Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 10:38:31 +0100 (MET)
Subject: Re: M-G: Re: Korea


>Robert Malecki wrote:
>> Because what we are seeing very clearly again in Korea as elsewhere is the
>> that capitalism and imperialism is a deadend! Only proletarian revolution
>> along the lines of the October Revolution in some of the major imperialist
>> countries can show the way out.
>
>While I agree with the essence of what Bob has written here, there are also 
some pretty crucial issues of 
>immediate concern that may or may not require revolution or war to settle 
them. Actually, in the long run they 
>will require revolution or war to settle them but in the short term maybe 
they can be resolved on their own 
>terms. They include:

The most crucial point is that a revolutionary International has to be built 
that can lead the masses in these struggles. Naturally it does not mean 
abstaining from some of the stuff you talk about below. For example;
>
>will the trade unionists organising the Korean general strike escape 
massive recriminations from the Korean 
>government? will the anti-labour laws passed on 26.12.96 get repealed? will 
the voice of the people be heard 
>above the tear gas?

You pose the above as a question. For Communists it is our duty to get out 
their on the barricades in Korea and let them hear the voices of Communists. 
Telling them not only that there is not enough tear gas in the world or laws 
that can stop the Korean working class if it is determined to go all the way 
and win this battle. If they arrest ONE leader then the arrest all of us. 
Not one person returns to work if any of the trade Union leaders are 
arrested! And we should be talking not only about a workers government in 
South Korea but also be linking this stuff to a political revolution in the 
north! But clearly also explaining how these events on tied to the general 
attack on the wotking class Internationall after the demise of the former 
Soviet Union. 

Because in the final analisis battles like these can either be won or lost. 
But the only garantee is building a revolutionary Inmternational. And this 
can be done both by patiently explaining the underlying reasons for the 
present crisis while at the same time being on the barricades in a United 
Front with the workers and their unions in taking on the government.
>
>In a large part, these questions are out of our hands, they depend upon the 
balance of class forces in Korea, 
>how much the bourgeoisie can afford to give away, how much the workers' 
movement can manage to hold out for, 
>etc., but we are not utterly without influence here. In the not unlikely 
situation that the forces in Korea are 
>mommentarily balanced (how else can a general strike go on for so long 
without either (a) collapsing or (b) 
>challenging for state power?) then outside influence may make a difference.

What really counts is the leadership! But also manifestations of 
International solidarity. Why do you think the Korean capitalists are trying 
to intimadate and arrest the leaders! A general strike can go on as long as 
the leadership is determined to win its goals!  All the cops in Korea can 
not stop the workers if they have a leadership who is determined to go all 
the way. The bougeoisie certainly will never let it go that far. If they see 
a chance they will try and make a deal with parts or part of the leadership 
or try and cower the movement by arresting its leaders.

>
>On the side of the bourgeoisie is international capital. On the side of the 
Korean workers are...the workers of 
>the world. And at their head is the vanguard, the organised Marxists. Or 
are they? I paid a visit to the Korean 
>general strike web page yesterday, to pass on solidarity greetings in my 
role as a parliamentary candidate for 
>the UK Labour Party (a small contribution I admit, but we all have to do 
what we can). I looked down the list 
>of solidarity greetings for familiar names from the marxism lists, and saw 
none. Why not?

Well, I am trying to do this through my trade union here in Sweden.
>
>Comrades, I cannot believe that we are too busy debating whether the 
working class has the ability for 
>revolution that we cannot spare five minutes of on-line time to register 
our support, as Marxists, for the 
>Korean general strike. Where are our priorities?
>
>Nick
>
>
>
>
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>
>





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