[Marxism] Re: Ecuador (a response to Nestor)

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think Nestor can get into trouble by trying to find hairline
differences between proimperialist bourgeois leaders, which is what both
Bucaram have been, and taking sides on that basis. I also don't look
askance at the fact that  a mixed  collection of classes come out
against a state of emergency (State of Emergency! There has never been
one in Venezuela in seven years of civil conflict. Should we support the
state of emergency because Gutierrez may have alienated some imperialist
power over a business deal or whatever?)

I also think that phobic responses to middle class mobilizations and
expressions of concern  can be very dangerous.

I also think Orange-revolution phobia (a new fad on the far left) can
lead us down a bad road on basic democratic rights, etc. I don't think
the working-class has any stake against defending the more
Stalinist-type bourgeois regimes in the Soviet Union against their
"liberal" foes. And I don't think middle-class phobia or "Orange
Revolution" phobia will do anything to advance the liberation of
Lebanon.

Comparisons of what is happening in Ecuador with what happened in
Venezuela is beside the point, because one of the sides at least is
completely different -- the government side. And one of the general
conditions is completely different -- no beginnings of a revolutionary
process.

If Bucaram -- an experienced professional demagogue -- is claiming to be
another Chavez, does that mean he will be one?  No. There is zero chance
of that.  But it sounds to me like Chavezismo and nationalist stands
against the United States may be gaining more ground among the middle
classes as well? Certainly, more of the middle classes in Venezuela
support Chavez today. The oil boom is part of the reason, and some of it
will be temporary. But another thing was that Chavez always rejected a
middle-class phobic response to the opposition.  We should go and do
likewise.

Is Gutierrez wobbling on the dollar? Not that I know of. On
neo-liberalism? Not so far as I know. On US troops being stationed in
Ecuador? Nope.  On the war in Colombia? No reports to that effect.  So
why should we support him against this opposition? Why should we oppose
the opposition to a "State of Emergency"? Was there any sign that the
state of emergency would be aimed only at enemies of the Indians and
poor? How can Nestor basically  take Gutierrez's side without even
knowing why? This is a little too abstract and knee-jerk for me?

If there's one thing I learned the hard and painful way in 40 years in
politics -- its that being against the middle classes is no sure road to
taking the revolutionary or the more progessive or anti-imperialist
nationalist side in disputes.

I don't think this conflict is going to resolve the crisis in Ecuador in
any way, which means the country will continue to get poorer and weaker.
There is no sign of a government coming that will stand up to
Washington.  They may be even more concessions.  If you don't fight the
imperialists, you concede to them, and that's the course that either
Gutierrez or Bucaram seems to be following.

But if people don't trust the prospect of life under a Gutierrez "state
of emergency," that sounds  reasonable to me. Why shouldn't they roll it
back? And if a change of government takes place, well life and the
struggle go on. And it doesn't change my mind that a lot of those
protesting are middle class. The middle class is not the enemy and
smashing the middle classes won't defeat imperialism.
Fred Feldman


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