Communist Workshop at Anti-Imperialist Summit here ♦ No Trade Pact Benefits Workers in El Salvador here ♦ Only Communist Revolution Will End Trade Wars here ♦ Collectivity and Building Relationships here ♦
Communist Workshop at Anti-Imperialist Summit: Collective Production for Collective Needs
SEATTLE (USA), July 29— “I know about the history of the communist movement in the Philippines. But I would like to know more about the communist movement in El Salvador,” said a young Filipino. He was among almost 80 people who attended today’s International Communist Workers’ Party workshop at the “No to APEC-IPEF Summit.” That included 20 people on Zoom.
The workshop began with the participation of the ICWP collective in the maquilas of El Salvador (see page 3). This generated interest, enthusiasm, and applause.
The workshop was a space for discussion about revolution, collective production and needs, and about communism. It was based on the concrete work of the communist workers’ cells around the world. A comrade from El Salvador was happy to explain the communist movement there.
Questions and comments filled the room with a broad and explicit discussion of communism. Different generations, especially young people, discussed the possibilities of production and distribution based on needs and not profits.
Someone asked, “What do you mean by Communism?”
Another attendee answered, “I think we need collective production for our collective needs. I think that is the basis of communism.”
We talked about inter-imperialist rivalry within the global unity of capital. We discussed the potential of the working class in the new international division of labor. Many comments spoke to attacking the roots of the trade cartels.
“If we could wipe out APEC with a snap, the conditions for something similar or worse to emerge are still there,” said another participant.
The ICWP workshop put on the agenda the potential of an international organization based on communist principles, without alignment with any imperialist power.
After the workshop ended, people came to talk to us. They gave us their contacts and took all the literature we had. This struggle for communist ideas at the “No to APEC-IPEF Summit” showed the potential to advance the political work of the ICWP.
“Our Party collective here in Seattle is making plans to do just that,” a comrade declared.
No Imperialist Trade Pacts Benefit Workers in El Salvador
An organizer of the International Communist Workers’ Party who works in a maquila (sweatshop) in El Salvador opened the recent ICWP workshop in Seattle with these remarks, delivered via Zoom.
For decades El Salvador has lived with US trade mandates, pushed by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. There has been no benefit for the working class.
Also, several years ago, the fmln government opened diplomatic relations with China. The current president Bukele recently announced the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with China. He promised that this would benefit business owners and entrepreneurs, while providing many job opportunities for the working class.
China has an interest in Latin America, with the construction of the airport and other projects in process. Their main objective is to build an infrastructure that facilitates the flow of raw materials and goods to and from China, gaining the support of many countries where they promise to invest.
Decades ago, El Salvador signed an agreement with the US called the Partnership for Growth. This was nothing more than a disguise to privatize banking and communications, among others.
Maquila workers in El Salvador are clear that this will only benefit the exploitative business owners. We do not trust their promises or free trade agreements. But we do trust in our grassroots work for communism as a system that will end exploitation, bosses, and money.
We workers in the maquilas experience exploitation by the bosses who are allied with the governments that sign all these treaties.
I will tell you about the case we are facing in the factory. Recently, the factory boss gave three options for the compensation payment (one month’s wage, about $350) that he is obliged to pay each worker at the end of each year:
(1) Pay them 60% of the $350 compensation he owes them, with the promise that those who accept this percentage will continue working.
(2) Pay them 70% of what he owes but they are suspended for a period of time and when there are more work contracts, he will call them back.
(3) Pay 100% of what he owes them but end their contract. That is, they are fired!
This is the reality of the workers in the maquilas, where the bosses and the government are complicit in exploiting the working class. No free trade agreement either with the United States, China or any other imperialist, will benefit the working class.
But we workers in the maquilas, even under fascism, are not passive. We are building the communist forces, through collectives in the factory, to achieve the system that will free us from this exploitation and misery. The Communist system in which we will produce only to meet the needs of humanity and not for profit.
We are part of this great project under the communist line of the International Communist Workers’ Party.
Only Communist Revolution Will End the Trade Wars that Lead to Shooting Wars
July 30—Marchers in Seattle demonstrated against APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) and the IPEF (Indo Pacific Economic Framework). These trade groups are both led by the US imperialists.
The demonstration did not, however, also condemn the trade groups ASEAN and RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), organized by Chinese imperialism.
Each set of trade groups is organized to increase profits and influence, either for the US or the Chinese imperialists. Both increase workers’ exploitation, poverty, and climate disasters.
But in the current period of sharpening rivalry between the imperialists, these groups don’t just make profits. They are also platforms for the Chinese and US imperialists to prepare for war over control of markets, natural resources, and workers’ labor power by building alliances with other capitalists. They are stepping-stones on the path to World War III – possibly a nuclear war.
Capitalist competition for maximum profit makes this inevitable. Capturing market share ultimately means destroying rivals’ factories and workers.
Only communist revolution can eliminate this murderous profit system. Our future lies in turning the capitalists’ wars into a fight for communist workers’ power.
Communism will be based on collectivity, trust, and confidence. We will plan, produce, and share only for human need – with no trade, barter, or money. Workers around the world will have no reason to fight each other.
Fighting for communism means joining and building ICWP collectives in the factories, schools, and barracks to win industrial workers, students, soldiers, sailors, and marines to communist revolution.
Communist Leadership: Collectivity and Building Relationships
I came to Seattle to help fight for our communist perspective and to connect with people who want to learn more about us. In my experience, ICWP succeeded in both objectives.
We conducted a workshop in which the participants listened carefully, applauded, asked important questions, and were excited to hear from comrades in El Salvador.
Many people stayed after the workshop to talk and take literature. A large part of our success came from the structure of our workshop and from discussing actual strategies and solutions for mobilizing the masses for communism.
Leaders of other workshops lectured and left little time for audience participation. We, in contrast, facilitated a discussion among attendees about communism. In the process, we demonstrated communist principles on collectivity. Our manifesto says, “the working class can build a new future.” We gave people a glimpse of how we relate to each other.
The next day, we set up an information table at a pre-march rally. Many who had attended our workshop came by to say hello and to take more literature. We had some great conversations, and many people left their contact information.
One participant mentioned that he liked our structure and how the facilitator conducted things. He asked for some tips about how to be a better facilitator and leader. I mentioned that we could help him develop as both, and he gave me his contact information.
He later told another comrade that we had helped him change his perspective on how leadership is done. He said that he wanted to get away from a top-down academic approach and develop a more working-class leadership style.
Many of the conversations we had were just like this. And, many times, I caught people from nearby tables looking over and listening in on our conversations. We sure have a lot of people to keep in contact with!
—Comrade from Los Angeles (USA)
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