8/6/2019 About the Collective

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ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE

COMMUNIST WORKERS COLLECTIVE - A plea for a paradigm shift

With the collapse of a gigantic experiment by last decade of twentieth century,represented by the erstwhile Soviet Union in building an alternative social structure toreplace the present iniquitous world full of injustice and strife, a question came up ‘whatnext’? A fresh one has to replace the decadent present. But the query remains as to whatshape it will take and how? The question essentially relates to organisation, its leadership,the mode of production and distribution with corresponding social relations, culture andmorality.

So far industrialisation was opted as the pivot of development to over come shortages toassure a quality life of peace and equality to all. But we are nowhere near the goaldespite hard labour by workingmen for almost four centuries of high expectations. Underthis mode, social production remained appropriated for capital gain, leaving a trail of unbearable misery for the majority who labour. Market based distribution landed instratification of society in trail. Expropriation, both internal and external was found to bean in-built feature of this mode that requires armed support of the state in its favour.State ownership over means of production did not prove much different from privateownership. Development with equity; social and economic-cultural justice for allworkingmen is still a dream.

Another serious drawback is there. Industry with ‘free individual as its labour-unit’, evenunder state ownership of means of production necessarily nurtures individualism. Societycannot sustain any further with this insidious warp. Industry produces capital to a fault,relegating human-labour to remain a commodity in its course. It shatters social life. Strifeand war with attending corruption are two dominant features this mode generates with norespite to perennial instability in social relations. Enough is enough if society is to redeem.Something fresh has to be chiselled out as an alternate.

Communist Workers Collective is designed to be one that advocates for a paradigm shift.The Collective does not subscribe to the view that ‘state’ is an instrument to bring

fundamental change in social relations to replace a society of contending interests, even if it is handled by a party claiming representation from the working class. The State is anorgan to protect the minority in class terms. The interests of the working people clashwith the institution of state that rules. The Collective also does not view agriculture, ipso

facto, as sterile and barren. It rejects the thesis that agriculture cannot develop means of production to the required level for social good. It does not see agriculture as synonymouswith backwardness and conservatism per se. CWC pleads for (1) reversal to communitycommand over means of production and distribution with absolute sway over naturalresources, decrying the principle of eminent domain of the state (2) shifting to family-labour based agriculture and animal husbandry as pivot of development with industryplaying a supportive role under community command, rather than the state, to build asociety in harmony with nature where man can survive with dignity and peace. (3) non-

centralised polity; recognising the ability of habitat-level community to manage its affairswhile reducing spheres for the state progressively from day one to bare minimum.

The WTO ordained corporatisation of social life in third world countries is a new agenda of imperial forces. The present Indian state is a happy collaborator. In the circumstances, weare faced with the challenge of ‘Do or Die’. The infallible weapon in the hands of theruling capitalist-imperialist combine, out to have complete command over globalresources, is money power used in the form of credit. This global combine hassystematically worked against the people through a variety of subterfuges in the name of development. The greatest national resource — manpower stands denigrated anddisplaced from main stage of development and substituted by capital.

The entire ruling elite including political parties, intellectuals, mandarins, captains of industry and commerce, wise men of the world of finance, particularly the World Bankstand charged with the serious crime of conspiracy against labouring humanity. CWCviews that the challenge must be met here and now.

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For any meaningful paradigm shift, powers of the state and the capital have to be de-mystified and brought under command of the ‘people’, functioning as a self-managedcommunity with due coordination among neighbourhood settlements. Steps have to betaken by the people, organised in their face-to-face communities having due coordinatedaction under a well thought our strategy and action plan.