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Communist Party in Denmark.

International meeting Sao Paulo Brazil, the 21st to the 23rd. November

Contribution from Communist Party in Denmark

By Betty F. Carlsson, chairman

“New phenomena in the international framework. Worsening the national, social, environmental and anti-imperialist contraindications and problems. The struggle for peace, democracy, sovereignty, progress and socialism and the unity of actions of the communist and workers parties”.

As we all know our tactics must continuously be adjusted according to the present situation. The strategy in our struggle for socialism is fixed, but since we last met there have been some substantial changes in the strength of the classes. Therefore adjustments in the tactic are necessary, and this meeting is therefore held just in the right time.

Liberalism

Capitalism and its liberalistic form have created a stronger exploitation in the recent years and the profit of big capital has reached never seen records. This is first of all a result of speculation, of wars, armament, more exploitation of labour, and of conquering of new markets.

Capitalism has come near to its goal of a deregulation of society.

Among the new markets, that capitalism has won, we should mention the former socialist countries, which on the same time have secured cheap labour and easy labour conditions and environmental rules. Another way of creating new markets for capitalism is by the heavy trend of privatisations that has been seen all over the world. Enormous wealth, which was before the property of the people by state or other forms of public property, has been handed over to the capital. Parallel to this the now commanded outsourcing to the private sector; capital has created a safe market with steady payments from the people in form of taxes. To be able to finance these revenues for the capital the societies has been forced to cut down in public spending except for the military forces. Denmark is not the only run-down country with growing poverty, as a consequence of this policy.

The strategy of the capital has been planned in details and then carried through.

Ideological methods

Also capital has in order to fulfil its strategy continuously adjusted its tactics to be able to carry its big project through. In our part of the world the EU has been the main instrument, and the stream of new and still more tightening treaties has cemented the possibilities for capital in all EU countries. To get the peoples of EU to accept this, the capital and the right wing politicians have tried to sell the EU project as a necessary kind of cooperation, a project of peace in Europe, a necessary cooperation to secure the environment, etc.

This tactic has unfortunately had a broad success not at least by the help it got from the social democratic parties and nowadays also from parties, that formerly called themselves socialist and left wing parties. - ‘You have to be present at the table. We must have influence from inside - EU will always be there so we must just try to improve the EU’ - That kind of arguments have been used.

But the greediness of capital has been so big and so undisguised anti-social, that revolts from the peoples has been the result. Not all have clearly understood that the real enemy is the EU as institution for the capital. But still the revolt was clear at the held referenda about EU treaties, where the peoples with a few exceptions objected.

Another method of capital has been to spread out the possibilities for speculation in stocks to parts of the population. First of all this has been done via compulsory savings in labour market pension schemes, which was something new in the Nordic countries, where rather fair pensions was before paid via taxation. By an erosion of the value of the public pension schemes the people was prompted to have private pension schemes, where the saving was invested in stocks and bonds by the banks and pension funds.

This casino economy was also promoted by so-called ‘employee shares’ and options. This ’legalised’ speculation in stocks, and has led to a weakening of the class consciousness about the total opposite interests between the employees and the employers, the capital. On the same time a strict policy has been carried through concerning the housing market. Owner-occupied dwellings have been encouraged on the costs of rented dwellings, and the dwellings have become a crucial object of speculation. The housing market has given an enormous profit for the financial sector, who gave loans to private people and to construction companies. The artificial created exorbitant prices in the housing market were wide spread among the population. For some groups of people this gave the possibility to have an artificial over consumption, and for others the appreciation of the prises on housing was used to supplement a stagnating wage income. For especially younger families, the high prices have made it impossible to find a payable home. The prices of the dwellings were set on the basis of expectations to the demand in the future, but when the demand was not there anymore, the collapse was the result. This is a classical example on the greediness of capital that in the end will lead to its own death. All possessing a common sense could see that this bobble would collapse. Together with the casino economy, this has lead to the many collapses in the financial sector. You can say that the bank robbery came from insiders.

The division of the working people in those, who could supply their wages with loan in their more and more exorbitant houses and those who could not, has split the working class in the struggle for better economical life conditions. This is a parts of the capital’s ‘divide and rule’ strategy. This policy also contains whipping up xenophobia in our part of the world. This policy was built up and systemised and later extended in the form of ‘War against terror’, that is clearly racist based but also hits progressive forces all over.

The split up of the labour market in an A and a B group with better conditions for some chosen groups, exclusion of other groups from important goods and services, massive attacks on the trade unions and a division of the group of pensioners according to whether they have or do not have private pensions schemes, has also been an integrated part of the capitalist strategy to destroy the unity.

On the ideological level capital have succeeded in selling their idea of society as ‘one big business - best run by bourgeois forces’ This idea have succeeded in many so-called ‘western countries’ regardless of where in the world they are, and bourgeoisie government have for decades had the power in many countries.

New phenomenon

The present collapse of the capitalist financial system has totally disproved the allegation of the success of liberalism. The present crisis is so deep and serious for the whole system, that measures normally hated by the capital and the rulers have been carried out in a hurry. The decisions to give huge state subsidies to the finance capital were the first action. Also subsidies to chosen sectors that are in the thread of bankruptcy have been given and will be given shortly. The supervision of the financial systems has been extended, and the great problems caused by the free floating of capital between the boarders are under discussion.

Unfortunately it is characteristic, that the capitalist themselves are more nervous of the big problems that can lead to the collapse for capitalism as a system, than the main consciousness in the population.

To the economic and financial crisis comes the ecological crisis. On the matter also short-sighted views have been dominating. Our Earth is succumbing to pollution and uncontrolled abuse of natural resources. In spite of fine speeches the wish of sudden profits has been more important than the consequences for the Earth in the longer run. The agreements made are useless as the countries’ daily policy oppose them.

example are among other thee policy on traffic matters, energy, Wars and armament, devastation of woodland, and so on Natural disasters have become a cruel part of every day life.

There is no news in the situation where the working class will have to pay the highest price for the capitalist crisis. We are for the moment just seeing the top of the iceberg and the current problems for the peoples. The future will show that the aim for capitalism is what our right wing premier minister called the ‘minimal-state’ where common values in society is subordinated to the needs of capital. The losers are the social security system, the educational system, research and so on.

The struggle against this situation

What can we do as communists in this situation, where the most obvious solution is to get rid of the capitalist system?

Our political line and views and slogans shall of cause first and foremost be very clear and targeted in our critics. We must coordinate our political actions and initiatives. We have via Solidnet observed that other communist parties have formulated extensive programmes for bringing the working class out of the crisis in a way that will secure the peoples who are hit most.

On the same time it is our duty to formulate the demand for at total change in the way society is run, and which kinds of changes that will be necessary. We are surely the ones who have the alternative.

And we have to look unprejudiced on the movements that arise even though they do not realize themselves to be a part of the working class movements.

On the international level we have seen one big continent, Latin America that stands up against imperialism and the US dictatorship. Maybe socialism is not on the agenda right now, but the uprising in Latin America is a very important step on the road. It will demonstrate the strength people have, if they are united, and will demonstrate the possibilities for at better life for each person, for the communities and for all men in the world!

The popular movements demanding changes in society was also clear in the campaigns up to the newly presidential election in the US.

In Denmark and in the EU countries we have seen lots of protests against the policy of the EU that is in fact against capitalism and liberalism.

In Denmark we have this spring and summer had an exceptional rebellion against the liberalist privatisations and cut downs in our collective rights, in the social security systems, in health protection and in education. There was a massive popular support to the long strikes and other actions of the nurses, the teachers, among those taking care of children and the elderly.

The people demanded and are still demanding that the taxes should be used to ensure better day-care institutions schools, hospitals, a safe situation for the elderly. On the other hand the great majority demand that less money is used on the military and that Denmark should withdraw from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to most pools the majority for the right wing in the parliament is not a reality any more.

But this important change did not come before we saw the collapse of the financial system and the coming economic crisis. For the first time in many years the most xenophobian and right wing party is loosing popular support.

We communist do always have big obligations when popular movements really are moving. We are the ones that shall show the aims, formulate the right and concrete demands and bring the necessary organisation into the movements. We need victories even when they maybe not will be big.

We have the strategy. Shortly, a good tactics is needed. Our international and regional cooperation gives us the best opportunities for a success in our common struggle