>
>the guerrilla forces.
>
>In early April four days of mass movements shook Bolivia. Workers and
>peasants were protesting against the privatisation of the water system
>and huge hikes in water rates. Enormous demonstrations were fired upon
>by government troops. A massive police mutiny demanding wage increases
>led to shoot-outs between the army and the police of La Paz, the
>capital. Tens of thousands of peasants closed off roads in most of
>Bolivia's provinces. Unions went on strike and students organised
>protests.
>
>Similar uprisings took place in Ecuador at the start of the year and led
>to the declaration of a new 'people's government'. However, the
>'moderate' elements in the popular movement handed power back to the
>'safe' representatives of capitalism and landlordism, behind the backs
>of the masses. But the struggle is not over, and the masses will have
>learned from this experience.
>
>The CWI salutes the renewed offensive of the masses of Ecuador, Bolivia
>and throughout Central and Latin America. What an answer to all those
>skeptics and cynics who preached that the working class would no longer
>struggle!
>
>The revolutionary events unfolding in these countries make clear the
>need for the working class to have its own independent organisations and
>programme. In Ecuador, power was within the reach of the working masses,
>but the movement lacked a revolutionary, socialist leadership.
>
>Many of the issues that have historically confronted the workers'
>movement during periods of class upsurges are re-appearing in these
>struggles - the nature and role of the capitalist state, 'guerrillism',
>'Popular Frontism' etc. Only the rich ideas of Marxism can provide the
>programme, tactics, strategy and theory for the successful overthrow of
>capitalism and the coming to power of the working class.
>
>The events in South America mark an important step forward. The demands
>of the masses in Bolivia and Ecuador are clearly anti-capitalist.
>However, the organisations leading the movements are very broad
>ideologically and confused. The masses know what they are against but
>are not clear about what they want. A generalised socialist
>consciousness has not yet developed. It is through the experiences and
>lessons of these revolutionary events, and also by the intervention of
>Marxists, that genuine socialism will find a mass audience.
>
> Counter-revolution
>
>Alongside revolutionary movements and mass uprisings, elements of
>counter-revolution can also develop in this period, especially when
>there is no substantial Marxist force to give a decisive lead to the
>great movements of the masses. In Nigeria, after the removal of the
>military dictatorship, but without real change in living conditions,
>disappointment and disillusionment set in amongst sections of the
>population. While there have been movements by public sector workers and
>students there has also been tribal, ethnic and religious clashes
>costing many lives. The CWI in Nigeria continues to grow, offering
>workers and the poor a socialist alternative to the new civilian
>government's right wing policies.
>
>Following the half completed revolution in Indonesia that overthrew the
>dictator Suharto, reaction has reared its ugly head. Some Indonesian
>islands have been convulsed by bloody ethnic clashes, largely
>orchestrated by reactionary elements in the army and state. However, the
>process of revolution is not over; students and the poor continue to
>take action against the capitalist government.
>
> Capitalist barbarism
>
>Capitalism, a system based upon private ownership and the nation state,
>is the fundamental barrier to human progress. Economic crisis, mass
>unemployment, poverty, wars and conflicts - these are all part and
>parcel of the market economy.
>
>This has been illustrated by the disaster that has accompanied the
>re-introduction of capitalism in Eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet
>Union. Over 50% of Russians live below the poverty line. Life
>expectancy has dropped from 72 to 59 years in a decade.
>
>The mafia-capitalist regimes of the former Stalinist states have plunged
>a number of peoples into terrible wars. The Balkans has suffered three
>wars in less than a decade, with 100,000s killed.
>
>Last year saw NATO's war against the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. At
>the time the CWI took a principled stand against NATO and the
>imperialist intervention, and called for the right of self-determination
>for Kosova/Kosovo. Our analysis and warnings have proved correct. Today,
>Kosova is ruled by an undemocratic UN/NATO force and the western powers
>have presided over vicious ethnic cleansing of Serbs, and other
>minorities. The powers continue to oppose genuine independence for
>Kosova. The authoritarian regime of Milosevic is still in power, while
>the Serb people suffer the effects of the 79 days of NATO bombings and
>continuing sanctions.
>
>Only a united worker'' movement in Kosova, Serbia and across the Balkans
>can end 'ethnic cleansing', overthrow the local regimes and western
>occupiers, and allow real self-determination for Kosova. The CWI
>applauds the strikes and protests of workers, pensioners and students in
>Bosnia and Croatia last year, and recently in Serbia.
>
>War has also been visited upon the people of Chechnya by the brutal
>Russian Federation regime of Putin. The Russian state has imperialist
>ambitions in the region. Increasingly it is coming into conflict with
>Western powers, such as the US, and their drive to exploit the resources
>and people of the Caucasus.
>
>NATO's war marked a decisive new chapter in power relations. The world
>is now a much more volatile and dangerous place. New conflicts on an
>international scale are inevitable in this period. 'Local conflicts',
>such as the 'Kargil war' last year between India and Pakistan, cost the
>lives of many workers and the poor.
>
> 'Third World' horror
>
>Capitalism finds its most barbaric expression in the so-called 'Third
>World', where the mass of humanity exists. In the Middle East, Africa,
>Asia and Latin America, billions go without the most basic necessities.
>Every year the 'official' statistics make even more grim reading.
>According to the World Bank (April 2000) half of the world's population
>survives on less than $2 a day, and 57% of the world's population in the
>63 poorest countries receive only 6% of world income. Over 1.5 billion
>people 'live' on less than $1 per day.
>
>Between 1990 and 1998, thirteen countries experienced worsening rates of
>infant mortality. Many of these are in Africa, a continent torn apart by
>conflict, famine and absolute poverty. Western powers do not think twice
>about the lives of African people in their pursuit of markets, resources
>and areas of control, as can be seen by their involvement in the
>terrible conflicts afflicting Sierra Leone and the Congo. The powers
>continue, through widespread sanctions that include vital medical
>supplies, to murder hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. This is
>the reality of the 'civilising role' of international capitalism today!
>Of course, socialists want to see the end of the brutal regime of Saddam
>Hussein, but that will be the task of the Iraqi people.
>
>The World Bank states that 50 million people have now been infected with
>HIV/Aids, of whom 34 million are still alive. About 23 million of them
>live in Africa, where there is no real medical treatment. Subsequently,
>life expectancy has fallen in a number of states. Botswana and Zimbabwe
>have seen life expectancy cut by 17 years in the last few years.
>
>Unfair trade terms and debt burdens have been the main ways the rich
>capitalist nations of the West have exploited the masses and resources
>of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The World Bank and the IMF carry out
>the looting of the economies of the 'Third World', on behalf of the rich
>capitalist nations.
>
> Protests against global Capitalism
>
>Decades of neo-liberal attacks are creating a sharp reaction, not just
>in the 'Third World', but in the advanced capitalist states as well.
>Last year saw magnificent demonstrations against the WTO in Seattle, and
>earlier this year there were protests at Davos against the World
>Economic Forum. Brutal police actions in Washington during the April
>IMF/World Bank summit have only highlighted again the case against
>global capitalism. These protests mark a very important step forward,
>bringing together a number of single issue campaigners, socialists and
>trade unions.
>
>The support given by the leaders of the social democracy to the aims and
>policies of the WTO, World Bank and IMF shows the complete capitalist
>nature of these parties. One ex-'hard left' in the British New Labour
>government, Clare Short, said the anti-WTO protesters were "living on
>another planet". In fact, it is Clare Short and New Labour, along with
>all the other social democratic leaders around the world, who are living
>on another planet if they think that workers and youth will accept a
>continuous diet of neo-liberal attacks.
>
>Capitalism is a global system dominated by big multinational companies.
>These account for more than one third of world output and two thirds of
>world trade. As the economic crisis deepens the movements against global
>capitalism will grow, on a national and international basis, and
>increasingly will have a class character. This will highlight the need
>for an alternative society - a socialist society.
>
>In order to successfully struggle, workers will fight to reclaim their
>trade unions from the 'leadership' of the careerists and bureaucrats.
>Workers will also move to create new mass parties that represent their
>interests.
>
> New mass workers' parties
>
>This year also marks the 100th anniversary in Britain of the Labour
>Representation Committee, the forerunner of the Labour Party. This
>historic conquest for the working class came about as a result of a
>combination of mass workers' struggles over a period and also the
>intervention of socialist and Marxist groups.
>
>A similar process will see the development of new mass workers' parties
>internationally in this period, although no-one can predict exactly how
>or when they will arise. These workers' parties will mark a huge step
>forward in the struggle for socialism. The CWI is striving to build
>revolutionary workers' parties and a new International.
>
>Since the 1990s, in a number of countries, new parties to the Left of
>the social democracy have made electoral gains. CWI sections have played
>an active role in a number of these new Left formations, for example, in
>the Scottish Socialist Party, and in the Portuguese Left Bloc, which
>have both made electoral gains in the last year.
>
>However, the future of these new parties or alliances is not assured.
>Where the leaders, such as in the United Left (IU) in Spain, have
>adopted right wing policies they have suffered at the polls and
>experienced a fall of working class support. In the March Spanish
>general elections the IU saw its seats in parliament fall from 21 to 8
>after going into a pact with the right wing Socialist Party.
>
>In Britain, the decision by Ken Livingstone to break from New Labour and
>to run as an independent for the new London mayor's position has struck
>a chord with millions of workers and middle class people. This shows the
>vacuum that exists on the Left. Despite a populist programme and
>conspicuous lack of socialist policies, Livingstone, largely due to his
>previous 'red' reputation, is expected to score a big victory against
>the New Labour candidate. This is not surprising given the capitalist
>policies of Tony Blair. Today, one third of London's households and half
>of London's children live in poverty - in the richest city in Europe and
>the fifth richest country in the world.
>
>Tony Blair has attempted to lead the way on the European and world stage
>with his 'Third Way ideology'. This was meant to have replaced "outdated
>class politics". But the class conclusions millions of workers will
>reach living under capitalism will shipwreck the 'Third Way'.
>
> For a socialist century!
>
>Capitalism has long ago outlived any progressive role. The capitalist
>system means growing inequality and poverty on a world scale. In Latin
>America, despite some recent economic growth, 15% of households (90
>million people) are living in "extreme poverty" (Financial Times,
>London, 24 March 2000). Similarly, real wages in South Korea have
>declined by 10%, and in Indonesia by 42%, since the 1997 Asian financial
>crisis.
>
>At the start of the 19th century the ratio of real incomes between the
>world's richest and poorest nations was three to one. By 1900 it was 10
>to one. By 2000 it had risen to 60 to one.
>
>The only way to overcome the system of inequality and poverty is through
>a decisive struggle to abolish capitalism and landlordism on a world
>scale.
>
>This May Day workers and socialists will once again commit themselves to
>this task. The CWI will play its role in the building of the forces
>necessary to carry through the socialist transformation of society.
>
>Forward to a socialist century!
>
> CWI International Bureau,
> London,
> 18.4.2000
>
>CWI Website: http://www.worldsocialist-cwi.org
>Socialist Alternative (Canada): http://www.socialistalternative.net
>
>Socialist Alternative (CWI/Canada)
>http://www.socialistalternative.net
>
>
>--
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Andy Lehrer mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>Check out the Socialist Alternative website
>http://socialistalternative.net
>
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>
>
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