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If you don't read all of this, please, at the very least read the bits about Venezuela at the end. It's very important, IMO. But the whole thing gives a greater context to the struggles. Just research it more, both pros and cons and learn. They are making the world we should be making...
Also, please note that I'm not utopian about all this. I understand there's still tyranny in much of this, and that there's much potential danger for dictatorship in many of these movements and changes. But I believe that the path they are pursuing (especially since it's not so much about state-communism a la Cuba, but empowerment of the masses through co-operatives) is a better approach than they've been on.
If you've not been following the last few years, let me share the recent history/news of political development as I know of them...
This is very important stuff for you to know. I've mentioned briefly names and such, but not everything.
Let me take it back to the very beginning as concerns the modern anti-imperialist movement:
0. Zapatistas: New Years Day, 1994, the EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation, aka: The Zapatistas, in honor of Emiliano Zapata) rose up in Chiapas, Mexico in revolt against the freshly implemented NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), in fact, on the same day it was to go in effect... This group is composed of primarily indigenous Mayan peoples.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/02/150251
1. Cochabamba/Bechtel: In 2000, Bechtel Corporation (and a consortium which it led), had convinced the Bolivian government to privatize it's water systems. This led to hyperinflation in water rates, which the people (70% of the populace is below the poverty line), could ill afford. This led to MASSIVE protests, called the "water war" which eventually led to the removal of foreign elements (Bechtel) and returned water to the people...
"Everyone was protesting, everyone," journalist Luis Bredow tells Finnegan. "I've never seen anything like it in Bolivia. Housewives were throwing stones at the police. It really was a revolt."
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bolivia/thestory.html
see also: http://www.democracyctr.org/bechtel/waterbills/
( Read more... )
Also, please note that I'm not utopian about all this. I understand there's still tyranny in much of this, and that there's much potential danger for dictatorship in many of these movements and changes. But I believe that the path they are pursuing (especially since it's not so much about state-communism a la Cuba, but empowerment of the masses through co-operatives) is a better approach than they've been on.
If you've not been following the last few years, let me share the recent history/news of political development as I know of them...
This is very important stuff for you to know. I've mentioned briefly names and such, but not everything.
Let me take it back to the very beginning as concerns the modern anti-imperialist movement:
0. Zapatistas: New Years Day, 1994, the EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation, aka: The Zapatistas, in honor of Emiliano Zapata) rose up in Chiapas, Mexico in revolt against the freshly implemented NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), in fact, on the same day it was to go in effect... This group is composed of primarily indigenous Mayan peoples.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/02/150251
1. Cochabamba/Bechtel: In 2000, Bechtel Corporation (and a consortium which it led), had convinced the Bolivian government to privatize it's water systems. This led to hyperinflation in water rates, which the people (70% of the populace is below the poverty line), could ill afford. This led to MASSIVE protests, called the "water war" which eventually led to the removal of foreign elements (Bechtel) and returned water to the people...
"Everyone was protesting, everyone," journalist Luis Bredow tells Finnegan. "I've never seen anything like it in Bolivia. Housewives were throwing stones at the police. It really was a revolt."
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bolivia/thestory.html
see also: http://www.democracyctr.org/bechtel/waterbills/
( Read more... )
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