When an old government in a country is overthrown as a result of an internal crisis, there is a challenging task to create a new system that will allow spheres to function properly. The current situation in Venezuela allows to believe that the former dictator will not be ruling the state, and a new leader will generate reforms on all levels. This paper aims to offer changes that may become a solution to existing domestic and foreign issues of the country. Below are the ideas concerning the government style and structure, as well as economic, social, and political models and initiatives to help restore the national wellbeing.
Domestic Concerns
The authoritarian style of governance used to be persistent in Venezuela for decades. Nevertheless, the recent crisis has proved that the idea of one man ruling the state carries high risks for the national well-being. The more beneficial style is parliamentarism, where different groups of people are represented by parties they elect. The pluralism of opinions and debates over various reforms and initiatives will allow developing the best solutions for the country.
The system will consist of three branches, being the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary. The former one will be represented by the country’s parliament. The president, the prime minister, and the government will serve as executives. Finally, courts of several levels will be working as a part of the judiciary.
The newly formed state must ensure there are programs that allow raising the level of well-being among its citizens. One of the initiatives is to create a system of healthcare that will cover everyone independent of income. In other words, all people will have access to free hospital and diagnostic services financed by the country’s budget. Another program is to create a developed system of childcare, which will include several objectives. Firstly, there must be many schools and kindergartens built to satisfy the need for adults to educate their children while they are at work. Secondly, there must be an equal opportunity for both parents to take a paid leave to take care for a newborn. Moreover, both parents should be engaged in this process to prevent women from losing their professional skills.
The current economic structure of Venezuela must also be transformed, as the existing status of an agricultural state prevents the nation from prospering. Instead, the economy should focus on the service sector and those industries that generate added value, while all processes must be market-driven. Moreover, the programs mentioned above require financing from the country’s budget. Thus, the taxes must be rather high to ensure the social initiatives work properly.
The offered model works in many Nordic countries and is said to be one of the best when dealing with an economic crisis (Dolvik & Martin, 2015). While raising taxes is always an unpopular measure, the benefits from it should cover the negative effects.
National unity is also one of the objectives that must be developed to ensure social stability. The government must create a series of measures targeted at solving the problem of polarization, which is usually the outcome of a different culture and religious background. Various groups of citizens must be integrated based on the feeling of respect and belonging to one country. The idea of tolerance must be cultivated on all levels, starting from schools and workplaces.
Foreign Concerns
The international cooperation is necessary to ensure security and economic stability. Currently, Venezuela is a member of the United Nations, yet the principles of co-operation must be re-developed as the new government has come to power. The organization was created shortly after World War II and designed as a platform for providing peace-keeping practices and policies. The UN is a better alternative to other organizations like NATO since the latter has questionable methods and aims to benefit mainly the USA. For economic support, the membership in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development may become an optimal step.
This organization was created for exchanging experience and sharing ideas on best practices, both domestic and international. Membership in OECD may help to advance foreign trade and attract investments from other countries. The process of accession to the organization will include signing the agreement after improving the overall economic situation in Venezuela, raising the well-being of its citizens, and developing foreign trade.
The terrorist threat, both domestic and foreign, can be tackled by combining two strategies. The first one is based on calling international organizations for help, both financially and with military forces. For instance, the UN peacekeeping corps may help to guard the country’s border. Besides, receiving counterterrorism aid is said to be a positive sign for foreign investors (Lee, 2017). Thus, the country will improve its economic situation while preventing foreign attacks.
Another step is to increase the level of social stability and raise tolerance between various cultural groups within the state. Studies show that it is more effective to prevent people from becoming radicalized instead of applying measures like surveillance and arrests (Khodr & Issa, 2016). At the same time, the measure will work as a part of the strategy to create national unity.
Conclusion
The existing political, economic, and social systems in Venezuela must be transformed to combat terrorism and increase the level of well-being among citizens. The country must become more open to international cooperation, trade, and investment processes. At the same time, the government should work on building a strong market-oriented economy and use budget money to develop the social sector and to implement programs targeted at creating social support, tolerance, and national unity.
References
Dolvik, J. E., & Martin, A. (Eds.). (2015). European social models from crisis to crisis: Employment and inequality in the era of monetary integration. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Khodr, H., & Issa, C. (2016). The interplay between policy and politics in combatting terrorism: The case of Lebanon (2011-2015). Middle East Review of Public Administration, 2(1), 1-23.
Lee, C. (2017). Terrorism, counterterrorism aid, and foreign direct investment. Foreign Policy Analysis, 13(1), 168-187. Web.