our master

I've been reading in tandem the notions of neoliberalism and the current state of Venezuela with particular interest in the presidente there, Hugo Chavez. But what I'm interested in here is to come close to some understanding behind the "neoliberal" mind, the choices that it makes, and the seemingly idealistic nature of the system.

The ideal, to my understanding, is contained in its pragmatism. That one day the free market will remove all barriers and provide equal opportunity and needs will be met as needs exist, and no one will need wallets because there will be one huge wallet that sprinkles change down like rain--watch out!, etc.. But this utopian vision is obviously out of reach when we consider the real goal of neoliberalism: profit. To trust profit as our saviour is to install a burglar as our doorman. Profit is not a great humanist value, and that is the center of the issue: profit over people (that and propaganda).

Hugo Chavez, though some of his methods can be difficult to endorse (mass firings, political repression, track suits), seems to be functioning with the inverse in mind, which one would suspect is the reason for the neoliberal outrage by the existence of such a government. Chavez seems to be meeting the goals of neoliberalism, but has left corporate control out of the process. And the corporate powers would like to take the head seat again: following the 2002 coup, Pedro Carmona, a key business figure in the country, was installed as the interim president, though, the very next day, was removed and Chavez again took his place as the (elected) president. As a side note: Carmona apparently lives in Miami now.

Is there profit to be made in equality? What is at stake here really? Profit? Democracy? Human rights? Freedom? Comfortable and affordable chairs?
In principle, I think equality is valuable in and of itself, but what would the reality look like? Maybe like modern Japan. As a measure of income inequality, have a look at the Gini index (though a little outdated). The lower the number the less inequality.

You have two votes: the ballot, and the dollar.