|
| SCIENCE IN VENEZUELA UNDER CHAVEZ
Erle Frayne D. Argonza
Did science sleep or did it get boosted further under the late President Chavez of Venezuela? The subject has become an issue for debates in Venezuela during the time of the election aimed at finding a replacement for the deceased Bolivarian patriot.
Now that the elections are over, with poll results showing a clear victory for the Bolivarian protégé of Chavez, the polarization involving the scientific community may hopefully be settled a bit, as researchers should be getting down to brass tacks to produce more study findings for the developing country.
Broadly, interest in science had multiplied by several folds since Chavez began his presidency. There were only around 1500 scientists in Venezuela before the Chavez era, a number that zoomed to 10,250 during the incumbency of the pro-grassroots strong man.
For a country that has seen science as an exclusive domain of the academe, the Chavez science domain proved to be innovative in that science moved away from that exclusionary academic pursuit that preceded his time. This, to my mind, is a welcome development, that science should serve the broad interest and needs of the people in that it is able to generate technologies enabling better work procedures and productivity.
The issue at hand is shown in the report below.
[Manila, 03 May 2013] After Chávez: the mixed legacy of revolutionary science Andrea Small Carmona There's one area in which all Venezuelan scientists agree: that the 14 years of Hugo Chávez's presidency changed the way that science was done in the Latin American nation. It is whether this change was for better or for worse that they disagree on.
As Venezuela heads to presidential elections on Sunday (14 April), following Chavez's death last month, its scientists are examining the legacy of his 'revolution' — politicising the sector and minimising the power of universities, which he perceived as serving the bourgeoisie, while boosting researcher numbers and funding. • The death of Hugo Chávez in March has triggered presidential elections this week • Commentators are looking back on his legacy in science, such as increased resources and tensions with universities • Science has become politicised and the two camps continue to disagree on his impact They are also pondering how a new president may — or may not — change the scientific environment in this socialist state.
Quantity over quality? A significant increase in the number of scientists is often held up as one of the most important accomplishments of the Chávez era.
In February this year José Luis Berroterán, vice minister for work and science, announced that the country had reached a new milestone: there were now more than 10,250 researchers working in Venezuela. Before Chávez was elected in 1998, there were around 1,500.
"Chávez's policie...Read the whole post...
- Tags:
- business,
- development,
- economy,
- governance,
- history,
- management,
- peace,
- society
|
|