[YCLSA Discussion] Re: Anti-poverty protests in SA ?

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:56:55 -0700

That's very clear and it's relevant.

NHI and free education are reforms worth having, even if a lot of the work is sub-contracted. Let's make sure to score both in the term of this government.

I don't think such reforms amount to Economism, though.

What I was personally after in this discussion was to make the point that the current apparent "wave of militancy", though it could "build class consciousness and organisation", as you say, may actually not do so.

The reason I think it may not do so is that the degree of class consciousness is at some sort of peak, already. It needs an injection of something extra. The working class needs new revolutionary tasks.

The major industrial divisions are well organised and are well capable of uniting behind a wage claim. That we can see.

At 2 million organised in COSATU-affiliated unions, in a country of nearly 50 million, there is a prima facie case for quantitative growth. That's possible. But that was not my concern. I am concerned to see how the class is going to be "seized" with new qualitative tasks.

No doubt the COSATU and SACP Congresses, in September and December respectively, will try to do this. Both should be given maximum critical attention from this point of view.

If the working class cannot be motivated towards new, revolutionary goals then it will tend to fall back towards pure Economism, resting on its laurels, and it will threaten to develop political organs to suit.

Domza!

VC!


James Tweedie wrote: 
I think it may have already been said in this discussion that
economist trade union activity can build class conciousness and
organisation - if it is successful. If it fails, for instance the
trade union leads everyone out on a strike which they lose - then it
has the opposite effect.

I personally have had good and bad experiences of trade unions (and
not due to 'bureaucracy'), so I don't hold them up as the Holy Grail
of struggle.

Where I'm from in Britain we have state-funded free universal
healthcare (the National Health Service) and compulsory free universal
education from age 5 to 16, with voluntary free education to 18 or 19
(in preparation for university). I am a great believer in the
principles behind both, I worked in the NHS for years. There are,
however, a great many problems in how they are run, stemming from
government policy.

Recently attempts have been made to privatise these services
piecemeal. What this actually amounts to is sub-contracting public
service work to private companies, who have the guarantee that the
taxpayer will keep them in profit. It is just charity to businessmen,
not true privatisation.

Some people say that these services are evidence of a past 'socialism'
in Britain under previous Labour Party governments. But of course
Britain has never been socialist. These services were founded partly
because the Labour movement fought for them, but, like the post office
or the privatisation of the railways and coal mines following the
Second World War, because they were necessary to the capitalist
economy but could not be run at a profit. In other words, the social
democracy that the British trade unions have been fighting for since
at least 1907 is just another variation of the capitalist state.

How much do South African capitalists need a well-educated workforce?
How much investment do they put into training their employees that
they cannot afford to lose a large number of them to illness? Are not
the majority of people employed in low-skilled, low-paid jobs, with an
army of unemployed waiting to take their places if they fall ill?

James

2009/7/31 Thabang Ngcozela <[email protected]>:
  
to end
and a revolutionary organisation

    
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:05:36 +0200
Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] Re: Anti-poverty protests in SA ?
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected]


There is no foreign hand behind the protests. South Africa along with
Brazil and Botswana is one of the most unequal societies in the world.
The majority of the people are working class, poor and black and they
are tired of the neo-liberal economic mess the country is in because
they are the ones expected to accept poverty, degradation and
exploitation while the new non-racial ruling class continues to live
the high life. Neo liberal capitalism is unable to resolve the
pressing questions facing South Africa, be it poverty, unemployment,
disease, housing etc. What South Africa lacks is good working class
leadership.

On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 10:52 AM, Loselo Segwe<[email protected]> wrote:
      
Cdes

My firm believe and informed by my exposure on the ground is that we are
now
or have entered a terrain of class struggle which was preceded by
National
liberation struggle. Untipoverty campaigns are signs of uneasiness from
the
people. This being motivated by the fact that whilst people are told to
wait
for service delivery and job creation - which is supposed to empower and
liberate people from poverty and incomeless conditions, they are at the
same
time almost watching helplessly whilst others are getting more richer
and
enjoying opulance life styles just across the street or even worse next
door.
Without sounding judgemental, our local sphere of government is also
letting
all of us down. Affirmative Action to me meant empowering our own people
with the neccessary skills, education and exposure over a period of time
in
other for us to better serve our people, affirm them and support them to
realise their life aspirations. Now what is happening some
municipalities is
just taking affirmative action beyond its worth. Cadres with no
education,
skills and training and in most instances with no support, are deployed
in
councils - sometime to serve certain cabals or to block others more
suitable
for the position (who might not neccessarily agree with us).

Our revolution is under siege as from municipality to municipality we
hear
of strikes, demonstrations and picketing. These are signs that the route
taken is not sustainable, we need a total review and instill certain
revolutionary morals and ethics in order to move forward. The Cuban
revolution has been sustained by a high level of discipline, morality
and
good revolutionary ethics.

Just the other day I happen to chat to one of the Cuban Doctors deployed
in
our country, what struck me was his clear understanding of why he was in
South Africa, why for instance he chose his career, why Cuban government
took policy decisions it took and why he must do his best to serve and
serve
with honour.

So lets all work towards instilling a sense of pride, dignity and honour
in
those deployed to serve. Lets eradicate the greed that is now
characterising
some of our deployed cadres, the self-serving attitudes, the arrogance
and
laziness as well as entitlement attitudes.

Lets do it for our movement cdes!!!!

On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 5:29 PM, Sikhumbuzo Thomo
<[email protected]> wrote:
        
RC

Well what l can say is that we are have a series of class struggles
during
this bargaining period nothing out of the ordinary.

Comrade ST

On Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 5:31 PM, Rajesh Roy <[email protected]>
wrote:
          
Hello comrades, i live in India, we hear about the so-called
antipoverty
protests going on now in SA.. is there a foreign hand behind these
protests?
it seems like there is some well-planned conspiracy behind these
protests..

Rajesh Cherian.

________________________________
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--
Loselo Segwe

Mobile: +27766383723


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