Party democracy under threat from leader

“I have passed a national leader (who aspires to be part of the party) to the Disciplinary Council for talking nonsense. I will be watching closely … Critical thinking is fundamental to a revolution, but that is very different to going around talking badly about a party that has not been born, collecting signatures to present them who knows where. Anyone who wants to be an anarchist, get out of here, you are not wanted, what is needed here is a creative, but disciplined active membership.” 4

Well one of my functions is to be critical and this being the blogosphere you will know doubt be pretty critical of me, sobeit...as Erich Fromm used to say the first classic virtue is disobedience.

I am a great fan of Chavez, amusing, intelligent, a great thinker and interested in ecology, I don't support him uncritically so thought I would post this essay flagging up concerns about discipline in the United Socialist Party.

Criticism is necessary but should not be used as ammunition to be fired by the great dictator in Casa Blanca, the Latin American left are an amazing hope and I am also aware of the kind problems in terms of corruption that the Bolivarian project faces, I am also aware of the drive in Venezuela for real direct democracy

but take a look at this critical account of discipline in the party.

[For Edgardo Lander, a Professor of Social Studies at Caracas' Central University, the establishment of a disciplinary tribunal in Chavez’s new socialist party before it even has statutes and structures is a worrying sign for those committed to radical democracy in Venezuela

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