[PEN-L:10327] Liberal Promises Are Based On The Imperialist Control Of The World
In spite of the fact that the "jobless recovery" is revealing the total inability of the capitalist system to harness the fruits of the technical and scientific revolution so as to serve society and benefit its people, the Chretien Liberals are speaking optimistically about future prosperity. They are making promises that once the deficit is reduced to zero and the debt is brought down, they will be able to increase funding in social programs. Why are the Liberals making such promises? Will they be able to make good on these promises? The Chretien Liberals are confident, at least for the time being, that the imperialist control of the world, of which the so-called global economy is a basic feature, will continue forever. This control, they believe, will continue to enable the financial oligarchy to make fabulous profits on the basis of the exploitation and oppression of the peoples of the world, especially those in the "underdeveloped" countries. On the basis of these superprofits, some crumbs are thrown at the people which is what the Liberals call "prosperity". They provide the rich with every possible support so that they can be successful in the "global market," at the cost of the people"s livelihood and wellbeing. They pay the rich so that they can become richer and endlessly repeat that this is the blueprint for "prosperity". What they call the "global economy" is actually the increasing stranglehold of the monopolies and oligopolies over the fate of the peoples of the world. It is leading to the ruination of national economies, on the one hand, and the sharpening of contradictions between the monopolies and the imperialists, on the other. The "jobless recovery" is one of the indications of the ruination of the national economy in Canada. An economy which cannot provide for the people at this time will not be able to do so in the future either. But somehow the Chretien Liberals hail the destruction of the national economy as a step towards "prosperity". The national economy and not the "global market" is the foundation for the prosperity of any modern country. The strength of any national economy depends on whether it is self-reliant and developed in an all-round planned way. But besides this, it depends on the level of health care and education provided by the society and the extent of the social economy. Instead of building such a modern national economy, the Chretien Liberals are in the camp of those who favor the imperialist control and exploitation and subjugation of the peoples in favor of the rich. Any promises the Chretien Liberals make about creating prosperity for the people are bound to be proven empty. Far from looking at the Chretien Liberals as part of the solution, they must be condemned as part of the problem. One thing is certain: A vote for the Liberals is a vote for the exacerbation of all the problems facing Canadians. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10311] New E-Mail Address
Greetings, Please note: effective immediately my new e-mail address is: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (lowercase) Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10303] Chretien Liberals Say They Won't Deviate From paying The Rich
--Boundary (ID BRKXheC41LXm75fhCiSTnw) The Chretien Liberals have been using deception in order to get themselves re-elected. This even leads them to suggest that if Canadians re-elect them for another term of office, there will be a change in the course of paying the rich and cutting massive amounts from social program spending. At a meeting with members of the Quebec City Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 15, however, Prime Minister Chretien made it clear that his re-election will mark another term of the society being held ransom to the rich. He proclaimed to the Chamber of Commerce that if he is re-elected the federal budget will be "balanced" within two years, surpassing even the promises of Finance Minister Paul Martin. Chretien explained how the Liberals have already shifted huge amounts of money away from spending on social programs and promised that this would not change until the deficit is completely eliminated. He said "we're telling Canadians you have to choose a government that will clearly establish the priorities - for the first time in a long time - for a balanced budget." "We'll be there in two years," he said, adding that "We won't change course." What are the people to do in the meantime? Why don't the Liberals balance the budget by asking the rich to wait for two years? In fact, the budget can be balanced even today if there were a moratorium on the debt and military expenditures were decreased, etc. Why are the Liberals not considering these options? In promising to make "deficit reduction" and a "balanced budget" the "priority" of the society, Chretien is declaring that the standard by which fiscal and budgetary policies are formulated will remain one in which only the claims of the financial oligarchy are recognized. The priority of a modern society must be to fulfil its responsibility towards all its members and guarantee the right of all people to education, health care and social security. "Balancing the budget" without this starting point has been exposed as a euphemism for fiscal and budgetary policies that recognize only the claims of the rich on the society. The Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada (MLPC) is presenting a political and economic program which would eliminate deficit financing and the enslavement of the society to the financial oligarchy by imposing a moratorium on the debt. Instead of increasing amounts of the public treasury being used to pay the rich, in the form of interest payments on the debt, the interest payments would be diverted to increase funding in health, education, and other social programs. TML Daily, May 1997 Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] --Boundary (ID BRKXheC41LXm75fhCiSTnw)--
[PEN-L:10302] Hands Off Albania!
iracle, what was stopping them from doing so up till now? The other shoe dropped when Fino explained that "the fact that carries more importance is that the U.S. will assist Albania, especially after elections, if we will consider the assistance and support the U.S. government will give through well-known institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, etc." Sewing the whirlwind even further, Fino said that he asked Albright to support the extension of the UN interventionist forces in Albania. He said, "I asked for the re-examination or reinterpretation of the mandate of the multinational force in Albania, considering the fact that elections in Albania should be free and democratic, and the results of the people"s vote clear. For that reason, I called for the American help to include the - multinational force in the protection of the polls during - election day. This fact was well-received by the U.S. government." Referring to his meeting with Albright as a "tete-a-tete", Fino extended Albright an invitation to visit Albania which, he said, she accepted "with great pleasure", adding that "I have the impression that this may be realized only during the term of my government." Holding the June 28 election under the guns of one or several foreign powers will make them no different to the last election, even though this time the foreign powers involved may be backing a different horse or team of horses. Clearly, the big "breakthrough" declared by the foreign powers was a bit premature. Albright too will be crowing a bit too soon. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] --Boundary (ID ajWYNdQYPRxpVTZDkofv5Q)--
[PEN-L:10220] Talks Continue On NATO-Russian Pact
Representatives of NATO and the Russian Federation ended talks on Tuesday, May 6 with an agreement "to intensify negotiations in order to reach agreement at the earliest possible date." NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana and Russian Foreign Secretary Yevgeny Primakov did not issue a joint statement. Before the meeting Primakov told reporters that the Russian Federation was hoping to remove obstacles to a Russia-NATO pact related to the military bloc's eastward expansion. NATO wants a charter or "document," which gives Moscow a permanent consultative role with the military alliance. The eastward expansion of NATO and Russia's cooperation with it is being described by NATO officials as "the centerpiece of a new security order in Europe for the 21st century." Moscow strongly opposes likely NATO membership for Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic and wants strong commitments from NATO setting clear limits on military activities in the new members. NATO, which has faced broad international opposition because it is seen as a military instrument for the big powers, especially the U.S. to exercise domination over the world, says the Russian Federation's demands are out of the question "because such issues are a matter of sovereignty." Primakov told reporters in Strasbourg Monday he hoped to complete a draft agreement at the Luxembourg talks. "I want this meeting to be the last one and to enable us to sign on May 27. The possibility of signing the document will be totally cleared up tomorrow," he said. President Boris Yeltsin has said he wants to sign the new deal at a special summit May 27 in Paris. Primakov reiterated Russia's stand that NATO expansion into the east is "the most serious error since the end of the Cold War." But he added that a Russia-NATO document should minimize the repercussions on Russian security. NATO officials say that the expansion will begin regardless of the position adopted by Russia at a summit in Madrid in July. It is offering Moscow a permanent "Russia-NATO consultative council" and pledged not to station troops or weapons on the territory of the new members. Russia has demanded the new members not be permitted to overhaul existing military establishments, such as airfields, to bring them in line with NATO standards and wants NATO to pledge "never" to extend its military umbrella eastward. "Such assurances would impinge on the sovereignty of new members and create a second-class membership. That is unacceptable," said one NATO official. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10171] OECD And WTO Use South Korea As Liberalization Model
The multilateral financial service talks resumed in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 4, under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO). At the talks, the U.S. is "expected to call for other WTO members to level up their financial liberalization to that of the OECD countries," said a senior official in the south Korean foreign trade ministry, a call which he said would "likely face considerable resistance." In 1995, U.S. negotiators walked out of the financial service talks, saying offers by other participants were insufficient. Last year, Washington also strongly called for south Korea's wider market opening in exchange for its approval of Seoul's membership at the OECD. Korea's liberalization schedule for its financial and capital markets passed entry tests of American and other OECD members at the time. Now South Korean trade officials say that "the U.S. officials appear set to make Korea an example for other WTO members to upgrade their liberalization levels to those of OECD nations." The U.S. is also expected to call for increased liberalization from Seoul. The U.S. steel industry has been raising what they allege is the Korean government's subsidization of local steelmakers, according to a report from the Korea International Trade Association's (KITA) Washington bureau. At a dialogue between American steel industrialists and the Congress Steel Committee on May 1, the U.S. Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports (CPTI) complained that Korean steelmakers, through capacity buildup aided by governmental subsidies, are supplying hot-rolled plates at cheaper prices than American makers, eroding the latter's market share. A CPTI representative then called for the administration to slap countervailing duties on imports from Korea, by applying the WTO's antisubsidy rule, according to the KITA report. At the same committee meeting, another steel industry group, Specialty Steel Industry Association of North America (SSINA), also said that it will file a complaint on imported stainless steel bars and wire rods, including those from Korea. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10119] Re: Democracy
Greetings, On Thu, 15 May 1997, Terrence Mc Donough wrote: Jim D. writes: ..democracy is an end in itself. ... democracy is the only legitimate political principle. COMMENT: While I agree that democracy is the political principle which should be applied in a socialist or communist context, I don't think democracy is either meaningful or supportable in the absence of democratic control of economic resources. Thus I don't think democracy as a - political- principle can be isolated as an end in itself. Terry McDonough It is also worth noting that democracy is a form of class rule (e.g., bourgeois democracy, proletarian democracy). Under Communism (classless society) democracy would not exist. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10097] Quebec: Growing Concern About Police Brutality
Concern is growing amongst residents of Montreal about a new neighborhood police force which has been organized in response to complaints about police brutality. In a press release, Citizens Opposed to Police Brutality (COPB) question the logic of this community-policing project. The group writes: "We believe that cutbacks in the financing of social programs such as health, education, unemployment insurance and social welfare are a source of social tension. Furthermore, to claim to prevent crime by eliminating most of the monies for social workers, shelters, detox centers and youth centers, on the one hand, and by increasing the monies for the police with the mandate of creating social harmony, on the other, is a sign that society is leading towards Orwellian solutions." COPB also denounces the fact that the captain of the new community police is the same person who, in 1995, led the infiltration of a coalition of more than 53 community organizations. Residents are worried that the problems facing the youth are being transformed into law and order problems. Last week, 60 young people were handed $100 fines under the pretext that they were disturbing businesses and users in the metro stations. The youth and their parents responded angrily, the youth protesting that they are bothering nobody. The officer in charge of the police operation was forced to admit that the youth did not commit any acts of vandalism. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10047] Federal Election '97: Bourgeois Parties And the Federal Election
There are several bourgeois parties which are participating in the federal election. Their main aim is to come to power. They have all sorts of self-serving people behind them who want these parties to get elected. There are those who just want to get elected and have a seat in the House of Commons come what may. Some have set their sites on becoming ministers of specific departments or secretaries or heads of various committees, while others just want to get appointed to any available position. Then of course there are the rich who want the new government to take risks for them. All of these people, in one way or the other, have a direct stake in the federal election. Within this situation where these self-serving bourgeois parties engage in broad deception, it is crucial to raise the level of discussion both at the top and, most importantly, at the base. Bourgeois parties are opposed to having any discussion. Their hired hands in the form of various marketing-related firms engaged in the work to peddle these parties devise strategies, some as simply as incessant repetition, to turn various catch-phrases into household words. They want to create an impression in the minds of the people that somehow the programs of these parties are actually designed to assist them. Knowing that this is what the bourgeois parties are doing, Communist candidates, either alone or in cooperation with other candidates, should create an atmosphere of discussion on real issues. They should seek the support primarily of the non-monopoly institutions, community centers, educational institutions and the press to initiate discussion. In other words, they should do their level best so that the discussion begins. They should also go where the bourgeois parties are invited and do their utmost to raise the level of discussion. It is extremely crucial to appreciate as a guide that the bourgeois parties are opposed to discussion at any level. They have the "capital" and that is all that is needed. People do not fit in the equation. Just as the working class is considered merely incidental to profit-motivated production, so too is the electorate considered merely incidental to the representatives of the bourgeoisie getting elected. They are not interested in an informed vote and raising the ideological and political level of the people. How far our candidates are able to raise their level and raise the level of discussion is the same extent to which the bourgeois political parties will fail. By putting the program of Stop Paying the Rich in the forefront and explaining to the electorate by taking up definite examples, it is possible to begin the discussion, raise the level, and foil the plans of the bourgeois parties. The most dangerous bourgeois party is the Liberal Party which would even like to paint itself as "humane." The second most dangerous is the Reform Party which pretends that it is for reform, which is not the case. The third most dangerous political party is the NDP which even claims that it is for the working class. All these bourgeois parties should be targeted in order to ensure that discussion begins and the level of discussion is raised. This method is the way to combat the disrupting influence of the bourgeois parties on the polity. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10046] Russia: Conditions Of Seniors Deteriorating Rapidly
The conditions of seniors in Russia are growing worse each day, news reports indicate. In many localities, pension checks, which are barely enough to subsist on as is, have been delayed for months at a time as local cash-strapped authorities declare they have no funds. Anatoly Molchanov, 72, a World War Two veteran, is involved in organizing protests by seniors living in the city of Tver, about 170 kilometers northwest of Moscow. Each week, they gather outside the local administration building banging empty pots and waving medical prescriptions that they cannot afford to fill. When the group staged a sit-down strike on the Moscow-St. Petersburg railroad in April, over 10 were arrested and charged under Russia's criminal code. "At my age I should sit, drink tea, sing songs and tell my grandchildren about the war. But here I am shouting, getting arrested and battling in the courts," Molchanov said in an interview. "But we are driven by desperation, by the real threat of physical extinction." "Our pensions are below subsistence level, and even these are not paid for months at a time," Molchanov says. "The same government that gives us next to nothing demands that we start paying for medical services, for our flats and utilities. This is like a sentence of death." An aide to Tver governor Vladmir Platov told reporters that while he "sympathizes" with the plight of the seniors, "we are doing the best with the hand we have been dealt. What is needed now is for people to stop depending on the state for everything and learn to do things for themselves." Nina Belyayeva, another senior from Tver involved in organizing the protests, told reporters that saying there is no alternative is simply unacceptable. "I lived through the war and the hard years of reconstruction that followed," says Belyayeva, 60, a former schoolteacher. "Even when the whole country was physically in ruins, the state paid wages and pensions on time. How can these young, so-called reformers ask us with straight faces to accept that they cannot perform the most basic and necessary social tasks?" Likes most seniors, Belyayeva's only source of income is her monthly pension of 220,000 roubles ($50USD). About half of her monthly salary goes to pay the rent and utilities on her subsidized apartment. However, in a decree signed by President Boris Yeltsin this week, the subsidies on rent and utilities that make it possible for seniors to subsist will be completely removed over the next five years, leaving many to wonder how they will survive. "I live on bread and water, and potatoes that I grow myself," says Alexandra Tyitova, 64, another demonstrator. "I've already sold my jewellery, my TV and most of my furniture. I cannot be stretched any further. So, I am ready to fight." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10014] Poverty In Peru
Much has been made by the bourgeoisie about the "economic miracles" taking place in Latin America. The Fujimori government in Peru has been touted as an example of a leader taking the 'tough but necessary' economic choices. However, the anti-social offensive which has been unleashed against the Peruvian people by the Fujimori government, with the full support of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, etc., has been devastating. Official estimates put the number of Peruvians living in extreme poverty at almost 50 percent. In the Andes highlands, nearly 70 percent of the population are living in poverty, with 45.5 percent not getting enough to eat. There is no electricity or running water. Figures are similar for the vast Amazon jungle. Those who move to Lima generally end up in the barrios that surround the city. While unemployment officially is less than 10 per cent, the government estimates that less than half the work force is fully employed. Although President Fujimori claims to have done much in his few years in office to improve the standard of living for Peruvians, the main beneficiaries have been the richest 15 percent of the population, while the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:10013] 350,000 Quebec Families Live In Poverty
The devastating impact of the capitalist system in Quebec was evidenced in a study released May 6 by the Ministry of Security and Revenue showing that Quebec has the highest concentration of families living in poverty in Canada. Overall, 16.4% of Quebec families live in poverty, or 350,000, compared to 14.5% in the Atlantic provinces. The situation is especially terrible for single parent families _ 60%, or three in five single parent families live in poverty. And 97% of single parent families headed by a woman of 25 years or younger live in poverty. "The majority of young mothers are poor," the study states. The study also notes that a high percentage of seniors also live in poverty, roughly 34%. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9948] 1.3 Million Cubans Rally In Revolution Square
The flood of Cubans into Havana's Revolution Square began in the earliest hours of May Day; by the time the rally officially began, it was clear that the crowd has surpassed the record of 1.2 million who gathered for the May Day rally in 1996. Carrying Cuban flags, banners denouncing the 37-year old U.S. blockade and portraits, they arrived by train, bus, bike, and foot in a continuous flow that went on for hours. The tremendous mobilization of workers, women, youth, students and seniors - more than one in ten Cubans participated in the rally - served as an overwhelming tribute to the resolve of the Cuban people to defend the gains of their Revolution, to defend their sovereignty, dignity and independence. Present on the stage were President Fidel Castro, Vice President Carlos Lage, congressional leader Ricardo Alarcon and Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, along with other social, religious and cultural personalities. In a May Day editorial, Granma, the organ of the Communist Party of Cuba, reported that membership in the Party has been rising faster during the Special Period then ever before. An average of 46,000 are joining the party every year, compared to an average of around 27,000 during the 1980s. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9949] DPRK Hails Struggle Of Working Class
An editorial in Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the Workers' Party of Korea, salutes the working class of all lands who have "faithfully upheld the revolutionary banner of the class in its protracted and rigorous struggle." The editorial further states: "The workers of all countries have valiantly waged a fierce struggle to smash the bulwark of capital with the red flag firmly in their hands, powerfully advancing the cause of socialism. This flag was a banner of victory and glory, revolutionary unity and solidarity. If they uphold the flag, the workers and other people will win and if they abandon it, they will die." The editorial hails the Korean working class for its resolute struggle against U.S. imperialism and reaction and its agents in south Korea. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9903] UN General Assembly Condemns Illegal Israeli Actions
On Friday, April 25, an emergency meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a resolution condemning the construction by Israel of a new settlement at Jabal Abu Ghneim in East Jerusalem and all other illegal Israeli actions in all the occupied territories. The vote was 134 in favor and 11 abstentions, with Israel, the United States, and Micronesia voting against the resolution. The General Assembly resolution demands the immediate end to the construction in Jabal Abu Ghneim and of all other Israeli settlement activities. It calls for the halting of all forms of assistance and support for illegal Israeli activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem and stresses the need to preserve the territorial integrity of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the need to guarantee the freedom of movement of persons and goods in the Territory. The Assembly called on the Secretary-General to monitor the situation and to submit a report within two months on the implementation of the resolution. It also expressed the need for implementation of the peace agreements reached between the parties and urged the international community to exert all necessary efforts in this regard. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9902] NATO Pushes Its Expansion In Eastern Europe
In the same week that Russia and China issued a joint statement calling for a "multi-polar world," German Chancellor Helmut Kohl met with President Boris Yeltsin to hammer out disagreements they have on the NATO alliance in Europe. Following the meeting, on April 18, Karlheinz Hornhues, Chairman of the Bonn Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee told reporters that NATO may work out a deal with Russia on the alliance's eastern expansion in time for a planned summit in Paris on May 27. He said that Yeltsin's participation in the meeting showed that NATO's plans are no longer viewed as a challenge to Moscow. NATO has rejected Moscow's demand for a treaty barring foreign troops and atomic weapons from the territory of new members like Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, which are expected to be invited to join the alliance this summer. Following the meeting between Yeltsin and Kohl, Hornues reiterated this. He said that NATO could not sign such a deal because "it would make the new members second-class members." Meanwhile, in the United States, Thomas Pickering, former U.S. ambassador to Russia appeared before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and called for the U.S. to stand firm in its demands for NATO's expansion. In his testimony, Pickering said Russia is particularly concerned about Ukraine and the Baltic states joining NATO. But he said the U.S. will continue to be unflinching and firm about keeping NATO membership open "to all democratic states." Pickering said the U.S. strongly supports a Baltic accord to help prepare the Baltic states for closer ties with the European Union and NATO. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9860] Divide Bewteen Rich And Poor Grows (Canada)
Financial, economic, and sociological experts recently pondered the question of the level of wealth in Canada and its ownership. According to Dalhousie University Economist Lars Osberg, just 1 percent of the Canadian population owns almost one third of the country's wealth. That is, at least $735 billion. He said, "we've seen a whole bunch of trends that would increase the share of the most affluent." "How much wealth is in Canada? We just don't know," said Charles Beach, author of Are We Becoming Two Societies? Income Polarization: The Myth of the Declining Middle Class in Canada and professor of Economics at Queen's University. "There hasn't been a wealth survey here since 1984." Using trends in the United States and Britain, he said that the rich have been compounding their wealth at a rapid rate and that "the same is happening here." Using the 1984 survey showed the division of wealth has the bottom 30% of the Canadian population with virtually little or no net worth at all. For the middle 60% of Canadians, their major asset is their house and perhaps some pension savings. The top 10% have significant net worth, but the real wealth is concentrated in the hands of just 1% of Canadians. Applying these figures to the most recent National Balance Sheet Accounts, which lists a national wealth in 1996 of $2.56 trillion, Osberg estimated the top 1% of Canada's 11 million households own 28.7% of that wealth, or $6.7 million each. That is 29 times the average household net worth of $231,000. The median household net worth stands at $43,000, that is, half the households in Canada actually fall below a net worth of $43,000. That gap is only going to widen, Osberg predicts, with their major asset _ their home _ not rising in value and real wages stagnant for the majority of Canadians. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9805] South Korea's Revised Labor Law Condemned: Workers Determined To Stage
The National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification, in a statement on March 9, branded the reamendment of the labor law agreed to by the ruling and opposition parties of south Korea as the second retrogressive revision and declared it could not accept it. According to Seoul radio reports, the organization said that the amendment in which provisions for "flexible working hours," "layoffs" and other "poisonous articles" are not struck out is the result of political negotiations which ignore the opinion of the people. The organization urged the rewriting of the labor law on democratic lines. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions contended that the reamendment of the labor law agreed to by the ruling and opposition parties on March 8 is barely different than that which was railroaded at the end of last year. The Confederation declared that it would stage a general strike in May to have the articles which threaten the basic rights of the workers withdrawn. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions visited the buildings of the opposition National Congress for New Politics and United Liberal Democrats on March 10 and published a statement denouncing the current reamendment of the labor law as a product of backroom political negotiations. The organization warned that it would stage the third general strike slated for May ahead of schedule unless the reamendment of the labor law is immediately withdrawn and the labor law is rewritten in line with international standards. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9804] Over 650 Million Children In Extreme Poverty
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), over 650 million children are living in conditions of extreme poverty. Releasing the report, UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said: "Contrary to what the world might expect, the poor are getting poorer, the number of poor is increasing, and the disparity between rich and poor has never been greater." The estimate is based on statistics released by the World Bank in its latest report on World Development Indicators which show that more than 1.3 billion people currently live on less than $1 a day, and a further 2 billion are only marginally better off. UNICEF says children account for at least 50 per cent of the total number of poor people. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9744] U.S. Plans Referendum In Puerto Rico
On Saturday, April 19, a group of U.S. congressmen convened a public hearing at the San Juan Fine Arts Theater on the national fate of Puerto Rico. At issue is a bill filed by Representative Don Young, an Alaskan Republican, calling for a 1998 referendum which will pose the options of "statehood" "commonwealth status" or independence to the people of Puerto Rico. Under its current commonwealth status Puerto Rico's 3.7 million residents are U.S. citizens, but do not pay federal taxes and cannot vote in general presidential elections. The island is described as "belonging to" but "not part of" the United States. The Spanish-speaking island was colonized by Spain in the 15th century and ceded to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. The island has been turned into a military base for the Americans and it has suffered the most brutal devastation on all fronts. The U.S. economic, political, cultural and military domination of Puerto Rico has turned the issue of the island's national status into what the U.S. official circles and their agents in Puerto Rico call a "contentious issue." This is to say that there are various forces within Puerto Rico who want to preserve Puerto Rico's neo-colonial status because they benefit from it. "I eagerly await the plebiscite that is sanctioned by this legislation," Democratic Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island told the meeting. "If we want to talk about equality for all Puerto Ricans, we should give them a voice." All but those who favor U.S. statehood say the bill is slanted to favor Puerto Rico being turned into the 51st American state. They say the it does not truthfully represent the realities of statehood for Puerto Rico. Amongst other things, it would result in the loss of Spanish as its official language. The defenders of national self-determination in Puerto Rico, whether they support commonwealth status or independence or even statehood, argue that a referendum on the nation's fate must be held within conditions of complete neutrality. Several referendums have already been held, each in conditions of outright persecution, intimidation, harassment and arrests of sovereigntists. Conditions of neutrality would require, amongst other things, the release of Puerto Rican political prisoners detained in U.S. prisons for the "crime" of fighting for the island's independence. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9743] Record Increase In Foreign Corporate Control (Canada)
The foreign ownership of operating revenue in Canada rose by 1.3 percentage points to 29.8 percent in 1995. This is the second highest one-year increase since the Corporation and Labor Unions Returns Act started being issued. Statistics Canada says the increase was caused by "a strong revenue growth in the foreign-controlled sector, weakness in the domestically controlled sector and foreign takeovers." The report shows that revenue growth for foreign controlled firms was three times that of Canadian-controlled firms. The growth in small and medium Canadian firms' revenues remained weak, being attributed to the fact that the vast majority of Canadian companies operate predominantly in the Canadian market. The much touted economic recovery, with its feature of joblessness, does not include these companies which do not operate in the global economy. The statistics show that export-related industries accounted for the strong increase in foreign revenues. In 1995, the wood and paper industry spearheaded the rise in foreign control while in the early 1990s, the upward movement of foreign revenue share was attributed to the increasing dominance of foreign-controlled firms in the transportation equipment, electronics and chemical sectors. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9684] On The 26th Anniversary Of The Bay Of Pigs
), with 46 gold, 36 silver and 34 bronze. The Cuban people have remained undefeated by the United States' war against them during these 37 years of Revolution, and every day they prove that they are prepared to defend themselves time and time again. They say, together with their political leaders: "There will be no return to the yoke of slavery." Rodolfo Casals (Granma International staff writer) Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9683] Americans Broadcast Their 'Values' Into The DPRK
In March, the United States began broadcasting "Radio Free Asia" in Korean, following its broadcasting in Chinese, Vietnamese and other national languages of Asia despite repeated protests and criticisms from the DPRK and other Asian countries. The Korean language broadcasting is aimed at infiltrating the DPRK with American "values," ideas and culture, paralysing its people's sense of national independence and undermining its socialist position from within. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, in a recent interview with the Korean Central News Agency, criticized the United States for beginning to broadcast "Radio Free Asia" in the Korean language. He said the broadcasts show that the U.S. policy of antagonizing and stifling the DPRK remains unchanged and is getting pronounced with the passage of time. The more false propaganda the U.S. makes against the DPRK, the stronger the Korean people's anti-American sentiments will grow and the firmer their absolute confidence in their ideology, culture and cause of juche will become, he said. Further, he said the broadcasting of "Radio Free Asia" awakens the countries in the entire region. Concluding his remarks, the foreign ministry spokesman said: "We, together with all other Asian countries, will maintain our independent policy of defending Asia's unique time-honored traditions and culture." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9663] Pressure Mounts For The Removal Of Sali Berisha
Efforts on the part of the totally discredited President of Albania, Sali Berisha, to keep his post and declare that his resignation is not an issue in Albania, and claims by his foreign backers that he is not to blame for the crisis in Albania, have failed to stop demands for his removal. It is now apparent that demands for his resignation are a major component of any political settlement in Albania. It is reported that the Government of National Reconciliation led by Bashkim Fino, which had initially agreed to work with Berisha until elections are held in June, is now also backing demands for the President's resignation. On March 31, a meeting was held in Vlora at which rebel leaders from more than 19 towns and regions and opposition political parties which also demand the resignation of Berisha, issued a statement reiterating their demand for Berisha's removal. The statement demanded Berisha's immediate resignation, saying that he tried to "divide the Albanian people and lead them to civil war." It backed the Government of National Reconciliation and asked it to distance itself from Berisha. Following the meeting, news agencies report that all seven "major opposition parties endorsed that aim." They were joined by rebel leaders from five towns in northern Albania. The fact that the Socialist Party also signed the statement is said to deepen the political stalemate between Fino and Berisha. On April 10, fifteen more Democratic Party MPs joined the opposition group within the party that wants to curb Berisha's control of it. Twenty MPs have stated that they will no longer recognize the Party's whip in parliament because of being directly controlled by Berisha. They say that under his leadership, the party "created a state for five years that became ashes and dust in three months." Berisha has described rebel leaders as "Stalinists and criminals," but he continues to insist he "fully supports the Fino government." The European Union continues to demand that the restoration of order is essential in order to send aid to Albania and that the security of the major ports of Durres and Vlora must be guaranteed. Berisha's press and information office, reporting on a meeting between Berisha and the head of the EU mission to Albania, ambassador Jan de Marchant et d'Ansembourg, quoted Berisha as saying that, "...the activity of the government in southern districts is being undermined by political forces which have signed the political platform and are present in the government, but which, on the other hand, are closely cooperating with the military committees, which, with a medieval feudal psychology, seek to counterpoise one of several districts of the country as a whole. These committees are now completely discredited before the citizens in these districts for breaking into banks with tanks, for organizing looting and killing, as well as for their anti-Albanian political platform." The press office says: "Ambassador D'Ansembourg told President Berisha that the European Union did not recognize these committees. He reconfirmed that the EU fully supported the National Reconciliation platform and the central and local governing throughout the country and remained fully committed to help Albania carry out political solution and assist the Albanians with emergency humanitarian relief to be followed with financial and macroeconomic aid." The press office further reports that, "D'Ansembourg discussed with Berisha security issues for distributing the humanitarian supplies. Berisha stressed that the escort of the convoys of aid by police or military units of the countries Albania has asked aid from, in cooperation with the Albanian police, is indispensable to guarantee the necessary security of this operation, which Berisha considered very significant to pull the country back from the grave situation it is in. He stressed that it is indispensable that the Albanian police be assisted with donated or hired means to enable them to restore public order throughout the country. As regards the general elections Berisha said that they should be held within the deadline set in the National Reconciliation Platform by the political parties themselves." There is also increasing pressure on Berisha from abroad. In Italy, there are signs the government is preparing to withdraw support for Berisha. Italian Foreign Junior Minister Piero Fassino has now openly called for Berisha to quit. At a meeting of the Democratic Party of the Left on April 9, Fassino said: "That Berisha should go is very clear, at least to us. And when I say us, I'm not just talking about the PDC, I'm also talking about the government." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9664] 85th Anniversary Of The Birth Of Kim Il Sung Commemorated
On April 15, 1997, the 85th anniversary of the birth of the late-Kim Il Sung, former President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and life-long leader of the struggle of his nation and people for national and social liberation is being commemorated. Preparations for the commemoration have been underway for months. Delegations from around the world, including government officials and fraternal political parties, are in the DPRK to join in the commemoration. The Korean Central News Agency reports that last year, his anniversary was commemorated in about 100 countries by over 100 political parties that share the anti-imperialist and socialist cause for which Kim Il Sung lived and fought. This year's commemoration activities are expected to be even broader. Kim Il Sung was born of humble origins on April 15, 1912. His life is filled with heroic acts which have turned him into an immortal personality for the people of Korea. One biography describes Kim Il Sung as "the national hero who saved this country with a 5,000-year long history from a sea of blood." He took up the cause of liberating Korea from the Japanese imperialist colonial rule at a very early age. When he was barely 14, he formed the Down With Imperialism Union, described as the "first genuine community revolutionary organization" in the country. Just days after his 20th birthday, he founded the Anti-Japanese People's Guerilla Army, which was later transformed into the Korean People's Army. From these young days through to his dying days, Kim Il Sung led the Korean people in a bitter and courageous struggle against first the Japanese imperialists, and later the U.S. imperialists and their allies, a struggle which continues to this day. He paved the way for the reconstruction of North Korea from the unimaginable ruins in which the aggressive war by the U.S. and its allies had left the country. Within the complicated and difficult conditions in which the U.S. imperialists and their allies are creating tension in the Asia-Pacific and harboring designs against the DPRK, working to obstruct the reunification of the Korean nation and for the destruction of the socialist system, the great courage and resilience of the Korean people to persist in their struggle stands as the greatest possible testimony to the life and work of Comrade Kim Il Sung. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9602] '96 Presidential Elections
Greetings, This is not exatly what was asked for, but it might prove helpful. - _ 100| | | Voter participation in Presidential elections ___|_ as a percentage of eligible voters; 80| 100% equals all those eligible to vote. _| | ___|_ ### 60| ### ### ### ### _| ### ### ### ### | ### ### ### ### ___|_ ### ### ### ### 40| ### ### ### ### _| XXX ### XXX ### ### ### | XXX ### XXX ### XXX ### XXX ### ___|_ XXX ### XXX ### XXX ### XXX ### 20| OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### XXX ### _| OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### | OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### OOO XXX ### __|__OOO_XXX_###_|_OOO_XXX_###_ _OOO_XXX_###_|_OOO_XXX_###_ 1980 |1984 |1988 |1992 OOO Voted for Winner XXX Voted ### Registered to Vote SOURCE: Compiled from the 1995 US Statistical Abstract; US Dept. of Commerce; US Census Bureau. NOTE: Due to the limitations of e-mail, percentages have been rounded to the nearest 5%. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9606] Communist Party Of Brazil Celebrates 75th Anniversary
The Communist Party of Brazil (CPdoB), led by Joao Amazonas, celebrated its 75th anniversary on March 25, 1997. CPdoB is one of the few parties in the world which, at the time of the rise of revisionism in the Soviet Union, did not succumb to its pressures, neither adopting Khruschevite revisionism nor allowing itself to be split because of it. The CPdoB has endured and survived the most difficult conditions of complete illegality and brutal suppression, with many of its cadres having experienced the harsh conditions of working in clandestinity. The 75th anniversary marks a long history of unbroken leadership in the struggle of the working class and people of Brazil for freedom, national independence and socialism. In October, the CPdoB will convene its 9th Congress. At its 8th Congress, held in 1992, the PCdoB decided that its existing program of a two-stage revolution, democratic and then socialist, needed to be replaced by a program recognizing only one stage of revolution in Brazil: a socialist revolution within which the democratic and anti-imperialist tasks would also be fulfilled. It entered into a period of cross-country discussions on a Socialist Program for Brazil, leading to its successful adoption at its 8th National Conference in August of 1995. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9605] Communist Party Of Denmark (Marxist-Leninist) Holds 7th Congress
From March 27-30, the Communist Party of Denmark (Marxist-Leninist) convened its 7th Congress. The Congress adopted a Program For a Socialist Denmark, concluding a period of more than three years of discussion on it within the party and amongst all communists in Denmark. It sums up the experience of socialism on the world scale, analyses the national situation, and concludes that socialism is the only real alternative to the capitalist system and the project of the European monopolies to create a European Union under their total dictate. The 7th Congress of the CPD(M-L) also dealt with constitutional amendments; the party's line and tactics to strengthen its influence in the working class and trade union movement, and amongst the youth; concrete proposals to advance the struggle against Denmark's entry into the European Union; and the strengthening of the party's daily newspaper Dagbladet Arbejderen (The Daily Worker). The Congress also reaffirmed the CPD(M-L) as a Marxist-Leninist party that stands with the international communist movement, underlining its internationalist support for Cuba, North Korea and all other peoples and nations fighting for national independence, and socialism. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9348] Haitians Fight For Their Rights
Haitians organized protest actions on the same day that Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy visited that country. They are fighting against government privatization plans which they say will cost them thousands of jobs. Reports carried by international news agencies say that stores in Port-au-Prince remained closed. In the Cite Soleil area of the capital the windows of some private vehicles were broken and in Petit-Goave on the coast, protestors blocked the main road to the capital with burning tires. The news agencies report that "bullet-ridden bodies of two policemen and two civilians were found together Wednesday in Petit-Goave." The news agencies claim that the call for a general strike did not get a response and that "banks and public buildings" remained opened. However, strike leader Claude Rene is quoted as saying that, "The general strike is the burial of the government. It will force President Preval to choose a new premier with an economic policy that brings down the cost of living." The news agencies say that, "The police anti-riot squad kept under heavy guard the seaside Legislative Palace where Premier Rosny Smarth defended his policy before a mainly hostile Chamber of Deputies." The deputies put forward a censure motion which read, "The government has proved itself incapable of coping with the current social, economic and political disorder and preventing the country from plunging into a ungovernable state." According to Smarth, the reforms, including privatization, are needed to get Haiti out of poverty, even though all over the world they have proven to escalate the tendency under capitalism whereby the rich get rich and the poor get poorer. The news agencies report that, "Diplomats and international financial institutions worry a new premier will back away from the economic policy to which they have tied tens of millions of aid dollars." Former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide said the government is "directing the crime wave to cow people into accepting its economic policy." This is a known modus operandi of governments throughout the world. This "crime wave" is then used to justify the law and order measures to quell the revolt of the people, and to justify the presence of foreign troops. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9281] Solidarity With Albania!
The Albanian people have stood up against the corrupt, criminal Berisha-Regime. For years, this regime has destroyed everything that the Albanian people had created in freedom, in the fields of industry, agriculture, medical benefits, and social and cultural organizations. It has made the country totally dependent on foreign credits and "aid." The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have dictated Albanian politics. At the same time, thousands of Albanians have been persecuted for their political beliefs, elections have been rigged, the mafiosi have been given governmental positions, etc. The Albanian people are paying for this with terrible misery, unemployment and hunger. Many thousands have left their country as emigrants. They, who had previously been deceived by Western "freedom" and "prosperity," were nowhere made welcome. As the criminal involvement of the Berisha regime in connection with the financial swindles of the pyramid societies became more and more obvious, the Albanian people had enough and is now rising in revolt. This revolt and its demands are just! In particular the demands: The resignation of Berisha! New democratic elections immediately! A free, democratic constitution! Independence for Albania! are progressive and fully justified. They deserve the support of all democrats, anti-imperialists, socialists and communists. In its distress, the Berisha regime wants to bring foreign troops into Albania. Berisha has appealed to the UNO, NATO and the EU to intervene militarily. Berisha as representative of foreign capital and the mafia has no right to speak in the name of the Albanian people. He has already caused the Albanian people enough damage. Also the intervention of the foreign regimes as well as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have in no way served the country, but have only increased the poverty and misery. A military intervention will likewise not serve the Albanian people, but only the reactionary, criminal elements around Berisha and foreign capital. Therefore we demand: Hands off Albania! No military intervention! This call is directed to all friends of the Albanian people, to all democratic and anti-imperialist minded people. We ask you to sign this call and to circulate it. Please send the collected signatures of support to: Zeitungsverlag RM Postfach 401051 70410 Stuttgart, Germany Fax 0711/8702445 Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9282] Billions In Back Pay And Pensions Owed To Russian Workers; Russia To
Workers in Russia are owed more than 50 trillion roubles ($8.8 billion U.S.) in backpay, of which the state owes 10 trillion. Trade unions are organizing protest demonstrations, rallies and other actions on March 27 to demand their backpay and pensions. Organizers said they expect more than 20 million people to participate in the protest actions, including seven million workers presently on strike. Government spokespersons said the new government has been working around-the-clock for two weeks to bring about the necessary changes to address their demands. Prime Minister Viktor Chernomydrin and Deputy Prime Ministers Anatoloy Chubais and Boris Nemtsov are to hold a news conference this afternoon to detail the government's "approach to the problem of unpaid wages and pensions." The new government has "pledged to speed up economic reform and Nemtsov has promised to restructure powerful Russian monopolies," news agencies report. "I wouldn't expect any revolutionary decisions in the next 3-5 days, two weeks, or even month on issues such as natural monopolies, social issues or other problems," government spokesman Igor Shabdurasulov said. "It's not real to imagine solving such a series of problems tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." He said "it was absurd to hope that all back wages could be paid before Thursday, but said a timetable was being organized to set out realistic goals. Back pensions would be paid by the end of June, debts to teachers by May, and government debts by autumn." - Russia to Sign New Cooperation Agreement with NATO The Summit meeting held between U.S. President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin failed to reach agreement as concerns NATO's eastward expansion. Russia has repeatedly stated its opposition to the inclusion of members of the former Warsaw Pact in NATO and after the March 21 Summit, news agencies say that the Russians and Americans "agreed to disagree" on NATO "but pledged to forge a new Russia-NATO cooperation agreement." The news agencies interpret this as a "signal" that "Russia will grudgingly acquiesce in the admission of some east European countries into NATO." Yeltsin said that he continued to view NATO expansion as "a mistake, and a serious one at that," while Clinton said it would move ahead as planned. Yeltsin said that the new cooperation agreement would be to "minimize" the impact of NATO expansion. Yeltsin also dropped a prior demand that the agreement be a legally binding international treaty. The joint statement released at the end of the Summit said the agreement, to be signed by Yeltsin and the heads of state of the 16 NATO members, would be "a firm commitment adopted at the highest political level." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9212] Foreign Powers Intent On Saving Albania From A People's Power
As foreign powers continue to pledge whatever help Albania needs to restore its forces of law and order and the political institutions which are designed to keep the people out of power, it becomes more and more clear that the main aim of both the foreign powers and the Government of National Reconciliation is to save Albanians from themselves, from re-establishing their own power, in which sovereignty is vested in the people. A British diplomat described the committees established in the south as nothing but "Soviets" to be defeated if "democracy" is to be restored in Albania. The deputy foreign minister of Albania, Albert Rakipi, also used the occasion of a working visit of a delegation of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, headed by its Secretary General Onur Oymen, on Monday, to stress "the importance to respect the democratic institutions and their support by all political forces, which also corresponds with the application of the platform of the agreement reached among Albanian political forces, which concluded in the establishment of the National Reconciliation Government," Albanian news agencies stress. "This is the only way to solve the crisis in Albania and make possible the normal atmosphere to hold free and democratic elections," he said. For his part, Oymen assured him of Turkey's support "in the bilateral plan, as well as in the context of the international organization where it adheres (NATO)." Oymen expressed support for the crisis on the basis of "the resolution of the Albanian political forces for the establishment and support of the National Reconciliation Government," saying this is the guarantee that democratic institutions will be respected and violence will be avoided "which causes big problems not only for Albania, but also for the Balkans and broader." Even though British parliamentary institutions are facing a deep political crisis of credibility as Britain enters another election, nonetheless, it invited the Albanian parliamentarians to learn from the British model. On Monday, Albanian Speaker Pjeter Arbnori met on his request with the Ambassador of Great Britain in Tirana, Trezorier. Arbnori stressed that "the Albanian Parliament is determined to do its utmost to restore the constitutional order and stabilize democracy in the country," Albanian news agencies report. "The Parliament has supported and supports the National Reconciliation Government, meanwhile that it does recognise none of the military committees, except legal bodies", said Arbnori. Trezorier "expressed his support for the legal institutions in Albania and particularly for the Albanian Parliament." He invited Arbnori to "make a visit in England of the Albanian parliamentarians. Arbnori accepted the invitation and underlined that the Albanian parliamentary delegation, who will visit England on the occasion of the elections to be held there, would be made up of all the parties which take up seats in parliament." It was the British secret services which, along with the American ones, engaged in covert operations in Albania, including terrorist ones, to overthrow the people's power in that country under the hoax that it was "illegal" and a "dictatorship." When it comes to establishing and maintaining their own rule of law, no brutal act is called a crime. When, however, it comes to the people's power, everything is called a crime. In their zeal for restoring what they call "democratic institutions" in Albania, the very institutions which brought this crisis in the first place, they have even gone a step further by describing as "humanitarian aid" the weapons which are being provided to the Albanian police to "restore order." The news agencies informed that on Monday Italy refused to accept any more Albanian refugees and says "it will start turning away the boats." According to the Italian government, "the people fleeing aren't necessarily those most affected by the rebellion, and that they are simply looking for jobs and a better way of life." The Italian coast guard has begun to "escort" back to Albania any vessels headed for her shores. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9211] A Jobless Generation? (Canada)
More figures have been released to document the fact that the capitalist economic system provides no future for the youth. According to Statistics Canada, one in five youth has never worked, and their prospects for finding work are worse now than the situation facing youth when the recession began in 1989. The employment rate for 15 to 24 year olds has fallen more than 11 percentage points, to 51 per cent, since 1989 when the recession began. Almost half of those who are finding jobs are only working part-time, compared with about 21 per cent in 1989. The unemployment rate for high school graduates has jumped to 17.8 per cent, double the overall rate, and 25 per cent of the unemployed are working part-time. The Statistics Canada report also shows that summer employment, traditionally relied upon for students to be able to at least partially finance their studies, is becoming harder and harder to get. The rate of summer employment fell from 69 per cent in 1989 to only 52 per cent in 1996, and this rate of "employment" includes part-time jobs, which accounted for over 58 per cent of the jobs. In a related study, conducted at York University, it was revealed that only 54 per cent of York graduates who looked for full-time work were able to find any after one year. The study also confirmed the growing prevalence of jobs being obtained by virtue of privilege and economic status. Amongst York students from families with incomes above $100,000, 70 per cent were employed three months after graduation, compared with only 31 per cent of those from families earning less than $26,000. The study also revealed that national minority youth, no matter how long they have been in Canada, continue to face discrimination in employment. While 58 per cent of graduates of European descent found work, the levels dropped to 54 per cent for students of South Asian background, 40 per cent for black students, and 35 per cent for Chinese students. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9173] In The Middle East: No War - No Peace Is Detrimental To The
The escalation of violence by the state of Israel against the Palestinian people, the closing of borders and other recent measures clearly proves once again that the "no war - no peace" situation imposed on the region does not favor the interests of the Palestinian and other Arab peoples. Using the pretext of an act of terrorism in which Israelis were killed and injured, the state of Israel has gone on the offensive. The imperialist powers are watching and, otherwise, doing nothing except making speeches in the Security Council or vetoing resolutions condemning the building of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem, as the U.S. imperialists have done twice in recent times. The main brunt of the violence is directed against the Palestinian people who are made to pay the bill for the "no war - no peace" situation. The decision by the Israeli government to begin the construction of homes for Israelis in East Jerusalem is further clear proof that the "no war - no peace" situation favors Israeli expansion. In spite of the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli state and its backers have not given up their plan of extinguishing the national rights of the Palestinian people. Many Israeli citizens have begun to realize that if the Palestinian national rights are extinguished, then no one's rights will be respected. This "no war - no peace" condition imposed on the situation brings this to the fore. Communists firmly denounce the Israeli government for the escalation of violence against the Palestinian people and its denial of their national rights. While condemning the building of homes for Israelis in East Jerusalem, we also categorically denounce this "no war - no peace" dictated by the big powers. People of Palestine and the region should take their initiatives and demand an end to all foreign interference. Imperialism does not stand for freedom and peace. Only the peoples of the region can establish a lasting peace on the basis of the recognition of the national rights of the Palestinian people. All the other problems can be sorted out on this basis. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9172] The Growing Gap Between The Rich And The Poor (Canada)
An article by Vancouver commentator Murray Dobbin in the February issue of Organize, published by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, provides some information about the growing gap between the rich and the poor in Canada. Taking all taxes into account - income, sales, payroll, property and corporate - those earning under $10,000 pay 30.1 % of their income in taxes, those earning between $40,000 and $50,000 pay 34.1 % and those earning between $100,000 and $150,000 pay 32.6 %. Between 1984 and 1993, average income for all families with children stayed the same. Within this, the lowest income families dropped over 30% from $7,817 a year to $5,325, while the richest went from $97,733 to $102,792. Overall, there was an effective transfer of $5.2 billion in income from the bottom 80% of families to the top 40% over the ten year period. As of 1994-95, the top 10% of the population received 23% of the income pie - nearly as much as the bottom 50%. When wealth, not income, is taken into consideration, in 1995, the top 1% of the population held 25% of Canada's total wealth. High unemployment drove an additional 130,000 Canadian children into poverty in 1995. Real wages have declined every year since 1981. A 1991 OECD study of unemployment insurance programs ranked Canada's benefits 16th out of 19 countries. Since then, due to changes brought about by the Liberals, Canada has now dropped below the U.K. and tied with the U.S. A study of 30 countries, ranking countries by the share of total market income going to the bottom 20 % of households, placed Canada 22nd - at just 5.7%. Some of the poorest countries in the world did better, including India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Significant cuts have been made to welfare rates in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and PEI. Income-in-kind services like day care and transportation subsidies, have also decreased everywhere. According to the Fraser Institute, many U.S. states have more generous benefits than Canadian provinces. Out of 62 jurisdictions, B.C. placed 16th in North America, Nova Scotia 30th, Quebec 38th, Alberta 39th, Manitoba 44th and Saskatchewan 53rd and New Brunswick 56th. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9086] U.S. Military Aid To Mexico
As U.S. President Clinton prepares for a state visit to Mexico in April, human rights activists and political, religious and indigenous leaders at a March 18th press conference in Washington, D.C. called on Clinton to review the impact of U.S. military aid on the intensifying conditions of war in Chiapas. Activists expressed their concern that Clinton's visit could easily aggravate the precarious conditions in Chiapas, by appearing to sanction Mexican President Zedillo's current policies of political repression and militarization in Chiapas. The delegation raised the concern that U.S. tax dollars provided under the guise of fighting drug trafficking are being used in Chiapas to occupy, terrorize and combat Zapatista indigenous communities. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9087] Foreign Trade With Cuba Increases In Spite Of Helms-Burton
One year of Helms-Burton, and more companies are carrying out trade with Cuba, Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade Ricardo Cabrisas told Prensa Latina. Cabrisas recalled how in 1966, Cuban trade grew by 22 per cent in relation to the previous year and he predicted a similar growth rate during the current year. In 1995 Cuba carried out trade with 111 countries and in 1996 this number increased to 132 countries. The Minister pointed out that in addition, taking into account the number of U.S. companies which maintain their trade mark in Cuba, the periodic visits of delegations of U.S. businesspeople and the letters of intent they have signed with local companies, it can be seen that the majority repudiate the Helms-Burton Law. Nonetheless, Cabrisas pointed to the damage caused to Cuba by Washington's policy in certain sectors which are critical, pointing out that the Department of Commerce is learning to deal with these problems. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9082] Canadian Council On Social Development Releases Study On Poverty
Between 1984 and 1994, the average poor family was six per cent worse off, the study released on Tuesday by the Canadian Council on Social Development points out. It says that "more than half a million Canadian families relied on public income supports to keep them above the poverty line in 1994. Without those government transfers, the number of poor Canadian families would have jumped by 56 per cent that year," it says. A "market poor" family is defined as a family headed by adults who are fit to work and want to work but may not necessarily have a job. Without the transfer payments, such a family would have been $5,700 poorer, the report says. The authors of the report, Grant Schellenberg and David Ross, use a "market-poverty index" which multiplies the number of people whose work incomes didn't raise them to the poverty line by how far they fell below the poverty line. They concluded that poverty for the "market poor" got six per cent worse during the decade under study. According to Schellenberg, while the incidence of "market poverty" has remained constant, its depth has increased. The "market poor" in Ontario were hardest hit, according to the report. In 1994, the earnings of the average poor family in Ontario were $14,749 below the poverty line, even though Ontario had the lowest percentage of "market poor" families. The report ascribed the "causes of poverty" to three basic reasons: low wages, unemployment and periods of time spent outside the work force. 450,000 families were "market poor" in 1994 although one adult in the family had worked throughout the year. Another 100,000 families were poor although both adults worked all year. According to the report, "Quite simply, many jobs do not pay high enough wages to provide even full-time workers with sufficient income to adequately support their families." Schellenberg stresses that many poor people continue having problems just getting into the labour market "to find a job, even a low-wage job, because of lack of affordable day care, disability or involuntary retirement." The study concludes that cutting government spending and debt, achieving lower interest rates and hoping for well-paying jobs to trickle down to the poor doesn't work. "Our findings suggest that the marketplace, as it currently functions, is unlikely to be able to generate enough well-paying jobs for those who are poor," the study concludes. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9056] United Nations' Security Council And High Commission For Refugees On
The Security Council of the United Nations "expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in Albania," the United Nations informed. In a statement issued on March 13, the Council President Ambassador Zbigniew Wilosowicz of Poland said the Council urged all concerned in that country to refrain from hostilities and acts of violence and to cooperate with diplomatic efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis in the country. The Council called upon the parties involved to continue the political dialogue and urged all political forces to work together to lower tension and to facilitate the stabilization of the country. It called upon the parties not to impede the provision of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population. The statement also stressed the importance of regional stability and "expressed full support for the diplomatic efforts of the international community, in particular, those of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union, to find a peaceful solution to the crisis," the statement said. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also issued a statement saying it is "closely monitoring the situation in Albania." The UNHCR statement said, "The Office's involvement will depend on the nature of any outflow of persons or groups of persons to neighboring countries, and the protection and humanitarian needs of the persons concerned." The UNHCR said the internal conflict stemmed from "a spontaneous uprising rather than an organised movement." It gave credence to the propaganda about problems in Albania based on "the old North (Gheg) _ South (Tosk) divide in the country" which may be taking on new dimensions, according to the statement. The UNHCR said the Government appeared "to have lost the effective capacity to take control of the situation and offer basic protection to its citizens." The UNHCR said it "recommended that persons or groups leaving Albania in the present circumstances and seeking international protection should be admitted to the territory of neighboring countries. Their protection needs to be ascertained and they should be allowed to remain there as long as necessary, in conditions meeting international human rights and basic humanitarian standards." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9055] Ontario: Update On Molson's Workers Struggle
On March 11, members of the Canadian Union of Brewery and General Workers (CUBGW) Local 325 ended a 5-week lockout at Molson Breweries in Etobicoke with the ratification of a 3-year contract expiring on December 31, 1999. 416 workers voted 75% in favor of the new contract which provides for wage increases of 45 cents in the first year and 50 cents in the second and third years for workers who earn between $23 and $27 an hour. CUBGW Local 325 vice-president Glen Hamilton told reporters that the long-battle resulted in the "best settlement we could obtain." Stating that the fight was against concessions, he said "we managed to keep what we had." Molson's concluded negotiations with their truck drivers on March 17. The 75 drivers, members of Etobicoke Transport Union, Local 304, conceded, through their union, a $4.40 per hour pay cut, from $23.40 to $19.00 with a small previously negotiated 45-55 cent per hour adjustment on top of the cut. The agreement included a move to a "pay-by-kilometer" system for setting productivity standards and reducing overtime, and a 20 cent per hour bonus for remaining workers based on the number of employees who accept a separation or retirement package. The agreement came under the company's threat that it would contract out all its transport needs if concessions were not agreed to. In the fall of 1996, Molson Breweries had announced that in order to meet "industry standards," it required a cost-savings of 20 percent in its trucking division. The concessions met that demand, as well as its demand for the move to the pay-by-kilometer system and its demand for a reduction of permanent employees from 70 to 45. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9011] Who Bears The Responsibility For The Chaos In Albania?
It is really disgusting and outrageous to see the array of military hardware being used by the U.S. imperialists and the European Union as they engage in brutal displays of violence to rescue their nationals from the chaos they themselves have wrought in Albania. What were these foreign nationals doing in Albania anyway? Were they also involved in fleecing the people through the pyramid schemes? Or were they the ones who brought in the pyramid schemes in the first place as a means of expropriating the savings of the people of Albania? What is clear is that these imperialists and their mouthpieces are the ones dictating that all countries in the world must have a "free market economy" and these economies must be open to them come what may. Through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank and other institutions, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the "human rights" institutions of the European Union and Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), they are dictating the terms of what these countries can and cannot do and giving their seal of approval for every kind of crime committed against the people, the people's sovereignty and democracy. Under their aegis, chaos now reigns in not a few countries in which the mafia rules supreme. Albania, especially southern Albania, was filled with mafia gangsters, drugs and money laundering linked with the government of Sali Berisha brought in and propped up by U.S. imperialism and the foreign powers. The "democracy" and "rule of law" imposed by them through rigged elections, the use of a criminal secret police, barbaric manipulation of the judiciary, parliament and office of the president, are a farce recognized by everyone. Nonetheless, the imperialists and their agencies blame the Albanian people and "socialism" for the chaos which they themselves have caused. The entire history of the twentieth century has proven that imperialism does not stand for democracy or freedom. Imperialism does not recognize the independence of nations and is not peaceful. The imperialists and their apologists are trying to convince world public opinion that the opposite is the case. If this is true, then why are they dictating to the entire world that they must abide by the one and only acceptable system _ a "free market economy" _ or else! If they were peaceful, why do they need a military alliance and why are they arming their allies and puppets? The chaos in Albania, once again, proves that the peoples can defend their interests only on the basis of opposing imperialism and reaction. They must establish the system of their choice and put an end to foreign interference. The fact that the "Forum for Democracy" with the Socialist Party of Albania at the center of it, is demanding that the European Union and NATO send troops "to restore order" in Albania is proof positive that they are not part of the solution; they are part of the problem. The deals which the foreign imperialists are brokering to salvage their interests in Albania have the principal aim of not responding to the demands of the Albanian people, which include the demand that Berisha resign and that their life's savings be returned to them. Are we to believe that with such a secret police, and the dictatorship of the president over the parliament, the judiciary, all the laws, the banks and the presence in the highest of places of the "foreign nationals," the NATO bases and so on, those in charge of the pyramid schemes are not known entities? Is it perhaps not the very same people who have robbed the Albanian people and are now attempting to divert world public opinion by blaming the people themselves for being lawless and their insurrection for the chaos? Communists are convinced that the Albanian people are quite capable of finding a solution to the problems they face and will do so. The workers and oppressed people of the world must fully support them in this noble task and condemn the imperialist intervention and the imperialist idea that the Albanians are not "civilized" and can only evolve on the basis of the institutions brought in by foreign imperialism. The people know what they want and they are sure to make headway in bringing it about. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:9012] Record Number Of Personal Bankruptcies; Business Bankruptcies Also
An indication of the depth of the economic crisis is the record number of personal bankruptcies recorded in 1996: 79,631 Canadians formally declared bankruptcy last year, up 2 per cent from the previous year. Consumer bankruptcies include any personal bankruptcy not mainly attributable to business dealings. Compared to the last thirty years, less than 2,000 people a year went bankrupt in the late 1960s; the number surpassed 10,000 in 1976, 20,000 in 1980, 30,000 in 1982, 40,000 in 1990 and 60,000 in 1991. 65,432 went bankrupt in 1995. Debtors' assets failed to cover their liabilities by $1.85-billion, up 23 per cent from 1995. In 1996, 14,229 business bankruptcies were recorded, up 7 per cent from 1995 and just 1 per cent short of their 1992 peak of 14,317. The dollar shortfall at $2.82-billion, was down 13 per cent from 1995 and 47 per cent from 1992. This shows that smaller businesses are going bankrupt and is also because the figures do not include filings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the form of bankruptcy chosen by Eaton's amongst others. They also do not include the many cases in which creditors, such as landlords, banks and suppliers claim assets without pushing the company into bankruptcy. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8964] Update On Crisis In Albania
d. "Friday afternoon, two battered armored personnel carriers, with the logo of the police written on the front, paraded up and down Tirana's main tree-lined street and around the central Skanderbeg Square. On board, eight gunmen in tattered clothes brandished automatic weapons, firing off shots. It was impossible to tell whether the men supported the president or the new government, or whether they were part of the rabble. The anarchy reached the previously calm eastern part of the country near the Macedonian border, where a $10 million cigarette plant, one of the biggest new investments in Albania, was burned to the ground after looters took all they could carry. 'They took doors, toilets, everything,' said Vebi Velija, the owner of the plant at Prenjas and one of the most prominent businessmen in Albania. Velija, who has been a critic of Berisha, said he was concerned that his recently built four-story business center in the heart of Tirana would also be looted. "In Shkoder, 56 miles north of Tirana, a center of culture and education, all Government institutions were set on fire and the armory emptied. The headquarters of the secret police was destroyed as well as the local bank. On a historic street dating from the Middle Ages, buildings considered national treasures were also burned, according to Elsa Ballauri, a head of a human rights group in Tirana who spoke to residents there by telephone. "The new coalition government Friday forced the resignation of the unpopular head of the secret police, Bashkim Gazidede. Gazidede had presided over the state of emergency that Berisha imposed nearly two weeks ago. As his country descended into nightmarish chaos, a defiant Berisha appeared to be standing firm, ignoring demands from the people and politicians that he resign." Berisha issued a call for foreign intervention in the form of troops and police support. NATO spokesman Jamie Shea rejected Berisha's request saying, "The main problem is that there is lack of trust in the government." However, the initial effort of the United States and European Union to broker an agreement capable of bringing the population under control did not yield the desired results. After an initial meeting, the foreign powers started voicing their intentions to intervene militarily. Berisha, invited to attend diplomatic negotiations held Friday on board an Italian frigate moored off Durres, "apparently did not want to venture even that far out of the country, a diplomat said." Instead, the new prime minister Bashkim Fino, "headed the government's delegation at a meeting with former Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky. Vranitzky, representing the Vienna-based Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe, said after the meeting that European countries should consider sending military or police assistance to Albania to curb the violence. He said Albanians had made it clear that they were incapable of restoring order themselves." NATO diplomats said "they would be unwilling to send help unless an organization like Vranitzky's could help broker a political solution. 'If the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe worked out a credible framework for a political solution to the crisis and made a specific request to NATO to do something like monitor the collection of weapons, then we'd take another look,' a NATO official said." The news agencies are voicing their belief that Berisha does not actually understand "how dark the situation" is. A "western diplomat" who visited Berisha in his offices explained "the bizarre scene at the Presidential Palace on Thursday." "As weapons depots were being ransacked and the city was exploding with gunfire, the president was all alone in his suite of offices in a dilapidated white two-story building," the "diplomat" said. "Berisha's staff had abandoned him." "Berisha's first concern was to get foreign troops to help him put down the violence that had ruined one of Albania's most precious assets. 'We have to get action because they have burned the Coca-Cola plant,' the diplomat quoted Berisha as saying." In fact, the Coca-Cola plant was still intact. Will conclusions be drawn about the results of Coca-Cola dollar democracy for the Albanian people? Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8901] 35 Years Of Economic Warfare Against Cuba: History Of A Fiasco
of financing. At the same time, the entry of fresh Cuban fruit into Florida was prohibited, sales of weapons and military equipment to Cuba were cancelled, and Washington intervened in Cuba's acquisition of British fighter planes. _In March 1960, the license permitting the exportation to Cuba of helicopters for agricultural purposes was revoked; in June, oil supplies were cut and U.S. refineries located in the country refused to process imports of crude from the Soviet Union. _On July 6, President Eisenhower cut the Cuban sugar quota by 700,000 tons, prior to its suspension in December 1961 by a newly-elected President Kennedy. In September 1960, credits previously granted to Cuban banks were suspended and it was "suggested" that U.S. citizens not travel to the island. _In October of that year, President Eisenhower decreed a trade embargo by banning exports to Cuba, with the exception of food and medicines, and on January 3, 1961, diplomatic relations with the country were severed. _Finally, and after the humiliating defeat suffered at the hands of the Cuban people during the Bay of Pigs invasion, mounting U.S. aggression against the Revolution culminated in Executive Order 3447, issued by Kennedy on February 3, 1962, which established a total economic blockade. This is the measure that historically marks the blockade's establishment, comprising, as has been stated, a legislative bundle to which new provisions have been added throughout these 35 years, in the constant and vain hope of destroying the Revolution. When the Torricelli Act was approved in 1992, with the same intentions but combining economic warfare with its traditional policy of ideological subversion _ this time by means of the so-called Track II _ it seemed as if there was no way to increase the blockade even further. Nevertheless, the Helms-Burton Act, approved in 1996, not only reaffirmed but exceeded all previous provisions, intensifying the economic siege of Cuba to an irrational degree. This latest anti-Cuba legislation is more than a reinforcement of the blockade: it is directed at frustrating foreign investment on the island or obstructing the country's current recovery and economic development, something that we are doing in order to consolidate our socialist economic strategy, after the collapse of the socialist bloc and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The new monstrosity, fruit of the ravings of the U.S. ultra-right wing in communion with the Miami annexationist mafia, is intended to eliminate Cuba's right to exist as an independent nation. In its obsessive paranoia to destroy the Revolution, the U.S. government is fully and blindly engaged in a policy that was condemned to failure from the beginning. From the outset, many people in the world were brave enough to take Cuba's side in its fight against that criminal policy; now the international community overwhelmingly votes for an end to the blockade year after year in the UN General Assembly. For the United States, this criminal, unjust and cowardly blockade against a little nation like Cuba, the most prolonged siege imposed on any country in history, is doubtless one of the most degrading chapters in its lengthy career of abuses and outrages. The economic result of that aggression, as a consequence of direct costs or through income lost for that reason _ without including the effects of other U.S. attacks and acts of hostility against Cuba _ has been tentatively assessed at almost 60 billion dollars, from Kennedy's presidential order to date. The Cuban people, accustomed to living in danger and in the midst of multiple and dissimilar difficulties imposed on us by that economic war, take pride in the fact that it has tested our capacity for creativity, fortitude, resistance and unity. These qualities have come to define our Cuban national identity, something that nothing or nobody can ever conquer, crush, buy or humiliate. (Reprinted from Granma International) Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8900] Cuba
emory and his ideas will endure, associated with the noble and just ideas of our time, like branches from the one trunk in the history of Cuba and the world. We shall never let those ideas die, whatever happens, whatever the cost. (Shouts of "Socialism or Death!", "Patria o Muerte!" "Venceremos!" and "Long Live Our Commander-in-Chief!") We have been fighting for this country's independence and to preserve it from that voracious empire for a long time. It's as if our destiny was to be born on a little island, this people, like a lamb facing a mythical dragon. With the most absolute conviction we can say to the dragon: you can never devour this lamb, in spite of your rockets, your airplanes, your so-called smart weapons, because this lamb is smarter than you, and this lamb's blood has and can only have poison for you! (Applause) Socialism or Death! Patria o Muerte! Venceremos! (Ovation) Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8887] Exposure Of Unpopular Character Of Representative Democracy (Canada)
No sooner the results of the referenda in Toronto became known, the Ontario government announced that it would ignore them. Such things have also happened in the past and are, in fact, common occurences. For instance, in like manner, the federal government ignored the No outcome to the referendum on the Charlottetown Accord and declared "business as usual." Show us a political party which does not promise one thing during an election to then turn around and do the opposite once elected? Things have gone so far that a lawsuit on the issue is taking place in B.C. at this very time. The credibility of the federal Liberals over the GST, Aboriginal issues, and their "cuts with a heart" are another case in point. It is an inherent feature of the system of unrepresentative democracy in Canada which is anachronistic and needs to be drastically rehauled. How can the government of Ontario reject the popular will of the people it wants to amalgamate in the form of a megacity? The reason is that the kind of democracy which exists is based on nineteenth century considerations which do not vest sovereignty in the people. The popular will is not the one which makes decisions; it is the "representative" will of the ruling party which is elected on the basis of the first-past-the-post system that has a "mandate" to do whatever it wishes. While ostensibly the electorate "elects" its repesentatives, it loses any say whatsoever no sooner it casts its vote. Its right to govern has no means of expression. Such a system worked when the propertied classes gave each other the opportunity to do whatever they wanted during their "term in office" and a universal franchise had yet to come into being. Then the franchise became universal but the "representative" aspect became a euphemism for depriving the people of their right to participate in governing their society in their own interests. It is still the propertied interests which are represented, not the interests of the people. All governments at this time, from the federal to the provincial, are carrying out an unprecedented anti-social offensive which goes against the popular interests and is in defiance of the popular will. It is urgent that the people step up their struggle against this defiance of the popular will by taking their struggle against the government's dictate to its logical conclusion, which will require the establishment of peoples' councils so that the people can empower themselves. Besides the renewal of the democratic system, the people must also demand a modern constitution which enshrines the right of the people to govern. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8886] American Axle Workers In U.S. Ratify Contract
Workers at American Axle and Manufacturing Inc. in Detroit ratified a three year contact by 97%, the United Auto Workers (CAW) announced last week. The contract covers some 7,200 workers in five plants in Detroit, Three Rivers, Buffalo and Tonawanda, N.Y. The contract is said to be similar to UAW's national contract with General Motors. The plants were owned by GM until 1994 and the workers have been operating under their old GM contract under new management. The privately-owned American Axle had argued for lower wages to make it more "competititve" with other independent suppliers. Under the old contract wages averaged $22 an hour. The new contract gives the workers an immediate $2,000 bonus and three percent raises in September 1997 and 1998. It also includes a guarantee that the company will maintain at least 95 per cent of its union jobs, "with some major exceptions for an economic downturn and other unforeseen circumstances," a news release says. American Axle makes rear and four-wheel-drive axles, propeller shafts, steering linkages, anti-roll systems, stabilizer bars, differentials and a variety of forged products. The company also has a plant in St. Catharines, Ont., that is not covered under the UAW contract. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8868] Conditions Of Work For Women Deteriorate (Canada)
Only 20% of women have full-time, full-year jobs which pay more than $30,000 per year, compared to 40% of men. Canada has the second highest incidence of low-paid employment for women (34.3%) among all industrialized (OECD) countries. Only Japan (37.2%) was worse. While women account for less than 20% of those in the top ten paying job categories, they represent more than 70% in the lowest paying jobs. The unemployment rate for young women (under 24): 15.6%; for "visible minority" women: 13.4%; for Aboriginal women: 17.7%; and for women with disabilities: 16.6%. Research produced by the Disabled Women's Network of Canada shows that 65% of women with disabilities who were unemployed wanted to work. In less than 20 years, the number of women part-time workers has increased by 200%. Throughout that period, women made up 70% of the part-time workforce. Over a third of part-time workers wanted to work full-time, but could only find part-time work. One in ten jobs are now temporary. Over a period of fifteen years, the number of women working more than one job increased by 372% (Source: Canadian Labour Congress, Women's Work: A Report, Ottawa, March 1997). Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8867] Albania: Open Rebellion In Southern Albania And Regime Of Terror
The Albanian government sent jets to bomb the population in
southern Albania near Saranda on Wednesday in what the government
called a major security operation to end the people's growing
insurrection. Anti-government forces commandeered tanks and
fired anti-aircraft guns across a river east of Vlore. They have
captured various arms depots and have taken control of several
towns. Albania's foreign minister Tritan Shehu declared the
situation in Vlore, Saranda and Delvina "out of control."
The government positioned at least five T-55 tanks and half a
dozen armored personnel carriers at a checkpoint near Fieri, 55
kilometers south of Tirana and set up other checkpoints in an
attempt to prohibit passage either in or out of the southern
zone. Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini said he was informed
by Shehu, that "insurgents had captured three tanks and many
other weapons and aim to seize Tirana." The government is seeking
to "isolate" the three southern cities without armed conflict,
Shehu said. The president of the European Union, Dutch Foreign
Minister Hans van Mierlo, announced he would be in Tirana
to meet government officials and opposition members.
However, Berisha would not allow him to enter the country.
According to news agency reports:
"Berisha was quoted as assuring the Italian government that
his forces would not seek to retake rebel-held towns by force.
The army would seek to isolate the towns and then try to reach a
settlement for the rebels to lay down their arms."
"In Tepelene itself, a Reuters reporter saw anti-government
groups, mainly youths, in firm control, rolling big-caliber guns
into the central square."
"The president has offered to hold early polls but has
refused to enter any coalition with the Socialists."
"All you can get on Albanian State Radio is a bellyful of
classical music, interspersed every now and then with sketchy,
almost laconic news bulletins," an Indian reporter writes."Out in
the streets newspaper vendors sell just one newspaper Rijlinda
Demokratika, the official organ of the ruling Democratic Party.
Its banner headlines proclaim the re-election of Mr. Berisha for
a second five year term as President. 'There is no point in our
printing right now since every word we write has to be submitted
to the censor. Publishing would mean becoming the mouth-piece of
the President and that is something we would not like to do,'
explained Mr. Shpetim Nazavko, editor of Dita (The Day) a tiny,
independent newspaper. The paper's phone lines have been cut and
many of its journalists have gone into hiding. And with good
reason. The offices of the main opposition daily Koha, Jone (Our
Times) were torched by some 20 plainclothes policemen who went on
a rampage destroying computers and overturning filing cabinets
before setting the office alight. The paper's circulation had
gone up three times over the past three months. Mr. Zamir Dule,
who covers the activities of the paper which is supported by the
Soros Foundation, was picked up by the police and has not been
heard from since. There is palpable fear in Tirana. There are
long queues before the stores. People are waiting to stock up on
essentials such as sugar, flour, oil, bread. (...) At every
corner and crossroads, there are identity checks. Armed policemen
enter restaurants and cafes, checking the identities of the
clients. There is nothing civilized about their behavior which
is rude and brutal. They brandish their automatic weapons,
administer an arbitrary punch here, a kick there."
American Defence Secretary William Cohen, presently in
Germany, told reporters that the United States was watching the
situation but as of this time there are no military plans that
have been instituted nor any need to call upon the U.S.
military," he said. There are 1,000 or so American citizens in
Albania.
U.S. army General George Joulwan, commander of American and
NATO forces in Europe said the U.S. already has warships in the
region and was in contact with the U.S. ambassador in Tirana.
British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind told CBC Radio on
March 4, "We are not prepared to give support when (Berisha) acts
in an authoritarian and dictatorial way and that, sadly, has been
an increasing feature of his regime...The Albanian government has
not been properly respecting either the rule of law or
fundamental democratic principles of free media and free activity
of the opposition."
The government has called the insurrection "a rebellion
fomented by red bandits."
Security forces deployed from Tirana have orders to shoot on
sight anyone carrying arms.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8850] Windsor Wal-Mart Store First To Unionize (Canada)
Last month, the Wal-Mart store in Windsor became the first of 2,600 Wal-Mart stores worldwide to have a union. The Ontario Labor Relations Board ordered the certification of the United Steel Workers of America as bargaining agent. The Board disregarded a vote taken which went against the union, saying it was meaningless because the company had intimidated workers by refusing to answer their questions about whether the store would remain open if a union was introduced. The company has now organized some workers to contest the ruling and present an appeal on the basis that the union "is not wanted." Union spokesman Tom Collins said it's not unusual for the losing side of a ruling to seek a reconsideration. But he said he expects the Board to stick to its original ruling. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8851] Wal-Mart Adheres To U.S. Law In Canada
On Thursday a Winnipeg Wal-Mart store manager pulled Cuban made pyjamas off the shelf claiming that Wal-Mart was worried it could suffer under American sanctions against foreign countries that do business with Cuba. It is illegal in Canada to implement the laws of another country when they violate Canadian law. The government has always said that it cannot sue companies which violate Canadian law as concerns the anti-Cuban Helms Burton legislation unless they admit to doing so. In this case, Finance Minister Paul Martin responded by saying, "We expect companies in this country to obey the laws of Canada and to act according to Canadian ethics. And that position is unequivocal." According to newspaper reports, federal officials are looking at whether Wal-Mart may have violated a Canadian law adopted last year in response to those sanctions, said Charles Larabie, a Foreign Affairs spokesman. "I did have a chat with a colleague over at Justice this morning and certainly they'll be taking a look at this issue," he said. "On the face of it, it does give the appearance that there might be something to look at here." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8839] Worldwide Economic And Political Chaos Marks Anniversary Of Stalin's
and reactionaries. The real issue is to carry out the socialist revolution and construction with the working class in the lead, on the basis of contemporary Marxist-Leninist thought. The life and work of J.V. Stalin will always have a place of honor in the annals of socialist revolution and construction and in the struggle for national liberation. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8834] Cuban Economists Forsee Three Scenarios For GDP Growth Rate In 1997
The Center of Studies of the Cuban Economy (CSCE), associated to Havana University, foresees three different scenarios for the GDP increase in 1997, with rates of 5, 6 and 7 percent, related to an increase of imports of 12, 15 and 17, as well as sugar production outputs of 4.7, 4.7-5, and more than 5 million tons respectively. In an annual seminar held in January experts presented their recommendations and figures to the Government. The economists considered the following aspects as main objectives of Cuban economic policy for this year: _to increase the supply of goods and services, _to improve the relation between wages and prices, and _to boost employment The conditions to achieve these growth rates are: no further deterioration of the international exchange rates, the international price for sugar must remain at around 12 cents the pound, and the production of cigars must attain 100 million cigars and that of nickel, 64 000 tons. Citric exports should also grow by 20%, the sales of marine products must reach the amount of 20 million dollars and the exports of iron and steel as well as electronic industries must increase 50% compared with 1996. Experts consider that irrespective of the tensions contained in the financial plan, conditions are better this year than last year to achieve these ambitious objectives. Juan Triana, Director of the CSCE, stressed that economic reforms must keep going, with new legislation, the creation of a National Treasury, the complete implementation of the bank reform, the creation of investment funds and the selling of public bonds, among other measures. This policy, he added, is based on a wide social consensus and the strong political leadership of president Fidel Castro, aspects that permitted the continuous growth shown so far, the increase of exports and the decrease of the fiscal deficit without deterioration of basic social indicators. However, the experts also warned of the problems the Cuban economy is facing and mentioned specifically the pattern of power consumption whose growth rate is currently greater than that of the GDP, the existing problem with the national payments system, and size distortions in the industrial sector. They also said it is necessary for Cuba to keep on working on the huge imbalances in the economy and on both the foreign trade and budget deficits. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8833] More Unemployed, Less Benefits Paid Out (Canada)
Because of changes made to unemployment insurance regulations by the federal Liberals after they came to power in 1993, the total of UI payments made in 1996 was lower than in 1995, even though the number of people unemployed remained the same or went up in 1996. According to Statistics Canada, in 1996, Canadians were paid $13.1 billion (unadjusted) in employment insurance payments, including regular and special benefits, down 5% from 1995. It says that "benefit payments have declined 32.3% since 1992, when a record $19.3 billion was paid." Regular benefit payments "declined 13.2% in December after remaining flat for the previous six months. This decline was led by Ontario (-17.9 %) and Quebec (-12.2%)." Today, Unemployment Insurance (UI) is called Employment Insurance (EI) even though there is no assurance of employment. According to StatsCan, "the number of Canadians who received regular employment insurance benefits declined by 3.1% in December, the third consecutive monthly decline. Declines were recorded in all provinces and territories except New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. During the past year the number of beneficiaries has trended downward, reaching levels not seen since the early 1980s."Beneficiaries Receiving Regular Benefits November to December 1996 (seasonally adjusted) Beneficiaries % change Canada659,640 -3.1 Newfoundland 37,990-0.4 Prince Edward Island 9,940 2.3 Nova Scotia34,970-0.7 New Brunswick 41,1100.1 Quebec225,490 -3.2 Ontario 170,630 -3.0 Manitoba 15,500-6.9 Saskatchewan 11,120-12.5 Alberta 36,940 -7.9 British Columbia72,330-4.1 Yukon 1,070 -9.0 Northwest Territories1,260 -5.7 In December, the number of people who applied for employment insurance benefits declined 7.7% to 220,000, led by Ontario (-15.5 %). In terms of 1996 as a whole, StasCan says that from May 1994 to April 1996, "a slow but consistently increasing trend in claims was recorded. Since then claims have fallen. On an unadjusted basis, 3.0 million people submitted claims in 1996, a 3.8% decline from 1995." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8818] Quebec: Bouchard Warns Of Tougher Times To Come
Speaking to PQ members and supporters in meetings in Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce and in Saint-Louis-du-Ha!Ha!, north east of Quebec City, last week, Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard repeated that "eliminating the deficit to zero by 2000" is his government's priority, pointing out that the affirmation of Quebec sovereignty will then be much easier. According to Bouchard, everything must be subordinated to the "need to be competitive" in today's global market. "We cannot sit on our laurels," he said. "Per capital, we are more indebted, even more than Newfoundland we don't draw enough investments, the cost of our work force is no longer competitive and our youth are no longer adequately educated to satisfy the demands of the market." Instead of drawing the conclusion from these facts that a moratorium on debt-servicing payments and more investments in health care, education and social programmes will effectively improve the situation in Quebec, making it possible in the near future to accumulate the surplus capital required to pay down the debt, Bouchard warned of "tougher times to come" and presented the attacks against the population which the government is pursuing as the "role of government" and as if this is the "only alternative." "There is one reality that remains unavoidable," he said, and that is "that the government has to face its responsibilities." "Even if we don't like to do it, we have to give the state the vitality and flexibility it needs." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8796] On the Question Of A Power Struggle In China
There is a lot of speculation that since the death of Deng Xiaoping, a power struggle for the control of the Communist Party of China and the state of the People's Republic of China has broken out. Is it true that this is what is going on at this time in the PRC? We can say for sure that the CPC is taking measures to respond to the situation created by the death of Deng Xiaoping. Whether or not it is a power struggle is not really the important issue. The talk of a "power struggle" covers up two extremely important issues at stake. The PRC was born out of the struggle for the liberation of China. The leaders of this struggle were conscious that China will not be able to enjoy the fruits of its liberation unless it carries out socialist revolution and socialist construction. On the other hand, imperialism and all reactionaries, with U.S. imperialism in the lead, considered the liberation of China to be their "loss". For well over 48 years they have been trying to undo the situation, at least to minimize their losses. China's revolution, however, stopped half way. Can a capitalist China succeed in safeguarding its independence? Mao Zedong _ from the early days of the struggle _had considered that the bourgeoisie is no longer revolutionary. Chiang Kai Shek and his Kuomantang had proven themselves to be the enemies of revolution. Hence, he spoke about placing the working class at the head of the revolution. Can it be said that the bourgeoisie has become revolutionary? All developments indicate that this is not the case. The inevitable struggle that will break out in the PRC, if it is not already smoldering, is between those who want to go from market socialism to socialism and communism and those who will take the PRC backward from market socialism to classical capitalism. On the first side will be the patriotic elements who will be staunchly anti-imperialist while on the latter will be their detractors who will compromise with imperialism. It is an independent and socialist PRC which the imperialists fear most. They would want a weakened capitalist state which will fall into their lap. They very much wish to see the renewal of the so-called "power struggle" which took place in the seventies so as to influence it to make this happen. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8795] June 9 Election?! (Canada)
Finally, the speculations about when the next federal election will be held are naming the month and the day: June 9, 1997. Nonetheless, this is still speculation and not a declaration by the Prime Minister about when the election will actually be held, let alone a writ disolving the House. What is clear is that whenever the election is finally called, it will come as a surprise attack on the people since according to the electoral process in Canada, there is no fixed date at which elections take place and the advantage in the electoral contest is given to the ruling party to get prepared and call the election at a time that is most propitious for itself. The only aim the Liberals have in setting the election date of their choice is to get re-elected. It is broadly claimed that the budget delivered on February 18 was streamlined with the same aim of getting the Liberals re-elected. What kind of democracy is it in which the electorate, which is supposedly to elect the next Parliament, is held hostage to the whims of the Prime Minister as concerns the decision when the election will be held? The electorate has no power to determine the election issues either, or to provide itself with necessary information about them, or select candidates who would best serve its interests. The electorate is merely a spectator to the shenanigans of the Chretien Liberals, the party in power at the federal level at this time, and other bourgeois political parties which fully collaborate in this electoral fraud. Workers, women, youth and students must see through the kind of fraudulent elections held in Canada. They must fight for their interests by fielding their own candidates, not as "electoral machines" but as those who develop their struggle during, before and after the elections. By organizing themselves in defence of their own struggle, the people can put themselves in the center- stage of the developments. This is the only way the surprise attacks which the capitalist class organizes against the working class, whether through the elections or through other means, can be defeated. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8771] Hooliganism Of U.S. Diplomacy
The new U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has been on a "round-the-world tour" designed to push U.S. interests abroad. Everywhere she goes, the hooliganism of U.S. diplomacy is clearly evident. Following talks in Seoul, the news agencies quote Albright saying that "the success of Korean peace talks depends on how badly the North Koreans are hurting." Referring to food shortages reported in the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK), Albright said that the DPRK "can't expect help until it engages in peace talks." Using the request of the DPRK for humanitarian aid to blackmail the north Koreans is typical of U.S. foreign policy. The food shortages in the DPRK are the result of severe damage caused to agriculture as a result of tremendous rains and massive flooding. Rather than sympathizing with the people of the DPRK, the U.S., which claims to be the greatest champion of human rights, sees this tragedy for the people as a boon. While in south Korea, Albright also visited U.S. troops in the Demilitarized Zone. Even though it is the U.S. army which is occupying south Korea, Albright is reported to have "cautioned North Korea that the U.S. won't be divided from its ally, South Korea, in peace negotiations or on other issues." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8770] Seminar In Mexico On Political Parties And A New Society
act as mobilizers of the working class and people towards this aim. The CPC(M-L) delegation presented a paper entitled "What Kind of Party?" which was greatly appreciated. A summation of the discussion of the Seminar expressed several objectives, such as continuing the discussion on the evaluation of the reasons for the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe and the other themes taken up by the Seminar. In this direction, the participants approved four themes to be examined in future seminars: 1) political power as the necessary instrument for the construction of socialism; 2) the relationship between the party and the masses and between the party and society in general; 3) the formation of cadres to carry forward and guarantee the socialist cause; 4) economic, political and social proposals of the left for a new society. A commission comprised of the Communist Party of Cuba, the Workers' Party of Korea, the Party of Labor of Mexico and the Dominican United Left Movement was struck to organize a second seminar on these themes within the next year. In the course of the Seminar, participants also signed a declaration condemning the imperialist interference and threats of aggression against the people of Korea and expressing support for the peaceful reunification of their country. Another resolution condemned the U.S. imperialist blockade against Cuba and the Helms-Burton law and reaffirmed Cuba's right to self-determination. The Seminar was conducted in an extremely fraternal atmosphere. Besides the formal sessions, a lot of discussions took place on a bi-lateral basis enriching the exchange of opinions between delegations. A press conference was convoked on the last day of the seminar at which the Canadian delegation referred to the profound friendship and common interests between the Canadian and Mexican working class and people and thanked the PT for hosting the Seminar. The Mexican press expressed particular interest in the results of NAFTA in Canada and paid specific attention to the struggle of the Canadian working class and people against the implementation of the neo-liberal agenda in Ontario and nationally. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8741] U.S. Foreign Policy: When Diplomacy fails, Use Force
The new Secretary of State Madeleine Albright went before the Congress on February 11 to request a slight increase in funding for the State Department to a total of $19.45 billion. According to Albright, this amount is required to "sustain U.S. leadership." She said over the last few years, the State Department has cut more than 2,000 employees, closed more than 30 embassies and consulates and deferred modernization of infrastructure and communications. According to Albright, "Force, being a blunt instrument and one with sometimes extreme consequences, cannot solve all our problems. There will be many occasions, in many places, where we rely on diplomacy to protect our interests, and we will expect our diplomats to defend those interests with skill, knowledge and spine," she said. U.S. Issues Diplomatic Warning to Russia Based on "Intelligence Reports" Quoting "senior Clinton administration officials," the Los Angeles Times said that during talks last week between U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin in Moscow, the U.S. issued Moscow a diplomatic warning about "Russian assistance to Iran's missile programme that potentially could threaten U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, several Gulf allies and Israel." It claims that "intelligence reports" indicate that Russia recently transferred to Iran technology "for the Russian SS-4 missile which has a range almost three times greater than that of any missile now in Iran's arsenal." According to "Israeli officials," the transfer "basically involved detailed instructions on how to construct the missile's delivery system" but also contained "some parts for an SS-4 missile which has a range of 1,250 miles." Chernomydrin denied any such transfer which he said "would be in violation of a 1994 pledge by Russian President Boris Yeltsin not to engage in further arms sales to Tehran." Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8757] Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping, the architect of what is called market socialism in the People's Republic of China died on February 19 at the age of 92. Since the 1920s he has been associated with the struggle of the Communist Party of China (CPC) for China's liberation and its reconstruction. Heads of imperialist governments such as Jean Chretien, U.S. imperialist chieftain Bill Clinton, the president of France and many others in the "west" have praised him for "opening" China to the "west." Deng Xiaoping was born in 1904 at the height of the humiliation and division of the Chiense people by the "western democracies" which had reduced China to a country of coolies while using various regions of China for their own ends. Deng began his political activities at the time it had become clear that the bourgeoisie was no longer revolutionary. He participated in the activities of the CPC, even as its General Secretary at certain times but he failed to cope with the main question of the 20th century which is that a country can only secure its national liberation and become truly independent and its people sovereign if they carry out a thorough-going socialist revolution. On the basis of Deng's market socialism the Chinese revolution stopped half-way. At this time of Deng's death, the question of which path the PRC will follow, capitalism or socialism, is not settled. It has actually become even more acute as the contradictions within the PRC and internationally seek their resolution. The PRC, like the rest of the world, has become one of the major areas of contention between monopolies and the imperialist countries. Who will control its vast developing market? This struggle for the capturing of the economies of other countries has once against begun in all earnest. A dependent economy cannot sustain an independent political state. The people of the PRC and the world know it all too well. The subjugation and division of the PRC is foremost on the agenda of various imperialist powers. With market socialism in place, the friends of this "opening to the West" are hoping that the PRC will also, finally, adopt their political system. For the PRC to accept their political system, they will have to once again accept the division of the PRC. They will have to submit to all the "western" institutions which place individual right, the making of the maximum capitalist profit, in the first place. This will threaten the PRC's sovereignty as is the case with all the clamor about "reform" under the pretext that the PRC is "violating human rights." The PRC also has friends who would like to see it march on to socialism and communism through revolution. This would also open great prospects for many countries in the world which have come under the clutches of monopoly capital and the imperialist countries. These friends of the PRC would like to see the harmonization of the individual and collective interests with the general interest of Chinese society. They would like to see a prosperous and socialist China, a country which would be a factor for peace and progress in the world. The death of Deng Xiaoping has, once again, brought the question of which way forward for China to the fore. The PRC has experience of market socialism. This socialism, besides other things which are negative, has opened up the PRC for imperialist take-over and foreign interference. The PRC also knows what is socialism, the organization of all social productive forces of China for the completion of the socialist revolution and socialist construction. This is the only way the PRC can defend its sovereignty and contribute to the forward march of entire humankind. The "leaders" of the "west" have concluded in their self-serving enthusiasm for China's market socialism that the great question , "which way forward for China" has already been settled. Not only has this question not been settled for the PRC but it has not been settled for any country in the world either. Far from having been settled for China, it has actually become acute with the death of Deng Xioping. Every political force within the PRC and internationally will have to reckon with it. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8756] Highest Industrial Labor Costs In The World
According to German manufacturers, industrial firms in eastern Germany face the highest unit labor costs in the world. According to Gesamtmetal, the heavy industry and electronics' employers' association, last year the disparity between productivity and wage levels also increased. Labor costs rose 11.5 percent and slightly outpaced productivity growth of ten percent. In west Germany, on the other hand, gains in productivity (6.5 percent) stayed ahead of a five percent increase in labor costs. Employment in heavy industry and electronics dropped 5.5 percent in eastern Germany last year where about eight percent of the national total works. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8740] The Main Danger To The Middle East
The U.S., Israel and other countries which are trying to maintain the hegemony of their interests in the Middle East and are broadly interfering in the internal affairs of various countries which refuse to go along with them, claim that the main danger to the region does not come from themselves but from "fundamentalism" led by Iran. Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres was at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut on February 11 to deliver a speech. He claimed the Middle East was being threatened by a "fundamentalist movement" led by Iran. Even though the imperialists and reactionaries claim this is a "religious" movement and they call on "Jews, Muslims and Christians" to "unite against such fundamentalism," their real fear was revealed by Peres when he said that the "fundamentalist movement" is trying "to shake up and endanger practically every existing system in the Arab world. And its headquarters are today in a single country - In Iran." This, therefore, is an issue of political differences between countries with different systems. Such problems must be sorted out by removing all foreign imperialist forces from the region, stopping their interference in the internal affairs of independent states, such as Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya and other countries, and letting the people sort out their problems on the basis of their own sovereignty. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8731] German Unemployment Hits Record High
A post-war unemployment record was reached in Germany in January with nearly one in eight people capable of working jobless, for a total of 4,658,300 people. Berhard Jacoda, president of the Federal Labor Agency, attributed continued cutbacks by companies throughout the country and surging layoffs in construction for a monthly increase of 510,100, from 10.8 percent in December to 12.2 percent Jacoda called the development "frightening and alarming" and said the sharp increase in joblessness "exceeded all experts' estimates." In eastern Germany, the unemployment rate is 18.7 percent, up from 15.9 percent in December, an increase of 205,800 people for a total of 1,392,600, about 135,000 more than in the same month last year. In western Germany, an additional 304,300 lost their jobs as compared to December, for a total of 3,265,600 people. 8,000 Small Farms Wiped Out in Germany in 1996 --- According to an agricultural report issued on February 4 by the German Federal Minister of Agriculture, Jochen Borchert, the overall number of farming businesses in Germany dropped 38,000 in 1996 to 540,000. In eastern Germany the number of farms rose slightly to 30,800. In spite of this, the Minister reported a "solid income growth" last year, but he warned it is not likely to be repeated. According to the report, "profits increased 6.6 percent to DM 53,973 ($33,733) for the average farm during the fiscal year running from July 1995 through the end of June 1996. That translates to an average income DM 35,670 ($22,294) per worker." Considerable price support sustained that level, to the tune of DM 14.9 billion ($9.3 billion) from Bonn and DM 13.3 billion ($8.3 billion) from the European Union. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8710] Student Occupation At York University Comes To An End (Canada)
The student occupation of York University President Susan Mann's offices came to an end on the morning of Sunday, February 16. Both Metro police (called in by the York administration) and campus security were in full force when the protesters, who have been occupying her office since Tuesday, were given a "choice" of either confining their occupation to the President's office (it had spread to several offices) or leaving. The students have demanded an immediate freeze to tuition fees and have called on the administration to unite with students to oppose the cutbacks to education funding, part of the anti-social offensive being implemented by the federal and provincial governments. Students are demanding that the Administration act in defence of the interests of the students, and not as administrators of the cuts which are being imposed on education. Last week, several Ontario universities tabled tuition fee increases of 10 percent, following Education Minister John Snobelen's announcement that universities could increase tuition an average of 10 percent across the board, and up to 20 percent in specific faculties for the 1997-98 academic year. Following the tuition increases, students at the University of Toronto occupied the President's office, followed by students at York University and Guelph University. Students at the University of Toronto ended their week-long occupation of the UofT President's office on Feb. 13. Speaking the day before on CBC Radio Metro, UofT President Pritchard stated that the student occupiers do not represent the student body because they are not "elected student leaders." He also made flippant remarks about such actions being just a matter of routine student life. The students at the UofT have said they will continue to organize different actions on campus to oppose the tuition fee increase as part of participating in the struggle against the anti-social offensive. Students from UofT and a delegation sent from the then-occupied President's office at York participated in the anti-Megacity demonstration held in Toronto on Saturday. Students at the University of Guelph are continuing their occupation, which began Wednesday. They have already held an on-campus rally attended by over 500 Guelph students as well as high school students, despite the fact that it was in the middle of their university's mid-term break. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8709] Insurmountable Difficulty Facing The World Bourgeoisie: The Hiatus
One of the greatest difficulties facing the financial oligarchies of the entire world surfaced at their "World Economic Forum's" annual meeting held on February 1-2 in Davos, Switzerland. According to media reports, "Economic globalization, once seen as an unstoppable trend, is running up against growing popular opposition in the Western world, and governments need to do something urgently to convince ordinary people that it was beneficial, prominent economists warned..." C. Fred Bergsten, Director of the U.S. Institute for International Economics warned of a "globalization backlash," and U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, "urged business leaders to see that 'no one gets left behind' because of globalization." According to the news reports, "...public opinion in the West is increasingly sceptical about its (globalization's) benefits. Globalization has resulted in old jobs being destroyed as companies shift their attention to the emerging markets and wage rates falling in response to competition from the developing world. Individual firms react to globalization by cutting jobs, leaving employees to face the consequences." According to Horst Siebert, president of the Kiel Institute of World Economics, "Adjustment is not an issue for firms - they react by cutting cost and shedding labor. Labor, however, gets under pressure; in the U.S. it is real wages, in Europe it is unemployment." Sir Leon Brittan, Vice-President of the European Commission, speaking about the growing debate on the consequences and implications of globalization, said that the process of globalization has brought "new political and moral challenges." He referred to the fears about "the impact of globalization on our economies, jobs, societies and cultures." According to Britain, there is a "broad international consensus in favor of globalization. But this consensus is not universal nor is it immune from threats." According to the news reports, "There were however few concrete suggestions on what was to be done to avoid a 'backlash'." Far from it, the economists merely reiterated the imperialist propaganda according to which "there is no alternative." According to news reports, "Despite these problems, business leaders, economists and politicians here are in no doubt that there is no alternative to globalization, and that it still represents the best strategy for long-term prosperity." According to Sir Leon Brittan, "There is no genuine alternative to globalization. Anything else would be a blind alley. But we are able to handle globalization in a way that maximizes welfare. All of this is demonstrable, but it needs demonstrating." Brittan suggested that governments explain to their people three things: "First that globalization is not the only cause of change in our economic life: there are other reasons such as demography, why our labor markets and social security systems must be adapted, second...our economies can respond to new conditions in a way which creates jobs and growth; third that protectionism solves no problems, but invites retaliation and will in the medium-term lead to fewer jobs and lower growth." The news reports say that Brittan "said the power of governments to intervene in national economies had been severely curtailed by globalization. Regulating economic activity was 'no longer possible when flows of foreign exchange are unfettered, and in a world where up to a third of international trade takes place within transnational corporations.' He commented that 'we are in a new game with new players. The old rules no longer suffice.'" Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8649] Over 6000 Participate From More Than 20 Countries: Padagogy '97
s about saving Latin American and national identities, he said, within the conditions when an agenda of globalization and the destruction of national projects is ruling the world. Schools in Latin America, he added, can and must be the source of Latin America and Ibero-American culture, diverse, but with a vision of unity. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8605] 55th Anniversary Of The Birth Of Kim Jong Il
ot;comrade dear leader." Chapter 4 of the Brief History of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il points out: "The 8th Plenary Meeting of the 5th Central Committee of the WPK, on February 13, 1974, elected Comrade Kim Jong Il to the Political Committee of the CC of the WPK, and adopted a historic decision to nominate him as the sole successor to President Kim Il Sung and put him at the head of our Party and revolution. This reflected the unanimous wish of all Party members and the people." After he was acclaimed as the supreme leader of the Korean people, full play was given to Comrade Kim Jong Il's leadership and organizing abilities. The WPK has grown stronger and developed into the leader's Party that has imbued itself with a single ideology and firmly assured its monolithic leadership. It has become a leading political organization that has won the confidence of the people. As a consequence, Korea has been able to put its independent politics in force with great courage, despite its small territory. More than two years have gone by since President Kim Il Sung passed away in July 1994, but political stability remains in the DPRK in the absence of the officially elected leading organ of the Party and the state. Today, the anti-socialist, anti-DPRK manoeuvres of the imperialists and reactionaries have become more frenetic. Despite such conditions, however, socialist Korea continues to advance vigorously. Credit for this is due to the great guidance of Comrade Kim Jong Il, who has turned the base of socialism into an impregnable fortress by displaying extraordinary military wisdom, unusual strategy and unrivalled courage. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8604] U.S. Imperialist State Of The Union Address: Shameless Expression Of
he U.S. It has annexed large parts of Mexico and the cultures and languages of all "immigrants" remain devastated. For Clinton to declare he is part of the "immigrants," especially those who are under continuous attack in the U.S., is to play a cruel joke on all those who became the victims of U.S. imperialism within the U.S. and elsewhere. At a time the U.S. is more divided than ever between rich and poor and on a racial basis and immigrants and so-called illegals are under unprecedented attack, Clinton could only issue homilies to the greater glory of the United States. What stands out in sharp relief about Clinton's "State of the Union" Address is that here is a man who thinks he will set things right on the basis of appeals to the "human spirit" backed up by "military might." But the laws of development are far stronger than the "human spirit" backed up by "military might." The reality for Clinton is so painful that he does not even want to look at it. Herein lies the danger posed by U.S. imperialism to the rest of the world. The U.S. imperialists are self-serving maniacs who will stop short of nothing in order to get what they want. This is why the peoples of the United States and the entire world must remain vigilant. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8578] Incalcitarnt Stand Of Japanese Militarists
Since the Second World War, no Japanese government has paid for the crimes committed by the Japanese militarists during the war. This is because following the war, the Americans dropped the issue of the war crimes committed by the Japanese militarists. They not only refused to pursue the issue of bringing war criminals to justice, but they reinstated a large number of the war criminals to positions of authority, in order to create a bulwark in the Pacific region against communist China and an independent Korea. One of the heinous activities of the Japanese militarists was the kidnapping of hundreds and thousands of Korean women to be used as "sex slaves" for the Japanese army. The women were called "comfort women" and, to date, the Japanese government refuses to even acknowledge the crimes committed against them, let alone give compensation. The latest crime in this regard is that the Japanese government is setting in motion some local assemblies and individuals to create public opinion calling for striking out descriptions concerning the "comfort women for the Japanese army" from the textbooks of history, contending that the "comfort women for the army" itself had not existed and that the descriptions about this are "unreliable." The significance of the refusal of the Japanese government to admit to and settle the issue of its crimes against the Korean women is that it will commit such a crime again. Militarism is being incited in Japan in an open way. For instance, in a recent speech in Washington by the Japanese ambassador to the United States, he said that the "re-examination of Japan-U.S. defence cooperation guidelines" now progressing apace is aimed at coping with "an event of contingency" on the Korean peninsula and that Japan and the U.S. are examining the defence issue in an effort to promote reunification of the peninsula. The re-examination of the defence issue is the re-examination of the strategy to invade the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The deletion of any mention of the war crimes of the Japanese militarists from the textbooks is an effort to inculcate a militarist spirit in the Japanese youth. It is the youth who are used as cannon-fodder in wars of aggression, as a shock brigade to execute the designs of the Japanese militarists and American imperialists for reinvasion, instead of imparting the past crimes of the Japanese imperialists to the younger generation. The Korean people suffered great damage as a result of the crimes committed against them by the Japanese militarists. They will never accept the refusal to compensate the Korean "comfort women" for the crimes committed against them and will continue to insist that this be done. This is important to make sure that not only they compensate for past crimes committed, but that the road is not opened to commit the same again. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8577] Market Capitalism And World Poverty
"Today, market capitalism has no major ideological rival," United Nations' Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the World Economic Forum on February 1 in Davos, Switzerland. "Its biggest threat is from within itself. If it cannot promote both prosperity and justice, it will not have succeeded." "If the private sector does not deliver economic growth and economic opportunity _ equitably and sustainably _ around the world, then peace will remain fragile and social justice a distant dream," Annan said. Annan noted that the flow of investment has dramatically increased into developing countries, with more than 80 percent of it going to, with the exception of China, a dozen "middle-income" countries. Just five percent goes to Africa and one percent to the 48 least-developed countries. Annan called for "a new partnership amongst governments, the private sector and the international community" to set things right. Sticking to the illusion that a "market economy" is the source of prosperity, not of superprofits, Annan continued by saying that not only has a free-market economy won out, but "the role of the state is changing in most of the developing world, from one that seeks to dominate economic life to one which creates the conditions through which sustainable development is possible." This flies in the face of the fact that in both a socialist system and a capitalist system the "role of the state" expresses the kind of system which prevails, especially the social relations which determine the kind of economic life under that system. The propaganda according to which a "planned economy" is by nature inefficient merely diverts from the fact that the present state of affairs worldwide is the result of "free market capitalism" not a "planned economy." Annan said that "in today's world, the private sector is the dominant engine of growth; the principal creator of value and wealth; the source of the largest financial, technological and managerial resources." Belying the actual state of affairs throughout the world, Annan said that peace and security are no longer defined in terms of military power or the "balance of terror." He said that "lasting peace requires more than the intervention of Blue Helmets on the ground." According to Annan, "Globalization has given hope that human ingenuity and enterprise will take us forward into a new golden age," but "globalization in itself cannot be seen as a magic panacea. Over 60 percent of the world's population must subsist on $2 or less a day. A hundred of the world's countries are worse off today than they were 15 years ago. And increasing disparities between the rich and the poor within and between countries remains a serious threat to stability and to long-term economic growth," he added. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8533] On The Question Of The Use Of Force In Quebec
When it comes to dealing with the outstanding problems, the capitalist class cannot do it peacefully. Those who are profiting from the existing arrangements strive to keep the status quo through all means including by the use of force. Those who stand to profit from changed arrangements do likewise. At the same time, the two sides preach non-violence to the working class and broad masses of the people in order to ideologically disarm them in the face of these dangers. Most recently a controversy has arisen as to whether or not the government of Quebec would use force to stop some municipalities from having referenda on remaining in Canada. It is being suggested that the Government of Quebec would not use force. But this is really not the central issue. The central issue is this: Will the federal government and all provinces peacefully agree with the independence of Quebec and bring about all the necessary constitutional changes to facilitate it? The answer to this question is well-known. No, they will not do that. On the contrary, they will foment divisions in Quebec in order to ensure that an independent Quebec is a socially volatile Quebec. They will use force to ensure that the necessary changes are not brought about. Why would the Canadian government and the provinces not bring about the constitutional changes to facilitate the independence of Quebec? The answer to this question is also obvious. It is profitable for them to keep the status quo of a Canada of the monopolies, an empire-builder, a Canada which will be opposed to the opening of the door for the progress of the society. The working class must remain vigilant on the important question of the use of force. Force is the mid-wife when the old society is pregnant with the new one. This is the case in Canada at this time. The economic and political system and the Canadian federation need deep-going transformations. One such transformation is a constitutional guarantee for the independence of Quebec. But the federal government and the provinces are preparing to keep the status quo irrespective of what the people of Canada want. They will do this by force of arms. It is this threat to the sovereignty of the people which the working class must be vigilant about and be prepared to tackle with in its program for a modern constitution and democratic renewal. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8496] The Necessity For A World Outlook III
Let us go back a bit to our riddle of what came first, the chicken or the egg, structure or function, practice or theory? If waging the class struggle and politics, or, in short, practice, are not put in the first place, how is it possible to raise the question of acquiring a world outlook? Why would anyone want to acquire a world outlook when that outlook has no meaning for that person in real life? A world outlook is a matter of approaching the social and natural world, a world of which the people are an integral part. A world outlook determines how a person approaches the world in which that person lives. Should we approach it from the standpoint that ideas are primary and matter is secondary or the other way around? Only those who wage the class struggle will be objective and approach the question of a world outlook from their own standpoint, from their own class interest. When the universities as well schools these days teach that reality is not even knowable, they are waging a class struggle. They tell the people that they must not look at the reality of capitalist exploitation and wage slavery and draw what would be the warranted conclusion that no problems can be sorted out with finality until the capitalist system and the capitalist class are overthrown. We Marxist-Leninists, on the other hand, approach the world from the standpoint that not only is reality knowable but it also has its own laws of social development. What is necessary is to take into consideration these laws when anything is done, that is, when we participate in the class struggle and the struggles for production and scientific experimentation -- the three major fronts of practice of all human beings. For us, matter is primary and it can only be verified in the forms in which it exists. The fact that it exists in myriad forms proves that matter cannot exist without motion, just as motion cannot exist without matter. The capitalist class which teaches the youth that reality is not knowable organizes its own individual enterprises and political parties and processes extremely consciously and knowingly. They knowingly use the worn-out method of all reactionary classes, which is to advance on the basis of keeping the people ignorant. Thus for them it is very convenient to philosophize and have an outlook stating that even reality is not knowable. There are people who can even get their Ph.Ds and become well-known professors saying such things! Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8495] The Necessity For A World Outlook II
It can be said that this is the point at which a world outlook also begins to develop. This species called homo sapiens did come into being, but it is now at such a stage in its development that it is divided between those who want to play the role inherent to the species, that is, continue the humanization of the social and the natural environments on an uninterrupted basis, and those who want to keep the stage of society as it is, which is extremely destructive to both the social and the natural environments and, most important, destructive to the very role that nature gave to the homo sapiens as a species. Given its inherent role, however, it is not possible to stop the species of homo sapiens from humanizing the natural and the social environments. Taking into consideration the all-round development of the class struggle, it can thus be concluded that the class struggle waged by the working class today leads to the ongoing humanization of the social and natural environments, while the class struggle waged by the capitalist class leads to its opposite, that is, dehumanization. If anyone is to acquire a world outlook, they will have to participate in waging this class struggle, either on the side of the working class or on the side of the capitalist class. There is no middle ground. There is no such thing as acquiring an outlook without waging the class struggle. Formal learning does have its own place, but the decisive and the highest school of learning is the class struggle itself. All the youth, both students and others, ought to participate in politics. They must put politics in the first place. They should be able to correlate to the fact that the capitalist class discourages everyone, especially the youth, from participating in politics. It does so because it knows that if everyone were to participate in politics they would come to the conclusion that it is not necessary to have a superfluous class existing in society as the capitalist class. They will ask for the overthrow of such a class and the system which perpetuates it. However, by compelling them not to be political, the capitalists get the youth to wage a class struggle against their own interests, against the working class, and against the opening of the door for the progress of society. It can be concluded by analyzing concrete conditions that the reason why many youths grope in the dark and have difficulty in acquiring a world outlook is because they do not wage the class struggle or participate in politics, which amounts to the same thing. In a society as exists in the U.S. today and internationally, people do not have a choice whether to participate in politics or not. Nonetheless, the capitalist class demands that they must not participate in politics. The working class, women, youth and students are pressured to leave politics to politicians. How are people to defend their interests if they do not participate in politics? All members of the polity have a duty to that polity to participate in politics. The entire existing political process, however, marginalizes the members of the polity from participating in political affairs. Without the people participating in the political affairs of the country and internationally, they become divided into factions in favor of this or that political party. They begin to participate in politics against their own interests. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8465] The Necessity For A World Outlook
Let us take up the necessity for a world outlook from the angle of the proverbial riddle (the chicken and egg riddle). Which came first: human beings or their world outlook? This is a riddle which can be easily solved by asking the question in this manner: "Which came first, theory or practice?" Human beings have gone through thousands of years of practice, or, one could say, evolution. What is known historically is that first there were some physical, anatomical, physiological changes, or, in sum, structural changes, followed by a change in function. It is not possible to explain the existence of human beings without, biologically speaking, various physiological and structural changes having taken place. One of the important changes was the development of vocal cords. For homo sapiens to stand erect on two legs, to become unique bipedal mammals, a lot of changes in their biological structure had to take place. Only once such changes were in place to a certain extent was it possible for the function itself to evolve into what we call the human, that is, to be able to use the hands consistently with the brain and thus change nature. In human social development, it is practice which had to develop to a certain level before theory could come into being and play its own directing role. Today too, without practice it is not possible to acquire a world outlook consistent with that practice. Of all the great struggles of the present era, the class struggle and the struggles for production and scientific experimentation, play the most dominant role in social development. It can be said that without waging the class struggle, it will not be possible to acquire a world outlook. Without acquiring a world outlook, it is not possible to further develop the class struggle. As regards the development of the species, it can be said with certainty that homo sapiens had no choice but to evolve. The conditions were crying out for nature to produce such a species as could not only think-in-itself and work according to habits acquired over millennia, transformed into spontaneous natural behavior, so determined by the structure and function of any organism within those conditions, but a species which could also think for others, which could abstract absence (i.e., conceptualize what is missing) in a profound way and make nature yield what was necessary for the humanization of both the social and the natural environments. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8390] What it Means To Be Political
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POLITICAL We reprint below excerpts from a presentation by a member of the women's initiative at a meeting utilizing VOR #119, "Taking Politics Into Our Own Hands." Presentations are part of the effort to encourage all participants to express their views. It has been edited for publication. United States Marxist-Leninist Organization -- In the current political system we are led to believe that voting is everything and that politics--and real decision making--is to be left to the rich and their political parties. One of the biggest blocks in moving this society forward is the fact that politics are considered a domain which does not belong to the working class and ordinary people. The working class never sleeps. Working people are so busy struggling to get by, who's got time for politics? Yet, no one else is going to make things better for us. It is the workers, students, and other ordinary people who must become political, and create a new society in their own image. By raising our level of social consciousness and becoming political we have everything to gain. One problem we face is that workers lack confidence in their ability to win power, to rule and govern. This is not an accident. The capitalists and their agents work day and night to make people feel powerless. When you go to the bank you come out feeling powerless. When tuition fees go up you feel powerless. When your workplace lays-off some and adds on more work for others, you feel powerless. When the bills come and you struggle to pay them you feel powerless. The capitalist class is making us feel powerless! To put an end to this situation people have to ask themselves a question, tonight ask yourself a question--do you feel oppressed? If you feel oppressed then you must become political. Being political is much richer than just voting. Being political means taking a definite stand on issues. It means discussing, and raising the level of social consciousness. It means looking at the concrete conditions right before our eyes and drawing conclusions. Being political means being involved in the fight for a new society. I work days and my husband works nights, we have opposite days off, we are raising two children. We make time for politics because the old society is dying and things are becoming worse all the time. We don't believe the monopoly controlled-media, the schools, and the politicians of the rich, when they tell us that voting is enough. People want to exercise control over their lives. In order to do this it is the people themselves who must go for power. All capitalist parties are the greatest defenders of the capitalist system and their kind of democracy. While they defend the system, the Republicans, the Democrats, the Perot's, etc. all pretend that they are completely different from each other ideologically and split the polity on that basis. People think they are voting for someone who is different, but they end up being the same. They are the same because they defend the capitalist system. They do not want you to become political because they are afraid that the working class will change the social relations that exist between the capitalist class and the working class. Revolutionary politics to some seems like an impossible goal, but revolution comes in ebb and flow. Revolution is in retreat now, but it will once again be in flow. This is why the people must begin to claim politics as their own, so they can be ready to move society forward. Discussing and taking up our own politics, the politics of empowerment, is a first step. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8334] On Dictatorship, The State And Democracy
. In other words by permitting the people the right to vote, people are supposed to be fooled into believing that the state and its institutions are "neutral," "above classes" and serve everyone in society equally. When the elections do not sort out the serious contradictions in the ranks of the bourgeoisie or they fail to restore the faith of the people in the system, the political crisis deepens. The electorate is merely used as voting cattle to decide which set of exploiters will rule over them. The role of elections under the dictatorship of the proletariat is to make it possible for the people to come to power themselves. As this direct democracy develops and matures and the people become experienced in managing their economic, social, cultural and political affairs and, as the exploiting classes are eliminated altogether, the need for the state as an instrument of compulsion will disappear and it will wither away. The characteristic feature of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie is that it will never permit the people to come to power through elections or otherwise. The struggle of the people for power leads to the overthrow of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. Force is exercised against the bourgeoisie at the will of the people, by the people themselves led by the working class. The overthrow of the bougeoisie is the most popular thing there is. To suggest that there are some people who force themselves upon others is to speak of bourgeois dictatorships engineered through military coups d'etat. The aim of the overthrow of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie is not the installation of an individual as a dictator. It is the people who become sovereign and they establish a system in which the legislative and executive power is subordinate to the people. There is no difference of opinion between Karl Marx and V.I. Lenin on the question of the manner in which the dictatorship of the proletariat is to be established. Whether the revolution is peaceful or violent, the aim remains to overthrow the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. The new state must compel the bourgeoisie to submit to the wishes of the people, and submit to the profound revolutionary reforms whose aim is to eliminate all exploitation of persons by persons. To speculate on the forms of the struggle and to suggest that differences exist between the opinions of Marx and Lenin diverts attention from the task at hand, which is to analyze the concrete conditions of the present and deal with the contemporary problems of the current struggle, the aim of this struggle and how this aim can be achieved. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] --Boundary (ID uieuzoOyuFxtYmNFIr+Wow)--
[PEN-L:8317] Is The Wrong-Doing Of The Armed Forces Or Of the Financial Oligarchy?
We will continue to raise the question: Who should be held responsible for everything which takes place in the society? In a society in which the financial oligarchy holds sway over all the economic, political, cultural and military affairs, how can anybody else be blamed for what goes on in the society? The notoriety which the armed forces have earned in Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti and elsewhere has everything to do with what the financial oligarchy is doing as a result of its obsessive desire for an empire in its pursuit of making maximum profit. Whether it is the production of arms or interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of "peacekeeping" or "peacemaking", it is the motive of making maximum profit which guides the armed forces. All rank and file members of the armed forces, all sons and daughters of the working class in the armed forces, must oppose the use of the armed forces for the aim of pursuing nineteenth century notions of empire-building. It is the government and the financial oligarchy which must be blamed for all the infamies which the armed forces are committing. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8316] Disgraceful Performance Of Imperialists In Korea
d "take Canada into the 21st century." The truth is that the kind of things which the Liberal Party of Canada is doing will not prevail in the 21st century. War and aggression do not go unpunished. The vengeance of history has its own cunning. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8298] What Do The Imperialists Want from Serbia, Bulgaria And Other Such ,
When the people of Ontario and other provinces began their struggle against the anti-social offensive, the monopoly-controlled media and politicians let it be known that Harris and other governments across Canada had the "mandate" to do what they wish. The people, they said, have to wait till the next election to vote them out of office if they don't like what they are doing. It seems that they are not using the same logic when it comes to Serbia or Bulgaria and many other countries in the world. Why is this the case? It is as clear as clear can be that the complete restoration of capitalism in the countries of eastern Europe and the Russian Federation has plunged these countries into a profound all-sided crisis. Violence and anarchy have become the norm, the new Rule of Law pushed by the most reactionary sections of finance capital, especially by foreign imperialist countries such as those which belong to the European Union and North America. Monopolists from these countries cannot and do not want to see any left-overs of the old order. At the same time, they cannot afford to have a new rule of law. The working class is familiar with the stories of the kind of lawlessness which prevailed under capitalism in the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s and since then. Finance capital cannot afford to accept any rule of law, even one of its own. Capital can only flourish on the basis of anarchy and violence. The aim of manipulation of the people in Serbia and Bulgaria and other such countries is the same: to smash the old rule of law while it is replaced with nothing. They openly practice the rule of lawlessness and give it the name of "democracy" and a "multiparty system." This is how the imperialists and their social props are seeking to serve their interests in these countries. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8268] Oppose The Attacks Of The Brutal South Korean Regime On the Workers
Besides the draconian National Security Law, which makes it criminal to be a communist, engage in any activity deemed to be "pro-north", call for the reunification of Korea or have any contact with individuals or organizations in the north or deemed "pro-north", the latest law introduced by the south Korean regime attacks the rights of workers. On Dec. 26, at a secret pre-dawn session of the legislature, the Kim Young-sam regime passed a new labor bill making it easier for companies to lay off employees en masse and making it even more difficult for south Korean workers to organize. That same day, workers in the automobile industry and in the ports began strike actions. Hundreds of thousands of workers, joined by youth and students, have staged a series of rotating strikes, demonstrations and mass rallies to oppose the new law. This morning, the south Korean government deployed thousands of police and armed troops, including armored cars and helicopters, against the workers and youth. The Kim Young-sam government has threatened trade union leaders with jail if the strike actions are not called off. Over 6,000 students were already arrested this summer under the National Security Law for organizing protests calling for the reunification of north and south Korea and demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the Korean Peninsula. A "Team Canada" delegation headed by Prime Minister Jean Chretien and including nine of the ten provincial premiers just left south Korea, after signing trade deals with the south Korean regime. The hypocrisy of the Liberal government is abundantly clear. When it suits its interests, it parrots the line of the U.S. imperialists on "human rights" and supports actions such as the bombardment of Iraq or the boycott imposed on Iran. When it comes to their friends and is in the interests of the financial oligarchy, the Liberals leap all over themselves to pronounce that these are internal problems and of no concern to the Canadian people. All justice-loving peoples must oppose the brutal attacks against the working class and people in south Korea. OPPOSE THE BRUTALITY AGAINST THE STRIKING WORKERS IN SOUTH KOREA! REPEAL THE NEW ANTI-WORKER LABOR LEGISLATION! REPEAL THE NATIONAL SECURITY LAW! FOREIGN TROOPS, OUT OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA! FOR THE PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION OF KOREA! Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8268] Oppose The Attacks Of The Brutal South Korean Regime On the Workers
Besides the draconian National Security Law, which makes it criminal to be a communist, engage in any activity deemed to be "pro-north", call for the reunification of Korea or have any contact with individuals or organizations in the north or deemed "pro-north", the latest law introduced by the south Korean regime attacks the rights of workers. On Dec. 26, at a secret pre-dawn session of the legislature, the Kim Young-sam regime passed a new labor bill making it easier for companies to lay off employees en masse and making it even more difficult for south Korean workers to organize. That same day, workers in the automobile industry and in the ports began strike actions. Hundreds of thousands of workers, joined by youth and students, have staged a series of rotating strikes, demonstrations and mass rallies to oppose the new law. This morning, the south Korean government deployed thousands of police and armed troops, including armored cars and helicopters, against the workers and youth. The Kim Young-sam government has threatened trade union leaders with jail if the strike actions are not called off. Over 6,000 students were already arrested this summer under the National Security Law for organizing protests calling for the reunification of north and south Korea and demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the Korean Peninsula. A "Team Canada" delegation headed by Prime Minister Jean Chretien and including nine of the ten provincial premiers just left south Korea, after signing trade deals with the south Korean regime. The hypocrisy of the Liberal government is abundantly clear. When it suits its interests, it parrots the line of the U.S. imperialists on "human rights" and supports actions such as the bombardment of Iraq or the boycott imposed on Iran. When it comes to their friends and is in the interests of the financial oligarchy, the Liberals leap all over themselves to pronounce that these are internal problems and of no concern to the Canadian people. All justice-loving peoples must oppose the brutal attacks against the working class and people in south Korea. OPPOSE THE BRUTALITY AGAINST THE STRIKING WORKERS IN SOUTH KOREA! REPEAL THE NEW ANTI-WORKER LABOR LEGISLATION! REPEAL THE NATIONAL SECURITY LAW! FOREIGN TROOPS, OUT OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA! FOR THE PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION OF KOREA! Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8239] Euphoria Is One Of The Main Features Of The Wrecking Which Is The
y the ideological struggle in order to ensure that the work for the creation of the subjective conditions for revolution gains momentum and goes from success to success to victory. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8236] The Soviet Union
e remnants of the old system and those elements that had arisen within the socialist system who were objectively for the restoration of capitalism. The working class lost the battle for the time being; it was not able to consolidate the successes of the Soviet Union as a decisive victory. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8248] Re: Euphoria, NO!, Wrecking, YES!
First, it is entirely untrue that I post 2-3 times *per day*. In general, and all subscirbers know this, I post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This, and not something else, is the tentative agreement Michael and I have. Second, Jerry, no matter what, you cannot grant or take away one's rights, not their human rights, democratic rights or civil rights. Your policing efforts hardly conceal your malicious aims and furious hatred. Apparently I am living rent-free in your mind. Finally, Michael, why do you say that it is a "problem" that people respond to my posts? This is extremely strange. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Wed, 15 Jan 1997, Michael Perelman wrote: The problem is that people respond to his posts, so he rightfully re-responds. erald Levy wrote: Michael -- I thought you negotiated a deal for Shawgi Tell to post 2-3 times per week. Yet, he has been posting 2-3 (or more) messages/day. -- A non-euphoric, Jerry Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8245] Re: The Wrecking Activity Of Imperialism And All
, the proletariat must at once expand democracy and suppress all enemies of the people, the exploiters of yesterdaty. This is why, for example, the standing army must be dissolved and replaced by a peoples' army, by the self-acting armed organization of the population. Socialism is an extremely unique and special tranistory historical period. The resistance of the capitalists will still exist under socialism, as may commodity production depending on the ratio of class forces. Further, all "bourgeois rights" do not disappear under socialism. But, the exploitation of persons by persons will end (has ended) under socialism. Only Communism renders the State, the organ of suppression, absolutely unneccesary. Only under Communism will antagonisms between large sections of the population cease to exist. Under socialism the working class and people will enthusiastically suppress all that is Old and give rise to the New. Bob Malecki -------- Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8239] Euphoria Is One Of The Main Features Of The Wrecking Which Is The
y the ideological struggle in order to ensure that the work for the creation of the subjective conditions for revolution gains momentum and goes from success to success to victory. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8236] The Soviet Union
e remnants of the old system and those elements that had arisen within the socialist system who were objectively for the restoration of capitalism. The working class lost the battle for the time being; it was not able to consolidate the successes of the Soviet Union as a decisive victory. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8248] Re: Euphoria, NO!, Wrecking, YES!
First, it is entirely untrue that I post 2-3 times *per day*. In general, and all subscirbers know this, I post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This, and not something else, is the tentative agreement Michael and I have. Second, Jerry, no matter what, you cannot grant or take away one's rights, not their human rights, democratic rights or civil rights. Your policing efforts hardly conceal your malicious aims and furious hatred. Apparently I am living rent-free in your mind. Finally, Michael, why do you say that it is a "problem" that people respond to my posts? This is extremely strange. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Wed, 15 Jan 1997, Michael Perelman wrote: The problem is that people respond to his posts, so he rightfully re-responds. erald Levy wrote: Michael -- I thought you negotiated a deal for Shawgi Tell to post 2-3 times per week. Yet, he has been posting 2-3 (or more) messages/day. -- A non-euphoric, Jerry Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8245] Re: The Wrecking Activity Of Imperialism And All
, the proletariat must at once expand democracy and suppress all enemies of the people, the exploiters of yesterdaty. This is why, for example, the standing army must be dissolved and replaced by a peoples' army, by the self-acting armed organization of the population. Socialism is an extremely unique and special tranistory historical period. The resistance of the capitalists will still exist under socialism, as may commodity production depending on the ratio of class forces. Further, all "bourgeois rights" do not disappear under socialism. But, the exploitation of persons by persons will end (has ended) under socialism. Only Communism renders the State, the organ of suppression, absolutely unneccesary. Only under Communism will antagonisms between large sections of the population cease to exist. Under socialism the working class and people will enthusiastically suppress all that is Old and give rise to the New. Bob Malecki -------- Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8209] Re: Without Modern Communism The Workers And People
Bob, here is the original post. There is no other post. This is the only one dealing explicitly with Modern Communism. Now, as for your question, "What is Modern Communism?", the answer, as I've already indicated, is contained in the post, in the second paragraph. If you need elaboration, please be specific. Bob asks: Shawgi Tell; What is modern Communism? Extremely interested in how it got their also. Bob malecki Why is it that not a day goes by without the bourgeoisie attacking communism, through its media, think-tanks, universities and in a million and one other ways? If communism is "finished," "dead," "utopian," "dictatorial," "totalitarian," "the antithesis of human rights" and any number of other colorful epithets which come to mind, what are imperialism and the bourgeoisie worried about? The real issue is that imperialism and the bourgeoisie can only continue to keep themselves in power so long as the working class and all the forces in society which stand to gain from coming to power themselves are confused about the significance of what is going on in the society and their consequent line of march. The aim of the ideological and political confusion-making of the bourgeoisie is to ensure that the workers, women, youth, students and others do not seriously think about the causes of the problems as they exist in the society and how to deal with them. The bourgeoisie makes communism and the communist party the targets of its attack because they are the main instruments of enlightenment and of the new arrangements which are required to open society's path for progress. Modern Communism is the profound revolutionary condition for the complete emancipation of the working class and all of humanity, in which people are the creators of their own history. It emerges out of the concrete conditions of capitalism in which production is social but appropriation is private. It is this contradiction between the character of production and the means of its appropriation which is accentuating the contradiction which is tearing the society apart - the contradiction between the productive forces and the old moribund relations of production. The condition of Modern Communism comes into being after a thoroughgoing resolution of this contradiction. The stage of socialism is the transition period between capitalism and communism. But imperialism and the reactionary bourgeoisie present Modern Communism as if it is a set of lunatic principles conjured-up and imposed on the objective world by self-serving power hungry maniacs or utopians who are simply out of tune with the "harsh realities" of life In other words, without Modern Communism the workers and people cannot find their bearings. The bourgeoisie does not want people to embrace communism and the communist party for no other reason than to keep them disoriented and unable to direct the strength of their numbers and organization in a manner which benefits them, not the bourgeoisie. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8213] Re: Without Modern Communism The Workers And People
f all bourgeois parties, which are only interested in coming to power themselves. The ultimate aim of a genuine Communist Party is to end all exploitation of persons by persons. But perhaps you are trying to put some new meaning to it all when your throw the words "modern Communism" around.. Bob Malecki If you could actually show (not just declare): (1) where, and (2) how I "throw the words" Modern Communism "around," this would be helpful. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8218] The Wrecking Activity Of Imperialism And All Reaction
A study of the conditions as they prevail on the world scale shows that the main content of the present counter-revolution is the all- sided pressure to "liquidate" i.e. get rid of, whatever positive achievements have been made by modern society. This attack takes the form of the anti-social offensive and is, essentially, all- sided wrecking activity on the part of imperialism and the bourgeoisie to undermine and destroy whatever positive achievements have been made by humankind during the twentieth century. These achievements exist in all fields, at various levels of development. Besides straightforward advances made in the fields of science and technology, the most important achievements exist in the form of modern arrangements between people and their collectives to guarantee that society progresses in a way which serves the needs of its members. Just as the bourgeoisie fought for and succeeded in putting new arrangements in place when it came to power during the period from the 14th to the 19th centuries by tearing down the old feudal arrangements, so too during the twentieth century the workers and peoples of the world have fought for and succeeded in putting new arrangements in place. The work to build and defend the edifice of communism and the communist parties has been pivotal to the successes achieved, just as for imperialism and the bourgeoisie attacking communism and the communist party has been pivotal to ensuring that these successes are not consolidated and turned into lasting victory, but are actually torn down and destroyed. The essence of these new arrangements was and continues to be to affirm the rights of the workers, women, youth, students and all members of society and of society itself as the overall collective of its members, as opposed to the right of private property which is the essence of the arrangements brought into being by the bourgeoisie and its system. It is because people involved in making and defending these new arrangements will necessarily give rise to solutions to new problems as they arise in the course of new developments, as well as defend whatever arrangements they bring forth, that the bourgeoisie makes them and their organizations, the targets of its most vicious and pernicious attacks. This is where the task of the bourgeoisie to undermine the edifice of communism and demean the communist party comes into being, just as the mandate for all progressive forces to contribute to building the edifice of communism and the communist party also comes into being. This issue is so important that it is integrally bound up with the progress of society. In other words, the issue of communism does not pertain to communists alone, even though it is the communists who make it their raison d'etre by devoting all their energies to this task. It is an issue for all enlightened forces, all forces which stand for progress. For instance, why does the bourgeoisie do everything in its power to make sure that people are kept away from making the new arrangements as required by the society? It is so that they cannot find their bearings or contribute to providing these problems with solutions. But what has to be also recognized is that the ideological and political confusion which arises is such that people are extremely vulnerable to any hype and hysteria which the bourgeoisie sees fit to create. This creates an extremely dangerous situation for the people and their society. Opposition to the wrecking activity of the bourgeoisie is therefore the common cause of all members of society, not of the communists alone. The role the communists must play is to single-mindedly concentrate all their efforts in involving the workers, women, youth, students and others in taking up the tasks set by the communist party to bring the new arrangements into being. Only in this way can the successes achieved by the workers and peoples during the twentieth century be consolidated and turned into lasting victories. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8220] The Turmoil In The Capitalist Economy And Society - What Is It
their struggles and the struggles of all working people point towards the immediate necessity to open the door for the progress of the society. The task of opening the door for the progress of the society belongs to the workers themselves. It is they who must organize themselves to make sure it happens. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8220] The Turmoil In The Capitalist Economy And Society - What Is It
their struggles and the struggles of all working people point towards the immediate necessity to open the door for the progress of the society. The task of opening the door for the progress of the society belongs to the workers themselves. It is they who must organize themselves to make sure it happens. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8218] The Wrecking Activity Of Imperialism And All Reaction
A study of the conditions as they prevail on the world scale shows that the main content of the present counter-revolution is the all- sided pressure to "liquidate" i.e. get rid of, whatever positive achievements have been made by modern society. This attack takes the form of the anti-social offensive and is, essentially, all- sided wrecking activity on the part of imperialism and the bourgeoisie to undermine and destroy whatever positive achievements have been made by humankind during the twentieth century. These achievements exist in all fields, at various levels of development. Besides straightforward advances made in the fields of science and technology, the most important achievements exist in the form of modern arrangements between people and their collectives to guarantee that society progresses in a way which serves the needs of its members. Just as the bourgeoisie fought for and succeeded in putting new arrangements in place when it came to power during the period from the 14th to the 19th centuries by tearing down the old feudal arrangements, so too during the twentieth century the workers and peoples of the world have fought for and succeeded in putting new arrangements in place. The work to build and defend the edifice of communism and the communist parties has been pivotal to the successes achieved, just as for imperialism and the bourgeoisie attacking communism and the communist party has been pivotal to ensuring that these successes are not consolidated and turned into lasting victory, but are actually torn down and destroyed. The essence of these new arrangements was and continues to be to affirm the rights of the workers, women, youth, students and all members of society and of society itself as the overall collective of its members, as opposed to the right of private property which is the essence of the arrangements brought into being by the bourgeoisie and its system. It is because people involved in making and defending these new arrangements will necessarily give rise to solutions to new problems as they arise in the course of new developments, as well as defend whatever arrangements they bring forth, that the bourgeoisie makes them and their organizations, the targets of its most vicious and pernicious attacks. This is where the task of the bourgeoisie to undermine the edifice of communism and demean the communist party comes into being, just as the mandate for all progressive forces to contribute to building the edifice of communism and the communist party also comes into being. This issue is so important that it is integrally bound up with the progress of society. In other words, the issue of communism does not pertain to communists alone, even though it is the communists who make it their raison d'etre by devoting all their energies to this task. It is an issue for all enlightened forces, all forces which stand for progress. For instance, why does the bourgeoisie do everything in its power to make sure that people are kept away from making the new arrangements as required by the society? It is so that they cannot find their bearings or contribute to providing these problems with solutions. But what has to be also recognized is that the ideological and political confusion which arises is such that people are extremely vulnerable to any hype and hysteria which the bourgeoisie sees fit to create. This creates an extremely dangerous situation for the people and their society. Opposition to the wrecking activity of the bourgeoisie is therefore the common cause of all members of society, not of the communists alone. The role the communists must play is to single-mindedly concentrate all their efforts in involving the workers, women, youth, students and others in taking up the tasks set by the communist party to bring the new arrangements into being. Only in this way can the successes achieved by the workers and peoples during the twentieth century be consolidated and turned into lasting victories. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8213] Re: Without Modern Communism The Workers And People
f all bourgeois parties, which are only interested in coming to power themselves. The ultimate aim of a genuine Communist Party is to end all exploitation of persons by persons. But perhaps you are trying to put some new meaning to it all when your throw the words "modern Communism" around.. Bob Malecki If you could actually show (not just declare): (1) where, and (2) how I "throw the words" Modern Communism "around," this would be helpful. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8209] Re: Without Modern Communism The Workers And People
Bob, here is the original post. There is no other post. This is the only one dealing explicitly with Modern Communism. Now, as for your question, "What is Modern Communism?", the answer, as I've already indicated, is contained in the post, in the second paragraph. If you need elaboration, please be specific. Bob asks: Shawgi Tell; What is modern Communism? Extremely interested in how it got their also. Bob malecki Why is it that not a day goes by without the bourgeoisie attacking communism, through its media, think-tanks, universities and in a million and one other ways? If communism is "finished," "dead," "utopian," "dictatorial," "totalitarian," "the antithesis of human rights" and any number of other colorful epithets which come to mind, what are imperialism and the bourgeoisie worried about? The real issue is that imperialism and the bourgeoisie can only continue to keep themselves in power so long as the working class and all the forces in society which stand to gain from coming to power themselves are confused about the significance of what is going on in the society and their consequent line of march. The aim of the ideological and political confusion-making of the bourgeoisie is to ensure that the workers, women, youth, students and others do not seriously think about the causes of the problems as they exist in the society and how to deal with them. The bourgeoisie makes communism and the communist party the targets of its attack because they are the main instruments of enlightenment and of the new arrangements which are required to open society's path for progress. Modern Communism is the profound revolutionary condition for the complete emancipation of the working class and all of humanity, in which people are the creators of their own history. It emerges out of the concrete conditions of capitalism in which production is social but appropriation is private. It is this contradiction between the character of production and the means of its appropriation which is accentuating the contradiction which is tearing the society apart - the contradiction between the productive forces and the old moribund relations of production. The condition of Modern Communism comes into being after a thoroughgoing resolution of this contradiction. The stage of socialism is the transition period between capitalism and communism. But imperialism and the reactionary bourgeoisie present Modern Communism as if it is a set of lunatic principles conjured-up and imposed on the objective world by self-serving power hungry maniacs or utopians who are simply out of tune with the "harsh realities" of life In other words, without Modern Communism the workers and people cannot find their bearings. The bourgeoisie does not want people to embrace communism and the communist party for no other reason than to keep them disoriented and unable to direct the strength of their numbers and organization in a manner which benefits them, not the bourgeoisie. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8191] Re: Without Modern Communism The Workers And People
The answer to your question "What is Modern Communism?" is contained in the original post. If you have a more specific question, feel free to ask. I don't understand what you mean by "Extremely interested in how it got their also." Is it possible for you to elaborate? Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Sat, 11 Jan 1997, Robert Malecki wrote: Shawgi Tell; What is modern Communism? Extremely interested in how it got their also. Bob malecki Why is it that not a day goes by without the bourgeoisie attacking communism, through its media, think-tanks, universities and in a million and one other ways? If communism is "finished," "dead," "utopian," "dictatorial," "totalitarian," "the antithesis of human rights" and any number of other colorful epithets which come to mind, what are imperialism and the bourgeoisie worried about? The real issue is that imperialism and the bourgeoisie can only continue to keep themselves in power so long as the working class and all the forces in society which stand to gain from coming to power themselves are confused about the significance of what is going on in the society and their consequent line of march. The aim of the ideological and political confusion-making of the bourgeoisie is to ensure that the workers, women, youth, students and others do not seriously think about the causes of the problems as they exist in the society and how to deal with them. The bourgeoisie makes communism and the communist party the targets of its attack because they are the main instruments of enlightenment and of the new arrangements which are required to open society's path for progress. Modern Communism is the profound revolutionary condition for the complete emancipation of the working class and all of humanity, in which people are the creators of their own history. It emerges out of the concrete conditions of capitalism in which production is social but appropriation is private. It is this contradiction between the character of production and the means of its appropriation which is accentuating the contradiction which is tearing the society apart - the contradiction between the productive forces and the old moribund relations of production. The condition of Modern Communism comes into being after a thoroughgoing resolution of this contradiction. The stage of socialism is the transition period between capitalism and communism. But imperialism and the reactionary bourgeoisie present Modern Communism as if it is a set of lunatic principles conjured-up and imposed on the objective world by self-serving power hungry maniacs or utopians who are simply out of tune with the "harsh realities" of life In other words, without Modern Communism the workers and people cannot find their bearings. The bourgeoisie does not want people to embrace communism and the communist party for no other reason than to keep them disoriented and unable to direct the strength of their numbers and organization in a manner which benefits them, not the bourgeoisie. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:8191] Re: Without Modern Communism The Workers And People
The answer to your question "What is Modern Communism?" is contained in the original post. If you have a more specific question, feel free to ask. I don't understand what you mean by "Extremely interested in how it got their also." Is it possible for you to elaborate? Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Sat, 11 Jan 1997, Robert Malecki wrote: Shawgi Tell; What is modern Communism? Extremely interested in how it got their also. Bob malecki Why is it that not a day goes by without the bourgeoisie attacking communism, through its media, think-tanks, universities and in a million and one other ways? If communism is "finished," "dead," "utopian," "dictatorial," "totalitarian," "the antithesis of human rights" and any number of other colorful epithets which come to mind, what are imperialism and the bourgeoisie worried about? The real issue is that imperialism and the bourgeoisie can only continue to keep themselves in power so long as the working class and all the forces in society which stand to gain from coming to power themselves are confused about the significance of what is going on in the society and their consequent line of march. The aim of the ideological and political confusion-making of the bourgeoisie is to ensure that the workers, women, youth, students and others do not seriously think about the causes of the problems as they exist in the society and how to deal with them. The bourgeoisie makes communism and the communist party the targets of its attack because they are the main instruments of enlightenment and of the new arrangements which are required to open society's path for progress. Modern Communism is the profound revolutionary condition for the complete emancipation of the working class and all of humanity, in which people are the creators of their own history. It emerges out of the concrete conditions of capitalism in which production is social but appropriation is private. It is this contradiction between the character of production and the means of its appropriation which is accentuating the contradiction which is tearing the society apart - the contradiction between the productive forces and the old moribund relations of production. The condition of Modern Communism comes into being after a thoroughgoing resolution of this contradiction. The stage of socialism is the transition period between capitalism and communism. But imperialism and the reactionary bourgeoisie present Modern Communism as if it is a set of lunatic principles conjured-up and imposed on the objective world by self-serving power hungry maniacs or utopians who are simply out of tune with the "harsh realities" of life In other words, without Modern Communism the workers and people cannot find their bearings. The bourgeoisie does not want people to embrace communism and the communist party for no other reason than to keep them disoriented and unable to direct the strength of their numbers and organization in a manner which benefits them, not the bourgeoisie. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]
