Notes From FFWP Conference Call 10-7

Thousands of workers from all backgrounds turn out to stop Racists and Fascists in Boston

MAIN POINTS AT FFWP CONFERENCE CALL SATURDAY SEVENTH OCTOBER. 

As some of the readers/followers of this blog and workers Think Tank are aware, we have weekly telephone conferences to discuss the political developments around the world and here in the US and our role in helping to shape the future. While we have limited resources, it is still important to have an understanding of the forces at work and how things might play out. We have tried to send out regular notes of these discussions in the past and are making an effort to do so again.

The Main points in our conference call Saturday October 7^th 2017 were as follows.

We discussed the breaking down of the old cold war equilibrium over the past three decades and the failure of US imperialism to impose its will on global society unchallenged, what US Imperialism called "full spectrum domination" over a new world order.

Instead we have the fragmentation of the world order, the weakening of US imperialism internationally, the rise of Russian imperialism and the Chinese regime and with this, slow economic growth despite spurts of stock market fervor. All these add to the increasing crisis in the world.

A recent example is the new crisis in Spain with the Spanish government’s repression of the referendum vote for separation in Catalonia; Spain is one of the oldest nation states in Europe. We discussed how this is increasing the crisis and potential for the break up of nation states throughout, part of German speaking Northern Italy, parts of Hungary,  and the possibility of further fracturing of the UK. The issue of the Rohinga in Myanmar (Burma) also came up as an extreme case. Burma has 135 ethnic groups with the Rohinga being among the most marginalized. We discussed the role British Colonialism played here much like it did in India in causing animosity and division between communities in order to advance its own interests. In Myanmar both British and Japanese played a role in turning these communities against each other. We regularly discuss how this divide and rule tactic has been used here in the US where racism has been used against the Native Americans from the colonial invasions and people of color in general. Racism (including between European people's) and gender discrimination, the war against women, have all been effective weapons used to undermine working class unity.

We also discussed climate change events as a new hurricane was heading toward the

US gulf states.

It is as always, impossible to discuss international events separate from US given the global power and role of US imperialism and especially with the moron Trump at the head of US Imperialism’s structure. We discussed the dangers of this for US imperialism and the world as a whole.  Throughout these discussions each week we have held the view that there would not be a war with North Korea and we still agree this is most likely correct. We did not think there would be a total break down of the Iran nuclear deal. But we have learned from experience to be cautious. US imperialism is in a very difficult situation. If Trump remains in power they have a wild card at the helm. If they remove him this will not be without problems. We discussed that we needed to be careful as the more strategic sections of the US bourgeois see Trump needs to go but are not clear how to make this happen without severely damaging their institutions. The situation is dangerous and volatile.  We pointed to the renewed assault on Trump’s trade policies and his NAFTA negotiations in particular by the US Chamber of Commerce. The point was stressed that protectionism and free trade are two capitalist solutions for the reoccurring crisis of their system and these were not options for the working class.

We discussed what we thought we could be sure of in perspectives and what we could not foresee. We felt that we could be sure that we were at the beginning of the end of the historical period when US imperialism was able, unlike other major capitalist powers to have its two party capitalist political monopoly. This is in the process of ending. What we cannot be sure of we believe is what form this ending will take. Because the union leaders will not lead and build a workers party then it is not possible to say what form the break up of the two capitalist party monopoly will take.

It is very likely that 2020 would see a number of major candidates even parties in the field. We could possibly see the break up of the Republicans and even the Democrats or entirely new parties on the right and possibly the left arising; possibly a right wing party around Trump Bannon and co. splitting from the Republicans.  It is impossible to say. Even a "non political" figure could arise at the head of a mass force. We spoke of Macron’s rise in France and how  Macron did not even have a party 14 months prior to his election and now he is President of France, one of the world’s major economic powers. There could be such developments on the right here and also on the left, a Syriza type formation, a Podemos type formation, even a figure such as Jimmy Kimmel, not likely him but a similar type figure could arise at the head of a party of some size.

We concluded that we have to be sure what we can say with some certainty and that is the coming to an end of the two capitalist party monopoly and what we cannot say with any certainty that is how this end will come about what will replace it. As the US working class is driven to its feet, it will make many stumbles, into the vacuum will arise many formations. We mentioned that opinion polls showed that 57% of Americans polled wanted a different party from either the Republicans or the Democrats. This sentiment will express itself in one way or another. 

As is our norm on our weekly conference calls we also looked to see the increased attack on women throughout the world and the increased struggle of women throughout the world. Here in the US the degenerate Trump and his reactionary following and sections of the US bourgeois combine to move to take away women's right to choose and to make decisions for their own bodies as they weaken the regulations that give women the rights to abortion and contraception in their health care benefits, those that have health care benefits. Half the world's factory workers are now women. There will be no world socialist revolution without women playing leading roles. We believe the special oppression of women was not sufficiently fought by the various forces of revolutionary socialism. We are attempting to see to it that we do not continue to be part of this mistake. 

We also touched on the issue of surrogacy and the dilemmas and complication of this issue. We will be discussing this more and comrade N is following it closely.

Tiny forces such as those of us around this blog and Think Tank and others continuing the struggle to build a democratic socialist society will have to be very flexible and nimble in deciding what tactics are appropriate and what are not in the period in which we now fight. We also spoke of the need to see how we can use the social media to get our ideas out while at the same time not in any way neglecting the building of a revolutionary current, the building of cadres with roots in the working class, the building of a revolutionary current with a healthy culture. It is an extremely exciting and challenging time to be alive and active in the struggle for change.

End of main points from today's Facts For Working People conference call. 

Any of our readers that would like to participate in Facts For Working People’s conference calls check out some of the postings on the blog and feel free to send us an e mail and describe your general political outlook and what you think of what you read.  

You can also contact us at the blog’s FB page.