Filed under: Democracy, Energy, Environment, History, International Relations, Politics, Posted by TA, Society, TA | Tags: 10 commandments, Bolivia, Brazil, Chavez, China, coca, cocalero, Cuba, drug dealers, Energy, Evo Morales, Fernando Lugo, gas, imperialism, Karl Marx, Lula da Silva, natural resources, North Korea, Paraguay, SMEs, socialism, South America, Soviet, Spain, The Capital, US, Venezuela, Vietnam, water
The reason why I translated and published Evo Morales’ 10 Commandments is how intrigued I was after reading his ideas. His innocence has always been notorious in the international scenario, but his manifesto has showed to be a great paradigm. In some way it shows an evolution in his ideas to the point of suggesting highly modern concepts as local consumption, climate change and renewable energy sources. On the other side, his ideas about economy and politics can sound as archaic as a Soviet press-release from the 50s.
Morales is very knowledgeable about Bolivia and her resources. As a union leader he felt in his own skin what it is to be opposition against a usually elitist government. He’s right about Bolivia’s sacking. Their natural resources have always been explored by the Spanish and other nations in the past centuries, always sponsored by a ruling, wealthy minority. Morales’ intention to keep Bolivia’s riches in Bolivia is remarkable. He made use of some old but simple political and market laws like bargaining, offer-and-demand (like gas) and government authority over internal affairs.
Morales’ manifesto cons (in my opinion)
- Overly simplistic about capitalism. Karl Marx published The Capital in 1867 and the criticism about the system hasn’t stopped ever since. Extinguishing capitalism is not the solution. Socialism and communism haven’t proved to be the right way anywhere. China, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea are there to prove exactly the opposite.
- Socialism is another topic that deserves some attention. Morales clearly states on commandment 10 that this socialism, the 21st century socialism is not the way and it has to be improved. Which way should it go then? Other concepts as imperialism are also out of date.
- I don’t agree with moratoria when contracts are being fulfilled. In case there’s something irregular then the government should justify the use of force. Renegotiation is a different story. Read Machiavelli’s The Prince, Morales!
Morales’ manifesto pros (in my opinion)
- Finally instituted in South America a principle of sustainability of her resources. Each country should have independent communities and think internally first to then export.
- Another head of state to officially bring climate change as a top priority in his international agenda. As it looks and sounds, Morales is deeply committed to the subject.
- Sponsors a larger integration between neighbour countries, something that South American has never understood nor practiced.
- Stimulates SMEs (small and medium enterprises). In many countries these companies respond for more than 50% of the total jobs in the economy.
Morales and his paradigmatic manifesto
A short background of Morales
The elected president of Bolivia stepped up to his incumbent position in 2006. Morales broke a number of traditions in Bolivia. He was the first indigenous president elected in almost 500 years, his background is of a poor leader coming from the lowest social layers existent in Bolivia. He also used to be a union leader and coca farmer (a very popular leaf in Bolivian diet also associated to the raw material for the production of cocaine. Very traditional in Bolivia, even because of the country’s high altitudes, Morales always campaigns against the prejudicious image that cocaleros are drug dealers).
Morales is adamant about his convictions. He’s a nationalist in spirit. Some of his feats in his two years of government include:
- Taking over and nationalizing gas pipelines and lands. Gas is Bolivia’s main commodity in the international market. Contracts for gas exports are being revised and renegotiated. In some cases they jumped from $ 400 million to $2 billion a year. Morales defends that Bolivia’s resources have been sacked for centuries.
- Shifting gas royalties from state governments to a national program to help aged citizens that cause violent and deadly riots in some gas-rich departamentos (Bolivian states).
- After the protests, expelling the US ambassador quoting American interference and collaboration with the rebel states. Venezuela followed in support to Bolivia and expelled the ambassador from Caracas. Washington promptly reciprocated and sent both the Bolivian and Venezuelan ambassadors back home.
- After a referendum, he pretty much confirmed significant changes in the Bolivian constitution (that is still pending approval.
Morales wasn’t the first declaredly leftist phenomenon in South America in the 21st century. In Venezuela, Chavez came first proposing a new “Bolivarian revolution”. Then came Lula da Silva in Brazil in 2002. This latter one is an interesting case. He ran for president for the first time in 1989, losing four times in a row until finally making it. He’s not nearly half as socialist as he says nor as radical as Morales and Chavez. In 2008, a priest named Fernando Lugo won the presidential elections in Paraguay based on a more radical and nationalist platform of government.
Filed under: Behavior, Democracy, History, Politics, Society | Tags: Bolivia, commandments, consumption, Culture, economy, Education, Energy, Evo Morales, harmony, health, human being, imperialism, life, Mother Nature, Planet Earth, President, resources, socialism, Wars, water
This was a manifesto-style document released at the Social Forum of Americas, Guatemala, October 9th, 2008). You can read my analysis of this manifesto here.
Evo Morales, elected president of Bolivia
1st. If we want to save Planet Earth to save life and mankind, we have to give an end to capitalism. The human hand shouldn’t be blamed for the grave consequences from climate change, food, financial and energy crisis. The current capitalist system, inhuman with its unlimited industrial development should.
2nd. Give up on wars because peoples are the greatest losers with wars; only empires win wars; nations don’t win, multinationals win. Small families profit from war, not peoples. The trillions destined to war must be turned to heal and cure Mother Earth that is hurt because of the climate change.
3rd. A world without imperialism or colonialism where relations should hinge upon the landmark of adding up and consider the deep asymmetries that exist from family to family, country to country and continent to continent.
4th. Water must be righted to every human being, and not privatized or concentrated in the hands of a few. Water is life.
5th. I want to tell you as my fifth point that we must end energy waste. Fossil energy sources that took millions of years to be created will be gone within 100 years. Given the fact that some presidents reserve lands for luxury cars and not human beings, we must implement policies to stop bio fuels and, this way, avoid hunger and poverty for our peoples.
6th. Respect Mother Earth. The capitalist system sees Mother Earth as raw material, but the earth cannot be treated as merchandise. Who could possibly privatize, rent or sell his own mother? I propose the organization of an international movement to defend Mother Nature so she can heal Mother Earth and restore a harmonic and responsible life with her.
7th. Essential services as water, energy, education and health must be basic rights to every human being.
8th. Consume only the necessary, make sure local products are priority, end lavish consuming, waste and luxury. We must give priority to local consumption, stimulating self-sustainability and community sovereignty within the planet’s healthy limits and scarce resources.
9th. Promote cultural and economical diversity, live in unity, respecting our differences, not only physical, but also economical; economies should be directed by communities and associations.
10th. Let us seed well-being, not living on someone’s back; a well-being hinged on the living of our peoples, the riches of our communities, fertile lands, clean air and water. A lot has been said about socialism, but it is necessary to improve this 21st century socialism by building a sort of community socialism or simply well-being, in harmony with Mother Earth, respecting all sorts of community living.
Translated from Terra Magazine.
Angel and Tiggs 