steven787 on 16 February 2009
I hate the guy but he really has developed the perfect 21st century mold that dictators will follow for the next 100 or so years.
1. Instead of Secret Police, keep the streets dangerously filled with thugs. People are afraid to gather in public, or go out at night... but it doesn't cost Chavez anything.
2. Forget trying to better the circumstances of the poor and limiting wealth (like traditional Communists). Just limit wealth.
3. Hold real elections, but dominate with a distasteful amount of publicity and make state employees and the military afraid that they will suffer if you lose.
Putin does it too, but Chavez got it first. Putin was much slower.
I would cite regulation, but I know you will simply ignore it.
