TWO LEFT FORUM PANELS ON VENEZUELA AND LATIN AMERICA

Two panels I organized for the Left Forum (which meets in New York City on May 20-22) have been accepted. They are as follows:

“The Causes of Venezuela’s Crisis and the Government’s Efforts to Overcome it” (chaired by Clara Irazabal and includes myself, George Giccariello-Maher, Naomi Schiller, Gregory Wilpert and Mark Weisbrot):

ABSTRACT: President Nicolás Maduro attributed the defeat of the Chavista candidates in December’s National Assembly elections to the “economic war” waged against his government by powerful interests, but the rank and file of his movement is calling for a thorough examination of errors committed, as well as accusations of corruption. Three factors explain the defeat and the pressing economic and political challenges facing the government: the plunge of international oil prices; the “economic war” unleashed by the private sector; and government errors, including its failure to maintain a manageable ratio between official prices of goods and the dollar, on the one hand, and open market prices, on the other. What is the relative weight of each one of these factors? In addition the panel will address the following issues: the extent to which unsustainable “populist” measures have contributed to economic problems; the validity of the self-criticisms coming from within the governing PSUV as well as social movements; the effectiveness of strategies of negotiations with sectors of the opposition including the private sector; the role of the “old state” in promoting transformation or holding it back.

Short and Long-Term Prospects for Twenty-first Century Latin American Leftist Governments (which I will chair and includes Alex Main Linda Farthing, Emelio Betances and Peter Ranis).

ABSTRACT. The sharp decline of international commodity prices has taken a heavy toll on the popularity of Latin American leftist and center leftist governments. In Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia progressive governments have recently suffered serious electoral setbacks, while impeachment procedures were initiated in the Brazilian congress. The panel will discuss the following relevant issues: the extent to which unsustainable “populist” measures have contributed to economic problems; the validity of the self-criticisms of leftist governments coming from within the governing party; the effectiveness of strategies of negotiations with sectors of the opposition; leftist government relations with a sector of the bourgeoisie considered “productive” if not “progressive”; what recent leftist experiences say about the transformation, through democratic means, of the “old state” into one that promotes socialism; the importance of recently created continental blocs such as UNASUR, CELAC and ALBA in countering U.S. intervention; the relative autonomy of social movements in their relations with the government; and the short and long-term prospects for leftist governments.

http://www.leftforum.org/panels/approved/2015