11) "TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM IS
NOT ENOUGH" - CPC
Excerpt from the contribution of the
Communist Party of Canada to the 13th Meeting of Communist & Workers'
Parties, Dec. 9‑11, 2011, Athens, presented by Miguel Figueroa on behalf
of the Central Executive Committee, CPC
Concerning the current crisis. It is especially intense,
global and all‑sided not only because the onset of the cyclical crisis of
relative over‑production was artificially delayed as a result of
neoliberal policies, financial speculation, the rise of fictitious capital,
etc., but also because it is merging with intractable structural crises of the
system, not least of which is the growing environmental crisis.
This confirms
that capitalism is fast approaching its historical limits ‑ perhaps more
rapidly than even we Communists had anticipated ‑ and also helps to
explain why traditional bourgeois mechanisms of regulating and overcoming the
crisis are increasingly ineffective, and why the resulting ruling class
response to the crisis is more socially brutal, more militaristic, more
dangerous to all humanity than during previous rounds of crisis ‑ at
least since the end of WW II. The objective "space" for reformist
"solutions" is evermore restricted. This is the objective basis for
the deepening crisis and bankruptcy of the social democratic 'alternative'
today.
While the
contradictions underpinning this rotten system are more mature than ever
before, laying the objective conditions necessary for the revolutionary leap to
socialism, we must acknowledge that the subjective factors for transformation
are lagging far behind in many if not most of our countries, especially in most
of the advanced capitalist states including Canada.
The
capitalist offensive against the social, economic and political advances and
rights of the working class and its allies, the growing social disparities, the
increasing state repression, etc. ‑ all these developments are giving
rise to increasing anger among working people, to the loss of bourgeois
political legitimacy, and even to the growth of anti‑capitalist sentiments.
And yet for
the most part, the working class ‑ even within its most organized
sections ‑ is not yet prepared to embrace the socialist alternative, much
less actively fight for it, to rally to the Communist parties, etc. In general
we know the reasons for this growing divide, this contradiction between the
objective and subjective factors for revolutionary advance ‑ the
increased sophistication of bourgeois ideological instruments of social
control, of its use of racism, sexism, narrow nationalism, religious extremism
to cloud and divert class consciousness; of the particularly pernicious use of
anti‑communism and the systematic dissemination of lies and
distortions about socialism past and present to scare the workers away from the
socialist alternative, and so on.
But to
identify the problem ‑ including our own subjective weaknesses and
failings as a movement in this regard ‑ this is hardly enough, comrades.
We need to undertake a far more rigorous study of the problem of the formation
of social and class consciousness in the current conditions, and most
importantly, how best to counteract bourgeois ideological influences on our
class, and make a more skilful and compelling case for socialism as the only
alternative to capitalism, as the necessary and desirable alternative to
capitalism. And we need to develop new and creative ways to make that case.
Simply repeating over and over again slogans about the "superiority of
socialism" just won't suffice. Perhaps we can make this a topic for a future
meeting, or better yet, organize a special international conference around this
theme.
Finally, a few words about these meetings. At the risk of
repetition, we appeal again to all parties ‑ and especially those parties
in the Working Group ‑ to give concentrated attention to improving the
format for these annual gatherings. A great deal of time, energy and resources
go into convening this international assembly every year, and we must find
better ways to ensure that they are as purposeful and productive as possible ‑
for instance by finding more time for targeted discussions and constructive
debate on some of the big theoretical and practical challenges we face, more
time for discussion and planning of joint actions, more time for regional
caucuses, and so on. We are confident that this can be achieved.
(The above
article is from the January 1-31, 2012, issue of People's