One of the most important recent developments has been the
awakening of the people about the anti-social agenda pushed by the
"West" under the signboard of "democracy," "the free market
economy," "pluralism" and "reform" (privatization and
liberalization). This awakening, however, is being manipulated by
the bourgeoisie into channels acceptable to them. The main
political force entrusted to manage this manipulation is social
democracy.
Social democracy under the present circumstances does not go
by the name of social democracy alone. Various Communist Parties
have adopted social democratic programs such as the Communist Party
of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist
Party of the Russian Federation, the Communist Party of France and
others. Under these circumstances, it is crucial to examine the
content of what these parties actually propose and what they do in
practice, and not be swayed or fooled by the names they use to
describe themselves.
Social democracy is the preferred policy of the bourgeoisie
when the working class is beginning to stir and engage in revolt.
The aim of social democracy is to ideologically disarm the working
class and make it accept the aims of the bourgeoisie. When people
expressed their discontent and opposition to pseudo-socialism, it
was social democracy which facilitated their manipulation into a
belief in the "Western democracy" that the bourgeoisie was
promising them. Now that the bubble of this democracy has burst and
the bloom is off, the working class can see for itself what this
"Western democracy" stands for in practice. It has meant an
anti-social offensive of the worst sort and the working class is
beginning to reject it. To save the situation for the bourgeoisie,
social democracy is creating illusions that it can perform better
than the conservative political parties who have created such
misery and problems for the people and have solved none of the
outstanding problems.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
