International Meeting “The movements against the war and the capitalist globalisation and the communists”

Contribution of the PCP by Albano Nunes - 19-20 06 2003 Athens

Comrades,

The timing and the usefulness of our meeting are evident.
The swift, bumpy and uncertain course of the international situation renders very necessary the frequent exchange of information, experiences and opinions among the communist and revolutionary parties among all progressive and anti-imperialist forces. To undertake a correct characterization of the contradictions and the fundamental trends of the international course, from the viewpoint of the class positions which are ours, is indispensable for a correct political action in our countries, for the strengthening of our internationalist cooperation, for a common and converging action against the exploitative and aggressive offensive by great capital and by imperialism.

We thank the Communist Party of Greece for its initiative an invitation.

We are all aware that the offensive by imperialism is global, international, and that the answer by the communist and revolutionary movement, in order to be effective and have a chance of success, has to also have a strong international dimension. Even more than in the past, in view of the accelerated processes of the international division of labour and internationalisation of the socio-economical, cultural and ideological processes.

It is in this process that one has to understand the "anti-globalisation movement" and the political focus it quickly achieved, independently of having certain media treatments, which mainly aim to erase or deny the action of the more proven and consequent political and social forces.
Their emergence, as well as the remarkable dimension achieved by the peace movement, has in my view two fundamental aspects: 1) the objective and subjective need for articulated answers at the international level against the process of capitalist globalisation and 2) the disposition of social strata, until now without any faith and passive but fit hard by the steam roller of "globalisation", to turn radical and get in motion, tossing aside the blockades of "single thought".

It is a movement encompassing political forces and organisations and social movements of various types, very heterogeneous and diversified and assuming, according to the circumstances of time and place, very different forms and sizes. It would be wrong to amalgamate extremely different experiences from country to country, idealise the "movement", and attribute a central role in the arrangement of the social and class forces and the struggle for transformation, which from our viewpoint, is not theirs.

And for a start in Portugal.
The central role in the process of social change played by the working class and labour, be class unions, by the Party and revolutionary theory is not, in our view, put into question by the emergence of new movements and new forms of articulation and social political intervention. Just the opposite. What the "anti-globalisation movement" shows, and with it the remarkable dimension taken by the peace movement and against the imperialist war of aggression against Iraq, is the confirmation of the fundamental theses by the PCP when analysing contemporary capitalism. Namely, the narrowing of its social and political base of support as a result of an unprecedented centralisation of capital and wealth with a deepening of its monopolist nature and the entry into struggle against neo-liberalism/capitalism of intellectuals and technical cadres, the youth and middle layers hit by the steam roller of capitalist globalisation,a situation which objectively holds a great potential for the widening of the anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist front.

The PCP valorises the "anti-globalisation movement", from Porto Alegre to Florence and its main extensions, participants in it with a unitary spirit, endeavouring for unity in action in everything that serves the interest of the workers and the defence of peace. Simultaneously, we
affirm our own identity, refuse very strong pressures of dilution and subordination of the communists in the "movement" (based upon a false and demagogic contraposition Parties/social movements), strive for its democratic character and its anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist
radicalisation, oppose the attempts of appropriation by some very active groups at the international level who try to impose upon the popular mass movement its own agenda and at the ideological level, we combat both he theories of an anarchising "rebellion" (against the parties, against the struggle for political power) and the attempts of a reformist recovery by a discredited and crisis bent social-democracy.

It was with this guideline, and truly engaged in uniting everything that can be united against neo-liberalism and war, that the PCP participated in a distinguished way in a recent Portuguese Social Forum held in Lisbon. And I say "a" because the PSF is not an organisation but a dated landmark of useful debate, of elevating the own action of each and all of its promoters. Those who tried everything to manipulate it into sectarian objectives were defeated, curiously leading to a noisy campaign in the media against our Party, the unitary trade union movement and other organisations.

The dialectic of national and international in the process of social and revolutionary change assumes particular importance in the present circumstances.

The PCP stresses the importance of strengthening ever more the cooperation and internationalist solidarity among the peoples, the workers, the progressive, and the communists around the world. As it is natural, the PCP has paid particular attention to its relations at the European and NATO level, bringing very serious problems to our people and country in terms of social rights, of sovereignty and democracy itself. What is at stake during this European Council in Salonika is truly very serious. At the same time, we consider it our duty to contribute for a widest possible international cooperation among communists and other forces of social progress, rejecting "euro centric" conceptions that sometimes arise in our movement. The workers and peoples of Asia, Latin America and Africa, who bear the weight of capitalist globalisation are at the forefront of the liberating struggle.

Having said that, we reject the theses that say that the struggle in the framework of the sovereign state has lost meaning and that, both at the electoral and institutional level as well as the mass action level, supra-nationality is the alpha and omega of the changing and revolutionary process. If these ideas, so dear to some theorisers of the "anti-globalisation movement", were to succeed, there would be grave dangers of uprooting the concrete and more immediate field of class struggle.
Comrades,
These are some reflections related to the theme of our meeting. The debate will certainly allow to complement them with some notes on the international situation following the occupation of Iraq and the situation in Portugal. I would like to end with just two short notes.

First, to express a great concern over the pursuit of the policy of imperialism (of imperialism as a whole) and the very serious dangers to freedom and independence of the peoples. The rivalries and contradictions among the imperialists are today widely accepted and assumed by the elements of this Triad themselves. It is a reality that opens a field for the development of the struggle, as witnessed during the Anglo-American aggression against Iraq, which one has to evaluate and learn to explore. But this does not prevent neither living and working conditions and their rights we have to stress the great importance of the social struggles all over Europe and which will be present during the international initiative we intend to carry out during the "Avante" Festival on September 5th, 6th, and 7th nor the adjustment of the essence of their military and interventionist action under the guise of "combat against terrorism". The recent decisions by NATO and EU, namely in the submission to the US in the attack against Cuban revolution, even in the fascist aggression against the Palestinian people, are particularly worrying.

The second note is to stress the true potential for revolutionary and progressive developments. Everywhere the resistance and struggle continue, including in Afghanistan and occupied Iraq we would like to use this opportunity to express our solidarity to the comrades from the ICP and all Iraqi patriots while at the same time, capitalism undergoes a deep crisis which, if no one hand leads to dangerous adventures, on the other confirms the boundaries of the domination of capital.

In such a situation, it is more than ever necessary our solidarity and at the same time, deepen our roots among the workers and the people, strengthen the Party and defend and affirm our organic, political and ideological independence.

That is what we strive to do in Portugal, fighting the government of the right, its violent anti-social offensive, its shameful submission to the US, its attacks against democracy.
And caring for the strengthening of the Party's ranks and unity.

  • Central
  • International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties
  • Cuba
  • Nato
  • Peace Movement
  • War