“What should be the programme of the Working Class?”

A convention on “What should be the programme of the Working Class?” was organized in Mumbai on 5 October 2008. Activists of various working class organizations, parties, and mass organization participated in this convention organised by the “Centenary Organising Commmittee” formed on 27 August 2008 to celebrate the centenary of the first political strike of the working class. The preparation for the convention began more than a month back with a number of meetings of the committee to plan the convention and finalise the presentations.

Veteran leader of AITUC and Mumbai mill workers — comrade Shivaji Deshmkh, comrade Das of Kaamgaar Ekta Chalwal (KEC), and Dr Mathew of Lok Raj  Sangathan (LRS) conducted the proceedings of the convention. National Railway Mazdoor Union (NRMU) offered their hall for the convention. More than 75 activists and leaders from NRMU, KEC, LRS, Communist Ghadar Party of India (CGPI), Lok Shasan Andolan, Kamgaar Aghadi, Sarva Shramik Sangh, AIFTU, Airport Employees Union, Ladaku Garment Workers Union, Insurance Employees Union and many other organizations participated in the convention, including a significant number of women and youth.

The convention began with presentations by the members of the committee on current economic and political situation. The presentation brought out clearly that in the present era of imperialism the greed of the private finance companies for maximum profits is at the root of the present crisis. Through various facts and figures it was demonstrated that the establishment of “mixed” and socialistic pattern of society after 1947 and the policy of globalization through privatization and liberalization after 1991 was done at the behest of the big bourgeoisie of India. The presentation mentioned many important facts which the participants were seen eagerly noting down. It was shown that almost the entire wealth of the country is concentrated in the hands of less than 100 big capitalists. There is no dearth of food and other essential commodities, or natural resources. Still a large section of our people is forced to live naked and hungry. The presentation clearly showed that the devastation of our peasantry is the result of capitalism.

The second presentation focused on the Theory of Surplus Value propounded by Karl Marx. It was explained how value is created by labour. Only a small part of this value is given back to the labour and remaining part is expropriated by the owners of means of production, the capitalists. Marx had clearly demonstrated that exploitation of workers is necessary under capitalist system. It was also demonstrated through the presentation that as the production capacity and productivity increase, the exploitation of labour also increases.

The presentation on “current political situation” made it clear that system of the State hasn’t changed much today and is the same as it was during the British rule. The police, military, legal system, planning and training supported the British to comfortably loot our country. Therefore it was very necessary to change all those laws after the British left. But it did not happen that way. Even after 61 years of getting independence from the British, the police, military and the legal system continue to help the rich against the poor. It was evident from the presentation that the present multi-party system is successful in misleading a common man to believe that it works and that India is a republic and all the decisions are not serving vested interests.

Many workers expressed their views at the conclusion of the presentations. A majority of them applauded the presentations and insisted that more such study camps must be organised for the class. Some of them also requested for a copy, so that it could be shown in their respective organizations. Veteran leader, comrade Shivaji Deshmukh underscored the main points in the presentation and called for all workers to unite and shake up all of Maharashtra. Leader of the Insurance Employees Union suggested that all workers should unite and elect a worker among them to contest in the coming Mumbai elections. Many speakers expressed disagreement with the opinion of one veteran leader who claimed that the situation of the common man is not as bad as was depicted in one of the presentations. Leader of the Domestic Workers Shri Malan Sonawane said that the statistics shown re useful to the old as well as the new leaders.

The afternoon session was entirely dedicated to the programme of the working class. The representative of CGPIwas all praise for the organizers and tabled some significant proposals with respect to the programme for the working class. It was clear that the working class had to go beyond just safeguarding its own rights, and should seize political power from the bourgeoisie and become the ruling class itself. Once power is in the hands of the working class, it should make the programme for a fundamental renewal of the entire political and economic system so that the rights of the working people are secured.

Mr. Nadkar of AIFTU also agreed with the presentations and made a few suggestions towards the working class programme. The spokesperson of LRS exposed the anti-people role of political parties like Congress, BJP in the current arrangement and electoral system and called for the renewal of the political system so that the political power is in the hands of the people; this should be a significant task in the programme of the working class.

All the participants unanimously agreed that class struggle can advance only when the working class is united irrespective of whichever caste, religion or state workers are from.