> * THE RED FLAG * (Electronic Version) > ============================= > For building the Revolutionary Communist Party > (Organizing Committees) > Vol. 4, No. 3 (27) - February 2001 > > > GLOBALIZATION: THE NEW LOOK OF IMPERIALISM > > This resolution dealing with imperialist > globalization and the coming Summit of the > Americas was adopted at the Revolutionary > Communist Conference held in Montreal, on > November 25-26, 2000. > > 1. Since the start of the Nineties, as the > Eastern Bloc had come to its demise, > international relations have undergone > reorganization. Since the end of the Second > World War, the US was pitted against the Soviet > Union. At the beginning, this opposition was > depicted as a confrontation between capitalism > and socialism. It soon degenerated in an > opposition between two imperialist superpowers. > At the time, it was incumbent upon the US to > assume the cost of this conflict. This hefty > price tag came along with the privilege of being > top dog within the capitalist camp. Powers such > as Germany and Japan made good on this economic > strain exerted on the US by consolidating their > own economies. At the beginning of the Nineties, > these two countries had become so strong that > they posed a threat to the supremacy of the US. > The demise of the Soviet Union relaxed tension > on the American purse strings. As a consequence > of this, they reinvested their freed up capital > in other sectors. This is how they kept on top. > > 2. However, three trading and economic blocs > have seen the light of day. They are undergoing > steady consolidation. East Asia is one of them. > Japan heads it, but upstart China is making > headway. Another one is in Europe. Its leader is > Germany. The third one is American. The US > presides over this one, of course. Each economic > bloc is cut out into regional work divisions. > Natural resources, like mining or agriculture, > are taken care by one country. Other countries > serve as huge workshops, sub-contracting in > industrial parts. Others are outfitted for > specialized labour involving high technology. > > 3. It is in Europe where economic and political > integration are the most developed among the top > countries. From plain economic agreements, the > European Economic Community and the countries > that agreed to the Maastricht treaty have > reached important political agreements. Some > East European countries are slowly being > integrated in this political and economic > covenant (the later serve as sub-contractors to > richer and more powerful countries such as > Germany and France). In Asia, only economic ties > have been sowed. However, regional work division > is highly predominant, and high tech is still > mostly in Japanese hands. > > 4. In America, there is a history of political > and economic hegemony of US imperialism. > However, faced with the progress of the Asian > and European blocs, the US (in cahoots with > Canada) have recognized the need to consolidate > their economic domination in their zone. > Firstly, an economic agreement was reached > between these two countries. Then Mexico and > Chilli followed suit. Now, all of the Americas, > save for Cuba, is invited to join a vast free > trade zone that will extend from the North to > the South poles. > > 5. To unite America under their rule, the Yankee > imperialists, and the Canadian ones, must go > beyond mere economic agreements: a political > integration of the various countries is also > necessary. For the most part, the Haitian, > Peruvian, Cuban and Colombian peoples are the > ones most mistreated by the US. The "Colombia > Plan" is the latest attack conjured up by the > US. Using the war against drugs as an excuse, > broad agricultural zones will be destroyed, > ruining scores of peasants. The US are simply > looking for an excuse to move in so they can > crush the rebel forces of this country, as well > as those of neighboring countries (Peru, being > one of them). Also, despite the end of the Cold > War, Cuba is still hit by a US embargo. > > 6. The various economic agreements and trade > measures are mainly aimed at allowing goods and > services to move more freely. The circulation of > capital too is facilitated. But how about > labour? Far from easing up on emigration, the > wealthy North American countries are on the > contrary tightening border control. They also > hope that labour in their respective countries > remains as compliant as possible in order to > level attacks on their living and working > conditions. After the North American Free Trade > agreements, our national trade unions, engrossed > in class collaboration and capitalist > management, have been overtaken by an > unbelievable panic, cringing when firms announce > they will move if their demands are not met. > Instead of denouncing capitalism as being a > dead-end for workers, trade-unions woo > governments and business circles so they will > preserve our jobs (only for a week longer, let's > face it), even at the expense of poorer working > conditions and complete lack of job security. > The situation with Paccar/Kenworth was an > example of this. The boot licking and > nationalism of the trade unions have reinforced > the realities of free trade in regard to its > need to control labour. > > 7. The integration of countries into economic > blocs and the globalization of capital are > forcing capitalist States and business circles > to meet in order to try to solve the various > contradictions sprouting up among imperialistic > countries as well as between exploiting and > exploited countries. To caution tough > decision-making and unpopular policy-making, the > bourgeois States have found no better way than > relying strongly on economic summits. They also > serve the purpose of giving the population the > impression that the politicians are negotiating > good deals for them. At first, the > counter-summits held by the NGO's speaking out > for a hypothetical civil society, were meant for > expressing opposition. Now they only serve to > fulfil the hidden agendas of deceitful social > democrats. Nothing good is to be expected from > these summits or counter-summits for the > exploited masses or the world proletariat. > > 8. The WTO Conference in Seattle heralded a > change: world-wide, massive opposition--however > confused and criss-crossed with multifarious > demands, sometimes contradictory. An > anti-globalization movement, distinct from the > counter-summits, has most definitely seen the > light of day. Some of the demonstrations, if not > its mainstay, is meant to vent anger against the > anti-democratic character of the summits or the > excesses of neo-liberalism. Capitalism per se > does not necessarily bear the brunt of the > attack. > > 9. Other currents, among this vast opposition, > harbor a much clearer view. They recognize the > need to wage an overall battle against the > system and the bourgeois States. We agree with > this. We firmly believe this is the only way to > allow the exploited peoples of this world and > the exploited strata of all countries to advance > towards a revolutionary outlook. > > 10. Reformist currents still have confidence in > the government. They very often target the power > of the multinational companies as the only > enemy. They claim that those big companies act > independently from governments by overpowering > them. In point of fact, governments have never > been so powerful. Actually, they side with big > business, abetting it all of the way. However, > big business is not transnational. On the > contrary, it is firmly based within their > respective economic world blocs. The State is > still continuing to act in controlling labour. > This is a fundamental aspect in the dynamics of > national and international relations. The State > is not neutral and it cannot help the > proletariat. It is bourgeois and serves the > upper classes. > > 11. The Canadian monopolist bourgeoisie has > gained considerable strength. It has more assets > abroad than foreign interests have assets in > Canada. Hence, not only Starbuck, McDonald's or > Nike rake in huge profits from foreign labour. > Placerdome, BCE, the CN, Barrick Gold, Weston, > Onex, not to mention Toronto Dominion and Nova > Scotia banks, the Bank of Montreal, etc. have > struck it rich. Not to be left out, the Quebec > capitalists are also cashing in on the gold > rush: Bombardier, Alcan, Quebecor, Seagram--to > name a few--are part of the 40 best money-makers > in the country. > > 12. An opposition is being mounted against > Quebec 2001. Just like in Seattle and in the > other international trade meetings, this > opposition is not united. There is a rift > between the humdrum reformist currents and the > more radical and anti-capitalist ones. Operation > SalAMI, backed by the State, whose trade-mark is > anti-violence, is leading an ideological > struggle against the anti-capitalist movements > who refuse to settle for civil disobedience > actions and prefer to set themselves apart from > the bourgeois framework. "Operation SalAMI", in > collaboration with the big trade unions and the > NGOs, have chosen to associate themselves with > the bourgeois State and the police. SalAMI are > even organizing training sessions to teach > demonstrators how to put under arrest > "rabble-rousers"--which is their very own way of > discrediting the anti-capitalist movements. > Others of the same ilk will be out there to > chant old and empty themes to try to promote > backward ideas like the Tobin tax on business > transactions. > > 13. Seattle made an impression on Quebec. In > February 2000, the Sommet du Quebec et de la > Jeunesse in the province's capital was the stage > of a genuine expression of people's ire. Close > to 2,000 people, despite very poor means to > mobilize, made it over to Quebec. They nearly > succeeded in thwarting what expectedly turned > out to be a pre-ordained exercise in Quebec > nationalist class collaboration. Trade-union and > community bureaucrats didn't even go through the > effort of staging bogus demonstrations. They > quite obviously underscored the extent of the > people's rage. In preparation of this coming > April event in the city of Quebec, the trade > union and community bureaucrats are wary of the > mighty repression and intimidation apparatus > being set up by the bourgeois State and the > police. They are already talking about a > symbolic demonstration to be held in Montreal on > the eve of the event, and under heavy police > surveillance, of course. > > 14. In recent memory, never have the police > feared a protest to such a degree. They said > they were going to monitor the situation in > Quebec very closely. Curtailing people's liberty > to circulate, reinforcing security in certain > areas, be it with fences or through other means, > putting at the disposal of the police an entire > prison in case of massive arrests, etc. > Obviously, the bourgeoisie is indeed quite > fearful of the way this event will unravel. > > 15. We must not be intimidated by this > incredible deployment of security measures. But > we should neither play into the hands of the > police. If the bourgeoisie (in this case the > Quebec State) went through such pains, it is to > deter mass demonstrations. It is well aware that > a strong movement could prevent the unfolding of > this event. In this case, disrepute would lay > its shadow on the organizers. For all genuine > anti-capitalist demonstrators, the goal is to > make some kind of headway during the summit. > This means politically, ideologically and in the > streets. > > 16. During the course of the upcoming months, we > must prepare for the Summit and campaign to > unify the anti-capitalist currents. We must seek > the best possible of watchwords for the > advancement of an anti-capitalist and > revolutionary point of view in Canada: > > - By waging an ideological struggle against the > Canadian and Quebec bourgeoisie through means of > agitation and propaganda. We must clearly show > the role that this class play in imperialist > exploitation. > > - By developing sharp criticism of the active > reformists and anti-violence currents and unmask > their link with the State. > > - By highlighting the need for revolutionary > work in Canada to put an end to the exploitation > of the people's of the poor countries by our > bourgeoisie. > > - By calling to organize anti-capitalist actions > during the Summit. > > At the Summit of the Americas, let's fight > against our own bourgeoisie! > Quebec, Canada: same imperialism! > Workers of all countries, unite! > > > LET'S ATTACK THE SUMMIT! > > Next April 20, 21 and 22 in Quebec City (the > most ancient and now, the most recent town to be > fortified in the continent), the capitalists > will hold their Third Summit of the Americas. > Their goal with this meeting is to constitute a > continental free-trade zone that will put all > emerging markets from Latin America together > with financial powers producing goods and > services like US and Canada, in order to create > a common space for trade. > > Canada was one of the first countries to > advocate for the future FTAA (Free Trade Area of > the Americas). Do we really need here to explain > the reasons why? When 85%, let's say 90% of > Canadian capitalists hear about FTAA, all they > hear is the soft sound of their one-dollar > pieces accumulating. Only the rich can hear that > sound in their head... as we would think. But > this won't last forever. One day, bourgeois will > here another kind of noise... Throughout the > clash in the streets, the only sound they will > hear will be: Down with capitalism! Down with > profits! All the power to the workers and the > poor! Long live socialist revolution! > > Canadian imperialism: sly as a fox... > > Please! Stop telling us those stupid stories > about a small little country named Canada, which > would just about to be eaten like one little > herring by a whale because of globalization. On > the international scene, Canada (its banks, its > finance capital, its multinationals) is very > well installed within the group of globalization > leading countries for the current period. We > also use these expressions to describe them: the > rich countries, the leading countries, the > imperialist countries. All different ways of > showing that the world economic system serves > their cause very well, to enrich their > bourgeoisie, and make transfer a fabulous part > of the world wealth. > > It is not by geographic coincidence or because > of an Act of God that we can explain why it is > the Canadian bourgeoisie who took the lion's > share of the mining resources in Africa; why she > can make profit with hydroelectricity in the > Third World; why she can invest her financial > services in the Caribbean's and in Asia; or why > she sells her business planes or cell phones all > across the world; neither why she get richer by > printing what is maybe the biggest crap that the > declining bourgeoisie is hurling (Quebecor, > first master printer in the world!). Don't look > for any other answer than: imperialism. This is > because of imperialism, which is the system > organizing inequality at a world scale and which > put billions of dollars in the pockets of the > Canadian and Quebec bourgeoisie. > > Of course, Canada is now and will remain a > relatively small imperialist country, constantly > threatened of being outclassed. Its inside > market is overall quite narrow; therefore the > Canadian bourgeoisie must count on opening > borders in order to export both its production > and capital. In 1970, the Canadian foreign > investments totaled 6.8% of the GDP (Gross > Domestic Product); but in 1997, it was raised to > 23%! And everybody knows because everybody tells > us, that every year whatever happens, Canada is > in the leading group of exporting countries (by > GDP prorate). > > Little fox then, although being very sly: the > Canadian imperialism is a winning player every > time there is a new international agreement who > could systematize--or let's say, make it look > acceptable and normal--imperialist rules and > mechanisms. In a direct negotiation, Canada can > hardly impose its will to its partners, whether > it would be other imperialism or in the big > trade markets where one has to play hard (which > is exactly what the US is doing everywhere or > like what France does in Africa). We can see > that in the Embraer-Brazil dossier: the > interests of the Canadian bourgeoisie are being > consolidated by large international agreements. > > Canada is always playing the "good guy", whether > in the World Trade Organization (WTO) or for the > FTAA and just like it does in the United > Nations. And once being there, why would not he > keep his cool guy habits when talking about > social issues such as inequalities, Third World > debt, etc. A lot of NGO-SG (let's say their real > name: Non-Governmental Organizations Subsidized > by the Governments!) are expecting a lot from > Canada in order to act as a bridge and as a > mediator between economics and social issues in > the global area, that is to say, under the lead > of imperialism. > > What kind of opposition to face imperialism? > > It was not long after the streets of Seattle had > been cleaned in December 1999 when we happened > to see clearly that the big mediated > organizations as well as the big networks under > the banner of opposing neo-liberalism (what a > cowardly euphemism) would not go further in > their opposition. On the contrary, they would > look for attaching themselves to the imperialist > body, like a social appendix, like a humanist > consciousness. In the concrete world, this leads > to a backward movement with regards to the > struggle; it is a step behind, a withdrawal. In > parallel, one institutionalization of the big > anti-globalization apparatus, which are just > coming to stratify themselves as well: a new > strata of reformists, once again! > > The Third Summit of the Americas is coming in > few weeks from now and we can see very clearly > the withdrawal of most of the organizations > under the "anti-globalization" or > "anti-liberalism" official labels; they do not > know which way to turn. Above all, according to > them, we must not oppose radically against the > State leaders, neither against the capitalists. > We must not cut the bridges with them; instead > of confronting them, we must push to negotiate. > This means in one word that the proletariat as a > class, together with the revolutionary and > communist trends are not allowed to propagate > and build the real alternative which everyone > talks about. > > In the field, it is also clear that the > reformists will stand farther and farther from > demonstrations or slogans; from clashes or > ructions; from any screams, songs or words that > shout for the rebellion of the poor, of the > oppressed and of the workers. They will stand > far in order to protect themselves from the > solidarity clash by which McDonald's is paying > for all the capitalists of the world; also from > this song of the Paris Commune and of all > revolutionary communists, which is called The > Internationale, which outshine any nationalist > or protectionist speeches by its brightness and > honesty. > > In Quebec City, let's demonstrate with the > RCP(OC) and against the summit! > > The Red Flag invites all its readers to come in > Quebec City on April 20th in order to oppose the > Summit of the Americas. We must face this: a > large part of the workers all across Canada, of > the youth and of the unemployed, will keep their > eyes on this event, in the hope of hearing or > seeing a concrete show of their own anger > against the ruling class, against the > capitalists and the rich. > > Together with the RCP(OC) and with all other > class-conscious activists that now counts by > hundred and thousands, let's hear the > proletariat as a class. We must be supportive of > the majority who is fed up of suffering from > this unfair system. Let's stop to pray vaguely > in order to make the rich listen to us. They > must be forced to listen to us and to what we > have to say: > > Down with capitalism! > Down with profit! > All the power to the workers and to the poor! > Long live socialist revolution! > > > THE BEGINNING OF A NEW REVOLUTIONARY PARTY > > Last November 26 in Montreal, at the end of two > days of a political conference organized by The > Red Flag, the participants (workers, unemployed, > students) adopted a resolution creating the new > Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing > Committees)--RCP(OC). This important decision > showing a mobilizing spirit, should lead to > constitute organizing committees in many cities > in the Quebec province and the rest of Canada > over the next months. By that, the revolutionary > activists who were involved in this week-end > clearly acknowledged the fact that they would be > committed in a period of organization, > preparation and mobilization that should lead in > two years to the First Congress of the RCP. > > Through discussion and by adopting a 12-Point > Draft Programme of a true revolutionary scope > and which stands out strongly against the > half-heartedness of the reformist left, the > activists of the new RCP(OC) lay the foundations > we need to restart the revolutionary struggle of > the proletariat in Canada. > > It is obvious that a tremendous work must be > done in the course of the years to come, in > order to propagate the political line comprised > in the Draft Programme, in order to explain, to > enrich and to make it better. But the > fundamental political base is there, and there > is no doubt about its proletarian and > revolutionary character. We have then a very > solid foundation on which we can build. This has > been underlined in different ways during the > event and until that time, by receiving, among > others, solidarity messages and international > greetings from the Communist Party of the > Philippines (CPP), the Union of Communists of > Iran (Sarbedaran) and by the Maoist political > magazine A World to Win. The Action Socialiste > organization as well, whose members participated > to the conference, made known that it was > entirely rallying the RCP(OC) and by that, put > an end to 14 years of activity. This statement > will be explained and developed in a > "self-criticism and assessment" to come shortly. > > The whole spirit of the Draft Programme can be > synthesized as follows: the political struggle > of the proletariat must not serve to maintain > endlessly the falsy functioning of bourgeois > democracy, of the State and of the capitalist > society; on the contrary, it must be used to > prepare and organize in order to conquer as a > class the political power, that leads to the > destruction of the bourgeois State. In that > sense, as the Draft Programme states it, > Protracted People's War is the path for the > revolution in Canada. > > By the determination and the combative character > shown at the November Conference, we have seen a > continuing of the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist trend. > Since a few years, this trend was rallying > around the Red Flag, who held high a proletarian > and struggling spirit. This has been perpetuated > at the conference, but above all, something new > has been created. A concrete form and a frame > have been given, in which we must act to develop > one willing unity . This tool, that is to say a > revolutionary communist party, is essential for > the class-struggle of the proletariat. It is > then a big step forward for the revolution in > Canada. > > The Red Flag is now inviting the most numerous > numbers of revolutionaries among the workers, in > the youth and across all the different > proletarian circles, to grab on this > revolutionary spirit and to participate in > solidarity to the organizing work that is now > initiated by the RCP(OC). We must rally the > committees that will emerge and help to create > many others, in every cities and circles where > it is possible. > > The proletariat needs a party to regain class > independence. We want to stop being a > subordinated and submissive class. In that > sense, there is a need for a different party, an > innovative party. Not a dubious and useless > appendix only to decorate the bourgeois > democracy, like all reformist parties tend to > be, but a party that is rigorously standing > outside from the sphere controlled by this > so-called bourgeois democracy which is outdated, > sterile and more and more reactionary. > > The Organizing Committees of the RCP will look > forward to apply this fabulous lesson from > Lenin--whose action and thinking are endlessly > slandered by all petty-bourgeois who only swear > on liberalism--who says that "opportunism is the > fruit of legality"! > > Does that means, as some would like to say, that > such a party, relying on this important lesson > and refusing to stay under the bourgeois law, > would condemn itself to stay in the society > shadow and finally disappear; that it would stay > outside from society and therefore would give up > with any significant and political struggle? Not > at all. Foremost, it would be the exact > opposite. Only those who look for the fastest > way to fling themselves into electoralism or in > narrow-minded bourgeois trade-unionism will dare > to pretend such a falsity and will dedicate the > little they know about Marxism in pretending > they will prove it. Reality will never encounter > these dogmatic pretensions. > > There is no doubt that the class struggle of the > working masses will be 10,000 times stronger > with a communist party committed to prepare and > wage revolutionary war, rather than two, four or > six little and reformist chapels who all pretend > to be an alternative, but only last few seasons > and finally all get back to their deeply dull > business. > > It is through a consistent revolutionary > struggle that we will see the proletarian part > of the society to emerge and to appear in its > whole dimension. > > By moving forward in the path being drawn in the > Draft Programme, by attacking more and more > systematically and for a long period--while > revolution will grow--the large ideological and > administrative apparatus around bourgeoisie, the > RCP(OC) will contribute to free, to popularize, > to push forward all forms of proletarian > struggles. That is to say autonomous class > organizations; its own means of struggle; its > own political education; its own ideology; etc. > This is why the second resolution adopted last > November to create the RCP(OC) clearly states > that "the party is committed to prepare all the > aspects of the struggle against capitalism and > its State apparatus, including armed propaganda > and the growth of an underground apparatus, > outside from bourgeois legalism, and who will > constitute the embryo of the red army to come". > > In Canada, the government and the bourgeoisie > are showing us a triumphant air but behind that > they fear for recession to come in USA, > overproduction and economic crisis. There is now > less and less confidence put on the left flank > of the bourgeoisie (big unions, reformist > parties and State-subsidized organizations) as > the proletariat must defend itself. So this > results in the following combination: there are > more attacks on the expense of the proletariat, > but at the same time, big struggles will be > prepared, and they are going to be larger, > stronger and more independent. > > Under these circumstances, the creation of the > new RCP(OC) is a very good news for all > revolutionaries. We must use it for leverage in > order to build the proletarian movement that > will free all of us. > > Support the RCP(OC)! > Make the Draft Programme our Programme! > Let's form the organizing committees (OC) of the > Party! > > _______________________________________________ > NOW AVAILABLE! > The Draft Programme of the > Revolutionary Communist Party > (Organizing Committees) > Order your copy by contacting the Red Flag: > P.O. Box 1004, Station C, Montreal H2L 4V2 > (514) 854-4890 . 1 888 724-3685 + 551-3422 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _______________________________________________
