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[Via Communist Internet... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] [Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] . . ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2001 9:06 PM Subject: [MLL] Sahdow of Bourgeois Unity Part 1 Comrade Klo, I am resending this post. I am not sure if you read it before or not but I think it has some relevance to the current dialogue we are engaged in. I think we need to ask ourselves the question, how do the contradictions of capitalism that we face relate to us both locally and internationally? Also, how does this bring relevance to the need for a single Marxist-Leninist Party? BIRTH AND DEATH OF A NATION As we know, capitalism has no loyalties and extends itself wherever maximum profits can be acquired. It employs whatever tactics necessary to accomplish this objective. Though it may seem that each country has it's own peculiar contradictions, which is true, the need, the motivation, the purpose of capitalism in order to survive remains the same globally which links us together in the struggle to overthrow it. This survival mode also links the advanced capitalist nations together in which they share many similarities. The fact that each country (Canada, Britiain, US) is an advanced capitalist system creates the strategies for the acquisition of these super-profits which show their similarities...almost as if the 3 countries are operating in 100% cohesion as a single imperialistic entity. We know however, that there are divisions between them caused by the unequal development of capitalism. Although each country struggles for its own survival, they do agree to certain policies of cooperation which in turn creates a weak unity of imperialism in order to expand the exploitation of nations, their people, their wealth as well as their dignity. The greatest issue of our time is this international struggle between imperialism in all its many forms and those who are victimized by it and determined to overthrow it. All other struggles are related to this. The battle is engaged and will continue to grow and we are all participants in this struggle. The US is not the only imperialist country but it does provide the main strength and sustaining force of imperialism throughout the world. Even so, the US is increasingly experiencing severe crisis. Imperialism is a system that directly impinges on and degrades the dignity and livelihood of millions of people. It is more than a rich country exploiting a poor country. It is a social system that encompasses exploitation, violence, a discriminitory way of looking at people. The ghettos of America, racial injustice, the blatant inequalities that exist, the dehumanization of our industrial society are the very same concomitants of imperialism as was aparthied in South Africa or the needless slaughter of villagers in Vietnam. As we know, imperialism has become global in its character. The domination of one empire over another has been a feature throughout history. The dominant empires all exercised control over people outside of their borders with the intent of looting gold and other precious minerals. Today, the characteristic of imperialism has as its emphasis, a different sort of pillage of wealth through unequal trade and investment, backed up by political, economic and military domination and intervention. In the modern world, Britain became the first to really apply its imperialism on an international scale and dwarfed all other empires. There are numerous factors that made Britiain so profitable and I think they can be narrowed down to 4 that are closely related: 1. the new technology of the industrial revolution 2. the availability of an abundant supply of cheap labor 3. the accumulation of capital 4. The development of foreign markets. WWI and WWII ushered in the decline of Britain as the leading imperialist country and her rival, the US took the lead. A DREAM IS BORN Capitalism came to a virgin and unspoiled continent and has since ravished it. The American revolutionist, Thomas Paine said, "we have it in our power to begin the world over again." The US was founded openly on the right of rebellion, the right of revolution, on the proposition that a people may legitimately abolish their existing government, if necessary by force and institute a new one. The principles voiced by the American colonists were and still are explosive: all men are created equal, all men have a right to life, liberty and happiness, the purpose of government is to safeguard these rights, the people are the soveriegn - government is the people's servant and not their master. This revolutionary message was not a socialist one but a bourgeois-democratic ideal. It represented the most optimistic thinking of that time. THE DREAM PROSTITUTED This American Dream seemed real enough for many but they did not realize that it was flawed from the beginning. A society built on the principle of human equality cannot at the same time be a slave socitey and cannot condone the ruthless slaughter of the native Indian. It is also impossible for human equality when the means of production remain in private hands which creates neo-slavery.The social history of the US is the story of the growing disparity between the hope and the promise, and the exploiters. As the mercantile class grew more powerful, as industry expanded and the country became more capitalistic, the same features that characterized the industrial revolution and growth of British imperialism appeared in the US. What Britian did to the natives in her colonies, the US was doing to the natives of her internal colonies - slaves, Indians and immigrants. The economy of the South was based on slave labor. Land grabbers moved west exterminating the Indians. In the expanding cities of New York, Pittsburgh and Chicago, the same exploitation of workers was found as in London, Manchester and Sheffield. The 14 hour work day under unspeakable conditions, the same slums, the inhumane exploitation of child labor. Thousands died from malnutrition, TB and over-work. Every effort was made to prevent the workers from mobilizing their collective power. Unions were illegal, strikes forbidden and when they did happen, they were forcibly ended by military action. Those attempting to organize the workers were arrested and imprisoned. Even in 1890 the New York Tribune referred to the organizers as "communist agitators." ROOTS OF AMERICAN IMPERIALISM Industrialization in the US started slow at first but by 1820 the steady arrival of immigrants began and numerous factories were established. Thousands of Mexicans, Chinese and Filipinos were imported to build the railroads. The northern industrialists wanted freedom for the slaves, not because they opposed slavery, but because they needed a huge pool of propertyless and unorganized labor. It was this clash between northern capitalists and southern plantation owners in regard to cheap labor that was one of the root causes of the Civil War. Large scale production became possible because of the Civil War and the placement of government contracts so industrialization spread rapidly. The Civil War not only hastened the development of industrialization but also accelerated the accumulation and centralization of capital. In 1860 interest paid by the government to the banks was $3.2 million; 1865 - $77.4 million; 1870 - $129.2 million....all this interest was paid to the banks on money that they themselves created. I should clarify here that before the Civil War, the states held to the "free banking rule." This meant that almost anyone could open a bank and issue money they created. It wasn't until 1863 that President Lincoln urged the passage of the National Bank Act which would impose federal regulations on private banks and place the printing of currency in control of the federal government. At this same time, the industrialists were merging into giant trusts and were closely linked to and financed by the bankers. Industry continued to centralize until a small number of monopolies controlled an increasing share of production. As we know, this collusion resulted in the entire economy and direction of national policies coming under the influence of a very small segment of people. IMPERIALISM MEANS WAR Wars for colonies and markets are not accidental, they are an inherent and an inesacpable feature of capitalism in its highest stage of imperialism. The defeat of Germany in WWI only set the stage for WWII. Germany was an imperialist country without an empire and needed to expand realizing that its ambitions could only result through war. Even though there were rivalries between Germany and the allies, they all had one objective in common - to weaken and destroy the Soviet Union through war. The allies hoped to manuever Germany into war with the USSR. A "wait and see policy" was adopted by Senator Harry S. Truman and expressed in the New York Times 24 July 1941: If we see that Germany is winning we ought to help Russia, and if Russia is winning we ought to help Germany, and in that way let them kill as many as possible." Stalin was also aware of this strategy and in a speech to the 18th Congress of the Communist Party in March 1939 stated: "The policy of non-intervention reveals an eagerness, a desire, not to hinder Japan say, from embroiling herself in a war with China, or, better still, with the Soviet Union; not to hinder Germany, say, from enmeshing herself in European affairs, from embroiling herself in a war with the Soviet Union; to allow all the belligerants to sink deeply into the mire of war, to weaken and exhaust one another; and then, when they have become weak enough, appear on the scene with fresh strength, to appear, of course, in the interests of peace, and to dictate conditions to the enfeebled belligerants. Cheap and easy!" As we know, this was precisely the strategy that the US used. Germany was devastated. The USSR lost 30 million people and most of its industrial areas were destroyed. The allies lost 45 million people, the US lost 296 thousand lives. THE SILENT INVASION There are many forms of imperialism but with direct military invasion the world knows about it immediately. Economic invasion, on the other hand is silent, invisible and for the most part undramatic and relatively un-newsworthy. It is generally accomplished so gradually that most people aren't even aware that it is taking place. John Foster Dulles, former CIA Director stated : "There are 2 ways of conquering a foreign nation. One is to gain control of its people by force of arms; the other is to gain control of its economy by financial means." He would know as his family was a stockholder in the bloody and repressive United Fruit Company. One of the tactics of US imperialism aside from "investment" is through the use of "aid." This policy of foreign aid is not a mindless giveaway program or an act of generosity on the part of the capitalists. It serves one objective - to serve American economic, political and military interests in order to assure its survival. The Marshall Plan was the first major "foreign aid" project. Of the $50 billion spent, 90% was spent on "military aid." It was used for military equipment and to prop up the military budget for military readiness against communism. From 1949-1966, the US exported $4 billion more in armaments that it spent on all the grants, loans and other aid programs. According to the New York Times, 19 July 1967 only "1/2 of 1% of all foreign aid funds has been spent on technical assistance in the fields of training, health, education and welfare." In 1963, President Kennedy revealed that over 80% of the "foreign aid" was spent on US products. The loan contracts stipulated that all of the equipment purchased must be bought in the US. Materials and labor was allowed to be purchased locally. Then, in 1968 an "additionality clause" was added requiring that the entire amount had to be spent on US goods. A New York Times article of 6 Feb 1969 states that these goods "must come from a list of US products that are doing badly in international commerce. Generally, the reason the products are doing so badly is that they are more expensive than similar Japanese or European items." Another stranglehold is the control of local economies by the accumulation of the local currency. Most of the agricultural surplus products shipped to the recipient country is sold and the income from the sales returns to the US. The US then uses this money to pay for any US expenses and the rest is "loaned" back. This "loan" must be repaid with interest. FASCISM - IMPERIALISMS SAFEGUARD The greatest threat to US imperialism in the under-developed countries is the growing political awareness of the poor and exploited people of these countries and their growing resistance to their oppressive conditions. In order to maintain an undisturbed "investment" the recipient country must maintain their social structure. Therefore, it is in the economic interest of US capitalism to keep the local elites in power or replace them with tyrannts that will cave in to US conditions. The most repressive means is through military aid which is used to coerce the foreign country into allowing the US to build military bases and conduct "training." As Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara told a Congressional Committee what he considered a threat: "The Tricontinental Congress and the efforts of Latin American communist parties to create broad popular anti-imperialist fronts, while continuing to penetrate student and other intellectual groups, to control organized labor and to organize the peasants." In his testimony before the House of Representatives, committee on Foreign Affairs, regarding the Hearings on the Foreign Assistance Act of 1967, he further stated: "The need to counter these threats by appropriate means is the basis upon which the fiscal year 1968 military assistance programs for Latin American countries are predicated. More specifically, the primary objective in Latin America is to aid, where necessary, in the continental development of indigenous military and paramilitary forces capable of providing in conjunction with police and other security forces, the needed domestic security." He also stated: "Probably the greatest return on our military assistance investment comes from the training of selected officers and key specialists at our military schools in the United States and overseas. These students are hand-picked by their countries to become instructors when they return home. They are the coming leaders, the men who will have the know-how and impart it to their forces. I need not dwell upon the value of having in positions of leadership men who have first-hand knowledge of how Americans do things and how they think. It is beyond price to us to make friends of such men." In other words, the capitalists must be prepared to suppress the growing political resistance towards capitalism. Capitalism can only be defended by military superiority and elitism. The American bourgeoisie having achieved their ends through revolution now deplore the very idea of revolution and is now the great defender of the "status-quo." It has denounced revolution and it's very own Constitution and Declaration of Independence and is prepared to suppress revolution in whatever part of the world it may appear. The capitalist system cannot survive without violence just the same as the slave states couldn't remain in control without repressive restraints forced on the slaves. Violence lies at the very heart of the bourgeois illusion of "freedom." Capitalism will, therefore, never submit quietly to its own overthrow but will use every available means to defend itself. An example of this is how the capitalists are using the alarm of rising crime to justify their preparations against political unrest in the US. This preparation, motivated by the Viet Nam war protests is described in an Associated Press article of 15 Feb 1968, "The army is stockpiling riot control equipment in strategically located depots across the country, officials said today, and is ready to airlift it to any city if civil disorders break out...Army and National Guard officials said their planning has been extensive as well as diverse, ranging from obtaining maps of subway, sewer, water and electrical systems in potential trouble spots to preparing menus for mobilized national guardsmen. In city after city across America, the police are stockpiling armored vehicles, helicopters, high powered rifles..." This AP article is supported by President Johnson's Executive Order 11365 of 29 July 1967 and the Department of Defense Civil Disturbance Plan 55-2 which is code named "Operation Garden Plot." This originated in 1968 and has been continually upgraded in the recent US Air Force Civil Distrubance Plan 55-2, Garden Plot of 1/6/84 and the Department of Defense Directive 3025.12, Military Assistance For Civil Disturbances (MACDIS) 1/2/94. All of which I might add is in complete violation of the US Constitution and Posse Comitatus Act that prohibits the use of the military in civil law enforcement. Of such stuff is fascism made. Fascism is one of the many forms which capitalism takes as the situations demands. Fascism involves repression. It serves the interests of capitalism by acquiring a mass base through demogoguery. Fascism is a form used by weak capitalist regimes or an imperialism in deep crisis. Its chauvinist and racist slogan are designed to mobilize the bourgeois controlled minds to accept the policies of the State, to concentrate hatreds upon the minorities and to divide the workers from their fellow workers abroad. It does all of this with the objective of weakening the power of the working class and its revolution. I believe that the US is heading for diasaster. It has displayed its fascist violence time and again. Ask the Branch Dividians of Waco, TX; ask the members of AIM (American Indian Movement); ask the parents of the 4 slain Kent State University students; ask Mumia Abu Jamal. Within the context of capitalism we must decide the issue of violence. There is no middle ground here. We either submit to the violence of fascism that the capitalists use against us or the violence that capitalism forces us into to overthrow this putrid system of exploitation and degradation. Capitalism has failed to provide the foundation of a society capable of promoting the unity, health and the happy development of its citizens. Capitalism stands condemned by the very nature of society in the country that most loudly extolls its virtues - the USA. ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
