Saorsa
27th December 2008, 00:16
Workers' movement and new economic development
- Kumar Dahal
"Therefore, the workers should advance ahead to guarantee and establish the working class as the decisive force in the state. Workers should advance ahead to take the major responsibilities in the policy-making place."
These days, we often read in the news such headlines as: "the industrial sector is terrorized by Maoists", "the country is going to perished because of Maoists" etc etc. These are different headings of one same news. A short while ago, most of the workers of hotels in Nagarkotdecided to strike, afterwards there was another strike in Hetauda industrial estate and then by the workers of the Manakamana Cable-car. The workers are dissatisfied and there is uncertainty about how the situation will move ahead. All these strikes are led by workers organizations affiliated to the CPN-Maoist. From this situation, some people are terrified and others are trying to sow the seeds of terror. These people are alleging through the media that the CPN-Maoist talks about economic development in the country on the one hand, while on the other hand, through its worker's organizations it is creating chaos in the industrial estates on the other. However, the reality is that the old industries cannot fulfill the demands of the workers. In this situation, the industries will close and the investors will withdraw from investing in Nepal. Is this the real situation in Nepal?
The government of Nepal had publicized a notice in its organ that the minimum salary of each worker will be Rs4600 a month. It is an increase in salary from before. There is no limitation to price-hikes in Nepal, it increases every month. In this condition, nobody with common sense can oppose an increased salary for the workers. It is true that our small and mid-industries are weak. The produce from these industries cannot compete in the open market. This does not mean that the salary of the workers would not be increased. The government should protect them. For that, the government should make an industrial policy to improve the product for competition in the open market and the laws related to labour; the declarations of the government should be implemented in all places.
Big industries, multinational companies and star hotels are in a good condition to pay salaries to the workers according to the laws related to labour and the declarations of the government. The hue and cry against the law and the declaration is only an attempt to get more and more profit from the goods by exploiting the workers, forcing them into a kind of wage slavery.
All the exploited and oppressed people rose up through the decade long People's War. Over this concrete foundation, the whole country is advancing in a campaign to institutionalize the change and a long-term-peace. The war was not caused by mere will or insanity. It was created through struggle against social injustice, the repression of the army employed by the then government. Therefore, peace can be achieved to the level in which the independence, liberty and equality of the people can be maintained. It is a mere dream to try to maintain peace and prosperity by neglecting the voices of the oppressed people or dominating over them. If we want to bring in economic prosperity, industrial revolution, and increase in qualificatative production; then this is not possible without inspiring and encouraging the productive forces (workers). Even a man with a common sense cannot talk about industrial revolution or economic development without improving the lives of the workers up to the level of simple survival.
The political changes in the country up to now have not brought any changes in the life of workers and peasants. This is why the country could not advance ahead and the instability and chaos didn't end. After this, if the lives of the workers and peasants don't improve and remain the same, it will invite a greater chaotic situation and instability in the country. Therefore, the workers and peasants should be made the real bearers of the changes in the country. The workers of the cities and peasants of the villages were the leading forces to bring about the changes of today through the People's War and the People's Movement.
The country is advancing ahead through a transitional period to bring revolutionary changes through the legal process. The revolutionary process cannot be fulfilled without changing the status-quo, the old laws, structures and traditions. The old laws, thoughts and mechanisms cannot promote the long-term wellbeing of the workers. The strikes and the protests of the workers are aimed against the old and anti-people laws. It means that the workers are trying to implement and establish the new law related to labour and the declaration of the government instead of following the old regressive laws and declarations proclaimed and implemented by the governments before the revolution. The aristocrats and the owners of the industries are not willing to even accept the laws and the declaration of the republican government. They are creating propaganda as if the workers are hurdles to the progress of the country and its economic development.
They cannot be in favor of revolution; rather they are even against the reforms. They are willing to lead the regression. One third of the population are workers and peasants who want change, the middle class, just a few, are enjoying only in the declaration of republic; while the handful of aristocrats and owners of industries are dreaming about regaining the feudal tyranny of the past. In this situation, it is difficult to fulfill and institutionalize the changes or the revolution.
How can we advance ahead in this situation? How can we fulfill the aspirations of the people expressed through dedication and sacrifice? How can we lead the country into revolutionary transformation? These are the burning issues of today. The aspirations of the people have been expressed in the leadership of the government only. But all the other sectors and bodies of the state power are based on the old laws, traditions, norms and values. In this transitional situation, the symptom of not helping the government, activities against the laws and declarations of the government, and involvement in a counter-revolution are possible. Most of the countries turn back to regression from this transitional period. In this situation, only the people can assist the revolutionary transformation. That is why only the people are the decisive forces. The government can implement the mandate only with the help of the toiling people. Workers and peasants are the only force that helps the government to decide in favour of people and cross the encirclement of the reactionary, status-quo and counter-revolutionary forces.
Therefore, the workers should advance ahead to guarantee and establish the working class as the decisive force in the state. Workers should advance ahead to take the major responsibilities in the policy-making place. The present government is under the leadership of CPN-Maoist, which has carried the ideology of the liberation of working class. If we stay quietly in the name of helping the government, the anti-people and counter-revolutionary forces will come to the street against us, and they are coming. These counter-revolutionary and anti-people movement will help the regressive and status-quo forces. It will help to pave the way for counter-revolution. These types of counter-revolutionary activities can be stopped and crossed through the workers and peasants movements. We should strongly carry ahead three fronts of government: legislative-parliament and the street. One of them, the front of street is principle and we can complete the revolution through it.
http://www.krishnasenonline.org/theredstar/issues/issue20/kumardahal.htm
- Kumar Dahal
"Therefore, the workers should advance ahead to guarantee and establish the working class as the decisive force in the state. Workers should advance ahead to take the major responsibilities in the policy-making place."
These days, we often read in the news such headlines as: "the industrial sector is terrorized by Maoists", "the country is going to perished because of Maoists" etc etc. These are different headings of one same news. A short while ago, most of the workers of hotels in Nagarkotdecided to strike, afterwards there was another strike in Hetauda industrial estate and then by the workers of the Manakamana Cable-car. The workers are dissatisfied and there is uncertainty about how the situation will move ahead. All these strikes are led by workers organizations affiliated to the CPN-Maoist. From this situation, some people are terrified and others are trying to sow the seeds of terror. These people are alleging through the media that the CPN-Maoist talks about economic development in the country on the one hand, while on the other hand, through its worker's organizations it is creating chaos in the industrial estates on the other. However, the reality is that the old industries cannot fulfill the demands of the workers. In this situation, the industries will close and the investors will withdraw from investing in Nepal. Is this the real situation in Nepal?
The government of Nepal had publicized a notice in its organ that the minimum salary of each worker will be Rs4600 a month. It is an increase in salary from before. There is no limitation to price-hikes in Nepal, it increases every month. In this condition, nobody with common sense can oppose an increased salary for the workers. It is true that our small and mid-industries are weak. The produce from these industries cannot compete in the open market. This does not mean that the salary of the workers would not be increased. The government should protect them. For that, the government should make an industrial policy to improve the product for competition in the open market and the laws related to labour; the declarations of the government should be implemented in all places.
Big industries, multinational companies and star hotels are in a good condition to pay salaries to the workers according to the laws related to labour and the declarations of the government. The hue and cry against the law and the declaration is only an attempt to get more and more profit from the goods by exploiting the workers, forcing them into a kind of wage slavery.
All the exploited and oppressed people rose up through the decade long People's War. Over this concrete foundation, the whole country is advancing in a campaign to institutionalize the change and a long-term-peace. The war was not caused by mere will or insanity. It was created through struggle against social injustice, the repression of the army employed by the then government. Therefore, peace can be achieved to the level in which the independence, liberty and equality of the people can be maintained. It is a mere dream to try to maintain peace and prosperity by neglecting the voices of the oppressed people or dominating over them. If we want to bring in economic prosperity, industrial revolution, and increase in qualificatative production; then this is not possible without inspiring and encouraging the productive forces (workers). Even a man with a common sense cannot talk about industrial revolution or economic development without improving the lives of the workers up to the level of simple survival.
The political changes in the country up to now have not brought any changes in the life of workers and peasants. This is why the country could not advance ahead and the instability and chaos didn't end. After this, if the lives of the workers and peasants don't improve and remain the same, it will invite a greater chaotic situation and instability in the country. Therefore, the workers and peasants should be made the real bearers of the changes in the country. The workers of the cities and peasants of the villages were the leading forces to bring about the changes of today through the People's War and the People's Movement.
The country is advancing ahead through a transitional period to bring revolutionary changes through the legal process. The revolutionary process cannot be fulfilled without changing the status-quo, the old laws, structures and traditions. The old laws, thoughts and mechanisms cannot promote the long-term wellbeing of the workers. The strikes and the protests of the workers are aimed against the old and anti-people laws. It means that the workers are trying to implement and establish the new law related to labour and the declaration of the government instead of following the old regressive laws and declarations proclaimed and implemented by the governments before the revolution. The aristocrats and the owners of the industries are not willing to even accept the laws and the declaration of the republican government. They are creating propaganda as if the workers are hurdles to the progress of the country and its economic development.
They cannot be in favor of revolution; rather they are even against the reforms. They are willing to lead the regression. One third of the population are workers and peasants who want change, the middle class, just a few, are enjoying only in the declaration of republic; while the handful of aristocrats and owners of industries are dreaming about regaining the feudal tyranny of the past. In this situation, it is difficult to fulfill and institutionalize the changes or the revolution.
How can we advance ahead in this situation? How can we fulfill the aspirations of the people expressed through dedication and sacrifice? How can we lead the country into revolutionary transformation? These are the burning issues of today. The aspirations of the people have been expressed in the leadership of the government only. But all the other sectors and bodies of the state power are based on the old laws, traditions, norms and values. In this transitional situation, the symptom of not helping the government, activities against the laws and declarations of the government, and involvement in a counter-revolution are possible. Most of the countries turn back to regression from this transitional period. In this situation, only the people can assist the revolutionary transformation. That is why only the people are the decisive forces. The government can implement the mandate only with the help of the toiling people. Workers and peasants are the only force that helps the government to decide in favour of people and cross the encirclement of the reactionary, status-quo and counter-revolutionary forces.
Therefore, the workers should advance ahead to guarantee and establish the working class as the decisive force in the state. Workers should advance ahead to take the major responsibilities in the policy-making place. The present government is under the leadership of CPN-Maoist, which has carried the ideology of the liberation of working class. If we stay quietly in the name of helping the government, the anti-people and counter-revolutionary forces will come to the street against us, and they are coming. These counter-revolutionary and anti-people movement will help the regressive and status-quo forces. It will help to pave the way for counter-revolution. These types of counter-revolutionary activities can be stopped and crossed through the workers and peasants movements. We should strongly carry ahead three fronts of government: legislative-parliament and the street. One of them, the front of street is principle and we can complete the revolution through it.
http://www.krishnasenonline.org/theredstar/issues/issue20/kumardahal.htm