The ''People's'' Republic of China is a state-capitalist dictatorship disguised as a socialist republic. Its police forces have a lot of spies working inside enterprises to identify potential strikers. These spies are also trying to undermine the strike at the sport shoes factories. Because China has no free trade unions, workers have nobody to turn to. The official trade unions are controlled by the state and independent trade unions are not allowed. Official trade union bureaucrats even work with the capitalists against the workers who strike!
The strike in Dongguan was spontaneous and not too well organized. Chinese Workers did it themselves and showed what potential they have. Unfortunate win out a revolutionary vanguard of workers, a strike can be destroyed by government and capitalist force. We saw this in Poland were right-wing forces took over the Solidarity Trade Union and turned it into a capitalist weapon. When stalinism collapsed, the leaders of Solidarity never gave power to the working class. Polish workers who started the Solidarity Trade Union in 1981 were mislead by people like Lech Wałęsa. The original workers movement against stalinism was hijacked by anticommunists to build a capitalist Poland. We see the results of capitalism in today's Republic of Poland!
Between 1990 and 2000 more then 33% of all Polish workers ended up in massive poverty. Today about 6,5% of the population lives in poverty, but this only counts those who are very poor. The average wage in Poland is still low, although right-wing forces promised wealth and prosperity under capitalism. Because Poland lacks a workers party, the conservatives are able to win most elections. Voter turnout during elections is very low. Only 48,92% choose to vote during the 2011 parliamentary elections. Poland lacks a socialist alternative to the forces of capitalism!
In China, workers have become a slave to capitalism since Deng Xiaoping took power. By 1997, many capitalist enterprises were build. Workers rights were often abused, many Chinese capitalists became millionaires because of very low wages. The Chinese ''Communist'' Party became a party for the new bourgeoisie. In 2013 the Congress of the party called for more de-regulations and privatizations, this says a party who claims to be Marxist-Leninist and Maoist. Revolutionary socialists see in the CCP a classic example of Stalinist degeneration!
Chinese workers do not trust the communist party or their capitalist bosses. They have learned that the party does not represent them. In 2010 this became clear when the All-China Federation of Trade Unions ( controlled by the state ) called on workers to end a strike. However angry workers destroyed copies of a letter send by the ACFTU, which demanded an end to the strike. Striking workers know that the ACFTU is not on their side. Indeed, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions stands with the government and the capitalists. Their goal is to keep the workers in line with the capitalist system of China, which the CCP uses to become rich. Workers have demanded free and independent trade unions, this puts fear into the hearts of the ruling party bureaucrats and their capitalist allies!
The Chinese single party dictatorship shows two faces. Many times the ''communist'' party leadership agrees that laws were broken by the bosses. Capitalist bosses who do not pay social insurance and pension contributions are called ''wrongdoers''. But local party officials side with the bosses many times during strikes. This is because these officials are bribed by the capitalists. In Dongguan, government bureaucrats are supportive of the company’s views. Also the police has not arrested the bosses of the shoe factory, although the company broke the law by not paying social insurance and pension contributions to its 50.000 workers!
Police forces were also used by Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings, to prevent workers from taking their strike to the streets. Police officers took control of the shoe factories and ordered all workers back to work. Anybody who dared to fight was arrested and jailed. “We have no choice but to go back to work. What can you do if a man with shield, baton and helmet is standing next to you?” a striker told China Labour Bulletin on 25 April 2014. Although the bosses broke the law and refuse to pay social insurance and pension contributions, the police stands with them. This shows the capitalistic nature of China and the criminal face of the Chinese ''Communist'' Party!
Chinese workers must understand that under this state-capitalist system there is no hope. Only a revolutionary workers party on a socialist program can destroy the Chinese ''Communist'' Party and all who support the rule of the bourgeoisie. The PRC is not a socialist republic and only anticommunist idiots with no brains keep calling China a socialist nation. Revolutionary socialists call for free trade unions and freedom of speech for all Chinese. We call for a second Tiananmen Square, one that puts fear into the hearts of the government and its international capitalist allies. Chinese workers have nothing to lose, they have everything to win!
Workers of China, Rise Up!
Revolutionary socialists in Hong-Kong support the strike
at the shoe factories of Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings!
