Athens Meeting 19-20 June 2003, Contribution by SP of
Latvia
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From: SolidNet
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by Alfreds Rubiks

SOCIALIST RECONSTRUCTION MORE NEEDED THAN EVER

Some aspects of movement against the war and capitalist
globalisation in Latvia

Dear Comrades,

Let me propose to your attention some reasoning about the
capitalist globalisation and movement against war by
example of my country Latvia. I'm a representative of the
Marxist-Socialist Party of Latvia and as such I will
present my analysis. As a constituent part of USSR, Latvia
has always followed worldwide processes and development
under the conceptions of causes which had always taken
into account the interest of the country as a sovereign
Republic of the Union State. From August, 1991, after
USSR's disintegration, on the world arena and in the all
word processes Latvia is represented and takes as a
sovereign state.

Before USSR's disintegration two opposing forces were
clearly showed in Latvia: one consists of population,
social and political organisations in support for
reservation of ties with former republics of the USSR,
particularly with Russia, while the other for complete
breaking off relations with the USSR and with Russia and
as soon as possible for close rapprochement with the world
of capitalism, imperialism, with Western Europe and USA.
The first tendency was led and endorsed by the Communist
Party of Latvia, the leader and the working collectives of
union enterprises. The second one was headed by new
political parties such as Popular Front of Latvia, movement
for national sovereignty and also by the new government and
by majority of deputies of the supreme Soviet of the
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, which had been
unfaithful to the state. These two tendencies are yet alive
now, after 12 years of the USSR disintegration and by
replacement of socialist respects by capitalist ones.

There political organisation and parties which have come to
power straight away declared their purpose: entry into NATO
and the European Union. There aspirations became the axiom
for all governments of Latvia, these purposes became
priorities of the state. This fact pays the attention that
the entry to NATO and EU regarded not as means of
achievements anything, but as the reason of a priority. The
budget of the state, demand of NATO about choosing no less
then 2% of the internal gross sphere, medicine, education,
science, culture. There is also strictly observed the EU's
demand not to exceed the budget's deficit no more then 2%
and about the providing of means for needs of European
integration's process. Such policy of political forces,
which holds power in the state, ensures the join of Latvia
to imperialistic globalisation on the side of USA and
capitalist countries of the European Union. Against
different minded people there are used different ways to
silence them. During 12 years in Latvia the Communist Party
of Latvia outlawed, the ideas of communism are equated to
fascism, and thus their propaganding is prosecuted. Former
members of the Communist Party are deprived to be
candidates for deputies not only of Seim (Parliament), but
also for deputies of local self-government institutions. In
spite of all efforts of power not to allow the display of
any opposition to imperialistic globalisation and activity
of USA and NATO's allies in Latvia there are political
forces, which are against the consequences and
repercussions of imperialistic globalisation and cobbering
actions of American military forces. Among political
parties of Latvia there is the Socialist Party of Latvia,
which comes out against Latvia's entry to NATO and EU.
Thoughout this struggle our Party has allied to
nationalists' movements of some influence, who although
attempt at a limite collaboration with us, we managed to
achieve unity of action. There is the public organisation
"Force of mind" which is against NATO and introduction of
American order on the planet. Each of our party member
places himself at the head of this organisation. This
organisation carrier on pickets, meetings against actions
of USA in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq. The organisation
carried on the collection of signatures against entry of
Latvia. But this movement has it become popular and cannot
yet practically prevent from regime's intentions. The entry
to NATO and the building of NATO's radars are well
progressing. Money plays the main role in it, because the
American capital bears the whole expenses. To the
population inspire, that from the rent of land under these
radars self-management will receive much money as taxes,
which will help the citizens of region and there will
appear many new working places, at the expense on radars
service. People live in poverty, they trust these fairy
tales, their resistance is constratly decrading until it
fizzles out. During the preparation for armed intrusion of
USA and Great Britain to Iraq, government of Latvia, its
supreme leaders of the state the president, the premieres
minister, minister of defence, and minister of internal
affairs - forgot about the existence of country's
constitution and in absence of Seim's decision, hurried
publicly declare Latvia's support of the military
aggression of USA and Great Britain to Iraq. It has led to
a small scandal the press and the parliament made a fuss
(may be, because the parliament was not the first, which
declared for USA's invasion), and expressed its support of
USA's actions in Iraq. Law in force of Latvia does not need
a conducting of a referendum about the question of entry to
NATO. But the Socialist Party of Latvia does not agree with
it and leads the work to initiate a referendum. To achieve
this goal we need to collect 10% signatures of electors.

The government of Latvia tries to bring its state to the
European Union. To make it simpler and reliable they had
passed a law about referendum. This law means that 18% of
electors, who voted for it, are enough that Latvia will be
in the European Union.

Analysing all event in the world and Europe, we come to a
conclusion, that the expansion of NATO is processing
imperialistic globalisation in order to impose the
standards of imperialistic America. It is also a form of
neo-colonisation of states, a form of subordination them to
the interest of USA on an international scene. It is a
strategy to share authority. The expansion of European
Union has its own interest into this authority
distribution.

The leading political parties and its government in Latvia
try to join Latvia to the process of imperialist
globalization, pursuing thus personal benefit, as well. The
supporting states to the aggressive military block of USA
and to economical and political block of European Union,
leads to reinforcement power of capital and global
international corporations and to reduction of states
sovereignty. The power of capital and global international
corporations can never be compatible to the concept of
democracy. In conditions of imperialism the power of
capital and global international corporations can not
answer the main problems of modern civilisation: the
destructive use of all kinds of resources as well as
pollution and environmental abuse.

Now that the capitalist formation is on the stage of
imperialist globalisation, its structure precipitates and
aggravates conflicts in this sphere, because it cannot
resolve them. The aggravation of these relations approaches
and reinforces the necessity of socialist reconstruction of
the world.