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.
