CENPA-057~04 |
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58 WORLD MARXIST REVIEW CURRENT PROBLEMS Working Class Unity in the Developed Capitalist Countries The main obstacle with which the working- class movement has to contend in the developed capitalist countries is the fact that the movement is divided. The Communists, as the 1960 Moscow meeting of the Communist and Workers' parties stressed, are working to overcome this division. They know that only united action can guarantee the successful solution of the problems confronting the working-class movement in the West, can further the struggle for peace, democracy and socialism. The international situation as well as the internal trends in the imperialist countries are now more favorable for the growth of working- class unity. Indeed, progress in this respect has been a feature of all the big mass movements of recent years in Italy, France, Japan, Belgium, West Germany, Spain, Finland and elsewhere. And the success of these actions corresponded to the degree of cooperation achieved between the various detachments of the working class in the course of the struggle. The Communist parties in the developed capitalist countries have gained much experience in working for unity, experience which reflects the specific features of the working-class movement in their countries. The editors of World Marxist Review have received a number of contributions concerning this experience, stressing the need for an interchange of information on the progress made and the difficulties encountered, and raising questions of fundamental importance in building unity. The points raised concern the new openings for uniting the working class and the search for ways and means of surmounting the obstacles still standing in the way. Needless to say, for the discussion of these questions to be even more fruitful, representatives of the other trends in the working-class movement, including the Social Democrats, should take part. As pointed out in the 1960 Statement, the Communists "are ready to hold discussions with Social Democrats, for they are certain that this is the best way to compare views, ideas and experience with the aim of removing deep-rooted prejudices and the division among the working people, and of establishing cooperation." Below we publish, in abridged form, contributions from West Germany and Finland. The editors invite readers, Party and trade union functionaries, Communists and non-Communists, to express their views on the points raised. This, we trust, will stimulate further discussion and thereby contribute to promoting unity in the working-class movement. THE POSITION OF THE WEST GERMAN COMMUNISTS 1. New Possibilities The time when class-consciousness among West German workers was dulled largely by violent anti-communism and by chauvinistic and revanchist campaigns has been followed by a new period when, under the impact of the changed balance of forces in the world and the aggravation of class contradictions, the economic, social and democratic interests of the working class conflict more and more with the state-monopoly system. Workers are evincing a growing interest in the basic problems of their movement. Thanks to the existence of the Democratic Republic in the eastern part of the country, the fight for socialism is becoming a political issue. The conditions in which the class struggle is developing in Federal Germany derive, on the one hand, from the rule of the giant monopolies and the handful of reactionary militarists and, on the other, from the popular striving for peace, democracy and social security. The incompatibility of the two makes joint action between the different classes and sections of the population increasingly possible. The metalworkers' strike in the spring of 1963 ushered in a new stage in the West German working-class movement. The ruling circles, stepping up the arms drive and militarization in general and seeking to strengthen their positions in the competitive struggle on the world market, are out to make the working class foot the bill by imposing a wage freeze. The metalworkers' strike showed, however, that although the time has passed when economic gain could be won without undue effort, the workers' determination to uphold their interests is growing. The strike was distinguished for the unity
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Title | CENPA-057~04 |
Filename | CENPA-057~04.tiff |
Full text | 58 WORLD MARXIST REVIEW CURRENT PROBLEMS Working Class Unity in the Developed Capitalist Countries The main obstacle with which the working- class movement has to contend in the developed capitalist countries is the fact that the movement is divided. The Communists, as the 1960 Moscow meeting of the Communist and Workers' parties stressed, are working to overcome this division. They know that only united action can guarantee the successful solution of the problems confronting the working-class movement in the West, can further the struggle for peace, democracy and socialism. The international situation as well as the internal trends in the imperialist countries are now more favorable for the growth of working- class unity. Indeed, progress in this respect has been a feature of all the big mass movements of recent years in Italy, France, Japan, Belgium, West Germany, Spain, Finland and elsewhere. And the success of these actions corresponded to the degree of cooperation achieved between the various detachments of the working class in the course of the struggle. The Communist parties in the developed capitalist countries have gained much experience in working for unity, experience which reflects the specific features of the working-class movement in their countries. The editors of World Marxist Review have received a number of contributions concerning this experience, stressing the need for an interchange of information on the progress made and the difficulties encountered, and raising questions of fundamental importance in building unity. The points raised concern the new openings for uniting the working class and the search for ways and means of surmounting the obstacles still standing in the way. Needless to say, for the discussion of these questions to be even more fruitful, representatives of the other trends in the working-class movement, including the Social Democrats, should take part. As pointed out in the 1960 Statement, the Communists "are ready to hold discussions with Social Democrats, for they are certain that this is the best way to compare views, ideas and experience with the aim of removing deep-rooted prejudices and the division among the working people, and of establishing cooperation." Below we publish, in abridged form, contributions from West Germany and Finland. The editors invite readers, Party and trade union functionaries, Communists and non-Communists, to express their views on the points raised. This, we trust, will stimulate further discussion and thereby contribute to promoting unity in the working-class movement. THE POSITION OF THE WEST GERMAN COMMUNISTS 1. New Possibilities The time when class-consciousness among West German workers was dulled largely by violent anti-communism and by chauvinistic and revanchist campaigns has been followed by a new period when, under the impact of the changed balance of forces in the world and the aggravation of class contradictions, the economic, social and democratic interests of the working class conflict more and more with the state-monopoly system. Workers are evincing a growing interest in the basic problems of their movement. Thanks to the existence of the Democratic Republic in the eastern part of the country, the fight for socialism is becoming a political issue. The conditions in which the class struggle is developing in Federal Germany derive, on the one hand, from the rule of the giant monopolies and the handful of reactionary militarists and, on the other, from the popular striving for peace, democracy and social security. The incompatibility of the two makes joint action between the different classes and sections of the population increasingly possible. The metalworkers' strike in the spring of 1963 ushered in a new stage in the West German working-class movement. The ruling circles, stepping up the arms drive and militarization in general and seeking to strengthen their positions in the competitive struggle on the world market, are out to make the working class foot the bill by imposing a wage freeze. The metalworkers' strike showed, however, that although the time has passed when economic gain could be won without undue effort, the workers' determination to uphold their interests is growing. The strike was distinguished for the unity |
Archival file | Volume5/CENPA-057~04.tiff |