The working class across the world is in a big preparation to celebrate MAY DAY, the International Day of working class solidarity. The May Day 2014 comes in the background of unprecedented challenges for the global working class. The capital has launched fiercest attack on the rights and lives of the working class across the world. Therefore, May Day today is not an occasion to just recapitulate the glorious traditions and sacrifices associated with the movement of the working class, but it is an opportunity in real sense to reinvent the strategies to develop class struggles to push back the offensive of capital and to take the society towards peace, progress and equality.
The global capitalism shows no signs of recovery from the depression in the aftermath of the financial meltdown in 2008. It is one of the longest periods of crisis in the history of capitalism. The crisis has hugely impacted the life and living of the working class across the globe. Unemployment levels are at an all-time high. The global youth unemployment is at a record level at a time when the world has the largest number of youth population in history. The crisis has pushed millions below the poverty levels. The conservative estimates of the World Bank suggest that more than one billion people are living below the poverty levels today.
While the burden of this crisis is shifted on to the working class, the banks and financial institutions that were responsible for bringing this crisis are rewarded with huge public funds by the States. The billionaires continued to record massive increase in their wealth but the pensions and other social security benefits of the workers are attacked in the name of austerity. Inequalities have registered massive increase both within the nations and between the nations.
The Indian economy is also caught in this crisis. The projected growth in agriculture has not taken place. Industrial production is constantly on the decline. The services sector has considerably slowed down. The neo-liberal policies pursued so vigorously in the past decade has heaped enormous burden on the working and toiling people. The country is home to the largest number of poor, hungry and malnourished in the world. During this period the Indian State has been transferring the wealth and natural resources of the nation to the big corporate houses unabashed. While any scheme to give some relief to the common people is criticized, we are given sermons by the apologists of capitalism that the dole out to corporate houses should not be seen as cronyism as it helps the business environment and results in the growth of the economy.
This 2014 is a very important year for a large section of the global working class. In this year, along with India, South Africa and Brazil will vote for new governments. The discontent arising out of the economic crisis is being utilized by the right reactionary forces to consolidate in all the three countries. The outcome of these elections will largely shape the future of these countries. The stakes are very high for the working class and therefore it should spare no effort to prevent the take-over of the States by the right reactionary forces.
The Indian democracy is under great threat today. The parliamentary elections have been turned into a presidential form of election. Narendra Modi is being projected as the saviour having solutions to the myriad problems of the nation. The Corporate world which sees in him a ruthless implementer of neo-liberalism has come out openly in his support. The projection of one individual on the pretext that India needs a strong leader can be good for the corporate sector but surely it will damage democracy and raises fear of dictatorship and emergence of fascism. Don’t we have the example of Germany and Italy which craved for a strong leader and exposed the world to the ruthlessness of fascism? The deliberate attempts to polarize the nation on the basis of religion for the success of the savior chosen by the corporate sector have the potential to harm the unity and integrity of the nation.
The working class has to play an important role in defending secularism and national unity. They have to fight hard to prevent the take-over of the Indian State by the right reactionary forces. The Left alone is capable of fighting both neo-liberalism and communalism. It must be remembered that parliamentary elections for the Left is a means of mobilizing the people and is not an end in itself. The true strength of the Left lies in its capacity to wage class struggles. There cannot be any doubt the Left exerts larger influence in the Indian society through its struggle in comparison to its parliamentary strength. The global struggle of the working class cannot be confined to just resisting the attacks of capital. Capitalism can never be humane and it will always be ruthless in its pursuit of profits.
This May Day, the working class must take serious steps to reinvent class struggles. It is only through class struggle and its success that we can hope to reshape the world. AIIEA greets the entire working force across the globe on this glorious May Day. AIIEA also extends its revolutionary greetings to the Indian Working Class and wishes all success in its struggle to defend the unity and integrity of the nation.
MAY DAY 2014 - OCCASION TO REINVENT CLASS STRUGGLES
The working class across the world is in a big preparation to celebrate MAY DAY, the International Day of working class solidarity. The May Day 2014 comes in the background of unprecedented challenges for the global working class. The capital has launched fiercest attack on the rights and lives of the working class across the world. Therefore, May Day today is not an occasion to just recapitulate the glorious traditions and sacrifices associated with the movement of the working class, but it is an opportunity in real sense to reinvent the strategies to develop class struggles to push back the offensive of capital and to take the society towards peace, progress and equality.
The global capitalism shows no signs of recovery from the depression in the aftermath of the financial meltdown in 2008. It is one of the longest periods of crisis in the history of capitalism. The crisis has hugely impacted the life and living of the working class across the globe. Unemployment levels are at an all-time high. The global youth unemployment is at a record level at a time when the world has the largest number of youth population in history. The crisis has pushed millions below the poverty levels. The conservative estimates of the World Bank suggest that more than one billion people are living below the poverty levels today.
While the burden of this crisis is shifted on to the working class, the banks and financial institutions that were responsible for bringing this crisis are rewarded with huge public funds by the States. The billionaires continued to record massive increase in their wealth but the pensions and other social security benefits of the workers are attacked in the name of austerity. Inequalities have registered massive increase both within the nations and between the nations.
The Indian economy is also caught in this crisis. The projected growth in agriculture has not taken place. Industrial production is constantly on the decline. The services sector has considerably slowed down. The neo-liberal policies pursued so vigorously in the past decade has heaped enormous burden on the working and toiling people. The country is home to the largest number of poor, hungry and malnourished in the world. During this period the Indian State has been transferring the wealth and natural resources of the nation to the big corporate houses unabashed. While any scheme to give some relief to the common people is criticized, we are given sermons by the apologists of capitalism that the dole out to corporate houses should not be seen as cronyism as it helps the business environment and results in the growth of the economy.
This 2014 is a very important year for a large section of the global working class. In this year, along with India, South Africa and Brazil will vote for new governments. The discontent arising out of the economic crisis is being utilized by the right reactionary forces to consolidate in all the three countries. The outcome of these elections will largely shape the future of these countries. The stakes are very high for the working class and therefore it should spare no effort to prevent the take-over of the States by the right reactionary forces.
The Indian democracy is under great threat today. The parliamentary elections have been turned into a presidential form of election. Narendra Modi is being projected as the saviour having solutions to the myriad problems of the nation. The Corporate world which sees in him a ruthless implementer of neo-liberalism has come out openly in his support. The projection of one individual on the pretext that India needs a strong leader can be good for the corporate sector but surely it will damage democracy and raises fear of dictatorship and emergence of fascism. Don’t we have the example of Germany and Italy which craved for a strong leader and exposed the world to the ruthlessness of fascism? The deliberate attempts to polarize the nation on the basis of religion for the success of the savior chosen by the corporate sector have the potential to harm the unity and integrity of the nation.
The working class has to play an important role in defending secularism and national unity. They have to fight hard to prevent the take-over of the Indian State by the right reactionary forces. The Left alone is capable of fighting both neo-liberalism and communalism. It must be remembered that parliamentary elections for the Left is a means of mobilizing the people and is not an end in itself. The true strength of the Left lies in its capacity to wage class struggles. There cannot be any doubt the Left exerts larger influence in the Indian society through its struggle in comparison to its parliamentary strength. The global struggle of the working class cannot be confined to just resisting the attacks of capital. Capitalism can never be humane and it will always be ruthless in its pursuit of profits.
This May Day, the working class must take serious steps to reinvent class struggles. It is only through class struggle and its success that we can hope to reshape the world. AIIEA greets the entire working force across the globe on this glorious May Day. AIIEA also extends its revolutionary greetings to the Indian Working Class and wishes all success in its struggle to defend the unity and integrity of the nation.
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