coming soon gn Against Neoliberalism in South Africa 60 Street, Bellevue East 2198, Johannesburg, South Contact: George Dor/David Letsie (011) 648 7000 5958, fax (011) 331 5957 Email: @wn.apc.org, george@planact.org.za Five Centuries After Vasco da Gama
Over 90 participants from 26 countries in Africa and Asia came together in New Delhi in February, to mark the fifth centenary of the beginning of colonialism in Asia, symbolised by the arrival of Vasco da Gama in Calicut in May 1498, and the beginning of its end, symbolised by the 50th year of independence of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka from Britain.
A mong the participants were Dr Samir Amin, Dr Gamani Corea (former Secretary General of UNCTAD), Prof. Fatima Meer, and Prof. Xabier Gorostiaga (President of the Nicaraguan Planning Commission under the Sandinista regime and a negotiator on the Panamanian side in the Panama Canal Treaty, and till recently Rector of Central American University).
Identifying globalisation as present form of colonialism though qualitatıvely different from that of the last 500 years,* " the participants noted that "the economic policies of most of the South are determined by a few countries of the North known as G-7 and by the international organisations like the IMF, the World Bank and WTO that they control," and that "closely linked to the international forces is the local elite that gets most benefits and ignores the powerless classes... Hence, far from being a uniting factor, globalisation results in polarisation both between rich and poor nations and within each country.
Foreign debt stood out as a major marginalisation impoverishment. The discussion on the intellectual property rights and the World Bank forestry programme showed the damage done to the environment by these schemes. Food security is anther major
Religion has played a role in legitimising colonialism in the past and continues to divert attention from impoverishment through a fundamentalist revival today.
To be meaningful to the powerless, reforms in the international bodies have to be accompanied by changes in the internal policies of our countries in order to remove economic disparities and reverse impoverishment. Alternatives globalisation have to be found within each country and region, not merely at the global level."
Delegates resolved continue sharing information, but to direct most networking energies towards existing regional For financial reasons, conference papers cannot be sent out, though a 120 page summary will be published in May, and selected contributions will be professionally nihicnenaer in the venr For more information contact Walter Fernandes at the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. Email WALTER @isid.unv.ernet.in>
Alternative Asia-Pacific relations London, Britain, April 4th On 3-4 April heads of government and senior ministers from Asia and Europe will meet in London for a trade and investment summit. A coalition of campaigning groups including the Burma Action Group, British Coalition for East Timor, Free Tibet Campaign, Philippine Resource Centre, Tapol - The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, West Papua Forum, World Development Movement, and Campaign Against the Arms Trade are calling for a demonstration to advance an alternative vision of Asia-Europe relations that has a place for self-determination, peace and human rights and is economically and socially just as well as ecologically sustainable. Meet 11 am Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, London SE1 (near Waterloo station). The march begins at 12.00 and will pass the QEII Conference centre where the summit is taking place and proceed to Trafalgar Square by 1.30 pm for the rally. Speakers include Glenvs Kinnock MEP and journalist and campaigner John Pilger. Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference Sydney, Australia, 10-13 April Contact: Dr Helen Jarvis, School of Information, Library and Archive Studies, (SILAS) University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052 Australia. Or Email to: apiaustralia@peg.apc.org. Or fax to: 02-96901381 EuroMarch against Unemployment Brussels, Belgium, 18-19 Apri
'Hearings' on European institutions, reduction in the working week, debates on minimum revenue, and links between civic groups and associations and trade unions in building European unemployment movement. Registration: through your national EuroMarch network, or at Rue Potagère 103. , 1210 Brussels, Belgium. Tel. +32.2.223 3533. Fax 223 3982 Socialist Action (Canada) May Day celebration, Saturday 2 May, 7 p.m. 58 Cecil Street, Toronto Tickets: advance $15 waged. $8 non-waded: at door $20 waged, $12 non-waged Info: 416-535-8779 150 Years of the Communist Manifesto
Glasgow, Britain, 22-23 May
Organised by the Centre for Study of Socialist Theory and Movements, University of Glasgow. Speakers include Istan Meszaros, Suzi Weissman, Hillel Ticktin and Mikhail Voeikov. Cost: £12 one day, £20 both days. Half price for students and unemployed. For information on accommodation and other matters, contact Centre for Study of Socialist Theory and Movements, 29 Bute Gardens, University of Glasgow, G12 8RS, Britain. e-mail: <9011731o@student.gla.ac.uk> Finnish young communists
Solidarity meeting in Helsinki on June 5-6. And a summer camp, to be held at the end of June PL 288. 00171 Helsinki, Finland. <komnuor@dlc.fi> Internet: www.dlc.fi/~komnuor/ LCR Festival
Paris, France, June 13-14 Contact: LCR, 2 rue Richard Lenoir, 93100 Montreuil, France. Tel. +33.1.48 70 42 20. Email <redaction@lcr-rouge.org> Black Radical Congress Chicago, USA, June 19-21 For full details contact Black Radical Congress, PO Box 5766, Chicago IL 60680-5766
Violence against Women Amsterdam, Netherlands, 21-25 June (in French and Castilian only)
Part of an ongoing project of cooperation between NGOs active on the question, is co-organized by the Committee for Cancellation of the Third World Debt (Belgium) and the International Institute for Research and Education. IIRE, Postbus 53290, 1007 RG Amsterdam, Netherlands Tel: 31 20 6717263, Fax: 31 20 6732106, <IIRE@Antenna.nl> International socialist youth camp Jutland, Demark. 25-31 July
The 15th European camp of youth organisations in solidarity with the Fourth International. Details on page 2. For more information contact your International Viewpoint distributor or write to SAP, Box 547, Nørre Allé 11 A, DK-2200, Copenhagen N. fax +45-35373217. E-mail <socinf@inet.uni2.dk> Trade Unions, homosexuality & work Amsterdam, 29-31 July 1998
A forum for lesbian and gay trade unionists to exchange information, policies and strategies. For full details see last month's International Viewpoint or contact the organisers. PO Box 732, NL 2700 AL, Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Tel: +31-30-273 2627. fax: 271 0512. E-mail: <modijk@knoware.nl> utopia.knoware.nl/users/modijk Solidarity Summer School Chicago, USA. 3-6 August
The US socialist and feminist group will hold its annual summer school at the usual venue. The group's convention will run from 7-9 August. LCR Summer School
Grenoble, France, August 26-30 Cost: 959FF including accomodation and all meals. Youth/unemployed discount available. Contact: LCR. 2 rue Richard Lenoir, 93100 Montreuil, France. Tel. +33.1.48 70 42 20. Email < redaction@lcr-rouge.org>. Ernest Mandel Seminar on Europe Amsterdam, Holland, 25-27 September (in English and French)
Definite dates and themes will be confirmed nearer the date. IIRE, Postbus 53290, 1007 RG Amsterdam, Netherlands Tel: 31 20 6717263, Fax: 31 20 6732106, <IIRE@Antenna.nl> Latin American Marxist Magazines Buenos Aires, 25-27 September
This year's focus is "the Communist Manifesto in Latin America Today." The deadline for submitting papers is 17 July. The Argentinian organisers include Cuadernos del Sur, Cuadernos Marxistas, Debate Marxista, Doxa, En Defensa del Marxismo, Herramienta, Luxemburg, Periferías, and Razón y Revolución. Participants from Brazil include Brasil Revolucionario, Praxis, Teoria & Praxis and Critica Marxista de Brasil. Other participants include Alfaguara, (Uruguay). For more information contact Alberto Teszkiewicz at <marxlat@dia.edu.ar>
33
booknotes
Western aid to Russia's 'Kleptocratura' Marino Savayo reviews the internal evaluation report for the European Union's technical assistance programme
TACIS Interim Evaluation is the first attempt by the Commission of the European Union to evaluate five years of the Technical Assistance to the Confederation of Independent States (CIS) programme. TACIS is by far the largest aid programme for the former Soviet Union countries: Ecu 2.8 billion in 1991-96.
TACIS Interim Evaluation was delivered to the European Parliament in mid1997. It iss written in the usual administrative "style," with due precautions and deference towards European decision makers, European civil servants and beneficiary governments of the former Soviet Union. But the facts behind the wooden language give major cause for concern.
The TACIS programme was set up in 1991, with its main objective defined as supporting "the transition to a market
(1991 TACIS Regulations). The 1993 Regulations added "and thereby reinforcing democracy". In other words, democracy was initially ignored, and then only seen as a by-product of a market
"In recognition of the fact that ugly forms of capitalism were developing states the report, "the 1996 Regulations put equal weight on both objectives now formulated as transition to a market economy and reinforcing democracy." However, this last objective is only pursued by an insignificant "Democracy sub-progwhose budget is not even
International Viewpoint #299 indicated in the Evaluation. This "Democracy sub-programme" is one of 22 small programs that received only 4% of the total funds allocated to TACIS.
"Democracy appears as a residual allocation in programming" according to the evaluators, who add, without any explanation, that by the end of 1996, the "Democracy sub-programme" was even taken out of the TACIS programme. Reinforcing democracy in the tormer Soviet Union is obviously not one of the priorities of the European Union.
The authors conclude that "the TACIS programme has not reflected the fact that reinforcing democracy is one of the two principal TACIS programme objectives... A comprehensive strategy for dealing with democracy issues is conspicuously
Another area of concern for Europeans and citizens of the former USSR alike is the protection of the environment. Here again, 'TACIS impact in promoting environment awareness among its project partners is found to be virtuallv non existent"
What about the market-led economic reforms supposed to increase the wellbeing in the NIS (New Independent States)? The evaluation indicates that the TACIS Regulations "give little guidance on the policy goals which the Programme wishes to pursue", a situation described as "the blind leading the blind". The European taxpayers will appreciate this. But no-one is really leading TACIS, given the "lack of a sustained high level policy dialogue between the Commission and the NIS governments"
According to the evaluation report: "the investment climate in the NIS coun tries has not improved significantly... Other societal conditions, including those of health, social security, education and poverty, have deteriorated". But the report goes as far as to admit: "These are factors which assistance programs, among them TACIS. can do little to influence"
What about the transition to a market economy, even under the form of "ugly forms of capitalism"? According to the authors of this report, "a comprehensive policy on the use of TACIS as an instrument for promoting market-oriented reforms has not emerged".
How are specific projects selected? "In many cases," states the report, "it is not clear what criteria are being applied within what guidelines." How are they managed from Brussels? "The majority of staff in the operational units... have virtually no relevant previous experience with project management and no practical experience in project implementation."
Despite all this, the governments of the ex USSR received ECU 2.8 billions of TACIS funds in 1991-96, and are supposed to receive a similar amount in 1997-
For what purpose? Well, "geopolitical influences have also played a role," lains the report. "When the EU will be enlarged, it will share borders with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. The EU's economic interests in oil reserves in the Caspian Sea area are also an important consideration"
One of the geopolitical aims of TACIS, and the United States' USAID program, has been to support the governments of the new independent states, no matter how corrupt and incompetent, in order to secure the break up of the Soviet Union and the failure of the CIS.
The report has the merit of frankness: "The majority of the work force employed (in the NIS) have no faith in the benefits of reform. nor might they be expected to More especially, over the past five years they have seen their standard of living decline. In addition. their salaries are paid infrequently and they see many people enriching themselves on the strength of widespread corruption."
Technical assistance is supposed to transfer know-how for the sake of economic and human development. In fact, the main beneficiaries are the western consulting firms making millions out of hot air, the government officials benefiting from bribes and smaller advantages, architects of what the Russian population calls the "transition from nomenklatura to klepto-
Why are Western governments playing along, and paying for this? Simply because of the massive advantage to the
West of the dismantling of the ex- Soviet
Union, and the economic advantage of free access to ex-USSR markets, and a chance to control the region's natural and human resources. *
To order the books and magazines mentioned in
International Viewpoint, try your nearest progressive bookstore, or write to La Brèche, 9 rue de Tunis, 75011 Paris, France © (+33 1)
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Third Women's School breaks records The one-month Women's School in July 1997 was the best-attended session IIRE ever. In fact we have never had to turn so many candidates away, not only for lack of money but simply for lack of room. After a gap of four years the success of this seminar, both in attendance and in its development, makes clear the need to continue with a specific programme on feminism and women's struggles. The seminar was attended by 28 women from 16 countries. The group of seven Latin Americans represented Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico and Puerto Rico. There were two women from the USA and one from Quebec. The ten Europeans came from Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal, the Basque country and Spain. Other participants came from South Africa, the Philippines, India and Jordan. Nearly half the participants were under 30. The programme of the seminar included debates on a broad range of themes on the social, economic and political situation of women, and some of the most current theoretical discussions of feminism from a Marxist point of view. The discussion on the new trends in the international economy showed the need to develop studies on the role of women's work today, the effects of neo-liberalism on women in the labour market, and also how cuts in the budget allocated to social services put a heavy Pluto Press amplifies IIRE's voice The Amsterdam-based International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE) has reached an agreement with Pluto Press in London to launch a series of books that will at least partly incorporate the IIRE Notebooks for Study and Research. Pluto has not yet confirmed which Notebook will be the first in its new series. But we have reserved the right to issue as an ordinary Notebook any title they decline. According to IIRE co-director Peter Drucker, "we have been looking for a while for this kind of relationship with a publisher. Pluto is probably the best match for the IIRE among existing Englishlanguage houses. It also has a good reputation of its own in the English-language international left, for example through its relationship with the Transnational Institute (also here in Amsterdam). Notebooks published by Pluto will give the IIRE a bigger audience for our ideas, including in many native-English-speaking regions that we now reach barely or not at all."
burden on women's shoulders, particularly restricting their job perspectives. That was a general tramework for discussions on the situation of women and the women's movement in different countries. A rich aspect of this international seminar was how it brought together women activists from different parts of the world enaaged in the feminist movement, trade-union work, political parties as well as NGOs, for all of whom the struggle against women's oppression is not just an intellectual commitment but their everyday political engagement. In this atmosphere the section on "Marxism and feminism" , tollowed by lectures on contemporary polemics about "modernity", was an important moment of reflection on the new challenges the lett has to face today. The seminar provided a unique opportunity for participants to share their experiences in their concrete work along with an open and rich possibility of deepening theoretical debate. The number of participants and the range of countries are a clear demonstration of the demand for and usefulness of this seminar. Preparations are already underwav for a three-week version of the school -with simultaneous translation in English and Castilian - later this year. Tatau Godinho Pluto has agreed that every book issued in their NSR series will include a page about the IIRE, including contact details. So Notebooks published oy Pluto will give the Institute a more impressive 'calling card" NSR subscribers will benefit from this arrangement hrough receiving high-quality, lasting books Intortunately, Notebooks published as Pluto book: will cost more than Notebooks now do: at least US$16.50/£10, as opposed to US$6/£4 for a typical Notebook now. For subscribers every Pluto book will count as a double issue of the Notebooks for Study and Research, and the cost of new or renewed subscriptions (two books) will rise to $25/£15. We are counting on our subscribers loyalty, hopinc that most if not all will choose to renew The agreement should save IIRE staff considerable time that is now spent on layout, proof-reading, negotiating with printers and arranging transport. The IIRE should also benefit financially. [PD]
35
Labour Left Briefing, March 98 In "Don't bomb Iraq," Will McMahon argues that key motives for the latest US attack on Iraq are to send a message to other world powers and test new technologies. And Alan Simpson MP says we will soon regret the British Parliament's unconditional backing for a war against Iraq. Other contents include Tony Benn MP's parliamentary speech against the war in the Gulf • Brian Campbell, editor of Sinn Fein's An Phoblacht/Republican News, looks at Sinn Fein's expulsion from the peace talks • Terry Heath, secretary of the South West Trade Union Congress (TUC) Pensioners Forum, argues that Labour must link pensions to earnings • John Lister looks at the crisis in Britain's National Health Service • Tony Dale criticises Labour councils' headlong rush to embrace local housing companies. Ken Coates MEP replies to criticism in last month's LLB, and John Nicholson, convenor of the Network of Socialist Alliances in England, disagrees with the LLB analysis of developments in the Labour Party. John Hendy QC examines Britain's repressive anti-union laws and reports on new initiatives to campaign for changes, and Steve Battlemuch reports on how the courts have stopped a union merger that the left in both
6732106 <IIRE@Antenna.nl> Price: £5.50, US$10.00, NG 17.50. Discounts for bulk orders. Viento Sur #37 In Spanish. Special issue discussing the end of the Spanish empire in 1898, in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines. "At a time when the official commemorations are trying to present the imperial crisis as a key moment in the modernisation and europeanisation of the Spanish state, Viento Sur is trying to recuperate the history of solidarity and struggle against the Bourbon monarchy in the colonies and in the Spanish peninsula www.nodo50.ix.apc.org/viento_sur/ Le Marxisme Aujourd'hui In French. Editor Pierre Broué. Contributors include Karol Modzelewski on "Polish perspectives," Ricardo Napuri on "Che, 30 years later," Rade Pavlovic on "Serbia: a decisive year," and Anibal Ramos on "Izquierda Unida and the crisis of the left in Catalonia." Single issues 40FF, subscription (4 issues) 150 FF. Write to BP 276. 38407 Saint-Martin d' Heres, France. E-mail <Denis. Collin@wanadoo.fr> http://perso.wanadoo.fr/denis.collin/index.htm unions opposed.
Jon Rogers reports on the attacks on left-wingers in UNISON.
Mike Phipps reviews Inside Cowley, Alan Thornett's important new book about labour struggles in Britain's car industry. James Smart reviews Sovereignty For
Into a new and better century!
What? Why stopping European Monetary Union is just the start by Will Podmore and Phil Katz.
Articles can be consulted at www.llb.labournet.org.uk/
For more information contact LLB, PO Box 2378,
The International Institute for Research and Education in Amsterdam is a research and
London, E5 9QU, E-mail <Ilb@labournet.org.uk> training centre that is meeting the challenges of the neo-liberal world order by renewing and re-founding an alternative perspective. Fields under study at the IRE include economic
Science and Society globalisation, 20th-century history, ecology, feminism, ethnicity, racism and radical
The Institute for Critical Research is proud to announce the publication of Friedrich Engels-A Critical Centenary
Appreciation_, edited by Joost Kircz and Michael Lowy,
The results of our work are made available to a larger public mainly through our publication as a special issue of the US journal Science & Society.
Copies can be ordered from the International Institute for
Research and Education (IIRE), Postbus 53290, 1007 RG
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Tel: (+31 20) 6717263 Fax:
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36
International Viewpoint #297 series, the Notebooks for Study and Research. No.1 The Place of Marxism in History. Ernest Mandel (40 pp. £2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 2 The Chinese Revolution - I: The Second Chinese Revolution and the Shaping of the Maoist Outlook. Pierre Rousset (32 pp. £2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 3 The Chinese Revolution - II: The Maoist Project Tested in the Struggle for Power. Pierre Rousset (48 pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 4 Revolutionary Strategy Today. Daniel Bensaïd (36 pp. £2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 5 Class Struggle and Technological Change in Japan since 1945. Muto Ichiyo (48 pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 6 Populism in Latin America. Adolfo Gilly, Helena Hirata, Carlos M. Vilas, and the PRT (Argentina), introduced by Michael Löwy (40 pp. £2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 7/8 Market, Plan and Democracy: the Experience of the So-Called Socialist Countries. Catherine Samary (64pp. £3, $5, 30FF) No. 9 The Formative Years of the Fourth International (1933-1938). Daniel Bensaid (48 pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 10 Marxism and Liberation Theology. Michael Löwy (40pp £2, $3.50, 20 FF) No.11/12 The Bourgeois Revolutions. Robert Lochhead (72pp. £4, $6, 40FF) No. 13 The Spanish Civil War in Euzkadi and Catalonia 1936-39. Miguel Romero (48pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 14 The Gulf War and the New World Order. André Gunder Frank and Salah Jaber (72pp. £2, $3, 15 FF) No. 15 From the PCI to the PDS. Livio Maitan (48pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 16 Do the Workers Have a Country?,
Jose Iriarte Bikila (48pp. £1.50, $2.40, 12 No. 17/18 October 1917: Coup d'Etat or Social Revolution. Ernest Mandel (64pp. £2, $3, 15 FF) No. 19/20 The Fragmentation of Yugoslavia. An Overview. Catherine Samary (60pp. £2.50, $4, 20 FF) No. 21 Factory Committees and Workers Control in Petrograd in 1917. David Mandel (48pp. £4, $5, 35 FF) No. 22 Women's Lives in the New Global Economy, Penny Duggan & Heather Dashner (editors) (68 pp. £4, $5, 35FF) No. 23 Lean Production: A Capitalist Utopia?, Tony Smith (68 pp. E4, $5, 35FF) No. 24/25 World Bank/IMF/WTO: The Free-Market Fiasco, Susan George, Michel Chossudovsky et al. (116 pp. £6, $8.75, 45FF) In the second half of this year we will be publishing three more Notebooks: • Claude Gabriel on South Africa. • Michael Löwy on the national Question. • On the Holocaust. Subscription: for four issues (in Europe), £10 or 100FF; for four issues (outside Europe), US $20, £12 or 120 FF; for eight issues (in Europe), £20 or 200 FF; for eight issues (outside Europe), US $40, £24 or 240 FF. Individual back issues are also available (ADD 20% FOR POSTAGE OUTSIDE EUROPE). All payments must be made to P. Rousset. Preferred: French francs payable in a bank located in France. Postal giros to CCP Paris 11 541 97 T. Next best: sterling payable in Britain or dollars payable in the US. Contact us if you would like to pay in Dutch guilders or Belgian francs. Please avoid Eurocheques. IIRE, Postbus 53290, 1007 RG Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: 31-20-67 17 263 Fax: 67 32 106.
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