Arbo
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2011
- Messages
- 10,395
- Reaction score
- 2,744
- Location
- Colorado
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
I'll refer to G.A. Cohen for this. In his book, Why Not Socialism (great read, but short),
Another Epic Fail for Socialism | Power Line
ANOTHER EPIC FAIL FOR SOCIALISM
It is a paradoxical legacy of Mr. Chávez’s self-styled socialist revolution that his policies became a moneymaker for the capitalist systems he deplored. During his 14 years in power, he nationalized large farms, redistributed land and controlled food prices as part of a strategy to help the poor. But these policies turned Venezuela from a net exporter to a net importer of rice—from farmers like Mr. Orlicek. “The rice industry has been very good to us,” Mr. Orlicek said, sitting in his newly renovated home, appointed with a baby grand piano played by his wife, Phyllis.
It isn’t just rice. Production of steel, sugar and many other goods has fallen in Venezuela, leading to occasional shortages. Until recently, Venezuela was largely self-sufficient in beef and coffee. Now it imports both.
If every country was socialist, who would provide that rice?