Lenin victim of anti-Russian hatred

Right-wing nationalists are on a rampage in Ukraine. Destroying every Lenin statue they can find. Reports are coming in that more then 90 Lenin memorials across Ukraine have been destroyed by anticommunist nationalists, linked to the ''Euromaiden'' movement. After Yanukovych fled from his office, the monuments to Lenin were no longer protected. 24 years after the collapse of the Soviet-Union, the anticommunists were finally free to destroy the symbols of what they call: ''Russian oppression''. 90 statues and monuments to Vladimir Lenin have been destroyed by these anticommunist vandals! 

Revolutionary socialists oppose the Lenin cult. We never supported the idea of worshipping death revolutionary leaders. When Lenin died in January 1924, Leon Trotsky opposed the idea of mummifying his corpse. But the Troika of the Russian Communist Party already turned Lenin into a saint. Stalin, Kamenev and Zinoview wanted to keep his body for eternity. As the Stalinist bureaucracy replaced Soviet democracy, Lenin became the centre of a massive cult of personality. His face was pictured on many Soviet posters and media outlets. By 1928, Stalin was placed next to Lenin on all propaganda posters, books and paintings by the now fully Stalinist; All Union Communist Party!

In 1990, the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic changed its name to Republic of Ukraine and adopted the banner of the anticommunist; Ukrainian National Republic. A state founded by the Ukrainian Mensheviks and the local bourgeoisie. In 1919 the soviet councils in eastern Ukraine created the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic which opposed the national republic. By then the capital city of Kiev was under White Russian control which forced the Ukrainian National Republic to retreat westward. The Red Army of Soviet Russia defeated the White Russians in March 1920 and gave political power to the Ukrainian SSR!

The symbols of the Ukrainian National Republic were adopted as state emblems of the new Republic of Ukraine. But not all Ukrainians were happy with this, many Russian speaking Ukrainians feared that the new Republic of Ukraine would not grant them minority rights. Since 1990 there have been many conflicts between ethnic Ukrainians and Russian Ukrainians. In the western provinces, all symbols of the former Soviet-Union are hated. Lenin is called a ''Russian imperialist'' because his armies gave power to the Ukrainian SSR. Eastern Ukrainians and those who live in the Crimea, are not fuelled with anticommunist hatred. They see Lenin as part of history and do not want to destroy the remnants of the Ukrainian SSR. Many elderly still have positive memories of the Stalinist period, right-wing nationalists hate this!

There have been many attacks on Soviet monuments in Ukraine. Many monuments are vandalized by members of the far-right: Social-National Party of Ukraine. This neo-nazi party is founded in 1991 and support Ukrainian nationalism. They hate Jews, Russians, feminists, communists, socialists and everybody who is not a Ukrainian nationalist. In 2004 their party changed its emblem and name. Under a new leader they try to appeal to more moderate nationalists. Today they are called the All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda", but their anticommunism and racial hatred is still very strong. Many Lenin statues have been destroyed or vandalized by members of "Svoboda"!

The far-right nationalists also use the banner of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army ( UPA ). This partisan army was founded in 1941 to fight both the Germans and the Soviets. Guided by anticommunism and nationalism the UPA fought until 1949 against the Stalinist USSR. After the end of stalinism, its legacy remains a topic of huge debates. Western Ukrainians and nationalists glorify the UPA for its fight against both nazism and stalinism. But the eastern Ukrainians and the Russian speaking population of the Crimea, call the UPA ''terrorist'' because they killed Soviet citizens!

Until now the anticommunist nationalists have never been able to destroy Lenin monuments and Soviet symbols directly, because they were historic and protected by the Republic of Ukraine. Until February 2014, a pro-Russian government ruled Ukraine, this made many nationalists angry. The ''Euromaiden'' movement gave the nationalists a perfect vehicle for their anticommunist hatred. When Yanukovych was disposed, right-wing nationalists and supporters of the ''Euromaiden'' movement, attacked and destroyed many Soviet statues and monuments. More then 90 statues of Lenin have been vandalized across Ukraine!

For western anticommunists the destruction of these statues must be a a great moment. They call it; ''Ukraine is finally destroying its Communist past''. The Kremlin is off-course furious, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has called his army to be mobilized near the eastern Ukrainian border. Also the Russian Air Force is on high alert, to what they call ''protect'' the Russian speaking population of the Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Revolutionary socialists oppose the destruction of these Lenin statues. Because Lenin hated Russian chauvinism and nationalism. For him the working class was the centre of the struggle. But in today's conflict, workers fight each other. All in the name of nationalism, patriotism and chauvinism. Lenin is a victim of this chauvinistic conflict between two ethnic groups, who do not understand his historic role. For the Russians, Lenin is a '''Russian leader'' for the Ukrainians he is a ''Russian dictator''. Poor Lenin was neither a leader for Russians nor a dictator. He was elected by the Congress of Soviets in November 1917 to liberate the working class from capitalism and oppression. For him only the working class counted, all workers of all nations!

Revolutionary socialists call upon Ukrainian workers to stop fighting each other. Stop listening to these nationalists and chauvinists who only want to spread hatred and anticommunism. Both the Russian camp and the Ukrainian camp are led by right-wing forces who use nationalism to poison the minds of the working class. This conflict is fought between two ethnic groups, who's leaders spread racial hatred and acts of vandalism. Workers should learn from Vladimir Lenin and establish a unified workers party for all workers. A party that opposes chauvinism, capitalism, imperialism and nationalism. This is what Lenin fought for and this is what revolutionary socialists support. Our goal is to build a multi-ethnic socialist world, free from racial hatred and capitalist exploitation. Capitalism has caused poverty and its institutions are now fighting each other!

Workers of Ukraine, you have nothing to lose but your chains, 

you have a world to win!

пролета́рі всіх краї́н, єдна́йтеся

пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь 

A broken Lenin statue, destroyed

by right-wing nationalists who hate Lenin

because he was Russian!

Yanukovych gone, Tymoshenko no alternative

President Yanukovych of the Republic of Ukraine has been removed from power. The Ukrainian parliament voted him out of office on 22 February 2014. But the pro-Russian president has refused to accept this. Now he fled to the eastern parts of Ukraine, were the ethnic Russians are the majority group. In this part of the nation he is still popular, but in most other parts the conservative president is hated. The unrest in Ukraine have now led to deaths, 88 members of the opposition were killed in violent clashes with state police forces. 16 police officers were also killed during the demonstrations. The parliament has now removed Yanukovych from power. They may have feared a popular revolution against more then just Yanukovych, because the anger of many Ukrainian workers has far deeper roots!

The former Ukrainian president was supported by two major conservative pro-Russian parties in the Ukrainian parliament. His own party was the Party of Region's, a conservative party that is popular with ethnic Russians. The Party of Region's supported Yanukovych against the pro-European political parties. But now the conservatives have turned against their president. The party denounced Yanukovych, stating they "strongly condemn the criminal orders that led to human victims, an empty state treasury, huge debts, shame before the eyes of the Ukrainian people and the entire world''. This must been seen as a desperate attempt to separate the party from Yanukovych, who's dictatorial methods have caused the civil unrest.

Ukraine was part of the Soviet-Union until 1990. After the collapse of stalinism, a new ruling class replaced the outdated Stalinist bureaucracy. Both Yanukovych and his main opponent Yulia Tymoshenko made their names in the 1990's. Yulia Tymoshenko became a young capitalist and made big money with Russian gas. Yanukovych became a member of the Stalinist bureaucracy in 1980 when he worked as manager of bus-companies. As regional transport executive he was able to live the good life as did most bureaucrats of the USSR!

The collapse of stalinism led Yanukovych into politics for the conservative pro-Russian movement. He became Vice-Head of Donetsk Oblast Administration in August 1996 and joined the conservative pro-Russian: Party of Region's. He was Ukraine's prime minister between 2002 and 2004 under president Leonid Kuchma. Yanukovych became the candidate for the Party of Region's and faced the pro-European Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko during the 2004 presidential elections. Yanukovych was declared winner, but many Ukrainians opposed the results and claimed they were not fair. After a recounting the election commission declared that Yushchenko was the true winner of the 2004 presidential elections!

Yushchenko and his vice president Yulia Tymoshenko were supporters of the European Union and stood in opposition to Russia. But their economic politics were made to serve big business not ordinary workers. After only four years, the pro-European government was opposed by 60% of all Ukrainians. President Yushchenko's Orange Revolution changed nothing for workers and poor people. Many felt betrayed by pro-European political parties. This allowed the Party of Region's to win both the 2006 and 2007 parliamentary elections. By 2010, the conservative pro-Russian party was the biggest party in the Ukrainian parliament with 175 seats!

Yanukovych and his Party of Region's faced Yulia Tymoshenko, who campaigned as a pro-European candidate. However because she was prime minister under the hated previous government, the pro-Russian conservatives were able to win 88.7909 more votes. Tymoshenko claimed the elections were not fair, but Yanukovych was elected president of Ukraine. In the parliament they got support from the Stalinist; Communist Party of Ukraine, who joined the conservative pro-Russian government of Yanukovych. Although the communist party claimed to oppose the capitalist ideology of the Party of Region's, they joined the government because it was pro-Russian. Petro Symonenko and his stalinists have a strong base of support in the Russian speaking eastern provinces of Ukraine and hate the pro-European liberal opposition led by Tymoshenko!

Since 2010, Ukraine is deeply divided. The western provinces are politically liberal and pro-European. While the eastern provinces are conservative and pro-Russian. The Stalinist; Communist Party of Ukraine claims that the pro-European opposition are ''puppets'' of the European Union, they also claims that right-wing nationalists are supporting the opposition. There is indeed a growing nationalist tendency in the opposition camp. Right-wing nationalists rally around the All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda" ( Freedom ). Founded in 1991 as the Social-National Party of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda" is a far-right party that used to be very open neo-nazi until 2004. They renamed themselves ''Svoboda'' in order to appeal to more moderate nationalists under leadership of Oleh Tyahnybok!

Yulia Tymoshenko was arrested in 2011 for her role in a gas conflict with Russia. But many of her liberal supporters claimed that president Yanukovych wanted to silence her. Ukraine has been very chaotic ever since she was arrested. The pro-European opposition with support from EU nations has protested against the pro-Russian government almost every year. When Ukraine refused to make a economic deal with the EU, civil unrest began. The pro-European opposition were furious when Yanukovych made the deal with Russia and not Europe. This started what is now called the ''Ukrainian Revolution''!

At first the demonstrators wanted Ukraine to sign the deal with Europe. But soon their demands became more revolutionary. Angered by 23 years of capitalist barbarism and corruption spread by their governments, the Ukrainians wanted Yanukovych gone. The Russian Federation told Yanukovych to use brutal force to end the protests. In Russia it is common to use police brutality to end civil unrest. But in Ukraine, it made the people more angry. Riots soon broke out and in western provinces the pro-European opposition took power for themselves. The Party of Region's and the Communist Party of Ukraine were banned in Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk, which led to a massive crackdown of demonstrators by the Ukrainian state police. In the end, 88 demonstrators died between 18 February and 23 February 2014, 16 police officers were also killed!

Fearing a massive revolution, the Party of Region's changed sides. They now supported the opposition in removing Yanukovych. With support from the conservatives, the liberal opposition voted to remove the president. When the demonstrators learned of this, they marched to his luxurious villa and occupied it. Like many capitalist leaders, Yanukovych liked luxury. His villa is proof that he enriched himself, while 25% of all Ukrainians live below the poverty line. The former president fled to the eastern provinces were his supporters are still strong. Meanwhile the parliament released Yulia Tymoshenko from her prison. This was seen as the final victory for the ''Ukrainian Revolution'' as it is now called by the western media!

But is it a genuine revolution? We don't think so. The removal of president Yanukovych was done to prevent a massive revolution. In Tunisia and Egypt, the ruling class also removal their dictators after huge protests. But these nations were not changed in a revolutionary way. Capitalism was not abolished, poverty and corruption remained. Ukraine will get a new capitalist president, maybe a pro-European one this time. But it will not change the nature of the Republic of Ukraine, which is a capitalist state since 1990!

Revolutionary socialists call for the formation of a workers party with a socialist program. Workers cannot trust the Stalinist; Communist Party of Ukraine or the social democratic; Socialist Party of Ukraine. Supporting the pro-European liberals of Yulia Tymoshenko will not bring any genuine changes. Tymoshenko was prime minister between 2004 and 2010, her government was hated because she supported the capitalists over the workers. She wants Ukraine to serve European imperialism, which is no alternative to Russian imperialism ( supported by the conservatives and stalinists ).

Workers of Ukraine must unite against nationalism too. Both ethnic Ukrainian and Russian workers must reject nationalism and sectarianism. All workers are needed for a genuine Ukrainian Socialist Workers Republic. Only a united working class can fight against the capitalists, who's politicians rule in Kiev since 1990. New elections will not bring changes, workers need a political party for themselves. This is the task of the Ukrainian left-wing, to build a party on a socialist program for all workers of Ukraine!  

Supporters of the opposition at Yanukovych's luxurious villa.

The former president has fled!

South Korea jails Lee Seok-ki for 12 years

The pseudo-democratic government of South Korea, has jailed lawmaker; Lee Seok-ki for 12 years. Capitalist politicians and anticommunists called for his arrest. Lee Seok-ki was arrested because the government of South Korea claims he led the supposed ''Revolutionary Organisation'' a pro-North Korean spy group that ''wanted'' to overthrow the conservative government. However this argument has been used many times to jail leftists. Between 1948 and 1987 the anticommunist regime in the south called all political opposition to be ''communist''. Supporting communism in the Republic of Korea is unconstitutional and not allowed. Lee Seok-ki did not spread communism, but his opposition to South Korean-US relations made him a enemy of the ruling conservatives!

Lee Seok-ki is a member of the Unified Progressive Party. This party is leftist nationalist, but not revolutionary socialist. Still the government of South Korea sees the party as ''dangerous'', because the UPP is very critical of the US-South Korean relations and supports the removal of American troops from South Korea. Lee Seok-ki was no stranger to prison. In 2002 he was arrested and jailed for two years because he was a member of the Min-hyuk Party which was labelled as a anti-governmental entity. All organisations who oppose the capitalist nature of the Republic of Korea are banned and its members face arrests and jail time. Under the dictatorial National Security Law ( NSL ) many leftists have been arrested and jailed during the military dictatorship!

Like most young South Koreans in the 1980's, Lee Seok-ki joined the students movement for democracy and civil liberties. South Korea at that time was ruled by a military junta, supported by the USA. This junta arrested many leftists, they were called ''DPRK supporters'' and ''communist criminals''. But not only leftists were arrested, liberals and humanists were jailed too during the regime of general Chun Doo-hwan, who ruled South Korea from 1979 till 1988. Chun Doo-hwan was an anticommunist and hated freedom of speech for leftists. Because of his strong anticommunism he was supported by Ronald Reagan and his administration. Only after massive protests of students in 1987 was Chun Doo-hwan forced to accept that democracy could no longer be excluded from South Korea. The ruling class agreed and ( liberal capitalist ) opposition parties were allowed to participate in elections. Behind the scenes however the government remained intolerant and to this day uses the National Security Law, to harass and intimidate leftists who oppose the Republic of Korea!

South Korea's intelligence agency had many names. During the years of Syngman Rhee ( 1948-1960 ) it was called the Korean Counter-intelligence Corps. Its mission was to save-guard the totalitarian anticommunist dictatorship of the old autocratic Rhee. In 1961 dictator Park Chung-hee created the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, fully modelled after the American CIA. The KCIA was a master in hunting leftists and progressives. Many students were arrested and tortured in KCIA prisons. The organisation ruled with iron fist and the military dictatorship of Park Chung-hee were very pleased with the results. But the irony came in 1979, when the director of the KCIA killed dictator Park Chung-hee. After the murder of their president/dictator, the South Korean military junta changed the name of the KCIA to Agency for National Security Planning ( ANSP ). Under its new name the ANSP continued with its mission to arrest, torture and silence political opposition to the military dictatorship of South Korea!

As a young student Lee Seok-ki joined the Min-hyuk Party. Many students in South Korea were guided by leftist nationalism and anti-Americanism. Their hatred of the USA was understandable, they saw how hypocrite the Americans were. Praising democracy in their propaganda yet supporting a military dictatorship, the students hated the Americans for their hypocrisy. Some developed sympathy for the North Korean Stalinist system, these nationalist students believed that the north was the true Korean state, as it was completely independent from other nations! 

Although democracy was introduced after 1987, the government still hunted leftists who declared their oppostion to the Republic of Korea. In 2002 the government arrested Lee Seok-ki for his membership in the Min-hyuk Party. But the liberal opposition and progressive activists called his arrest a politically motivated action and he was pardoned in 2003. After being freed, Lee Seok-ki supported the Democratic Labour Party. This leftist nationalist party was popular with some workers, but also had many leftists who were sympathetic to the DPRK. This is why the conservative government of South Korea, kept a very close eye on the Democratic Labour Party and all who supported it. By 1999, the Agency for National Security Planning was renamed again, today it is called the National Intelligence Service ( NIS ). Its mission is still the same: to save-guard the capitalist Republic of Korea and to arrest all supporters of the DPRK in the south! 

Lee Seok-ki was elected to the South Korean parliament in 2012, as a member of the new Unified Progressive Party. Lee played an active role as a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Future Planning, Broadcasting and Communications Committee. He worked hard to balance the unequal South Korea-US relations, to promote reconciliation and cooperation between the two Korea's and to promote impartiality in the media. For his leftism he was hated by the anticommunist veterans of the Korean War, who demanded his execution. The NIS and the ruling conservatives wanted him back in jail and finally took action in 2013 to silence Lee!

For the govermment of South Korea, Lee Seok-ki is a “North-sympathizing communist” and “trouble-making revolutionist” trying to destroy the legal order. With ''legal order'' they mean the corrupt-capitalist order which rules South Korea since 1948. A legal order who murdered 150.000 South Koreans and blamed the Stalinist north for 55 years. A legal order who still is using undemocratic methods to silence leftists and opponents of the ROK!

On 28 August 2013, the NIS and South Korean police forces raided the HQ of the Unified Progressive Party. They arrested Lee Seok-ki and 7 members of the party for ''trying to overthrow the government of the Republic of Korea''. The NIS indicted Lee for three charges: violating criminal law by 1: Plotting an insurrection and 2: Inciting an insurrection and violating the notorious National Security Law by 3: “Ccting in concert” with the North Korean regime!

During his trial the NIS pointed at a meeting between UPP party members and Lee Seok-ki. During this meeting Lee gave a lecture on a possible war between the ROK ( South Korea ) and DPRK ( North Korea ). Lee presented his objectives views on this point and voiced his deep concerns on what would happen to progressive activists if a war with the north would break out. During the last war, the anticommunist government murdered 150.000 people, most were called ''communist supporters''. How would the government of South Korea react to people who would oppose a war with the DPRK? 

Some UPP members wanted to obstruct the American soldiers in South Korea if a war would brake out. But Lee Seok-ki opposed this and wanted a pacifist opposition to the war if it would brake out. In secret the NIS had recorded this meeting ( totally undemocratic ) and showed it during the trial. Many in the public became alarmed when Lee Seok-ki used a word for Korea which made him a ''Northern supporter'' in the eyes of dogmatic anticommunists. Lee used the ancient name of Korea; Choson, a word no longer used by South Koreans. Only the Stalinist regime in the north still calls Korea; Choson. However leftist nationalists also use the word Choson, when they speak about Korea. Using Choson is a social stigma in South Korea and by using it Lee Seok-ki was called a ''northern supporter''!

The NIS and the government also claimed that he led the fictional ''Revolutionary Organisation'' a supposed group of 130 South Koreans who oppose the ROK and would fight for the DPRK. They claims that the RO is a continuation of the People's Democratic Revolutionary Party, a former illegal party that was banned during the military years for its support of the DPRK. Also worth saying it that today's president of South Korea is the daughter of former military dictator Park Chung-hee, who was killed by the KCIA director in 1979. Park Geun-hye is the first female president of South Korea. She is a conservative and a supporter of the National Security Law, which her farther used many times to arrest, jail and torture political opponets!

During a political debate, the candidate of the Unified Progressive Party told Park Geun-hye that her father was a Japanese collaborator, which is true. When he was young Park Chung-hee decided to enter the Changchun Military Academy of the Manchukuo Imperial Army under the name: Takagi Masao. He graduated top of his class in 1942 and was recognized as a talented officer by his Japanese instructors, who recommended him for further studies at the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in Japan. Reviling this information caused a shock wave and must have been a huge embarrassment for Park Geun-hyes who still glorifies her murdered father. After Lee was arrested, many leftist Koreans believed this was a payback action of the conservative government. Because the UPP had reviled to South Korea that Park Geun-hye father was a Japanese soldier!

Lee Seok-ki was sentenced to spend 12 years in prison. The ruling class and their anticommunist allies now want to ban the Unified Progressive Party. If they succeed then the only opposition to American imperialism is gone. Although the UPP is not revolutionary socialist, the party does opposes US imperialism. The jailing of Lee Seok-ki proofs that the NIS is still very powerful and able to create his hoax to silence the opposition to the Republic of Korea. In 2011 the NIS went after 8 leaders of the Socialist Workers League of Korea, this anti-Stalinist revolutionary socialist group was also targeted for their opposition to the Republic of Korea. After a long fight in the courts, the 8 leaders were convicted because they rejected what the NIS called the ''free democratic order'' of South Korea!

We revolutionary socialists oppose the National Security Law and the National Intelligence Service. They are the weapons of the Korean ruling class against progressives, socialists, humanists and anti-capitalists. Those who think that South Korea is a democracy must wake up, this nation is not a free democracy. Its democracy is only good as long as you support the structure of the Republic of Korea. Fighting for a socialist alternative is not allowed. If you say you oppose the ROK and capitalism, you are called a “North-sympathizing communist” and “trouble-making revolutionist” for which you can be jailed. The media of South Korea is very anticommunist and able to turn many people against you. Freedom of speech only for the members of the ruling class and their capitalist political parties!  

 

 Anticommunists demand the death of the “North-sympathizing communist” Lee Seok-ki

These are the people who worked for the totalitarian Syngman Rhee 
and the military dictators!

Egypt: Return to dictatorship

After the military seized power in Egypt, democratic freedoms are slowly reversed. The Egyptian Armed Forces took power on 3 July 2013 after many demonstrations by secular forces against the govermment of President Morsi. Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi was the military leader who disposed the democratic elected president and turned the nation back into dictatorship. The problem is that many secular Egyptians seem to support the military, pure because they fear the Islamic opposition led by the Muslim Brotherhood!

The Arab Republic of Egypt was founded as a military dictatorship and has always been dominated by politicians who have a military background. Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second military president of Egypt and ruled from 1956 till 1970. His regime was based on Arab-socialism and Arab-nationalism. Although anti-imperialist, he opposed Marxism and denounced it. His regime ordered the arrest of communists and socialists. Nasser was called a ''Marxist'' by the western world for his anti-imperialism, although the Egyptian Communist Party was banned and its members jailed. Nasser ruled dictatorial for almost 14 years, banning all opposition to his rule!

When Nasser died, he was succeeded by his vice president; Anwar El Sadat. Unlike Nasser this new Egyptian president was not friendly with the USSR. Sadat expelled the military Soviet advisor's and he reformed the Egyptian Army, which was still in a state of shock after the disastrous 1967 six day war. Although he limited the power of the state security forces, Sadat soon became hatred by many Arabs for his peace talks with Israel. Egypt was the first Arab nation to recognize the State of Israel and Sadat became the most hated Arab leader in the middle east. Radical Muslims wanted him death and on 6 October 1981, Islamic soldiers inside the Egyptian Army, attacked the president during a military parade. Sadat died during the shooting and his vice president was wounded. Mohammed Hosni Said Mubarak, was Sadat's vice president and took over the presidency. He became vice president in 1975 and was commander of the Egyptian Air Force!

Egypt turned away from Arab-socialism and adopted a capitalist economy, under president Mubarak. The nation became a one party dominate state, with the National Democratic Party as ruler. Opposition parties to Mubarak were only allowed if they did not criticize the president too much. Those who did criticize were harassed by the Egyptian Secret Police and finally banned. Under Mubarak the Egyptian Communist Party was not legalized, also the Muslim Brotherhood remained banned. But world capitalism was very happy with this right-wing dictator. Mubarak privatized the economy, now capitalism was the ruling force in Egypt.

Many Egyptians hated the capitalist government, but could do little to oppose it. Western governments supported Mubarak, because he opposed Islamic terrorism and supported US imperialism. Egyptian workers were not supported by the western world and had to wait until January 2011, before they united to oppose the dictatorial government. After the Tunisian Revolution forced dictator Ben Ali to flee, Egyptians wanted Mubarak gone too. But the Egyptian Army opened fire and killed more then 800 people. Finally the military ordered Mubarak to leave office. The Egyptian Army took over and installed a provisional government. Many workers believed the army would stand with them, but they were mistaken. The generals had a reason why they removed Mubarak from power. The military feared a popular uprising that could destroy their economic interests!

After the first democratic election in Egyptian history, the Muslim Brotherhood under the name Freedom and Justice Party, won the presidential election. Mohamed Morsi became the first Islamic president of Egypt and this was not liked by the Egyptian Army. Soon conflicts arose between the secular Army and the Islamic led government. Also the Egyptian economy was still capitalist and workers demanded changes. But as a conservative; Mohamed Morsi was in favor of keeping capitalism alive. So the workers of Egypt felt betrayed. Many believed the Islamic; Freedom and Justice Party would end the inequality, that ruled Egypt since Mubarak came to power. After many confrontations between secular Egyptians and Islamic Egyptians, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered Morsi to step down. He refused and was arrested by the military on 3 July 2013!

With Morsi arrested, the secularists allied themselves with the Egyptian Army. A huge mistake as the army has no interests in a democratic state. Now the supporters of Morsi were harassed and jailed by the new military government, who soon started to limit political freedoms in the name of fighting terrorism. The Egyptian economy is severely hurt by the unrest over the last three years, many tourists choose to stay away. This means that the nation is losing a lot of income!

Crime is also on the rise as petty thieves and criminals are getting away with their crimes, now that the hatred security police of Mubarak is gone. Egyptians are also blinded by ethnic hatred and religious fundamentalism towards minorities. Coptic Christians have been assaulted and murdered by radical Muslims, who believe Egypt should be an Islamic state win-out Christians. Also woman are not equal to men. Therefore 20 year old; Aliaa Elmahdy did something in 2011, that shocked the Islamic population. She choose to post a nude picture of herself on her Blogspot page. Elmahdy said it was a scream against a society of violence, racism, sexism, sexual harassment and hypocrisy. Born into a deep religious family, she soon grew to hate her father who beat her up if she spoke out against his religious dogma. By the age of 16, Aliaa Elmahdy became an atheist and started to oppose religion. Her parents forced her to visit a religious institution, were Islamic doctors tried everything ( even torture ) to ''cure'' her. She faked her submission and fled her parents house after the fall of the Mubarak regime. Elmahdy positioned herself as a secular, liberal, feminist, vegetarian, individualist Egyptian and an atheist since turning 16!

Early 2014, almost 98% of the Egyptian voters said YES to a new constitution. But since only 38,5% of all Egyptians choose to vote, this YES vote cannot be called the opinion of the people. Many feel betrayed by the politics of the military government and the anger is running deep. The new constitution is written by an unelected commission and it allows the military to keep their economic interests ( ownership of enterprises ). Although strikes are called a ''right'' the new constitution still gives the government the choice, how to regulate this ''right''!

The Egyptian secularists think the government is helping ''their'' 2011 revolution. But this is a lie, the Egyptian Armed Forces only care about their capitalist enterprises and the profits they create. American right-wing politicians have chosen to support the military government of Egypt, purely because it disposed of a Islamic government. Conservatives from the Republican Party in the USA have visited Egypt and gave their political support to the militarists, who have limited democratic rights and the freedom of speech. Now the nation is split between the secular pro-govermment Egyptians and the Islamic anti-government Egyptians. Those who still support Morsi say that the military destroyed a democratic government, the secularists and the military say that Morsi wanted to create a Islamic dictatorship. This is believed by many anti-Islamic people in the western world, who's fear of Islam is so great they would support a military dictatorship over a democratic government!

We revolutionary socialists choose to oppose the military and the Islamic forces. Unfortunate some of us choose to support Mohamed Morsi during the second round of the 2012 presidential elections. The Revolutionary Socialists of the International Socialist Tendency ( IST ) told the working class of Egypt to vote for Mohamed Morsi against Ahmed Shafik, former prime minister under Mubarak. By calling workers to vote on Mohamed Morsi, the Revolutionary Socialists allied themselves with the reactionary Muslim Brotherhood, this was criticized by those revolutionary socialists who rejected both Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafik!

Now Egypt is controlled by the military. Bit by bit, the army is rebuilding the previous dictatorship. General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi hopes to become the new Mubarak, by winning the next ( not free ) elections. It was El-Sisi who removed president Morsi from power on 3 July 2013. Many secularists and leftist supported him, inclusing the Revolutionary Socialists of the IST. Because the political left-wing of Egypt has now allied themselves with the military, the political opposition is led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Leftist forces have discredit themselves when they supported the military coup. The Revolutionary Socialists ( RS ) of the IST say they oppose both the military and the Islamic opposition, yet during the presidential elections they told workers to vote on Mohamed Morsi. Also because they joined the National Salvation Front ( NSF ), they give support to the military coup. It was the NSF who supported General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi against president Morsi!

As Egypt slides down into economic chaos and political dictatorship, radical Islamic forces carry out violence and terrorist attacks. Most of these attacks are not coming from the Muslim Brotherhood. The radical Islamic; Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya ( Islamic Group ) are causing more blood and death, then Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood. He is still held a prisoner by the Egyptian Armed Forces, as of February 2014. Young Aliaa Elmahdy fled Egypt in 2013 for fear of being jailed, after being kidnapped, receiving death threats and escaping a rape attempt. The removal of Mubarak did not led to woman liberation. Male chauvinism combined with religious backwardness, will keep Egypt dark for a long time. Still we revolutionary socialists tell Egyptian workers, that they can have no trust in the military government or the Islamic opposition led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Only a workers government on a socialist program can end the dictatorship. The Revolutionary Socialists of the IST and other leftist forces are not helping if they choose to join alliances that support the military government. A workers party is needed that stands for workers, woman, poor people and a democratic socialist federation of the middle east!

The new military government has no intention
of surrendering political power to the Egyptian people!

Socialism: Its Meaning and Promise

Many people believe that socialism means government or state ownership and control. Who can blame them when that is what the schools teach and what the media, politicians and others who oppose socialism say? Worse, some people and organizations that call themselves socialist say it too, but not the Socialist Labor Party.

The SLP says that socialism is something entirely different. After all, we have plenty of government or state ownership in America today, but who would argue that America is a socialist country because of it? 

This is a capitalist country, not a socialist one. Yet many cities own and run their own hospitals, libraries, transportation systems and utilities. The public schools, state college and university systems are government owned. The federal government owns and controls the FBI, the CIA, the army, the navy, the air force, the U.S. Marines and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Why, it even owns all the national forests and national parks. Yet, who would call these institutions examples of socialism? Who would say that today’s government is socialist because it owns all of these things? Not the Socialist Labor Party!

SOCIALISM

ITS MEANING AND PROMISE

A Socialist Labor Party Statement

Many people believe that socialism means government or state ownership and control. Who can blame them when that is what the schools teach and what the media, politicians and others who oppose socialism say? Worse, some people and organizations that call themselves socialist say it, too—but not the Socialist Labor Party.

The SLP says that socialism is something entirely different. After all, we have plenty of government or state ownership in America today, but who would argue that America is a socialist country because of it? 

This is a capitalist country, not a socialist one. Yet many cities own and run their own hospitals, libraries, transportation systems and utilities. The public schools, state college and university systems are government owned. The federal government owns and controls the FBI, the CIA, the army, the navy, the air force, the U.S. Marines and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Why, it even owns all the national forests and national parks. Yet, who would call these institutions examples of socialism? Who would say that today’s government is socialist because it owns all of these things? Not the SLP. 

What Socialism Is

If government or state ownership is not socialism, what is? 

Before answering that question there is something you should know about government. Not all government is state government. State government is government based on territory, such as cities, counties and nations. It is political government, and it is designed to rule over places and the people in them. 

Socialist government is not state government. It would not rule over people and places, but would empower the people to rule over things. Socialism means a government in which the people collectively own and democratically operate the industries and social services through an economic democracy. And when we say “collectively own,” we are not talking about homes, or cars, or other personal belongings. We are talking about the things needed to produce and distribute homes, cars and all the other things we need and want.

Under socialism the workers who operate the industries and services would collectively own and democratically manage them. In each factory and other workplace, the rank and file would elect their own immediate supervisors and management committees. They would also elect representatives to local and national assemblies of the industry or service in which they work, and to an all-industrial congress to coordinate production and distribution of all goods and services throughout the country. In short, socialism would replace the political government run by politicians with an industrial government run by workers and their elected representatives.

Instead of a senator from California or a representative from New York, there would be worker-delegates from the automotive industry, from the transportation systems, from the mines, from the clothing factories, from services such as restaurants, hospitals, schools and so on. These representatives would have the single task of deciding what should be produced and how best to produce it.

Today we have political democracy only. Workers do not have economic democracy. The owners of the factories have almost absolute power over their employees. They can fire whomever they please, whenever they please. They can close the plant down and move to another state or another country. They can even order their workers to manufacture something worthless or harmful. In short, they have all the power of dictators—economic dictators.

Socialism means economic democracy. Instead of voting once every two or four years for politicians, workers would be making decisions every day where they work and in the field in which they are most qualified. Here is where their vote counts because it vitally affects their own personal lives.

When we use the word “worker,” we mean everyone who sells his or her labor power, or ability to work, at so much per hour, or so much per week, to a capitalist employer. Coal miners are workers, but so are musicians, scientists, nurses, teachers, architects, inventors and mathematicians.

Benefits of Socialism

Under capitalism workers receive only a small fraction of the wealth that they alone produce, while the lion’s share goes to the capitalist owners and to the bankers, landlords, insurance companies, lawyers, politicians, and all the other parasites who live off the back of labor and perform no useful work. By ending this robbery of the working class, socialism will enable workers to enjoy the full fruit of their labor.

Socialism would also enable us to raise our living standards dramatically by ending the billions of dollars thrown away on arms production and “defense,” by ending the waste, duplication and inefficiency of capitalist industries, and by returning millions of soldiers and unemployed workers to useful occupations.

In socialist society there would be no wage system. Workers would receive the social value of their labor. And since the people would collectively own the industries, anyone would be free to select any occupation in which he or she has an interest and aptitude. No longer would workers live under the fear of being laid off, or be compelled to spend their lives at some job they hate or are unsuited for. Also, since the people would collectively own the colleges and universities, no longer would workers be denied education or training because they lack the money to buy it.

Production for Use, Not for Profit

Furthermore, under socialism we would produce for use and to satisfy the needs of all the people. Under capitalism the industries operate for one purpose—to earn a profit for their owners. Under this system, food is not grown primarily to be eaten. It is grown to be sold. Cars are not manufactured primarily to be driven. They are made to be sold. If there are enough buyers here and abroad, then the capitalists will have their factories turn out cars, appliances, pianos and everything else for which buyers can be found. But if people lack money, if the domestic and foreign markets cannot absorb them, then these factories shut down and the country stagnates, no matter how much people need these commodities.

At the present time, agricapitalists know that they can produce more than market conditions and price-protecting government restrictions, compensated for by cash subsidies, permit them to. Meanwhile, millions of Americans suffer from malnutrition and hunger, as recent surveys have shown, and most households count their nickels and dimes when they shop for food.

The periodic depressions and recessions of the past have occurred, we are told, because too much was produced—overproduction. Factories turned out so vast a quantity of goods that their owners shut them down and laid off the workers who produced this abundance.

Under socialism the factories and industries would be used to benefit all of us, not restricted to the creation of profits for the enrichment of a small group of capitalist owners. Under socialism our farmlands would yield an abundance without great toil; the factories, mines and mills would be the safest, the most modern, the most efficient possible and productive beyond our wildest dreams—and without laborious work. Our natural resources would be intelligently conserved. Our schools would have the finest facilities and they would be devoted to developing complete human beings, not wages slaves who are trained to hire themselves out for someone else’s profit. Our hospitals and social services would create and maintain the finest health and recreational facilities.

An End to Poverty

In all previous ages of human history, poverty for most of the people was inescapable. There was simply not enough to go around. But not so today. Industrial technology and scientific knowledge have so vastly increased our ability to produce what we need and want that there is no longer any excuse whatsoever for the poverty of a single member of society. Today we have the material possibility of abundance for everyone, and the promise of the leisure in which to enjoy it.

But under capitalism industrial technology is used to replace workers and increase profits. Instead of creating a society of abundance, capitalism uses machinery to create unemployment and poverty. Our inner cities have been converted largely into festering slums in which impoverished people, not understanding the cause of their miseries, are imprisoned and damned to a life of misery.

It is not technology that threatens us. By themselves, improved methods of production and distribution are not social evils. They could be a blessing, but under capitalism technology is used for antisocial purposes.

This follows from the fact that technology and industry are the exclusive property of a small minority of the American people—the capitalist class. Capitalism uses the industries for the private profit of their owners and not for the benefit of the vast majority of the American people—the workers who invented and built them.

Build a New Society

In socialist society, on the other hand, since we would collectively own the factories and means of production, we would have full and free access to the means of wealth production and distribution. Since we would receive the full social value of our labor there would be no unwanted surplus. We would collectively produce the things we want and need for full and happy lives. It would be to the benefit of all to find new inventions, new means of production, improved means of distribution. Society as a whole would have a vital interest in providing opportunity to each individual to find the work for which he or she is best suited and in which he or she will be happiest. There would be the fullest freedom and opportunity. 

And, we repeat, there would be a complete and full democracy. Democracy that will truly be based on the broadest lines. Democracy in which the final and only power will be the great mass of our people, the useful producers, which in socialist society would mean everybody. Society no longer would be split into two contending classes. Instead, we would all be useful producers, collectively owning the means of production and distribution, collectively concerned with producing the most with the least expenditure of human labor, and collectively jealous of the rights of the individual to a full, free and untrammeled life of happiness and accomplishment.

How can we get such a society? The answer is easy. It is within the power of the working class to establish such a society as soon as they recognize the need for it and organize to establish it. The program of the Socialist Labor Party of America points the way. By learning about that program you will learn how to effectively demand the end of capitalism and to organize with your fellow workers for the establishment of socialism!

Socialist Labor Party of America, P.O. Box 218, Mountain View, CA 94042-0218 • www.slp.org • socialists@slp.org

Note: The Socialist Labor Party of America was the oldest socialist party in the USA. Founded in 1876, it became a Marxist-De Leonist party under Daniel De Leon. But his party was never able to attract many workers. Outnumbered by both the Socialist Party of America and the Communist Party USA, the SLP remained small. It ceased its political activities in 2008 and stopped producing its newspaper in 2011. Today the Socialist Labor Party of America is no longer active, but its website can still be accessed!

The Socialist Labor Party of America, a Marxist-De Leonist party