Tudeh Party of Iran

Contribution to International Communist Conference Athens
May 1999

THE WORKING CLASS AND �GLOBALIZATION�

Dear Comrades and Friends
It gives me great pleasure to be present in this important
meeting of the workers and communists parties from all over
the world and to discuss one of the most pressing issues
facing the humanity at the dawn of the third millennium. On
behalf of our party's CC I would like to take this
opportunity to express our warm and deep appreciation to
our Greek comrades for organizing this gathering.
Comrades
The world at the threshold of the new millennium is going
through important developments. The technological and
information revolution which swept our plant towards the
end of the 1980's and the beginnings of the 1990's has
potentially provided the possibility of exploiting all
worlds natural resources to the benefit of humankind.
However as a result of economic and political dominance of
the Neo-liberal tendencies of capitalism, millions of
working class people are facing poverty, unemployment, job
insecurity, social insecurity, war and destruction of the
environment.

The crisis which started in the middle of 1990's in South
East Asian economies and whose effects were transferred to
Europe and Latin America is a structural crisis of
capitalism. The root cause of this crisis is the same which
has always led to the boom and bust cycle within
capitalism. On the basis of statistical observation and
scientific study of the economic situation in the world,
the present crisis of global capitalism should be analyzed
as a crisis of �overproduction�.

In 1997 New Yorks Times expressed concern about �the
initial stage of a developing world crisis..which is
primarily the result of a phenomenon called
overproduction�. Jack Welch, Managing Director of the
General Electric confesses that: There are overproductions
in all industries. Eastern Asia has been the main source of
overproduction in the recent years.

Despite the belief of many who considered the Japanese
economy, the second imperialist economic power, could
easily pass the crisis and could become an engine of growth
for the recovery of the world economy, it has continued to
struggle at the edge of a deep crisis and contracted
between 4 to 5 percent in 1998.

The issue of �Globalization� of capitalism in 1990's should
be interpreted as a multi-faceted attempt by capitalism to
overcome this structural crisis and consolidate the �new
economic - political order� in the world with the aim of
preventing any progressive development favorable to working
class people. In the 1980's World capitalism embarked on a
widespread policy of militarisation, which imposed a costly
arms race on the socialist countries. The subsequent
domination of neo liberal tendencies within the economy
provided conditions for capitalism to rid itself of the
consequences of the deep crisis of the 70's and enabled it
to reverse the outstanding successes of peoples of Asia and
Africa during 60's and 70's. In the 1990's capitalism
adopted a strategy which ensured open and limit-less access
to world markets.

The collapse of the Soviet Union and other socialist
countries of Eastern Europe in the early 1990's enabled
imperialism to transfer the burden of the capitalism's
structural crisis onto the shoulders of the working class
without fearing any substantial reaction.
World Crisis and Imperialist Institutions
The continuing crisis has meant a re-examination of the
roles of imperialism's principal institutions i.e. the IMF,
World Bank and NATO. In the Balkans NATO has decided to
expand its role as world policemen, giving itself a new
mandate to protect �western strategic interests� wherever
and whenever it chooses. In this action it has undermined
the role of the UN and has deliberately chosen not to seek
UN endorsement of its actions in the knowledge that the
United Nations would be against its murderous bombing
campaign.

Equally the IMF has been actively imposing its policies of
deregulation on the economies of the south east Asian
�tiger� states. These moves by the IMF have also been
reflected in the activities of the world bank and the IMF
itself in Russia and the former eastern Europe and also
compatible with the neo-liberalist economic thinking which
seeks to open up for exploitation all markets throughout
the world. More globalization!
TPI and �Globalization� of Capital
The TPI considers �globalization� as an attempt by the
world monopoly capital to break down all the national
barriers to its destructive attempts and plans for
unrestricted exploitation of world resources. Although this
process has new features but it also has some traditional
defining characteristics which were first noted in Lenin's
theory of imperialism i.e. destructive competition between
antagonistic economic interests. This can be seen in the
friction between NAFTA, the European Union and APEC.

The TPI rejects the notion that globalization will produce
equal opportunities for human beings or that it will
equalize economic interests between all nations, on the
contrary the evidence points to division, impoverishment
and dependency on the commercial, economic and financial
interests of monopoly capitalism. In order to achieve
socialist advance as well as lasting economic and social
reforms it will be necessary to fundamentally challenge and
confront the ideas and practice of globalization. This
means continuing the struggle against monopoly capital.

In repudiating the claims of the supporters of
�globalization� we point the following questions.

*Which classes benefit now and in the future from
globalization?
*Does globalization offer any solution to the internal
contradictions and conflicts of capitalism?
*Can and should the working class and its political allies
formulate a common policy to combat globalization which
will complement their national strategies?

We believe the answer to all of these questions is a
resounding �yes�.

There are many reasons why we have such confidence in this
position. Ever since the early 1970s capitalism has
experienced acute booms and slumps. At times over -
production, inflation and unemployment have threatened the
very foundation of capitalism's current structures which
were created through the Bretton Woods Treaty. Moreover,
the seductive promises of Kensyian social democratic
policies and organization stand exposed, even by the
apologists of capitalism itself who struggle to find a new
�third way� without compromising the neo-liberalism which
keeps markets open for global plunder. These so called
solutions only offer dead-ends.

It must also be recognized that globalization is no
accidental phenomena. It is the reflection of a deliberate
and conscious attempt to avoid capitalism's most acute
difficulties and to prolong its world domination. According
to Marx �any phenomena must be studied whilst in motion�.
Globalization is constantly changing but is also constantly
in crisis. The MAI treaty demonstrates that the
transnational corporations are only getting greedier.

Producing the details of a common policy, however, for the
communist and labor organizations in response to
globalization is beyond the scope of this contribution to
our forum but it is possible and necessary to map out its
broad outlines and to make them acceptable and compatible
with local and national characteristics.
We need to take an active and energetic role in the
struggle against globalization and being opposed to
globalization means producing a response to policy which is
also global in character. We must, therefore,

*seek united action against the global financial oligarchy.
*we must reject the notions that the security of capital is
essential in creating jobs and wealth. International
treaties must be based on the principles of fairness and
equality.
*the free and unfettered movement of capital must be
opposed. We must co-operate in the pursuit of international
regulations governing foreign investment.
*we must oppose at every opportunity the dictates of the
IMF.
*we must widen and deepen solidarity and united working
class action on a global basis, including an improvement in
our communications and utilization of electronic media.
*we must expose the misuse of untested technologies for
higher profits.
*we must establish a working committee comprising of
representatives from all parties and other progressive
organizations to provide accurate information and to
monitor the impact of globalization.
*we should recognize the continuing hegemonistic leading
role played by the USA in pursuit of its economic and
military objectives.
*the anti-war and peace campaigns should be stepped up in
all countries.

As stated in the manifesto produced by Marx and Engels 151
years ago modern bourgeois society is like a sorcerer who
is no longer able to control the powers he has called up.
It will be up to the forces of peace and progress to
intervene and offer an alternative vision for the world.