hasn't been so much about taking "other people's money" in some unusual tax sense (although I'm not sure how you would reconcile with government takeover of private industries) vs. a rejection of capitalism and the value of private enterprise in favor of the belief that the government is the most effective owner and manager of all key aspects of a society. You're right that any country under any system will be hurt when there are big drops in important sources of revenue. However, some will be hurt (and destroyed) quite a bit more than others depending on other components of their economic system. Surely you recognize that distinction. However one wants to define what exists (or did) in Venezuela, it is fairly appalling IMO that any respectable journalist (or politician) would have held up Hugo Chavez and that system as an effective or appealing model for any society -- even when oil prices were strong and they were not experiencing the issues they are now.


[Post edited by fishhoo at 05/17/2016 12:34PM]