Though Cowards Flinch

With the news that Ecuador plans to kick the US out of its airbase in the town of Manta, all eyes turn once again to South America. Despite the departure of Fidel Castro, the ‘anti-imperialist’ cartel of nationalist, populist leaders like Chavez and Ecuadorian President Correa, seems to be losing little of its vitality.

Ages ago on Bloggers for Labour, there were debates going on between Andrew Regan and others about the relative progressivism of nationalism when set against the clearly reactionary goals of imperial states such as the USA. It’s still on the front page; look it up. A lot of interesting things are said about the opposition between the two concepts.

I for one don’t subscribe to the view that “second campism” – choosing the least worst side – is a viable option in the divergence between nationalism and imperialism. Though I’m happy that the USA is losing this base, that doesn’t mean we should support Correa or Chavez and unremittingly support their anti-American rhetoric.

Of course all this revolves around whether one accepts that the USA is an imperial power or not, or whether one accepts that the USA is an imperial power but supports it as a progressive force. Regardless of the iniquities of Chavez, and they seem to be many and growing, I think that the commotion in South America is a good thing.

This is not the same as saying I support Chavez; quite the opposite. His consolidation of the several progressive parties into the PSUV looks distinctly bureaucratic and his platform is not left wing. Phrases about the fatherland and socialism are a somewhat worrying combination, and after all, slogans are the small change of greater political forces.

The bureaucratising trend is not limited to the political parties either. At the UNT conference in 2006, many delegates walked out to prevent a proposal being passed introducing more regular elections and greater democratic accountability. With the recent persecution of trade unionists over the referendum on Chavez’ reforms, it seems that trend is not dispensed with.

We should be wary, therefore, of reading too much into the posturing of Rafael Correa over an American military base. We should definitely remember that he and his allies, supposedly left wing though they may be, are not revolutionary socialists. In consequence we should certainly not put any faith in their rather illusory fight against US imperialism.