Is Venezuela an Opportunity to Learn of the Effects of Welfare?

  So, with the coming of democracy, came socialism to Venezuela. And, in this case, I speak of welfare.
   And, 50 years later -- in rough terms -- the nation's economy collapsed. The question becomes, did a reliance on government aid addict to the point, the people were less inclined to go back to work.
   Did they forget how to work?
   I do not ask this question because I have much reason to believe it true. I ask it because questions should be asked. If you flee the question, you flee the truth. You don't learn from that you refuse to consider.
   I do not even know if many of the Venezuelans were even on welfare. Yes, they had welfare, but how significant was it? Did it pass from one generation to the next? What of the destinations of those now fleeing Venezuela? Are they gathering to countries with strong welfare nets? That would indicate they are seeking the welfare they are addicted to.
   I only wish there were someone studying these questions. I wish there were a study. Venezuela is a test tube, of sorts, in that there is so much to be learned from the history of that nation's economy.
   And, if there is no study to be conducted of welfare in Venezuela, and whether the people became addicted to it, and to some degree disabled, then we are passing on a chance to learn from history.
   Those who will not learn from history must repeat it, it is said. But, sometimes, the lessons of history do not lie on the surface. It takes a little digging -- a study -- to uncover them.  There may or may not be a gem to be learned from. But, we will never learn if we do not dig for it.