The predictably clueless NYT scratches its head wondering about the spike in crime in Venezuela. First there is the issue that the topic does not seem to dent Hugo's popularity. Equally perplexing is the fact that the economy is technically booming and poverty has been alleviated "somewhat." Foreign Policy actually had a Hugo cover story (reg. required) discussing this very issue. The writer, Javier Corrales, saw the instability as part of Hugo's master plan to maintain power:
In a box accompanying the piece Chavez's style of authoritarianism was contrasted traditionalaidtional authoritarian method. While trads may seek control with public order, intimidation and torture; Hugo finds that rampant crime keeps people off of the streets.Ultimately, all authoritarian regimes seek power by following the same principle. They raise society's tolerance for state intervention. Thomas Hobbes, the 17th-century British philosopher, offered some tips for accomplishing this goal. The more insecurity that citizens face the closer they come to living in the brutish state of nature the more they will welcome state power. Chavez may not have read Hobbes, but he understands Hobbesian thinking to perfection. He knows that citizens who see a world collapsing will appreciate state interventions. Chavez therefore has no incentive to address Venezuela's assorted crises. Rather than mending the country's catastrophic healthcare system, he opens a few military hospitals for selected patients and brings in Cuban doctors to run ad hoc clinics. Rather than addressing the economy's lack of competitiveness, he offers subsidies and protection to economic agents in trouble. Rather than killing inflation, which is crucial to alleviating poverty, Chavez sets price controls and creates local grocery stores with subsidized prices. Rather than promoting stable property rights to boost investment and employment, he expands state employment.
