[Marxism] What's new at Links: Bolivia, Venezuela, Diego Garcia, Kashmir, Caucasus, Cuba, Malaysia, ecology & capitalism, Argentina

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    Bolivia: Two years of `post-neoliberal' Indigenous nationalism -- a
    balance sheet <http://links.org.au/node/598>

By the *Bolpress editorial board*, translated by *Sean Seymour Jones* 
for /Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal/

State intervention in economic activity -- the nationalisation of 
businesses, restrictions on exports and price controls, among other 
measures -- doesn't appear to be contributing to the materialisation 
of the structural changes postulated by the National Development Plan 
(PND) of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS). This is the evaluation of 
business leaders, analysts and political leaders from the right-wing 
opposition in Bolivia. However, according to the government of President 
Evo Morales, the brutal and desperate reaction of the dominant classes 
"in relegation" proves that something is changing.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/598>


    Venezuela: Solidarity needed for trade unionists under attack;
    please sign protest letter <http://links.org.au/node/594>

By *Federico Fuentes* and *Kiraz Janicke *

August 23, 2008 -- The owner of Fundimeca, an air-conditioning factory 
in Valencia, Carabobo, is waging an intense campaign of terror and 
intimidation against the factory's workers. Fundimeca's workers has been 
fighting to ensure that the company complies with Venezuela's 
constitution and labour laws, in particular an order by the labour 
inspectorate to rehire nine workers. Fundimeca employs 360 workers, 80% 
of whom are women. One worker has been shot in the leg by armed thugs 
and 18 workers and three union leaders are currently facing trial in 
Carabobo courts, accused of various charges including criminal gang 
activity with the threat of jail terms looming over their heads. Among 
those standing trial is Stalin Perez Borges, a national coordinator of 
the National Union of Workers (UNT) and Venezuela's principal delegate 
to this year's International Labor Organisation convention --- where 
after seven years, the delegation successfully removed Venezuela from 
the list of countries that supposedly violate union freedom.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/594>


    Behind the communal flare-up in Jammu and Kashmir
    <http://links.org.au/node/607>

By the *Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation*

August 18, 2008 -- The communally and politically motivated May 26 
decision of the Congress Party-People's Democratic Party (PDP) 
government of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to transfer forest 
land [in Muslim-majority Kashmir] to the Hindu Shri Amarnath Shrine 
Board (SASB) [for use as a pilgrimage site near a sacred Hindu cave] is 
having costly repercussions, with the added danger that it may emerge as 
a communal [flashpoint] nationally. The land transfer, taken in the 
context of irresponsible official remarks recommending changes in the 
demography and "culture" of the region as a "solution" to the Kashmir 
"problem", was like a spark to the tinderbox of pent-up resentment in 
the Kashmir Valley. Lives were lost when police opened fire on 
protesters; the PDP tried to distance itself from its ministers' 
decision in favour of the land transfer by pulling out of the 
government; and the government on July 1 was belatedly forced to roll 
back the land transfer decision.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/607>


    Nationalism, revolution and war in the Caucasus
    <http://links.org.au/node/604>

By *Tony Iltis*

August 27, 2008 -- Since the European Union-brokered ceasefire brought 
the shooting war between Georgia and Russia to an end on August 12, 
there has been a war of words between Russia and the West. One point of 
contention is the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia-proper (that 
is, Georgia excluding the de facto independent territories of Abkhazia 
and South Ossetia), in particular the towns of Gori, Zugdidi and Senaki 
and the port of Poti.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/604>


    Cuban trade unionist: `Workers are key participants in the Cuban
    revolution' <http://links.org.au/node/603>

August 27, 2008 -- *Gilda Chacon* is the Asia, Oceania, Africa and 
Middle East representative of the Cuban Confederation of Trade Unions 
(CTC) and an elected delegate of the People's Power Municipal Assembly. 
*Annolies Truman* interviewed her during her August 17--20 visit to 
Perth, Australia, to liaise with Western Australian trade unions.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/603>


    Malaysian socialists say Anwar Ibrahim by-election victory a 'marker
    of massive change' <http://links.org.au/node/600>

/The landslide victory by Justice Party leader Anwar Ibrahim in the 
August 26 Permatang Pauh by-election is welcomed in this commentary by 
Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, the first federal parliamentarian of the Socialist 
Party of Malaysia (PSM) <http://www.parti-sosialis.org/>, as a "marker 
of the massive change" and another development that will open up 
democratic space in Malaysia./

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/600>


    Capitalism and social classes in Venezuela: The historic mission of
    the working class <http://links.org.au/node/599>

By *Jesús Germán Faría*,  Venezuela' vice-minister for social security, 
ministry of popular power for labour and social security translated by 
*Federico Fuentes* for /Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal/

Capitalism is a system based on the private ownership of the means of 
production. The capitalists, who own these, employ [workers'] labour 
power in exchange for a salary to be able to carry out their business. 
Obviously, this hiring of workers does not occur because of altruistic 
values. The ultimate aim of this decision -- like any other under 
capitalism -- is the possibility of obtaining profits. Moreover, the 
workers, who own no means of production, are left with no other option 
than to sell their labour power, converting themselves into waged slaves.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/599>


    Slideshow: Ecology against capitalism <http://links.org.au/node/596>

Ecology Against Capitalism by *Christopher Pickering* 
<http://www.slideshare.net/ratbagradio/ecology-against-capitalism-presentation?src=embed> 


    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/596>


    Debunking the `Tragedy of the Commons' <http://links.org.au/node/595>

By *Ian Angus*

August 24, 2008 -- Will shared resources always be misused and overused? 
Is community ownership of land, forests and fisheries a guaranteed road 
to ecological disaster? Is privatisation the only way to protect the 
environment and end Third World poverty? Most economists and development 
planners will answer "yes" --- and for proof they will point to the most 
influential article ever written on those important questions. Since its 
publication in /Science/ in December 1968, "The Tragedy of the Commons" 
has been anthologised in at least 111 books, making it one of the 
most-reprinted articles ever to appear in any scientific journal. It is 
also one of the most quoted: a recent Google search found "about 
302,000" results for the phrase "tragedy of the commons".

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/595>


    Secret CIA prison on Diego Garcia confirmed
    <http://links.org.au/node/593>

By *Andy Worthington*

August 2008 -- The existence of a secret, CIA-run prison on the island 
of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean has long been a leaky secret in the 
"War on Terror" and recent revelations in /TIME/ --- based on 
disclosures by a "senior American official" (now retired), who was "a 
frequent participant in White House Situation Room meetings" after the 
9/11 attacks, and who reported that "a CIA counter-terrorism official 
twice said that a high-value prisoner or prisoners were being 
interrogated on the island" --- will come as no surprise to those who 
have been studying the story closely.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/593>


    Argentina: Winners and losers of the agricultural conflict
    <http://links.org.au/node/592>

Continuing /Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal'/s 
presentation of various positions in the debate within Argentina's left 
around the rural crisis, we publish an exclusive translation of a recent 
article by *Claudio Katz*, an economist, researcher, professor and 
member of Economista de Izquierda (EDI -- Left Economists). Translated 
by *Janet Duckworth*.

    * Read more <http://links.org.au/node/592>

* * *

/Links/ seeks to promote the international exchange of information, 
experience of struggle, theoretical analysis and views of political 
strategy and tactics within the international left. It is a forum for 
open and constructive dialogue between active socialists coming from 
different political traditions. It seeks to bring together those in the 
international left who are opposed to neoliberal economic and social 
policies. It aims to promote the renewal of the socialist movement in 
the wake of the collapse of the bureaucratic model of "actually existing 
socialism" in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
*
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