The Moldovan Communist Party

[Robespierre2.0]

They recently won the elections, sparking anti-communist protests. However, they've apparently been in power since 2001.

I tried looking them up so as to get an idea of their ideological line. Their wikipedia article says that their ideology is 'communism'. Wow. How helpful.

Obviously the party as a whole certainly isn't 'communist' as we know it, otherwise we'd probably hear horror stories from the western media about them persecuting the bourgeoisie- therefore I assume they are typical European social-democrats using the 'communist' moniker.

Anybody know more about them or the situation in Moldova? Is there a real revolutionary alternative party? or is the Moldovan communist party more of a broad-left coalition, with revolutionary communists being a subgroup?

[Enragé]

last thing i heard the people are revolting.

"We will have no future under the Communists because they just think of themselves."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/04/20094793543800737.html

[h0m0revolutionary]

They recently won the elections, sparking anti-communist protests. However, they've apparently been in power since 2001.

I tried looking them up so as to get an idea of their ideological line. Their wikipedia article says that their ideology is 'communism'. Wow. How helpful.

Obviously the party as a whole certainly isn't 'communist' as we know it, otherwise we'd probably hear horror stories from the western media about them persecuting the bourgeoisie- therefore I assume they are typical European social-democrats using the 'communist' moniker.

Anybody know more about them or the situation in Moldova? Is there a real revolutionary alternative party? or is the Moldovan communist party more of a broad-left coalition, with revolutionary communists being a subgroup?

They have quite popular following percisely because they offer no real threat to neoliberalism within Moldovia. The left has long been a dead force in Moldovia and out of this death has stemmed the corpse of thrid period Stalinism. That, if anything coherent, is what the Moldovian communists who occupy their executive represent.

[Vlad tdf]

high school kids started the revolt now every young man is revolted in there but nobody know what are they fighting for they just throw stones and that's all . It is pretty much as the romanian revolution against "communism" and now here in romania it is worst than the Ceausescu period ... It's sad because the communist party in Moldova it's a lie there is no communist party in Moldova they are all a bunch of ****s !

[punisa]

If anyone has more info about the party, please do post.
Why such an outrage?
What is it exactly that people are revolting against? Is it because of the party declared themselves as communists or is it because there are some crooked "turn-coat" guys headlining it?

Bottom line, I'm against all these senseless violence taking place in the last few days, be it Moldova, be it G20. It just goes to show how majority of young people, regardless of the political spectrum, have no idea how to collectively organize and seize their goals by smarter, more feasible ways.
Mindless property-smashers belong to rehabilitation clinics.

[Holden Caulfield]

What i can sermise, they are disliked as they represent the 'old order' and the country needs modernised.
They aren't communists either not even shitty Stalinist ones, or this is how it seems to me upon first glace. Seems like they use the name to get votes from old people with nostalgia for a planned economy etc.

[Das war einmal]

Ah same old, same old. Fall of the wall over again. Ignorant youngsters hoping they get the same wealth as the ones in the West. Of course they wont get a single nickel and they are frowned upon by the west but they can serve as an source of employees and maybe the western manufacturers can sell a thing or two at the new would be market.
And of course our 'friends' from the extreme left support this revolt, like they did back in 1989. Yay revolutionary youngsters against the state! Now we finally get 'real' communism.

[Pogue]

If anyone has more info about the party, please do post.
Why such an outrage?
What is it exactly that people are revolting against? Is it because of the party declared themselves as communists or is it because there are some crooked "turn-coat" guys headlining it?

Bottom line, I'm against all these senseless violence taking place in the last few days, be it Moldova, be it G20. It just goes to show how majority of young people, regardless of the political spectrum, have no idea how to collectively organize and seize their goals by smarter, more feasible ways.
Mindless property-smashers belong to rehabilitation clinics.

Clearly you fail to understand what happened on the G20 protests then.

[Wanted Man]

What is it exactly that people are revolting against? Is it because of the party declared themselves as communists or is it because there are some crooked "turn-coat" guys headlining it?
Probably neither, more likely it's the usual Orange-style "revolution" that occurs in these instances. Just because the pro-Russian autocrats aren't very appealing to latte-sipping liberals, doesn't mean that "the people are revolting". :rolleyes:

[punisa]

Clearly you fail to understand what happened on the G20 protests then.
Something was achieved towards our goal? If negative, then yes - I clearly fail to understand it.
Btw, I'm very well informed upon all the details and actions that took place.

Is there a significant difference between a smashed bank window in London and a smashed parliament window in Moldova? Or their perpertraitors?

[PeaderO'Donnell]

.. Ignorant youngsters hoping they get the same wealth as the ones in the West.

No Romanian patriots standing up to Russian settlers.

And its the Russian mafia types who sip the latthes.

[Enragé]

Is there a significant difference between a smashed bank window in London and a smashed parliament window in Moldova? Or their perpertraitors?

Both actions are justifiable (who gives a fuck? One is a symbol of commodity and class rule, the other is the symbol of state rule) and completely understandable, but whereas in moldova it seems like there's an extremely large support for this kind of things it is not untactical, in London it was (but not that much either, one bank, 3 windows for fuck sake where people were being prevented from continuing the protest or even going home, kept them there for hours, is what i heard).

[lvl100]

They aren't communists either not even shitty Stalinist ones, or this is how it seems to me upon first glace. Seems like they use the name to get votes from old people with nostalgia for a planned economy etc.
This.

I dont think that there is a "orange revolution" there or something like that.
Its more like an outburst of frustration from the young generation.

In 10 years of "communist" (lol) rule, Moldova pretty much hit the bottom.
Its piss poor even by standards of eastern Europe. Hell , its piss poor by any standards.
"communist authorities succeed to piss off all their neighbors who could help , Russia, Romania and UE so there is no hope from these places either.
25% of its entire population works already abroad. Following this trend, in a few years there wont be any people under 60 in that country.

So its understandable that when "communists" were elected for a third time ( with dubious results , all the polls indicated around 35% , in the end they got something like over 50%) the shit hit the fan.

[punisa]

This.

I dont think that there is a "orange revolution" there or something like that.
Its more like an outburst of frustration from the young generation.

In 10 years of "communist" (lol) rule, Moldova pretty much hit the bottom.
Its piss poor even by standards of eastern Europe. Hell , its piss poor by any standards.
"communist authorities succeed to piss off all their neighbors who could help , Russia, Romania and UE so there is no hope from these places either.
25% of its entire population works already abroad. Following this trend, in a few years there wont be any people under 60 in that country.

So its understandable that when "communists" were elected for a third time ( with dubious results , all the polls indicated around 35% , in the end they got something like over 50%) the shit hit the fan.

Let's take for granted that this obviously lousy "communist" party is responsible for current not-so-good conditions in Moldova.
Then how in the world did get even 35% ?! :cursing:
I'd allow only 18-45 year olds to vote, the rest are just nostalgia trippers anyway.

[lvl100]

Let's take for granted that this obviously lousy "communist" party is responsible for current not-so-good conditions in Moldova.
Then how in the world did get even 35% ?! :cursing:
I'd allow only 18-45 year olds to vote, the rest are just nostalgia trippers anyway.
Well you pretty much answered yourself :)

There is a huge antagonism between older ones who after living all their lives as soviet citizens they are easily fooled by anyone calling themselvs "communists".
The misinformation and lack of political culture makes them very susceptible to "electoral bribes". Like it doesn't matter you made the country a shithole, but if you increase their welfare with 5% then you are their hero.

Also the freedom of mass media is crippled. Most of it is so-so.
Meaning that usually your free to say whatever you want, but be careful not to piss off some high authority. Some dudes were arrested only because their posts on an internet forum expressed their disagreement with "communists"

On the other side are the younger ones, who want a change.But as i said already 25% of the population its working abroad ( the 19-45 range of course) so the population at home its overwhelmingly old so guess where the votes are going.

[punisa]

Well you pretty much answered yourself :)

There is a huge antagonism between older ones who after living all their lives as soviet citizens they are easily fooled by anyone calling themselvs "communists".
The misinformation and lack of political culture makes them very susceptible to "electoral bribes". Like it doesn't matter you made the country a shithole, but if you increase their welfare with 5% then you are their hero.

Also the freedom of mass media is crippled. Most of it is so-so.
Meaning that usually your free to say whatever you want, but be careful not to piss off some high authority. Some dudes were arrested only because their posts on an internet forum expressed their disagreement with "communists"

On the other side are the younger ones, who want a change.But as i said already 25% of the population its working abroad ( the 19-45 range of course) so the population at home its overwhelmingly old so guess where the votes are going.

Thank you for the clarification. The situation sounds sooo familiar :laugh:
Here in Croatia the age groups are very similar.
Although here the opposition is equally bad as the ruling party, so majority of people clearly see no point in protesting.

[Das war einmal]

Wtf are all these EU fanboys doing here all of a sudden? And whats with the total lack of seeing things in perspective? There are numerous reasons for a country to be poor, you are not gonna tell me its all the fault of this communist party.

[The Author]

They recently won the elections, sparking anti-communist protests. However, they've apparently been in power since 2001.

I tried looking them up so as to get an idea of their ideological line. Their wikipedia article says that their ideology is 'communism'. Wow. How helpful.

Obviously the party as a whole certainly isn't 'communist' as we know it, otherwise we'd probably hear horror stories from the western media about them persecuting the bourgeoisie- therefore I assume they are typical European social-democrats using the 'communist' moniker.

Anybody know more about them or the situation in Moldova? Is there a real revolutionary alternative party? or is the Moldovan communist party more of a broad-left coalition, with revolutionary communists being a subgroup?The Moldovan Communist Party strikes me as the type that went from revisionism to Eurocommunism. An interesting article has been published by the Jamestown Foundation about the party's electoral wins, and I quote the article and provide the link below:


Ten Reasons Why the Communist Party Won Moldova's Elections Again

Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 6 Issue: 66
April 7, 2009 01:43 PM Age: 2 days
Category: Eurasia Daily Monitor, Vlad’s Corner, Home Page, Domestic/Social, Moldova
By: Vladimir Socor (http://www.jamestown.org/articles-by-author/?no_cache=1&tx_cablanttnewsstaffrelation_pi1%5Bauthor%5D=132)

(http://www.jamestown.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=uploads%2Fpics%2FVladimir_Veronin.jpg&width=500m&height=500&bodyTag=%3Cbody%20bgColor%3D%22%23ffffff%22%3E&wrap=%3Ca%20href%3D%22javascript%3Aclose%28%29%3B% 22%3E%20%7C%20%3C%2Fa%3E&md5=587aac2a77af05622c580638bc65dd20)Incumbent President of Moldova's Communist Party, Vladimir Voronin

As anticipated (see EDM, March 13, 16) the Communist Party has won Moldova's parliamentary elections on April 5, far outdistancing the parties that ran on anti-communist platforms. On paper at least--and every fourth year in real practice--Moldova is a parliamentary republic. The new parliament will approve the country's government and elect a new president in place of the incumbent Vladimir Voronin, who has served out his second and final term of office.

The International Election Observation Mission--consisting of delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, OSCE's Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), and the European Parliament--evaluated the elections positively on the whole, with some reservations not affecting the outcome or the overall initial assessment. More detailed observations and recommendations for further improvements are to be presented in several months' time (OSCE press release, April 6).

Within 24 hours of the polls' closure and more than 98 percent of the votes counted, the Communists received 49.95 percent of the votes cast, the Liberal Party almost 13 percent, the Liberal-Democrat Party more than 12 percent, and Our Moldova Alliance (also claiming a liberal mantle), 10 percent. The voter turnout was 59.5 percent. The communist and liberal labels are merely nominal in these cases.

These four parties (out of a dozen parties competing in these elections) have passed the 6 percent threshold for entering the parliament. Thanks to redistribution of votes at the expense of losing parties under the proportional system, the Communists will hold 60 or 61 seats in the 101-seat parliament. The Liberals, Liberal-Democrats, and Our Moldova will most probably hold 15, 14, and 11 seats, respectively, according to the Central Electoral Commission's announcement (Moldpres, April 6).

Uniquely in Europe and the post-Soviet world, Moldova's Communists not only returned to power, but won it three consecutive times. Already in 1998 the party had won a plurality of 30 percent of the votes and 40 percent of parliamentary seats, but chose to remain in opposition at that time. The Communists proceeded to win 50.1 percent of the votes and 71 percent of parliamentary seats in 2001; 46 percent of the votes and 56 percent of the seats in 2005; and went on to improve on that performance in the 2009 elections.

Opposition parties had confidently expected to reverse that trend this time. Opinion surveys and many other indices from the field, however, presaged another Communist success, the only uncertainty being the victory margin. The margin is a critical factor, given the constitutional requirements to confirm the government by an absolute majority of parliamentary votes and elect the new head of state with the votes of at least 61 deputies. If that falls short, the parliament dissolves and new elections must be held. In this sense, the election's outcome was uncertain all along; and may still hang in the balance with regard to the election of the head of state.

The Communist Party's electoral performance rests on distinct local circumstances, often underappreciated by outsiders:

1) The Communist brand remains attractive to a critical mass of Moldovan voters. These compare (as do many Russian voters) the 1990s unfavorably both with the Soviet period and with the post-2001 period (when the Moldovan Communists returned to power).

2) The president and government used the incumbency advantage to the hilt, appearing in TV newscasts to open gas lines, agricultural machinery stations, and construction projects in the presence of appreciative voters during the electoral campaign. They also resorted to populist measures, from lowering the bread price to donating to charities during the campaign.

3) The incumbent government, predominantly of technical experts, is unquestionably Moldova's most competent and convincing to voters since independence, contrasting with previous governments that were formed on a political basis. Prime Minister Zinaida Grecianai, one year in that post, enjoys a high popularity rating. The current government includes only two communist ministers, out of nineteen. Half of the ministers, however, ran for parliament on the Communist Party's list, adding to the party's "administrative resources" in this campaign.

4) The Communist Party is the only major party with a multi-ethnic electorate. Most opposition parties (including all three that have now entered the parliament) rely entirely on ethnic Moldovan voters (a minority of whom define themselves as Romanians) and have not seriously attempted to reach out to "Russian-speaking" voters. Many "Russian-speakers," who defected from the Europe-oriented Communist Party in recent years, crossed over to small pro-Moscow groups or declined to vote, rather than joining Moldovan opposition parties. The Communist Party was able to offset that loss by increasing its share of the ethnic Moldovan vote.

5)Exit polls, conducted by Western-funded NGOs, showed that the Communist Party made significant inroads into young age cohorts for the first time in these elections. As the poll coordinator, sociologist Arcadie Barbarosie (head of the Soros Foundation's local affiliate) observes, the Communist Party can no longer be stereotyped as a "pensioners'" or Soviet-nostalgics' party (Moldpres, Imedia, April 6).

6) Still communist, nevertheless, in its disciplined style of operating, the party has developed an effective style of door-to-door campaigning in towns and villages. Although it fully (if informally) controls public television, and less fully public radio, the party gave up some of its public airtime during the final phase of the campaign, reflecting its confidence in door-to-door activity.

7) The Communist Party ran a sophisticated campaign under the direction of presidential adviser Marc Tcaciuc, long reputed as the "grey eminence," and who has now earned the sobriquet of the party's "grey matter" in this campaign (NewsIn, April 6). Apart from the public TV and radio company, the party controls two other television channels and one other country-wide radio channel.

8) While committed to European integration--a matter of national consensus above party lines--the Communist Party also advertised itself as Russia's favored political partner in Moldova during this campaign. Voronin's photo opportunity with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on March 18 (see EDM, March 20, 25) helped to prevent Moldova's pro-Russia parties from gaining enough votes to enter the parliament. Voronin's move also undoubtedly played well with mainstream Moldovan voters, among whom Medvedev and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold the top two places in the popularity ratings. Voronin a distant third overall, but is a distant first among domestic political figures.

9) The opposition-dominated Chisinau Municipal Council, a scene of chaos and nepotism, has played into the Communist Party's hands. The party constantly compared that scene with the situation in the pre-2001 parliament, which had helped discredit the multi-party system in Moldova. Certain Liberal-Democrat and Our Moldova leaders are also associated in the public memory with that parliament, making it possible for the Communists to campaign once again against "the 1990s" in these elections.

10) Half a dozen parties with theoretical chances to pass the 6 percent threshold campaigned ineffectively, competing against each other as well as against the Communists. Anti-communist slogans proved once again ineffective and largely irrelevant in Moldova. Inasmuch as the Communist Party today is a far cry from its pre-1991 predecessor, mere anti-communism is yesteryear's battle in Moldova. No fewer than four opposition parties advertised themselves as Liberal, in a country completely devoid of a bourgeoisie. Both programatically and organizationally, the opposition failed to present a credible alternative to the incumbent majority party.
http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=34821&tx_ttnews[backPid]=7&cHash=60102286c5 (http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews)

[Pogue]

Something was achieved towards our goal? If negative, then yes - I clearly fail to understand it.
Btw, I'm very well informed upon all the details and actions that took place.

Is there a significant difference between a smashed bank window in London and a smashed parliament window in Moldova? Or their perpertraitors?

No anarchists advocated the window being smashed. No group called for this. The people wh were arrested over it weren't even anarchists.

[Pogue]

There have for example been 4 people actually charged with doing it. Four out of 3000. Not 3000 anarchists. Four people. You can see in footage its only a few people too.

[punisa]

No anarchists advocated the window being smashed. No group called for this. The people wh were arrested over it weren't even anarchists.

Don't get me wrong, I am pro-protest. I hate to see young people apolitical, unfortunately many that do protest are just that. Either have very limited knowledge of what they stand for and eventual turn into an angry mob.

Anarchism is a great idea, perhaps even more daring and pleasant then your "classic" marxism, at least its goals and visions of future.
But comrade, let's not deny the fact that "mainstream" anarchism is usually associated with hoods n molotovs.
Many groups even incorporate such imagery into their logos.

[Hoxhaist]

Moldova's "Communist" Party seems to lack the drive or direction to build socialism in Moldova. They seem paralyzed by bourgeois "democracy" and obviously very vulnerable to nationalist reactionary counterrevolution. If their are any comrades from Moldova please correct any of my assumptions of your party. I hope your party is more revolutionary than it seems

[Crux]

Wtf are all these EU fanboys doing here all of a sudden? And whats with the total lack of seeing things in perspective? There are numerous reasons for a country to be poor, you are not gonna tell me its all the fault of this communist party.
Why of course, with the marketliberal and privatizations agenda they have been pursuing since they came to power it's no suprise things are as they are. Also on of their prime goals is to get into the EU. Clearly they are not "communist", workingclass or even left-wing. So the outrage may very well be seen as justified, if misdirected. In moldavia as in most countries there is lack of a real workingclassalternative.

http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2009/04/0901.html

[Dr. Fish]

Don't get me wrong, I am pro-protest. I hate to see young people apolitical, unfortunately many that do protest are just that. Either have very limited knowledge of what they stand for and eventual turn into an angry mob.

Anarchism is a great idea, perhaps even more daring and pleasant then your "classic" marxism, at least its goals and visions of future.
But comrade, let's not deny the fact that "mainstream" anarchism is usually associated with hoods n molotovs.
Many groups even incorporate such imagery into their logos.

"About the Self Described Anarchist Collective:
In a time when financial collapse is on everyone’s lips, anti-capitalist ideas have become increasingly relevant. The Self Described Anarchist Collective wishes to organize large actions that
inspire others to become involved with the anarchist movement. Even if mass mobilizations do not create change by themselves, they provide an opportunity to inspire more people."
selfdescribed.org

may I quote your signature?
I can understand the hesitancy of smashed windows being petite bourgeois, but this was after all just a bank. But I guess the four just account to the truth that "Random violence produces random propaganda results."
I read some pretty bad things about Moldova. But not enough to really understand. From what I heard an my own inaccurate assumptions, I'm guessing that the "insurrection" will either be a)quelled b)turned into a conscious struggle c)ignored/evaporated d)in the unlikeliest of circumstances, turn into an all out revolution.
I think that b would allow for ideas and theories to germinate among them, leading to a more responsible 'revolution', either capitalist, anarchist, socialist. What ever is best for them. d would lead to a ignorant fascist revolution. But I'm thinking that either c and b are the most likely.
but what do I know of Moldova.

[punisa]

may I quote your signature?

Sorry comrade, I don't get it. What signature? :confused:

[Dr. Fish]

The signature that comes after the post. The thing about Castro saying about ideas and the masses. Probably a bad similarity and a bad way to spread ideas, but people will do their thing regardless.

[punisa]

The signature that comes after the post. The thing about Castro saying about ideas and the masses. Probably a bad similarity and a bad way to spread ideas, but people will do their thing regardless.

Aha that signature :lol: Ok, I get it now. I thought that you were gonna quote it or something, my bad :)
Its just a nice little quote from the old man Fidel, funny thing him saying something like this after spending years as an armed guerilla.

People will indeed do their thing regardless, I agree.

As Marx said: "It is not history which uses men as a means of achieving - as if it were an individual person - its own ends. History is nothing but the activity of men in pursuit of their ends. "