The Joshi-Adhikari Institute of Social Sciences (JAISS) was proud to host two eminent economists and political scientists, Marta Harnecker and Prof. Michael Lebowitz, on 22nd March 2014 in Delhi at Ajoy Bhawan’s S. V. Ghate Hall. They spoke on the topic ‘Left Renaissance: Experiences from Latin America’.

Marta Harnecker, from Chile, studied with Louis Althusser in Paris. After returning home she was forced into exile by the coup against Salvador Allende. She went to Cuba where she lived and worked for many years. She has been advisor to the Cuban and Venezuelan Governments. She worked closely with President Hugo Chavez and witnessed at close quarters, the socialist revolutions taking place in Latin America in the last decades. She has written extensively and has more than 80 books (several editions in several languages) to her credit. She introduces herself as popular educator.

Prof. Michael Lebowitz is Professor Emeritus of Economics, Simon Fraser University, Canada. He was also deeply involved in the evolving practice of socialism in Venezuela and advisor to the Venezuelan Government. His vision of a democratic socialism brings a new depth to both theory and practice of socialism worldwide.

The meeting began with a welcome address by Prof. Ajay Patnaik, Director, JAISS. He reminded the audience of the crisis socialism has gone through, before staging a recovery, primarily in Latin America, but that threats and assaults were still visible, especially today when a new cold war seems to have begun, and the socialist countries are once again under siege. The neo-imperialist forces of the world had earlier used civil society platforms to undermine socialist governments, but now they are using nakedly fascistic forces as their instruments, as in Ukraine and in Venezuela. In this situation, the left has to be ready to protect the gains of the last decade, which is why it is important to understand socialism as it is practiced in Latin America.

Prof. Lebowitz began by reminding us of the post-war years till the 1950’s. Strong growth was happening in western countries leading to gains for the trade unions and increasing social welfare measures. By the late ‘50’s, however, American capital was getting displaced by European and Japanese capital. In the 1980’s the competition for markets began to change the way capitalism worked. The process of globalization began as companies started to look at global markets instead of local ones. Wages also began to be pushed down as the need to be competitive grew. This was the Thacherite era and in England and the US, the working class was slowly losing their hard won gains.

This is what was called the ‘lost decade’, when the gains of socialism were lost, seemingly irretrievably. It was in this context that President Hugo Chavez was to say many years later, that ‘we need to reinvent socialism’. He had understood that reverting to State capitalism would be useless. The new socialism was one that placed human beings at the centre of production. Production was not an end in itself but must be for the development of the workers, i.e. for human ends.

In Venezuela this rebirth was possible because of the many local struggles that had been waged all around the country and had thrown up leaders of different colours. Many of these leaders later got involved in politics in Caracas and when they came to power, their experiences at the grass roots resulted in their introducing policies that came from below.  People thus became the subject and object of politics and policies. Examples of this unique development are some of the provisions of the new Venezuelan constitution. Article 88 says that domestic work is work of value. Article 62 lays down that every citizen has a right to human development.

The basic political unit was the communal council, of which every resident of a locality, was a member. The council had the right to decide upon what kind of development they wanted or needed.

This then was the organic concept of socialism, which was to work for the people by putting their needs at the centre of development. It was participatory, indeed protagonistic, in that the prime movers of development were the people.

Prof. Lebowitz concluded with the famous line of Bob Dylan, …….that he not busy being born, is busy dying.
The new socialism does not reach a final solution; it is always looking for better and better ones.

Marta Harnecker began by saying that we often talk in Latin America that Left always talks from the head and not from the heart. So correcting this error to some extent, Brazilian Left has started this new practice of singing or recital of poetry before every meeting. This changes the ambience and opens the heart and head of the audience for a better discussion. Then she sang the most famous Cuban revolutionary song “Guantanamera” and really, the song, though in a different language, in Spanish, changed the atmosphere of the hall and audience felt recharged for her lecture. She then, began by putting the past, the decade of the ‘80’s in perspective. This was the time when the socialist world collapsed before our amazed eyes. The collapse badly affected the revolutionary and guerilla forces that were leading the fight against the dictators in Latin America. Only Cuba kept the flag flying though little was known about it, either about it’s successes or failures. Who would believe that 20 years later, almost all of Latin America would see left-wing leaders and governments in power?

An important factor in the left renaissance was the lessons that were learnt, as the leftists understood the mistakes of the socialist countries. These included authoritarianism, which led to any social movement or policy being resolved by orders from the Party. This prevented the participation of the people, even in things that were in their own greatest interests. It also led to the neglect of the significant struggles that were unique to each country – the ethnic and cultural movements, as also the revolutionary Christianity that had spread across much of Latin America.

Two other important factors that contributed to the maturing of the Latin American left. One was the pedagogical vision of the Brazilian educator, Paulo Friere. The popular education movement that he started gave pause to the left parties that considered themselves the vanguard in all things, social or political. The second was the feminist movement that similarly challenged the left monopoly on the organization of social relationships.

This led to the gradual realization that the new political organization must be open to diversity in all aspects. The language of politics had to change, and winning larger sections over rather than use the ‘steam roller politics that impose lines and actions by force’ was imperative. The left’s relationship with popular movements also changed as they realized that these movements must not be viewed as instruments to implement Party decisions. The movements thus acquired more autonomy.

The Latin American left also understood that only being concerned with the working class was not enough. The recognition of diversity and plurality of the people required the left to take up the cause of all discriminated and disadvantaged people, whether black, indigenous, women, young children, the old, pensioners, people of diverse sexual orientation etc. The point was not to recruit for one’s own organization but to become a body that coordinates all the different interests into one project.

Marta Harnecker emphasized the need for this bottom up organization of society, and organization that included, listened to and respected the communal councils at the primary level and took their concerns and demands to the top. This was the participatory form of government, quite the reverse of the socialist governments of the past, which believed that a militant minority would seize power and then solve all problems. Marta Harnecker believes that without active participation from the bottom, there cannot be the involvement of the people which is most important as this is the greatest safeguard against attacks by the imperialist and neo-liberal forces. She believes that the system in the USSR was a top down system that eliminated people’s participation and left them indifferent to the attacks on and the destruction of their system. In contrast, the people of Venezuela came onto the streets to save their government, and the coup that was designed to topple the Chavez government, lasted exactly 2 days.

Marta Harnecker felt that it is socialism that can lead to true democracy, which is why the Chavez government insisted on dialogue with any person or group with a different opinion. This was itself and acceptance of the plurality that enriches every country in Latin America.

For Marta Harnecker, the greatest achievement of Latin America, and President Hugo Chavez in particular, was that his socialism appealed to the heart, not to the head.

Com. Bardhan reminded the audience that this was also the eve of martyr’s day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. Prof. Chamanlal a scholar on Bhagat Singh came all the way from Bhatinda to Delhi to meet these two scholars from the land of revolution presented his latest book on Bhagat Singh to Marta and Michael.

Ambassador of Cuba Com. Abelardo Rafael Cueto Sosa, Ambassador of Venezuela Com. Milena Santana Ramirez, Ambassador of Ecuador Com. Mentor Patricio Villagomez Merino and friends from these embassies also joined the programme. National General Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI) Com. Sudhakar Reddy, National Secretariat members Com. D. Raja and Com. Amarjeet Kaur, ex Member of Parliament from CPI Com. Ajeez Pasha, National General Secretary of National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) Com. Annie Raja were also present among the audience. Many young and senior academicians and scholars as well as political and cultural activists participated in the meeting.
The meeting was presided over by veteran Communist Leader and Chairperson of JAISS Com. A. B. Bardhan. Welcome address was given by Director of the JAISS Prof. Ajay Patnaik and thanks were offered by Mr. S. P. Shukla, President of JAISS and former Secretary of Commerce and Finanace, Government of India. The translation was done by Dr. Jaya Mehta and Dr. Meenakshi Sundriyal. The introduction of the guest speakers was given by Vineet Tiwari.

 

To download the lecture delivered by Prof. Michael Lebowitz in Hindi Click Here.