Published: The Vanguard, Vol. 13, No. 48, December 16, 1976.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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• Capitalism is doomed as the force of history (class struggle) sweeps it off the stage.
• Those political parties which support capitalism are also doomed.
• The future belongs to the people. The revolutionary Party of the people, the Communist Party of Australia (M-L) is growing; its influence extends rapidly.
• All stratagems to contain, divert the people’s mass movement have failed. The people are sweeping past the bosses’ parliament and the trade union bureaucrats towards a genuine People’s Democratic Republic. Nothing can reverse this historical trend.
At the beginning of this year the first issue of Vanguard said that the most important factor in the political situation of the country was the mass movement of the people for national independence.
Vanguard said then that the mighty protest movement that quickly developed across the nation against Kerr’s dismissal of the Whitlam government and his installation of the Fraser-led coalition would not abate but would gather momentum and become deeper and broader.
Twelve months have quickly gone.
In that time the mass movement has assumed more importance as it has continued to grow, to become more conscious and more powerful.
When the coup took place in November 1975 the ferocity of the mass protest struck deep feat into the ranks of the ruling class. This fear deepened when the sustained character of the mass movement emerged.
It was then that the victim of the coup, Whitlam, urged calm. “Keep up your rage, but keep cool,” Whitlam advised.
He was backed by that craven upstart, Hawke.
What a lesson this was! The people were justly clamouring for action against Kerr, Fraser and Anthony but the deposed Labor leaders wanted none of it.
Whitlam, Hawke and Co. fear the masses.
Why? Because Whitlam, Hawke and Co. are just as much the servants of the foreign multi-nationals and the traitor capitalist class as are Kerr, Anthony and Co.
Much has come out since the coup. It is known that the armed services were alerted to “maintain law and order”.
It is certainly pertinent today to ask Messrs. Whitlam, Hawke and Co. what they would have done if the armed services had been ordered to take counter-revolutionary action against the people. Would they have urged the masses to fight, to stand firm and destroy the fascists? Or would they have jumped into the breach for the fascists and urged “no resistance” in the name of peace, law and order.
We say that they have already answered that question many times. The historical role of the Whitlams and Hawkes is to try to disrupt, sabotage and contain the struggles of the people in the interests of the “law and order” of the ruling class.
It is important to raise these questions again and again in these times of crisis when the working people everywhere are concerned about the future and are looking for correct leadership.
Capitalism throughout the world is plunging even deeper into crisis and the people’s challenge to the rule of the capitalist class is rising rapidly.
It is rising rapidly in Australia. The people’s challenge is in fact rushing past the stooge trade union bureaucracy and the Labor leaders. So sterile are the Labor leaders that they remain almost silent. They are offering no lead BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DO SO.
In 1972 Whitlam had some positive alternatives to the McMahon government. We supported those proposals of Whitlam which were in the interests of the people such as the recognition of People’s China, increased pension allowance, a free health service, increased expenditure on education and so on.
But events move quickly these days. Whitlam has nothing to offer – the crisis has destroyed his marginal capacity to manoeuvre.
Whitlam is the servant of imperialism. He does not support the struggle of the people for independence. He cannot do that because of his servant status. Of course he can and does voice some disapproval of US imperialism but this is done in the context of superpower contention with the knowledge that US imperialism is declining and with the object of opening the way for Soviet social-imperialism. Whitlam cannot come out openly and declare his intention but he can and does attempt to delude the people that Australia is not threatened by Soviet social-imperialism.
This is sheer treachery.
It is the only policy Whitlam has to offer; it is a policy opposed to the interests of the people. This is why Whitlam is silent and “biding his time”.
Like the Liberal Party the Labor Party leadership is split. There is one group which wants to continue supporting US imperialism. The other group, led by Whitlam, sees Soviet social-imperialism as the rising star. This split has not been resolved and in the meantime the people are making their own decisions, building their own organisations of struggle.
It is, indeed, an excellent situation.
The economic crisis has shown more clearly than ever before the dependency of Australia on foreign imperialism. In periods of crisis antagonisms between the imperialists become fiercer. The two imperialist giants, the two superpowers, US imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism, are preparing for war. Soviet social-imperialism is the younger imperialism. It wants to be cock of the roost and is challenging US imperialism at every twist and turn. Right here in Australia this challenge is developing. Soviet social-imperialism is expanding its influence here. It has wooed sections of the local capitalist class – it is offering these traitors a “better deal” than the weakening US imperialism. Already it has made significant purchases of agricultural products and is now in constant trade negotiation with the Fraser government and has commenced imperialist investment in Australia through front companies.
Vanguard in recent weeks has pointed to the growing concern in the ranks of the pro-US faction of the comprador capitalists over the penetration of the Soviet social-imperialists of the Australian state apparatus — the Defence Department in particular.
Soviet social-imperialism is a menace to the Australian people. It is surrounding Australia with its naval forces. It is challenging US imperialism on all fronts.
Thus the independence struggle must take this menace into account. It does not mean turning to US imperialism for support as Fraser and company do.
It means building the struggle for national independence under the slogans: US OUT! USSR Stay OUT!
Mass awareness of the danger of Soviet social-imperialism is growing.
And this struggle comes right up against Fraser and Whitlam, because both these gentlemen are subservient to imperialism.
This will be the direction of the struggle in 1977. People will continue to build their own fighting organisations. 1977 will assuredly see even greater advances.