karl marx oration brochure 2008

2
2008 Karl Marx oration 2008 Karl Marx oration 2008 Karl Marx oration solidnet.org by Dr Carolus Wimmer Head of International Bureau Communist Party of Venezuela 60p daily from your newsagent online at morningstaronline.co.uk Join the fight for working class and peoples’ power name address age (if under 30) phone e mail Return to Communist Party, Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Rd, Croydon CR0 1BD oday, when we are commemorating the 190th birthday anniversary of Karl Marx in this historic place, it is for me a great privilege to speak to you. I am grateful for the warm and welcoming invitation the Communist Party of Britain made to me. Not only to be here in the Highgate Cemetery, but also to have the opportunity to discuss the victorious struggles of the Latin American people against capitalism, against imperialism and for a socialist society in public meetings in Cardiff, Birmingham and finally in the Bolivar Hall in London. It is a pleasure for me also to share with you some thoughts on the theme for this year’s 160th anniversary of the Manifesto of the Communist Party and its importance currently in the struggles in Latin America. The revolt against US hegemony in Latin America in the opening years of the twenty-first century constitutes nothing less than a new historical moment. Latin America is reasserting its independence in an attempt to free itself from centuries of imperialist domination. T The seriousness of this threat to US power is increasingly drawing the attention of Washington. The twenty-first century is likely to be known as the 'Anti- Imperialist Century', marking a growing intolerance of the waning US empire. Outweighing even the resistance to the US war machine in Iraq in this respect, is the political realignment to the left in Latin America, which is destabilising US rule in the Americas and offers a 'prophetic microcosm' of what can be expected worldwide. I am confident that all of you, comrades and Stunning hammer and sickle flags £7 inc. p&p (cheques payable to CPB) or go to www.communist-party.org.uk NEW! Introducing Marxism NEW! Tibet- Colony or part of China? £2.50 each inc p&p marx-memorial-library.org ‘The twenty- first century is likely to be known as the 'Anti-Imperialist Century', marking a growing intolerance of the waning US empire.’

Upload: marx-memorial-library-workers-school

Post on 21-Jul-2016

222 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

Speech by Dr Carolus Wimmer head of the international bureau of the Communist Party of Venezuela. Delivered at Karl Marx's gravesite in (year) at the Annual Karl Marx Oration organised by the Marx Memorial Library & Workers' School (www.marxlibrary.org.uk) and the Communist Party (www.communist-party.org.uk).

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Karl Marx Oration brochure 2008

2008 Karl Marx oration2008 Karl Marx oration2008 Karl Marx oration

solidnet.org

by Dr Carolus Wimmer Head of International Bureau Communist Party of Venezuela

60p daily from your newsagent online at morningstaronline.co.uk

Join the fight for working class and peoples’ power

name address age (if under 30) phone e mail Return to Communist Party, Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Rd, Croydon CR0 1BD

oday, when we are commemorating the 190th birthday

anniversary of Karl Marx in this historic place, it is for me a great privilege to speak to you. I am grateful for the warm and welcoming invitation the Communist Party of Britain made to me. Not only to be here in the Highgate Cemetery, but also to have the opportunity to discuss the victorious struggles of the Latin American people against capitalism, against imperialism and for a socialist society in public meetings in Cardiff, Birmingham and finally in the Bolivar Hall in London. It is a pleasure for me also to share with you some thoughts on the theme for this year’s 160th anniversary of the Manifesto of the Communist Party and its importance currently in the struggles in Latin America. The revolt against US hegemony in Latin America in the opening years of the twenty-first century constitutes nothing less than a new historical moment. Latin America is reasserting its independence in an attempt to free itself from centuries of imperialist domination.

T

The seriousness of this threat to US power is increasingly drawing the attention of Washington. The twenty-first century is likely to be known as the 'Anti-Imperialist Century', marking a growing intolerance of the waning US empire.

Outweighing even the resistance to the US war machine in Iraq in this respect, is the political realignment to the left in Latin America, which is destabilising US rule in the Americas and offers a 'prophetic microcosm' of what can be expected worldwide. I am confident that all of you, comrades and

Stunning hammer and sickle flags £7 inc. p&p (cheques payable to CPB) or go to www.communist-party.org.uk

NEW! Introducing Marxism NEW! Tibet- Colony or part of China? £2.50 each inc p&p marx-memorial-library.org

‘The twenty-first century is likely to be known as the 'Anti-Imperialist Century', marking a growing intolerance of the waning US empire.’

Page 2: Karl Marx Oration brochure 2008

friends, will see Latin America and especially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela taking the heritage of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels along with its own political revolutionary leaders as Simon Bolivar and Francisco Miranda, in order to fight for a new society: with social justice, with peace and for socialism. I have no doubt that the experiences of Latin America will be fruitful and their outcomes will help all peoples, all workers by hand and brain, to do everything in their power to intensify the struggle against capitalism in its old and new forms. Latin America proves that the unforgettable work of Karl Marx has not lost its importance and contemporary urgency. Although after 1989 the end of history was announced, the recent history in Venezuela and other Latin American countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Argentine and finally Paraguay demonstrates that dialectical and historical materialism is real and scientific in all countries and all times. On the other hand, socialism in Korea, Cuba, China, Laos and Vietnam continues. Its development under the inspiration of Karl Marx takes different forms but is a real demonstration that the anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist revolution also continues with great vitality in the twenty-first century. Indeed, after 1989, not only were many parts of the world denied socialism, but the overwhelming majority of human beings did not enjoy peace and security either. Naturally, in these conditions, the presence of Communist and Workers Parties, besides other revolutionary and progressive organisations, is as necessary as before. On the other hand, the unity of

all revolutionary forces is decisive for our anti-capitalist struggle. And Latin America gives an important and successful example. In Venezuela we have begun the construction of an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist alliance: namely, that of the new United Socialist Party, the Communist Party of Venezuela and other political organizations. In Latin America, also, unity is progressing: more and more countries are participating in ALBA—the Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America—after Cuba and Venezuela: now Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, and in the near future Paraguay. Historical reality tells us that the principles of Marxism are some of the essential requirements if humankind is to win the struggle against poverty and attain the goal of a better life for all, which can only be achieved in a socialist society, free from the mistakes of the twentieth century, but profitably using its rich experiences and diversity. As Latin Americans we are happy that you have decided to focus on this matter because capitalism denies the very essence of humanity and can lead many people who subsist in poor conditions to a sense of hopelessness and despair.

Experiences of the revolutionary process show that revolutionary transformations will not happen mechanically. They can only take place on the basis of conscious decisions sharing the Marxist understanding that capitalism constitutes a structural fault in the global human society, and that, because of this, no society anywhere in the world can isolate itself from the negative consequences of capitalism without applying the theory and practice of Karl Marx's teaching. I am convinced that our contemporary working class organised in Marxist parties, the historical indigenous movements and the new social movements, now have the potential to occupy the front ranks in the struggle to push back the frontiers of exploitation and social injustice, recognising the fact that capitalism constitutes a serious threat to the cohesion of human society. Accordingly, in order to successfully push back the frontiers of capitalism, all of

us gathered here at this memorial for Karl Marx need to implement the many lessons we have received through the struggles of the peoples and working class of our countries and from revolutionaries as Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Ilich Lenin, Simon Bolivar from Venezuela, Marti from Cuba, Mariategui from Peru, Sandino from Nicaragua and many others. So comrades, come rally And the last fight let us face The Internationale Unites the human race. Carolus Wimmer is Head of the International Bureau of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), a deputy in the National Assembly of Venezuela and Vice-President of the Latin-American Parliament.

Whilst in Britain, he will be addressing three public meetings; Birmingham Monday May 12 (Carrs Lane Church Centre B4 7SX, 7pm organised by the Midlands Communist Party and VSC); Cardiff Tuesday May 13 (Transport House, Cathedral Rd., 7.30pm organised by the Wales Morning Star Campaign Committee); London, Wednesday May 14 (Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way, 7pm organised by the Venezuela Information Centre).

‘Experiences of the revolutionary process show that revolutionary transformations will not happen mechanically.’

‘Our contemporary working class organised in Marxist parties, the historical indigenous movements and the new social movements, now have the potential to occupy the front ranks in the struggle to push back the frontiers of exploitation and social injustice’