Commune or nothing! Venezuela’s transition to socialism

Amid Washington’s economic siege, the communes of Venezuela have continued to move forward to offer lasting solutions to the economic crisis to build a socialist future where life trumps capital. The communes are, by definition, deeply anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist.

Currently, Venezuela has dozens of municipalities, between rural and urban, some new and others with a background of revolutionary struggle. They are made up of people who occupy a common territory and who have historical, cultural, social, ethnic and economic ties that unite them. Some rural communes were created after peasant families recovered land that had historically belonged to them but had been seized by landowners for private purposes.

Today, the communes are a marvelous demonstration of socialism as a viable way to practice substantial democracy and build sovereign production while taking care of the planet.

In his last political address, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said that the communes were the cornerstone of the Bolivarian Revolution, with the power to truly emancipate the people. He urged executives and organizations to give priority to communes with his battle cry: “Commune or nothing!