From: HANLY-AT-BrandonU.CA
Date: Wed, 06 Mar 1996 15:09:05 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Re: NAFTA , EU, regional blocs


Recently Carlos wrote:

    But there was another relationship: free trade and the opening up   
    of Mexico has reduced the margin of maneuverabilty of the national
    bourgeoisie and, therefore, of its political domination.

COMMENT: This may be true of Mexico, assuming it is true that the national
bourgeoisie dominated in Mexico. It is not true of Canada since the fraction of
the bourgeoisie which is nationalist has never had power. Our ruling class
is what is called a comprador bourgeoise in favor of international, usually
US, rather
than national capital and indeed often junior partners in US imperialism,
as in Canadian investment in the  Carribean. To some degree our Conservative
power harbored the national bourgeoisie and years ago used to take measures
discouraging control by US investment--but often favoring British capital.
This era has long gone and both major parties are continentalist.
However, most of the bourgeoisie
is pissed off at Yankee jingoism and kowtowing to Cuban gusanos. Even the
bloody Prime Minister of Grenada so recently freed from the "chains of
communism"
by the US agreed with the Canadian Prime MInister that legislation punishing
other countries for trading with Cuba is intolerable.
   That the national bourgeoisie of Mexico loses its domination to a comprador
bourgeoisie that benefits and rips off everyone as the result of the new order
is hardly much comfort for MExican peasants or the Mexican working class.
The situation is worsening for them under the comprador bourgeoisie.
  Carlos is right that NAFTA etc. does restrict the reformist policies of the
NDP and anyone else.
   Cheers, Ken Hanly



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