Date: Mon, 13 Feb 95 18:41:53 GMT
From: Ron Press <anclondon-AT-gn.apc.org>
Subject: Crisis


Hi

I am over 65 and joined the SACP in 1955, ie about 40 years ago.
As far as I know the system has been in crisis all this time.

I remember Jack Hodgson an even longer time communist, saying to
me  in 1955 vis a vie the South African situation that liberation
was around the corner. It took a lot longer.

Medical patients have been known to be in crisis for years in an
intensive care unit.

Unfortunately Capitalism has been in crisis for years. As far as
the majority of mankind is concerned they have been living in a
crisis situation all their lives. Capitalism although it stands,
up is dead as far as they are concerned but it has to be pushed
over.

We must not mistake crisis for death. What the majority of the
people on earth want is a better system of production and
distribution. What is it that causes that qualitative leap from
one system to another.

We are given a few clues by Lenin in many of his works, for
example State and Revolution. But that is another question.

One of his criteria however is that the old system is in crisis
and CAN NO LONGER GOVERN. This is presumably the crisis we are
talking about. But is it so deep that the system can no longer
govern??

As long as it can expand, as long as it can hold sufficient
numbers of supporters under its guidance it can ride the crisis.

This ultimate crisis will come but not yet.

One thing is for sure it is only if there is within it an
organised new system which can take over from it.

Fortunately if one looks at the world as a whole there are forces
enough, and the embryo of the new system. The species called
Socialism is not dead and the Dinosaur of capital is in crisis.

Ron.


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