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(The Socialist Party presents here the Introduction to Under
Siege, from the publications
site of the Committee
for a Workers' International website , the international
socialist organisation of which the Socialist Party is a part.)
As we go to press, the World Bank has just announced the
cancellation of its Economic Development Conference Scheduled
for late June in Barcelona, Spain. This action was taken because
its organisers feared another mass anti-capitalist demonstration
made up of youth, trade unionists and environmental groups. This
represents a major victory for the anti-capitalist movement and
shows that the major capitalist institutions are ... Under
Siege!
The British newspaper, The Guardian, states that in Turkey
"union leaders say that more than 500,000 people have lost
their jobs this year, most of them since the current economic
crisis in February."
Biggest working class mobilisation
On the other hand, in neighbouring Greece "the biggest
working class mobilisation of the fast decades has taken place.
It shook every single town in Greece and not only Athens. It
caused the complete paralysis of everything and everywhere.
There have been many general strikes in Greece during the last
decade. Certainly over 20 in all. But none of them compared to
the last one of 26 April!"(The socialist paper, Xekinima
– "Forward" – produced by the Committee for a
Workers' International (CWI) in Greece).
Revolutionary upheavals
These events, like the revolutionary upheavals in Ecuador in
February 2000, and in Serbia in October, together with the
worldwide anti-globalisation, anti-capitalist protests, are the
reasons why the CWI manifesto, Under Siege! Global capitalism
and the socialist alternative, has been produced at this time.
They signify the opening of a new chapter of struggles of the
working class and young people worldwide, which will be
reinforced by the looming economic crisis. The US economy has
been the Atlas which has carried on its shoulders the whole of
the world capitalist economy, particularly in the fast decade.
The dramatic slowdown in the US economy, particularly in the
manufacturing sector - with nearly 166,000 jobs lost in April of
this year – shows that the world stands on the eve of a
serious capitalist crisis, the burden of which will be borne by
working class people.
Mass uprising
However, they will not face the inevitable mass lay-offs and
drastic cuts in living standards in silence. This has already
been indicated by the mass uprising of workers and peasants in
Ecuador which held real power in its hands, pushed the fake
parliament of the landlords and capitalists aside for a time,
and attempted to set up its own organs of rule. In Turkey, not
just the working class but the middle class - shopkeepers and
taxi drivers - have demonstrated and 'rioted', all have shown
their "widespread disgust at the way politicians have
reacted to the crisis". One Istanbul shopkeeper declared.
"We don't trust any of them anymore."
Seattle
Events such as these, as well as the magnificent movements of
the Greek workers, will be repeated in all countries of Europe
in the next period. The already destitute working masses and
poor peasants in Africa, Asia and Latin America, facing even
greater impositions, will be compelled to move into action
against rotting landlordism and capitalism. In North America
events, as in Seattle in 1999 and Quebec this year, are
beginning to stir the mighty US and Canadian working class.
There is no doubt that working-class people, under the hammer
blows of this capitalist crisis, will be compelled to move into
action.
Provide an alternative
A significant layer of young people and workers are already
rejecting what capitalism has meant for them and their families.
Is there, however, a viable alternative to the 'market' and its
supporters? Bulent Ecevit, the prime minister of Turkey, in the
face of a mass uprising against all the existing main capitalist
forces and their parties, thinks not. He has brazenly declared:
"If they [the Turkish population] are shouting resign, they
also have to provide an alternative. I'm not glued to my
chair."(The Guardian, London, 12 April 2001)
In other words, there is no alternative, says Ecevit, to his
brutal government and system. The CWI in this manifesto explains
that there is. It combines a rigorous examination of the crisis
of world capitalism, together with an explanation of the
contradictions of this system. It also raises the vision of a
new society, a socialist one, which is within the grasp of the
working class and, indeed, of humankind as a whole, so long as
we replace outworn and disintegrating capitalism with a new,
world democratic socialist system. It also charts out the path
towards this goal, a comprehensive fighting programme.
Comprehensive fighting programme
The manifesto and the appended article, which deals with
the present phase of the world anti-globalisation,
anti-capitalist struggle, represents the summing up of the
collective experience of the CWI and its membership, with
affiliated organisations and a presence in 35 different
countries worldwide. We believe that this programme provides the
basis for beginning to construct the forces that will provide a
real alternative, a mass, socialist force of working class
people and the youth in all corners of the globe. This, in turn,
can lay the foundations for a new mass working class
International which will be the instrument for ushering in a new
socialist world.
May 2001
To read "Under Siege" Order
your copy from Socialist Books. or Click
here for the full text on the publications part of the CWI
site -- first publication listed.
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