Let Us Enter 2002 With the Courage of Our Convictions

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Let Us Enter 2002 With the Courage of Our Convictions

Humanity enters 2002 with a world beset by tensions and great dangers brought about by the agenda of neo-liberal globalisation pursued by the big powers. The British government has played a most reactionary role in this respect as the champion of this programme of globalisation and the chief backer of US imperialism's "New World Order". It has led the world in putting forward obscurantist justifications for aggressions, annexations and interventionism which cannot be justified. Under the signboards of "shared values" and a "shared mission", it has sought to blindly impose Anglo-American and Eurocentric values, notions and forms of democracy throughout the globe. It is acting as a bunch of gangsters and hooligans under the banner of "peacemaker", and defender of "human rights" and "toleration".

In effect, the Blairite, modernising programme of the "Third Way" has been exposed as nothing but a programme to block the progress of society, and serve the interests of the rich and powerful. It is a programme which is based on negating the gains which progressive humanity made in the 20th century, spuriously asserting that what was settled in terms of international norms, in terms of ideology and of the political and military victory over the evil of fascism, is now outdated. But so far down the road of retrogression has the government gone that the "Third Way" is revealed as a total illusion-mongering, designed to stop the New in its tracks, to divert the aspirations of the working class and people for a new society. This programme has openly become one of negating fundamental rights domestically while pursuing war, state terrorism and intervention internationally.

It is profoundly true that September 11 has deepened all the negative and positive trends which are contending in national and international affairs. September 11 signalled a period of deepest reaction all along the line. It has deepened the economic crisis which has seen the financial oligarchy desperately trying to maximise its profits by the agenda of governments delivering every aspect of social programmes to its service, while pursuing globalisation internationally. This has been transformed into an all-out assault for annexation, re-division of spheres of influence and the dictate of the international financial institutions. The crisis and reactionary trends have deepened in every other sphere also, whether in the sphere of values, the sphere of rights, in the cultural and social spheres, or in the sphere of politics and political institutions. Under the signboard of combating "international terrorism" and "illegal immigrants and bogus asylum seekers", the government has embarked on a course which attacks collective and individual rights, further divides the polity on racist, religious and other grounds, and criminalises political protest, dissent, and motive and intent, while seeking to impose a "universal" and official ideology and set of values.

Anti-communism and the clash of values have been confirmed as the key elements of this official ideology of the big powers. The British government in particular has taken up the mantle of the present-day equivalent of the "white man's burden". Its active expression is the fascisation of the state, the further militarisation of the economy and the most violent state terrorism in pursuit of its economic and strategic interests.

Yet this scenario has also deepened the conviction among the workers, women, youth and students, national minority communities and throughout the people as a whole that this world they are being offered, this society they live in, is not acceptable, it is not fit for human beings, that the denial of the people's claims on society and the use of force internationally are crimes against humanity against which a stand can and must be taken.

Workers' Weekly/Workers' Daily Internet Edition is convinced that if the various collectives of the people get together on the basis of the courage of their convictions, they will be able to chart a way forward which will make a difference. We are sure that the time is now, in 2002, for workers, women, youth, national minorities and the many other collectives amongst the people, to take this stand on the basis of the courage of their convictions. Whether it is to declare – Not In Our Name! A Different World Is Possible! or For a Socialist Britain! – or it is to declare – For the Right to a Livelihood! Defend the Rights of All! or For the Rights of the Workers, For the Rights of the People! – or it is to declare – Plant the Alternative on the Soil of Britain! Build the Workers' Opposition! – the working class and people should not be deflected from expressing and putting into practice their convictions.

Following the key year of 2001 in which it formulated a complete tactical line for this period, our Party, RCPB(ML) enters 2002 also on the basis of working to implement its tactical line and its 3rd Congress decisions and continue its advances on all fronts. It pledges to carry forward its line of march to a new socialist society through to the end. It will continue to rise to the challenges which the new millennium has set.

We join with all workers and democratic and peace-loving people in declaring that the so-called "war against terrorism" which is so profoundly reactionary must not be allowed to go through. The British working class and people are at one with the peoples world-wide fighting for the right to decide for themselves their own destinies. Let us enter 2002 with the courage of our convictions and play our part in bringing a new society, another world, into being!