2 trillion dollars and 4.000 death soldiers later

More then 2 trillion dollars were spend on the Iraq War and more then 4.000 American soldiers have been killed. The Republic of Iraq is collapsing, the second largest city of the nation is captured by radical extremists of the ISIL ( Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ). On 4 June, Islamic forces attacked the city of Mosul. After six days of fighting with police and security forces, the extremists were able to capture the city. More then 500.000 Iraqis fled to the Kurdish Autonomous Region, the only part of Iraq that has been stable since the 2003 invasion. After spending 2 billion dollars and losing 4.000+ soldiers, the American project to bring democracy and stability to Iraq can be called: ONE BIG FAILURE!!

Only 139 American soldiers died during the invasion, but more then 4.000 would die between March 2003 and December 2011, in what became known as the Iraq War. American imperialists believed they could install a puppet government, that would mask itself as democratic. In reality the government of Iraq has been very unstable and even moderate Islamic. This is said in the almighty ''democratic'' constitution which proclaimed Iraq to a nation governed by the laws of Islam. Since 2006, the leader of the nation is Nouri al-Maliki. He is leader of the Islamic Dawa Party, Shia-Islamic and pro-capitalist!

Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq was a presidential republic. However the new state after 2003, became a parliamentary republic. Nouri al-Maliki was the first stable prime minister to take office. During the period between the collapse of Saddam's government and the birth of the new pro-USA puppet government, Iraq had more then 12 prime ministers. All were replaced sooner or later. When Al-Maliki became prime minister he made sure he would become the strong man of the government. But he failed in this, Al-Maliki was unable to stop the sectarian violence between Sunni-Muslims and Shia-Muslims. As a Shia-Muslim he stood in opposition to Saddam Hussein who was a Sunni-Muslim. He worked with the USA to overthrow the Iraqi Ba'ath regime in 2003!

The party of al-Maliki is Shia-Islamic and is supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is why Sunni-Islamic extremists like the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ( ISIL ), oppose the Al-Maliki government. They use sectarian methods to split the Islamic population of Iraq, between Sunni and Shia Muslims. Although the Republic of Iraq is not a pure Islamic state like Iran, they do get financial support from Tehran. The State of Law Coalition is the ruling coalition around Shia-Islamic parties, Al-Maliki's Islamic Dawa Party is the biggest party in the parliament!

Still Iraq is no democracy, the nation is called NOT FREE by Freedom House, an American group that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights. They say that Al-Maliki is ruling like a dictator and is using the state and the police forces against those who oppose him, mainly Sunni-Muslims. Now in June 2014, Sunni-Islamic extremists from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ( Syria ), have started their offensive in north Iraq. The ISIL group has been founded in 2006, by radical Sunni-Muslims who want to create a Islamic Caliphate in Iraq. At the height of the Iraq War, it claimed a significant presence in the Iraqi provinces of Al Anbar, Ninawa, Kirkuk, and most of Salah ad Din, and parts of Babil, Diyala, and Baghdad. It claimed Baqubah as its capital. In the ongoing Syrian Civil War, the group has a large presence in the Syrian regions of Ar-Raqqa, Idlib and Aleppo!

In Syria, the ISIL extremists are also in conflict with Sunni-Islamic forces. As sectarianism is not limited to Sunni and Shia Islam, the ISIL and other Syrian Islamic rebels have clashed over many issues. ISIL extremists are theocratic and want to build a Islamic Caliphate in both Syria and Iraq. The rise of the ISIL has strengthen the secular Syrian Ba'ath regime of dictator Bashar Al-Assad. With the Syrian Opposition now dominated by Islamic forces, he plays the role of the lesser evil. Syrians fear the cruelty and theocracy of the ISIL, this is why many have rejoined the Ba'ath camp. This also shows what happens if there is no mass organisation of the working class to lead a revolution. Many opponents of Bashar Al-Assad have joined the Islamic side, because they have weapons and money. This money is paid by Saudi-Arabia and other Arab monarchs. Sunni-Islamic forces are almost all on the payroll of the Saudi monarchy!

George W Bush believed in March 2003, that he could bring democracy to Iraq. The results of his invasion were catastrophic. Iraq is plagued with corruption, sectarian conflicts and capitalist exploitation. In all senses the Republic of Iraq is a failed state much like the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, another American created pseudo-democracy. Western people think they can export democracy, secularism and tolerance. But imperialist nations never want genuine democracy. The USA invaded Iraq because of oil and because Saddam Hussein had outlived his usefulness. Iraq was also needed as a buffer state between Iran and Israel, the biggest ally of American imperialism in the Middle East!

The city of Mosul was the battleground between Iraqi security forces and ISIL extremists. In June 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant started a major offensive in the northern provinces. Mosul was home to many officers and generals from Saddam Hussein's era and is also very close to the Kurdish Autonomous Region, called Iraqi Kurdistan. After the invasion by western forces, many sectarian conflicts started in Mosul. By 2009 more then 2.500 Kurdish Iraqis were murdered. More then 40 families were displaced in those six years after the American take over!

On 4 June 2014, ISIL extremists captured the city. Iraqi police and security forces fled, leaving behind many materials such as money, weapons and ammunitions. The city looks like Saigon in April 1975, when North Vietnamese forces took over. Now Mosul is under control of the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Already 500.000 Iraqis have left the city and fled to the Kurdish Autonomous Region. Still 1.300.000 people have remained in Mosul and are now facing the brutality of the ISIL extremists. We revolutionary socialists have no illusions, we know the Sunni-Islamic extremists will enforce a strict theocratic regime. Woman will be second class citizens and under full male chauvinist control. There will be no freedom of speech and no freedom of religion. Shia-Muslims will be hunted and murdered as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ( Syria ) is Sunni-Islamic and deeply sectarian!

American forces left Iraq in December 2011 under Barack Obama, after losing 4.000+ soldiers. Iraq lost 18.000 army, police and security officers between 2003 and 2011. Civilian loss is at 110.000 Iraqi's, who died in the conflicts. Now the government has lost the city of Mosul to ISIL extremists. Thanks to American stupidity, Operation Iraqi Freedom resulted in IRAQI NO FREEDOM. The Republic of Iraq is no democracy and not a free nation. Only one winner came out of the war. American capitalists are finally able to get to Iraqi oil. Saddam Hussein prevented this, but since 2003 the oil fields are under control of western oil companies: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Revolutionary socialists call for the creation of a massive workers party, that rejects sectarianism, Islamic dogmatism and capitalism. The Islamic Dawa Party and their Shia-Islamic allies do not care about workers, poor people and the youth. They serve American and Iraqi capitalism. Workers must remove them from power by a socialist revolution. They have nothing to lose, they have a world to win!

The results of George W Bush's ( and Obama's ), Iraq War 2003-2011

Brazilian politics, corrupt and capitalist

Brazil is a very unequal nation, with 10% owning more then 42,7% of the nation's income, while the poorest 34% receive less than 1.2%. This is the results of capitalism which is supported by most political parties. Even the Communist Party of Brazil accepts capitalism, because they joined up with the PT coalition around Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Before Lula took office in 2004, more then 18,57% of all Brazilians lived in massive poverty. Thanks to the social democratic programs of the government, this number was reduced to 13%.  Still massive poverty is a huge issue and the government led by the Workers Party has not been able to end it. We revolutionary socialists say this is because Lula and his successor Dilma Vana Rousseff, have not led a movement to genuine democratic socialism. Worse, president Rousseff has an ambiguous position on issues that involve privatizations. She is favorable to big business and has good working relations with the 1% of Brazil . Additionally she favored the privatization of airports in order to prepare Brazil's infra-structure for the 2014 FIFA World Cup!

Political parties in Brazil look very much like the Portuguese political parties. In Portugal you have the Socialist Party ( PS ) and the Social-Democratic Party ( PSD ), now you would think that the PS and the PSD are leftist, but this is not the case. The Social-Democratic Party in Portugal is in fact a liberal conservative party and the PS is a pro-capitalist social democratic one. Politics in Brazil mirror this in a way. Brazil has the Workers Party ( PT ) and the Brazilian Social Democratic Party ( PSDB ), yet both parties are not genuine leftists. The PT was founded as the party of the working class in 1980, but moved to the right-wing after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva became president!

In his younger years Lula was a trade union activist and a fighter for workers. But after he became president the PT and Lula betrayed the workers as he never destroyed capitalism. Still Lula was a very popular president, despite the fact that he never introduced socialism. Like Hugo Chavez, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was a classic social democrat, who started massive social programs to help the poor. This made him very popular and gave him the support to win the 2006 elections. The Brazilian Social Democratic Party is a capitalist party. President Cardoso ( 1995-2003 ) was a PSDB politician and privatized many large public companies, such as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) and the national telecommunication system!

Because Lula and Rousseff betrayed their socialist ideology, many workers feel betrayed. The Workers Party also made sure that their own politicians would be expelled if they reject the capitalist road of the Lula. This is how Heloísa Helena, Luciana Genro, Babá and João Fontes were expelled after they voted against the pension reform proposed by Lula. These expelled politicians created the Socialism and Freedom Party ( PSOL). Although this party is more socialist then the PT, revolutionary socialists fear that its current leadership is deeply reformist. A fragile majority of the PSOL leadership approved a policy of reaching out to parties involved in the coalition of the govermment like the Workers Party and the Communist Party of Brazil. By working with some of these parties. the PSOL is working with the same groups who run the coalition government around president Dilma Vana Rousseff!

There is a battle inside the PSOL between a right-wing group ( reformists ) who wants to work with the parties supporting Dilma Vana Rousseff and the left-wing, ( made up of revolutionary socialists ) who reject working with the parties that support the capitalist government. A broad alliance of sections of PSOL which are against this policy of alliances with pro-capitalist parties could be victorious in the coming party congress. Revolutionary socialists of Liberty, Socialism, Revolution  ( LSR ) struggle inside the PSOL against the reformist right-wing, their goal is to create a mass workers party that wins the support of workers and poor people, much like the PT used to be before its betrayal!

Now the FIFA World Cup is held in Brazil. On 15 May 2014, many Brazilians took to the street. They demonstrated against the money spend on the FIFA World Cup. While many workers struggle, the previous government of Lula already spend 3 billion euro ( 4 billion dollars ) on building new FIFA football stadiums. While 13% of all people live in massive poverty, Lula choose to spend money on the capitalist project called FIFA. This organisation leads the world football competition. Its leader is Joseph Blatter, a Swiss guy who has been called corrupt. Still because of his high position and his friends ( big capitalists ) Blatter has always been able to save himself from harm. Still the FIFA is a pure capitalistic group who works very close with big money!

This is why so many workers and poor are angry. They see how the government chooses to spend money on this FIFA show, but not on those who need help. Now at the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a majority of Brazilians saying the FIFA event will bring more harm than good to them. Revolutionary socialists agree, the FIFA organisation is corrupt and pure-capitalistic. In the end, footbal is not about a fair game, it is all about money and nationalist bullshit. Some poor Brazilians hope their own team loses the first match. So much anger has been created because of the deep inequality and the betrayal of Lula and his successor; Rousseff!

In her youth, Dilma Vana Rousseff was a Marxist revolutionary. She was born in a upper middle class home in 1947. Rousseff joined the leftist guerrilla's after Brazil became a pro-USA military dictatorship in 1964. The young Dilma was captured by the Brazilian military and tortured in jail. After the collapse of the military government, she helped founding the Democratic Labour Party in Rio Grande do Sul and remained a member for 21 years, until she joined Lula's PT in 2000. She abandoned Marxism for ''pragmatic'' capitalism, but remains proud of her past as revolutionary. How ironic that a class traitor like Dilma Vana Rousseff can still be proud of herself fighting first for Marxist socialism and then abandoning it!

The struggle against capitalism and the traitorous government of Dilma Rousseff, is what all genuine socialists must support. Reformists have tried to downplay the betrayal by saying that massive poverty was reduced under Lula and that the people love the PT. This is true, but only because many are still believing in a illusion, the illusion that the Workers Party is their party. We also see this in Europe, were many workers still vote on right-wing social democrats, only because they used to be leftist in the past. Revolutionary socialists call for a mass workers party to replaced the PT and all pseudo-leftist parties who support the government. Many political parties in Brazil try to portray themselves are leftist. They use the words; ''socialist'' and ''social'' in many party names. In reality most are pro-capitalist, supporting the markets over the people!

Revolutionary socialists of Liberty, Socialism, Revolution work inside the PSOL as a revolutionary faction, fighting for a mass workers party on a socialist program. If the PSOL can become a workers party, it will be able to win over the minds of millions, as the PT did 20 years ago. Brazilians need socialism, because millions live in poverty while the bourgeoisie enjoys the wealth and luxury. With the support of Dilma Vana Rousseff, they get richer and richer. Capitalism is undemocratic and unfair, it must be replaced by socialism. But this can only happen if the working class of Brazil understand that the PT is no longer their party!

Class traitor Dilma Vana Rousseff with the corrupt FIFA boss Joseph Blatter

Representatives of Dutch capitalism furious

Bernhard Wientjes is the leader of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCV. He is the face of Dutch capitalism, as he is the representative the Dutch employers who own the businesses in the Netherlands. Wientjes is a right-wing guy, like all pro-capitalists he opposes social spending and wants the Netherlands to embrace the dictatorship of greed and the exploration of the weak. For him the market is God, competition is King. Together with Michaël van Straalen, he opposes a report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy, about income inequality in the Netherlands. Both leaders of the VNO-NCW say the report is wrong about everything, because it blames the employers and their capitalist greed for the rise in income inequality!

The report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy says that since 1990, there is a huge difference between the top 1% and the 99%. The top 1% are made up of 1300 super rich Dutch, who own more 111 billion euro's ( 151 billion dollars ). The Netherlands is forced to cut spending by the European bureaucracy in Brussels, while these rich 1300 Dutch own more money then is needed to balance the budget. Wientjes and Van Straalen attack the report on this fact. They say that the top 10% of the highest earners only own 30% of all money. This is true, but it hides the fact the you do not need a high income to own lot of money. The top 1300 rich Dutch do not need an income, because they already own 111 billion euro's!

Bernhard Wientjes and Michaël van Straalen do not want a discussion about income inequality and the fact that big business owners have seen their incomes rise by 400% since 1990. The 1% of our world economy have enriched themselves, while workers wages have stagnated or have fallen. Just look at Greece and Spain. Most wages in Greece have fallen as the right-wing government started with austerity plans to cut social spending and freeze pensions. In the Netherlands, VNO-NCW tries to downplay the increase in income inequality!

What is interesting is the fact that Michaël van Straalen supports Bernhard Wientjes criticism. Van Straalen is the representative of small business owners, people who would benefit from the report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy. That Van Straalen refuses to see this, shows how many entrepreneurs are brainwashed by the propaganda of the big capitalists. How Bernhard Wientjes is the big boss of all capitalist bosses both big and small!

The representatives of capitalism do not like reports that tell the true. They want people to remain supportive of the capitalist system and the private ownership of the means of production. Again, the top 1% in the Netherlands have seen a increase in both salary and wealth. Their pay-check rose with 400% since 1990 and together 1300 Dutch own 111 billion euro's in wealth. Revolutionary socialists call for the expropriation of these rich individuals. First we must return to the pre-1990 tax rates. Nobody ever complained that the super rich who own more then 30 million euro's, should pay a higher tax rate. But conservatives, liberals and social democrats reduced taxes for the rich in the 1990's. This gave these 1300 Dutch more money and more wealth, as their income tax was also reduced from 71% to 61% in 1990 and finally to 51% in 2001!

To combat poverty and income inequality, the report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy says that raising the minimum wage and putting limits on high salaries, would be a good start. This is why Bernhard Wientjes is furious, raising the minimum wage would mean that his big capitalists would have to pay more money. At this moment the minimum wage before taxes in the Netherlands is 1.400 euros a month, for a 40 hour work-week. After income taxes workers keep 1.100 euros ( 1.500 dollars ) to pay for rising food prices, higher rents and other basic needs. It comes to no surprise that most poor Dutch earn minimum-wage or less. The average wage in the Netherlands is 2.100 euros a month for a good skilled worker. But at least 1,3 million Dutch are forced to live on the minimum wage. In this group we find; elderly with a low pension, disabled people, students and unskilled workers!

VNO-NCW represents both the big business owners as well as small business owners. Wientjes is the face of the big bosses, while Michaël van Straalen represents the small and medium businesses, who provide the most jobs in the Netherlands. Yet Van Straalen seems to support the big bosses fully, although many small business owners also face hard times. Revolutionary socialists call upon workers to reject the lies of VNO-NCW. Dutch workers lack a party for themselves and have no class conciousness. This is also the result of the Dutch Federation of Trade Unions ( FNV ) who would rather make ( bad ) deals with the VNO-NCW, then fighting for workers rights and genuine socialism!

Bernhard Wientjes, leader of the 

Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers 

or VNO-NCV!

Tiananmen Square, 25 years later

On 04-06-1989, the workers and students demonstration on Tiananmen Square in the ''People's'' Republic of China, was brutally crushed by soldiers and tanks of the ''People's Liberation'' Army. Workers and students united to oppose the capitalistic reforms, which started after Deng got political power in 1978. He started with the Free Economic Zones in which foreign capitalists were allowed to use Chinese workers at very low wages. These zones were very successfully and China started to grow. But workers were not happy with the turn to the right-wing by the Chinese ''Communist'' Party. Students were inspired by the social movements in Eastern Europe, who started to rebel against the Stalinist governments. The goals of the Tiananmen Square demonstrations were: Social equality, a communist party without corruption, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, genuine socialism and democracy. Never did the workers and students demanded a capitalist society!!

The current government of the ''People's'' Republic of China, tries to silence all people who dare to remember the bloody crack down. The official number of deaths is between 200 and 300. But the actual death number is far higher. We revolutionary socialists think that over 1.000 people were murdered by soldiers and tanks of the ''People's Liberation'' Army. The Tiananmen Square demonstrations ended in blood and death. The ruling caste of the Chinese ''Communist'' Party decided to halt some market reforms, but rolled back the political reforms. The party tightened their control over the Chinese media, forbidding them to speak about the 1989 demonstrations on Tiananmen Square. Even today the media in the PRC does not speak about the 25 year anniversary of this brave moment in Chinese history!

Deng Xiaoping is the traitor who caused the bloody crackdown. He was a reformist Maoist, a supporter of a ''socialist market economy'', a economy based on the dominance of the state-owned sector and an open-market economy. Deng worked close with Hu Yaobang who was General Secretary of the party between 1982 and 1989. While Deng never held office as the head of state, head of government or General Secretary of the CCP, he nonetheless was the "paramount leader" of the nation from 1978 to 1992. As the core of the second generation leaders, Deng Xiaoping shared his power with several powerful leaders like Hu Yaobang!

As world stalinism started to collapse, Hu Yaobang wanted to enforce political reforms. Reforms that threaten the ruling caste of the party. Like most communist parties, all power was centralized in a tiny group known as the Politburo. Many members of this ruling body were old men by 1989. The workers and students wanted these old men gone, as their nepotism and corruption was destroying China. Hu Yaobang was removed as General Secretary of the CCP by the conservative party leaders, who opposed Hu's ideals of free speech and political freedom. He died on 11 April 1989, after a hearth attack!

Many workers and students blamed Deng Xiaoping for removing Hu from the position of General Secretary. On 22 April, more then 50.000 Chinese marched to Tiananmen Square to participate in Hu's memorial service and to protest against the conservatives who removed Hu from his position. Soon the protesters grew each day. What started as a demonstration of 50.000, turned into massive protests in over 400 Chinese cities. When Soviet leader Gorbachev visited China on 16 May, the workers and students remained in Tiananmen Square. The government of the PRC told Gorbachev that the Chinese ''Communist'' Party was still in control of the nation!

More Chinese started to join the protests against the communist party. Workers sang; The Internationale and demanded genuine socialism. Students build a statue of the Greek Goddess of Democracy, which became a symbol of the 1989; Tiananmen Square demonstration. On 20 May, the government declared martial law and ordered 250.000 troops from the ''People's Liberation'' Army into the capital. Like most Stalinist governments who are faced with a popular uprising, the ruling bureaucrats called the protesters ''counter-revolutionary''. This is a tactic used by many stalinists, who think they are the only genuine revolutionary vanguard of workers. In China however the working class turned against the ''vanguard'' party and demanded political freedom and democratic socialism. Deng Xiaoping could not tolerant this, because that would mean abandoning his hold on absolute power, which he and his party bureaucrats enjoyed for 40 years!

On the night between 3 and 4 June 1989, Deng Xiaoping and three members of the party politburo prepared to clear the square. PLA units advanced on Beijing from every cardinal direction. The 38th, 63rd and 28th Armies from the west, 15th Airborne Corps, 20th, 26th and 54th Armies from the south, the 39th Army and the 1st Armoured Division from the east and the 40th and 64th Armies from the north. The plan of Xiaoping was clear, removing the workers and students from the square with brutal force!

At 10.00 am, the PLA attacked the protesters, who became very angry and started to fight back. The government claimed the soldiers acted in self-defence when they opened fire. In reality the people only became mad when the soldiers attacked them. Around 12.00 am, armoured vehicles entered Tiananmen Square, were still 60.000 demonstrators remained. The workers and students threw chunks of cement at the vehicles. One vehicle stalled, perhaps by metal poles jammed into its wheels and the demonstrators covered it with gasoline which were set on fire. The intense heat forced out the three occupants, who were swarmed by demonstrators. Armoured vehicles had reportedly run over tents and many in the crowd wanted to beat the soldiers for this!

The people fought back, but were facing a massive army who used lethal force to clear the square. At the Monument for People's Hero's, the last thousand demonstrators were circled in. Soldiers opened fire with their Type-56 machine guns and fired over their heads. Students used megaphones and told the soldiers: "We entreat you in peace, for democracy and freedom of the motherland, for strength and prosperity of the Chinese nation, please comply with the will of the people and refrain from using force against peaceful student demonstrators''. But the soldiers did not stopped and many innocent students were killed. Soon the statue of the Goddess of Democracy was destroyed by the tanks of the People's ''Liquidation'' Army!

On 5 June, the demonstration was immortalized when a western journalist made a picture of a column of Type 59 battle tanks, moving into the square. They were rolling towards the city centre, when suddenly a man stood in front of them. The tanks tried to turn, but every time the man moved in their path. For a few moments, this unknown Chinese stood in front of four Type 59 battle tanks, hindering them from entering Tiananmen Square. Until this day we don't know who this ''Tank Man'' was. Some say he was captured by the secret police, others think he was killed during the assault on the square. Still the picture of ''Tank Man'' became the symbol of a Chinese hero who stood against the might of the PLA and was able to stop the tanks for a few moments!

The western world reacted with a arms embargo against China. But would not stop their capitalists from exploiting Chinese workers. Because in the 1990's, China would open up more to foreign business, creating huge profits for these enterprises. By 2014, most plastic products are Made in China. After the bloody crackdown, the government of India told its media to keep their criticism to a minimum. As they preferred not to anger the Chinese government. Again human rights came second to trading rights. India was also on the road toward laissez-faire capitalism by 1989, much like China!

Stalinist nations like Cuba, Czechoslovakia and East Germany supported the crushing of the demonstrators. East German leader; Erich Honecker called them a ''counter-revolutionary'' force. Fidel Castro also supported the killing of workers and students, who demanded; social equality, a communist party without corruption, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, genuine socialism and a democracy!

After the Tiananmen Square demonstrations, the Chinese government retook control over the media and limited more freedoms. The demonstrations also proofed that the government lacked anti-riot police forces, as the People's ''Liquidation'' Army was the only force capable of braking the lines. The People's Armed Police was strengthen to crush urban workers, we saw this during the latests strikes. Police officers work with the local bosses of capitalist enterprises and use brutal force in braking strikes. They invade striking businesses and use intimidation and violence against those who strike for better wages and fair treatment!

There are many books and movies censored in China which are about the 1989 demonstrators. Among the works banned are:

• Political Struggles in China's Reform Era by Yang Jisheng, for featuring secret interviews with Zhao Ziyang and rejecting the Chinese government's position on the protests.
• Summer Palace was banned in 2006, ostensibly because it was screened without permission, but likely also because of its mention of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
• Forbidden City was banned in 2006.
• Collection of June Fourth Poems, a collection of poems about the protests.
• Writings or interviews with Zhao Ziyang or Bao Tong are banned. As such, Conversations with Zhao Ziyang in House Arrest by Zong Fengmin was not published due to government pressure. However, Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang was published outside of China in May 2009 after audio tapes were smuggled out of China.

Revolutionary socialists have never supported the deformed workers state that was China before Deng Xiaoping. Sure we supported the concept of a planned economy, but we rejected the single party state and Chinese ''Communist'' Party, who still rules China. The reason Deng choose for capitalism is because he was never a genuine communist. He wanted China to become rich and wealthy, so he sold his people to foreign capitalists. There is no greater betrayal then selling your own workers to capitalists. Western imperialists praise Deng for ending poverty for millions. Yet many Chinese still believe that under Mao Zedong the life was better. Sure the reject the revolutionary dogma's of the Cultural Revoltuion, but they want their social security back. The free healthcare and free education, all abolished under Deng Xiaoping!

Little Deng died in 1997, age 92. Officially, Deng was eulogized as a "great Marxist, great Proletarian Revolutionary, statesman, military strategist, and diplomat; one of the main leaders of the Communist Party of China, the People's Liberation Army of China, and the People's Republic of China; The great architect of China's socialist opening-up and modernized construction; the founder of Deng Xiaoping Theory'' 

Pure bullshit. Deng Xiaoping was a reformist Maoist until 1978 and then a supporter of state-capitalism until his death in 1997. He transformed China from a backward deformed workers state, into a nationalist state-capitalist republic. Under Deng Xiaoping, money became the new god and many young Chinese embraced the cult of greed and the exploitation of the weak. This is the true legacy of Deng and this is why we revolutionary socialists call for a second Tiananmen Square. To end the single party state and the dictatorship of capitalism. Workers of China have shown that they can unite, they only need a party that stands for their interests!

Red banners at Tiananmen Square, June 1989. Workers and 
students wanted genuine socialism!

THANK YOU BRID SMITH

Because the Irish; People Before Profit Alliance choose to stand against Paul Murphy of the Socialist Party, we have LOST our socialist seat in the European Parliament. Brid Smith of the PBPA has split the anti-austerity Irish vote and has caused Paul Murphy to lose his seat. We feared this would happened and it did happen. Paul won 8,50% of the vote in Dublin and Brid Smith got 6,77%. If Paul Murphy would have stood alone as a principled anti-austerity socialist fighter, then he would have been elected with 15,27% of the Dublin vote. But the sectarian Socialist Workers Party who created the PBPA, has chosen to put Brid Smith in the fight. Thanks to them, Paul Murphy cannot use the European Parliament to fight against austerity and European imperialism!

Revolutionary socialists must condemn the Irish; SWP for its sectarian tactics. Now the European Left is without a revolutionary socialist fighter. Yes, there are other leftist fighters, from moderate socialist and communist parties. But many parties inside the European Unitarian Left/Nordic Green Left are not genuine socialist. Just look at the Scandinavian socialist parties who are deeply reformist, or the Dutch; Socialist Party more social democratic then socialist. Paul Murphy was a principal socialist MEP, who stood against the EU on a socialist platform. Brid Smith would not have stood as a revolutionary socialist, as the Irish; Socialist Workers Party rejects using the term ''socialist'' in their propaganda!

Still Irish workers are not without hope. Ruth Coppinger of the Socialist Party has been elected as Teachta Dála ( member of the Irish Parliament ). She will work with Joe Higgins against the conservatives and social democrats who rule the Republic of Ireland. The defeat of Paul Murphy in the European Parliament is a lose for workers of all European nations. Murphy did not stood as a Irish socialist, but as a international socialist for all workers. Because of Brid Smith and the People Before Profit Alliance, the anti-austerity vote was split! 

European Election results for Dublin!

Paul Murphy got 8,50% and Brid Smith 6,77%

If Paul would have stood as the only anti-austerity candidate he would

have been re-elected!

Wojciech Jaruzelski is death

Few young people in today's Poland will remember the name Wojciech Jaruzelski. But most workers who stood up to the Stalinist Polish regime in 1981, will never forget his name. Wojciech Jaruzelski was the Polish general who took power and established a military dictatorship which lasted until 1989. Jaruzelski was a typical Stalinist militarist, he became minister of defence the People's Republic of Poland in 1968. His life story was not that of a typical Stalinist. Jaruzelski never joined the pre-war Communist Party of Poland, he was captured by the Soviets in Lithuania and deported to Kazakhstan. He wanted to join the nationalist; Polish Home Army to fight the Germans, but ended up joining the Polish First Army created by the Soviet-Union. After the war he fought the Polish anticommunist nationalists, this gave him credit with the Stalinist bureaucracy of the ruling Polish United ''Workers'' Party. By 1968, Jaruzelski was made minister and general. He ordered 27.000 Polish soldiers to crush the workers rebellion in 1981. After taking power, he be became the Vidkun Quisling of Poland!

On 25 May 2014, Wojciech Jaruzelski age 90 died. Most Polish workers hate him and the ruling bourgeoisie will use his death to spread more anticommunism. Jaruzelski was the face of the brutal militarist regime, that ruled the People's Republic of Poland from 1981 until 1989. By 1981 most workers in Poland realized that the Polish United ''Workers'' Party was not their party. Workers from the shipyard; ''Vladimir Lenin'' started a strike after Jan Rulewski, Mariusz Łabentowicz and Roman Bartoszcze ( members of the growing Solidarity Trade Union ) were beaten by members of the Polish secret police!

The workers at the Lenin shipyard elected Lech Wałęsa, Andrzej Gwiazda, Zbigniew Bujak, Andrzej Cierniewski, Lech Dymarski, Krzysztof Gotowski, Marian Jurczyk, Ryszard Kalinowski, Antoni Kopczewski, Bogdan Lis and Andrzej Słowik to lead them in a massive strike against the government. Most of these trade unionist leaders would later turn against the workers, betraying them to capitalism after 1989. But in 1981, Lech Wałęsa was a strike leader and supported by most workers. On 30 March, the government and the strike leaders made a deal. At the same time general Wojciech Jaruzelski, made plans to remove the civilian Stalinist leaders from power!

General Jaruzelski was ''elected'' ( made ) leader of the Polish United ''Workers'' Party after his predecessor was caught criticizing the economic model of the USSR. By 1981, the economy of Poland was stagnating. Because of bureaucratic mismanagement, the planned economy could not meet the demands of the people. Workers had to wait in long line for basic needs, because there was shortage. Hungarian economist; János Kornai called this the shortage economy, a result of dictatorial top-down management by the political leaders of the ruling communist parties. But like most Stalinist leaders Jaruzelski only cared about his own position. On 13 December 1981, he claimed that the Solidarity Trade Union wanted to stage a coup to ''destroy socialism'', Jaruzelski declared martial law and created a military junta! 

The new military government soon started to arrest the leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union movement. Lech Wałęsa was arrested for 11 months and Solidarity was banned on 8 October 1982. Although the militarist government was able to crush the workers and their trade union, they were not able to keep the People's Republic of Poland from collapsing. As the ruling military tried to control the nation, the economy started to collapse. 700.000 workers left Poland between 1982 and 1989! 

Wojciech Jaruzelski, the man who led Poland for 8 years was not born as a typical Stalinist. He and his family lived near Białystok, were the young Wojciech joined a Catholic school. In September 1939, the family Jaruzelski fled Poland after the German-Soviet invasion. They stayed with friends in Lithuania, but were captured by the Red Army after Lithuania was annexed by Joseph Stalin. Wojciech Jaruzelski was only 16 years old when he was separated from his family and forced to travel to Kazakhstan to do slave labour. During his labour work he suffered permanent damage to his eyes and back. The damage to his eyes forced him to wear dark sunglasses most of the time, which became his trademark!

It is therefore strange that a man like Wojciech was able to become a Stalinist, after he experienced the evil that was classic stalinism. It is likely he never truly believed in the Marxist ideology and he only joined the Soviets to return to Poland. In 1943, Wojciech wanted to join the Polish Home Army, this underground movement was founded to fight the Germans. Unfortunate for him, the leaders of the Polish Home Army were anticommunist and rejected the Soviet controlled: Polish First Army. After the end of the war, Wojciech Jaruzelski graduated from the Polish Higher Infantry School, an event which was followed by a graduation from the General Staff Academy. At the age of 25, he joined the Polish United ''Workers'' Party not because he was a true Marxist, but because all officers of the new Polish People's Army had to be party members!

Under the name ''Wolski'', he started to denounce people as ''class traitors'' which gave him credit with the Soviets. As a member of the military he participated in the hunt for anticommunist rebels, who still fought the Stalinist government. Ironically he fought the same army he wanted to join in 1943. At the age of only 37, Wojciech Jaruzelski became the chief political officer for the whole army. Four years later he was made chief of staff, all made possible because of his loyalty towards the party and the USSR. After serving four years as chief of staff, Wojciech was made minister of defence. He now controlled the army, navy, air force and police of the People's Republic of Republic at age 45! 

Jaruzelski was not only a Stalinist militarist, but also anti-Semitic. He demoted and expelled more then 1000 Polish officers on the grounds that they were Jewish. This anti-Semitism is not uncommon for stalinists. Joseph Stalin himself wanted to murder all Jewish doctors just before he died in 1953, his death prevented his. Vladimir Lenin hated anti-Semitism and rejected the hatred many Russians had for Jews in 1917. He was among the first world leaders who took a stand against anti-Semitism, but after Stalin took power the old hated of Jews returned to Russia, which we still see today!

During the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces, Wojciech Jaruzelski ordered the occupation of the northern provinces, until Soviet forces replaced the Polish troops in November 1968. Two years later he was part of the plot to remove Władysław Gomułka, who was first secretary of the Polish United ''Workers'' Party and a deep nationalist. Jaruzelski used the 1970 protests to remove Gomułka from power. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase of prices of food and other everyday items. As a result of the riots, brutally put down by the Polish People's Army and the Citizen's Militia, at least 42 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded. Władysław Gomułka was forced to step down as party leader!

As the Polish workers united to create Solidarity, Wojciech Jaruzelski enjoyed the good life. As minister of defence he was part of the party elite. He could shop at special stores which had western goods. Wojciech never had to wait in lines for food and other basic needs and like most Stalinist leaders he lived in a comfortable home. Yet the working class started to organize themselves against the government. When Solidarity was created, Wojciech Jaruzelski saw the danger of this trade union. Its leaders demanded socialism and democracy, the ruling caste could not allow this. So the defence minister took power and established the military junta!

Although the militarists still sang socialist anthems and used Lenin's face, the working class was not fooled. They still fought against the military and the remnants of the Polish United ''Workers'' Party which was now a empty shell. After more then eight years, general Wojciech Jaruzelski realized that he could no longer keep the nation under his belt. The Soviet-Union was collapsing and to save his own neck, Jaruzelski started the Polish Round Table Talks with Solidarity. By now the leaders of the trade union had abandoned their socialist ideals. Leaders like Lech Wałęsa were now deeply catholic conservative and supporters of capitalism. However the workers did not realize how far their leaders had degenerated since 1981!

The Polish Round Table Talks led to the legalisation of Solidarity, who soon created a political organisation called; Solidarity Citizens' Committee. The first partly free elections in Poland were held in June 1989, the Polish United ''Workers'' Party was led by Wojciech Jaruzelski and the Solidarity Citizens' Committee was led by Lech Wałęsa. The stalinists still controlled the media and all printing means. So the Solidarity Citizens' Committee had little means to spread their message. In the end, the results were a big surprise for Solidarity. They won 35% of the votes, while Jaruzelski won 37%!

On 30 January 1990, the Polish United ''Workers'' Party dissolved itself. Out of her remnants ''Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland'' and the ''Social Democratic Union'' were founded. The old Stalinist party had tried to rebuild itself, but they soon realized that they had no support among workers. After oppressing, lying and killing the Polish proletariat for over 40 years, the party of Wojciech Jaruzelski decided to end its existence. The new social democratic parties that were created, would never struggle for Marxist socialism!

Jaruzelski became the first president of the Republic of Poland. He only served one year and did not participate in the first free presidential elections in November 1990. Solidarity Trade Union leader Lech Wałęsa was elected with 74% of the vote. Wałęsa turned out to be a class traitor, who sold Poland to capitalism. The now capitalist media of the Republic of Poland claims today that Lech Wałęsa is a hero, for fighting ''communism'' and creating a ''free'' Poland!

Anticommunism grew very fast after 1990 as Marxism was blamed for the nation's bad economy. The media of Poland portrays the 1945-1989 period as ''communist'' and anybody who tries to fight for genuine socialism is called a ''supporter of totalitarianism''. It is no surprise that in such hostile anticommunist climate, the Polish social democrats never tried to be socialist!

Wojciech Jaruzelski retired from the Polish Army in 1991. He took personal responsibility for the crimes of his government against the working class. Jaruzelski said he was deeply sorry for all the evil his Stalinist party caused. Although the anticommunists wanted him trialled, he was never jailed for his actions. In 2008, the conservative government of Lech Kaczyński started a witch hunt against all people who used to work for the Stalinist government. Even former state bureaucrats were called ''communist traitors''. Kaczyński and his anticommunists used the Stalinist period, to start a massive hunt against leftists and progressives. The conservatives also tried to ban the hammer and sickle as ''symbols of totalitarianism'', but they failed in this anti-democratic attempt. Jaruzelski also became a topic again, but he was never jailed!

In private, the old general said that communism has failed. This proofs that Jaruzelski like so many Stalinist leaders never understood what Marx and Lenin wanted. They were guided by the totalitarian believe that only one party had the right to rule. That the economy had to govern by this one party, without workers self management and participation. With their ideals destroyed by capitalism, most stalinists became deeply disillusioned and abandoned politics. Consider that Wojciech Jaruzelski was forced to do slave labour as a 16 year old boy, you should think he knew the true face of stalinism. But in the end, he was corrupted by power and greed. This corruption is common to stalinism. It is therefore that we revolutionary socialists fight against people like Wojciech Jaruzelski, who still rule Cuba, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam and China! 

Poland is a capitalist hell on earth. The nation is ruled by corrupt conservatives, who serve the new ruling class. The average wage is 600 euro's ( 818 dollars ) and minimum wage is 405 euro's a month ( before income taxes ). European capitalists love to exploit Polish workers as they are known to be hard working people. Democracy has come, but this is only half the way. When the workers rose up in 1981, they wanted democratic socialism. Their dreams of a free socialist Poland were betrayed by the Solidarity Trade Union leadership, who sold them to capitalism. It comes to no surprise that Lech Wałęsa lost the 1995 presidential elections to a former Stalinist! 

Wojciech Jaruzelski and Lech Wałęsa in 2011

Two class-traitors and enemies of the Polish proletariat!!

Leftist talk, rightist rule

Social democrats, former moderate socialists and now folly supportive of capitalism and western imperialism. Still the former workers parties who base themselves around social democracy, are still able to attract many leftist voters. This is because many workers have still not broken with the social democratic parties. In the absence of a genuine socialist alternative, many workers see the social democrats as the ''lesser evil''. Our world lacks workers parties on a socialist program that reject the dictatorship of the markets and the austerity politics of capitalist governments. Social democrats play on their previous record as creators of a ''fair and social'' society. It is true that many European nations became more democratic and social, because of social democratic parties. But these parties have betrayed their progressive ideology and are now working with their former political enemies, to destroy the welfare state they once created. In their propaganda, social democrats remain leftist and progressive. But after elections they show their true face and join up with liberals and conservatives to carry out the demands of the markets and the capitalists! 

Revolutionary socialists have many political enemies. We have only a few allies in our struggle against capitalism and imperialism. It is ironic that both revolutionary socialists, moderate socialists, stalinists, maoists and social democrats come from the same roots. 100 years ago in the year 1914, all socialist/communist ideologies were called social democratic. Between the death of Karl Marx and the first world war, there were many debates inside social democracy between revolutionary socialists and evolutionary socialists. The evolutionary socialists rejected the Marxist road to socialism. They wanted to work with the parliamentary democrats and progressive members of the ruling class. Socialism had to be build by evolution not by revolution, according to social democrats like Eduard Bernstein and Karl Kautsky!

The evolutionary socialists were however still believers in socialism, unlike the social democrats of 2014 who are fully supportive of capitalism and its institutions. By 1914, most workers parties in Europe were led by evolutionary/reformist socialists. When the imperialist nations of Europe started with the first world war, most of these reformist leaders became nationalistic and told the working class to support their nation against the enemy nation. German social democrats supported the rearming of the Imperial German Army and British social democrats told their workers to fight for king and country!

Russian social democracy had split in 1912, in a revolutionary socialist party and a reformist socialist party. The majority of the Russian social democrats supported the revolutionary socialists led by Vladimir Lenin. A minority supported Julius Martov, they became known as ''Mensheviks'' ( minority in Russian ). The majority took the name ''Bolsheviks'' ( majority in Russian ). In February 1917, the czar was forced to abdicate. A capitalist government made up of rightist ''socialist'' revolutionaries, Mensheviks and bourgeois democrats was installed. This provisional government became very unpopular because it continued the first world war. In November 1917, the workers-council of Petrograd ( capital of Russia ) called for a socialist revolution. Red Guards captured the ministers and ended the provisional government. All political power was transferred to the Congress of Soviets, in which the Bolshevik Party and leftist socialist revolutionaries had a majority!

As a result of this second Russian revolution, the Menshevik Party and most reformist socialists turned against revolutionary socialists. They supported their local capitalist governments in preventing workers from taking power. In Germany, Friedrich Ebert was installed as president of the Weimar Republic. His Social-democratic Party of Germany opposed the workers councils who wanted a socialist republic. Together with right-wing nationalists, the social democrats destroyed the councils and killed 21.000 German revolutionaries. Famous revolutionary socialists like Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg were murdered because of SPD betrayal!

Most social democratic parties started to enter capitalist governments. Right-wing conservatives rejected the moderate socialists, because they saw socialism as a danger to their capitalist masters. Only liberals wanted to work with the reformists which led to the formation of social democratic/liberal governments. These new governments were very progressive but still capitalistic in nature and imperialist. Because although some social gains were made in the years before world war two, most European nations still believed in the superiority of the white race. Ethnic racism was no typical German, most British were racists too. British imperialism ruled over many African nations and behaved very cruel to the black working class!

The second world war ended in 1945, a victory for the allied nations. However the end of the world war marked the start of a cold war, between the capitalist-imperialist western world and the anti-imperialist eastern nations. The Union of Socialist Soviet Republics was a degenerated ''workers'' state, created in 1922 after the Russian Civil War. Although the economy of the Soviet-Union was nationalized, the workers did not had political power. Joseph Stalin made sure that all opposition to his ''socialism in one nation'' theory was silenced. Not only did Stalin enforced a totalitarian system, he also murdered most revolutionary socialists who worked with Lenin. It was Vladimir Lenin who called himself and his movement; communist. New revolutionary socialist parties were called communist parties. These communist parties enforced the ideology of ''Marxism-Leninism'' as Joseph Stalin called it. However this so called ''Marxism-Leninism'' had nothing to do with the views of Marx and Lenin. It was a cover-up for Stalin's own political system we revolutionary socialists call: Stalinism! 

Social democrats also rejected the USSR because of its authoritarianism and later totalitarianism. But these same social democrats supported the authoritarian rulers of their bourgeois-democratic nations. Also by joining capitalist governments, social democrats took responsibility for capitalist politics, carried out by European governments. Although social security improved in Western Europe, workers never held political power. The social democrats favoured a mixed market economy, with state ownership of key sectors. But these state owned enterprises were not run by the workers, but by the capitalist state managers. Managers who still favoured profits over people's needs. This we also saw in the USSR. There was no democratic participation from the working class and no workers self-management. Workers were slaves to the Stalinist state who even used prisoners are salve labourers. Between 1930 and 1960, more then 14 million Soviet workers were used as slave labourers in concentration-camps!

Another major anti-imperialist power became the People's Republic of China. The radical Chinese Communist Party was led by Mao Zedong and soon started to compete with the Moscow Stalinist bureaucracy. After Joseph Stalin died in 1953, Mao Zedong saw himself as the heir of radical revolutionary ''socialism''. His supporters rejected the moderate Soviet leaders like Nikita Khrushchev who criticized the Stalin cult of personality and the cruelty of classic stalinism. Maoism became a popular trend in the late 1960's and 1970's. Many students embraced the revolutionary dogma's of chairman Mao Zedong. Social democrats were seen as capitalist and not leftist. In a way the maoists were right about that. Social democracy moved more to the right-wing as they entered more capitalist governments. By 1980, most social democratic workers parties had abandoned Marxist socialism. The German SPD was among the first who fully rejected Marx. The Spanish Socialist Workers Party followed in 1979, others would embraced capitalism fully by 1989!

As stalinism collapsed between 1989 and 1991, social democracy fully embraced capitalism and neoliberalism. This new economic liberalism was created in the 1980's and called for deregulations and privatisations of state owned enterprises. Champions of this radical free market idea were Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Reagan came to power in the USA and Thatcher was the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Both were economic liberals, although in their propaganda they were called; conservatives. Social democrats denounced their support for a mixed economy and embraced the neoliberal dogma: The Market is God, Competition is King!

The most famous right-wing social democratic leader was Tony Blair. He led the British Labour Party and was elected in 1997. He did not changed the politics of Margaret Thatcher, Blair remained loyal to the neoliberal model. In 2001, he supported the invasion of Afghanistan by George W Bush, a conservative American president and a close ally of British imperialism. Tony Blair also supported the illegal 2003 invasion of Iraq, another imperialist plan of the American government. But Blair was not the only social democratic leader who betrayed his leftist ideals. Wim Kok was the Dutch prime minister between 1994 and 2002. His led a coalition made up of social democrats, conservative liberals and progressive liberals. Although two parties in his ''Purple'' Cabinets called themselves progressive, the main ideology supported by Kok was neoliberalism!

25 years after the collapse of stalinism, many social democrats are losing support. Some try to return to their old leftist roots. Workers may be fooled by their leftist propaganda, but we revolutionary socialists warn the proletariat, not to vote on social democratic parties. They cannot be trusted as they have betrayed us so many times. 100 years years ago this betrayal started when social democratic leaders supported the first world war. When German social democrats allied with the ruling class to destroy the workers councils. Because of social democratic betrayal in 1918, Soviet Russia was isolated and this aided the rise of stalinism. Had Germany become socialist, it would have been very difficult for Stalin to take over. German workers had more class consciousness and Germany was industrialized, while Russia was a agrarian society!

Dutch social democrats are using old leftist rhetoric for the European elections of 2014. The Party of Labour ( PvdA ) is losing popularity, since they entered a coalition government with the liberal conservatives of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( VVD ). The VVD is led by Mark Rutte, a neoliberal and supporter of massive austerity. Both social democrats and conservative liberals say that austerity is necessary to balance the state budget. Billions of euro's will be cut according to the government parties, yet billions are missed because of tax evasion by big business. Also the income tax for the super rich has decreased. Before 1990 it was normal that people with a very high income paid 70% of their income to the state. This was reduced to 61% in 1990 and finally to 51% in 2001. The parties of capitalism say that this was done to keep capitalists and rich people in the Netherlands. Yet the state lost money and because of the fact that the Netherlands is a tax heaven, billions of euro's are missed each year. Now Mark Rutte wants to enforce austerity, by cutting social security and forcing local governments to take care of people's health. The government wants to decentralize special health care ( AWBZ ) and give local governments control over who is getting this health care. They receive only 70% of today's state budget for the AWBZ. In other words: the local governments must decide who is losing special health care, this is done by a government in which the PvdA participates!

PvdA leader Diederik Samsom with red roses, the symbol of 

social democracy. His party is working with conservative liberals

to enforce austerity in the Netherlands!