In what was the largest event of the day at the International Book Fair, Alan Woods presented the Venezuelan edition of Reason in Revolt, written together with Ted Grant who recently passed away, to a an enthusiastic crowd of more than 100 people.
Together
with Alan the book was presented by the former Vice-minister of Health, Jacobo
Mora and Livia Vargas, from the publisher of the book El Perro y la rana. Alan
gave an interesting introduction, which was interrupted several times by
applause, where he explained the relationship between dialectical materialism
and the processes at work in nature, the development of society and thought,
taking as the starting that great work of Frederick Engels, Dialectics of
Nature.
Since the fall of the Stalinism in the Soviet Union, the capitalists have launched an unprecedented propaganda campaign against Marxism, declaring that the only way that remains is capitalism, as Francis Fukuyama said when he declared "the end of history". This brought about a profound crisis within the left. Faced with this confusion and capitulation it was urgent that we defend the revolutionary ideas of Marxism. It what was a great work, Alan and Ted (who he calls his "great teacher") produced this work.
The author gave a general outline of the ideas in the book, explaining important points such as matter and human beings, the evolution of humans and society. Alan then placed an emphasis on the contradictions within the Bolivarian revolution, such as the bureaucracy, those parasites that live off the revolution and dress up in red, but block all the initiatives of the rank and file from their offices - this fifth column prevents the revolution from advancing.
Alan then strongly criticised those that say that there conditions for socialism do not exist, referring to Mr. Heinz Dietrich, who defends this position. "He is going to be shot, not with bullets, but politically", Alan remarked. Challenging these arguments about how the masses are too immature for socialism Alan asked, Where was this immaturity of the masses on April 13, 2002? Or during the bosses lock-out or the Recall Referendum? It has been the masses who at each crucial moment have saved the revolution, time and time again.
Alan then commented on his friendship with and the respect he has for Chavez, who as an honest and courageous man has said that the revolution is in the hands of the masses. However, Alan pointed out that honesty is not enough for the revolution to be victorious. For the revolution to be victorious a socialist programme that calls for the expropriation of the bourgeoisie is necessary. It is necessary to break with the capitalist state and nationalise the main levers of the economy - the banks, the land, and basic industries. As long as this is not done we cannot speak of the victory of the revolution, and in fact could mean the revolution takes a step backwards and is eventually defeated.
Alan explained that the task of the socialist revolution in Venezuela is not expropriate the small owners and shop keepers but the 2% of the population that owns 75% of the land, the banks and industry. This must be done to organise a planned economy under the control of the workers. It is not the small shopkeeper but the monopolies and the financiers who speculate with the people's money that have to be expropriated. We have to finish with the old state, the Fourth Republic. To do all of this, to break with capitalism and build socialism, it is necessary to organise from below and not from above. Alan also made an appeal to organise and build the Revolutionary Marxist Current in the Bolivarian Movement, to group together and organise the workers and the Venezuelan people in their struggle against the bureaucracy and capitalism.