In many parts of the world, especially in Europe, where
socialist and communist parties are part of the mainstream and discussions of
Marxism-Leninism do not cause some members of the upper and middle classes to
cringe in fright that they would be pounded and slashed to kingdom come by the
hammer and sickle, the Democratic Left (DemLeft) has defaulted. It has failed
to engage in governance and has conceded this to the elites and technocrats
there.
 |
| Lacson-Paguio |
Sabyte Lacson-Paguio quoted this earlier assessment by
Brid Brennan, fellow of the Transnational Institute and member of the Global
Campaign on Dismantling Corporate Power, at the dialogue on "Redefining
Common Ground Among DemLeft Groups" at Ateneo de Manila University's
Social Development Complex Hall.
This kind of focus on issues, instead of an
overarching one grounded on social justice, has weakened many democracies, she echoed
him.
 |
| Bello |
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Walden Bello, an ideologue
of the Global Left, said the DemLeft in the Philippines could follow the
examples of international progressives in Asian countries where an armed
struggle was "the center of gravity in the countryside, and the strategic
offensive was to bring down [an oppressive] regime to usher the way for a
socialist state."
He cited the histories of China and Vietnam that have
since grown "to accommodate capitalism." He said the Philippines
could be considered a liberal democracy. The DemLeft's role was to "use
its spaces and contradictions to build up the party in a parliamentary kind of
struggle," he advised.
He said the DemLeft must ally itself with President Aquino
in his anti-poverty and anti-corruption drives but oppose him in the
cyber-crime law some of whose provisions are wrong, including that of libel.
He warned Aquino not to drag his feet in carrying
out the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Law, saying the DemLeft's role is
to push for CARP's full completion, adding that "there are more struggles ahead.
Close to a million hectares of land have not been distributed. We don't know
how long the Akbayan alliance with Aquino will last. If our goals are not met,
we must rethink our position vis a vis the government. We must sort out points
of unity, points of disagreement."
He said old socialist models have failed, but
"what we are fighting for is an economic system where different kinds of
markets co-exist like state and private ownership. This system can include
transnational corporations in private enterprise, but we must have popular
controls like labor unions. While state agencies must project the development
process, there is no substitute for a good progressive state that leads in the
development process and enjoys the people's democratic voice."
Under such a state, he said, civil society has a
decision-making role. There will be a mixed economy whose feature is more
democracy, less state control. He said, "The key thing is democratic
control from top to bottom," adding that if this is truly socialist or
not, "I leave it to those who like to do combat in definition[s]."
He stressed that the market has a role to play, and
it couldn't be abolished "to give way to central planning. It didn't work
for the Soviet Union." He has seen the flaws of a capitalist market system
in the financial collapse of the US and many parts of Europe with hundreds of
thousands, even millions, left jobless and under-employed.
Bello questioned the soundness of making business
process outsourcing the centerpiece of economic growth in a mainly agricultural
country. He said it follows that the government must shift its focus on
agriculture as the center of economic growth.
He said it is to the DemLeft's advantage to be part
of a "democracy that is expanding with state technocrats receding."
He cited the issue of climate change, saying, that it has proven that the dominant capitalist
model has "transformed the loving of Nature into dead products. In the
interim, there is a grand battle between the US and China to cut down on [carbon
dioxide] emissions."
He challenged the DemLeft to support a "benign
relationship between Nature and production" that emphasizes
regionalization and reinvigorates local markets.
Bello said in a situation where "capitalism is
moving to a more democratic economic focus and with a de-globalized economy, do
we leave it to the capitalist elites or to popular groups to take over?"
He said it was time to accept that
"globalization is a thing of the past." Regional cooperation and
integration with progressive forces will usher in a new era.
He said, "These are exciting times, a time for experimentation, a time for breaking away from neo-liberalism and old Left models. We are groping in an
exciting way, feeling our way. Our goal: how to grow in harmony with other
people and with Nature."--Text
and photos by Elizabeth Lolarga
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