Chile elects constitutional convention

[celedhring]

Well if they keep running in elections maybe not

I don't think that means much.  Spanish communists participated in elections before the civil war.

They have also participated in elections after Franco died

But I mean back in the 1930s they were explicitly funded and controlled by Stalin. I am just if the Communists are operating constitutionally and under a democratic mandate than I guess they are alright. It does seem kind of out of step with what they are supposed to be doing but hey any political party can be Communist just by saying "We Are Communists." It might not mean they are actually practicing Marxism, political branding is weird and nonsensical especially in different countries.

That's Eurocommunism for ya (one of my favorite political monikers, I guess oldskool communism wasn't European).

[Threviel]

There are a few good examples of the hard left ruling sensibly, primarily Greece but IIRC also some Indian states. Probably a few more that I'm missing. Odds are good for Chile, this will be a success and if it isn't a success it's certainly because of CIA.

Voj, these modern times. I was thinking that it was an obvious damning with faint praise followed by an ironic at the conspiracy nuts...

I should tone down my irony perhaps...

For a real analysis I would say that Chile could be in for a rough ride, but it is AFAICT only communist plurality, could mean absolutely nothing in the end.

[Valmy]

Your sense of humor is remarkably dry

Yeah I think many countries have had Communist Parties in their governing coalitions. I think currently the Spanish Communist Party is part of a coalition which is part of a coalition which is currently the governing coalition.

[The Brain]

There are a few good examples of the hard left ruling sensibly, primarily Greece but IIRC also some Indian states. Probably a few more that I'm missing. Odds are good for Chile, this will be a success and if it isn't a success it's certainly because of CIA.

Voj, these modern times. I was thinking that it was an obvious damning with faint praise followed by an ironic at the conspiracy nuts...

I should tone down my irony perhaps...

For a real analysis I would say that Chile could be in for a rough ride, but it is AFAICT only communist plurality, could mean absolutely nothing in the end.

It was obvious.

[DGuller]

It wasn't 100% obvious to me, but it was at least 99.9% obvious.

[Valmy]

It wasn't 100% obvious to me, but it was at least 99.9% obvious.

That 0.1% of ambiguity confuses and scares me though.

[celedhring]

Your sense of humor is remarkably dry

Yeah I think many countries have had Communist Parties in their governing coalitions. I think currently the Spanish Communist Party is part of a coalition which is part of a coalition which is currently the governing coalition.

And one of the communist ministers in the cabinet is one of the most competent of the lot. OTOH, the other one is probably the most incompetent. 

[Admiral Yi]

IIRC the Sandanistas also held (and lost) a free and fair election after they came to power.  But recently Ortega has taken an authoritarian turn.

[grumbler]

if it isn't a success it's certainly because of CIA.

Man so the success of every extreme left government is 100% so long as the CIA doesn't get involved. Good to know.

I'm assuming that Threviel was attempting to be sarcastic.

[MadImmortalMan]

* Less so these days. proto fascism is having a moment here.

Yes

[fromtia]

Now that I've been given the chance to peer at distant Chile ( a country about which I know little) through the lens of North American Economic Libertarianism I must hope that some organizing principle can be found to avert this disaster! A young army Captain of some kind, with a penchant for mixing aviation with, er... education perhaps? That necessary rescue must somehow be willed into being to prevent these ill informed dullards from meddling in their own country.

I listened to a Sam Harris episode that had me laughing out loud, not what Harris intended I don't think. It was sort of all about how it was absolutely necessary and urgent to intervene in Chilean affairs after Allende won election and that no right thinking person could possibly have imagined or foreseen that the chosen champion of teh freedoms could have been a tiny, tiny bit off key in his methods later on. Magical.

[Sheilbh]

And the constitutional convention is open!

They've elected Elisa Loncon - a linguist and indigenous rights activist who is part of the independent Mapuche delegation - as President, largely, though not solely, with the support of the left.

Interesting to watch for the next 9-12 months.

[Monoriu]

The only thing I know is that Chile and Hong Kong had riots roughly the same time in 2019.  Whereas Hong Kong largely held firm and refused to give in to the rioters, Chile did not.  It is sad but it is somebody else's country, so. 

[grumbler]

Anyone who is surprised that the thugs running China would rather massacre their own people than give up any of their power is delusional.  Chile's thugs lost power a long time ago, so slaughtering their populace, PRiCk-style, was not even a possibility.

[Monoriu]

I would be interested in a comparative study of say Hong Kong and Chile to find out why it turned out differently.  Would be...useful.