Western Europe: Mass Strikes against Anti-Social Attacks
Europa occidental: Huelgas masivas contra los ataques antisociales
Europe occidentale : Grèves de masse contre les agressions antisociales
For an economic and political program of struggle!
Statement by the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 6 February 2023, www.thecommunists.net
1. A wave of mass struggles is sweeping across Western Europe – most importantly in France and Britain. These mobilisations have been provoked by the massive inflation and energy crisis and, in the case of France, a strategic attack of the Macron government against current pension system. These struggles are taking place against the background of a deep recession of the capitalist world economy as well as the Ukraine War and the inter-imperialist Great Power rivalry.
2. Britain experiences a series of strikes in different sectors – mostly for higher wages. These struggles, which started already several months ago, culminated in a “mega strike” on 1 February with about 500,000 workers participating. The conservative Sunak government rejects any significant wage increases in the public sector. It rather threatens to limit the right of public sector unions to strike and pushes for anti-labour minimum service bill.
3. The focus of the current mass mobilisations in France is opposition against the plan of the Macron government to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The government did already push for this reform in 2019 but was forced to delay it. Public opposition against this reform is widespread – between 68-80% of the population according to different polls. Two national days of action did already take place on 19 and 31 January and another one is scheduled for 7 February. Participation in these mass mobilisations is very high – even for French standards. According to the CGT, more than 2.8 million workers demonstrated on 31 January in more than 200 cities and even the Interior Ministry spoke about 1.2 million participants.
4. A particular interesting phenomenon are the so-called “Robin des Bois” (Robin Hood) operations where union militants in France’s energy sector provide free gas and electricity to schools, universities, public sports facilities, daycare centers, public libraries, some small businesses and low-income households that had been cut off from power. Unsurprisingly, the Macron government is not amused about these excellent anti-capitalist actions while, equally unsurprisingly, these are very popular among the masses!
5. The current strike wave marks a new high point of the class struggle in Western Europe. Britain experiences the largest number of strikes since the mid-1980s. And France resembles more and more the days of the mass protests against the so-called Plan Juppé in winter 1995. The main reason for this upsurge in struggles is the militant mood amongst the masses provoked by a deep social crisis of capitalism combined with a massive loss of public confidence in the ruling class. For three years, bourgeois governments are reacting visibly helpless in face of “unexpected catastrophes” like the COVID Counterrevolution or the Ukraine War. They promise one thing and 6-12 months later everyone can see that this was complete nonsense. (“We need a full lockdown for a few weeks and then the crisis is over”; “we impose the harshest possible sanctions on Russia and then Putin will stop the war soon”, etc.) In other words, Europe is in the middle of its worst social and economic crisis since 1945 and, at the same time, its ruling class also faces an unprecedented political crisis. Under such conditions, an escalation of mass struggles could open a (pre-)revolutionary crisis on the “old continent” (which is, by the way, an accurate category not in terms of civilisation but in terms of superannuation of the population).
6. The trade union bureaucracy has been forced to call for these days of action under huge pressure of the masses. However, socialists need to warn that the leadership of reformist parties and unions will tend to sell-out the struggle at the earliest possibility. This is why it is urgent that the workers and the popular masses – union and non-union members, young and old – build independent action committees in workplaces and neighbourhoods and create coordination councils with delegates from local committees. Of course, such committees are not alternatives to the unions but should help to integrate broader layers and, at the same time, create a counterweight to the bureaucracy. They could build organised pressure on the union leaderships, calling them to organise more actions and, at the same time, function as alternative centres of struggle if the unions refuse to fight.
7. Furthermore, it is important to overcome the limitation of the strikes to one-day actions. In order to escalate the struggle and to bring the governments to their knees, it is necessary to organise an indefinite general strike which paralyses the country. At the same time, unions and action committees must organise self-defence units in order to protect strikes and demonstrations against police violence. In addition, it is important to link up the struggles across the border and to organise Europe-wide protest activities.
8. Finally, we repeat emphasising that the peculiar nature of the current struggle is that while it is economic in form (against inflation or pension reform) it is political in substance. This is because it is inextricably linked with major political events in world politics – most importantly the Ukraine War and the inter-imperialist rivalry between Great Powers like NATO and Russia.
9. The RCIT advocates a program of struggle which challenges the capitalist logic of power and wealth.
For an immediate price cap for food, energy, and housing!
For regular and automatic inflation adjustment of wages!
Against all attacks on social rights!
Tax the rich!
For the expropriation of energy corporations without compensation for the capitalists and under democratic control of the workers!
Nationalisation of the large enterprises in all key sectors of the economy under workers control!
10. At the same time, the RCIT calls socialists to combine such slogans with political demands. Various social democrat politicians support the logic of bourgeois governments that in face of Ukraine War and Great Power rivalry, Europe “must defend itself” and therefore, people have to make sacrifices to increase military spending or to safeguard “our energy sovereignty“. On the other hand, various Stalinist politicians downplay Russia’s imperialist character and the reactionary nature of Putin’s war against the Ukrainian people. In contrast, authentic socialists stand in solidarity with the Ukraine and the necessity to support its war of national defence. At the same time, socialists refuse to support “their” imperialist governments and their chauvinist-militarist policy (like imposing economic sanctions, expansion of NATO, etc.). Defend the Ukraine against Putin’s invasion! Against Russian and against NATO imperialism! Down with the reactionary Great Power policy of sanctions!
Material aid (including weapons) for the Ukraine!
No support for imperialist sanctions!
11. The RCIT calls all activists, who agree with such a strategy, to join forces in building a new party of socialist revolution on a national as well as international scale.
International Bureau of the RCIT
* * * * *
We refer readers to two documents of the RCIT on the food and energy crisis which can be read here: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/action-program-against-the-food-and-energy-crisis/. See also more than 160 RCIT documents on the Ukraine War and the current NATO-Russia conflict which are compiled at: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/
Europa occidental: Huelgas masivas contra los ataques antisociales
¡Por un programa económico y político de lucha!
Declaración de la Corriente Comunista Revolucionaria Internacional, CCRI, 6 de febrero de 2023, www.thecommunists.net
1. Una ola de luchas del movimiento de masas se está extendiendo por Europa Occidental, sobre todo en Francia y Gran Bretaña. Estas movilizaciones han sido provocadas por la inflación masiva y la crisis energética y, en el caso de Francia, por un ataque estratégico del gobierno de Macron contra el actual sistema de pensiones. Estas luchas tienen lugar en el contexto de una profunda recesión de la economía mundial capitalista, así como de la guerra de Ucrania y la rivalidad inter imperialista entre las grandes potencias.
2. Gran Bretaña experimenta una serie de huelgas en diferentes sectores, principalmente reclamando salarios más altos. Estas luchas, que comenzaron hace ya varios meses, culminaron en una “mega huelga” el 1 de febrero con la participación de unos 500.000 trabajadores. El gobierno conservador de Sunak rechaza cualquier aumento salarial significativo en el sector público. Además, amenaza con limitar el derecho a la huelga de los sindicatos estatales y promueve un proyecto de ley de servicio mínimo anti laboral.
3. El foco de las actuales movilizaciones de masas en Francia es la oposición al plan del gobierno de Macron de elevar la edad de jubilación de 62 a 64 años. El gobierno ya impulsó esta reforma en 2019, pero se vio obligado a retrasarla. La oposición pública a estos cambios es generalizada: entre el 68 y el 80 % de la población según diferentes encuestas. Ya se realizaron dos jornadas de acción nacional los días 19 y 31 de enero y está prevista otra para el 7 de febrero. La participación en estas movilizaciones, que son multitudinarias, es muy alta, incluso para los estándares franceses. Según la CGT, más de 2,8 millones de trabajadores se manifestaron el 31 de enero en más de 200 ciudades, e incluso el Ministerio del Interior habló de 1,2 millones de participantes.
4. Un fenómeno particularmente interesante son las llamadas operaciones “Robin des Bois” (Robin Hood), en las que, militantes sindicales del sector energético de Francia, proporcionan gas y electricidad gratis a escuelas, universidades, instalaciones deportivas públicas, guarderías, bibliotecas públicas, algunos pequeños empresas y hogares de bajos ingresos a los que se les había cortado el suministro eléctrico. Como era de esperar, al gobierno de Macron no le divierten estas excelentes acciones anticapitalistas, mientras que, como era de esperar: ¡Son muy populares entre las masas!
5. La actual ola de huelgas marca un nuevo punto culminante de la lucha de clases en Europa occidental. Gran Bretaña experimenta el mayor número de huelgas desde mediados de la década de 1980, mientras que Francia se parece cada vez más a los días de las protestas masivas contra el llamado Plan Juppé en el invierno de 1995. La razón principal de este recrudecimiento de las luchas es el estado de ánimo militante entre las masas, provocado por una profunda crisis social del capitalismo combinada con una masiva pérdida de la confianza pública en la clase dominante. Desde hace tres años, los gobiernos burgueses reaccionan visiblemente impotentes ante “catástrofes inesperadas”, como lo que hemos denominado “Contrarrevolución del COVID” o la Guerra de Ucrania. Prometen una cosa y, entre 6 y 12 meses después, todos pueden ver que esto fue una completa tontería. (“Necesitamos un confinamiento total durante unas semanas y luego se acaba la crisis”; “imponemos las sanciones más duras posibles a Rusia y luego Putin pronto detendrá la guerra”, etc.) En otras palabras, Europa está en el medio de su peor crisis social y económica desde 1945 y, al mismo tiempo, su clase dominante también enfrenta una crisis política sin precedentes. En tales condiciones, una escalada de las luchas de masas podría abrir una crisis (pre)revolucionaria en el “viejo continente” (que es, por cierto, una categoría precisa no en términos de civilización, sino en términos de jubilación de la población).
6. La burocracia sindical se ha visto obligada a convocar estas jornadas de acción bajo la enorme presión de las masas. Sin embargo, los socialistas deben advertir que la dirección de los partidos y sindicatos reformistas tenderá a entregar la lucha lo antes posible. Por eso, es urgente que las masas obreras y populares -sindicalizadas o no, jóvenes y mayores- construyan comités de acción independientes en los lugares de trabajo y barrios y creen consejos de coordinación con delegados de los comités locales. Por supuesto, tales comités no son organismos antagónicos a los sindicatos, pero deberían ayudar a integrar capas más amplias y, al mismo tiempo, crear un contrapeso a la burocracia. Podrían generar una gran presión organizada sobre las direcciones sindicales, empujándolas a organizar más acciones y, al mismo tiempo, funcionar como centros alternativos de lucha si los sindicatos se niegan a luchar.
7. Además, es importante superar la limitación de las huelgas a acciones de un día, ya que para escalar la lucha y poner de rodillas a los gobiernos, es necesario organizar una huelga general indefinida que paralice al país. Al mismo tiempo, los sindicatos y los comités de acción deben organizar unidades de autodefensa para proteger las huelgas y manifestaciones contra la violencia policial. Además, es importante vincular las luchas al otro lado de la frontera y organizar actividades de protesta en toda Europa.
8. Finalmente, repetimos enfatizando, que la naturaleza peculiar de la lucha actual es que si bien es económica en cuanto a sus formas (contra la inflación o la reforma de las pensiones) en el fondo tiene un carácter político. Esto se debe a que está inextricablemente vinculado con los principales eventos políticos en la política mundial, sobre todo la guerra de Ucrania y la rivalidad inter imperialista entre las grandes potencias como la OTAN y Rusia.
9. Desde la CCRI proponemos la implementación de un programa de lucha que desafíe la lógica capitalista del poder y la riqueza: ¡Por un tope inmediato en el precio de los alimentos, la energía y la vivienda! ¡Por la indexación regular y automática de los salarios de acuerdo a la inflación! ¡Contra todos los ataques a los derechos sociales! ¡Impuestos a los ricos! ¡Por la expropiación de las empresas energéticas sin compensación para los capitalistas y bajo control democrático de los trabajadores! ¡Nacionalización de las grandes empresas en todos los sectores clave de la economía bajo control obrero!
10. Al mismo tiempo, desde la CCRI convocamos a los socialistas a combinar tales consignas con demandas políticas. Varios dirigentes socialdemócratas apoyan la lógica de los gobiernos burgueses de que, frente a la guerra de Ucrania y la rivalidad entre grandes potencias, Europa “debe defenderse” y, por lo tanto, los pueblos tienen que hacer sacrificios para aumentar el gasto militar o para salvaguardar “nuestra soberanía energética”. Por otro lado, otros dirigentes políticos estalinistas minimizan el carácter imperialista de Rusia y la naturaleza reaccionaria de la guerra de Putin contra el pueblo ucraniano. En cambio, los auténticos socialistas nos solidarizamos con Ucrania y la necesidad de apoyar su guerra de defensa nacional. Al mismo tiempo, nos negamos a apoyar a “nuestros” gobiernos imperialistas y sus políticas chovinistas-militaristas (como la imposición de sanciones económicas, la expansión de la OTAN, etc.). ¡Defendamos Ucrania contra la invasión de Putin! ¡Contra Rusia y contra el imperialismo de la OTAN! ¡Abajo la política reaccionaria de sanciones de la Gran Potencia! ¡Ayuda material (incluyendo armas) para Ucrania! ¡Ningún apoyo a las sanciones imperialistas!
11. Desde la Corriente Comunista Revolucionaria Internacional, CCRI, convocamos a todos los activistas que estén de acuerdo con esta estrategia a unir fuerzas para la construcción de un nuevo partido de la revolución socialista a escala nacional e internacional.
Oficina Internacional de la CCRI
서유럽에서 대중파업 물결
1. 대중투쟁의 파도가 서유럽을 휩쓸고 있다. 특히 프랑스와 영국에서 파고가 높이 솟고 있다. 물가폭등과 에너지 위기로 촉발된 계급투쟁이다. 프랑스의 경우, 현행 연금 제도를 겨냥한 마크롱 정부의 전략적 공격이 더욱 더 투쟁의 불길에 기름을 붓고 있는 형국이다. 자본주의 세계경제 공황과 함께 우크라이나 전쟁 및 제국주의 간 패권경쟁을 배경으로 하여 이 투쟁이 일어나고 있다.
2. 영국의 경우 여러 산업 부문 노동자들이 주로 임금 인상을 걸고 파업투쟁을 전개하고 있다. 시작한지 이미 두세 달 된 이 투쟁들은 2월 1일 약 50만 명의 노동자들이 참여한 "메가 파업"으로 최고조에 올랐다. 수낙 보수당 정부는 공공부문 임금인상은 안 된다고 못 박고 있다. 외려 공공부문 노조의 파업권을 제한하는 “필수유지업무” 법안을 도입하겠다고 협박하고 있다.
3. 프랑스의 경우 현 대중투쟁 초점은 마크롱 정부의 62세→64세 정년 연장 안 반대다. 정부는 이미 2019년에 이 노동‘개혁’을 추진했지만 연기할 수밖에 없었다. 노동개악에 대한 반대가 널리 확산되어 국민의 68-80%가 반대한다는 여론조사가 나오고 있다. 이미 1월 19일과 31일에 두 차례 “전국 행동의 날”이 전개되었고 이후 3차, 4차 행동의 날이 예정되어 있다. 이러한 대규모 동원에 참가율은 프랑스 기준으로도 매우 높다. 노동총동맹 (CGT)에 따르면, 1월 31일 200개 이상의 도시에서 280만 명 이상의 노동자들이 시위를 벌였다. 경찰 추산으로도 참가 인원이 120만 명이 넘었다.
4. 프랑스 에너지 산업부문 노조의 전투적 조합원들은 비공인 파업을 전개하며, 전기와 가스가 끊긴 학교, 공공체육시설, 어린이집, 공공도서관, 일부 영세기업, 저소득 가구 등에 가스와 전기를 무료로 공급하는 이른바 '로빈 후드‘ 작전을 펼쳤다. 이 훌륭한 반자본주의적 ’작전‘에 대해 마크롱 정부야 당연히 적대감을 표출했지만, 인민대중들 사이에서는 열화와 같은 성원이 따랐다!
5. 현 파업 물결은 서유럽에서 계급투쟁이 새롭게 상승하고 있음을 보여준다. 영국은 1980년대 중반 이후 최대의 파업 건수를 기록하고 있다. 프랑스는 1995년 겨울 쥐페 총리의 연금개혁안에 반대하는 대중항쟁의 날들을 점점 더 닮아가고 있다. 이러한 투쟁 고조의 주요 원인은 자본주의의 깊은 사회적 위기가 지배계급의 신뢰 실추 및 인민대중의 거대한 불신과 맞물리면서 촉발된 대중들 사이의 전투적 분위기다. 3년간 영국, 프랑스의 자본가 정부들은 코로나 사태나 우크라이나 전쟁과 같은 “예상치 못한 재앙” 앞에서 눈에 띄게 무력한 반응을 보이고 있다. 그들은 그럴싸한 언사로 한 가지를 약속한다. 6-12개월 뒤에 이것이 완전한 공문구임을 누구나 보게 된다. ("몇 주간 완전한 록다운 봉쇄를 할 필요가 있다. 그리고 나면 사태가 끝난다." “러시아에 가능한 가장 강력한 제재를 가할 필요가 있다. 그리고 나면 푸틴은 곧 전쟁을 멈출 것이다." 등등). 즉, 유럽은 1945년 이후 최악의 사회적·경제적 위기 한 가운데에 있으며, 동시에 유럽의 지배계급도 전례 없는 정치적 위기에 직면해 있다. 이러한 상황에서는 대중투쟁 상승이 "구대륙" (문명의 측면에서가 아니라 인구 초고령화 측면에서 ”구대륙“은 정확한 범주라고 하겠다)에서 혁명적 위기를 열 수 있다.
6. 대중의 엄청난 압력으로 노동조합 관료층도 이러한 “전국 행동의 날”들을 소집할 수밖에 없었다. 그러나 사회주의자들은 개량주의 당들 및 조합 지도부가 가능한 한 최단시간 내에 투쟁을 철회하려 할 것이라는 점을 대중 속에서 환기, 경계시키는 것이 필요하다. 노동자·민중 ㅡ 노조원과 비노조원 모두, 청년 노동자와 중장년 노동자 모두 ㅡ 이 공장·직장과 지역공동체에서 독자적인 행동위원회를 만들고, 각 지역 위원회 파견 대표들로 구성되는 전국 평의회를 건설하는 것이 절실히 필요한 이유다. 물론 그러한 위원회는 노동조합에 대한 대체 조직이 되는 것이 아니라, 더 폭넓은 층들을 통합해내고 동시에 조합 관료층을 견제할 균형추를 만드는 데 도움이 되어야 한다. 이러한 위원회는 조합 지도부들에 대한 조직적인 압력을 구축하여 더 많은 행동들을 조직할 것을 요구하고, 동시에 이 조합 지도부들이 싸우기를 거부할 경우 투쟁의 대체 구심으로 복무할 수 있다.
7. 나아가 파업이 하루 행동으로 제한되는 것을 극복해야 한다. 투쟁을 확대 고조시켜 정부를 무릎 꿇리기 위해서는 나라를 마비시키는 무기한 총파업을 조직하는 것이 필요하다. 동시에, 노동조합과 대중행동위원회는 경찰 폭력에 맞서 파업과 시위를 보호하기 위한 정당방위대를 조직해야 한다. 또 국경을 가로질러 투쟁을 연결하고 전 유럽 규모의 항의 행동을 조직하는 것이 중요하다.
8. 끝으로, 현 투쟁은 형식에서는 경제투쟁 (물가폭등, 연금개악에 대항하는)이지만 내용에서는 정치투쟁이라는 점에 그 특수성이 있음을 거듭 강조하는 바다. 이 투쟁이 세계정치의 주요 사건들, 특히 우크라이나 전쟁 및 나토 대 러시아 간 제국주의 세력권 쟁투와 불가분의 관계에 있기 때문이다.
9. RCIT는 권력자와 부자들의 자본주의 논리에 도전하는 다음과 같은 투쟁 강령을 제창한다.
△ 식품·에너지·주거 가격상한제 도입!
△ 물가인상에 따른 자동 임금인상! 물가-임금 연동제 도입!
△ 노동권을 비롯한 사회적 권리에 대한 일체의 공격에 맞서자!
△ 부자 과세! 부유세 도입!
△ 노동자 통제 하에 에너지 대기업 무상 몰수!
△ 노동자 통제 하에 모든 기간산업 국유화!
10. 동시에 RCIT는 사회주의자들에게 이러한 슬로건을 정치적 요구와 결합시킬 것을 촉구한다. 각종 사민주의 정치가들은, 우크라이나 전쟁과 강대국 패권경쟁에 직면하여 군사 지출을 증액하고 “우리의 에너지 주권”을 보호하기 위해서는 국민들이 희생을 감내해야 한다는 자본가 정부의 논리를 지지한다. 반면, 스탈린주의 정치가들은 러시아의 제국주의 성과 푸틴의 우크라이나 침략 전쟁의 반동성을 부인한다. 이와는 달리, 진정한 사회주의자들은 우크라이나에 연대하고 우크라이나 민족방위 전쟁을 지지할 것을 지치지 않고 계속해서 호소하고 촉구한다. 또 사회주의자들은 ‘자’국 제국주의 정부와 ‘자’국의 배외주의-군국주의 정책 (경제 제재, 나토 확장과 같은)을 지지하길 거부한다. 푸틴의 침략에 대항하여 우크라이나를 방어하라! 러시아 제국주의와 나토 제국주의 모두에 맞서자! 강대국들의 반동적 제재 정책 타도! 우크라이나에 대한 (무기를 포함하여) 물질적 원조!
11. RCIT는 이 같은 투쟁방향에 동의하는 모든 활동가들에게 일국 차원 및 국제 규모의 사회주의혁명당을 건설하는 데 힘을 합칠 것을 촉구한다.
RCIT 국제사무국
에너지 위기와 물가폭등에 대한 다음 문서 참조. <식량·에너지 위기/ 물가폭등에 맞서 어떻게 싸울 것인가 - 임박해 있는 파국에 맞선 행동강령>, https://blog.wrpkorea.org/2022/10/blog-post_4.html.
우크라이나 전쟁과 현 나토-러시아 분쟁에 대한 160여 편의 문서가 다음 RCIT 웹사이트 특별 페이지에 수록 정리되어 있다. https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/
Europe occidentale : Grèves de masse contre les agressions antisociales
Pour un programme de lutte économique et politique !
Déclaration du Courant Communiste Révolutionnaire International (CCRI/RCIT), 6 février 2023, www.thecommunists.net
1. Une vague de luttes de masse se propage sur l'Europe occidentale, en particulier en France et en Grande-Bretagne. Ces mobilisations ont été provoquées par l'inflation massive et la crise énergétique et, dans le cas de la France, par une attaque stratégique du gouvernement Macron contre le système de retraite actuel. Ces luttes se déroulent dans le contexte d'une profonde récession de l'économie capitaliste mondiale, ainsi que de la guerre d'Ukraine et de la rivalité inter-impérialiste des grandes puissances.
2. La Grande-Bretagne connaît une série de grèves dans différents secteurs, principalement pour l'augmentation des salaires. Ces luttes, qui ont commencé il y a déjà plusieurs mois, ont culminé dans une "méga grève" le 1er février, à laquelle ont participé environ 500 000 travailleurs. Le gouvernement conservateur Sunak rejette toute augmentation significative des salaires dans le secteur public. Il menace plutôt de limiter le droit de grève des syndicats du secteur public et fait pression en faveur d'un projet de loi anti-travail sur le service minimum.
3. Les mobilisations de masse actuelles en France se concentrent sur l'opposition au projet du gouvernement Macron de faire passer l'âge de la retraite de 62 à 64 ans. Le gouvernement avait déjà proposé cette réforme en 2019, mais il a été contraint de la retarder. L'opposition publique à cette réforme est largement répandue - entre 68 et 80 % de la population selon différents sondages. Deux journées d'action nationales ont déjà eu lieu les 19 et 31 janvier et une autre est prévue pour le 7 février. La participation à ces mobilisations de masse est très élevée - même pour les normes françaises. Selon la CGT, plus de 2,8 millions de travailleurs ont manifesté le 31 janvier dans plus de 200 villes et même le ministère de l'Intérieur a parlé de 1,2 million de participants.
4. Un phénomène particulièrement intéressant est celui des opérations dites "Robin des Bois", dans le cadre desquelles des militants syndicaux du secteur énergétique français fournissent gratuitement du gaz et de l'électricité à des écoles, des universités, des installations sportives publiques, des crèches, des bibliothèques publiques, certaines petites entreprises et des ménages à faibles revenus qui n'avaient plus accès à l'électricité. Sans surprise, le gouvernement Macron ne s'amuse pas de ces excellentes actions anticapitalistes alors que, tout aussi sans surprise, elles sont très populaires parmi les masses !
5. La vague de grèves actuelle marque un nouveau point culminant de la lutte des classes en Europe occidentale. La Grande-Bretagne connaît le plus grand nombre de grèves depuis le milieu des années 1980. Et la France ressemble de plus en plus à l'époque des manifestations de masse contre le Plan Juppé à l'hiver 1995. La principale raison de cette recrudescence des luttes est l'humeur militante des masses, provoquée par une profonde crise sociale du capitalisme combinée à une perte massive de confiance du public dans la classe dirigeante. Depuis trois ans, les gouvernements bourgeois réagissent de manière visiblement impuissante face à des "catastrophes inattendues" telles que la contre-révolution du COVID ou la guerre en Ukraine. Ils promettent une chose et 6 à 12 mois plus tard, tout le monde peut voir que c'était une absurdité totale. (En d'autres termes, l'Europe traverse la pire crise sociale et économique qu'elle ait connue depuis 1945 et, dans le même temps, sa classe dirigeante est confrontée à une crise politique sans précédent. Dans ces conditions, une escalade des luttes de masse pourrait ouvrir une crise (pré)révolutionnaire sur le "vieux continent" (qui est, soit dit en passant, une catégorie exacte non pas en termes de civilisation mais en termes de retraite de la population).
6. La bureaucratie syndicale a été contrainte d'appeler à ces journées d'action sous l'énorme pression des masses. Cependant, les socialistes doivent avertir que les dirigeants des partis et des syndicats réformistes auront tendance à abandonner la lutte dès que possible. C'est pourquoi il est urgent que les travailleurs et les masses populaires - syndiqués et non-syndiqués, jeunes et vieux - mettent en place des comités d'action indépendants sur les lieux de travail et dans les quartiers et créent des conseils de coordination avec des délégués des comités locaux. Bien entendu, ces comités ne sont pas des alternatives aux syndicats, mais ils devraient contribuer à l'intégration de couches plus larges et, en même temps, créer un contrepoids à la bureaucratie. Ils pourraient exercer une pression organisée sur les directions syndicales, les appelant à organiser davantage d'actions et, en même temps, fonctionner comme des centres de lutte alternatifs si les syndicats refusent de se battre.
7. En outre, il est important de surmonter la limitation des grèves à des actions d'un jour. Afin d'intensifier la lutte et de faire plier les gouvernements, il est nécessaire d'organiser une grève générale illimitée qui paralyse le pays. En même temps, les syndicats et les comités d'action doivent organiser des unités d'autodéfense afin de protéger les grèves et les manifestations contre les violences policières. En outre, il est important de relier les luttes au-delà des frontières et d'organiser des activités de protestation à l'échelle européenne.
8. Enfin, nous répétons que la nature particulière de la lutte actuelle est que, bien qu'elle soit économique dans sa forme (contre l'inflation ou la réforme des pensions), elle est politique dans sa substance. En effet, elle est inextricablement liée à des événements politiques majeurs de la politique mondiale, notamment la guerre d'Ukraine et la rivalité inter-impérialiste entre les grandes puissances telles que l'OTAN et la Russie.
9. Le CCRI préconise un programme de lutte qui remet en cause la logique capitaliste du pouvoir et de la richesse.
Pour un plafonnement immédiat des prix de l'alimentation, de l'énergie et du logement !
Pour une adaptation régulière et automatique des salaires à l'inflation !
Contre toutes les atteintes aux droits sociaux !
Taxer les riches !
Pour l'expropriation des entreprises énergétiques sans compensation pour les capitalistes et sous le contrôle démocratique des travailleurs !
Nationalisation des grandes entreprises dans tous les secteurs clés de l'économie sous le contrôle des travailleurs !
10. En même temps, le CCRI appelle les socialistes à combiner ces slogans avec des revendications politiques. Plusieurs politiciens sociaux-démocrates soutiennent la logique des gouvernements bourgeois selon laquelle, face à la guerre d'Ukraine et à la rivalité des grandes puissances, l'Europe "doit se défendre" et, par conséquent, les citoyens doivent faire des sacrifices pour augmenter les dépenses militaires ou pour sauvegarder "notre souveraineté énergétique". D'autre part, plusieurs politiciens staliniens minimisent le caractère impérialiste de la Russie et la nature réactionnaire de la guerre de Poutine contre le peuple ukrainien. En revanche, les socialistes authentiques sont solidaires de l'Ukraine et de la nécessité de soutenir sa guerre de défense nationale. Dans le même temps, les socialistes refusent de soutenir "leurs" gouvernements impérialistes et leur politique chauvine et militariste (comme l'imposition de sanctions économiques, l'expansion de l'OTAN, etc.)
Défendez l'Ukraine contre l'invasion de Poutine ! Contre l'impérialisme russe et l'impérialisme de l'OTAN ! À bas la politique réactionnaire de sanctions des grandes puissances !
Aide matérielle (y compris des armes) à l'Ukraine !
Pas de soutien aux sanctions impérialistes !
11. Le CCRI appelle tous les militants qui sont d'accord avec cette stratégie à unir leurs forces pour construire un nouveau parti de la révolution socialiste à l'échelle nationale et internationale.
Bureau international du RCIT
* * * * *
Nous renvoyons les lecteurs à deux documents du RCIT sur la crise alimentaire et énergétique qui peuvent être lus ici : https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/action-program-against-the-food-and-energy-crisis/. Voir également plus de 160 documents du RCIT sur la guerre d'Ukraine et le conflit actuel entre l'OTAN et la Russie, compilés à l'adresse suivante : https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/.
Social Unrest in Europe, including Strikes & Industrial Unrest!
For Protests and Strikes up to an indefinite General Strike to bring down Capitalist Governments in Europe!
Article by Laurence Humphries, RCIT Britain, 20 April 2023, www.thecommunists.net
Since the onset of 2023 and throughout the end of 2022, imperialist rivalry between all the imperialist nations has created a banking crisis. Starting in Silicon Valley in the United States it has spread to Europe leading to a collapse in both the Suisse Bank and Deutsche Bank in Germany. The second slump which has started 2019 shows again that the capitalist mode of production has produced (what Marx in his writings on capital referred to as) the contradiction between the nature of production and the productive forces itself. The dialectical opposite of the bourgeoisie is of course that the working class and the oppressed masses in Europe are organising social revolt, strikes and continuous industrial action.
“Global banks are staring at the biggest crisis since 2008 after two U.S. lenders collapsed, Switzerland's Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) sought a government lifeline and America's top banks agreed to offer a $30 billion rescue deal - all in the space of 10 days.” [1]
Strikes in Britain, France, Belgium, Germany and Greece
The fragility of the banking crisis and what appears as runaway inflation has produced a series of strikes and social unrest throughout Europe. It started in Britain and spread to France, Belgium, and Germany as well as disputes over pay and conditions in Spain and Portugal. Strikes in Britain have now largely subsided with only disputes in the public sector and at airports. Nurses and health workers have now been offered a new deal while rail strikes have been suspended. In France however there have been large demonstrations and social unrest against President Macron’s new pension reform. The French working class vanguard, which is well organised in trade unions, has organized several 24-hour strikes in a row and the social unrest has been very significant with hundreds of thousands of workers joining the protests.
“Strikes against bitterly contested plans to reform pensions in France continue on Tuesday, and this time unions have upped the ante. Unlike previous walkouts, this week’s industrial action has no pre-arranged end date. With workers across multiple sectors expected to strike, life in France could grind to a halt for days on end. Teachers, gas and electricity workers, train drivers, and industrial workers are all expected to join strikes that begin on Tuesday, sparking national upheaval that could last for days on end.
March 7 will mark the sixth day of industrial action since January over government plans to reform pension rights in France and increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.
But unlike previous strikes, major confederations of French trade unions – including the CFDT and CGT – have announced ‘’grèves reconductibles’’ meaning workers will vote at the end of each strike day on whether to continue industrial action. With no fixed end date, unions hope rolling walkouts have the potential to disrupt daily life and threaten the economy so severely that it forces the government into submission.
"We always said that we would go into a higher gear if necessary," the head of the influential CGT union, Philippe Martinez, told French weekly the Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday. "It will be the case on Tuesday." [2]
Strikes in Germany
In Germany airport workers have been on strike together with other workers. There is no doubt that the two leading imperialist economies in Europe, France and Germany, are locked in a battle for survival. The masses are engaging in strikes, social revolt and disturbances against both the cost-of-living increases and runaway inflation caused by the anarchic system of capitalism. As Marx predicted, the falling rate of profit is the dominant factor. In our times, it is coupled with inter-imperialist rivalry. The emergence of the eastern imperialist powers has driven imperialist nations into intense rivalry. They have nowhere else to go but take on the working class and defeat them.
“A massive strike in Germany was set to begin early Monday, crippling mass transport and airports in one of the biggest walkouts in decades as Europe's largest economy reels from soaring inflation.
In the hours running up to the strike, both sides dug in their heels, with union bosses warning that considerable pay hikes were a "matter of survival" for thousands of workers and management calling demands and the resulting action "completely excessive".[3].
“German commuters face serious disruption on Monday as transport staff across the country staged a strike to push for wage rises in the face of brisk inflation.
Workers at airports, ports, railways, buses and metro lines throughout much of Europe’s biggest economy heeded a call from the Verdi and EVG unions to take part in the 24-hour stoppage.
“A labour struggle that has no impact is toothless,” the Verdi leader, Frank Werneke, told the public broadcaster Phoenix”. [4]
There are also strikes in Belgium and the Netherlands, where again the cost of living crisis has driven workers into revolt.
“Unionized railway workers plan to stage a 24-hour strike across Belgium from 22:00 March 9. The purpose of the action is to demand better resources for railway workers. The strike will last until 22:00 March 10. The Belgian National Railway Company (SNCB) is advising the public that train availability will be limited due to the labour action, although officials will put an alternative train service in place depending on the availability of staff. Details on the service will be announced a day prior to the strike. The carrier expects most international rail connections to operate normally, however also advised passengers to use alternative services for local cross-border trains to/from Lille (France), Luxembourg, Roosendaal, Maastricht (Netherlands), or Aachen (Germany).
Unless averted, the strike will likely result in significant disruptions to rail services throughout the country. Increased congestion is likely on available rail services and other forms of transportation during the strike. Heightened demand for alternative modes of transportation may also result in reduced taxi availability. Protests by striking employees are possible at major train stations. Some disruption may linger beyond the end of the strike as the SNCB repositions rolling stock” [5].
Crisis of Working-Class Leadership
As the RCIT has commented previously, the trade unions under a bureaucratic leadership remain purely defensive organisations and cannot or will not organise or prepare for the socialist transformation of society. In the major European imperialist countries of Britain, France and Germany, the leadership of these movements are largely in the hands of reformist forces. In France, it is mainly the trade union bureaucracy and other forces, mostly grouped around Mélenchon and his movement. The latter are uncritical towards the labour bureaucracy, which leads the workers movement with its own reformist interest.
“The weakness of the government, its loss of public legitimacy, the wave of mass struggles including militant direct actions – all these are indications that France is close to a pre-revolutionary situation. Such a development is of crucial importance for the class struggle in Europe and internationally. This is the case not only because France is a major country on the continent but also because these developments take place in the midst of two global crises: a) a banking and stock market crunch which has spread from New York to London, Shanghai and Tokyo and b) the ongoing Ukraine War with its consequences for the acceleration of inter-imperialist Great Power rivalry.
The central problem of the current situation in the crisis of working-class leadership. The crisis of capitalism, and in particular the crisis of the Macron government, is much more advanced than the process of creating authentic and independent organs of the workers and youth. This uneven development is the main factor why the government is still in power and why it might be able to enforce the pension reform. In a number of enterprises, workers are meeting regularly to discuss and decide about the next steps of the struggle. However, such initiatives remain limited to local levels” [6].
For an Indefinite General Strike in Britain and France
The RCIT puts forward the following demands for revolutionaries as a guide to action in the coming period as both centrists and reformists refuse to take on the bureaucratic apparatus. Those forces rather reduce all their demands to pleas to the labour bureaucracy and are surprised by their treacherous agenda. It is the masses on the streets who are leading the struggle, who have the potential to overthrow the hated system of exploitation and obscene wealth by the bourgeoisie and their minions. It is necessary to understand that we are living through a historic period, where a pre-revolutionary situation in France and other crucial countries is very close. The task is to prepare and to fight for socialism throughout Europe.
“The trade union bureaucracy has been forced to call for these days of action under huge pressure of the masses. However, socialists need to warn that the leadership of reformist parties and unions will tend to sell-out the struggle at the earliest possibility. This is why it is urgent that the workers and the popular masses – union and non-union members, young and old – build independent action committees in workplaces and neighbourhoods and create coordination councils with delegates from local committees. Of course, such committees are not alternatives to the unions but should help to integrate broader layers and, at the same time, create a counterweight to the bureaucracy. They could build organised pressure on the union leaderships, calling them to organise more actions and, at the same time, function as alternative centres of struggle if the unions refuse to fight.
Furthermore, it is important to overcome the limitation of the strikes to one-day actions. In order to escalate the struggle and to bring the governments to their knees, it is necessary to organise an indefinite general strike which paralyses the country. At the same time, unions and action committees must organise self-defence units in order to protect strikes and demonstrations against police violence. In addition, it is important to link up the struggles across the border and to organise Europe-wide protest activities.
Finally, we repeat emphasising that the peculiar nature of the current struggle is that while it is economic in form (against inflation or pension reform) it is political in substance. This is because it is inextricably linked with major political events in world politics – most importantly the Ukraine War and the inter-imperialist rivalry between Great Powers like NATO and Russia.”[7].
The RCIT has previously stated that we are entering an important historical period with capitalism and imperialism in a headlong crash. Now is the time for socialists and revolutionaries to unite in a common struggle to overthrow capitalism and establish socialism. We must go forward, there is no time to lose as history is on our side. Please read our transitional demands and contact us at www.thecommunists.net .
· For strikes up to indefinite general strikes to bring down the corrupt and hated capitalist governments in France, Britain, and other countries of Europe!
· Cancel all debts of the workers and poor! Price caps for food, energy and housing by the capitalist state are not enough as we need to fight for higher wages and price control committees under control of workers and poor!
· Rising scale of wages above the inflation must be won in the struggles! We need to ensure wage increases for all workers in all sectors to combat the cost-of-living crisis.
· Armed defence guards to protect workers and their families from police and fascist provocation.
· Nationalisation of major banking corporations. For the total redistribution of wealth to the poor, the homeless people, the starving and oppressed peoples.
· For free movement of peoples from the global south fleeing from imperialist oppression. No to any form of immigration controls whatsoever. All migrants must have the unconditional right to practice their own religious and cultural customs and the right to speak their own language.
· Join the RCIT!
· Fight for or a federation of European sections as part of a new revolutionary international workers party. Fight with us for the 5th International!
Footnotes
1) How the 2023 banking crisis unfolded | Reuters
3) In inflation-hit Germany, massive strike over pay to cripple transport | Reuters
5) Belgium: Unionized rail workers to stage nationwide strike March 9-10 | Crisis24 (garda.com)