Imagine a government that is of, by and for the people. What
does that actually mean? Under capitalism, the word “people” should be replaced
with the words “banks and corporations.” How can a government that continually
cuts funding for basic human needs and rights—such as quality health care and
education, housing and jobs—be a government of, by and for the people?
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Venezuelan Army installs CFLs |
On the other hand, countries that are developing workers’
democracy are condemned by the U.S. corporate media as “authoritarian
dictatorships.” For example, late last year the Venezuelan government declared
an energy crisis. This led to rolling blackouts in major cities and incentives
for businesses to decrease consumption. The main cause of the crisis was a
prolonged drought, which immobilized the hydroelectric plants that produce 70
percent of the country’s energy. This was unmentioned in the media coverage.
Instead, the headlines read as attacks on President Hugo Chávez and his
government’s “rationing.”
It is not surprising that these
same media outlets failed to report that in March the Venezuelan army and
volunteers were deployed to go door to door and change all light bulbs to CFLs.
Can you imagine the U.S.
Army going door to door to install energy-saving light bulbs? Whenever the
United States deploys the National Guard, it is to suppress a movement, like at
Kent State in 1970, or to terrorize people of color, as occurred after
Hurricane Katrina.
The media also neglect to mention the nationwide assemblies
of over 10,000 electricity workers in the country. These assemblies chose 600
delegates to meet with Chávez in Caracas for two days in April. The workers met
for roundtable discussions and drafted proposals, which were then presented to
the president and other government representatives. Some of their proposals
included: workers’ control and participation in management; measures to combat
corruption and bureaucratism in the sector; provision of education; and
creating one state-run electric company, which would facilitate implementation
of the aforementioned proposals.
The assemblies and roundtables were encouraged by Chávez:
“We can not affect change in the electricity sector without the workers playing
a leading role, without their passion, their love for what they do, their pain,
fury and knowledge.” (venezuelaanalysis.com) To facilitate the workers’
proposal for unification in the industry, Chávez proposed that workers in each
of the existing companies elect a “worker’s management committee” to be voting
members of the existing boards of directors.
These omissions from the self-declared “objective” media are
inexcusable, but they serve a very important function for the ruling class. The
goal is to indoctrinate people with the belief that a government that serves
the working majority and provides its inhabitants with the necessities of life
is “authoritarian,” because it does not leave room for private companies or wealthy
individuals to exploit the working class. According to the ruling-class media,
the ability to exploit is “freedom.”
On one hand, the government of Venezuela, in the midst of
crisis, asks the workers what can be done to fix the problem and encourages
public participation in policy-making. On the other hand, the U.S. government,
in the midst of crisis, pours trillions of taxpayer dollars into banks and wars
and then takes an axe to an already failing education system, hands over the
health care industry to private insurance and pharmaceutical companies after
gouging Medicare, and ignores the public outcry. Which side are you on?
