Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 13:21:26 -0400 From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki) Subject: Re: M-TH: Automation does not mean unemployment in non-capitaism Dieter writes; on Europe... >But automation does not have to mean increased unemployment and crime. In >Germany, for example, the work week is now on average 37.5 hours per week. >Workers are increasingly taking home less money in return for extra time >off. Germany is also the world's leader in vacation time: six weeks of >paid time off a year. > >Although Germany's unemployment rate is higher than in the U.S., the motto >in Germany is that it's "better to share the jobs between more people." >The same goes for France, where a much-debated proposal calls for >companies nationwide to move to a four-day workweek, cut wages an average >of five percent, and take on 10 percent more workers. Hi Dieter, I was just wondering if we are living in the same Europe? I could almost understand you remarks on the states in regards to automation of the cotton fields linked to the blacks being forced to migrate up into the northern cities.. But, on Europe you immediately become very vague about historical events. Why not talk about the inherent racism in the capitalist system in regards to immigrant labor. Because much of the post war boom for European capitalism/imperialism was buildt on labor immigrating or outright refugees both from Africa but the middle east, India, the southern European contries Turkey, Greece for example fleeing both wars and pogoms and stavation. In fact in one aspect the American black slave probably had it far better off on the plantation then many a immigrant fleeing from somewhere to the post war boom in Europe. And despite the rosy picture you paint about unemployment in Germany and France. This is hardly true for the millions of immigrant workers and their families. Today a viscious campaign of deportations, cuts in the social sector, and all the rest is being used not only to stop immigration, but to turn back the clock and deport as many immigrants and their families (not to the northern states like in the US during the modernization of the cotton industry) but out of the countries that many of them have lived in and worked in for years! And Germany,France, Italy, Sweden and most of the common market countries are using this issue to devide the working class. I have been saying that here in Sweden it won't be long until we hear the desperate slogan of dispair "Burn Baby Burn"..So I don't get your enthusiasm over the shorter work week. In fact the shorter work week if implemented at all here in Europe is devoted not to immigrants because many of them no longer have a job. But too the nationals of the various countries.. The whole gist of your arguement about slavery must be seen in the light of the rise of American capitalism over the feudal remnants of the previous era connected to the industrial revolution. But in the period od imperialism and decaying capitalism there are NO solutions except socialist revolution and workers power to destroy this system. If the abolition of slavery was directly linked to the industrial revolution, then what we are seeing in Europe is two things after 1917. We see Russian revolutions along the lines of the Bolsheviks in October !917 and we see the other side of the pendle in the victory of facism in Germany. Nothing you say about the shorter working week can stop the present forces in motion. In fact it will only be either Social Revolutions or facism, and wars of the imperialist type occasionally to redevide the pie as we are seeing the preperations everywhere in imperialist countries beginning to head down that path at and ever increasing speed.. Warm regards Bob Malecki ------------------------------------------------------- Check Out My HomePage where you can, Read or download the book! Ha Ha Ha McNamara, Vietnam-My Bellybutton is my Crystalball! And Now the International Communist League Page! Just push on the "Spartacist" Button. New! Spartacist Youth Page! Or Get The Latest Issue of, COCKROACH, a zine for poor and working-class people. NEW! "RADIO TIME" In cooperation with Straitfacts, Bob Malecki will be giving occasional reports to Straitfacts Radio audiences in the United States. Text for these reports now on line. http://www.algonet.se/~malecki ------------------------------------------------------- --- from list marxism-thaxis-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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