Disputing the current approach in handling the international financial crisis and terming it as a typical capitalist solution, an international meeting of communist parties and workers on Friday advocated that socialism is the only way forward in the long run.
While tracing the genesis of the economic crisis, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said it was neither the result of greed of some individuals nor an aberration but inherent to the dynamics of the capitalist system that is based on human exploitation.
Mr. Yechury suggested that the time was ripe for international communist movements to intensify popular struggles and launch an offensive against the rule of capitalists.
“This period has also seen the rising resistance to such growing imperialist hegemonic efforts. But it must be noted that much of the struggles launched by the working class and the exploited sections have essentially been defensive in nature… Resistance in the nature of mounting the assault on the rule of capital is yet to take a decisive shape. From this meeting a powerful call must go to all contingents of the international communist movement to intensify popular struggles to mount this assault on the rule of capital… Socialism is the only way…” he said.
Global crisis
On his part, the leader of the Communist Party of China delegation, Ai Ping felt that while many people blame the global financial crisis in the U.S. on speculation or on excessive lending, the crisis is no different from others in history which were caused by the inherent contradiction of capitalism.
New attacks and reordering the world for profit maximisation under the dictates of international finance capital, Mr. Yechury said defines neo-liberalism and how the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank imposed structural conditionalities while disbursing loans ensured compliance to neo-liberal reforms.
He said in the absence of a powerful political alternative, capitalism will emerge from this crisis but at the expense of further intensifying exploitation and through the process of accumulation through encroachment.
Mr. Ping informed delegates from 49 countries and 55 parties how China adjusted its macroeconomic policy, increased government spending to boost domestic demand and improve peoples’ lives which saw its GDP grow by 7.7 per cent this year.
In his address, CPI secretary Pallab Sengupta felt the most powerful peoples’ movement in the world today was aimed against the capitalist system for a world of social and economic justice and socialism.
Interestingly, vice chair of the Communist Party of the United States Scott Marshall narrated how the financial crisis was affecting the working class in his country. He said at a time when economists were declaring the recession was over, the U.S. was still losing around 2 lakh jobs. He saw fresh signs of labour solidarity and saw the election of President Barack Obama as opening the door for a new fight for economic justice, peace and equality.
The three-day meeting will conclude on Sunday with a public meeting where a declaration will be adopted.
