A GROUP of leading Soviet oppositionists, including
Sakharov, has called for a twohour general strike on December
11 to demand the suppression of article 6 of the Soviet constitution, which establishes the leading role of the Communist Party in all
This demand is also being put forward by the striking miners in
Siberia's Vorkuta region.
ONCESSIONS have tumbled forth: unpopular leaders have been removed, censorship abolished, rights to organize established, a coalition government, free elections, an end to the Communist Party's political monopoly; and last but not least a recognition that the invasion of August 1968 was a crime....It is almost too good to be true.
Nonetheless it does not seem as if the logic of change can easily be restrained. The coalition government announced on December 3, which contains only five non-communist members and in which officials retain the defence and interior ministries, is certain to be chal-
La resumption of the mass movement and may not last long in its present form. There are of course, groups who have every reason to feel threatened by the end of the old order. These include the ousted ruling group and lower level 300,000 people, who will be held responsible for the last 21 years of stagnation, engaged in "work" relating to "security". But they have no social base and are fast losing their grip even on the Communist Party. The forthcoming party congress on January 26 will seal the fate of many of them, at the same time beginning the process of rehabilitating the approximately 500,000 members who were thrown out after the Prague Spring in a purge overseen by ousted leader Milos Jakes himself. It is hard to believe that this congress can avoid receiving popular Prague Spring leader Alexander Dubcek Youth not prepared to accept situation
The glasnost era in the Soviet Union, the sudden opening of the Berlin Wall, the regime's stupefyingly brutal response to the peaceful demonstration on Friday November 24, and the determination of the youth, especially students, to put up with no more, all came together to crack the hard but brittle surface of Czechoslovak neo-Stalinism.
But what will replace the existing system? The economy is at the forefront of popular concern. Despite the relatively high living standards and a manageable foreign debt, the Czechoslovak economy is in bad shape. Bureaucratic command economies in general can only deal with one problem at a time: thus the "normalizers" under Husak and Jakes did everything they could to maintain a satisfactory supply of consumer goods and foodstuffs to the population but at the cost of a lack of investment and appalling ecological damage.
Prime Minister Ladislav Adamec informed his country's Federal Assembly in June that Czechoslovak industry lagged ten years behind the West, and it
General strike breaks
CZECHOSLOVAKIA vakia is for a market economy (with social protection)
and parliamentary democracy. According to the programme of Civic Forum, the opposition coalition neo-Stalinist that played a central role in the recent events and in negotiations with the
"We want to create a develauthorities, oped market, not deformed by bureaustranglehold cratic interference. The condition for its successful functioning is the ending of the monopoly position of the existing big enterprises and the creation of real com-
"THE REVOLUTION is proceeding much quicker than we expected" remarked leading Czechoslovak opposition activist
Jiri Dienstbier after the general strike of Monday 24 that shattered the neo-Stalinist regime put in place after the crushing of the Prague Spring in August 1968. The general strike itself was a sign of how fast things have moved. The workers - supposedly bought off by relatively good living standards and an easy life — participated in their millions, and visible among the vast crowds on Prague's Wenceslas Square that Monday were many factory and workplace banners.
COLIN MEADE seems that Czechoslovakia, whose economy is based around engineering and lacks its own sources of raw materials, has been paying off its foreign debt by exports of raw materials rather than engineering goods. The country has also become a victim of the debt crisis in a special way. It has been selling much of its sub-standard industrial produce to the
Third World on credit, and it is becoming clear that the receiving countries cannot pay. In an interview on Czechoslovak television, Milos Zeman, an economist at a
Prague research institute claimed that
"our level of technological and scientific development is today roughly comparable to Algeria and Peru, and far behind Portugal, which is considered one of the most backward countries in Western Europe".
Without change, he insisted, the country could face "in the very near future" empty stores, inflation, strikes and demonstra-
Equally grave is the ecological crisis. Emissions of pollutants, above all from brown-coal burning power stations and heavy industry have damaged 58% of forests in the Czech Lands and 35% in Slovakia. Between a third and a half of the country's rivers can no longer sup port life. In January 1989, in the worsthit North Bohemian region concentrations of sulphur dioxide in the air rose to more than 6 times the World Health Organization's limit of acceptability. Officially, all children in the region are to be sent to less polluted areas twice a year. In February 1989 the Czechoslovak Health Ministry revealed that life expectancy for both women and men had fallen to its lowest level since 1960, and was the fourth lowest in Europe after Hungary, Poland and the Soviet Union.
The dominant trend amongst the petition. This can arise only on the basis of different types of property enjoying equal rights and the gradual opening up of our economy to the world." They go on to remark that, "Czechoslovakia must be a land of social justice, in which people receive help in old age, in sickness and in difficult circumstances. An important precondition for all this, however, is a prosperous national economy."
### Komarek expresses admiration for Reaganomics
The other major trend in the forthcoming coalition government will be the reform wing of the communist party together with the Dubcekite "communist party in exile" grouped in the association Obroda (Renewal). Dubcek explicitly stated his support for the Civic Forum platform in his speech to the Prague crowd on November 24. Valtr Komarek, an economics departmental head at the Czechoslovak Institute of Sciences, widely tipped for an important post in some future coalition acceptable to the masses, expressed his enthusiasm for Milton Friedman and Reaganomics in a polemic on economic policy in May this year.
On the other hand it is obvious that a complete subjection to the laws of the world market will make many of the problems worse. For example, Czechoslovakia has been offered hard currency by some West European countries if it will store their toxic waste hardly a step towards resolving the ecological crisis. More generally, full-scale marketization will mean an end to the sense of tions.
DNES 27. LISTOPADU: GENERALNI STAVKA!
Ivobodné flovo emerging political forces in Czechoslo-
•- Podali si ruce...
national unity and the democratic atmosphere — the key to the success of all plans for renewal - forged by the recent events, as whole sectors of society are plunged into destitution while others enrich themselves.
The "socialist alternative" to capitalist and bureaucratic tyrannies, however, remains on the drawing board. The
Choral prisahy nad Prabou impossibility of engaging in a genuine dialogue with those trapped by the bureaucratic system, and the delusion, fostered by carefully constructed bureaucratic lies, that socialism had been, or was in the process of being constructed from above, have been major factors in inhibiting the development of such an alternative. We should rejoice that the lie has lost its credibility, but also recognize 25 that the real work is ahead of us. *
For a democratic and self-managed socialism
WE PUBLISH below the platform of Left
Alternative, a movement for democratic
International Viewpoint #75 • December 11, 1989
CZECHOSLOVAKIA heses of the Left Alterassociation freedom of speech,
T native/Movement for a
Democratic and Selfand self-managed socialism which was managed Socialism.
1) The transformation of the capi- issued on November 26 in Prague. The best talist system of production after the known signatory of the document is Czech second world war was human rights activist and revolutionary plished in Czechoslovakia excluunder the banner
Marxist Petr Uhl. The supporters of the
Sively
Stalinism. The existing political document are from a number of different system, based on the principles of democratic socialist and anarchist parliamentary democracy, was abolished without being replaced by new democratic mechanisms. The bourgeoisie was suppressed as a class but the workers, far from being freed from exploitation, were economically enslaved more than ever and deprived of liberties.
2) The political left was not spared by this process. The social democracy was forcibly swallowed, by the Communist
Party which now became completely bureaucratized. It was transformed from a party of the working class into the basis of a commandist power structure dominating the entire society. This power has systematically persecuted and liquidated all leftwing activities in any way independent of
3) Today the Communist Party has a dual nature. The party apparatus is fused with the organs of the state and forms the mechanism of bureaucratic power. The party members are its principal social base. Membership of the party access to privileges of varying order and importance. For a long
Communist Party has ceased to be a political force of the left. It is rather a conservative force, opposed to social change and accepting reforms only when forced to do so.
4) The antidemocratic and antisocialist system has fettered and regulated political, economic life and every other aspect of life. It has proved itself both inefficient and incapable of permitting — let alone stimulating — a development of the productive forces and of society as a whole. It has also proved itself incapable of creating the conditions for a full development of individual freedom.
In addition to economic stagnation, it has presided over the absence of civic and, more generally, human liberties, profound alienation in the world of work, and a moral crisis of the society. The political and economic system in question - and it matters little whether it is characterized as
Stalinism, neo-Stalinism or "actually existing socialism" - has not justified its existence and the need now inevitably
26 arises to go beyond ever, tiss tem suits the Pariy and state bureaucracy viewpoints within the democratic movement.
### DOCUMENT which from the beginning has shaped it in its own image and in correspondence with its needs. It also suits other parasitic social groups who have adapted themselves very well to the malfunctionings of the system and draw considerable benefits from it.
5) We are partisans of a socialist social system.
6) We believe that socialism must be based on consistent, and constitutionally "Socialism must be based on consistent pluralism, including non-socialist parties" established, political pluralism; that is on the existence of different political parties (including non-socialist parties), social associations, organizations and initiatives. From the viewpoint both of the historic traditions and the current aspirations of Czechoslovak society, we believe that representative democracy will form the basis of the future democratic system. This representative democracy will be of the parliamentary type, characterized at the same time by economic self-management. It is necessary however, given the parliamentary system, to defend against the domination over society of the political parties — that is, of their leaderships. In a representative system, the deputies and representatives make decisions in the name of of the citizens and workers who elect them through democratic elections, control them and can recall them at any time. It is necessary to introduce gradually, but in increasingly large measures, elements of direct popular participation in the management of public affairs into this system. Obviously this requires free and freedom of assembly. In modern society, it is necessary to use the possibilities of information technology and other advanced technologies. Given -the nonexistence of the bourgeoisie and the bureaucracy or other social groups of a repressive character, the political system could then evolve from a classical parliamentarism towards social self-management. Democracy must also defend the rights of minorities, marginal groups and individuals, so as to guarantee their full self-development. It follows that we also believe it necessary to combat energetically every manifestation of national, religious or other intolerance, and all forms of racism and chauvinism.
7) For us, socialism can only be based on the principles of justice and social equality. This is why we oppose an economic system in which the owners of cap ital or those who have the right to dispose of it concentrate economic power in their hands, and thus exclude the workers from any say in decision-making on economic activity and its results. Political power grows out of economic power. Even in those countries which enjoy a real independent democracy in the sense that the politico-economic system is accepted by the majority of the population, power, based on the ownership of capital and the right to dispose of it, is exercized in a highly manipulative fashion.
The rule of money, a one-sided orientation towards individual efficiency and the privatization of society accompanied by exploitation might appear to some more attractive than the current state of affairs in Czechoslovakia; we reject them as a false alternative. Such a system could raise the average standard of living but only at the cost of creating big social inequalities. This "new" consumer society would be shaken by crises of the type already well known in the West. At the heart of the economic self-management that we will propose as a model for the medium and big enterprises lies the democratic elaboration of the plan and the growing participation of the individual workers in the making of decisions concerning their work, its results and its conditions. We believe that the development of the market, that is the rehabilitation of financial and market relations, is an economic necessity. The market must be subject to controls. Powerful groups and individuals (for example foreign groups or monopolies) must not become economic subjects entering into competition on
December 11, 1989 • #175 International Viewpoint the market. This role must be played by the actual enterprises, which, in turn, must increasingly be managed by the workers.
In the same way, the central economic decisions must pass progressively from the hands of the centre to the sphere of social self-management. We believe that economic self-management limited to the enterprise will be insufficient. As far as the small enterprises are concerned - all of them, not just those in the service sector or small workshops — we would support their existence in the form of cooperatives. We consider cooperatives to be a higher, more democratic and more human form of relations between human labour power and the means of production. However, these must be genuine cooperatives with internal democracy and a functioning self-management, independent of the state bureaucracy. "The co-existence of several economic sectors will be inevitable for a certain period"
We would also support individual ownership of the means of production on the condition that these enterprises - including family businesses — be undertaken with the results of the individual's own labour. The coexistence of several sectors within the economy will be, in all probability, inevitable for a certain period. But as socialists we believe that too large a private sector does not correspond to the real interests of society. That is why we oppose the idea of encouraging not only big but also medium and small scale private enterprise. On the other hand, we have nothing against those small entrepreneurs who, by their work, contribute to the satisfaction of citizens' introduce more dynamism into the economy. That said, society must not tolerate the development of exploitative relations.
8) At first, the state will certainly play an essential role in the establishment of the political system sketched out above and in the introduction of the new economic system of financial and market relations. The state must above all minimize, if not prevent, the growth of social inequalities and the resultant tensions. We will endeavor to limit the involvement of the state in the life of the society to a strict minimum. The amount and intensity of its interventions must decline to the extent and measure that the people — as citizens and workers — progress along the road to self-management in a free and harmonious self-managed society. All that has been said about the state goes equally for the law. The perspective of the withering away of its importance must in no case lead to its premature denial or underestimation. The withering away of law must not be confused with arbitrariness.
9) In the interests of the workers, the existence of free, self-managed, militant and non-bureaucratic trade unions is of prime importance. Their existence is deciat a time of economic reforms. It should go without saying that these trade union organizations must owe no allegiance either to the economic apparatus or to the state or that of the organs of self-management. The trade union movement must return to its natural vocation, that is to say it must turn its activities away from the bureaucratic apparatus and towards the rank and file members. renewal from below of the trade union movement has become a necessity today. It is up to the workers themselves whether they wish to utilize the existing trade union structures and transform them into an instrument of struggle for the defence of their interests, or, on the contrary, they choose to create new organizations.
10) The ecological situation demands a speedy solution. We envisage such a solution as being based on social selfregulation with effective "feed-back", via democratic mechanisms, on effective state inspection and regulation, and finally and above all on the availability of all relevant information to the population. This crisis -which also affects the health care system, whose quality is declining uninterruptedly and which discriminates socially according to caste - underlies the rapid and dangerous deterioration of the health of the population. A genuine solution to the ecological crisis is conditional on a change in the political system, through the creation of democracy.
11) The peoples of Eastern Europe have arrived at a crossroads. The existing social order is collapsing. This region of the world finds itself visibly far behind developed countries of Western Europe and North America. There is a real danger that the countries of the East will slide into a situation of political and economic dependence in relation to the developed capitalist countries, that they will become their underdeveloped periphery, their suppliers of cheap labour and raw materials; that Eastern Europe will become a region where the developed countries can export their outdated and ecologically harmful technologies as well as dangerous waste.
The leaders of the various Eastern European countries, including those of Czechoslovakia, continue to strengthen economic contacts with the West separately and without coordination, as if no such danger existed.
The revolutionary changes, by which the people of this region are shaking off bureaucratic domination, must lead not only to economic reforms which introduce a market and self-managed economy, but also to a closer economic and political integration within this part of Europe. This voluntary integration must
CZECHOSLOVAKIA take place on the basis of democratic principles, of mutual economic benefit and under the form of a confederation. We must also learn from the experience acquired during the process of progressive integration in Western Europe.
The evolution of Europe and the entire world is towards a situation where state frontiers will progressively lose their importance.
12) The inequality of world development, expressed in chasm between the hyper-developed minority of humanity on the one hand and the suffering underdeveloped world on the other, represents for us in all its aspects — economic, political, moral and ecological — the principal problem on our planet. It is impossible to put up with such a state of affairs. We must always see our national problems in their world context, since humanity and its rights are indivisible. We in Czechoslovakia will endeavor to find means for effective solidarity with "We will endeavour to find means for effective solidarity with the people of the third world" the people of the third world, and we will encourage changes in the world economic
13) The Left Alternative wishes to contribute to the emergence of a powerful political and general social activity from below, involving not only formal organizations, parties and associations, but also informal social groups, movements and
This activity will provide feedback, and will be a means of control over the social structures and power centres that will continue to be led from above. They will also be a guarantee against renewed bureaucratization of social life.
14) We consider ourselves to be part of a growing political spectrum in Czechoslovakia. We are ready to work with anybody who is seriously working for a democratic revolution, including the recapture of democracy from the party-state bureaucratic apparatus and the carrying through of political and economic improvements. Anybody who agrees with the main ideas of this text, which are open to further discussion, can take part in the work of Left Alternative.
Involvement in LA does not exclude involvement in other independent initiatives, social movements and organizations, including official ones. Our movement is, however, closed to those who have been responsible for political nomic stagnation of our country. *
EL SALVADOR