Re: Query from a Venezuelan

[Grant Lee <grantlee@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Louis:

> > From the viewpoint of US capital it makes no difference whether it is
> >excluded from a capitalist protectionist state or a socialist one.
>
> Of course it does. A socialist state like Cuba is the threat of a positive
> example. Malaysia is just a place that you can't make a fast buck.

Tell that to Intel, whose Malaysian plant made the chip I'm using to write
this email  http://www.intel.com/jobs/malaysia/sites/ In fact, Malaysian
industrialisation has more to do with direct and indirect export subsidies
paid to foreign and locally owned firms alike. Not a good example for your
case.

> You don't think there is much difference between capitalism and socialism?
> I don't really know where to start, so I won't...

State capitalism and state socialism, from the perspective of workers was
what I was talking about.

> I don't know about you mean by "free development".

Since it's fundamental to Marx's idea of communist society, perhaps you
should start thinking about it.

>I am much less
> ambitious
> and would simply like to see the Filipinos that you mentioned avoid the
> sort of fate depicted in the documentary God's Children.

Who wouldn't? The question is: what is the best
development/industrialisation strategy? Modern history is littered with
failed examples of ISI, whereas many of the Phillipines' neighours offer
examples of successful export-oriented public policies which have little or
nothing to do with "protectionism".

regards,

Grant.