Only new socialist administration can solve existing socio-economic crises

May 1, 2018 

“Capitalism in Sri Lanka can never create anything new for the masses in this country and this impotent capitalist system should be changed. This once again emphasizes the need for a new socio-economic transformation for a new Socialist society to replace the bankrupt capitalist state,” states the May Day message released by the JVP

Full text of the message:

The downtrodden masses including the working people commemorate the International Workers’ Day that falls on 1st May with dignity. May Day is the day the working masses show their strength, unity and militancy and also their readiness to struggle for their rights and for a new society.

The International Workers’ Day was created to commemorate the workers’ leaders who laid down their lives at the struggle against the oppression and suppression of capitalism launched by workers in Chicago in 1886 demanding an 8-hour working day. 1st of May was named the International Workers’ Day by the first congress of the Second International that met in Paris in 1889. Hence, the May Day is a day that belongs to the working masses lead by the working class and the left movements.

However, capitalist parties, as well as their rulers in Sri Lanka as well as throughout the world, distort the true meaning of the International Workers’ Day to use it for their petty political agendas. Capitalist politicians that suppress working masses that demand their rights are competing with each other to distort the essence of the May Day and plunder it to display the power of their parties and governments. As such, there is also a struggle before the working masses to save the ownership of the International Workers’ Day.

At this moment, when we commemorate the International Workers’ Day – 2018, imperialism, capitalism throughout the world and capitalist socio-economic system are displaying their failure and vileness more than ever before. The eight-hour working day the worker comrades in Chicago won with their lives is being abolished and attempts are being made to grab eh right of an eight-hour working day through various laws and regulations. It is being proved through practice that rights of the downtrodden people including that of the working masses cannot be protected within capitalism and even the rights that have been won are being abolished within the capitalist system.

As such, there is no alternative left for the downtrodden people including the working masses other than to organize themselves to defeat capitalism globally and create an administration of the working masses.

At the moment capitalist system globally as well as locally are confronted with an unsolvable crisis. The day by day escalating capitalist crisis piles up more and more burdens on the working masses. They are being burdened with more and more taxes, termination of employment and slashing of salaries and rights which makes their lives extremely hard and miserable.

On the other hand, imperialists lead by the USA, in a bid to plunder resources of the countries in the world, especially the oil resources in the Middle East as well as to sell weapons to these countries, continue to pit them against each other, invade them and threaten them. Imperialists, who sustain extremist cliques and engage in terrorism to carry out their agenda, who break into other countries on the pretext of suppressing terrorism, are dragging the capitalist world towards barbarism again. The air strikes against Syria carried out recently indicate that the attempt of the imperialists is to repeat the crimes they committed against Iraq on Syria too.

In such an environment it is the downtrodden people lead by the working masses that have to take the responsibility of coming forward for social progress against imperialist barbarism. To liberate from the crisis the capitalist world is confronted with the global working class has no other alternative other than giving new life to the struggle to defeat imperialism and capitalism and establish Socialism. This is the resolve the working masses throughout the world should make on this May Day.

Currently, Sri Lanka too is subjected to a gigantic financial crisis and is bogged down in it. The massive debt burden the country has been dragged into, the loss in foreign trade and the dwindling foreign reserves have depreciated the rupee that has paved the path for a gigantic crisis. This is why the government that handed over the Hambanthota Harbour to China for a few million dollars is now scheming to lease or sell land, islands and the oil tank farm to foreign companies. Despite this grave situation the government that has increased the tax burden of the masses, slash relief given to people and the pension right of the employees in the state sector and plunder the EPF of the employees in the private sector spend billions to buy vehicles and buildings to the President, the Prime Minister, ministers and parliamentarians and to hold tamashas. In such a situation it is the downtrodden people including the working masses that are further distressed and tormented. At present this crisis has deteriorated into a social crisis.

While the economic crisis exists the crisis in the ruling class too has multiplied. The mayhem in the ‘unity’ government has been intensified due to the result of the local government election and the no-confidence motion brought against the Prime Minister. The country has entered a state of anarchy. The internal conflict in the UNP and the split in the SLFP have brought the crisis of the ruling clique to the surface. This indicates the capitalist system has no solution for the crisis of capitalism and the manifestation of the crisis of capitalism has begun with capitalist political parties and the governments.

What do the extremely grave socio-economic-political and cultural crisis that has surfaced currently in Sri Lanka and the bitter experiences of the 70 year long rotating politics indicate? It is none other than that capitalism in Sri Lanka can never create anything new for the masses in this country and this impotent capitalist system should be changed. This once again emphasizes the need for a new socio-economic transformation for a new Socialist society to replace the bankrupt capitalist state. The UNP, the SLFP or other small cliques and groups can never find genuine solutions for the present crisis of capitalism or bring economic development or progress to the country. It is the working masses lead by the working class and the downtrodden people who should take the initiative. There is no other way. It needs political leadership and the only political party that could give this leadership, has won people’s trust, has an alternative programme, could make sacrifices and has the determination to do so is the JVP.

As such, a gigantic people’s power, a people’s movement a people’s center under the leadership of the JVP with the working masses as its vanguard should be built to defeat the bankrupt capitalist system that is in crisis and the bankrupt capitalist political parties to create a people’s administration that would establish a new Socialist society to achieve social justice and national unity. This people’s movement that is already being built should be strengthened with resoluteness and dedication. It is only by building such a people’s power, making it victorious and bringing about a new socio-economic transformation that the downtrodden people including the working masses and all progressive people could win their rights and a better tomorrow could be created for the masses.

Hence, on this May Day, we say that the new Socialism could be built and call upon all Sri Lankans including working masses, the farmers, the fishermen, the youth, women, students, professionals, scholars, intellectuals, writers, artists, environmentalists, journalists, humanitarians, progressives, democrats to come forward, rally with the JVP and struggle for a people’s administration.