Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, has just declared that the natural gas fields in his country are the property of the people of Bolivia. The foreign companies that built the infrastructure and pump the gas are being told to get out.
Mr Morales said foreign companies would be evicted from the country unless they give the Andean nation control over the entire chain of production.according to an account in The Irish Times.
What a brilliant strategy. Why waste time with increased taxes, or even mess about with creating some new bureaucracy to channel funds from the government's coffers to the people in need. If Evo did that, he would actually have to pay out to the downtrodden, and where's the benefit in that?
Much better to take over an industry, thereby creating more job openings for Bolivians. Who happen to be friends. Of Evo Morales.
All are equal, aren't they, there, Evo? Except that some are more equal than others. See, that's the pesky problem with Marxism and socialism. Humans aren't quite the generous organisms that the ivory tower residents would have you believe. Greed gets in the way, that drive to survive and stomp on the competition. The poor of Bolivia will cheer you on, but in the end, they won't be any better off. You're a friend of Fidel Castro, but can you ignore all those Cubans who are desperate to leave? Ever wonder why he won't let his people go?
Let the foreigners run the companies and take a little more off the top. Then use the windfall for good. If you truly believe in your dream, you can push legislation through, and provide free education, affordable housing, and all that other stuff that the poor would like to have. Your friends will reap no benefit from such programs, unless they set up school book publishing houses or construction companies. Got the guts to take the hard road?
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