http://www.ncpn.nl , mailto:manifest@wanadoo.nl

Intervention by New Communist Party of the Netherlands

We thank you for the opportunity to share our vision on current events. And we thank the CPI and CPI(M) for the organisation of this meeting

Chairman, fellow representatives of communist and workers party’s,

Despite reassuring comments of economic recovery in the bourgeois press, we are just at the first stage of a severe capitalist crisis. The consequences for the masses in terms of unemployment and impoverishment are growing day by day more. Those responsible for the crisis are still in control of power in the countries affected by it. They are not willing nor able to change the ne-oliberal economic policies that are part of the causes for this crisis. This capitalist economic social and political system has nothing more to offer humanity than a further breakdown of living standards of the masses and enrichment of the few.

The ruling class, their ideologists and ‘scientists’ have succeeded in presenting society in the countries they dominate as an area for the pursuit of profit by separate individualised members of that society . The idea that just a few and especially the ones who are already rich gain profit in this kind of society is growing within sections of the labor movement. But a lot of workers in the Netherlands are still able to make ends meet and even indulge themselves sometimes in the fine things of life like visits to concert-festivals theatres, museums, vacations abroad and such. Escape into the world of virtual reality is also an increasing phenomena. A great part of the working class is orientated at continuing this quality of life and is less interested in the processes behind it. These aspirations find their way in support for conservative nationalist political movements that lead the fear of changes towards Islamic migrants and promote protectionist measures, thereby leading the popular masses away from the demolition of collective services in society put in place by initiative and struggle of the working class movements .Continuation of the phase out of workers rights is still high on the political agenda in the EU. Despite the fact that friend and foe must admit that the remains of this social welfare in Europe has softened the effect of the crisis so far compared with the US.

The further developments will not only affect many people by the abolishment of social services and erosion of the social acquisitions, job security and due to competition for jobs, decline in income. Possibilities to be confronted with severe armed conflict will increase for the peoples of the world as it gets clearer that capital is no longer able to organise society as a whole but de-stabilises it instead. These developments will have effect on the consciousness of workers and can increase the social criticism. It is our task to put the only alternative, a socialist organisation of society, forward into the public debate.

At the moment in the Netherlands the unions are rallying against the attack of our government on pension regulations

The Dutch pension system consists of three pillars: a state pension which provides a basic income for everyone older than 65. Collective pension plans by company’s or branches , and an extra individual income on the basis of a private pension insurance or life insurance for those who can afford it.

To understand the current developments one must bare in mind that all progressive pension regulations are the result of class struggle And social improvements only took place when capital was under pressure and gave in a little to regain social peace .

The changes that are underway in Europe, and that are the product of the neo-liberal policy of the ruling class, show two characteristics; it goes from a system that more or less offers some kind of assurance to a system that only fight the worse cases of poverty and, second, it goes from a welfare-system based on the last wages to one that is based on what kind of individual insurance the worker has organized and paid by him- or herself.

Solidarity within the current pension-regulation has two faces; first to create collective care for those who need it , second to create solidarity between the generations. That solidarity is constantly under deconstruction by law reforms combined with ideological campaigns in the capitalist media. They are trying to change solidarity based on collective rules to a system where only the empowerment of the individual counts and a total individual responsibility .

The attack is aimed at the age of retirement to lift it from 65 to 67, on the Dutch Antilles from 60 to 65. The debate for a lowering of the retirement age to make it easier for the youth to find a job is not even mentioned by others.

It is needed to strengthen the position of the working class in the class struggle. The fight for maintaining and improving the progressive and collective pension regulations is a part of it. We see the struggle about the retirement age as a way of increasing the social consciousness about what is a just employment system and in that sense as a step in improving the conditions for the struggle for socialism In the Netherlands.

This political work is not detached from our work in the European political context and our perspective of a socialist Europe. Nor do we see this work as outside the international cooperation of communist and workers parties. International cooperation and the exchange of information, knowledge and experience is essential for a rapid progress towards a future of justice and peace.

The NCPN is a small party, but within the Netherlands the only party striving for socialism as the only social-economic system after capitalism that can sustain and develop mankind. The party is based on Marxism-Leninism , staying loyal to the principles of historic and dialectic materialism, the scientific socialism as discovered by Marx and Engels, supplemented and tested by Lenin and further enriched by the experience of others throughout history. We have the instruments in hand to understand and influence the development of mankind. To look beyond everyday events and vind the direction towards the future. We see the process towards socialism as a series of concrete political actions, learning by doing from trial and error, putting up the best experiences as a model for further action, by fighting for and defending progressive reforms. We try to learn from negative experiences in the USSR and Eastern Europe but we also defend the positive experiences in the construction of socialism in those countries against forgeries of history and anticommunism. We see the socialist revolution as the only way to ensure real social change. To have a positive effect on the development of society, understanding that development and the changes within it, is essential for knowing what the right action is. Recognising the next step in the direction of socialism is the most difficult part of our politics.

Despite the mentioned focus of our party on the pension issue, we still continue our other activities as well.

Our government is first in line when it comes to the support of the imperialist wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and active in the defence of the interests of Dutch multinationals like Shell on the African continent at the cost of the local population.

The strategic position of the Dutch Antilles makes our country an important partner in the US strategy in Latin America to impose its will on the developments there. Under the pretext of the war on drugs the USA has a basis on the island Curacao and a maritime treaty to secure the waters around it, I need not tell you this island is a neighbour of Venezuela.

We support the national struggle for peace and the call for withdrawal of the Dutch troops within the borders of our nation. We as a communist party make a call for just and peaceful relations with the underdeveloped nations on the basis of mutual progress and make work of the solidarity with Cuba. We demand respect for the right of nations to choose their own path as long as that does not oppress other people in their development.,

It is getting more and more clear that continuation on the road of maximizing profits is no less than a collective suicide.

Long live Marxism-Leninism.

Long live socialism

Thank you for your attention.