The implications of the Marxist theories of the State developed by Nicos Poulantzas, Louis Althusser and Ralph Miliband are useful in order to frame the basic elements related to the leftist strategy in Venezuela during the 21st Century. There exists a relationship between each of these theories and three problems that Chavism faces: i) if the bourgeoise (or sectors of it) exhibit a sense of “class consciousness”; ii) the viability of tactical alliances and strategies between the left and groups associated to the capitalist structure; iii) if socialism can be achieved by phases, by abrupt revolutionary changes, or by the continuous radicalization of the State during an extensive period of time. At the time when Poulantzas wrote his concept of State as a “field of strategic battle”, this lend itself to the politics of “strategic alliances” of the left with parties located in t...

Five explanations have been proposed from different political standpoints to explain the root cause of the “humanitarian crisis” in Venezuela: 1.- the unrelenting hostility of internal and external adversaries, leading to international sanctions and threats of military action; 2.- the plummeting of international oil prices, aggravated by the government’s failure to diversify production and sever dependency on petroleum; 3.- mistaken policies that discouraged private investments; 4.- the mismanagement and incompetence of the Maduro government; and 5.- socialism’s inherent contradictions and unsustainability. In this essay, the author examines each explanation and argues that in order to explain the crisis in Venezuela it is necessary to understand the interrelation and context of the four initial explanations. As they are complementary to each other.

Las implicaciones de las teorías marxistas del Estado desarrolladas por Nicos Poulantzas, Louis Althusser y Ralph Miliband son útiles para enmarcar los asuntos básicos relacionados con la estrategia izquierdista en la Venezuela del siglo XXI. Existe una relación entre cada una de las teorías y tres problemas que confronta el movimiento chavista: i) si la burguesía (o fracciones de ella) exhibe un sentido de “conciencia de clase”; ii) la viabilidad de las alianzas tácticas y estratégicas entre la izquierda y los grupos vinculados a la estructura capitalista; iii) si el socialismo sería alcanzado por etapas, por cambios revolucionarios abruptos, o la radicalización continua del Estado durante un periodo extenso de tiempo. En la época en la cual Poulantzas escribió su concepto del Estado como un “campo de batalla estratégico”, esto se prestó para la política de “ali...

Five explanations have been proposed from different political standpoints to explain the root cause of the “humanitarian crisis” in Venezuela: 1.- the unrelenting hostility of internal and external adversaries, leading to international sanctions and threats of military action; 2.- the plummeting of international oil prices, aggravated by the government’s failure to diversify production and sever dependency on petroleum; 3.- mistaken policies that discouraged private investments; 4.- the mismanagement and incompetence of the Maduro government; and 5.- socialism’s inherent contradictions and unsustainability. In this essay, the author examines each explanation and argues that in order to explain the crisis in Venezuela it is necessary to understand the interrelation and context of the four initial explanations. As they are complementary to each other.