Call to workers of Belarusian enterprises
08/12/2020
How easy it is to make a mistake choosing between two evils
From the editor. Events in Belarus and ongoing post-election protests attract the attention of our readers. Of course, as in Russia, the majority have doubts about the figure of 80% support for Mr. Lukashenko in the vote. After all, there are no fair elections under capitalism. However, the opposition’s statements that Mrs. Tikhanovskaya is elected also cause, to put it mildly, a smile of distrust.
Meanwhile, the confrontation continues and there are attempts to draw representatives of labor collectives into the struggle. There are reports that strikes have been declared somewhere . True, denials follow . The situation is not easy.
We have received an appeal from the Belarusian branch of the movement "For the Union and the Communist Party of the Union" with a request to publish the document.
Recently, having received a defeat from the working people in elections and from law enforcement agencies on the street, the world financial oligarchy, which started the so-called. hybrid aggression with the help of its "fifth column", trying to rouse the working class to strike, disguised as democrats and fighters for human rights.
However, at the first, elective stage of this aggression, the working class fought back: the workers calmly came to the ballot boxes and voted in accordance with their own, and not foreign oligarchic interests - for A.G. Lukashenko.
At the current second stage - an attempt to form a Belarusian Maidan - the aggressor is also defeated by the police.
Hence the attempts to rouse the working class and labor collectives to strike. For this purpose, groups of provocateurs crowd at the checkpoints of some factories.
However, it is not profitable for workers to strike for the interests of foreign oligarchs. Let us recall how Russian miners helped comprador "democrat" Yeltsin in Russia, and he thanked them ... by closing the mines.
The “democrats” who attacked Belarus have the same roots, and therefore the working class has no reason to listen to their mellifluous speeches.
From the editor. With all due respect to our comrades, we cannot agree with their idea that voting for Lukashenko is voting for the interests of the workers. The socio-economic policy of the Lukashenka regime differs only in that the processes of privatization and price increases are slow and are controlled by the authorities . We know very well how these processes end ...
Lukashenko's regime is a form of bourgeois dictatorship. Like his colleagues in the post-Soviet space, he cannot solve fundamental social contradictions. This means that in the depths of the Belarusian society the prerequisites for a social explosion will constantly ripen. The tragedy of the neighboring Ukrainian people is that popular discontent has been saddled by a rival bourgeois faction acting as a US puppet. The workers who sincerely protested against the Yanukovych regime turned out to be pawns in the hands of people who were no different from Yanukovych. Belarusian workers can also repeat the fate of their Ukrainian counterparts if they join the ranks of protesters under false flags and for alien interests.
An, the 'lesser evil'...Rot Front is correct, tho the preservation of the Soviet social system is nothing to sneer at either. How much is preserved is unclear to me and the quantity thereof is a consideration, for the short term anyway.
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."
A fairy tale not for the night
08/13/2020
Reflections on life
From the editor: this story was sent to us by mail by one of the supporters. We found it interesting and invite you to familiarize yourself with this work.
Imagine: you live in your house, inherited from your academician grandfather. An honored worker of science, culture, part-time - a hero of labor and production, and also a veteran of the Great Patriotic War. Your brothers and sisters live with you, with whom it was so much fun to study at school, but now you rarely see each other.
Grandfather did a lot of useful things in his life: he built a house with an excellent foundation, established a household, arranged the production of equipment, raised worthy sons and daughters. He taught them to look after the house, taught to build, to live peacefully, but they wrote down his words only for show. Many then went abroad and came only occasionally to pick up something from the house of the deceased father, to cash his savings in the bank. And someone stayed here and began to build, as his grandfather taught, but only more for himself, and not for the rest of the brothers, but the gardeners were paid worse.
The house stood firm, only the roof was leaking. If you and your brothers met, maybe you could patch the roof, but there is no stepladder. Uncles and aunts waving their hands: “Oh, what's there to fix. We will live somehow. " Or: “If my grandfather were alive, he would fix everything, but now ...” Or: “I designed some kind of hut! Now, if I allowed the construction brigade to build freely, so that each builder could open his own manufactory, then we would live normally now! "
Builders live in barracks on the site of the house, use a well, work in a vegetable garden, a smithy, and a bakery. Only your uncles pay them very little, and they charge a fee for using shared resources. Well, supposedly, so that the roof has something to patch. They say that when the grandfather was alive, this did not happen, but this is also not certain - who says how. Sometimes it’s like this: “If it were not for Ashot and Hussein in that brigade of builders, the house would normally be built, and now the roof would be intact! And the shed would not squint, and the water in the well would be just as clean, otherwise yesterday Varka found a plastic cup in a bucket ”. However, both Ashot and Hussein worked the same with everyone, although they now live in a barrack behind the fence.
Uncle and aunt's roof will not be repaired, because the ladder was cut into wood for a picnic. And the water in the well is not so clean already, because garbage is thrown onto the lake all the time. Wild traders also live near the fence, so they sometimes throw garbage directly into the well. They do not produce anything, but they resell and consume, therefore there is a lot of garbage from them.
And it only seems to you that you live in a house. That is, of course, you can go into the hallway and sometimes even sleep in the attic if you are on vacation, but in general you have your own hut on the site. You pay your uncle for the piece of land you live on every month. And the hut is yours there.
In general, this big house, which was built by the academician grandfather, is, as it were, yours, but we must adequately share it. Uncles and aunts must also live somewhere. And nothing that each of them has a room, like two nine-story barracks.
But one day you seem to understand something.
You, of course, were just a baby when your grandfather died (or was he killed?). But do you remember hearing as a child something about how he built his house for everyone. And for uncles and aunts, and for builders, and for Ashot and Hussein, and for you and your brothers.
Oh, well, some kind of nonsense ... if Uncle Vova mentions this, he will immediately slap the head and send him to dig potatoes for his dinner. “Don't be silly,” he will say. “The grandfather was strict and stern, a straight beast in the flesh. Look how many fascists he killed, and Uncle Lev, too, they say, he, and many others. He could not leave anything for you and for ordinary builders, especially for Ashot and Hussein! "
And you think - really, what am I? Grandfather has been gone for a long time, and Uncle Vova knew him personally, not like me.
Stop. And if suddenly it’s true, grandfather was not so harsh and angry, if he really was building a house for you? .. and only killed those who wanted to interfere with the construction or destroy the house? Seryozha specially adjusted to his grandfather, approached him so that he would not think anything bad, and ... and then occupied the house with the others? ..
But you still can't believe it. And you go to work, fix uncle's harvester, and you also need to make an estimate for the purchase of equipment necessary for harvesting for Uncle Dima. Because Uncle Vova promised you another bonus, you can fill the tractor with oil almost free of charge. Gasoline, however, is getting more expensive ...
It is clear that these events are in no way a socialist protest or protest against exploitation and capitalism. However, the workers, at least in part, are involved in the Maidan. Let us recall Polish Solidarity. Polish and Soviet communists, the entire KGB of the USSR, the Polish state, Polish troops and militia could not prevent it, suppress it, turn it around. Although they knew about his every step. Poland was surrendered to the imperialists. As a result, Poland today has become a sheepdog in the service of the imperialists. That's the whole "democracy" of the Maidan.
What would have changed if the Polish communists had gone over to the side of Solidarity? Would Solidarity accept them? Or lustrated?
Is capitalism human? Is a society based on exploitation human? The communists answered this question long ago.
Any war is atrocity. This is what the communists say. But communists are not pacifists. There are wars and wars.
The war in Donbass is the victorious Ukrainian Maidan, the Maidan that defeated any democracy in general. Maidan is a war not only against the people of Donbass, but also against the best, popular part of Ukrainian society, the Ukrainian proletariat. The war in Ukraine is the atrocity of the Maidan.
Only those who did not observe, who did not delve into the Maidan, can talk about its "democracy".
The communists gave their assessment to the Maidan, and to the spiteful Yanukovych, and to the “law enforcement officers” who had defected to the side of the Zamaidans. The communists gave an assessment to the Moscow Maidan of 1991-1993. What do the leftists read when they groan at Lukashenka's undemocratic character?
Both then and today, the communists understand that the absence of a labor policy plunges society into continuous atrocities, subordinating its life to the interests of the gnawing bourgeoisie. And the fact that the brutality of exploitation, hidden from the idle public, is pouring out not in protest against capitalism, but in the fight between the Zamaidans and the police on the side of some capitalists for better conditions of robbery and exploitation by other capitalists - is a consequence of the absence of a labor policy among the working class. So football fans clash among themselves and with the police for the interests of club owners and the bourgeois state as a whole. Football fans are showing themselves as fascist stormtroopers. Let's remember May 2, Odessa. Democracy? Whoever has seen the Ukrainian Maidan, the fascists are not led to "democracy".
In the Ukraine, the bourgeoisie, gnawing at its prey, managed to neutralize the working class. In Belarus, the imperialist bourgeoisie (which stands behind the Maidan) seems to have taken another step forward - convincing some of the workers that the Belarusian Maidan is a democracy. This is evidenced by the strikes, which we reported about the preparation of the Zamaidans under nationalist flags long before the Maidan. Communists are obliged to remember about the danger for the proletariat and society as a whole of this kind of bond, this kind of solidarity from the history of at least Polish Solidarity. The international and national oligarchy, its secret services and headquarters are behind the preparation of the Maidan.
And the Ukrainian, Belarusian and American Maidan have common reasons - the internecine bickering of the capitalists. The concealed infantry from the middle strata of society, losing their position and their illusions during the crisis, are hand and foot linked to the interests of the big bourgeoisie, does not at all go over to the positions of the working class. Not to mention the fact that the “soft power” of the universal activists of numerous interconnected NGOs is financed, directed and brought up in the spirit of “democracy” from the funds of the imperialists. Not to mention the fact that the coup itself is carried out according to a similar scheme, which may not be seen only by carriers of Ilyich's portraits who are self-isolated from real life.
Maidan is not connected with the conscious struggle for socialism and democracy, not only of the working class, but even with strata of the middle class, close in position and views to the class-conscious proletariat. Maidan is connected with politics and is under the control of the headquarters of the imperialist bourgeoisie. Not only in general, but also in details. That is why all attempts of the leftists, self-isolated from the working class, to stick into the Maidan end tragically for them. Or shamefully - going over to the side of the fascist junta. Maidan won in Ukraine. Where is the Ukrainian left now?
It's not just the Nazis. And the Nazi banners (Bandera, Vlasov, Benef) appear long before the open speech of the reaction, long before the Maidan. The self-isolated left does not know this, but we will remind them. Power detachments of nationalist storm troopers are openly brought into the Maidan at a critical moment, when the forces are balanced, when the society witnessing the “beast of beating the children” is sufficiently prepared and ready to accept even greater atrocities of the nationalists.
The Communists need to study the Ukrainian Maidan step by step. It was time.
It was time to realize that in the early 90s, and now the communists did not develop their own labor policy, and could not win the authority of the class. And the difference between the left is only in the fact that some aspired to this task - to the class, while others tried to achieve authority and recognition somehow without class.
If the communists were able to solve this problem, they would not have to get confused now in "democracies" and "atrocities". We would not have to watch now how the reactionary policy of the imperialist bourgeoisie is slipping behind the demands of "democracy" by the workers. If the communists do not conduct the proletariat with a workers' policy, then the proletariat is pursuing a bourgeois policy. The imperialist bourgeoisie and its hidden infantry cannot lead the proletariat to freedom and democracy.
The task of the communists is to learn to distinguish the interests of which class (classes) are behind the atrocities of the Maidan, incl. for the demands of freedom and democracy. This is the main thing. Otherwise, of course, they are not yet fully communists. They have yet to overcome self-isolation from social processes and their understanding. We wish our comrades success and help.
As for the position of American imperialism in relation to Lukashenka, it is better to get acquainted with it from those sources that are supported by the money of the State Department. Communists still remember the Voice of America from Soviet times. Listen to the Voice of America — the voice of the enemy of the proletariat, comrades.
And listen to the voice of comrades who are not allowed to go to any radio stations, to the voice of those who have already experienced the Maidan once and who are still in the line of fire today. Under the shelling of the Maidan, incl. in the Donbass. For clarity of position. On both sides of the borders. On both sides of the barricades.
We need a working policy. And please don't be nervous.
HE.
We demand from the parties opposing on the Maidan
We, the conscientious workers of Belarus, declare that the economic and political crisis in the country is a direct consequence of the rejection of socialism and Soviet Power. We acknowledge that the people of Belarus and other republics have made a tragic mistake, turning down the broken path of capitalism that is dying out. Together with our class brothers, we believe that the people who made a mistake have the right to correct it.
We call on the protesters who mistakenly accept the Maidan and the actions of the opposition headquarters for the voice of democracy, ordinary citizens involved in clashes with the security forces, to abandon the support of the headquarters run by the imperialists, and go over to the side of the class-conscious workers, to join the organized struggle for socialism and Soviet Power.
We warn the government, parliament and the president: your flirting with the imperialist bourgeoisie of the West and Belarusian nationalists, like your political bargaining with Russia, contributed to the preparation and implementation of the Maidan in Belarus. Your desire to retain power over the people without the people is doomed if you do not recognize the need and right of the people to turn to socialism, to Soviet power as to the power of the working people.
We turn to the Maidan and the government: any attempts to strengthen the dictatorship of private property, state or private capitalists, "domestic" or foreign, under the guise of "democratic elections" or, on the other hand, under the guise of "restoring order" that worsens the situation and infringes on rights workers, we perceive as actions directed against the working class and the people of Belarus. There can be no support from the people of the bourgeoisie and its staffs.
We appeal to the working people and the people of Belarus with an appeal to support the initiative to convene a Congress of workers, peasants, specialists and employees in the near future to discuss the current situation in the country in order to organize the working people and take measures to form a truly workers' and people's policy in the interests of the working people and people of Belarus. Any other policy is the policy of the bourgeoisie and its government, which cannot preserve either peace or human relations in society. This is the choice of the people.
The thorny path of the Belarusian communist movement
26.07.2014
To begin with, it is important to understand that in Belarus everything that does not concern politics is allowed, and this is fully facilitated by the indifference of the majority of the population.
Today, the idea of the left movement in Belarus in the countries of the former USSR can be called fundamentally wrong. The reason for this is the maintenance of the image of the socialist orientation of the Belarusian model and the disgusting work of the communist and workers' organizations in the country (of which there are plenty in Belarus for a country with a population of 9.5 million people) to inform about the situation in the republic.
Objectively, the Belarusian left looks rather gray, depressing and wretched. What are the reasons for this? Some parties with a socialist orientation are represented in the government, all such organizations support the existing state of affairs in the country and protect the interests of the working people, to put it mildly, they do not care much. The other half, who consider themselves the opposition, i.e. the former "Communist Party" of the PCB and the multicolored socialist demos are engaged in endless sawing of grants and hold endless conferences on hateful issues. Imitating violent activity, they have no influence on the political life of the country, and the ratings of these organizations are approximately at ground level. (Although we must not forget that the party system in Belarus functions very poorly). By the way, they do not hesitate to cooperate with openly anti-communist forces,
The situation is complicated by the fact that all more or less significant forces in the political life of the country are divided according to the criterion of attitude to the existing regime, ideology does not bother almost anyone.
There is also a third, supposedly independent, position - these are marginal circles of leftists and small groups of "Orthodox". There is no harm or benefit from them. Until 2010, the local Limonovites could be attributed to this category, until the National Bolsheviks warmed up to the "democratic" camp. New organizations that consider themselves socialist emerge in Belarus like mushrooms after rain and live no longer than a one-day butterfly. This is facilitated by strong control by the state security and repressive legislation. Compared to the current situation in Belarus, the Russian communists operate in an almost complete liberal democracy. It's hard to believe, but it's a fact. "To sit down" for two years for participation in the activities of an unregistered political organization is not a fantasy,
Another reason for the constant budding and occurrence of ephemeralism is the aforementioned criterion of controversy over how Marxists should relate to the Lukashenka regime.
Russian and Ukrainian comrades often ask about what is happening in the country's economy and how the political regime established in the country can be classified. It is fair to say that the political regime in Belarus is authoritarian, and in the economy we have state capitalism. By the way, many people are attracted by the use of stylized Soviet state symbols and the leftist rhetoric of President Lukashenko. Playing on moods of social nostalgia is very strong. In my opinion, even this will soon become a thing of the past, since the Ukrainian events made the authorities look at the opposition with apprehension and now there is an attempt to sit on two chairs: left and right.
What should the Belarusian communists do now? It was not possible to create a strong left-wing organization when there was an opportunity (mid-2000s) due to mutual hostility between the leaders of the left movement. At the moment, the intensifying class contradictions contribute to the strengthening of the state machine, and after the pre-election thaw of 2010, there is no hope for liberalization, even a short-term one. The events in Ukraine in many ways frightened even the opposition and strengthened the repressive apparatus as much as possible. Only two parties managed to survive, classifying themselves as communist: the CPB (SKP-KPSS) and the Belarusian party of the left “Fair World” (the former Belarusian Party of Communists). And if the "Spravedlivists" finally broke with Marxism, then in the CPB (SKP-KPSS) the Marxists retain their positions and there are positive trends.
You can blame the CPB for opportunism as much as you want, but it is worth remembering that its problems with the problems of the Communist Party / CPU and others like them are of a completely different nature. The CPB is currently the only left-wing party in the Republic of Belarus, in which there are tendencies for improvement.
Makar Zorkin
From the editor. Unfortunately, this article expresses the author's opinion to a greater extent than contains an analysis of the alignment of class forces in Belarus and the position of the communist movement in particular. The author's words about the possibility of improving the CPB also raise doubts. I would like the following publications about the leftist movement in Belarus to contain any facts proving such a recovery.
Also, the author did not mention another party - the Belarusian Communist Party of Workers. Perhaps the author classifies her as a “small group of“ orthodox ”who are of no use. Of course, it is not too large, but, as it seems to us, it occupies the most sound positions.... So far, she has managed not to make that mistake leading to a strategic dead end, which the author correctly notes. The essence of this mistake, which is characteristic of the communist parties not only in Belarus, is to choose between supporting the authoritarian regime established by the national bourgeoisie, which preserves at least meager social guarantees, and supporting the “democratic” opposition representing the interests of international capital, promising political freedom. Communists, who are simultaneously advocating social guarantees for the working people and political freedoms, lacking the strength to loudly declare their own agenda, are slipping to support one of the rival groups of the bourgeoisie.
On the current situation in Belarus
08/21/2020
A brief analysis of what is happening in the neighboring republic from Alexander Batov
1. Lukashenka
Many honest people, especially the older generation, are captivated by the external attributes of the Lukashenka regime. The flag is red, November 7 is celebrated, the state property is full, the social sphere is developed. Some people see almost socialism there. And the liberals are adding fuel to the fire - they shout that there is a "scoop" in Belarus. How can you not believe it?
However, the socio-economic system is not determined by words and declarations. In Belarus, capitalism. And people feel it on their own skin. Social security of citizens has been deteriorating in recent years. Poverty and unemployment are growing, especially hidden ones. The external public debt has grown several times since 2008. Although the degradation processes in Belarus proceeded more slowly than in other post-Soviet states, the country's problems are essentially the same. And capitalism not only does not cope with them - it generates and strengthens them.
But father's fans should also remember that over the years of his rule, Lukashenko signed many anti-workers, anti-trade union, anti-people laws.
The state is gradually releasing control over the level of wages, employers receive ample opportunities for de-bonuses.
Fixed-term contracts have been practiced for a long time. The capitalists got the legal opportunity to fire people after the expiration of the one-year contract, and the workers, accordingly, found themselves in an extremely vulnerable position because of this.
Registering a real trade union is a big problem. Much more difficult than in the Russian Federation. But even if it succeeds, the state bodies will annoy the trade union with inspections and try to interfere in its activities.
Labor and trade union legislation in Belarus as a whole is much worse than the level achieved by the workers of the planet through their struggle. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has repeatedly made comments and made recommendations to the country's leadership regarding the abnormal state of affairs. But Lukashenko ignored all these recommendations of the ILO.
Anonymity on the Internet has been canceled. With reference to the previous Minister of Information of Belarus Karlyukevich, there was news that those wishing to leave comments on Belarusian sites should also leave their phone number.
Like us, there is an article in Belarus for disloyal statements. We have this "extremism", and they have - Article 369.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus "Discrediting the Republic of Belarus." The punishment is administrative arrest or imprisonment for up to 2 years.
In short, the same processes are going on in Belarus as in other post-Soviet states. Gradual impoverishment, gradual privatization. And in the end - a public dead end. It's just that it all goes much slower and more manageable. They had almost no "shock therapy" and other Gaidarism. But capitalism remains capitalism. He will not be able to lead to any other result.
And at the head of all these processes is the ruling class of capitalists, whose top manager is Lukashenka.
2. Opposition
At the time of the start of the protests, the protesters did not have any visible headquarters, coordinating center. Meanwhile, very heterogeneous strata rose to protest. Only very naive people who have never organized anything serious can believe that all these rallies, processions, clashes, waving flags, etc. are spontaneous. The rest understand that what is happening requires painstaking staff work and enormous material resources. Careful choice of place and time, notification, mobilization, purchase of props, briefing ... Not on the knee, this is done, of course. A reasonable question arises: what kind of social force with such resources, money, connections? (The recently created ostentatious "coordination council" of people with bright faces is clearly not the structure that really controls something.)
The so-called "independent media" do not inform, but actively stir up protests, even provocations. They skillfully create the necessary informational background in order to confuse the supporters of the authorities, win over the vacillating ones, and ensure the desired effect abroad. We know, of course, that there is no independent media; any resource promotes the position of any group, social stratum or class. In this case, considering Putilov's NEXTA and similar resources, we can state that they somehow promote the position of the imperialists of the EU or the USA.
The demand for "fair elections", which has become the banner of protest, is a harmful chimera that we have had to expose more than once. There are no fair elections under capitalism.
Capital can always adjust legislation in its favor, bribe officials, and manipulate public opinion through the media.
Even in the absence of administrative resources, the material and technical capabilities of a candidate supported by money bags and a candidate from workers are incomparable, which in principle puts an end to all illusions about equality and democracy under capitalism.
Those wishing to nod to more objective elections in the West should remember that relative democracy (bourgeois democracy) exists there only thanks to the constant, long-term, stubborn, often bloody struggle of broad sections of the working people. And with all this, capital still has many loopholes for influencing the result: from the disproportionate system of distribution of seats in the Greek parliament to the well-known fraud in the United States in the elections of George W. Bush in 2000.
So people are taken out on the street not for "fair elections", but for the fact that one capitalist was moved by another.
Tikhanovskaya's program was not considered only by the lazy. It contains many declarations about "removing barriers to business", about the need to "deal with unprofitable enterprises", about "professional economists" who "will reduce unnecessary government spending." For everyone who remembers the 90s, these promises can only cause a wry smile. We know very well on our own skin what these promises are worth and how they end.
In short, in terms of goals (true, not declared), in terms of methods, in terms of the role of various social strata, what is happening in Belarus is almost a copy of the events that took place in Ukraine 6 years ago. Taking into account local specifics, of course. That is, this is a classic "Maidan" - a bourgeois political coup carried out with the active participation of external forces (moreover, not necessarily only Western ones, Russian capital is also not a simple pig). The workers in these processes are assigned the role of cannon fodder.
3. Workers
I would also like to say about the workers' protests. I perfectly understand what anger my words can cause among left-wing and leftist citizens who, at the sight of a protesting hard worker in a helmet and overalls, experience reflex delight. However, the fact of protest should not obscure its essence from us, should not stop the class analysis of what is happening.
The real tragedy of the current events in Belarus lies in the fact that the broad masses of the working people are acting under a false flag, under someone else's slogans, for alien class interests.
The strike of Belarusian workers was noticed at the highest level
It is clear that there are many dissatisfied workers among the workers, many who have suffered injustice from their bosses. It is clear that this discontent did not arise from scratch, but is a direct consequence of the policy of the Lukashenka regime. The workers' struggle for their rights and against injustice can only be welcomed.
But at the same time we see that this struggle is becoming the subject of political speculation. Moreover, we see how this struggle is governed by alien class forces.
We see that both opposing groups do not care about the interests of the working people.
On the one hand, Lukashenka himself said that workers should not go on strike, and the striking workers, they say, may not return to their factories. This is not just a reactionary statement, it is vile. On the other hand, we see how workers' protests are actively fueled, coordinated and managed by the bourgeois opposition. Local sources report that not everyone in labor collectives is in the mood to go on strike. However, the true leaders of the Belarusian "Maidan" directly bribe the working class, openly push people to protest against the "power" and promise them substantial "compensation" for the duration of the strike. Say, go on strike, and we will pay you for it.
Strike of workers of Belarus
In this story, one can perhaps find only one positive side: the bourgeoisie understands well the true strength of the working class (incomparably better than the working class itself), therefore such a struggle is going on for influence on the factory workers. If they only realized their strength and at the same time - fundamental interests, a lot could have gone differently! But, unfortunately, there is no one to help them in this.
Therefore, the role of the working people of Belarus in these events is unenviable - to drag chestnuts out of the fire for the "good" bourgeoisie, to plant it on the throne, and then ... by its mercy, endure hardship and hardship when "ineffective state-owned enterprises" go to scrap metal.
4. Total
The contradictions in the Belarusian society are objective. Thanks to capitalism.
Heating from the outside is superimposed on these internal contradictions.
Power in the country belongs to the national capital. The key word is not "national", but capital!
Under the current bourgeois dictatorship in Belarus, there is a slow and controlled degradation.
The protests are led by henchmen of foreign imperialism, who will ensure the country's rapid degradation. Belarus will go under the hammer.
The working people play the role of cannon fodder. Whatever the outcome, defeat awaits them: either the conservation of contradictions and further decay, or a destructive element.
What to do?
The communists (who remained in Belarus) should, if possible, get involved in protests and expose both opposing sides, explain to the workers the need to fight for their fundamental interests, and not for chimeras like “fair elections” or “people's president”. Explain that the workers are in fact the force that is capable of shaking both the annoying bureaucracy and any whisperers in embroidered shirts from their necks.
It is now clearly visible that both opposing groups of the bourgeoisie recognize the strength of the working class, are afraid of it, and flirt with it. Right now it would be most effective for the workers to act independently, with their demands, for their interests. Precisely now, when the opposition capitalist grouping is not yet strong enough to win, and the ruling group feels more insecure than ever, it is now that the workers' struggle for themselves and against both groups of the bourgeoisie could bring the best results.
I have no illusions about the state of the workers' and communist movement in Belarus. I understand that this wish will most likely, unfortunately, hang in the air.
But I want to remind our comrades in Russia. The time will come when similar events will take place in the Russian Federation.
In order not to be left with nothing, as it happened in Ukraine and happens in Belarus, one must prepare for events. Moreover, it is necessary to start already yesterday.
To workers of Belarusian enterprises from the Workers' Front of Donbass
08/24/2020
We, representatives of communist and workers' organizations, express our concern over the events taking place in fraternal Belarus.
Everything takes place according to the script, directed abroad, as in all countries where the so-called. "Color revolutions", incl. and the Kiev Maidan in February 2014. We were forced to stand up, arms in hand, to defend our land, our children and wives from rabid Bandera, pro-Western Nazis who came to the Donbass to establish their own Nazi order. The consequences of such a coup will resonate in the history of Ukraine for a long time to come. And in no country where such "revolutions" took place did they begin to build a welfare state, but on the contrary, they carry out a redistribution of property. "Fair elections", "peaceful protesters", "onizhedeti", "flowers in the barrel of a weapon", etc. Is the technology of "color revolutions".
Belarus is the only Soviet republic that managed to preserve many of the achievements of socialism, managed to preserve and increase its industrial potential, state property, and many gains in the social sphere.
Today we consider it our duty to declare support for the choice of the majority of the people of Belarus, to advocate the preservation of peace and stability in the fraternal republic, to prevent bloodshed, which the pro-Western "democrats" are trying to unleash, and to demand an end to external interference in the internal affairs of Belarus.
Dear classmates, do not allow the Belarusian Maidan on the Kiev model, do not listen to the self-proclaimed guides of bourgeois "democracy" following the example of the West, do not act under a false flag, but fight for your fundamental interests, not for the interests of the capitalists.
So, three differing views of events in Belarus: Belarus, Donbass, Moscow. The view from Moscow is the most theoretically correct, it is also the most distant. The disagreement lies in the estimate of Lukashenko and his trajectory. Seems to me similar to the 'union dilemma': by engaging in negotiations with the bosses they are legitamised. Yet the real time condition of workers cannot be ignored. This is not an either/or proposition, it requires multitasking...
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."
Belarus ‘Opposition’ Document Reveals Agenda to Pull Country Into NATO and EU
AUGUST 20, 2020 BY NEWS WIRE LEAVE A COMMENT
Recent events in Belarus appear to have been designed to moved NATO’s ever-expanding eastern front even closer towards Moscow.
EU bureaucrats, along with Washington’s change agent in the region, the notorious German Marshall Fund, are attempting to push the situation in Belarus deeper into the familiar ‘Color Revolution’ impasse, towards street violence and evenual ‘regime change,’ with the ultimate aim of installing a pro-US and pro-EU leader.
Following its recent Presidential elections, western leaders have called on Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko to step down and make way for the US-backed candidate who lost the recent election, Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya, claiming that the election was ‘unfair’ and that Belarussian authorities must ‘stop the repression against the Belarus people’ and ‘open a dialogue with civil society.’
Tsikhanovskaya is already forming her own western-backed ‘government in exile’ which will eventually be recognized by Washington and its allies as the “legitimate leader and government” of Belarus. This follows the familiar ‘humanitarian intervention’ template which the US has laid out for targeted countries like Libya, Syria, Ukraine, and most recently for Venezuela.
While this western-driven campaign to remove what Washington believes is a “pro-Russian” leader in Lukashenko, the reality of the subterfuge is much deeper and more profound in terms of its geopolitical significance. No, this is much more than your typical western-backed color revolution. Upon closer examination of Tsikhanovskaya’s own manifesto, it’s clear that this latest regime change effort is not merely to pull Belarus away from close and friendly relations with its neighbor Russian – but rather it’s about forcing the country towards binding partnerships with both NATO and the EU.
In her new coalition’s policy manifesto drafted together with two other former candidates assistance of Victor Babariko and Valery Tsepkalo, Tsikhanovskaya is effectively calling for the complete dismantling of the Belarusian government, its military, and economic structures – in order to realign the country with its new western political, financial and corporate partners.
In terms of antagonizing Russia, Washington and Brussels are now playing one of their boldest hands yet.
South Front reports…
Before being taken down, the election campaign website of Belarus Presidential candidate Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya had an entire program for the future development of Belarus as a country.
In a relatively hidden section, it has a section named “National Policy” which reveals the opposition’s plan for Belarus eventual entry into NATO and the EU.
The website has since been taken down; however, it can still be found on web archive.
“I am a presidential candidate Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya and this is my letter to all citizens of Belarus.
I am 37 years old. She was born in Polesie. Graduated from the philological faculty of the Mozyr Pedagogical University. I am fluent in Belarusian, Russian and English.
A year ago, my husband Sergei Tikhanovsky created his own project “Country for Life” and went to Belarus. Sergey gave people the opportunity to speak up. They talked about what worries them, what they feel, what they think about Belarus. People talked about their difficult life and dreamed of living in a free and rich country.
I was amazed at how scared the authorities were. People began to be threatened, fired from their jobs, and thrown into prisons. It turned out that the opportunity to speak out can wake up society.
When Sergei was deprived of the opportunity to participate in the elections, having unjustly accused and arrested him, I decided to replace him and go to victory. For myself, for my husband, for all of us, for our children. As a wife, as a mother, I understand that in a family one for all and all for one. I want it to be the same in our country.”
That’s how it begins, then moves on to what she would like for Belarus to become in the future.
I want to become the President of the Republic of Belarus, but not for the sake of a position, but in order to return you the right to choose.
We are building a country not only for ourselves, but also for our children.
I want our children to receive a good education, medical care, so that they can find a good job, start a family and have their own home. So that they stay to live here, on their land, and not want to leave in search of a freer and more just country.
I want us to feel love and respect for ourselves, have the right to choose and be proud of our country to live in.
I want Belarus to be respected in the world, so that we look for friends, not enemies.
I want to see the vile tradition of persecuting people for the truth become a thing of the past.”
Then she looks into the National Policy which was constructed with the assistance of Victor Babariko and Valery Tsepkalo, as well as “the best experts, parties and public organizations.”
Babariko and Tsepkalo had a website, which contained the National Policy, but it appears to be gone now – reformby.com, it is available on Web Archive. Tsikhanovskaya linked the website in her campaign website – essentially the National Policy wasn’t even part of her own campaign, but a link to an outside, third party website, as it was likely made by individuals outside of her campaign party.
The main directions of reforming the existing state policy are: withdrawal from integration associations with the participation of Russia; preservation and development of the national cultural heritage, the Belarusian language; sustainable economic growth; high level and quality of life of citizens; democratic system of government.
Below are the issues that the improved national security needs to deal with:
Aggressive foreign policy of the Kremlin.
To implement its revisionist, imperial plans, the Kremlin is actively using:
economic and energy blackmail,
information pressure,
spreading fake news and misinformation,
toxic effects on the elite and society,
falsification of history in order to manipulate the public consciousness,
artificial provocation and incitement of internal conflicts.
The Russian leadership is using the concept of “Russian peace” to strengthen Moscow’s control over Belarus. The basis for this is often the Russian language and the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Kremlin is actively using soft power methods: NGOs, thought factories, the media, bloggers, social networks, exchanges and internships in Russia.
Lack of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and other basic freedoms.
Independent media is under severe pressure. Civil society and the political opposition face severe restrictions on their activities and persecution. There have been no free and fair elections in the country for more than two decades.
Low level of national consciousness and dominance of the Russian language.
The complete inability of state ideologues and state media to compete with the propaganda of the Russian media: Russian television and radio actually dominate the information field of Belarus.
The problematic state of the Belarusian economy.
The Belarusian economy is facing significant depreciation of fixed assets and technological backwardness not only from world leaders but also from its neighbors – the EU.
Membership of Belarus in integration supranational entities, dominated by Russia – the Union State, the CSTO, the EurAsEC, the CIS.
As part of the CSTO, Belarusians are threatened with involvement in armed conflicts in Central Asia and around the world. Through participation in the CSTO, there is a threat of the use of Asian or Russian troops in our territory. Belonging to the CSTO also hinders the modernization of the army.
Changing priorities and emphases in the foreign policy of the European Union.
The EU is facing unprecedented migration challenges and the consequences of Brexit. Many EU countries are looking for compromises with the Kremlin.
The United States is not a real guarantor of Belarus ‘independence, despite progress in bilateral relations and Washington’s firm commitment to Belarus’ independence and sovereignty.
Following are the main goals and objectives of the reform:
The main goal of reforming the national security sector is the immediate mobilization and consolidation of society in order to protect independence and sovereignty.
Tasks:
strengthening national identity, increasing patriotism and national dignity;
unification of society on the basis of democratic values and the idea of building an independent Belarus;
reduction of the Kremlin’s influence on Belarus through informational, economic, integration and humanitarian factors;
withdrawal from post-Soviet integration associations dominated by Russia;
integration into Western political, economic and military structures (EU, NATO).
This will all be implemented with the following steps:
In the political sphere:
withdrawal from the “Union State”, the Eurasian Union, the Customs Union and other integration entities dominated by Russia;
banning pro-Russian organizations whose activities run counter to national interests, as well as Russian foundations and organizations that fund such structures;
criminalization of public statements challenging the existence of a separate Belarusian nation and / or its historical right to its own state. Introduction of criminal liability for public insults to the Belarusian language;
monitoring by civil society forces of pro-Kremlin initiatives in Belarus;
border and customs control on the border with Russia.
Prohibition on sale of Belarusian infrastructure facilities to Russian companies.
In the information sphere:
liberation of independent media from state pressure and control, ensuring media freedom and freedom of speech in Belarus;
ban on broadcasting journalistic socio-political and news programs created by Russian TV channels in Belarus;
inclusion in the standard TV package of mandatory public TV channels of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine;
resumption of permanent activities of the Public Coordinating Council in the field of mass media.
In the military sphere:
withdrawal from the CSTO, return of full control of Belarus over its own air and missile defense systems;
withdrawal from the territory of Belarus of Russian military facilities – a communication center in Vileyka and a radar station near Baranovichi;
expansion of patriotic education in the Belarusian army;
translation of educational work in the army into Belarusian;
development of border infrastructure at the borders with EU countries, increasing the capacity of border crossings.
In the environmental sphere:
ban on commissioning and closure of new harmful industries in Brest, Mogilev, Svetlogorsk;
publication of comprehensive truthful information on the construction, safety and operation of the Astravets NPP;
holding a broad public discussion on the fate of the Astravets NPP.
In the social sphere:
raising wages and improving the working conditions of health and education workers.
In the cultural sphere:
popularization of national heroes with a bias in the XIX and XX centuries;
popularization of Kastus Kalinouski as a political founder of the modern Belarusian nation, as a symbol of the struggle of Belarusians for freedom and independence and as a figure that should consolidate around all those committed to the values of national revival and independence.
These steps generally need to be fulfilled by 2025 and 2030 respectively, when the plan is for Belarus to finally enter NATO and the EU.
The plan by 2030 also includes strengthening cooperation and formation of strategic partnership within the Baltic-Black Sea community, formation and organizational design of the relevant regional intergovernmental bloc.
Additionally, diversifying energy supplies by 2030 is also important: a limit on the share of suppliers in any of the countries to a maximum of 30% of total energy imports. This is specifically aimed against Russia, but is obviously not achievable in the very-short term, that is why it is not mentioned in the immediate steps to be taken.
Naturally, Tsikhanovskaya would also need outside help, and she issued an appeal to the European Council for assistance.
Summing up the plans and actions of the Belarusian ‘opposition’, it becomes evident that its main goal is to seize power with the support of Western backers by any means and then just turn Belarus into Ukraine 2.0. The Belarus sovereignty, economy and interests of Belarusian citizens will be sacrificed for the interests of a small group of Western-funded ‘activists’ and ‘politicians’ and the country will be sold off to Euro-Atlantic structures.
Nikita Mikhalkov spoke about Russian ideology
08/26/2020
Old songs about the main thing
During the round table at the Army 2020 forum , the famous film director and actor Nikita Mikhalkov spoke about Russian ideology. According to the director, the only ideology in Russia is the national interests of the country, this should be instilled in children from an early age. Mikhalkov did not specify what Russia's national interests are.
Anti-Soviet film by N. Mikhalkov
Protecting national interests is a very convenient ideology for the ruling class. Hospitals and schools are being closed in the country, the retirement age is rising - the state does not have enough funds, because it is necessary to arm the army, build new submarines, planes, buy more weapons, otherwise there will be nothing to protect our national interests. Low wages, pensions, benefits - money is needed to protect national interests. In the end, national interests come down to the interests of large companies that need to build new gas pipelines, seize mineral deposits, and grab lucrative contracts.
The national interests will be protected by the children of those at whose expense these interests will be protected. It is the children of ordinary workers, doctors, teachers who will be put (and put) under arms and sent to fight in overseas countries, for the sake of gaining the glory of "Russian weapons", but in fact - billions of dollars in profits for the oligarchs.
The socialist state also has armed forces. However, their purpose is not to oppress and plunder other peoples, but to protect the life and health of the working people of the country, to protect their peaceful life and work. At the same time, there is no exploiting class in a socialist state, the surplus product created by the working people goes to meet the needs of the whole society, including defense. That is why the Soviet Army was better equipped than the modern Russian, was the most powerful army in the world, despite the fact that hospitals, kindergartens, schools were built and opened in the USSR.
Ministry of Finance prepares to simplify the privatization process
08/27/2020
Sale for friends
The Ministry of Finance has prepared a bill that will allow the privatization of state property without being included in the federal forecast plan. This was reported by the Izvestia news agency with reference to the bill.
Auction
As follows from the document, the government will receive the authority to approve and change the list of objects to be privatized. These include only objects with a cadastral value of less than 100 million rubles. Moreover, even if only one person participated in the auction, the transaction can still be concluded - at the initial price of the object.
If you translate the text of the bill into simple language, then it involves a large-scale sale of state property, while leaving the authorities the tools to conclude deals only with the "right" people. Thus, the Ministry of Finance proposes to play out the scenario of the early 90s again, changing only the cost of privatized objects, but not changing the essence of the process.
Another Soviet plant risks becoming a housing complex
09/02/2020
Children's toys without children? ..
The territory of the Ogonyok children's toys plant will go under the hammer, Kommersant reported yesterday. This will satisfy the demand of Bank Solidarity to collect 400 million rubles of debt and mortgaged property in the south of Moscow. How exactly the vacated space will be used is not yet clear.
Logo of the Moscow Toy Factory "Ogonyok"
Ogonyok was founded in 1963. Since 2016, its owner is Denis Zhivtsov, and the company itself positions itself as one of the leaders in the production of plastic and PVC toys. The main problem of the "toy leader" is not only in bankers, but also in ... children. In their absence, or rather. In 2019, the children's toys industry shrank 9% compared to 2018. There are no statistics for 2020, but given the economic crisis, it is unlikely to be rosy.
The lawsuit against Ogonyok was filed back in 2018, but the Deposit Insurance Agency (currently the bankruptcy manager of Solidarity Bank, deprived of its license in December 2017) managed to achieve its satisfaction only the second time, in August this year.
Discussions about the future in the past of the Soviet giant plant are as simple as the logic of the post-Soviet bourgeois - to sell equipment, expel workers, hand over the giant's body for a service sector, a warehouse, or build a housing complex on this site.
Will the dislocation of the plant in the industrial zone, where gentrification has not even begun, hinder this? Not sure because Ironically, in the same area, the Tsaritsyno residential complex is located , consisting of six thousand defrauded real estate investors who were supposed to receive apartments back in 2012.
The grimaces of history would be ridiculous if they were not written in our blood.
Half of workers are at risk of losing their jobs
06/08/2020
The poor get poorer
Approximately half of working Russians in the near future will be under the threat of dismissal or loss of part of their earnings. This is the conclusion reached by experts from the RANEPA . The most vulnerable industries include communications, transport, and public catering. At the same time, workers in other sectors of the economy also risk losing their jobs or part of their earnings. The most vulnerable are workers under the age of 30 and, in addition, women.
Unemployment in Russia: 2015
As always in such situations, we see that the most vulnerable are the workers, their situation significantly worsens during crises. It is the working people who bear the brunt of crises; it is at their expense that problems are solved under capitalism. In a period of economic decline, it is the workers who lose their jobs, they are the ones who get their wages cut. When an epidemic comes, the working people fight against the disease, support life in cities and villages, work in factories without personal protective equipment.
Shareholders, stock brokers, capitalists do nothing to support citizens, but they go through crises without much difficulty, shifting the burden of disaster onto the shoulders of the working people. Often, capitalists get rich enough during all sorts of crises, epidemics and wars. The current crisis and epidemic were no exception: the combined fortune of American billionaires during the pandemic grew by $ 565 billion. Russian billionaires are not much different from them: the Russian big bourgeoisie has grown rich during the pandemic by $ 62 billion.
Thus, the workers who create all the benefits are forced to survive and look for work. At the same time, capitalists receive super-profits and enrich themselves regardless of whether there is a crisis or not. This state of affairs is characteristic of capitalism, and it will not change as long as capitalism exists. Now, when one can already see the impotence of capitalism in solving the problems facing humanity, when the general crisis of the capitalist system has come, it is the working people who can decide the fate of capitalism.
City runoff on the shores of Lake Baikal caused damage to nature for 1.5 million rubles
03.09.2020
The court ordered the authorities of the town of Slyudyanka, located on the shore of Lake Baikal, to purify wastewater, the maximum permissible concentration of harmful substances in which is exceeded many times. According to the estimates of Rosprirodnadzor specialists, the damage from untreated wastewater was more than 1.5 million rubles.
“It follows from the results of the laboratory tests that the quality of wastewater treatment does not meet the requirements, and actually polluted waters come out of the treatment facilities. For example, despite the cleaning being carried out, the concentration of ammonium ion exceeds the maximum permissible values by 17.8 times, chloride ion by 3.9 times, nitrite ion by 17.7 times, suspended solids by 2 times, " the prosecutor's office.
We have already written many times about various environmental disasters caused by the desire of capitalists and authorities to avoid "unnecessary" spending . The case with the sewage system in Slyudyanka is by no means an exception - saving on everything and indifference to the environment has long become the norm throughout the world . Capitalism cannot stop, and as long as it reigns on the planet, the ecological situation will get worse and worse.
Harmful runoff from Levikhinsky mine got into Tagil river
07/31/2020
Ecology and profit are incompatible concepts
Rosprirodnadzor recorded the pollution of the Tagil River with sewage from the abandoned Levikhinsky mine . Rational use of this waste could bring up to 24 million rubles in profit per month.
Runoff from the Levikhinsky mine
The Levikhinsky copper mine near Kirovograd in the Sverdlovsk region has been in development since Soviet times and was abandoned in 2003, despite the large reserves of metal remaining in it. Since then, the authorities have been trying in vain to prevent an environmental catastrophe associated with the ingress of acidic water from the mine into the Levikha River, and from it into Tagil. They try to neutralize harmful substances with milk of lime. But even after that, their content in the Tagil River, where already purified water is poured, is many times higher than the permissible norms.
The authorities of the Sverdlovsk region argue that the water intake for the needs of residents occurs upstream, and therefore there is no danger to the health of Sverdlovsk residents. But the monthly damage from the abandoned mine is estimated by experts at 18.6 million rubles. At the same time, the extraction of copper and zinc from the waters considered to be waste, of which there is more than in many industrial ores, would bring 24 million rubles a month (at prices of 2019).
The development of this idea, which began in 2012-2014, crashed against a bureaucratic stone: the waste of the Levikhinsky mine does not stand anywhere on the balance sheet, according to the documents they simply do not exist. Therefore, it was not possible to find an investor for this project: no one wanted to spend money without guaranteed access to raw materials. It is simply not profitable for government agencies to register these wastewaters, since they will have to pay for their disposal.
The result is a vicious circle tied to the unwillingness of either side to invest in projects that do not guarantee quick returns. No matter how important these projects are for society in the end.
In our opinion, this is far from a special case, it is a systemic problem. As long as the entire economic system in the Russian Federation is set up to extract immediate profits, ecology will never be a priority. With this approach, the number of man-made disasters will only grow over time.
Due to the negligence of the authorities, a large amount of oil got into the Khimki reservoir
02.07.2020
Miser pays twice
Since the discovery of the oil spill in the Butakovsky Bay of the Khimki reservoir on June 25, the area of the oil slick has increased to 22.9 thousand m 2 . The Federal Agency for Water Resources of Russia announced this on June 29 on its website.
According to preliminary data, the source of pollution was the storm collector operated by MUE "Khimvodostok".
“We have repeatedly sent requests to law enforcement agencies that the collectors should be equipped with treatment facilities. This also applies to this case. The execution of the court's decision would have made it possible to prevent or minimize the pollution of the drinking water body of Moscow. Now our specialists are working around the clock to eliminate the oil spill, carry out remediation ", - said the head of the Moscow-Oka BWU V. Astakhov
Once again, nature has become a victim of economy . However, this time, unlike the case with Norilsk Nickel , the reason was the inaction of the official authorities, which entailed serious damage to the environment. The city leadership behaved like an ordinary capitalist, striving at all costs to minimize costs. Officials always follow the interests of the ruling class, and as long as they are capitalists, all actions of the authorities will be aimed only at maximizing profits.
