Socialist Resistance recently joined with the SWP, NPA and 30 other anticapitalist organisations to make a common pledge of solidarity with the struggles in Greece. In the reply below, the Greek anticapitalist coalition Antarsya calls for a coordinated escalation of the struggles against the EU and the austerity drive.
Dear Comrades
In light of the measures announced by the Greek Government as part of the deal to get the aid package from the IMF and the EU, we think that the initiative of organizations of the anticapitalist Left in Europe to express their solidarity with the Greek labour movement is more than welcome. These measures are a declaration of war against the forces of labour in Greece. It is the biggest attack against workers’ rights for many decades. The Papandreou government, the bankers, the IMF and the EU want to impose a condition of social barbarism. At the same time anger is growing and mass strikes and demonstrations are offering signs of the workers’ resistance. The Left is facing a challenge of historical proportions.
ANTARSYA insists on the need for an escalation of struggles, with general and sectoral strikes and mass rallies that will challenge the attack by the government, the IMF and the EU, defend workers’ rights and demand that capitalists and not workers pay for the crisis. We will keep on fighting with all our forces. No pasaran!
It is time for a coordinated international answer to the attempt by capitalists, the EU and the IMF to impose the cost of crisis upon workers. The forces of the Anticapitalist Left of Europe must stand up to the challenge. With confidence in the potential of collective struggle and workers’ militancy, we can defeat the forces of capital and open up the way for the anticapitalist alternative. That is why we welcome the proposal for coordinated action of solidarity and against the cuts on European level by forces of Anticapitalist left and the movements.
Now is the time for the forces of the Anticapitalist Left to coordinate their actions and insist on the possibility for an anticapitalist answer to the crisis. What is needed is a set of concrete political goals that represent a clear break with bourgeois politics, offer the possibility to change the balance of forces in favour of the working class and open the way for radical social change, a new socialist and communist future.
We also insist that such an anticapitalist program must take a clear stance against the EU. In our opinion it is not possible to ‘reform’ the EU, the only way is the fight of the workers in each country for the anticapitalist exit from the EU and the common internationalist struggle for the dismantling of the EU. We think that such an anticapitalist program must include the following political goals:
· Disobedience against IMF and EU directives – Exit form the Eurozone and the EMU – Struggle for the anticapitalist exist from the EU.
· Immediate stoppage to foreign debt payments now – Give money to workers not bankers
· Nationalization of Banks under workers’ control
· Tax Capital – immediate cuts to military expenditures
· Ban lay-offs – Secure and decent jobs for all.
· Immediate increase to wages – protect collective agreements
· Legalize immigrants – political asylum and shelters for refugees
· Public social security, Health System, and Education for all!
ANTARSYA, Athens, May 2010
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Dear Comrades
It is apparent that the workers of Greece are being forced to shoulder the cost of the economic crisis, while the bourgeoisie are protecting and growing their profits. This situation is untenable, and consequently there is general support from the Greek working class to resist the Papandreou bourgeois government, and the bourgeois state apparatus in general. I salute the courage of our Greek comrades in undertaking the task of revolution.
ANTARSYA has noted that there is no possibility of reform of the capitalist order. This is an important realisation that must be popularised within the working class. The only solution to this crisis is a radical social change. ANTARSYA also note the importance of putting forward, and popularising an anticapitalist program, a revolutionary program with definite political goals.
The political goals tabled include “Disobedience against IMF and EU directives – Exit form the Eurozone and the EMU – Struggle for the anticapitalist exist from the EU.” and “Immediate stoppage to foreign debt payments now – Give money to workers not bankers”.
In order to achieve these goals, it is apparent that economic and political control of Greece must be wrested from the hands of the bourgeoisie and claimed by the working class. The bourgeoisie will not acquiesce to this demand though; they will rally their forces in defence of private property.
The Papandreou bourgeois government, like all bourgeois states serves the interests of the oppressing class, the bourgeoisie. Furthermore, bourgeois state’s authority stems from, not from the support of the people of Greece, but rather from their special body of armed men. In short, despite the demands of the working class, the special body of armed men will be used to protect the class interest of the bourgeoisie through force and violence!
ANTARSYA goes further to state the goal of “Nationalization of Banks under workers’ control”. This does not go far enough. Not only must the financial institutions be claimed, but all corporations in Greece. The workers must claim the means of production and command these organisations to cooperate with one another in order to produce for the benefit of the workers of Greece and not the profits of the bourgeoisie. In short, nationalization of the entire Greek economy without compensation!
It is only through this action that the workers will be able to achieve the goals stated i.e. “Ban lay-offs – Secure and decent jobs for all”, ”Immediate increase to wages – protect collective agreements” and “Public social security, Health System, and Education for all!”
Standing in the way of achieving these objectives are the labour aristocracy, paid for by the bourgeoisie, tasked with dividing the workers. These agents of the bourgeoisie sow dissension and evoke chauvinist sentiment, as a means of dividing the working class. They are present within the trade-union movements and bourgeois “labour parties”. With the financial resources available to them, they are able to serve as prophets of false hope. A method of dealing with these bourgeois “labour party” representatives is to expose the meaning of their sophistic babble, explaining the meaning thereof, and in response putting forward the truth. Truth must be proved! The working class understands the truth of their circumstance, they suffer. When the facts are brought to account, the lies propagated by the bourgeois “labour party” representatives will only expose their bourgeois agenda. Only through fostering unity among the working class will the struggle for the emancipation of the Greek worker be accomplished.
Another serious impediment to accomplishing the goals of the working class is the special body of armed men defending the bourgeois state.
The Hellenic Army consists of 126,560 personnel on active duty. Furthermore, the Hellenic Police consists of 55,000 personnel. The Hellenic Police is a military body.
The workers of Greece must demand that the Hellenic Police and Army be unionised. If this can be accomplished, the possibility gaining the cooperation of the Hellenic Police and Army in the struggle for the emancipation of the Greek worker can be secured.
Without the cooperation of the Hellenic Police and Army, a bitter struggle will ensue. As an immediate political goal, it is critical that propaganda be directed towards the security forces, appealing to them not to kill their brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents and join in the fight for emancipation.
Greece has compulsory conscription of males older than 18 years. The male workers of Greece have received military training. It will become necessary for the workers of Greece to defend themselves against the inevitable onslaught of the Papandreou bourgeois government.
The fight that lies ahead will be bloody and brutal. Bourgeois barbarism knows no bounds, and the fury of the bourgeoisie will be unleashed on any group which attempts to claim their private property. The special body of armed men will not be able to stop millions of Greek workers moving together for the same purpose. United the Greek worker will be victorious!
The workers of Europe and the world must pledge their solidarity with the Greek workers. Our Greek comrades will now face the same challenges set before the workers of all countries. Let the trade unions of Europe pledge, that if the workers of Greece are attacked by the police and army of the Papandreou government, there will be a general strike in all countries of Europe! When the hour nears, words from the labour unions of Europe will not be enough, mass action will be required.