Socialism is the Most Democratic System Communal Councils are being established in Venezuela to ensure democratic process and direct peoples participation Communal Councils grew out of the multiple forms of grass roots organization that emerged after Hugo Chavez was elected - in particular the “social missions”. These depended on local level organization and a lot of organizational experience was conceived through this. In short, a Communal Council consists of 150-400 families in urban areas. It plans and carries out local development projects with resources from the state. The projects so far have primarily been focusing on infrastructure and housing, but it can also be on whatever the community deems necessary—health, education, culture, sports, gender equality, socio-economic activities and so on. The community elects a group of people to head the Community Council- they are called spokespersons. All major decisions are taken in a Citizen Assembly and prior to deciding on projects, quite an exhaustive social diagnostic is carried out identifying the needs and resources in the community. Around 30,000 Communal Councils have been registered around the country of Venezuela. The decision to form a Communal Councils is taken by the community itself. The resources come from special state funds and are channeled through the state institution Fundacomunal, which also does the administrative follow up. They can also solicit funds from the Municipality, other government institution and some state banks. It is often quite impressive what they have been able to achieve in terms of local improvements for the community. Communal ownership and Communal Benefits In Venezuela, new forms of ownership and management are also introduced. For example they talk of social ownership, where the whole community, and not only a cooperative, “own” and benefits from a locally based production unit. One of the main pieces in the bottom-up component is the Communal Councils. The long term vision is that these will eventually “give birth” to a Socialist Commune (Comuna) - a “confederation” of various Communal Councils that take on more and more responsibility for the public services and local development in an area. Before the Socialist revolution in Venezuela. 70% of lands are owned and controlley ony by 3% of population but after the after the revolution and with the construction of socialist ideals in Venezuela, lands are distributed to landless farmers. Poverty has been radically reduced and only 5.5% is left and is continuously being eradicated by job creations, higher wages and land distributions. Education and medical services are all free at all levels and has totally eradicated illeteracy. Homeless citizens are given free housing. Housewives are paid up to 80% wage increased and workers are paid up to 2000% wage increased. Venezuela has the largest crude reserves in the world. Oil industries were formerly owned and controlled by foreigners but after the revolution, oil industries are now controlled and managed by workers labor union. Venezuela has the cheapest price of oil all over the world and is supporting workers in America with oil.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 16:07:21 +0000