Socialist Alternative

SHANGPU VILLAGE, China, 2 March: After a victorious battle against thugs sent by the village’s Communist Party boss and his entrepreneur friend to grab farm land, the villagers of Shangpu displayed banners above the wreckage of the thugs’ cars. The front banner says: “We won’t attack anyone if no one offends us. But we will certainly fight back if anyone tries to attack us.”

 

This is a common story that occurs everywhere in China’s rural areas today: the local government officials sell the collectively-owned land to the capitalists at incredibly cheap prices. Both parties enrich themselves and the deals also increase GDP figures. The farmers lose their livelihoods and have to find shit jobs in the sweat shops. If the villagers dare to oppose the land grabs all kinds of violent forces are deployed – from riot police to hired hooligans – to smash the resistances. However, the villagers of Shangpu showed us an alternative outcome: if you fight collectively and determinedly, the thugs can be routed.  

 

According to state media, the official involved has been dismissed. But the villagers are demanding free democratic election of their representatives now. The latest reports are that the village was again raided on 10 March – this time by more than 1,000 armed police. Regardless of the central government’s response to this demand, the fighting spirit of Shangpu will be definitely carried through by more people in China’s rural areas.

 

S Xoichi

CARACAS, Venezuela, 5 March: Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, founder of the Movement for a Fifth Republic and later the United Socialist Party has died. An iconic and popular leader has been lost.

Chavez transformed politics in Latin America and earned the ire of neoliberals around the world for his commitment to improving the living standards of the mass of the population. But the enmity he received from the rich was more than compensated for by his popularity among the labouring classes. 

The United States government and the corporate opposition in Caracas who want to overturn Chavez’s historic reforms are rejoicing – as are capitalists around the world. The poor and the working class in Venezuela and the region are in mourning.

Yet it cannot be forgotten that the power and audacity of those who mourn in Caracas today ensured that Chavez was restored to office in the wake of a right wing coup 11 years ago. Chavez’s leadership was sustained by a mass movement. The right hated him, but what they feared most was the stirring of the masses in his defence if capital openly tried to move against the President again.

Socialist Alternative has at times been a critic of Chavez. But we hope that, in his absence, the movement he inspired will continue; will deepen. We hope that those who are now rejoicing will in the future be shedding bitter tears as they are brought from their mansions down to earth. We hope the workers and the poor of Venezuela again rise up to put power into their own hands, and once and for all be done with imperialist and capitalist conspirators.

Hasta la victoria siempre (until victory always)!