₦airaland Forum

Even before his death, Hugo Chávez had joined Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara in the pantheon of Latin American leaders who enjoy instant global recognition. And, like Castro and Guevara, Chávez is more than controversial. He is the subject of deep admiration that easily morphs into passionate worship, and antagonism that often mutates into equally intense hatred. Chávez, 58, died Tuesday, after two years of cancer treatments, according to Venezuelan Vice President Nicolás Maduro.

Inevitably, his legacy will be as hard to assess objectively as that of all other deeply polarizing leaders—from Mao to Perón. Nonetheless, even if Chávez’s deeds will be the fodder of endless debate, there are some incontrovertible aspects of his legacy.

The Good
Chávez’s most enduring and positive legacy is his shattering of Venezuela’s peaceful coexistence with poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. He was not the first political leader who placed the poor at the center of the national conversation. Nor was he the first to use a spike in oil revenue to help the poor. But none of his predecessors did it so aggressively and with such a passionate sense of urgency as Chávez did. And no one was more successful in planting this priority into the nation’s psyche and even exporting it to neighboring countries and beyond. Moreover, his ability to make the poor feel that one of them was in charge has no precedent.

Another positive aspect of his legacy is that he ended the widespread political indifference and apathy nurtured over decades by a system dominated by decaying and out-of-touch political parties. The political awakening of the nation sparked by Chávez has engulfed people in the barrios, workers, university students, the middle class, and, unfortunately, even the military. And here is where Chávez’s negative legacy begins.

The Bad
After 14 years in power, Chávez did not leave the nation a stronger democracy or a more prosperous economy. This despite his constant reminders that he had finally empowered the long-excluded poor and the fact that he presided over the longest and most exuberant increase in oil revenue in Venezuela’s history.

Chávez and his supporters claim that during his tenure 15 national elections and referenda took place and that his social programs promoted participation and “direct” or “radical democracy.” Yet, as Scott Mainwaring, a respected U.S. academic has noted, democracy requires “free and fair elections for the executive and legislature, nearly universal adult enfranchisement in the contemporary period, the protection of political rights and civil liberties, and civilian control of the military. The Chávez regime falls far short on the first and third of these defining characteristics of democracy. The electoral playing field is highly skewed, and respect for opposition rights has eroded seriously. The military is much more politicized and more involved in politics than it was before Chávez.”

In fact, President Chávez was a pioneer and one of the most adroit practitioners of a political strategy that became common after the Cold War in many countries that political scientists call competitive authoritarian regimes. These are regimes where leaders gain power through democratic elections and then change the constitution and other laws to weaken checks and balances on the executive, thus ensuring the regime’s continuity and its almost total autonomy while still retaining a patina of democratic legitimacy. It is not accidental that Chávez was the longest-serving head of state in the Americas.

The other paradoxical—and bad—legacy of Hugo Chávez is an economy in shambles. It is paradoxical because his term in office coincided with a boom in commodity prices and the presence of an international financial system flush with cash and willing to lend to countries like Venezuela. In addition, the president was free to adopt any economic policy he chose without any domestic or international constraints or institutional limitations. Yet, at the time of his death, few other countries had the economic distortions that besieged Venezuela.

It has one of the world’s largest fiscal deficits, highest inflation rates, worst misalignment of the exchange rate, fastest-growing debt, and one of the most precipitous drops in productive capacity—including that of the critical oil sector. Moreover, during the Chávez era the nation fell to the bottom of the rankings that measure international competitiveness, ease of doing business, or attractiveness to foreign investors, while rising to the top of the list of the world’s most corrupt countries. The latter is another paradox of a leader whose rise to power rested on the promise to stamp out corruption and crush the oligarchy. The Bolivarian bourgeoisie—the boliburgueses, as Venezuelans call the new oligarchy formed by close allies of the regime’s leaders, their families, and friends—have amassed enormous wealth through corrupt deals with the government. This, too, is part of the unfortunate legacy Chávez has left.

Antoine Dodson's furious outburst on a news channel after a sex attack on his sister turned into a viral YouTube video and inspired a hit song. Now he is making the most of his fame.

Original Report (Watch first):
[flash=485,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxGuig7pxvw?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

Hit Song:
[flash=485,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

(Lmao, it's going to take a very long time for me to get over this )

Antoine Dodson's furious outburst on a news channel after a sex attack on his sister turned into a viral YouTube video and inspired a hit song. Now he is making the most of his fame.

Original Report (Watch first):
[flash=485,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxGuig7pxvw?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

Hit Song:
[flash=485,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

(Lmao, it's going to take a very long time for me to get over this )

I stay in Oke Agbe estate. I enjoy 22hrs of light everyday

[quote author=.Garri (x7)]Listen to what a sensible Igbo man had to say on the issue..



Oya PointB, Onlylies, Afam, Mammywater, Berem, Biafra Rep, FreeGlobe etc, quickly evaporate from your current location and condense at the level of Ladipo Market so as to assist ya brothers in cleaning the environment so that their shops can be opened..

100 billion Naira nor be small tin ooo!!

[/quote]Did U finish from Ife?

moderators. Delete this thread and ban globefree.

FreeGlobe: your simply an iddddiot. I bet you were one of those that criticized Abacha and Obasanjo's style of leadership bloody hypocrite. You need a dictator in 2013? Go fvck yourself fool.

I commiserate with your family on your imminent death from hypertension. I won't abuse you but I dey laugh oooo

FYI. What Nigerians need is a dictator. We are used lawlessness we need someone who will bend us to do what's right. I love fashola. Go and hug transformer.

I moved to this area about 4yrs ago but about 6months ago the light in this area is about 21hrs a day. My generator has spoilt for almost 4months. It is a wonderful experience.

Are these people dreaming or what? this is 2013!They are supposed to be talking about high speed trains! Jonathan has taken his cluelessness across the border. Besides why not finish constructing the major roads at home before venturing abroad.

For many years now many Nigerians have clamored for the birth of an opposition party because they seem to be fed up with pdp at all levels. Now comes the birth of APC. However going by the reactions of Nigerians on Nairaland about the new party it will not be wrong to conclude that many here prefer the rulership of PDP to any alliance that could bring change. It seems to me that many will be happy if these opposition leaders decamp and join PDP

All you shouting marginalization. were you all in coma when Ketu market was closed? Abi na Ibo get that one too? What of yaba market that was dimolished. I guess what Ibos want is either all other tribes vacates Lagos for them or they should be exempted from obeying Lagos laws.

Will using inverters increase prepaid meter usage

femmy2010: Confirm from your friend that his is a 2010 model.
Thanks.

Yes 2010. I was with him when I wrote that. I was even thinking he will contact you for the clearing. I don't know how he did it.

[quote author=Chima_Adeoye]It was wrong and unwise for Oshiomhole to have declined receiving this body.Yes,you can decide not to pay for their visit,which is a sound argument, but making it impossible to inspect state projects is wrong.
We all have our opinions how Nigeria should be run, but if this tour have been going round the country to identify what the other governors are doing as well as federal projects in the states, Oshiomhole was wrong to have become so uncooperative and denied the people of Edo State the opportunity to ask questions and find out what was happening in the state.It all smacks of someone with skeletons in his cupboard desperately trying to hide something.Anyhow, the deed is done.[/quote]After reading your rendition. You deserve to be paid for the month and be promoted to project manager PDP 40 laptop group

femmy2010: N1.2m if shipped roro on Grimaldi.

Oga your quote is high. A friend just got his Sequioa cleared for 950000 not 1.2ml

greaterlove: I agree with you on the need for patriotism, but putting the blame entirely on the shoulders of our leaders is something I don't accept, our leaders are not from mars, they were once followers like you and I and are also a product of our society until we start changing our thoughts now and develop a higher consciousness when we get there we will definitely act the way most of them are acting now.

read my post again. i said both the leaders and the led(sorry for lead) are unpatriotic but patriotism must come first from the leaders this will automatically lead to patriotism among all Nigerians! for now all Nigerian subconsciously do not trust their political leaders

nice write up but the main problem with Nigeria is lack of patriotism among the leaders and the lead. Nigerians don't really believe in the entity called Nigeria. total lack of patriotism as shown by our leaders in turn led to unpatriotic acts among the citizens untill we put the country first this country called Nigeria will not move forward!

anulaxad: I like some of your points but again some are really useless.I MEAN WHAT'S THE POINT OF TRAINING THEM ABROAD.cant you just educate the people by bringing in people or buying books supplies and stuff to train them.


AS WELL, I CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH CORRUPTION IS NOT OUR PROBLEM THERE'S CORRUPTION IN EVERY COUNTRY THE ONLY LEADER THAT HAS REALLY FOCUSED ON MY POINT WAS IBB(BABAGINDA).MY POINT WAS INFRASTRUCTURE ONE YOU DID NOT MENTION.

LOOK AT ALL THE USELESS LEADERS THAT WERE FIGHTING CORRUPTION EXAMPLE BUHARI, DID IT THE CHANGE THE FACE OF NIGERIA NO.

INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE


GOOD ROADS,GOOD SCHOOLS,GOOD NETWORK.

FACT:THERE IS NOT A SINGLE GOOD ROAD IN NIGERIA.THERE IS NOT A PROPERLY BUILT MODERN SCHOOL IN NIGERIA.
THERE'S ONLY ONE MODERN LIBRARY(OUT OF THAT BLOODY RICH COUNTRY) AND THAT'S NOT AS GOOD AS ANY HERE IN THE UK.

I MIGHT BE BORN AND BREED IN THE UK,BUT I KNOW DEVELOPMENT WHEN I SEE IT,AND I AM BEING EXTREMELY SERIOUS,MY SON GOES TO DEPTFORD GREEN SECONDARY SCHOOL WHICH HAS JUST GOT A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING,WHICH OPENED IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.AND THE OLD ONE WAS NOT EVEN BAD ITS JUST THAT CARE SO MUCH THEY WANT TO UPDATE THERE SCHOOLS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

SIMPLY DUE TO WHEN LABOUR WAS IN POWER THEY INVESTED SO MUCH IN EDUCATION,NEARLY EVERY SECONDARY SCHOOL IN LONDON IS NEWLY BUILT OR PROPERLY MODERN EQUIPPED,WITH LIFTS, SMART BOARDS AND VERY BEAUTIFULLY ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED.LET ME NOT EVEN GO ONTO HEALTHCARE.


INFRASTRUCTURE can change everything employment of[b]all[/b] development and standard of living.

IF YOU STUDIED ECONOMICS LIKE ME YOU WILL KNOW HOW RICH NIGERIA IS.

EVEN HERE IN THE UK THEY HAVE JUST OFFICIALLY GOTTEN OUT OF RECESSION WHILE RICH NIGERIA HAS NEVER BEEN RECESSION.

bros you cant develop infrastructure without fighting corruption.where are all the monies voted for road construction? gone into private hands if you don't fight corruption people will continue to embezzle money!like you said corruption is everywhere but its the level of the wickedness of the political players that differ. in Nigeria the political players don't mind taking all and leaving just little for US ALL!!!!! whereas abroad they will put the interest of the people first!

How much to clear 2010 Toyota sequioa

I think your wife is selfish and not in tune with realities of life. She obviously doesn't mind you getting it elsewhere. Let her know most ladies initially are reluctant and find it difficult but gets used to it with time. You can get her adult movies so she can see blowing doesn't kill. She enjoys it and doesn't want you to! That's selfish

If the cabal in Electricity sector is not handled even with privatization. It won't work. They are very powerful. I believe the state should send secret service and all intelligence agencies after them to fish out all the members of the cabal. Arrest them and charge them to court. From there we can begin to make headway

That's where Tinubu floored OBJ. Agreed tinubu is corrupt just like any other past gov but with his party he presented men of honor as govs while OBJ installed the likes of Akala oyinlola and Daniel Agagu has govs. If Tinubu has handed over to an Akala in Lagos pls tell me where Lagos will be now. PDP is an endangered specie is SWEST and will be extinct in Nigeria

Pls let know what you are using

Generator. No light since Friday

Pple who comment on Nairaland are the Nigerians? Because its seems that they are contented with PDP achievements.

4:1 Burkina Faso way

for governorship APC

for Governorship PDP

for Presidential APC

for presidential PDP

naptu2: OP research the City Bus experiment of 2003 when the government banned danfo and molue from Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki and gave licenses to City Bus (a company created by Cross Country Limited, an inter-state transporter) and other organisations to run transport business there.

The resulting chaos, with agbero and students of Institute of Oceanography attacking City Buses and bus shelters, even Lastma and police couldn't contain them. The shortage of buses and high price was another problem.

That's why the danfo and molue drivers are involved in the BRT scheme. It's also the reason why we have different colours for commercial buses in these areas instead of the usual yellow and black colours. This is also the reason why government hasn't yet banned molue and danfo, even though it would like to.

does this mean that we cant improve from danfo? i don't know about city bus though but what you just said is frightening. if the licensed buses are plenty and adequate and the price is right can it be sustainable?