Workers face a struggle for power in France
Archie
Police action to break strikes and blockades in the oil sector has not
ended France’s fuel shortage or curtailed strikes and protests by
workers and students against President Nicolas Sarkozy’s deeply
unpopular pension cuts. The French strike wave is the most developed
expression of growing working class resistance to the drive by
European governments to impose austerity measures in the face of
overwhelming popular opposition.
The refusal of the unions to organize broader strikes or protests
against the police attacks on oil blockades must be taken as a serious
warning. These organizations will mount no struggle to defend workers
from state violence. On the contrary, they are sending Sarkozy a
signal that he can employ even greater police violence with their
tacit support.
The unions’ silence on government strike-breaking is the clearest
expression of their hostility to the developing mass movement and
their determination to work with Sarkozy to weaken and ultimately
defeat it. In this, they are supported by the official “left” parties—
the Socialist Party and the Communist Party—as well as the so-called
“far left” parties, such as the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), which
provide political cover for the unions and insist that workers look to
these agencies of the ruling elite and the state to defend them.
The only major actions approved by the unions are two more one-day
national protests, on October 28 and November 6. Such “days of action”
are already widely seen by workers as ineffective. Indeed, the first
is set to take place the day after the combined houses of Parliament
agree on the final version of the pension “reform” bill, which the
government is trying to force to a vote in the Senate today.
Under conditions where police repression has failed to crush the
strikes, Sarkozy is relying more directly than ever on the unions and
the “left” parties to defuse and suppress the mass movement. Union
spokesmen are already promoting the notion that opposition to the cuts
is a hopeless cause. They are counting on mounting financial pressures
on strikers and the impact of the unions’ deliberate isolation of
strikes in the oil and transportation sectors to sow exhaustion and
resignation.
Buttressed by the middle-class pseudo-left organizations such as the
NPA, they promote the absurd and dangerous illusion that the
government can be pressured to drop or seriously modify its austerity
policies. This despite Sarkozy’s repeated declarations that the cuts
will be imposed no matter what, and his use of state violence against
the workers.
Protest alone will not shift the policies of the government, and those
who argue otherwise are encouraging complacency and confusion. They
ignore the context in which the austerity drive in France and every
other major industrialized country is taking place—the deepest crisis
of the world capitalist system since the 1930s.
At the same time, they promote the lie that the Socialist Party—a
tried and tested party of the French bourgeoisie which initiated the
program of social cuts when it held power in the 1990s—represents a
genuine alternative to Sarkozy and the Gaullists. The unions and their
“left” allies are seeking to wind down the strike movement and channel
popular discontent into the blind alley of support for the Socialist
Party in the 2012 presidential election.
The working class is objectively in a fight against the ruling class
and its state. The government openly does the bidding of the banks and
the financial aristocracy with utter contempt for the democratic will
of the people.
The workers’ opposition has immense support in the population as a
whole, which overwhelmingly opposes the cuts and supports the strike
movement. It is critical, however, that the struggle be consciously
conducted as a political fight for power—to bring down the Sarkozy
government and replace it with a workers’ government.
The first prerequisite for victory is a break with the trade unions
and the establishment of new, democratic organizations of working
class struggle. The World Socialist Web Site urges workers in France
to form committees of action, independent of the unions and the
existing “left” parties, to broaden the strike movement, unite all
sections of the working class—the employed and unemployed, native-born
and immigrant, union and non-union, young and old—and mobilize behind
the immense social power of the working class all of the oppressed
layers of society.
The committees will provide a means for French workers to reach out to
workers across Europe and internationally who face the same attacks
from the same source—the international capitalist class. The crisis
can be solved only on a European-wide and worldwide basis, through the
revolutionary unification of the international working class.
The committees of action will fight for a general strike to bring down
Sarkozy. As the mass movement develops, these committees can be
broadened into workers’ councils, which will become the organs of
working class political power.
Only on this basis can revolutionary socialist policies be carried out
to harness and expand the productive forces for the benefit of the
people, and end their subordination to corporate profit and the
personal enrichment of a tiny elite.
The fight for workers’ power is deeply ingrained in the history of the
French working class. One hundred and forty years ago next year, the
besieged workers of Paris rebelled and formed the Commune. This was
the first time in history that the working class took power into its
own hands. The Commune was ultimately smashed by the bourgeois
government of President Adolphe Thiers, which carried out savage
repression.
But the example of the Commune played a critical role in the Russian
Revolution of October 1917 and continues to stand as a tribute to the
revolutionary capacities of the working class. It is to such
traditions of revolutionary struggle that workers in Europe and around
the world will return in the coming period.
Archie
>
> http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/oct2010/pers-o22.shtml
Phil
Working class my ass. In France most of the workers are unionized
public servants living off the taxes of a shrivelling private sector
which pays all the taxes.
France is brankrupt and socialism has made it that way. Any strikes
agaist the government are futile because there is just no more money.
This will soon be the
situation in Canada and the U.S.
USENET
>
> - Show quoted text -
In Canada the pension retirement age was increased from 65 to 67 with
nary a protest.
Archie
>
> >http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/oct2010/pers-o22.shtml
>
> Working class my ass. In France most of the workers are unionized
> public servants living off the taxes of a shrivelling private sector
> which pays all the taxes.
As if public employees don't pay taxes you lying maggot. Did you pay
taxes?
> France is bankrupt and socialism has made it that way. Any strikes
> against the government are futile because there is just no more money.
> This will soon be the
> situation in Canada and the U.S.
In this race to the bottom, the French will win in terms of the
average standard of living goes. It was only through this kind of
resistance that we have won decent pensions, unemployment insurance,
and wages. We are sinking fast and socialism has been so thoroughly
demonized in the USA, Canada, and the UK that we are hard pressed to
organize any response. The left is on life support and the whole
population (except the ruling class) will pay for that in misery and
poverty.
Chom Noamksy
> Alex Lantier
>
> Police action to break strikes and blockades in the oil sector has not
> workers and students against President Nicolas Sarkozy�s deeply
> unpopular pension cuts. The French strike wave is the most developed
> expression of growing working class resistance to the drive by
> European governments to impose austerity measures in the face of
> overwhelming popular opposition.
>
> The refusal of the unions to organize broader strikes or protests
> against the police attacks on oil blockades must be taken as a serious
> warning. These organizations will mount no struggle to defend workers
> from state violence. On the contrary, they are sending Sarkozy a
> signal that he can employ even greater police violence with their
> tacit support.
>
> expression of their hostility to the developing mass movement and
> their determination to work with Sarkozy to weaken and ultimately
> the Socialist Party and the Communist Party�as well as the so-called
> �far left� parties, such as the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), which
> provide political cover for the unions and insist that workers look to
> these agencies of the ruling elite and the state to defend them.
>
> The only major actions approved by the unions are two more one-day
> are already widely seen by workers as ineffective. Indeed, the first
> is set to take place the day after the combined houses of Parliament
> government is trying to force to a vote in the Senate today.
>
> Under conditions where police repression has failed to crush the
> strikes, Sarkozy is relying more directly than ever on the unions and
> spokesmen are already promoting the notion that opposition to the cuts
> is a hopeless cause. They are counting on mounting financial pressures
> strikes in the oil and transportation sectors to sow exhaustion and
> resignation.
>
> Buttressed by the middle-class pseudo-left organizations such as the
> NPA, they promote the absurd and dangerous illusion that the
> government can be pressured to drop or seriously modify its austerity
> will be imposed no matter what, and his use of state violence against
> the workers.
>
> Protest alone will not shift the policies of the government, and those
> who argue otherwise are encouraging complacency and confusion. They
> ignore the context in which the austerity drive in France and every
> of the world capitalist system since the 1930s.
>
> tried and tested party of the French bourgeoisie which initiated the
> genuine alternative to Sarkozy and the Gaullists. The unions and their
> popular discontent into the blind alley of support for the Socialist
> Party in the 2012 presidential election.
>
> The working class is objectively in a fight against the ruling class
> and its state. The government openly does the bidding of the banks and
> the financial aristocracy with utter contempt for the democratic will
> of the people.
>
> whole, which overwhelmingly opposes the cuts and supports the strike
> movement. It is critical, however, that the struggle be consciously
> government and replace it with a workers� government.
>
> The first prerequisite for victory is a break with the trade unions
> and the establishment of new, democratic organizations of working
> class struggle. The World Socialist Web Site urges workers in France
> to form committees of action, independent of the unions and the
> sections of the working class�the employed and unemployed, native-born
> and immigrant, union and non-union, young and old�and mobilize behind
> the immense social power of the working class all of the oppressed
> layers of society.
>
> The committees will provide a means for French workers to reach out to
> workers across Europe and internationally who face the same attacks
> can be solved only on a European-wide and worldwide basis, through the
> revolutionary unification of the international working class.
>
> The committees of action will fight for a general strike to bring down
> Sarkozy. As the mass movement develops, these committees can be
> working class political power.
>
> Only on this basis can revolutionary socialist policies be carried out
> to harness and expand the productive forces for the benefit of the
> people, and end their subordination to corporate profit and the
> personal enrichment of a tiny elite.
>
> French working class. One hundred and forty years ago next year, the
> besieged workers of Paris rebelled and formed the Commune. This was
> the first time in history that the working class took power into its
> own hands. The Commune was ultimately smashed by the bourgeois
> government of President Adolphe Thiers, which carried out savage
> repression.
>
> But the example of the Commune played a critical role in the Russian
> Revolution of October 1917 and continues to stand as a tribute to the
> revolutionary capacities of the working class. It is to such
> traditions of revolutionary struggle that workers in Europe and around
> the world will return in the coming period.
The radical left has vanished but the moderate left is still quite
healthy. That's because people realize there are no radical utopian
solutions, only the evolutionary process of incremental change over
time. The most destructive political movements in history have been
radical transformations based on utopian fancy.
Who are French workers battling? Their own state, their own
government... the one they ELECTED. If the French voted for something
they didn't want it means they were either naive or didn't care enough
to know the politics of the people they are voting for. The time to get
involved is not reactionary torch and pitchfork time, it's that time
leading up to and in between polls.
That's why Canadians and Americans seem more passive when it comes to
politics, it's because they are smart enough to pay attention before
mass civil unrest becomes necessary.
Archie
>
> The radical left has vanished but the moderate left is still quite
> healthy. That's because people realize there are no radical utopian
> solutions, only the evolutionary process of incremental change over
> time. The most destructive political movements in history have been
> radical transformations based on utopian fancy.
You mix radical with utopian as a means to jam your own ignorance into
the discussion as a given.
I, for one, would prefer incremental change over violent and
destabilizing revolution. However, there is a class war waging at the
moment and the working class is losing. They are not even aware they
are under attack. You are one of those. You think that someday you
will be a rich software developer. Forget it, if you didn't get on
that gravy train by now you never will.
Once the American people catch on to what's really going on - all bets
are off. I wouldn't want to be sitting in the White House when that
happens. And when the critical mass is reached and we are also taking
to the streets, scum like you will pretend you are one of us. But it
ain't gonna happen either Dobranski.
My fear is that this will happen and the 'socialists' that do take
control will not be patient or gentle.
>
> Who are French workers battling? Their own state, their own
> government... the one they ELECTED. If the French voted for something
> they didn't want it means they were either naive or didn't care enough
> to know the politics of the people they are voting for. The time to get
> involved is not reactionary torch and pitchfork time, it's that time
> leading up to and in between polls.
You can vote for the Tories - the capitalist caravan moves on. You can
vote for the Liberals or the NDP, it doesn't budge - not one iota.
>
> That's why Canadians and Americans seem more passive when it comes to
> politics, it's because they are smart enough to pay attention before
> mass civil unrest becomes necessary.-
Smart like you.
It is the French - not the Canadians or Americans that are paying
attention.
Any time anybody calls attention to the coming catastrophe, you throw
interference and say - Cuba is repressive, or, Cubans are poor.
Revolution is coming - there is nothing pipsqueak, selfish scum like
you can do to stop it.
Viejo Vizcacha
>
> In Canada the pension retirement age was increased from 65 to 67 with
> nary a protest.
Irrelevant, even if it were true, which it is not. There have been
changes to the Canadian Pension Retirement Plan, most of them not
beneficial to the future retirees, but nothing about changing the
earliest age for early retirement, nor the age of retirement. The
"normal" age of retirement remains 65.
But even if what you wrote were true, it could mean that:
1) Canadians do not count so much on the Canadian Pension Plan to
collect benefits, or
2) Canadians are more complacent and less likely to take it to the
streets, or
3) In France, because of the high unemployment among the young, they
have a vested interest in having older people leave the workforce so
they can get a shot at finding employment.
VV
Chom Noamksy
> On Oct 24, 12:41 pm, Chom Noamksy<blahb...@blahblah.blah> wrote:
>>
>> The radical left has vanished but the moderate left is still quite
>> healthy. That's because people realize there are no radical utopian
>> solutions, only the evolutionary process of incremental change over
>> time. The most destructive political movements in history have been
>> radical transformations based on utopian fancy.
>
> You mix radical with utopian as a means to jam your own ignorance into
> the discussion as a given.
>
> I, for one, would prefer incremental change over violent and
> destabilizing revolution.
Nah, you're a torch and pitchfork man.
> However, there is a class war waging at the
> moment and the working class is losing.
Oh, look, 10% of the state labour force just got thrown to the market in
Cuba. Looks like the working class has problems in the utopian
socialist world as well.
> They are not even aware they
> are under attack. You are one of those. You think that someday you
> will be a rich software developer. Forget it, if you didn't get on
> that gravy train by now you never will.
How many rich software developers were there in the USSR?
> Once the American people catch on to what's really going on - all bets
> are off. I wouldn't want to be sitting in the White House when that
> happens. And when the critical mass is reached and we are also taking
> to the streets, scum like you will pretend you are one of us. But it
> ain't gonna happen either Dobranski.
You been taking those radical utopian socialist websites seriously
again, haven't you.
> My fear is that this will happen and the 'socialists' that do take
> control will not be patient or gentle.
History has given people much reason to fear 'socialists'.
>> Who are French workers battling? Their own state, their own
>> government... the one they ELECTED. If the French voted for something
>> they didn't want it means they were either naive or didn't care enough
>> to know the politics of the people they are voting for. The time to get
>> involved is not reactionary torch and pitchfork time, it's that time
>> leading up to and in between polls.
>
> You can vote for the Tories - the capitalist caravan moves on. You can
> vote for the Liberals or the NDP, it doesn't budge - not one iota.
Or you could vote for Jack Layton and pay a bit more in taxes so we can
all have government tuck us in at night.
>> That's why Canadians and Americans seem more passive when it comes to
>> politics, it's because they are smart enough to pay attention before
>> mass civil unrest becomes necessary.-
>
> Smart like you.
>
> It is the French - not the Canadians or Americans that are paying
> attention.
> Any time anybody calls attention to the coming catastrophe, you throw
> interference and say - Cuba is repressive, or, Cubans are poor.
Yeah, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.
> Revolution is coming - there is nothing pipsqueak, selfish scum like
> you can do to stop it.
You go, girl.
Archie
>
> Oh, look, 10% of the state labour force just got thrown to the market in
> Cuba. Looks like the working class has problems in the utopian
> socialist world as well.
Cuba eh?
Isn' t that the little island off Florida? I bet the Cubans crave to
get to Florida for medical treatment.
But why you're concerned about Cuba - who knows. I'll post another
article on the Cuban situation after I finish responding to your
intelligent, balanced, and well thought out post. I am in your
service.
>
> > They are not even aware they
> > are under attack. You are one of those. You think that someday you
> > will be a rich software developer. Forget it, if you didn't get on
> > that gravy train by now you never will.
>
> How many rich software developers were there in the USSR?
The USSR eh? Isn't that that large totalitarian shit hole that flushed
you out?
>
> History has given people much reason to fear 'socialists'.
That's because starvation doesn't register on the radar of cheap
little selfish psychopaths that only want TO GET RICH.
>
> > You can vote for the Tories - the capitalist caravan moves on. You can
> > vote for the Liberals or the NDP, it doesn't budge - not one iota.
>
> Or you could vote for Jack Layton and pay a bit more in taxes so we can
> all have government tuck us in at night.
In other words - the sick, the disabled, the poor can go to hell as
far as the failed software developer (aka hospital computer booter) is
concerned. Long as you can get rich - someday. LOL
Chom Noamksy
I'm starting to figure you out, Archie. Read the following and tell me
if it doesn't describe you perfectly:
"Verbal abuse is best described as an ongoing emotional environment
organized by the abuser for the purposes of control. The underlying
factor in the dynamic of verbal abuse is the abuser�s low regard for him
or herself. As the abuser fears not being "good enough" and/ or meeting
public expectations, the abuser attempts to place their victim in a
position to believe similar things about him or herself - a type of
warped projection."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_abuse
Archie
> I'm starting to figure you out, Archie. Read the following and tell me
> if it doesn't describe you perfectly:
>
> "Verbal abuse is best described as an ongoing emotional environment
> organized by the abuser for the purposes of control. The underlying
> or herself. As the abuser fears not being "good enough" and/ or meeting
> public expectations, the abuser attempts to place their victim in a
> position to believe similar things about him or herself - a type of
> warped projection."
>
But whenever I feel down after taking heaps of abuse by you, I just
light up a joint.
Larianov
wrote:
The French have always been about protesting in the streets. Not
organizing some news media ready made assembly.
It carries over to their immigrant population.
After all, it was protests in the streets that brought the Monarchy
down.
They taught the USA what it was all about back in the day. And I got
a kick out of guys like O'Reilly and the US right hating France
because they said how Bush was full of shit over Iraq, while the US
forgot who helped liberate them from the British Empire, and gave them
that big woman with a torch in the harbour of New York too!
Larianov
I know that Germany outstrips the USA by 20% when it comes to exports
per capita, and having dealt with the unions in Germany, they make the
north American unions look like an easy go. And Germany is a lot
like France, but worse because they unified with that Commie Hell hole
in the east. But as Canadians know already, even the Democrats in
the USA are right wing to Harper, we're a blend of the US "sink or
swim" and the western European "socialism".
Under these economic times, I want Canada to hold its own. I want a
well regulated banking system, but I also want us to embrace the
national health care systems of countries like France or Norway, in
the top three world wide.
I don't want Canada to sink to the US level when it comes to the
social safety net, but I also don't want us to end up like France or
Germany when it comes to industrial development either.
People in Europe think that Canada is a dream land. They're not so
high on the USA anymore.
Butteye Jest
<f3abd4ab-2a87-458e...@l17g2000yqe.googlegroups.com>,
Larianov <igorel...@ymail.com> wrote:
Where the fuck did they gone wrong!!!
--
Ole Butteye
It's difficult to provide rational arguments in response
to arguments that are inherently based on irrational notions.
Chom Noamksy
> On Oct 24, 3:48 pm, Chom Noamksy<blahb...@blahblah.blah> wrote:
>> I'm starting to figure you out, Archie. Read the following and tell me
>> if it doesn't describe you perfectly:
>>
>> "Verbal abuse is best described as an ongoing emotional environment
>> organized by the abuser for the purposes of control. The underlying
>> or herself. As the abuser fears not being "good enough" and/ or meeting
>> public expectations, the abuser attempts to place their victim in a
>> position to believe similar things about him or herself - a type of
>> warped projection."
>>
> It does indeed.
>
> But whenever I feel down after taking heaps of abuse by you, I just
> light up a joint.
You abuse is ad-hominem verbal terrorism. My "abuse" is countering your
opinions.
And good for you, personally I don't need the escapism of narcotics.