Smash the IMF and World Bank!
International Socialism
We are not however just starting out again from the situation facing the workers' movement in the 19th Century. The 20th Century is rich with lessons about revolution and counter revolution and the strategy, tactics, organisation, ideas and programme needed to build successful mass socialist movements that can abolish capitalism and build a new society. Despite setbacks the potential power of the working class remains intact. For example, despite a fall in numbers over the last few years, many workers have their own organisations, trade unions, that will overturn the dominance of the right wing at the top and will be transformed into mighty fighting organisations on the basis of big class battles. Fighting democratic unions can combine with the growing anti-capitalist and anti-globalisation movements, and other organisations that will be created in the furnace of events, to create the forces capable of abolishing capitalism once and for all
New mass parties of the working class will emerge from this process, and new international workers' organisations. The magnificent, revolutionary traditions of the working class and youth in Europe and on a world scale will be re-ignite
In coming to power in any one country, the working class could reach out to workers across the globe. A socialist state, especially in one of the powerful economies, would be a beacon to workers around the world. Instead of the world being a market for exploitation by a handful of huge multinational corporations, under socialism it would be organised to unite the resources and skills of workers to improve the conditions of all workers. A new world could be built without wars and without starvation and famine. The largest export of a socialist state to many countries would no longer be military supplies, but equipment, and skilled labour to help them build up their economies and transform their lives. A democratic socialist workers' government would be able to reverse the present environmental catastrophe, and begin to work to construct an economy which would maintain the long term well-being of the planet. With a democratic plan of production, and an end to the artificial distortion of national economies in the underdeveloped world because of their plunder for cheap raw materials and foodstuffs by the big multinationals, industry could start to develop around the world. This would transform these national economies. They could then start to provide the products needed for their own populations. This would then lay the basis for the end of the division of the world into a few rich advanced countries, and the remainder of the world living in abject poverty, not by driving down the wages of workers in the more industrialised countries, but by raising up the wages of workers around the world to the highest level
With power taken out of the hands of the ruling classes around the world, the basis would be laid to end the present wave of wars, civil wars, and ethnic cleansing. There would no longer be a small minority who would gain by holding down a national minority. Then democratic decisions could be made about how different communities and nations wish to live. The principle of self-determination of nations would be established as a democratic right for all peoples. With democratic socialist policies, a socialist federation of the world would allow the harmonious development of all the peoples of the world.
Conclusion
The extreme neo-liberal policies of IMF and World Bank are a product of capitalism in a period of global economic decay. Any effective fight against the IMF and World Bank must be linked to building a powerful movement against capitalism itself, and to replace it with an alternative system. We believe the only viable alternative is democratic socialism. How else can we control the multinationals' pollution of the globe? How else can we ensure that the peoples of the world have enough to eat? How else can we end the domination of the poorest countries of the world by the multinational companies that have distorted and destroyed their local economies in search of global markets and cheap raw materials? How else can democracy be defended and expanded in the face of the huge media machines which now straddle the globe? It can only be done by a genuine coming together of the people of the globe based on mutually supporting economies controlled by workers. In other words, we need to fight for global socialism. The task may be large, but the time is right. We urge all those who agree with us to help mobilise against the IMF and World Bank and at the same time join the CWI in the struggle to build a new, socialist world.
To combat neo-liberal policies, the CWI fights for:
- A living minimum wage.
- A shorter working week without loss of pay and on conditions set by workers. No to the bosses' flexibility and annualisation of working hours.
- No more cuts in public services, pensions and social benefits.
- A massive public spending increase for health, education, child care and housing.
- Stop privatisations. Re-nationalise the public utilities that have been privatised.
- No discrimination on the ground of sex, race and sexuality. Equal pay for equal work.
- Free education at all levels and free health service.
- Invest in a cheap, accessible, integrated and environmentally friendly and publicly owned transport system.
- A progressive tax system, based on direct taxes, increased corporate taxes and taxes on wealth and the rich.
- Abolish the national debt. No more hand outs to the speculators and parasitic money lenders. Compensation to paid on the basis of proven need.
- Confiscate the assets of companies which blackmail workers and jeopardise the future of the community, or which have a record of environmental pollution.
- Take into public ownership the commanding heights of the economy under the democratic control and management of the working class people.