By way of example Lonesome EJ: "This is Socialism like Castro's Cuba is Socialism. What it is is self-coronation by a revolutionary stongman as the Savior of the People. Don't think it was what Jefferson, or even Lenin, had in mind, do you? You remember Benevolent Dictatorship don't you? Napoleon had it down..first declare liberty, equality, and fraternity, then declare your self Emperor. Otherwise, the enemies of freedom will crush your fledgling Democracy.

We hear plenty of enlightened opinions from those safely ensconced within the borders of Canada, the US, Ireland, etc. Would love to hear someone from Mainland China voice the joys of Socialist Autocrac"

You have also described Chavez as a 'despot'.

You evidently believe that Chavez and Castro are autocrats etc., and their socialist republics are the efforts of despots to grab power to themselves. It would be much 'better' if these countries embraced our western democratic model. This is of course despite decades of evidence to the contrary, that capitalism in south America has meant despotic rich elites lording it over supine populations, a position backed up by a regime of terror. this terror has often been endorsed, aided or guided by the USA (the dreadful 'School of the Americas' at Fort Benning being an example of this kind of 'intervention'). This kind of political model is based on the interests of big business, not on people. In fact the USA isn't so far behind here either. Ask the destitute homless survivors of Katrina about their experiences. The National Guard arrives down not to protect and help them, but to protect (well-insured) property from those filthy starving desperate masses. It took ages for them to get any assistance at all, and many fleeing were turned back.

Then there's America's two-tier health system - another disgrace in such a wealthy country. It is horrible to hear of hospitals actually turning people away because they lack medical insurance. At least Castro's people get free medical aid. if they don't have everything they need, you could do well to look no further than the US' petty embargo on Cuba.

It is also interesting to note Cindy Sheehan's recent comments on stepping down from the anti-war movement. She said she was sick of teh two party system, where the Democrats were only interested in her as long as she was perceived to be anti-Republican (and didn't hold the Democrats up to the same standards). She said she now knows her son literally died for nothing, killed by his country beholden to a corporate machine that feeds off war.

By contrast, under Chavez, Venezuela's poor are finally getting a look in at last. Old people are getting their pensions, money is being put into health (Chavez even has a deal with Cuba to swop Cuban medical expertise for Venezuelan oil) and hospitals, schools, etc., In short, the weaker and more vulnerable are gettinga slice of the cake which the rich had had all to themselves up to recently. Can yopu imagine the cheek of Chavez finally aksing the big earners to cough up a whole 15% in income tax after years of practically no tax at all!! Where will it all end, we wonder!! Chavez is one of the first South American leaders to acknowledge that US and Western interference in South America is bad news for the ordinary people of that continent. And for that, he is castigated by the right-wing press on a pile of spurious grounds.

And that is what has the richer Venezuelan's and big US corporations knickers in a twist - looking after poor people is not good for profit margins.

It's all very well to criticise these 'autocratic socialist regimes' but at least in Venezula the poor are getting looked after. The USA (hardly one of the world's poorest countries) could do well to take a leaf out of Venezuela's book.