Beware of Bloated Bureaucracy
01-23-07
mpg

Venezuela to begin imposing tax on idle lands in April
A quote...."CARACAS, Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez's administration plans to impose an extra tax starting in April on landholders who fail to obey a government plan for their land, Venezuela's tax agency said Tuesday."

Land redistribution and full or partial nationalization of key natural resources is almost always more effective at wealth generation than letting the elites establish a "plantation economy".  National risk distribution systems such as pensions and single payer health care plans are demonstrably more cost effective than private plans.  Cost overheads usually run two to three cents on the dollar for public plans versus twenty to twenty fives cents for private systems.

Full or partial nationalization of grid systems however (power and communications) can run the risk of "bloated bureaucracy syndrome."

Direct control is MUCH LESS preferable than setting up a "level socialist playing field", transparent to all, where the rules are decided by all, for the benefit of all, especially in regards to the financial system.

Financial records, oil royalties, fiscal and monetary policies should be completely transparent.  The Central Bank should be sufficiently independent to maintain the currency.  If you allow the private traders or bankers to manipulate or control your currency all your attempts to transform, reform or modify the economic system will fail. - mpg