05) NEW HOPE, NEW CHALLENGES

People's Voice Editorial

     Recent popular struggles and elections give rise to hopes that the right-wing grip on global politics is being further weakened. But nothing is automatic, and the emergence of positive new trends brings with it a different set of challenges.

     The past several years have witnessed a powerful series of general strikes in many countries, more recently bolstered by huge student protests, including in Quebec. Increasingly, working people, students, and their community allies are taking to the streets against profiteering, exploitation and war.

     This mood is reflected in varying degrees at the ballot box. Some ultra-right forces have made gains, as have the communist parties and their allies, but voters are rejecting reactionary corporate-backed ruling parties. In France, voters defeated right-wing President Sarkozy, in favour of a centrist Socialist candidate. In Greece, the "social democratic" and right-wing parties which imposed the austerity agenda of big capital suffered massive losses. Britain's ruling "Con-Dem" alliance have met big defeats in local elections. Here in Canada, setbacks inflicted on the BC Liberals, the Wildrose Alliance in Alberta, and Tim Hudak's far-right Tories in Ontario are signals that voters are wary of the dead-end "austerity" road.

     But our fight cannot end with the election of "moderate" parties which promise to soften the blows of neoliberalism. Working people desperately need a People's Agenda that includes truly progressive tax reforms and public ownership of the key sectors of the economy, as the basis to create good jobs, wipe out poverty, provide universal health care and education, protect the environment, and end militarism and war forever.

     The wheel of history has begun to turn. Our challenge today is to build the powerful, united people's movement that will mobilize millions for these policies, replacing the domination of big capital with the political power of the working class.

 

(The above article is from the May 16-31, 2012, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)