Asia

The media in the West insist that the war in Afghanistan is against "terrorists", but a closer look shows a people resisting imperialist aggression. The country has been brought close to barbarism, but there is still potential for revolutionary developments.

Although the dismantling of the old state owned planned economy was an enormous reactionary step backwards and Marxists are utterly opposed to it, there is one positive element in the process: the creation of the largest proletariat in the world. The development of capitalism in China brings with it class contradictions that are preparing a new revolutionary upheaval in Chinese society. Once this massive Chinese proletariat moves decisively it will shake the whole world.

Women are a doubly oppressed layer of the working population in all countries, but in countries like Pakistan the oppression of women is extreme. Nowhere more than Pakistan, however, is it clear that this oppression is class-based. The solution lies in a united struggle of female and male workers to eradicate the very system that is the root cause.

Deng’s early “reforms” initiated in the late 1970s were aimed at improving efficiency in the economy. But once the Chinese bureaucracy had embarked down the road of capitalist incentives the whole process had a logic of its own, sucking China more and more down the road of capitalist restoration. This did not happen all in one go. There were several key turning points which are analysed here.

From a Marxist point of view the 1949 Chinese Revolution, in spite of its bureaucratic deformations, was the second most important event in human history after the Russian Revolution. It led to the abolition of landlordism and capitalism and the end of imperialist domination. Now, however, capitalism dominates in China. How did this happen? Here we present Part One of a document approved by this year’s world congress of the International Marxist Tendency which looks at events from the revolution up to the end of the Mao era.

The comrades in Pakistan have sent us a photo gallery with pics from the recent JKNSF convention.

Marxist MP and president of the PTUDC, Manzoor Ahmed, recently held a press conference where he announced the launching of a struggle against the Musharraf government's draconian changes to Pakistan's labour laws.

The JKNSF held its 16th convention on September 20-21. Thousands of students from across Kashmir and Pakistan came to Rawalakot to participate. Armed with the ideas of Marxism the JKNSF is united in the struggle for socialism.

In the build up to the convention of the JKNSF the comrades held a motorcycle rally in Rawalakot.

The Struggle publications in Pakistan have released a new book by Lal Khan on the latest war between Israel and Lebanon. The book not only traces through the history of the conflict between Israel and Lebanon but looks at the history of wars and revolutions in the Middle East.

As we reported earlier, the Jammu-Kashmir National Students' Federation-Marxist (JKNSF) has called its 16th convention for September 20-21 in Rawalakot. The comrades have printed 5000 posters, 1000 invitation cards and 1100 copies of the JKNSF's Manifesto, which we publish here along with the programme.

Despite facing threats and state repression the teachers are determined to continue the fight against the ban on their union. The teachers have decided to observe September 15 as a “black day”, when the teachers all across Sindh will hold rallies and protests at their respective schools and colleges.

Aakar Books in New Delhi, India, have just published an Indian edition of Alan Woods’ book The Venezuelan Revolution – A Marxist Perspective. Here we provide the new introduction to the book by Lal Khan in Pakistan and details of the publishers for anyone who wishes to get a copy.