‘Red Capitalism: The Fragile Financial Foundation of China’s Extraordinary Rise’

Serious capitalist representatives and Marxists often have shared analyses of events. Where they differ is in the diametrically opposed class conclusions that they draw from these. This important book on China illustrates this well. The authors have the advantage of having lived and worked in China over decades at the very heart of the financial and capitalist sector of the economy. They are passionate and strong advocates of the proposition that the only viable system for China is the creation of a full capitalist economy and society.

Reviewed by Peter Taaffe, originally published in Socialism Today

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Rebuilding should not serve the interests of private developers

The initial response to the quake has been one of shock and disbelief at the images coming from the Tohoku area. Although Osaka is several hundred kilometres from the areas affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami, many people here have family or friends in those areas. There is a general air or depression and despondency hanging over society. Comparisons have been made to the devastation following World War 2, although obviously the area affected is much more limited.

By Carl Simmons, Kokusai Rentai (International Solidarity - CWI in Japan)

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New book on China’s environmental crisis reviewed by Socialist Party Councillor Stephen Jolly

Socialists organised in the parties of the CWI have highlighted potential barriers to exponential Chinese economic growth. One of these is the topic of this book, the environmental crisis that is current and growing. When a Billion Chinese Jump by the Guardian’s Asia environment correspondent, Jonathan Watts, takes the form of a dark, political travelogue. Watts travels through China’s provinces talking to Communist Party bureaucrats, capitalists, and ordinary farmers and workers about the impacts on their lives of the environmental changes wrought by the economic ‘miracle’.

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The following financial appeal has been circulated internationally by socialists in Pakistan.

We urge all of our brothers, sisters and comrades in the international trade union movement to show their solidarity and support for the people affected by the devastating flood in our country, especially trade union members, workers and peasants.

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Anthony Main is the Secretary of UNITE, the fighting union for fast food and retail workers, based in Australia. Several weeks ago he spoke to labour movement activists based in Hong Kong. The transcript below was originally published on chinaworker.info.

With a decision imminent about Hong Kong’s minimum wage level, and thousands of young workers trapped in low paid jobs in the fast food and convenience store sector, chinaworker spoke to Anthony about the work his union does organising young workers, to see what lessons can be learned for unions and youth in Hong Kong.

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Twelve workers have committed suicide so far this year at the factory that makes Apple iPads. Four others survived, gravely injured, and 20 were stopped from killing themselves by the company. All the dead were between 18 and 24 years old.

Foxconn - the city-sized factory in the Shenzhen free trade zone, southern China - employs 400,000 mainly migrant workers. They work 70 hours a week for about 50 cents an hour under a military-style administration and harsh working conditions.

By John Sharpe, Socialist Party

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May 1, or May Day, is an important day in the history of the labour movement. For more than 120 years it has been a focal point for internationalism and the fight for workers rights.

It was the first Congress of the Second International in 1889 that decided to organise worldwide demonstrations on May Day to demand an eight hour working day.

By Corey Snoek, Socialist Party

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Interview with a socialist blogger in China

In January the world’s largest internet company declared it had been targeted by organised hackers from China and was therefore prepared to quit the Chinese internet market. What is at the root of this conflict and how could it develop? Chinaworker.info spoke to socialist blogger Zhao Jiangang.

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SBY government’s honeymoon spoiled

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) hoped for a bit of a honeymoon after being re-elected in the Indonesian presidential election in July 2009. Instead, his government has faced a series of scandals surrounding the Corruption Eradication Commission and the bailout of the PT Bank Century. SBY won with 60.8% of the vote, while the Megawati-Prabowo ticket received 26.8%. The Jusuf Kalla-Wiranto ticket received 12.4%.

By Anthony Main, Socialist Party

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Review of Jeyakumar Devaraj’s “Malaysia at the Crossroads, a Socialist Perspective” by Peter Taaffe

Jeyakumar Devaraj, member of the Central Committee of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Member of Parliament for Sungai Siput, published a book on perspectives for Malaysia in August 2009. Peter Taaffe, General Secretary of the Socialist Party (CWI in England and Wales) and member of the International Secretariat of the Committee for a Workers’ International, reviewed it in a letter to Jeyakumar.

We are carrying a slightly edited (shortened) version of the review which deals with important questions of method, analysis and perspectives for Marxists in the struggle - to overthrow capitalism in Malaysia, Asia and worldwide.

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