Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/395/4478
From The Socialist newspaper, 2 June 2005
Say no to the bosses' profit system
make poverty history...
...make socialism our future!
MILLIONS OF French workers and young people have said a resounding 'non' to the European bosses' agenda of low wages, job cuts, privatisation and vicious attacks on working conditions, benefits and public services.
Carol Harrison
The 55% 'no' vote in the referendum on the EU constitution was overwhelmingly a rejection of policies aimed at boosting the bosses' profits and wealth through driving down workers' rights and living standards.
It's the ruthless pursuit of these same 'neo-liberal' policies, and the profit system which underpins them, that have condemned tens of millions in Africa and around the world to abject poverty.
Tony Blair, sporting his 'make poverty history' wrist band, and Gordon Brown hypocritically talk about ending the "scandal" of African poverty. At the same time they promote policies, through the IMF, World Bank and other institutions which devastate the lives of workers and poor people at home and internationally.
In return for aid and debt relief the governments of poor countries are expected to cut spending on already inadequate health and education services, sack workers, increase the price of basic foodstuffs and open up their markets to the big corporations, a handful of which already control 70% of world trade.
Poor countries are forced to sell off basic utilities like water, gas and electricity to multinational vultures which swoop in and make a killing.
The real "scandal" is that the profit system which Blair and Brown support kills ten million children every year from hunger and preventable diseases and leaves one billion people at risk from poverty, war and famine. Meanwhile $1 trillion is wasted annually on arms spending and 1% of the world's population controls more than 57% of the planet's wealth.
Blair and Brown and the other representatives of the world's rich and powerful will be meeting at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland at the beginning of July. Up to 250,000 demonstrators will also be there demanding more aid, cancellation of the debts of poor countries, fair trade and an end to poverty.
Socialist Party members will be joining the protests and urge all our readers to do the same. March with us behind our banners which will show the only way to end poverty - by making capitalism history and making socialism our future.
In Bolivia where the average wage is $55 per month and 1 in 10 children under five die from lack of clean water, a French water company charged a $450 connection fee!
But the Bolivian workers and poor fought back, rising up and kicking the company out.
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In The Socialist 2 June 2005:
Say no to the bosses' profit system
Why French workers voted 'no' to EU referendum
ID cards: £300 for a snooper's card!
The campaign for Socialism 2005 begins now
Capitalism can't solve AIDS crisis
"Struggle or death" - Pakistan telecoms workers fight privatisation
Germany: Political turmoil after the elections
Iraq: coalition plans floundering
Labour court awards Gama workers €8,000
Striking back at pay-cutting bosses
It is privatisation and it is as we know it
Coventry single status dispute: the stakes are raised
FE lecturers fight for pay deal
Job losses expose Manchester's 'boom'
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