Education for change
he current Venezuelan Government has finally accepted
and decided to implement a new economic adjustment "package", which is a basic and
indispensable step for the countryþs modernization process. The moment is auspicious for
recalling the importance of not only the information surrounding this macroeconomic
stabilization program, but also of the populationþs education for achieving economic and
political modernization.
Today, a Government information campaign is more necessary than ever, since
economic crisis and social discontent have reached a level which may give rise to the
much-augured social explosion, if a real social consensus is not achieved with the regard to
the recently announced economic measures.
As of the mid-eighties, when such economic adjustments began to be implemented in
Latin America, the continentþs experience has proved that the governments which decide
to implement these reforms -which undoubtedly produce inevitable dislocations in the
economy as well as significant social costs- without providing explanations of the reasons
for which these measures are required, and how they will benefit the majority of the
population at the mid and long-term, are exposed to the risk of a social explosion. For
example, the absence of effective information and communication on the so-called "Pérez
package" was, in the opinion of may analysts, one of the fundamental causes for the
spontaneous popular rebellion occurred in Caracas in February, 1989. Without providing
any previous information, President Carlos Andrés Pérez committed a serious mistake when
he neglected to launch a communications campaign providing comprehensive and convincing
explanations for the nature, causes and consequences, both positive and negative, of the
intended adjustment program.
However, beyond the importance of coherent and efficient information dissemination
through the media, I would like to emphasize the Venezuelan Governmentþs need to
educate the population on economic and political modernization matters when initiating an
adjustment program, and to provide an integral educational program in order to ensure the
adaptation and facilitate the cultural change implied by all transformation processes. Since
the adjustment policies are only the first step for installing a more comprehensive structural
reform program for redefining the role of the State, on the one hand, and for creating a
more democratic and less populist system, on the other, these policies must be preceded -or
at least accompanied- by an educational program able to introduce and reinforce the value,
beliefs and attitudes that are appropriate for a modern political and economic system. Only
in this manner may society as a whole internalize the dynamics of a democracy, sustained
on a true Government of Law and a more productive and competitive economy.
In this regard, Latin American reality has also brought to light the fact that any
reform by itself, although adequately explained, cannot guarantee the smooth transit toward
a more participative democracy and an open economy. This is proven by the experience of
several Latin American countries, especially Mexico and Argentina, after the Chiapas
(January 1994) and Santiago de Estero (December 1993) movements. These resistance
movements were fundamentally caused by the insertion of adjustment policies and political
and institutional reforms into a context dominated by a populist, government-based and
openly anti-liberal political and economic culture.
Indeed, as proved by a number of specialized studies, Latin America has been
characterized by the prevalence of a culture based on collectivism and redistribution, which
privileges the valorative elements of "solidarity" and "equality", releasing the individual from
the need to choose and compete, and forcing him under the shelter of a higher will. In
general, it is a concept that openly contrasts with the Anglo Saxon tradition, which has
engendered a more individualistic culture, centered on the "freedom" value, and has
propitiated in its individuals civil responsibility, active decision-making and freedom of
choice.
This concept has generated a situation in which our societies have acquired
throughout the years a socio-cultural profile that is dependent and subservient, whose
fundamental beliefs reinforce the need for an all-powerful and redistributive Government,
while it discourages personal and competitive initiatives. This explains the development in
our countries of populists political systems and economic growth models based on official
revenues and Government intervention.
Aware of this fact, many Latin American Governments have recognized the need for
a new definition of the educational problem, in order to link economic and political
transformations with the populationþs values, beliefs and attitudes. There is the conviction
that a culture may be modified essentially through changes in formal and informal
education. And this emphasizes the urgency of designing an educational message that agrees
with democratization and modernization purposes, which may be disseminated through the
main socialization and educational agents: schools, universities and the media.
It is precisely with the objective of contributing to a prompt undertaking of these tasks in
our country, whose responsibility also lies with the non-governmental actors of civil society,
that the Thought and Action Foundation" (Fundación Pensamiento y Acción), as
a center for the analysis and recommendation of public policy, has initiated the Project
denominated "Promoting Democratic Cultural Change", financed by the US International
Republican Institute as of October, 1995. This Project is aimed at creating a basis for
political and social consensus on concrete proposals for transformations in educational
contents and messages, thus leading to a democratic cultural change in our country. The
Project also includes a comprehensive activities program destined to identify -though public
opinion polls-, as well as to analyze and disseminate -in public and private forums-, the
modern democratic values, beliefs and attitudes that must be introduced or reinforced in
our population.
The Projectþs most recent activities include the second specialized workshop held in
Caracas, at the Foundationþs headquarters, on March 22, 1996. This workshop was
attended by a distinguished group of local and international experts, who prepared concrete
public policy initiatives for consolidating and promoting Venezuelan democracy, based on
analytical information provided by the "Democratic Culture in Venezuela" poll, expressly
performed for the Project by the Venezuelan company Consultores 21. As stated
by Alfredo Keller, public opinion specialist, FPA Director and member of the Projectþs
Coordinating Team, several actions arose from the workshop, which may be classified into
the five following categories:
Actions aimed at recovering the credibility of democratic institutions.
Actions aimed at building consensus and encouraging a dialog.
Actions aimed at multiplying opportunities for individual achievement.
Actions aimed at improving collective achievement as a result of the political
process.
Actions aimed at reinforcing the valuation basis of the system itself through the most
prestigious institutions in todayþs Venezuelan society: the media and the
universities.
FPA will begin to present and debate these proposals with local public opinion as of
May, 1996, during two Seminars denominated "Toward a New Democratic Culture",
to be held in Maracaibo and Mérida, sponsored by Universidad del Zulia
(Zulia State University) and Universidad de Los Andes (University of the
Andes).
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