Athens Meeting 19-20 June 2003, Contribution by German CP
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From: SolidNet
http://www.dkp.de , mailto:pv@dkp.de ,
mailto:dkp.pv@t-online.de
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by Heinz Stehr

IMPERIALIST GLOBALIZATION

The economic, cultural and political process generally
described as "globalization" today is led by the interests
of transnational monopoly capital and forms a new phase in
the historic internationalization process of capital, which
includes all aspects of the production and reproduction of
capital. Thus it includes and is changing relations between
state and capital, between war and peace and touches all
areas of living (work conditions, culture, education,
values and so on). The term globalization includes the
connection of technological development, the concentration
of capital and the hunt for profit all over the globe with
all the consequences for production and consumption, for
state and politics and for war and peace.

Imperialist globalization means:
War and intervention to maintain the "New World Order".
The worlwide attack on the working and living conditions of
the working classes and all working people. The creativity
of scientific and technological intelligence is being used
to increase exploitation, to destroy jobs and to increase
the wealth of a small minority to an unmeasurable degree.
More and more people are being excluded from work,
education and access to information.
The attack on the achievements of enlightenment, on human
rights and on the democratic and social rights that the
labour movement has won off the bourgeoisie in centuries
of struggle. The dictatorship of transnational capital is
becoming more and more apparent and is taking over the
functions of elected governments. Governments and
supranational institutions are working in the interests of
capital.
New colonialism, in which dependent states are being
integrated as firmly as possible into the global economic
system of transnational capital as suppliers of natural
resources, as rubbish dumps and as places of extremely
environment-damaging production. At the same time, they are
being excluded from access to modern technologies and the
chance to develop as independent nations.
The attack on national independence and sovereignty and
international law.
The militarization of society and the extension of the
repression apparatus of the bourgeoise state and changing
it into an element of the apparatus of power of
transnational groups.
The attack on democratic, progressive culture and replacing
this with standardizing, and banal "culture", hostile to
humanity, of the imperialist mass media. With a "picture
war", the principles of the ruling classes with their idols
market, money and pure violence are to be planted into the
minds of the ruled classes.
Massive destruction of the natural environment and the
basis of life of many people.
The restriction of migration using police and military
methods. For this they can use the decisions of the EU
summit in Seville forming "a network of common border
protection" and the new immigration law in Germany.
The attack of transnational capital and its governments on
socialism and on all those fighting for a better and more
democratic world.

Globalization is an objective, necessary process, which
accompanies humanity throughout the whole course of
history. This social process is connected to the aims and
interests of the classes in power.

The bourgeoisie, caught in its class-egoist interests,
cannot solve globalization constructively in the interests
of humanity. This can only be done in a new social system-
with socialism. There is only one social alternative to
imperialist, neoliberal globalization: that is socialism.

The forces of resistance

One immediate feature of the present world is the common
social experience of the peoples. The strikes in Germany;
the strike action of trade unions in South Korea against
dismissals and the selling off of national industry, the
general strikes of the Indian unions in April against the
privatization of public property; the general strike of
Italian unions in April against the destruction of social
achievements; the movement of the landless in Brazil; the
present people's struggles in Argentina; the Zapatist
movement in Mexico; the meeting of the World Social Forum
in Porto Alegre and the preparation for the European Social
Forum in Florence are expressions of a culture of
resistance developing and possibly also signals that we are
at the beginning of a new struggle cycle of the
working-class movement

It is obvious that the working class must form itself as an
international class for this new struggle cycle. We need a
new type of trade union that does not only concentrate on
the elementary issues of labour, but also on political and
economic issues: human rights, fair trade, social justice,
the defence of the poor and excluded and also puts these
issues in an international context. We need the kind of
trade union that is prepared to discuss the property
question.

Recently, we have been experiencing a new movement
beginning to develop worldwide against neoliberalism,
capitalist globalization and imperialist war. This global
movement can stimulate the labour movement. The other way
round, however, this movement also needs the organized
force of the labour movement to create a social and
political alternative.

The effectiveness of the movement will, however, depend on
how much we manage to strengthen the revolutionary part of
this movement orientated towards changing society and
develop an extra-parliamentary opposition that discusses
social perspectives and alternatives and supports them in
effective action.

Socialism is necessary and possible

What is going to replace present society? Today, any
imagination of the new society to develop and its possible
institutions etc can only be temporary. However, the
question of power and property must fundamentally be
solved, otherwise there can be no change in society. This
means that the political power of the bourgeoisie must be
replaced by the rule of the working classes in alliance
with all anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist forces. A new
form of social organization is to replace of the capitalist
state and supranational structures, whereby today its
manifestation is still unclear.

The road to socialism leads over a fundamental break with
capitalist economic methods which are directed at
maximizing profits by exploiting human labour and
squandering natural ressources. The ownership of the most
important means of production must be turned into common
property the private acquistion of wealth produced by
society must be stopped. The whole economic basis is to be
given a new form, through which this basis is to lose the
power of private interests.

However, the aim of socialism is to guarantee, for the
first time in history, the unity of social and political
human rights as a general basis for the free,
self-determined work of the individual in society as a
condition for the free development of all. Socialism must
develop a historic new form of democracy a true form of
"people's power", which guarantees the same freedoms and
rights for all people independently of their nationality,
religious beliefs and philosophical view of the world. A
society which guarantees comprehensive opportunities for
every individual to bring in his ideas and wishes in
forming society.

Today's defensive struggles must be linked with the
struggles for a future, in which development is directed
towards peace, solidarity and equality. This struggle in
turn needs a perspective in the struggle to achieve
socialism.

Today, one phrase is as important as ever before:
"Workers of the world and oppressed people, unite!"

liebe Genossinnen und Genossen,

wir danken f�r die Einladung internationalen Treffen der
kommunistischen und Arbeiterparteien zum Thema "Die
Bewegungen gegen den Krieg, die kapitalistische
Globalisierung und die Rolle der Kommunistinnen und
Kommunisten". Sehr gerne h�tten wir an diesem Treffen
teilgenommen. Leider ist es uns wegen des gleichzeitig
stattfindenden Pressefestes der UZ - Volksfest der DKP
nicht m�glich. Wir wissen, dass Ihr die Lage der DKP gut
kennt und insofern Verst�ndnis haben werdet f�r diese
notwendige Entscheidung.

Liebe Genossinnen und Genossen,

Euer internationales Treffen ist f�r die Deutsche
Kommunistische Partei von herausragender Bedeutung. Wir
wissen, dass dort Parteien aus allen Kontinenten anwesend
sind und es sicher einen regen Meinungs- und
Erfahrungsaustausch zu dem sehr interessanten Thema geben
wird. Wir sind davon �berzeugt, dass auch dieses Treffen
neue Impulse geben wird, um die Rolle der Kommunistinnen
und Kommunisten und ihrer Parteien in den Bewegungen zu
st�rken. Aus der Sicht der DKP kommt es darauf an, die
Bewegungen noch breiter und politisch durchsetzungsf�higer
zu gestalten und sie gleichzeitig durch einen
antiimperialistischen Klassenstandpunkt politisch weiter zu
entwickeln. Unsere Ansicht ist nicht neu, dass diese
Herausforderung einer engeren Kooperation der
kommunistischen und Arbeiterparteien dieser Welt bedarf.
Dazu ist die Beachtung der Eigenst�ndigkeit jeder Partei,
Gleichberechtigung und der Solidarit�t untereinander sehr
wesentlich. Gerade die Treffen in Athen sind ein Beispiel
f�r solidarischen Meinungsaustausch und zur Verabredung
n�chster Aktivit�ten.

Liebe Genossinnen und Genossen,

f�r die Aktionen gegen den EU-Gipfel in Thessaloniki
w�nschen wir Euch bestm�glichen Erfolg. Die jetzige Phase
in der Entwicklung der Europ�ischen Union ist eine gro�e
Herausforderung f�r die antikapitalistische Linke,
insbesondere f�r die Kommunistinnen und Kommunisten und
ihre Parteien. Die Europ�ische Union ist zunehmend ein
Instrument zur Durchsetzung und Sicherung kapitalistischer
Machtpolitik. Dem dient die Milit�rstrategie, aber auch die
Wirtschafts- und Sozialpolitik sowie die Schaffung einer
neuen EU-Verfassung.

Die DKP lehnt die Europ�ische Union aus grunds�tzlichen
�berlegungen ab. Wir fordern eine europ�ische Union, bei
der alle Staaten Europas einbezogen werden, in der
Friedenspolitik, eine gerechte Sozialpolitik und eine
demokratische Verfasstheit, die dem Willen der V�lker
entspricht, durchgesetzt wird. In einem langen Prozess muss
es darum gehen, den Sozialismus in Europa durchzusetzen.

Gerade zur Formulierung und Durchsetzung dieser Ziele ist
ein internationaler Meinungs- und Erfahrungsaustausch und
eine engere Zusammenarbeit zwingend und notwendig. Wir sind
auch herausgefordert, uns Gedanken zu machen, welche
inhaltlichen Positionen und welche Formen der
Wahlbeteiligung zu den Parlamentswahlen zum Europ�ischen
Parlament 2004 angemessen und m�glich sind. Die DKP ist zu
einem Dialog zwischen den kommunistischen und
Arbeiterparteien zu dieser Herausforderung bereit. Wir
hoffen, dass es auch hierzu Anregungen gibt w�hrend der
Tage des Seminars und der Aktion in Griechenland.

Liebe Genossinnen und Genossen,

mit Sorge betrachten wir die Zunahme der Aggressivit�t des
Imperialismus. Nach dem Krieg gegen den Irak ist eines
seiner Ziele der Aggressionspolitik Kuba geworden. Der
Imperialismus will die sozialistische Alternative Kuba
nicht mehr dulden. Er setzt alles daran, dieses Beispiel
auch f�r andere lateinamerikanische V�lker �konomisch,
politisch und milit�risch zu vernichten. Die Deutsche
Kommunistische Partei ist der Ansicht, dass diese Situation
eine international vernetzte Kampagne zur Solidarit�t mit
dem sozialistischen Kuba herausfordert. In der Tradition
der kommunistischen und Arbeiterbewegung k�nnte sie unter
dem Titel "H�nde weg von Kuba!" stattfinden. Wir bitten
Euch, dieses Thema in den Meinungsaustausch einzubeziehen.

Mit kommunistischem Gru�

Heinz Stehr
- Vorsitzender der DKP -