12-14-06, 9:10 am

This is the last issue of The Guardian for this year and it is timely to review the rapid changes that have taken place in the course of the year which are transforming the world in many ways.

In Australia we are only at the beginning of the sort of changes that have taken place in Latin America, in Africa and Asia. None-the-less, there are several issues gaining momentum in this country, and the impact they are making on society should not be underestimated. The fact that the trade union movement has united in a way not seen in many years to hold massive demonstrations against the IR legislation is significant.

There is also a growing movement for the return of David Hicks to Australia from the hell-hole of Guantánamo, and strong divisions over this issue within Coalition ranks.

Opposition to Australia’s involvement in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan remains strong. This criminal adventure, initiated by the Bush administration and his Neo-Con cronies, has been a massive failure, and was a significant factor in the massive defeat of the Republicans in the US half-year elections. The Blair and Howard leaderships have also been widely discredited in their electorates by these criminal wars.

Then there is the further awakening of people in Australia regarding climate change. This movement has united environmental organisations and many other groups, scientists, and people across the political spectrum in demanding Howard acknowledge this planet-threatening problem.

The Labor Party has elected a new leadership team, and although it cannot be expected to make any far-reaching changes in policy, it will almost certainly assist in bringing about the defeat of the Howard Government in next year’s Federal elections.

Cuba and Venezuela

Cuba sits on the very doorstep of the United States, and yet has stood strong and resisted attempts at invasion and intervention for 45 years. Democratic control by the people over their land and the products of their labour via their socialist system has lead to a standard of living that is the envy of Latin America. The rates of literacy, longevity and housing in Cuba surpass even the United States, and stand as a beacon for progressive forces throughout Latin America.

Now the Venezuelan people too are seeking such a system, as evidenced by the sweeping re-election of Hugo Chávez as President of Venezuela. In many respects Venezuela, under Chávez’s leadership, is the bellwether of the left-wing forces in Latin America and other continents. Venezuela is changing over to a new system intent on increasing the involvement of the people in politics and beefing up state intervention in economic affairs.

The Chávez Government sponsored the establishment of cooperatives with workers’ autonomy, re-distributed the unused land of big farms among landless villagers and set up 'people’s clinics' and 'people’s markets'. It has large oil and gas reserves which, now that they are publicly owned, provide the means to improve the lives of an otherwise poverty-stricken population. Economic growth has been sustained for the last three years, reaching 9-10 percent in the past two years.

Venezuela’s was not the only left or progressive victory in Latin America. The most recent elections in Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Uruguay, Argentina and Nicaragua also resulted in the defeat of right-wing US-sponsored candidates.

Africa

In Africa too, the winds of change are blowing strongly. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, left-wing candidate, Joseph Kabila was elected. The people of South Africa continue to show confidence in the tripartite alliance between the Communist Party of South Africa, the African National Congress and the leading trade union body, COSATU.

There is also Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe which continue to resist all the efforts of imperialism to disrupt their political independence and their economic development. Angola’s massive oil and mineral deposits are exploited by a company in which the government has majority control, leading to a GDP growth rate of 26 percent in 2006.

Yet the successes of countries such as this are never reported in mainstream media.

Multi-polar world

One of the most significant changes now having a profound effect on the international balance of forces is the consolidation of political and economic relations between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China.

The steady nine percent economic growth rate of socialist China’s economy over the last 25 years is an achievement that has no parallel in world history. Furthermore, Russia is now the world’s leading producer of oil and natural gas which remain the engine of economic growth for most countries.

Alongside this is the emergence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO involves China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran, India, Pakistan and Mongolia are observers. This grouping of countries accounts for a large majority of the world’s population with enormous economic potential.

The world is no longer dominated by the US super-power: US strength and influence in world is rapidly declining and this is being accelerated by the disastrous policies adopted by the Bush leadership.

A number of poles of power and influence have emerged to create a multi-polar situation in which no single nation or group can dominate the world.

The aggressive war-mongering policies of the USA in Iraq, Afghanistan are on the verge of collapse. While the defeat of the US in these wars will be reminiscent of its defeat in Vietnam, the consequences will be more far-reaching — a major setback for US plans of control over the whole Middle East region and the loss of control over the massive oil reserves upon which is it so dependant.

Australia’s contribution

This brief survey would not be complete without mentioning the situation developing in Australia’s region — South-East Asia and the South Pacific — in which Howard Government was recruited by the US play the role of 'Deputy Sheriff'.

Here it is all coming unstuck: although these states are small, poor and have many internal difficulties, there is increasing resistance to attempts by Australia and New Zealand to impose their domination.

The Australian 'Deputy Sheriff' Government even harbours the illusion that it can influence Indonesia to become embedded the pro-US camp. But Indonesia is an Asian country with an Asian population and culture; its economic interests lie in Asia not with Australia or America.

Furthermore, it is the world’s most populous Islamic country and every Indonesian can see the US and Australian 'war on terrorism' is actually a struggle for domination over other Islamic countries; a policy that will result in endless conflict and imperialist wars by the West to steal the resources of those countries, and the suppression of those peoples’ right to determine their own path of economic and cultural development.

The future

These struggles for liberation and independence will continue to be felt around the world. They are based on the struggles of the people for an end to their poverty, for basics such as drinking water, jobs, health care, shelter, education and for land and Indigenous rights. People are sick of wars. They want peace and genuine freedom — not the mockery of wars and occupation in the name of freedom and democracy.

The Australian contribution to these changes — if we are to catch up with the rest of the world — will be the continuation of the struggle to replace the IR legislation with legislation that brings justice to workers. There are campaigns to maintain our democratic rights, to support the struggles of the Indigenous people for recognition of the injustices of the past, genuine government attempts to lift the standards of education and health within their communities, and democratic control over their land and resources.

There will be a growing will by Australian people to take action against wars, against pre-emptive strikes and the flagrant interference in the internal affairs of other countries. We want a world in which it is possible to live, not one devastated by climate change resulting in the massive destruction of the ecology being foisted on the world by capitalist 'get rich quick' corporations and managing directors.

The 2007 Federal election holds the possibility of finally defeating the 10-year-old Howard Government; a government notorious for its lying and corruption, and which has wreaked havoc on Australian society with its conservative social, economic and political policies.

Howard’s defeat will only be a first step — the replacement Labor Party government may only bring limited policy changes aimed at reversing this devastation.

We must go much further, and look to the course being blazed by countries such as Cuba and Venezuela as inspiration in our work in turning Australia onto a path of social regeneration such as we have never previously experienced.

From The Guardian