Symptom of Capitalist Decay
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Guerra no convencional ● Colombia 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 57, No. 35 Sept. 3, 2015 $1 STOCK MARKET CRASH Symptom of capitalist decay By Deirdre Griswold Aug. 25 — If anything dramatically Autoworkers speak out shows the irrationality of the capitalist economic system, it is a financial market crash. This happens after a period of eu- phoria in the markets has driven prices to all-time highs and huge sums of mon- ey have been changing hands — in these days, usually electronically. Then comes the day of reckoning. What had seemed solid wealth the day before suddenly turns into red ink. This is what began happening in the third week of Au- gust to markets around the world. At such times, only those with deep pockets can stay in the “game” and hold on to their investments, hoping for a re- newed surge upward. If the billionaires are able to buy when prices have plunged and others are bankrupt, they stand to PHOTO: FRANK HAMMER make a real “killing” on the market — if it Autoworkers meet in Detroit, pledge solidarity with Brazilian GM strikers. Page 3. goes back up at some point. By Monday, Aug. 24, some estimates Anyway, the blame gamers have al- put the losses worldwide at a total of ready picked their target. Almost all the ‘Fighting for the union!’ $10 trillion. That’s a thousand, times propaganda organs of the imperialist rul- another thousand, times another thou- ing classes have fingered who is respon- sand, times a thousand again, times sible: China. China’s stock market, after a Interview with Georgia Scott 3 10. $10,000,000,000,000 — just to put big rise in prices based on hopes of future things in perspective. economic expansion equal to its phenom- 4 How can $10 trillion of wealth be enal growth of the last decade, took a dive Student athletes are workers “lost”? Or did it ever really exist? starting in the middle of June, according Presumably, this $10 trillion figure to the Shanghai Composite Index. vaguely represents the value of real com- There was general agreement then that Chelsea Manning 5 modities — coal, steel, vehicles, food, Chinese stocks, especially in real estate, shelter, aircraft carriers, gasoline — that were overpriced, and the decline was would have been produced for sale at considered a “correction.” But now the some future time, if the process of capi- U.S. financial writers are beginning to de- BLACK LIVES: GAINS & LOSSES talist production and accumulation had scribe the continued fall of Chinese stocks continued on an upward course. as a “plague” that has somehow infected That so much can be “lost” so quickly Western markets. The assumption here is Charleston Days of Grace shows the precarious nature of capital- that the underlying economic conditions ism. It illustrates in the starkest way how in the Western imperialist countries were the profit system runs counter to any ra- healthy before this Chinese pathogen in- tional planning of human economic activ- filtrated markets across the globe. ity in this high-tech era — when the gulf Give us a break. between rich and poor, between social What’s healthy about workers’ wages in Ralkina classes and between whole countries, only the U.S. buying less today than they did in widens even as productivity leaps ahead. 1967? What’s healthy about the economy Jones of a country where a cop can arrest and Carlos Riley Jr. The blame game kill a Black man for the survival “crime” of Rekia Boyd As this is being written, the media and selling single cigarettes on the street? As many economic pundits are trying to talk happened to Eric Garner in Staten Island, Troy Robinson 6-7 up the market, emphasizing its partial re- N.Y. What’s healthy about a parent having bound from record lows just yesterday. No to work two part-time, low-wage jobs just one in the media wants to predict gloom to feed her kids? and doom, knowing they could be held re- And speaking of wages, let’s not average 8 sponsible for causing a panic and another FARC on army attacks plunge downward. Continued on page 5 Haitian-Dominican solidarity 8 SUBSCRIBE TO WORKERS WORLD Donbass vs. Kiev offensive 9 4 weeks trial $4 1 year subscription $30 Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/articles/donate/supporters_/ DPRK holds firm 9 Name ______________________________________________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________Phone _________________________ EDITORIAL: Refugee crisis 10 Street ________________________________City / State / Zip ______________________ Workers World 212.627.2994 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10011 workers.org African economies 11 Page 2 Sept. 3, 2015 workers.org ‘Labor Day’ unmasked Build Workers World! In the U.S. Did you know that the federal holiday “Labor Day,” cialists or anarchists who had not even been at the scene. STOCK MARKET CRASH Symptom of capitalist decay..... 1 celebrated the first Monday in September, was found- Four of them were executed by the state in 1887. ed in 1887? The reason it’s in September and not May 1, So there is nothing honorable, worthy or celebratory From Selma to Boston: ‘I’m fighting for the union!’ ....... 3 which is celebrated today in 80 countries as Internation- behind “Labor Day.” In fact, its roots are deeply imbed- Autoworkers speak out against concessions ............. 3 al Workers Day, has nothing to do with honoring the role ded in the most vile kind of capitalist lies, police terror of labor in building this country. It has everything to do and fear of working people’s rights — most of all the Federal gov’t: ‘College athletes don’t deserve rights’ ..... 4 with the capitalist government refusing recognition to workers’ righteous demands for a socialist revolution, Joe Johnson, a fighter for workers and the oppressed ......4 the role of socialists and other radical organizers in the which were clearly expressed at Haymarket. Military whistleblower gets massive support . 5 labor movement. That’s the kind of information you’ve come to expect The American Federation of Labor, ever fearful of from Workers World: hard-hitting, anti-racist, anti-sex- Charleston Days of Grace march......................... 6 alienating the ruling class, was enlisted to suggest in ist, pro-LGBTQ and pro-working class truth. Jailhouse death still unexplained ........................ 6 1887 that the holiday be in September to take attention But Workers World can’t do it without your support. away from May Day — and the fight of working people in Please join the Workers World Supporter Program and Carlos Riley not guilty! ....................................7 Chicago for the 8-hour day, which had led to a police riot make a regular donation, no matter how modest. Go to Justice for Rekia Boyd ................................... 7 on May 4, 1886, known as the Haymarket Massacre. workers.org/donate/ or send checks to Workers World, Police were trying to disperse protesters when a bomb 147 W. 24th St., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10011, with your Tased man dies from fall ................................. 7 was thrown, the cops responded by killing four workers name and address; write “For WWSP.” Marchers condemn U.S.-backed Saudi oppression ...... 10 plus seven of their own. That led to a round-up of lead- We appreciate your help in growing the revolutionary ing labor organizers, most of whom were well-known so- media in the U.S. Around the world Stop victimization by the Colombian state............... 8 Dominicans, Haitians protest deportation ............... 8 MARXISM, REPARATIONS & the Solidarity with the people of Ecuador & Brazil ........... 8 Black Freedom Struggle Donbass residents rally as Kiev regime prepares assault.. 9 An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper. Edited by Monica Moorehead. DPRK mounts strong response to U.S.-led ‘war games’... 9 Racism, National Oppression & Self-Determination Fortress Europe kills.................................... 10 Larry Holmes ● Black Labor from Chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery Sam Marcy ● Black Youth: Repression & Resistance U.S. transnationals seek greater profits in Africa......... 11 LeiLani Dowell ● The Struggle for Socialism Is Key Monica Moorehead ● Domestic Workers United Demand Passage Editorial of a Bill of Rights Imani Henry ● Black & Brown Unity: A Pillar of Struggle for Human Rights & Global Justice! Migrant crisis in Europe: Who caused it? ................ 10 Saladin Muhammad ● Harriet Tubman, Woman Warrior Mumia Abu-Jamal ● Racism & Poverty in the Delta Larry Hales ● Haiti Needs Reparations, Not Sanctions Pat Chin ● Noticias en Español Alabama’s Black Belt: Legacy of Slavery, Sharecropping & Segregation Consuela Lee ● Are Conditions Ripe Again Alto a las victimizaciones............................... 12 COVER GRAPHIC BY SAHU BARRON Today? Anniversary of the 1965 Watts Rebellion John Parker ● Solidaridad con el pueblo ecuatoriano y brasileño ...... 12 Both books are available online and Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. at other bookstores. HAITI New York, N.Y. 10011 A Slave Revolution Phone: 212.627.2994 Updated to include the Aristide kidnapping by the U.S. and the earthquake in 2010. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Vol. 57, No. 35 • Sept. 3, 2015 Closing date: Aug. 25, 2015 Editor: Deirdre Griswold Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Who we are & what we’re fighting for Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead; Web Editor Gary Wilson Production & Design Editors: Coordinator Lal Roohk; degrading people because of their nationality, sexual or Hate capitalism? Workers World Party fights for a Andy Katz, Cheryl LaBash socialist society — where the wealth is socially owned gender identity or disabilities — all are tools the ruling and production is planned to satisfy human need. This class uses to keep us apart. They ruthlessly super-ex- Copyediting and Proofreading: Sue Davis, Keith Fine, Bob McCubbin outmoded capitalist system is dragging down workers’ ploit some in order to better exploit us all.