Chavez is loony, looney, looney.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Oerdin


If the economy is booming then how do you get a 75% increase in poverty (47% to 71%)?

Because the money is not going to the people in the form of wages, but simply means greater receipts for the government. Plus, this is strong growth from the base, whioh was low due to the economic hard times of the previous twio years.

The very article you linked to states that a large cause of the increase in poverty is that wages have lagged well behind inflation.

The Saudi Economy today is bigger than it weas in 1980, yet PCI is less than half- again, Bigger economy does not mean greater wealth for the average joe.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
According to that 2002 Beeb article you've repeatedly linked, Oerdin, the economy is being looted by the elites and there's a lot of corruption in the government (from way back). Chavez is leading an anti-corruption campaign, so that should help push things in the right direction.

Now, applying a little grey matter to the situation, as the oil wealth is owned by a few, and oil is apporximately 80% of the economy, the fact that oil prices rose last year, pouring more money into Venezuela, doesn't mean things got better for ordinary people. Chavez is trying to diversify the economy, so that more people can share in the wealth.

granted the country is corrupt. The oil is all state owned and it is illegal for foreigners or private citizens to own oil production facilities. With controls on capital lows combined with Chavez's own nationalizing of several large businesses in 200 & 2001 (lbusinesses which were owned by vocal anti-Chavez people) it will be hard to effectively diversify the economy.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Drogue

As said, it's very easy. It's unequally distributed. The 17.3% growth is in real GDP, but most of this goes to people owning the Oil or the other industries.

The government owns the oil industry.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Oerdin
If the economy is booming then how do you get a 2/3 increase in poverty (47% to 71%)?

Have you read any of the posts where we've explained how? It's very easy - it's called an unequal distribution of wealth. The poor get very little, the rich get a lot. The total amount is higher, but the amount given to the poor is lower.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The government owns the oil industry.

Yes. Your point is? I'm not saying the government's good, I'm saying the economy is growing. Plus there are a lot of other industries, and a lot of people taking a corrupt cut. Chavez isn't responsible for all the corruption.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Oerdin


The government owns the oil industry.

I think it owns the oil, cuz the Beeb article mentions that it taxes the oil industry.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Yeah, but your side rarely convicts even when no reasonable doubt is left. When Colin Powell admitted that the U.S. was behind the Chilean coup, all the right-wingers jumped up and said he was crazy.

You know I really would like it if you'd simply deal with what I say otherwise I'll start using Agathon's anti-semitism or UR's slavish defense of the PRC against you.

[Dinner]

It would be interesting to factor out the effects of the government owned oil fields and see how the non-oil related economy is doing.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
You know I really would like it if you'd simply deal with what I say otherwise I'll start using Agathon's anti-semitism or UR's slavish defense of the PRC against you.

Like you haven't done that before.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Oerdin
It would be interesting to factor out the effects of the government owned oil fields and see how the non-oil related economy is doing.

According to the PDF you linked (you only scanned them for poverty related info, admit it), it's growing.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by GePap
The Saudi Economy today is bigger than it weas in 1980, yet PCI is less than half- again, Bigger economy does not mean greater wealth for the average joe.

I believe that is the point I was trying to make. Thank you.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


According to the PDF you linked (you only scanned them for poverty related info, admit it), it's growing.

True, I looked for poverty info. OK, the economy is growing and everyone is worse off. Viva la revolution.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Oerdin


I believe that is the point I was trying to make. Thank you.

Well, fine, but at least admit that youre oethr initial claim, that the economy shrank in 2004, was wrong.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by GePap


Well, fine, but at least admit that youre oethr initial claim, that the economy shrank in 2004, was wrong.

Look above you.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Oerdin


If the economy is booming then how do you get a 2/3 increase in poverty (47% to 71%)?

Because the bbc article is 2 years old. The economy didn't start to recover until this year. Come on Oerdin.