Coming to a socialist paradise near you... $170/# hamburger
- Thread starter noble cane
- Start date
The problem seems to lie a bit more in the fact that their economy is completely reliant on oil production than the fact that they have socialist policies. They have the worlds largest quantity of proved oil reserves, and they provide 10% of the imported oil into the U.S.
To put that in perspective, everyone on this board (and around this state) has been talking about how Oklahoma's budget has suffered because of the decline in oil production tax revenue...well Venezuela produces roughly the same amount of oil in a day that Oklahoma does in a month. When their revenue from oil falls, the country REALLY feels it.
To put that in perspective, everyone on this board (and around this state) has been talking about how Oklahoma's budget has suffered because of the decline in oil production tax revenue...well Venezuela produces roughly the same amount of oil in a day that Oklahoma does in a month. When their revenue from oil falls, the country REALLY feels it.
Hmmm... Oklahoma hasn't nationalized its oil fields, limited foreign investment, restricted its citizens access to foreign currency, seized foreign assets, restricted travel, and jailed dissidents... But hey, other than that... Oklahoma and Venezuela are the same....
Cool story. I have no doubt they did all those things, but the fact that oil production represents a sizable chunk of their GDP probably has more to do with their current state of affairs than any of the things you mentioned. Also, nationalizing their oil fields isn't just a socialist problem. Most of the oil producers in the world have nationalized their oil fields.
On top of that, it's not like the US doesn't do any of the things you mentioned.
The US has:
Siezed foreign assets - Iran, Russia, etc...
Restricted travel - TSA, No Fly List, etc...
Jailed (or attempted to jail) dissidents - Snowden
It's not on the same scale to be sure... but let's not say capitalism is a shining example of perfection.
On top of that, it's not like the US doesn't do any of the things you mentioned.
The US has:
Siezed foreign assets - Iran, Russia, etc...
Restricted travel - TSA, No Fly List, etc...
Jailed (or attempted to jail) dissidents - Snowden
It's not on the same scale to be sure... but let's not say capitalism is a shining example of perfection.
I advise you to read up on the international implications of the energy crisis if you're going to complain about Venezuela. Here is a very good article to do so:
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/twilight-the-petrostate-16235
I don't completely agree with the author's conjecture that renewables have been a major cause of the price decline, but the analysis on the reasons for the problems in the "poorer" petrostates is pretty spot on.
To be fair, the socialist public programs in Venezuela may have been a reason that the country couldn't build up a big enough rainy day fund for the price downturn (as others like Saudi have), but I wouldn't say that political repression is a major contributing factor.
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/twilight-the-petrostate-16235
I don't completely agree with the author's conjecture that renewables have been a major cause of the price decline, but the analysis on the reasons for the problems in the "poorer" petrostates is pretty spot on.
To be fair, the socialist public programs in Venezuela may have been a reason that the country couldn't build up a big enough rainy day fund for the price downturn (as others like Saudi have), but I wouldn't say that political repression is a major contributing factor.
Venezuela had issues with shortages before the oil bust. In reality oil was probably only briefly delaying socialism's inevitable failure.
Hmmm... Gonna tell a 25 yr international oilfield vet to read an article on the Implications of a collapse he predicted 3 yrs ago... ... Nice.
Predicting the collapse has nothing to do with recognizing the implications on the world. Lots of people predicted there would be war in Europe early in the 20th century, but none of them predicted it would mean millions of casualties for all parties involved.
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One of the problems I see with socialism and communism is the lack of innovative products which have historically come out of this type of governmental structure. This issue shows itself equally in technology and medical advances. Capitalism certainly isn't perfect but almost all of our technologic and medical advances have come from such as structure.
It's almost like without a profit motive there's little incentive to innovate
Imagine that. Humans tend to work harder when nicer things result from that work.
You are presenting a false dichotomy. Other countries have experimented with all sorts of approaches to economic systems, political systems, and social networks. There is a rich palate to learn from, to see what works and what does not.
Reducing all that variation, experience, and possibility to a couple of pejorative buzz words that reduces a huge range of variation to Socialism or Communism equals bad is a self imposed mental handicap.
Sure some things other countries do, don't work. But some things do. The private sector knows this, and the electorate should too.
Reducing all that variation, experience, and possibility to a couple of pejorative buzz words that reduces a huge range of variation to Socialism or Communism equals bad is a self imposed mental handicap.
Sure some things other countries do, don't work. But some things do. The private sector knows this, and the electorate should too.
