As 2012 dawns: Once more on optimism and pessimism
The world is changing rapidly before our eyes.
Over the last 12 months events have been unfolding with breathtaking
speed.
International
The Year Of Arab Revolution
Today, Saturday, 17th December, marks
the first anniversary of the Arab Revolution. On this day, one year
ago, Mohammad Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor, driven by
desperation, poverty, and anger, set himself on fire in the city of Sidi
Bouzid. The revolutionary wildfire that began after his death — first
in southern Tunisia, then the entire country, then erupting across the
entire Arab-speaking world—marked a turning point in human history
Class Struggle and the American Revolution
In the recent period, the so-called
Tea Party movement has laid claim to the legacy of the American
Revolution. With their tri-corner hats and abstract appeals to
patriotism and freedom, they have seized headlines, aided by generous
coverage by the corporate media. This has led to tremendous confusion
when it comes to the real class roots of this world-shaking event.
Unfortunately, for many Americans, the Revolution has been reduced to a
summer barbecue on the 4th of July, flag-waving, fireworks, and images
of George Washington heroically crossing the Delaware River.
New Zealand: An analysis of Labour’s general election disaster
For
the NZ Labour Party the 2011 general election defeat was the worst since
1928. The main factor for this was the historic low turnout as many
workers stayed at home and were not enthused enough by the right-wing
leadership of the Labour Party to go out and vote. The turn out was down
from (what was considered then a low turnout) 79.46% at the 2008
general election to 73.83%. This was the lowest turnout since 1878!
Elections in Russia: The tide is turning
The parliamentary elections in Russia
on Sunday, December 4, were seen as a popularity test of Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin, who is running for the presidency in March. The result
was a blow to Putin, registering a sharp fall in support for his United
Russia party. According to the official results, which are undoubtedly
rigged, United Russia obtained just under half of valid votes cast,
which gives it a very small majority in the State Duma.
NOV 30: The North of Ireland flexes its muscles with public sector strike
While between 2 and 3 million struck in Britain, in the North of Ireland about
200,000 people took part in the Public Sector strike action on 30th
November. Schools and civil service offices were shut, as were job
centres and council services. Rail and bus services were non-existent.
Union members held marches, pickets, and rallies throughout the country
over the issue of pensions. The main rally took place in Belfast city
centre, where around 15,000 gathered and several thousands spread
over Craigavon, Omagh, Armagh, Ballymena, Derry and other towns.
Egypt: SCAF-organised elections will not satisfy aspirations of the masses
On Friday more than a million Egyptian
youth, workers and poor yet again assembled in Tahrir Square. The
masses have once again risen in an attempt to remove the remnants of the
Mubarak regime, which are still in power. Not far from Tahrir, in
Abbassiya Square, not more than a couple of thousand people gathered in a
pathetic demonstration in support of the SCAF. To the sceptics who did
not believe in the revolution, this should be a clear demonstration of
the real balance of forces. But at the same time the revolution clearly
faces obstacles, not from external forces, but in its own internal
contradictions.
Where is China going?
After overtaking Japan, this year
China became the second largest economy in the world. Some experts have
even predicted that by the end of this decade China may become the
largest economy bypassing the United States. However, that is based on a
mechanical, empirical approach that sees China maintaining its present
levels of growth uninterruptedly for years to come. In the past Japan
was also supposed to keep on growing, but then its apparent meteoric
rise was cut across by a long period of stagnation.
Spanish elections: Socialist Party trounced – new right wing government faces acute capitalist crisi
The results of the Spanish elections on Sunday November 20
represented a massive defeat for the Socialist Party (PSOE) which had
introduced austerity measures to make the workers pay for the capitalist
crisis, rather than a victory for the right wing Popular Party (PP)
which will now have to introduce even more savage austerity cuts in the
face of the acute crisis of Spanish capitalism.
Egypt – masses rise against the army generals
Events in Egypt are developing at
lightning speed. Similarly to the last days of Mubarak in February this
year, we see daily battles on the streets of Cairo and elsewhere. The
Egyptian masses are determined to see the revolution carried through to
the end. The clash between revolution and counter-revolution is
provoking a crisis inside all political forces, as the rank and file
instinctively move towards revolution and the leaderships vacillate and
try to hold the masses back.
Why an Italian meltdown threatens the world economy
The Eurozone is passing through the
most serious crisis in its entire history. After Greece comes the
Italian crisis. This places a big question mark over the future of the
euro. We predicted long ago that in a serious crisis all the national
contradictions come to the fore, as we now see with the fractious
relations between Greece, France, Germany and Italy. The European Union
is facing the day of reckoning.
NIPSA ballot result shows mood
Workers have not only been balloting for action in Britain but also in Northern Ireland, where the Tory-led Coalition’s attacks on pensions will also apply if carried out. Fightback – the voice of Marxism in Ireland – reports on the ballot results in the North.