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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Latin America: Two left roads for 2007
Politically right-minded persons, especially members of conservative religious communities, have quite uniform view about what political left represents. This view is usually taken from some history textbooks and articles on French, Russian, Chinese and other modern revolutions. Left is force that destroys law and order, physically eliminates many educated people, throws entire nations into civil wars, leads to international wars, destroys national treasures accumulated for generations, in brief it causes more harm than good. As opposed to this apocalyptic vision political right proposes respecting principles and institutions that endure the proof of time. God, family, state, army, some also add commercial contracts; these are foundations that must neutralize destructive forces of modern time. In reality political left isn't such uniform body, at least not in our days. Good history textbooks suggest that radical left is constantly bleeding; people at 20 may feel strongly communist or anarchist, at 40 they may become everything but communists and anarchists, from moderate social democrats to conservatives. Current president of European commission at one point was affiliated with radical left; the same story went with the leader of Quebec nationalists in Canadian parliament; first Russian president was once communist 'apparatchik' as well as many East European politicians. Moderate socialists in Western Europe have frequently flirted with radical ideas, e.g. nationalization, so-called progressive taxation, more rights to unionized workers. Most of the time these measures haven't affected pillars of law and order. Most radical expression of modern age, women and youth rights movements weren't designed and executed by left politicians at all. The same story went for late 19th c. social legislation in almost all West European societies, accomplished usually by rightwing clerical and military regimes. Political left in Latin America is now on the rise, and the right question isn't whether it may claim more victories, but what kind of left politicians will make major decisions. Most of Latin America like the United States has presidential political system; this means that personality of president is usually a key in understanding future political agenda. Confrontational political struggle before elections can't be a good indicator about the new political agenda. It's the system that determines this confrontation, not personality and its agenda. People like Lula in Brazil or Bachelet in Chile are in no way enemies of law and order strictly speaking. Their rule so far points in the opposite direction; they are sincerely willing to improve material conditions of poor people without radical measures. They haven't crossed the line to their political enemies, but have clearly refused to please their most radical supporters. Although it's too early to make any assessment this will be the most probable scenario for Nicaragua too. Venezuelan president Chavez and his radical rhetoric isn't embarrassing to Washington only; in fact most moderate leftists in Latin America try to disengage themselves from this uncomfortable neighbor. The road to prosperity passes through economic opening and investments, and countries without major convertible resources haven't many ways of providing enough capitals for development. Basically there are two ways to proceed for them, to rob population or to make friends with local businesses and/or big multinationals. All assessments show that there are more than necessary capitals for investment in the world at any given moment. Rich Western countries should follow wise policy of distinguishing between radical and moderate left governments in Latin America and provide necessary funds for moderate form of economic and social development.
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