Public Planning meeting for the A World Beyond Capitalism 2005 : IMC Print

Public Planning meeting for the A World Beyond Capitalism 2005
Conference, The Annual, International, Multiracial Alliance Building
Peace Conference. Time: 7 p.m. May 18th, 2005. Laughing Horse Books,
3652 SE Division, Portland, Oregon. This meeting is open to the public
and is appropriate for all ages. The AWBC conference begins August 26th, 2005 but we are currently scheduling workshops, speakers and volunteers. We are also accepting advance registrations at this meeting. All are welcome. We very strongly encourage parents, families, minorities, English as a Second Language (ESL) and marginalized activist groups to attend this meeting to help plan pre- and post- conference community activities for all age groups. Please bring written proposals for presentation consideration. Cost: free.

http://www.lfhniivaaaa.info/awbcsolidarity

THE: March 20 Statement: A NEW SPRING

Mundo de Escuelas Revolucionarias (MER) -
Real Left Platform Proposal for the Post Capitalist Participatory Democracy – Revolucion Internacional

(PCPD-R)

[ 3113 words to First Break with introduction promo ]

Posted at real-left.tripod.com and at

http://www.bcz.com/members/blog/revolucionarias

We believe that this Statement contains an outline of all that most people need to know about the world, the goals that are possible for a better world and many of the ways to achieve this world and reclaim humanity from the abyss of Capitalism’s Savageness… You are either with us or with Bush! If you are a specialist then read the footnotes, study your field and assist us in the details and new thinking along the lines set forth here. Good Luck and speedy travels… all.

Please insist and ask additional questions about:

Who We Are – What we do – Our Platform for PCPD-R Internacional -

“Capitalism leads us straight to hell…The idea of a “Third Way” as a solution to capitalism: capitalism with a human face, is like trying to give the monster a mask… But this mask has fallen to the floor shattered by reality”.

-=- (2) Chavez on Socialism: http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/chavez_opposition_capitalism.htm

Join A Life of Revolutionary Democracy:

National and Global movements need to coordinate their strategies around building a Global Anti-Capitalist Bloc. The most promising region to support is the Andes including Venezuela. Through coordinated efforts at fundraising, policy proposals, education and political pressure a worker-student vanguard in the rich countries can help the mass of poor Third World people to take over their governments and build up the Global Anti Capitalist Bloc. As we grow stronger and more independent of the USA and world markets the momentum for a Revolutionary and Anti-Capitalist Democracy will cascade across the planet. (1)

For every reason in the world you should be fighting capitalism. We fight Capitalism because it concentrates wealth and power at the international level (USA-UK, Exxon-Mobil, Citi-Bank, Wal-Mart) and also at the national or even the local level) 300 USA billionaires, the Colombian Narco-Oligarchy, the millionaire death squad and foreign ranchers throughout the Amazon). (2) We fight capitalism – especially the globalization of a savage corporate capitalism –because it makes a joke of democracy by taking away most economic decisions from communities and nations. This globalization replaces our options, debate and culture with un-elected WTO tribunals and capitalist legalisms of a powerful corporate design. (3)

USA-UK capital is violent to the environment and the poor. It is always backed up by an obscene military-espionage apparatus – and so we fight it. (4)

We fight for the possibility of options and open experimentation in designing sustainable systems of living.

The pace and methods chosen by different cultures and regions may vary, but only by placing the social – the people – at the center of development can humans achieve peace or sustainability. (5)

Why should you join our humanitarian efforts to support and expand the revolutions in Latin America??? (6)

We want to hear from everyone:

It is very hard to get input from people anywhere on what they want

or ... how they think that we can all get there.

Contact: Enrique Munoz : MEscuelas_Revolt@yahoo.com

Outline:

The March 20 Statement: A New Spring

** INTRODUCTIONS

PART ONE ** [ 3113 words with above introductions and Outline; 2826 words without Oultine]

I. Mundo Escuelas Revolucionarias (MER): Activities, Education and Strategic Thought

II. 16th World Festival of Youth and Students; Caracas July 2005. (Anti-Capitalist)

III. Introduction to the Problems of the World and the Problems with Activism: Moving from static traditions to movement.

IV. Strategies of Truth: Describing the Real World: The Ten Observations: 1. Power vs. Anti Power; 2. Fund the Andes; Death of Environmentalism & the Narrow lLeft; 4. Internationalism, Trotsky & Che Guevara; 5. Petras Criteria for Anti-Imperialism; 6. Priority to stop US Militarized Globalization; 7. Global Warming means more US Invasions

V. A Hierarchy of Revolutionary Action: Observations Continued (8, 9, 10); 8. Cohesion of Movement Goals & Strategies: Attack the Empire of the Rich Economically with Regional Solidarity Blocs & Hyper-Boycotts (National / Global); Prioritize Revolutionary Democracy (Confrontation with Capital) & a broad cultural and educational program to develop EcoSolidarity (Sustainability as National Defense / Morality) & a New Society (Radically Democratic) ; 9. The Roads to Peace (Ending Capitalism) , Justice (Revolution, Revolutionary Education / Green Equitable Development Experiments) & Sustainability (Maybe); Take the Power Where You Find It.; 10. Potential Alliance Partners: a Call to All Leaders.

PART TWO ** [ 2967 words ]

VI. Description of a New Political Economy: EcoSolidarity & REVOLUTION; the MER ECONOMIC MODEL for a Revolutionary Democracy

VII. Revolutionary Policies for Transitional Survival: Democratic Redistribution and Radical Restructuring for a New Beginning

PART THREE **

VIII. The Economic Program of EcoSolidarity and Revolution

IX. Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution Phase I: Inspiration, patience and Radical Reforms

PART FOUR **

X. Phase Two Continental Expansion: Bolivar, Marti, Sucre, Rodriguez, ...

XI. Conclusions and Emergency Outline for Action:

I. MER Does the Following:

Educate through Writings, Workshops, Curriculum and Films the Policies that Are Changing the World in Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and everywhere that People Fight Capitalism and the US-EU Empire to Build a People-Centered Solidarity Society that Prioritizes Women and Children; Revolutionary Education; Dignity for the Indigenous and Workers; Pure Food; Heath for All Including the Environment; and an Economics of Agrarian-Based Community-Owned Worker-Managed Market Socialism. (7) (Link to a longer MER statement on curriculum, policies and warnings...)

“In Venezuela, we are developing a model of struggle against neoliberalism and imperialism. For this reason, we find that we have millions of friends in this world, although we also have enemies.” - Presidente Chavez (He says that the achievements he is most proud of are the drop in infant mortality, the better nutrition offered in the free breakfast program and not giving in to the rightwing’s violent provocation… keeping the “proceso” peaceful.)

II. 16th World Festival of Youth and Students

This August, Caracas, Venezuela will be home to the 16th World Festival of Youth and Students, a festival of politics, art, and culture. The meeting will be held from the 7th to the 15th and will be a convergence of young students and workers from across the globe, united behind the slogan "For peace and solidarity, we struggle against war and imperialism!" This is a chance for people to see the revolutionary process first hand, on the grass-roots levels with the revolutionaries of the Venezuelan Bolivarian Republic. -- http://newswire.indymedia.org/en/newswire/2005/03/820418.shtml

Hands Off Venezuela Campaign- http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/620/620p22.htm

·

· We hope to schedule a global meeting to plan strategy: An Internacional for Post-Capitalist Participatory Democracy and Revolution before, during and after the World Festival of Youth and Students.

· Indeed, we hope that the Internacional will meet permanently (in person or electronically) until victory over Capital is complete. (8)

·

On the subject of Action Planning for Revolutionists:

Moving From Theory to Implementation

POINTS FOR REVOLUTIONARY POLICY FORMATION (Decision-Time)

A Draft Program of the MER-Real Left (EcoSolidarity/Economics) Guiding Principles for a Revolutionary Democracy (Action Strategy and Process) : (March 2005) (8)

III. Understanding the Problems That We Face: (9)

Definitions

Problems: Things that prevent us from achieving an equitable society where all socially based voices can work toward a sustainable system.

Examples: Capitalism, the rich, the USA, the commercial-military-espionage forces that the USA and EU maintain around the planet (Imperialism), activists who can't or don't believe in studying and outlining their goals, strategies and tactics; Trivial or insufficient critiques. (10) [ Critiques of Capitalism and Activism ]; the disease of a selfish materialistic obsession (11).

It is divisive to discuss problems when the entirety of the system is bankrupt and the reform movements can no longer comprehend the degree or the time that would be required to patch up such a collapsing and degrading system as the world suffers under today... Will Tomorrow be another story?

For many years we have tried to instigate a debate on a Real Economics. A slow, broad and inclusive debate is no longer possible (time) or feasible (how many years to train millions of people in all of the various schools of economics, development and public policy ??? ). It is obvious that we have to overthrow capitalism and demolish USA hegemony before we can establish real education which is necessary before a real democracy. (12)

_ The New Society: Socialism for the 21st Century _

[ Possible short essay: 1840 words to (^^) ]

Beyond problems and beyond radical reform, alternative economics and old socialist models is an area of debate. We are not trying to describe a rigid model that all countries and people must follow. Development in Venezuela will be different than in Bolivia or Cuba or West Bengal India. What we need to agree on is the acceptable means for people to use to seize space for democracy and a variety of development styles. [Expropriations, nationalizations, debt default, state planning for decentralization...]

Before examining the economic model for a New Socialism

– What We Call ECOSOLIDARITY –

consider some of the "Strategies of Truth."

– These are things that help us to focus the conflict that we are caught up in, so that we can avoid dead-ends

and move forward to direct confrontation with Global and National Capital.

IV. Strategies of Truth: Introduction to MER – Real Left Strategies:

Ten Observations

1. National and global social movements need to embrace a practical and focused goal of accumulating power in order to takeover governments. Conventional politics and left-thinking in the USA are dead, in Europe they are dying.

2. In the USA there is little that activists can do other than relocate supporters of change to states in the USA where they can seize power through the ballot; or aid the revolutions in the Andes through fundraising. Protests, lobbying and voting are stupid. They actually aid the power elite who want the appearance of democracy and opposition – as long as it can accomplish nothing. This is also true in the EU, though there is some potential there for new types of coalitions in Germany, Italy, France and the EU Parliament (or the streets!) (14). (This does not mean that you never go to protests or vote, it means that you stay on task, focused on raising funds for the Andes and building an organization to manage and develop these funds. In the midst of a national campaign to raise money, technicians and human shields for revolutions in the Andes, then protests against US policies there and or everywhere would make sense because they would serve a purpose beyond the First Amendment (expression) and some education. )

3. The leaders of USA environmental and justice groups are barriers to change. They debate whether to try new strategies or fall back on style and simply modify the current moderate plan of merging left issues together in a coalition with moderate democrats – a strategy where victory becomes as meaningless as defeat! (15)

4. The USA is an empire of corporate, trade and, military alliances. Only through extending our conceptions of politics – which is another word for Power – extending it beyond the imaginary borders of nations can we create a better world.(16)

5.James Petras has a criteria for judging anti-imperialist governments:

"Do they pay the foreign debt to US and European banks; do they respect the privatization of strategic industries; do they promote new privatizations; do they keep their markets open to overseas exporters; do they support the dollar against the euro by holding their reserves in dollars; do they pass regressive labor, pension and minimum wage legislation; do they abide by IMF agreements and impose austerity programs and regressive tax laws?" Add to this list, bans on GMOs. Why let Monsanto or Dow or any non-local company control your seed or farm production? Chavez banned GMOs – Lula legalized them. [ The UK and Poland debate the issue and the risks]

[ See the Series: Lessons Learned, Part I: http://real-left.tripod.com/index.blog?start=1108598178

6. A Global War is on, and the only subjects worth studying; organizing or executing are those that can change the whole system in a short time. The target is always to stop the USA: Get USA military-espionage programs and USA-backed death squads out of all countries; and create an appealing and diverse counter-power to USA hegemony. (18)

Without a rapid decline in consumption in the rich countries all environmental issues are hopeless and the chances of meaningful social change are non-existent. Resource wars and wars of imperialism will be the only issues left. These are the challenges and time limits that we face. (19)

7. There is no way to avoid the catastrophe of global warming because the capitalist model of consumption growth and rampant pollution to reduce costs combines with US greed to guarantee massive increases in greenhouse gases. To survive in this post-global warming future of brutal US imperialist wars, the few remaining moral people in the US and Europe should fund revolutions in the Andes to create an alternative model and a counter to US hegemony. There are billions of dollars in potential funding up for grabs in the US and Europe. The deceptions and failures of the Narrow left and the Enviros has created a vacuum where people are looking for something positive to invest in.

8. There is a process or hierarchy of resistance and movement building that can guide our efforts to stop imperialism and protect the environment. The basis of this hierarchy is that we must be honest and probing about our goals (near term and long run); about the strategies that could achieve them; and deeply open to debate and to clearer thinking than in the past. The Real Left needs to make sense - AND be understandable, with real solutions to all of the linked problems:

V. A Hierarchy of Action, Purpose and Socio-Political Evolution:

How to Change the World: Applied Resistance by Movements & States

8. I. Stop the USA Economic Cancer and Imperialist Aggression

a. Build Revolutionary Coalitions in Latin America: First in the Andes where Revolutions are Ripe and the Indigenous Populations are the Highest.

b. Raise Billions of Dollars to Help these Groups and Anyone Fighting Capitalism in the Andes (20)

8. II. Force the USA – EU – OECD to Consume and Pollute Less.

a. Reduce USA Corporate Profits Through Trade Barriers (Tariffs and Quotas), Embargos, Debt Erasures, Boycotts and the Expropriation of USA Corporate Holdings. Expel Everything and Everyone Connected to the USA and Seize Their Stolen Possessions. (21)

b. Make the USA-EU Empires Pay Higher Oil Prices With Oil Embargos or by Utilizing Most of the Oil Within the South. Charge the USA Surcharges for Oil Purchases (& other products) and Require Them to Use Ships and Refineries in the South.

8. III. Defend and Build up the Revolutions in the South

a. Prepare Strategies to Resist USA Imperialist Attacks. The Best Defense is a Strong People with a Clear Ideology, Decentralized Economy and Decentralized Mobile Armed Forces. (22)

8. IV. Build a Personal and Social Consciousness of the Importance of the Environment to Self Reliance, Solidarity and National Defense

a. Solidarity Economics: A Solidaristic Decentralized Cooperative and Local-Oriented Economy.

b. Education (Latin America) for Solidarity and Eco-protection/ Sustainability. (23)

8. V. How do we factor the uncertainty of the timeframe concerning the issues of global warming’s peak or the next wave of US invasions into our models and plans for resistance? (24)

9. Observation 9:

A Summary of the "Ten Observations." : Strategies of Truth

USA activist like to tout: Peace, Justice and Environmental Sustainability

So – First comes the war against capitalism (which is mostly a mental war of rejecting the brainwashing they feed us) and then the establishment of sustainable-oriented governments in the Andes and then in all of Latin America.

Then there will come the wars against US aggression and Yankee invasions. Then we will be on the road to peace.

Then we do years of education and experiments in new theories of economic development, then we will be on the road to justice.

Then if there is an environment left we try to protect and restore it. Then we might be approaching the road to sustainable development. (25)

To move this hierarchy of needs and evolution along people in the USA-EU can send money, many skilled specialists and trades people to the revolutions in the Andes.

Instead of growing frustrated with the inevitable defeats in the USA (failure to change anything) and the reality that protests and lobbying can actually encourage the right wing or the ignorant voters to fight change more, activists can earn strategic victories by aiding, visiting and organizing around the revolutions in the Andes. These People to People – or "Pueblo a People" campaigns can be positive and real.

Move beyond political stalemate to make a real difference. Forget politics as you knew it. Do the politics of building global and continental resistance. Forget lobbying and all environmental or social justice organizing in the USA. That won't work – never change anything soon. The Andes have a lot to teach us and a world to win - a dollar a year from every person in the USA could make the difference.

Take the power where you can find it!

The value of international solidarity and a large campaign for Venezuela in the US is worth billions to Chavez. More than any money we could raise for the Andes, a growing US movement and international support would build morale, honor, dignity and inspiration …

10. To build a counter-power to the imperialist USA, activist groups need to reach beyond national boundaries to build strong alliances in Latin America with indigenous people (50 to 80 million people), workers in the Andes (50 to 80 million people), African descendants (100,000,000 to 120,000,000 people), and to finance aid programs with Venezuelan and Andean revolutionary groups. Solidarity with these groups and the 200 million Latin American people trapped in neoliberal (USA-imposed) poverty can yield dividends abroad and within the USA. (26)

HUGO CHAVEZ: "Imperialism not invincible!

Look at Vietnam, Iraq and Cuba resisting, and now look at Venezuela… Some people say that we cannot say nor do anything that can irritate those in Washington. I offer you the words of Argentine independence hero José de San Martin:

‘Let's be free without caring what anyone else says.’” -- Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela

We Call on all people to appeal to the following leaders:

If Jorge Martin, Alan Woods, Alexander Cockburn, Campesino groups from all over Latin America, Tariq Ali, Jeffery St. Claire, President Hugo Chavez, Indigenous groups from the Andes, the MST in Brazil and Bolivia, Felipe Quispe, Oscar Olivera, Omar Fernández, Abel Mamani, Manuel Marulanda Velez, Alfonso Cano, James Petras, Walden Bello, Eduardo Tamayo, Wendel Berry, Vandana Shiva, Arhundati Roy, Ken Livingston, Ward Churchill, the German Greens/ EU Nordic/Left Blocs, the Uruguayan Leftists, the Chilean Communist Party, Ruben Zamora, the Cubans, radical ecologists, the Italian PRC, other activists and professors would come forward with all of their power to support a clear plan for a new type of participatory socialist – or solidaristic - economy then many people, activists and movements would come together from around the world to promote this vision. The deadlock of US-world politics would be broken and with some luck and hard work the South would begin to construct the vibrant models that are possible there.

(Who else could help??)(27)