Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 12:32:54 -0500
From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood-AT-panix.com>
Subject: M-I: Russia


>from Johnson's Russia List (djohnson-AT-cdi.org):

>Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 14:24:15 -0500
>From: "Dr D.S. Lane" <dsl10-AT-cus.cam.ac.uk> (David Lane)
>Subject: All Russia strike demonstration in Moscow.
>
>TU Demo.
>
>There are more aspects of the All-Russian general strike which
>might be noted.  As far as the Moscow demonstration was
>concerned (and conditions in the provinces may be different)
>there was a significant absence of political analysis of the
>present economic crisis.  While there were slogans deploring
>Russia's political leaders, there were no political demands in
>the resolutions passed (See the report by Alandarenko and
>Galkin in DJL).  There seems to be a curious gap between political
>policy  and economic collapse.
>
>One can see here a very low level of political consciousness on the part
>of the current communist leadership in Russia.  There were communist and
>nationalist banners, but unlike Western European workers' rallies, there
>were very few
>factory banners and the marchers did not appear to be grouped
>according to factory units.  There was a complete absence of
>pickets; public transport in Moscow ran normally, except where
>prohibited by the authorities.
>
>I also thought it ironic that
>here in the cradle of the Bolshevik Revolution, the trade
>unionists were not allowed to use Red Square, which was
>effectively sealed off, and had to rally on Vassilievsky Spusk.




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