Soldiers’
_ On visiting many of the English-speaking Caribbean
islands like Jamaica, Antigua or Barbados, one often
asks why it is that after lowering the Union Jack to end
centuries of British colonialism, there is still lack of any
-Teal gains for the people. Housing is still bad, wages are
low and unemployment high. Why is there such a lot of
frustration, the same kind of hopelessness which forced
Many islanders to emigrate northwards to the UK,
Canada and the U.S.?

Some argue that the progressive sentiment leading to
Political independence, to the taking over by the. Carib-
bean peoples themselves of the political institutions has
not developed into a newer, fuller democracy together
With a better type of economy.

What is necessary to move forward, these analysts
Say, is to look creatively at other kinds of political in-
Situations than the traditional Westminster model.
Where the long established ‘‘free market’’ economy fails
to deliver the goods, why not try more planning?

__ This may appear to be drastic action, but this’ ap-
Proach, which must at all times be accompanied by the

full participation of the people, may be the only way out
for the Caribbean. It is happening today in Grenada, the
first English-speaking island in the region to take this
route and with much benefit for the Grenadians.

Although there are differences, a similar road in many
Tespects is being taken in the former Dutch colony of
Suriname. Situated on the northern tip of the South
American continent, it borders the Caribbean and shares
with many of the islands the same history of slavery,
Colonialism and neo-colonialism. —

Stymied by outmoded Dutch political institutions,

progressive-minded young Surinamese army officers, all
Members of the Bond Militare Kader (BOMIKA), staged
a ‘‘soldier’s revolution’’ in February 1980 to overthrow
the government of Prime Minister Henk Arron.
_ Today, this Dutch-speaking country which gained its
independence in 1975, has embarked on a new path of
development which promises to create a society free of
exploitation and achieve genuine democratic participa-
tion of the people in running the country.

Led by Lt. Col. Deysi Bourterse, the army officers

revolution in Suriname.

have subsequently joined with most of the major
Surinamese organizations of workers, peasants, youth
and students around an anti-imperialist program to form
a Revolutionary Front. The Front sees the control of the
Surinamese economy by North American multi-national
corporations and Dutch nec-colonialism as two im-
mediate obstacles to be overcome.

These trans-nationals control much of the country’s
major exports — bauxite, lumber products, rice,
bananas and shrimp. To loosen their hold the Front plans
to expand the state sector of the economy and help small
farmers to establish cooperatives. Expanding trade with
the socialist and developing world is another means of
breaking the transnationals’ grip.

The Front is also actively organizing the country’s
small population of 350,000 into the militia and is arming
the revolutionary forces.

Another important task is to combat racism in this
multi-racial society comprised of several ethnic groups
including East Indians, Blacks, Indonesians, Chinese
and Europeans. Front leaders are carefully working to
break down racial tensions.

Said Bourterse while visiting Grenada last month: “‘Itis
of prime importance to mobilize the masses so that the
Revolution is not something they are confronted with,
but something in their minds. And this is a prime task in
which we have to put all our efforts. Dealing with the
state apparatus is important.”’

Significantly, the new administration has adopted
principled foreign policies. Besides being a member of
the Non-Aligned Movement, Suriname has stated that it

& oa tae ahs
ee NN ph

Lt. Col. Desi Bouterse, head of the ruling soldiers’ council
in Suriname.

is on the side of the liberation movements against
imperialism. On his visit to Grenada, Bourterse noted
that ‘“‘we consider Grenada as one of the nations closest
tous’. Already, the Suriname government has indicated
it wants closer links with Caricom, the 12-member integ-
ration movement of the Anglophone Caribbean.

The road has not been-easy in Suriname. Since the
soldiers took power, there have been a number of at-
tempted counter-coups, the most recent on March 11
when a group of soldiers took over an army barracks,
They were crushed within 48 hours by the armed forces.

All Surinamese are therefore being encouraged by the
Front to be ever vigilant, to join the people’s militia and
deepen their awarenéss of the need to control saboteurs.

If things go well, if the Surinamese people and their
political leadership succeed in developing their popular
democratic revolution, it will be in the interests of all
those in the Caribbean who are struggling for a better
way of life.

Canada’s future — the socialist alternative (7)

_ The socialist transformation of society
Is the task of the working class and its
democratic allies. To bring about such a
Tevolutionary transformation the work-
ing class must take political power into
Its own hands, dismantle the capitalist
State machine and replace it with its own
Socialist state.

The socialist state is a qualitatively
New type of state. It is different from all

Alfred Dewhurst

Marxism-Leninism Today

munist Party. The distinctions between
the Soviet form and the form of people’s
democracy do not change the substance
of the political power. For in both cases,
the power is in the hands of the working
class.
* * *

During the transition period the
working class is both the ruling and the
leading class. This is so because it works

former states in its class character, form
of political organization and the role it is

called upon to play. In short, the socialist —

State represents the power of the working
Class, which together with all other work-
Ing people abolishes capitalism and sets
about building the new socialist state, a
Society without hostile classes and with-
Out exploitation.

* * *

The class struggle does not come to an
end with the removal of the capitalist
Class from power. It continues during the
Period of the socialist transition, because
the capitalists cannot reconcile their de-
feat, and the loss of political power and
Privilege, and therefore forcibly resist the
New power. The rule of the working class
is needed to put down the resistance of
the capitalists, to transfer the means of

Production to the people and to defend

the gains of the socialist revolution
inst internal and external enemies.

However, the suppression of the
Capitalist class is not an end in itself. The

- Principal task for the working class is to
build a socialist society and mainly, a
Socialist economy. Therefore, the work-
Ing class is called upon to direct eco-

nomic development and create a new
type of economy — a socialist economy
founded on social ownership, build up a
new type of social relations and educate
the people in the spirit of socialism.
Further it is called upon to administer the
new society according to a plan, and to
defend its achievements against
reactionary elements within the country
and against world imperialism.
*

Working-class power is a qualitatively
new and higher type of democracy. It

brings democracy to the overwhelming

majority of the people. Under this new
power, the new type of democracy arises
from the very nature of the socialist
state, frorn its goals and tasks. The work-
ing class can break the resistance of the
exploiting classes, retain and consolidate
power, and build socialism only on the
basis of a firm alliance with all working
people, with all democratic forces. In
other words, with the support of the
masses. This alliance, with the ‘working
class playing the leading role is the foun-
dation and supreme principle of
working-class rule.

The working-class power consists ofa

system of state and non-state (party and
mass) organizations. The pivotal centre
of this system is the workers’ party —the
Communist Party — which guides the
building of socialism. The party’s links
with the masses is the main guarantee of
success in the building of socialist socie-

ty.
* * *

The establishment of working-class
power and the leading role played by the
Marxist-Leninist party in the administra-
tion of the state are key to the transition
from capitalism to socialism. However,
the form of this power depends on the
concrete situation existing in the given
country. For instance, in the Soviet
Union it took the form of Soviets of
Working People’s Deputies. In other
socialist countries it took the form o
People’s Democracy.

As distinct from the Soviets the politi-
cal systems of some People’s Democ-
racies consist of several parties, tradi-

‘tional forms of parliament and a popular

national front — a mass organization uni-
ting the: socialist and all democratic
forces carrying out the building of social-
ism under the guidance of the Com-

in industry, which is the basis of the
whole national economy. And, second-
ly, its labor is founded on the most ad-
vanced and most developed form of
socialist ownership — state, public
ownership. Thirdly, because of its revo-
lutionary traditions and its experience of
bitter struggle against capitalism, it is the
most consistent champion of socialist
ideology. Being the most numerous
class, the best organized and the most
disciplined class, the working class is
therefore the foremost social force of
socialist society.

_The fact that the working class plays
the leading role in socialist society does
not diminish the part played by other
democratic social forces. For instance,

_ the part played by the farmers and intelli-

gentsia is invaluable, but does not qualify
them to assume the leading role. For it is
only the working class whose interests _
coincide with the interests of all other —
sections of socialist society.

The aim of the. working class in social-
ist society is to abolish all classes and to
build a classless society. ;

NB: Gonchisibht Wext Week

Rte

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JUNE 18, 1982—Page 5