far more difficult to simultaneously work as a freelance
writer and to write an unremunerated book than I had imagined. I
originally thought I could simply Put together an anthology of my
articles on Venezuela, but this did not work well. So, I then proceeded to
write the book in my spare time, between freelance jobs. fu a result and
due to a variery of other unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, it
took far longer to complete than originally anticipated.
Finally, though, here it is! And the person I have to thank first and
'Without
foremost for it seeing the light of day is my wife, Carol Delgado.
her unquestioning suppon, critical suggestions, dedication, faith, patience,
and love, it would never have gotten done. This is her book and if it
weren't for the fact that I am the one who ultimately bears responsibiliry
for the boolis shortcomings, her name ought to be on the cover too'
Over the years, others have also helped me along the way. Here I
should particularly mention the many, many Venezuelans, ordinary and
leaders, opposition, pro-goverrirhent, and "ni-ni" (neither Pro- nor anti-
Chivez) who allowed me to interview them or casually talkwith them for
this book, and for my other writing projects that contributed to this
book. There are too many to mendon and I am bound to leave many out
if I try because some of these interviews or conversations took place many
years ago. Many of the interviews, though, are transcribed on the website
Venezuelanalysis. com.
vlll GREGORY'$O'II-PERT
Others who have helped in a variety of ways to move the project
forward, whether via discussions or logistical support, include (in no
particular order): Alex Main, Eva Golinger, Marta Harnecker, Michael
Lebowitz, Martin Sanchez, Eduardo Daza, Jonah Gindin, Sharmini Introduction
Peries, Tariq AIi, Michael Fox, Simone Baribeau, Chris Carlson, Steven
Mather, Alex Holland, Sarah \(/agner, my inJaws: Isabel, Grecia, Luis-
Miguel, Margarita, and Luis, and my parents: Bernhard and Czarina.
Also, at various points in rhe project several individuals reviewed
chapters or the entire manuscripr and I am very grateful to them for
having gone through the trouble and, in many cases, for having provided
me with invaluable advice. These include Raul Zelik, Perry Anderson,
Michael Albert, three anonymous reviewers assigned by Verso, and my La verdad de Venezuela
wife Carol. I tried to adhere to their suggestions whenever possible, but no se ve en el Country club
was not always able to do so, whether out of stubbornness or lack of la verdad se ve en los cerros
understanding. con su gente y su inquietudl
\ffilpert
Gregory Primera,
-Ali
Caracas, July 10,2007 Yo Wngo de Dondc
Uted no ha ldo
\7ith the general disorientation that today dominates left parties and
theorists around the world, following the successive failures of state
socialism and of social democracy, one would hardly have expected a
small, relatively wealthy, and inconspicuous country in Latin America to
lVhy
boldly announce it will create 21st century socialism. and how was
tvhat
this possible in Venezuela? What does it mean? are its prospects for
success? These are the three main questions this book seels to answer'
The International Context
The election of a leftist president in Venezuela in 1998 foreshadowed
what would, in the following seven years, become a wave of successes for
left-leaning presidential candidates in Latin America. Leftists who
followed Hugo Ch'iez into the presidenry of their respective countries
were, first, Luiz Ignacio "Lula" da Silva in Brazil in October 2002, then
Lucio Gutierrez in Ecuador in January 2003, Nestor Kirchner in
fugentina in May 2003, Tabar€ Yazquez in Uruguay in October
2004, Evo Morales in Bolivia in December 2005, Rafael Correa in
