Fredo Corvo's blog

Turkey-Netherlands riot: both prime ministers gain, the workers lose

Erdogan Rutte row Turkey  - The Netherlands

Analysis and critique of both sides in the diplomatic spat between Turkey and the Netherlands which has led to riots and name-calling between the two governments.

Trumpism as a historic turning point: 12 theses

Trump will print dollars to finance wars.

The following positions have already been formulated on 28-1-2017. Until now, the development of domestic and foreign policy of the United States confirms the trend towards intensified preparations for war. Therefore, I now publish these statements as a contribution to the debate among workers and within the proletarian internationalist milieu.

Council communism or councilism? - The period of transition

Jan Appel

Book review of Philippe Bourrinet “The Dutch and German Communist Left (1900-68); ‘Neither Lenin nor Trotsky nor Stalin!”, ‘All workers must think for themselves!’”, Leiden/Boston (Brill) ISBN 978-90-04-26977-4.

What's Left after the election of Trump?

Protestors against Trump

A council communist view from the Netherlands.
It is not by supporting a middle-class program - be it left of right in the spectrum of bourgeois politics - that the proletariat can defend itself.

When in China a butterfly claps its wings… stagnating growth, increase of riots and strikes

Cover of book in dutch language

Presentation of a book in Dutch language, mainly translations, to which links can be found here.

International trade unionism helps weak Indian unions to integrate precarious workers' struggles

Union flag at factory gate, showing their role.

Analysis of the situation of the working class and their relationship with trade unions in India's new industrial heartland around New Delhi.

A general strike starting from refinery workers at the caribbean island of Curacao - awaiting new masters from China

Curacao strike refinery workers 2016

The strike of a week of refinery workers, followed by the general strike on September 15 in Curacao, has aroused much interest in the Caribbean. In particular, the fact that a mysterious third party showed up paying over 1.8 million ANG [Antillean Guilder (ANG). Per 23-9-2016 1 ANG = 0,50 EUR or US$ 0,57] in back wages, has caused astonishment. F.e. Surinam media reported extensively on the workers' actions. One remembers the Curacao strikes and riots of May 30 1969, that were repressed by Dutch marines, and that led to changes in policy.

Brussels, after the terrorist suicide bomb attacks…

When after the terrorist suicide attacks in Ankara and Istanbul, the same sort of attacks occured in Brussels, by the Netherlands blog arbeidersstemmen.wordpress.com , with the feeble voice I have, I called workers to make their voices heard and to discuss with each other some reflections on the nationalist and 'security' campaigns following the bombs.

Turkey: Erdogan is playing a dangerous game

Erdogan terrorizes Kurds to collect votes

Turkey is in many ways involved in the bloody war in Syria. Much of it does not penetrate in the Dutch media. With a NATO ally there is nothing wrong, especially when it has to absorb refugees locally. In exchange for a pay, of course.

Bombings by suicide terrorists in Ankara and Istanbul

2 friends killed in suicide attacks, one by IS, the other by PKK

Ozcan Can, a student who was killed in the latest attack, was a friend of another victim of a suicide attack. Ozcan Cans good friend Ali Deniz was killed in Ankara organized in an attack on October 15, 2015 by IS, while he was waiting to join a peace march in protest against state violence in Northern Kurdistan. Below is their last picture together, months before they were killed separately, one by the IS, the other by the PKK. *)

Turkey: When the workers make their voices heard

Strikes at Renault Bursa febr.-march 2016

In the current situation of global crisis and rampant local wars, Turkey has an important place. The tensions in this country are running high, both within the capitalist class(1) and between capital and labor. In this article we report on recent workers' struggles that develop in Turkey against the effects of the crisis. Workers are struggling despite state repression and attempts to divide workers.