Workers coops "with state aid," the Paris Commune, and Bolivia

[Die Neue Zeit]

There has been a very interesting development in Bolivia this past month: http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-establishment-of-social-enterprises-in-bolivia/5354700


On October 7, President Evo Morales issued a government decree that allows workers to establish “social enterprises” in businesses that are bankrupt, winding up, or unjustifiably closed or abandoned.

These enterprises, while private, will be operated by the workers and qualify for government assistance.

"The state will contribute to the action of the workers." (Supreme Decree 1754)

Remarked Evo Morales, "Now, if they threaten you in that way, the firm may as well go bankrupt or close, because you will become the owners. They will be new social enterprises."

This parallels what the Paris Commune did regarding workplace occupations (the "state aid" being the buyout compensation to employers), and echoes Ferdinand Lassalle and Louis Blanc's calls for "cooperatives with state aid," a political contrast to non-political "self-help."

[preacherman]

This is similar to the Jackson-Kush Plan the Malcolm X Grass Roots Movement and the New Afrikan Peoples Organization is trying to organize in the
Mississippi delta region. They recently got one of their member elected as mayor of Jackson, MS.

I'm always kinda weary of attempts to use the capitalist state to push "progress". Reading We Created Chavez has given a somewhat more optimistic view of the south american situation however.

[argeiphontes]

Yeah, I heard about this. I think this can be done without the state if enough people participated in funding such enterprises.

This is good news for me, since I don't have a market fetish ;) and think that the relations of production are the defining element of capitalism. That makes this a valid, enabling, and realistic strategy for transforming the economy.

In the US, I've heard of associations of cooperatives, but no efforts to provide them with anything other than "expertise."

edit: This could have enormous social benefits: http://www.rdwolff.com/content/taking-over-enterprise

[Die Neue Zeit]

Yes, but as implied earlier, the hardest part is the startup phase, hence the state aid.

[Dave B]

..........This generation formed a vanguard that fought with workers in the streets in July 1830, stirred up rebellion against the Orleanist regime, and instructed workers in Robespierrist ideals and Saint Simonian social analysis. Buchez was the first to propose the formation of producer cooperatives with the aid of the state to free workers in each trade from the wage system................
http://www.ohio.edu/chastain/rz/soccoop.htm

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Interesting in the sense that it is an unusual road for a nationalist bourgeois to take in order to revitalize their economy, not in the sense that it provides any path to the destruction of capitalism. "Andean Capitalism" to use Morales own term, might be preferable to Colombian and Philippine Capitalism in terms of living standards, but that does not change the fundamental class character of the Bolivian state. And that does not prevent the Bolivian state from killing its own rebellious workers:



Miners in Bolivia declared a strike to protest the five percent raises offered by the government. The strikers want larger raise and long-delayed labor law revisions.

LA PAZ, May 10 (Reuters) - Bolivian workers began an indefinite strike on Monday to demand higher pay in a challenge to leftist President Evo Morales, who has previously enjoyed strong support from the poor country's unions.

Miners and other workers in the mineral-rich Andean country joined the walkout called by the leading COB umbrella union to protest a 5 percent government pay offer, but the impact of the nationwide strike appeared limited.

"This is a struggle for our basic rights," said Pedro Montes, a COB mining leader, at the head of a 200 km (125 miles) protest march from the highland town of Caracollo to the capital La Paz that began just before midday.

Morales' government played down the effect of the strike. "There's no stoppage in the country. Things are proceeding normally," said Presidency Minister Oscar Coca.

The protest underscores some of the challenges faced by Morales, the country's first Indian head of state, who began his second term in January after a resounding election victory and remains among Latin America's most popular leaders.

"Morales is probably paying the price for generating high expectations of economic improvements among his supporters, for setting an example by using violent protests to advance his own political goals, and for taking a relatively soft stance on previous protests," wrote Eurasia Group analyst Erasto Almeida in an emailed note to clients.

The conflict increased the possibility that the government would target foreign investors in an effort to boost political support, he said.

Morales accused rightist rivals and the U.S. Embassy of fueling the strike and called on other workers to shun it.

Strikers want a bigger raise than the 5 percent decreed by the government, as well as long-delayed changes to labor laws.

Elsewhere, protests by residents demanding the building of a citrus-fruit plant in Caranavi province erupted into violence, adding to the tension between Morales and groups that had, until recently, given him almost unconditional support.

At least two people were killed and 30 were detained during the unrest, local media said. Police denied responsibility for the killings and accused the protesters of using guns. (Writing by Luciana Lopez; editing by Mohammad Zargham)

[Sinister Cultural Marxist]

Interesting in the sense that it is an unusual road for a nationalist bourgeois to take in order to revitalize their economy, not in the sense that it provides any path to the destruction of capitalism. "Andean Capitalism" to use Morales own term, might be preferable to Colombian and Philippine Capitalism in terms of living standards, but that does not change the fundamental class character of the Bolivian state. And that does not prevent the Bolivian state from killing its own rebellious workers:

The argument from the govt. is that these states lack the MOP to become socialist. Whether or not they are right in that is another question.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

The argument from the govt. is that these states lack the MOP to become socialist. Whether or not they are right in that is another question.

Does MOP stand for mode of production? I do not know the amount of mops is necessitated for Full Communism according to Marx, unfortunately I haven't gotten to that particular chapter in Das Kapital so pardon me for my ignorance.

Regardless, the fundamental question of Socialism is class rule, and I do not see the proletariat ruling the Bolivian state.