This is a automatic and very rough translation of the basic program of the Danish Red Green Alliance. In the face of those who argue that you need to pull your punches and soften your edge when you go to the polls the RGA's perspective, and success, is a tactical challenge. Similarly the party's determination to maintain its independence from capitalist governments is very relevant to the some of the coalitionist roles adopted by the Greens here.
It is remarkable how much 'dumbing down' is promoted on the left for the sake of a shot at parliament.Such pragmatism is ruling the Greens for instance and can dominate the mindset of those who argue that the platform we take to the electorate has to be a lot different from our true radical socialist leanings. The RGA calls for the replacement of capitalism and markets with a demand-driven planned economy controlled by workplace democracy in cooperation with the rest of society, including direct democracy. The RGA began life as a coalition, then a fusion, between a few far left political parties.
1st Introduction
Enhedslistens goal is that everyone gets the opportunity to express themselves freely interact with their surroundings. Unity works for a society where freedom, solidarity, equal conditions for all and respect for nature is set in the center - a socialist society.
Blind growth
Capitalism has created a tremendous economic growth. And many ordinary people in the rich world are now living under economic and social conditions that no one could have imagined in the last century.This is not just economic growth and the rich part of the world's exploitation of the rest of the world, but primarily political and economic struggle by unions, workers' parties and other social and democratic movements have led.
Yet people die worldwide of hunger , poor social and health conditions or are killed in wars or ethnic cleansing. Earth's ecological balance is threatened by the increasing environmental mess and the continued erosion of the environment. All of this is due to indirect or direct the capitalist world system.
Blind growth is a precondition for capitalism's survival. Capitalism leads to increased exploitation of the people who are in work. The pressure to produce more and more, while the increased demand for workforce skills and efficiency leads to more and more squeezed out of the labor market. Blind capitalist growth leads to a natural basis smashed. The increased unequal economic development and the recurrent economic crises lead to wars and ethnic cleansings.
policy decisions that could solve these problems, blocked by the economic powers that immediately react against countries that have policies that are contrary to their interests . In this way undermines capitalism also democracy.
Therefore we need a fundamental break with capitalism.
An inclusive society
Enhedslistens goal is a world based on solidarity, equal conditions for all and where the individual's free development is the condition for free development of all. Society in the interest of mankind and nature is set in center, and where poverty, wars and oppression of the past.
The bourgeois politicians and social theorists do not believe in the possibility of such a "paradise on earth". They say like, for example. wars, selfishness and other abuses in the present capitalist world community is ultimately attributable to 'human nature'. They try to delude ourselves that capitalism is all other forms of society superior.
We totally disagree. It is capitalism that is directly or indirectly creates wars, aggression and selfishness, and it is anyhow in the way of their disappearance. We do not believe that the so-called human nature is an obstacle to creating a just and inclusive society. We believe instead that our actions are primarily shaped by the way society is organized and operates.
Match of interests
, but different groups or classes in society have different interests. Depending on how society is arranged, some classes more advantages than others. Therefore, there has historically always been a class struggle of the social system we have.
Under capitalism, the contradiction between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie the basic class contradiction. While class differences have changed, so they also cut across traditional class instance.social, education and housing.
The class struggle takes political, economic and ideological forms and covers all aspects of a capitalist society. Through our participation in the class struggle develops our consciousness, and it gives the opportunity to develop supportive attitudes.
A break with capitalism presupposes a conscious political strategy, as both are based on an analysis of capitalist society, experience of class struggle and a vision for how we will organize society. This document is an attempt to develop such a strategy. But it is clear that this is not the last word in the strategy discussion. It must continue constantly in interaction with our active participation in class struggle in everyday life.
Under capitalism, the pursuit of profit the main driver. This also implies that the growth of capitalism is the basic purpose and content in the organization of states under capitalism. But the concrete realization of this depends on the relative strengths of the various classes and strata. That is the strength of the working class, working class movement, the socialist parties, environmental movements, democratic movements and other progressive movements have been able to mobilize.
Securing capital long term interest in growth and the middle position as the ruling class makes it necessary that States sometimes put out by various factions within the bourgeoisie. This means that it is necessary that the state can act as an independent actor in the class struggle. Sometimes you will also see that different parts of the State apparatus acts in contradiction to each other. Over the past 20 years we have seen a tendency for the independent role of the state is weakened in many countries.Neo-liberalism has replaced government control with market forces rampage.
Under capitalism it is a small minority of people who have the crucial property and possession of the means of production and the result of the production. The consequence is a society where power is concentrated in big business in cooperation with topbureaukrater, politicians and leaders of the major interest groups. In this sense one can say that capitalism has developed into monopoly capitalism.
That big business has been absolutely dominant in the world economy does not mean that competition between the capitalists themselves have been abolished. Competition remains the cornerstone of the relations between capitalists and capital groups - including the so-called transnational corporations.
The hunt for profits throughout history have driven capitalism to subjugate the entire earth. This quest for capitalist growth and profit come today expressed through an increasing economic globalization, which has important implications for both social and environmental.
2nd Global capitalism,
imperialism through globalization
Since the beginning of the capitalist mode of production has the answer to capitalism's crises has been the spread of capitalism. Old forms of production has gone under and new territory is conquered by capitalism's expansion. In the latter half of the 1800s was the answer to a crisis big expansion in Africa, Latin America and Asia. It was the classic imperialist heyday.
Colonialism was one of several forms, this expansion was reflected on. The tendency for expansion is often called "capital internationalization" and displays include by increasing international trade and investment.
Also the 1970 economic crisis was met by strategies for global expansion. After a period since the Second World War when the nation state was the crucial framework for the pursuit of profit (capital accumulation), put the big companies and major industrial powers' governments in motion a process toward greater economic integration at global level.
This strategy is implemented in stages. Reagan and Thatcher's neoliberal offensive of the early '80s led to major changes, like the fall partly opened for expansion in the former East bloc and elsewhere moved relative strengths for the benefit of global capital.
The goal of capital is not just expansion over new territory. The target is completely or partially dismantle existing national borders in order to pave the way for an economy that is globally organized.There is not much talk about greater economic interaction between nations - ie. Internationalization - but an economy that is not inhibited or controlled by national government regulations. It already has great significance for the composition of capital and the nation state.
Instead of national industries producing for the domestic market is the great harvest profit (capital accumulation) is now in transnational companies that produce in large parts of the world to the world market. National states are less frame for production and sales and loses significance for capital expansion strategy, which goes a long way across borders, without national ties. Customs tariffs are brought down, and product standards harmonized rules for investment harmonized or removed all together for the benefit of especially the transnational capital.
Globalisation is seen so clearly in the settlement of state intervention in order to encourage capital mobility across borders. In many areas, a massive transfer of power from state to market, for example. in the financial sector has been liberalized to such an extent that very few international speculators can earn rushing to undermine national currencies.
In other areas, building institutions (eg. WTO, NAFTA and EU) to harmonize rules in favor for goods and capital movement. Decisions taken previously at the state level after a political process, de-politicized by being subject to the jurisdiction of international institutions. This process leads to a considerable afdemokratisering.
In both cases it is the major industrial powers as a political one paves the way for more room for the largest capital groups that are seen as engines of capital accumulation. They grow and strengthen political and could impose additional concessions. In this way, globalization is self-strong end.
Globalization project is long and full of contradictions, but it already steer societies on many levels.Globalization is seen in the showdown with the interventionist state, which was crucial for capital deployment in the period from WWII to the '70s. It existed in several versions: in the south was crucial to building a local citizenship and in the north led the Western European welfare state to profit harvest was boosted by a large domestic market.
This global project means that the contradictions between the major industrial powers solved without the great battle sword: They are in complete agreement about the broad outlines of the new economic world order.
Globalization stated today by the U.S.. Faced with this leadership uses transnational corporations in the EU internal market as an economic platform and union project as a political platform to gain greater influence on globalization. It is backed by the political elite in Europe and is a key feature of the EU.Therefore we can not yet talk about a completely globalized capital. Even the biggest companies need states and supranational bodies to promote their interests.
An important political outcome of globalization is thus declining role of nation states for capital.Protected domestic markets, subsidies and many other forms of state intervention is no longer the same value for capital accumulation.
But nation states are not about to wither away. For one's vision of the global economy without a national government regulation. Something else is reality. For capitalist globalization has already led to profound societal tremors in many parts of the world.
The consequences of globalization is that social divisions within and between countries dug deeper into a breakneck pace, the social exclusion reaches new heights, and environmental problems are growing. Among other things, Therefore, globalization creates instability. An instability that can lead to radical changes in society.
Globalisation provides imperialism - as the major industrial powers' struggle for global dominance - another term. As capitalism as a whole is also imperialism into a second phase. Not only integrated countries in the periphery to a greater extent in the world market. The increased investment does in most cases the local bourgeoisie to junior partners of the transnational capital. Citizen creator who previously built their power on the use of state apparatus and of the domestic market is now the local guarantors for rapid integration into the global economy.
Globalization leads not to ho-mo - genisering but to increased polarization. Despite all the rhetoric about equal opportunities in the global market, increasing the differences between countries. The capital is also a piece from being a true transnational. In crisis situations, it often turns out that capital quickly find their way "home" to the major industrial powers. Especially in the periphery, globalization is leading to deep social divisions.
Therefore, it is also far from anywhere that attempts to achieve globalization project domination succeed. With globalization decomposed in many ways the nation states' ability to ensure social stability. In many cases, especially in the periphery of capitalism, the state collapses completely. Civil wars and rebel movements of widely varying persuasions are therefore remains a particular threat to the global elite.
Globalisation override national interests in favor of a trans-national project. Therefore, meeting the individual sites also resistance from all states. These states are rejected by the so-called international community to such an extent that it often leads to imposing sanctions and armed conflict. World in the era of globalization is not a stable world. For example. be the showdown with national elites who do not want a quick integration into the global economy because it goes against their interests.
Globalisation leads often to authoritarian regimes fall. Authoritarian regimes in the periphery, which previously enjoyed the support of the major capitalist powers, must in many cases find themselves removed from the old supports and replaced by formally democratic regimes (Chile, Philippines, Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia). Instead, insertion of new regimens, whose job it is to ensure a transnational elite social dominance and act as bulwark against radical social change. Democratic re - forms to ensure their legitimacy, and an army of technocrats in the state apparatus to ensure the reforms were implemented.
The new economic world order is not a stable world order. Therefore, the collapse of not followed by widespread disarmament or for settlement of NATO. By contrast, NATO, claiming itself as the global policeman, who no longer have to defend a territory but defend the capitalist great powers' interests in the wider globe.
Hence the shift to a higher level of military mobility, which is to put NATO in a position to to respond to all emergencies that threaten the dominance of industrial power in general. This new "strategic concept" for NATO should be seen as a kind of military superstructure of globalization.
Globalisation and power centers will degrade
the growing inequality worldwide, as well as in individual countries and the threat of ecological disaster: the necessity of socialism seems increasingly obvious. The countries that emerged as parodies of socialism has collapsed, should not blur the picture. It is Enhedslistens central task of rebuilding a credible socialist alternative in Denmark and to support the development of this world.
Globalisation is not an inevitable natural phenomenon but a political and economic strategy from the part of capital. And that strategy may well fail, fought and defeated.
With globalization, removed many of the barriers to capital power and movement that has characterized capitalism in many parts of the world in the time since WWII. The new face of capitalism is even less human. It increases the gap between rich and poor, and since much of the world's poor are women, they are especially vulnerable.
Therefore it is essential for the socialist left to avoid any medløberi, apathy or powerlessness to globalization. There need to be built and developed a socialist alternative.
Unity is a revolutionary socialist and internationalist organization, and as such we deal with globalization. Our internationalism lead us not into nation-state to declare death, and certainly not to renounce the importance of the match at the national level. Nation-state is still an important factor in the economic sense and is still the place where the political power balance leaves its mark.Developments at national level often makes its mark internationally, for example. in European populations rejection of GM products and crops. This resistance has long been an important brake on the biotech industry's attempt to win greater international foothold, and it's been so many developing countries small farmers for good. The latest example is the conclusion of an international agreement on genetically engineered crops, "Biosafety Protocol".
Rejection of the match at the national level in favor of nebulous desire for new international agreements or abstract visions of another world order, is therefore a defeat strategy risks giving the neo-liberal globalization, greater legitimacy and scope. The national struggle is often the first step. Taking it, all progressive measures at international level will be hampered.
Building international class alliances
, the neoliberal globalization has made possible new international and national alliances. Positive is that the general populace has begun to rally around the struggle against neoliberalism, not only in Denmark, but throughout the world.
The ideological core of the alliance policy is for that reason alone be the struggle against neoliberalism.
For a long time to come, the alliance not be of such nature that it can make comprehensive alternatives to the current development. But the forces that are begun, it will slowly be able to put a different agenda, first in individual areas, since compared to the overall development.
Within this alliance are circles with roots in both the labor movement, women's movement, a stretch-ke excluded or marginalized groups, and many from between the layers.
For Unity is important both to help build alliances at home and that forge alliances between groups in Denmark and the international movement against neoliberal globalization.
Globalization is making a number of issues to international issues and makes international cooperation to something vital. Therefore, increased political cooperation across borders is very important for the Alliance. Joint campaigns and discussions with socialists and progressive forces in other countries has become an important component of any organization's socialist development.
A trend can be seen in EU battle, MAI campaign and many other places. One way of working that could be seen as the building of "progressive forces of international civil society '. A particularly important task is building an international labor movement. In this way, the capitalist globalization matched by a "globalization from below."
The fundamental task is the construction of class alliances. And in a sense, globalization has contributed to the alliances will have similar class composition in all parts of the world. Past speculation about alliances in developing countries with the 'national bourgeoisie' in the anti-imperialist struggle is now futile for two reasons:
First, connect the key sections of the bourgeoisie are now up on globalization. In the developing countries' cases, the bourgeoisie integrated as junior partners. Second, the national bourgeoisie - in cases where they pursue a nationally focused strategy - quite reluctant to engage in projects with a spirit of solidarity, social welfare content.
Also for the working class, globalization has brought big changes with it. The labor movement has generally been weak for two reasons: First, does the domestic market's declining role of capital that it is harder to win concessions. The second is freedom of capital and goods suitable instruments to play workers off against workers.
Just split the women, with higher unemployment and increased workload within the four walls are isolated and thus lose the ability to organize. Just as it is important to fight for an international organization of the working class, it is also important to build women's movements that can counteract the effects of globalization on women.
Systemudfordrende partial struggles
struggle against neo-liberalism is central to the reconstruction of an international socialist movement.Among other things, This makes it necessary for the socialist left to develop systemudfordrende partial struggles. These partial struggles must start with the following requirements:
• Anti-WTO, IMF and World Bank power. Their power should be rolled back and replaced by another international system. Structural adjustment programs should be abolished. IMF and World Bank replaced by an international loan mechanism ii UN auspices, giving the right to develop their own development strategies with a focus on increased social equity.
• The developing countries' debt to be erased. The result of poorly developing countries' own policies and is primarily caused by imbalances in the international economy.
• The WTO must be replaced with another type of trade organization. Built on the principle of global justice, social equity, sustainability and democracy. For this purpose, "tilbagerulningsstrategien" the strategy that best combines the many forces that are begun against the WTO.
• The right to protect its own production of food must be guaranteed. It should be possible to define a national strategy for food security. Guaranteed minimum prices for raw materials.
• The EU's trade policy must change. Most acute is the struggle against export subsidies, which threaten the livelihood of many small farmers in developing countries.
• For the environment, the national discretion assured. If the 'right to go ahead "is undermined by the WTO, it will paralyze the struggle for example. higher food standards worldwide.
• Stop for increased exploitation, degradation and exclusion, and child labor and increasing poverty.
• Defence of welfare - fighting private privatizations
• Patent rights must be abolished. TRIPS agreement on intellectual property rights in the WTO could be - and is reportedly - written by multinational corporations lobbying organizations.
• ILO opportunities to strengthen trade union rights at the international level must be strengthened.Basically, we consider, however, the daily struggle and direct international solidarity among workers as the most effective way to promote labor rights.
• Every action to give multinational companies greater power through international agreements must be stopped. Multinational corporations should be subject to a number of international agreements, primarily in the UN system, which can prevent the environmental degradation and abuse of social rights, which often follow in their wake.
• Implementation of targeted campaigns against individual companies, at home and elsewhere, aimed at to deal with everything from action to public health (as in Novo-Lundbeck case), in support of dictatorships (as with companies with investments in Burma)
• Tobin tax should be introduced and the Alliance will work to the Danish government promotes-Tobin taxes in all relevant international forums.
• The right and the possibility of including national action against speculators must be defended.
• Establish systems to ensure that capital investment provided locally
.
3rd A European superstate
The EU has been created to adapt Europe to the European big business needs and as such is a part of the bourgeoisie global liberalization project. There has been a steady intensification of EU integration with the establishment of a framework for a true European polity, and the continued liberalization of society.
The EU is still formally an intergovernmental cooperation, but in practice we have come very far in building a supranational superstate . Most important decisions are taken centrally in the EU system and in the new millennium, emphasis is preparing to force the decisive step in state building through - virtually without popular approval, let alone acceptance.
EU project is about creating a new capitalist superpower who can assert themselves on the world stage - both economically and militarily. This new superpower will exercise his power in cooperation with the world's second superpower, the United States. A partnership which will not least toward the poor and poorer countries in the world and serve the multinationals' interests. At the same time, however, predict an - over time - dangerous rivalry between these two powers - perhaps with Japan or China as a third party.
The economic integration and capital concentration in Europe has constantly been increased, as trade and capital flows between European countries.
Building of a new European super-state is primarily due to the desire to create a single market that may foster economic growth and boost profits. Then the desire to strengthen the major European capital in competition with American and Japanese.
Therefore the EU is working to reduce or eliminate the gains which the labor movement and popular movements have gained in terms of welfare, democratic rights, environmental protection, etc.
The economic development as result of deregulation, privatization and adjustment to EMU requirements have strengthened the private sector and curtailed the public sector. This happens in the competition's holy name, especially at the expense of women, which partly affected by unemployment, and forced to perform tasks such as child care in homes.
Growth and profit maximization is the goal. The consequences are environmental degradation, increased unemployment, social exclusion and social impairments.
integration of Eastern European countries in the EU is linked with efforts to strengthen the European capital. EU enlargement is designed to ensure these areas as investment targets for the West European capital, also in the long term. Moreover, the part of the expansion of the western sphere of influence eastward. As such, NATO and EU enlargement two sides of same coin. The accession of eastern countries that economic and social cost these countries' inhabitants expensive, happens all the NATO and EU-peak conditions.
The structure of EU law means that power is centralized in the EU at the expense of individual member countries. EU will increasingly have a supranational character. At the same time the large EU countries, an increasingly dominant role at the expense of smaller countries. Power is centralized in the EU's closed system where the power of money through lobbying their influence. The EU is utterly undemocratic.
As the power transferred to the central EU level is an equivalent afdemokratisering of communities in individual EU countries. The distance is increasing between populations and decision makers. It becomes difficult for grassroots movements and organizations to gain influence. Increased power to the EU Parliament is not synonymous with increased democracy, but entails, first and foremost an undermining of the national parliaments' power.
EU's neoliberal policies have in the course of a few years led to major social degradation and a major redistribution from wages to profits. The European bourgeoisie has strengthened its position against the working class and popular forces. The EU is therefore an obstacle to democracy, social justice and socialism.
The social democratic / socialist parties come to power and manages the EU's neoliberal policies - possibly. with the desire to realize it in a less antisocial and environmentally unfriendly version - nothing has changed this situation.
neoliberalism is part of the EU's treaty base and will therefore require treaty change fundamentally to change this policy. There does not seem to be any fundamental disagreement between the bourgeois parties and the leading share of the social democratic / socialist parties of the neo-liberal project. There is no realism in these parties' notions that a stronger EU state can be used as a tool to regulate the trans-and multinational capital and reduce its social and environmental devastation.
EU represents no break with nationalism. On the contrary, represents the construction of this new EU state just a geographically larger nationalism, which in many respects a repetition of the structure of the various European nation states which took place in the 1800s. There is an elitist top-down project undertaken by the economic elite and the elite of officials and academics because it serves this class economic and political interests. There is a process where people indoctrinated into a 'nationality' of state power including through the education system, for example peddle various "historical myth" invented for the occasion. As a special supplement launched euro nationalist movements, sponsored by both the capital as state power. The most prominent examples in Denmark today is organizations like the European Movement and the New Europe.
These movements will typically operate in a nicer language, sometimes even with more "progressive slogans" than, say Danish nationalist organizations like the Danish People's Party and the Danish Association. Strictly speaking, represent the euro nationalist organizations, however, a much larger nationalist threat because of their nationalist project is identical to big business, and because the project is to create an expansive capitalist superpower. With the EU being done either cabbage on nationalism or nation.
Opposition to EU
Unity List Resistance against the EU is a continuation of our resistance against the capitalist globalization. The Green Alliance aims to achieve an abandonment of the EU. This can be done through a back-rolling of the Union, including stopping the expansion of EU powers and deny the EU the powers it already has.
Enhedslisten advocates Danish withdrawal from the EU and will work to realistic alternatives to EU membership. But Danish withdrawal from the EU is only a sub-goal in the creation of a different Europe, where solidarity, equality, democracy and ecology are the pillars and with a fundamentally different international cooperation in a world without aggressive superpowers. Green Alliance would therefore welcome that a Danish withdrawal from the EU sets in motion a snowball effect, leading to the Union's dissolution.
Enhedslisten advocates self-determination of peoples. History has shown all too many examples of the unfortunate in that it is the victors that draw borders, or to one or more major powers imposes a smaller people to his will. European Union development is equally a threat to the European peoples self-determination.
The question of autonomy is important to emphasize that it is the people's sovereignty, we support. It is thus a crucial point for us that independence is established on a democratic basis that the protection of minorities and human rights are respected. Likewise, it is crucial that the fundamental right to autonomy is accompanied by an obligation - if necessary with the assistance of international mediators - to implement a fair allocation of resources that were previously common.
We have a vision of another society, based on solidarity and democracy - our vision of socialism beyond the historically specific boundaries.
Enhedslisten want greater democracy in all spheres of society. We want to destroy the economic power, which today is concentrated in very few hands and spread out decisions, so each person has a real opportunity to influence his own life.
In many cases there is more sense to create global and international or regional agreements than agreements at EU or European level.
We will seek to limit the influence of politicians and bureaucracy from the major European industry and its lobbyists. We will demand transparency in all decision times. We will demand guarantees that allow individual countries to pursue environmental improvements. We will work for all EU and EEA countries for exceptions to general rules. We will as well as extra-parliamentary parliamentary oppose any initiative towards more outsourcing and demolition of the public sector, whether they come from Denmark, the EU or other sources. We
will make every tackle EU and Schengen union supporters - Contract terror package, etc., which severely restricts the democratic rights and potentially criminalize everything jointly, professional and democratic work. All farm subsidies should be phased out, and it must again be allowed to introduce veterinary borders. We run not on autopilot. Alliance will fight for the smallest improvements and at the smallest degradation in terms of democratization and the content of the concrete EU policies within the different resort areas, but like in parliament, the slightest improvement and prevention of deterioration never be an end in itself. Alliance have no illusions that fundamental problems can be solved within the framework of the capitalist EU. Obviously it is a degradation, if a proposal to strengthen EU's power since our goal is a fundamental clash.
EU's development into an ever closer economic and political union, moving towards an actual polity means that also fight for a red and green politics are increasingly to be conducted at European level.
Also for realizing a tilbagerulningsstrategi compared to the EU it is crucial that the relative strengths change by developing a strong pressure from below at national and European level. Cooperation must be strengthened between the EU-critical popular movements, trade unions and democratic and socialist forces in the areas where the effects of the neoliberal policies are most extensive. Must be developed games that challenge neoliberalism and the EU system - eg. in the social and environmental fields, and against the increasing militarization and the real popular democracy.
A broad sample of people in EU countries - the vast majority of workers as well as the marginalized groups and sections of the middle class, also in the Eastern European candidate countries - affected increasingly by the environmental and especially the social impact of the EU's neoliberal policies, and respond with apathy or frustration against rising afdemokratisering of communities.
It is crucial to develop a strong EU-critical left, who can help to create a credible socialist alternative to neo-liberalism and thus also to the EU for this population that may otherwise be tempted by the populist and extreme right wing facile EU criticism of its undemocratic and nationalchauvinistiske sight.
Therefore it is important to avoid this pitfall, as it may be to support or be involved in a political government cooperation that ends up managing a milder version of the neo-liberal EU policies. It must be avoided at all costs to legitimize the EU and this policy. It does not preclude that there may be a policy of reform and struggle that can be used to defend or improve living conditions for the general population - at national and European level.
A key element in Enhedslistens strategy is about strengthening international cooperation from below on the basis of concrete struggles against the consequences of the EU's neoliberal policies and undemocratic nature. Pre-sentence for political achievements are massive extra-parliamentary mobilization. Since the common interests of the transnational cooperation between workers, women, environment student movement and others also have it. While it is crucial to develop and strengthen cooperation on the Left in Europe, both in relation to concrete political struggles, not least about the unfolding of the visions for a better world.
The strong resistance against Denmark joined the EC in 1972 and resistance to union development has created a unique political situation with relatively strong independent movement. Movements play a positive role in public debate about the EU and has been an indispensable tool for the referenda on the EU. Green Alliance members participate actively in the movements aimed to strengthen the EU-resistance and resistance to the neoliberal offensive.
4th Capitalism in Denmark
As a highly developed capitalist country, Denmark is a fully integrated part of the Western capitalist system. Through its membership of NATO and the EU, Denmark is in essence - politically, economically and militarily - subordinate to the American and Western European big business interests.
NATO membership has meant the abandonment of an independent defense and security policy.Denmark is even one of those European countries that are most follow the style of U.S. foreign policy.
EU membership means that Denmark has given up trying to lead an independent trade policy, and that the possibility of control and restrictions on capital movements have been abolished. Despite the population's no in the Euro referendum, Denmark has through its membership of the EU through the course a development leading to the elimination of the opportunity to pursue an independent policy in a number of areas - including economic policy, foreign policy and justice policy.
Monopoly Capitalism
Denmark has been going through the same development as the other Western European countries from predominantly agricultural country småkapitalistisk to a highly developed industrial society with monopoly capital as the dominant force within the bourgeoisie. Developments in Denmark came later than in many other Western European countries and independent farmers and other groups of petty bourgeoisie had as much of the 1960s economic and political significance.
Today, wage labor more dominant than in most other western European countries. Which primarily because the number of public employees is higher than in most other Western European countries and a number forsorgsopgaver, as in other countries are left to family or other forms of private activity in Denmark solved by the public.
Centralizing capital and industrialization of the production process also affects the field of service trade and new industries like information technology. The big growth in information technology have led to a contradiction in citizenship between the part of big capital, which is concentrated in traditional industries and the part which is concentrated in new areas. This contrast is embodied by different requirements of the policy, the different capital groups want the state to keep. The petty bourgeoisie have traditionally its strength in agriculture, fisheries, transport and retailing. Within these areas, the petty bourgeoisie in decline and on track to be purged. By contrast, in recent years grown a new petty bourgeoisie forward in areas such IT, consulting and public relations field. This has allowed the bourgeois life of a renaissance. But even in these areas, we see the concentration and centralization succeed, so that the petty-bourgeois way of life comes into conflict with big business.
The last decade has been the major wage earner funds (ATP, LD, pension funds and by labor pension funds) have become society's biggest formueansamlinger. But despite that they are provided through workers' savings, and employee representatives are to manage them so, these funds into one and depending on market economy principles.
The real citizenship in Denmark represents a tiny minority of the population of 2-3 percent. It concerns a group of people who have ownership or possession of the capital in its various forms through which they acquire the profit that comes out of production. In addition a large number of top executives in private industry, senior officials within the public administration, and judges and senior managers within the police and military.
petty bourgeoisie owns the means of production, but they have to keep working in order to exist.Historically, the petty bourgeoisie and its organizations played a major political role in Denmark. This position has however been severely weakened over the past 40 years, which the petty bourgeoisie also numerically is reduced.
Between The layers consist of a number of very different groups in the private and public service. Like the exploited working class by doing extra work, which is appropriated by the bourgeoisie. But they are even with the more or less senior positions to manage various aspects of bourgeois politics, economics and ideology. Between the layers form a motley group, some of which are close to the bourgeoisie and others close to the working class.
On the whole it is hardly possible to make a clear dividing line between working class and middle strata, but on the other hand, obvious that there is a large group of, among other intellectuals who neither belong to the working class or bourgeoisie. In some areas, blurring the differences in these years, groups that previously belonged unambiguously between the layers, receive wages and working conditions more and more like the conditions as part of the working class. Parts of the working class is employed on terms and experiencing greater opportunities to control the daily production process, since the layer of middle managers in some places greatly reduced.
The working class formed by the large majority in Denmark, who works as a subordinate wage earners in the private and public sectors and exploited economically by performing extra work in terms of production and reproduction of capital and labor. These are skilled and unskilled workers, lower white collar, etc.
In addition, a group that more or less permanently kept out of the labor market. Much of this has on the one way or another connected with the working class, but there is also a not inconsiderable group who feel they do not have a true class affiliations.
The working class as samfundsforandrende force?
The Danish working class has undergone great changes over the last 100 years. It has grown steadily, but has also become more diverse in its composition and displays today a large spread in terms of wages, employment and living conditions. Nevertheless hear the Danish working class to one of the most homogenous in the world.
The main trends are that most of the women in the working class entered the labor market, more than 1 / 3 of the working class have gained status as "salaried employee" and to approx. 1 / 3 of the working class are employed in the public sector. Similarly, the proportion of "traditional" workers (skilled and unskilled) decline.
This is also the proportion of industrial workers, who constitute almost 20% of the working class.Altogether we have for the last 20 years seen how much of the traditional industries, where unions and left wing stood strong has been reduced dramatically both in terms of number of tracts, economic turnover and value added.
From a situation where industry, transport and construction workers constituted a clear majority of the working class, we are now in a situation where the majority consists of employees in the public sector, retail, hotel and catering and other service areas. In addition, an increased use of management practices that give employees a greater say in organizing their own work. At the ideological level, a more individualistic oriented mindset also gained increased acceptance in the working class. This is because both the changing forms of production, a successful middle-class offensive in the 80s and early 90s, and an education system that has focused much on the individual and personal accomplishment.
It is characterized by the focus on individual needs and interests than on the community and the collective. Nothing suggests, however, that these new flexible production and management styles are on track to become dominant or even dominates in Denmark. Lots of people still working in old-fashioned hierarchical organized enterprises while it has been shown that the new flexible forms of organization also leads to increasing exploitation and degradation of labor.
In addition there are many other contradictions in the working class. Today is the contradiction between those related to labor and those who are 'left out' - long-term unemployed, social assistance recipients, disability pensioners - one of the crucial contradictions that skillfully exploited by the bourgeoisie to divide the working class. The same is true in terms of antagonism between Danes and immigrants.
There is nothing new in the working class is characterized by contradictions and social and political divisions. It changes as does not change the fact that the Danish working class objectively, are well placed to become the leading force in a socialist revolution:
It represents a clear majority of the population.
It is well organized, well-educated, both academically and in terms of general knowledge and is well informed on what's happening in the world.
It contains a substantial core of industrial workers with strong professional organization and experience from the economic and political struggle.
Most 'new' working groups have quickly mastered elementary experience of trade union struggle and organization .
But the subjective conditions for the working class can take up the struggle for socialism is far from absent. The vast majority accept the market economy and class collaboration and is also agreed in the reformist and bourgeois ideology. It turns out, among other things by people and municipal elections, where the vast majority of working class support for Social democracy and the bourgeois parties.
This problem also reflect in that in capitalist society is created an illusion of the individual actualized freedom. Capitalism is apparently able to give individuals the opportunity to express themselves through work and consumption. Collective solutions and community are perceived by many as a limitation on individual freedom of expression.
Bureaucracy and lack of democracy in both the unions and the public sector has helped to reinforce this view and has spread the perception that the Left stands for 'systems thinking' in Unlike the liberal emphasis on individual freedom.
The struggle for a democratic public sector is therefore crucial. There exists the possibility of developing a sector where it is self-management, human needs and rights - not for profit, at the center.This requires the development of the public sector takes place in close cooperation between the employees in this and the users. Only in this way can be done with client empowerment and public sector paternalistic elements.
Compared to the private sector have identified the specific contrast between the individual's ability for self-expression - and that production is only able to exist on the market and capital requirements.Monopolization and capital concentration provides a good opportunity to point out how capitalism restricts freedom.
On the whole, there are several contradictions between the desire to have a 'good life' with space to work, family and other social relationships.
the working class most important organization - trade unions - also suffers from some serious weaknesses. It is true that unions played and plays an important role in defending working class living standards and education levels. But it is the combat options were weakened through participation in the administration of capitalism and through the acceptance of a fagretsligt system that enshrines the employers' right to manage and distribute work and restricts the right to strike.
The unions have failed to aggressively making demands on the organization of work and to what produced by whom and where. This has isolated the trade unions in relation to the new generations of workers, which requires participation and democracy - even at work.
The establishment of a democracy that creates good opportunities to organize and be active in the network and based on the individual interests and needs is also a necessary element in ensuring a future for trade unions.
The working class has created its own bureaucracy that has got a vested interest in maintaining the 'status quo'. The conductive layer in this work bureaucracy - Federal managements, Social Democratic leaders at state, county and municipal level - in many ways is deeply embedded in the administration of capitalism. It does not make them a part of the bourgeoisie in economic terms. They are either elected or employed by the working class and its organizations, and their status and value of citizenship as collaborators depends ultimately on the working class to accept their leadership.
The welfare state
in Denmark - as in the rest of Western Europe - the state has played a crucial role in the development of capitalism. The state has undertaken a major intervention in and regulation of the economy. The governmental policy specific content has reflected the political and economic power relationships, but the goal has always been to create the best opportunities for the development of capitalism. Therefore, government's role largely been to ensure the dominant capital groups (big business) interests.
In Denmark, the state has not - compared to other West European countries - significantly appeared as a direct owner / part owner of the means of production, apart from ownership, investment and operation of the traditional areas such as roads, railways, bridges and other infrastructure.
In return, the state engaged in almost all aspects of working-class reproduction through a rich social, health and education matters. It is also largely succeeded in getting the state to defend working class support in terms of unemployment, sickness and old age. The tasks, as in most other highly developed capitalist countries is mainly carried out through funded schemes or individual insurance.
The public sector's size and functions has meant that in Denmark there exists a large sector that do not have profit maximization as its main function, but in principle exists in order to meet certain human needs.
This positive result is achieved through political and trade union struggle in which trade unions and the working party's efforts have been decisive, while it has been possible to build alliances with sections of the petty bourgeoisie and middle strata in the fight the welfare state. On the whole, the movements and alliances that have gone across existing class, played a crucial role in many areas in Denmark. Within the past 30 years include:
Peace Movement, which for a period in the 80s had a great influence on the Danish defense policy.
The environmental movement, where the most visible achievement was the successful fight against nuclear power.
The women's movement, which moved a decisive factor in a number of established prejudices and helped with trade unions to implement equal pay formally. In reality it is not yet implemented, the same unions have a responsibility for ..
But these victories are not meant to imply that the state has changed its class character. With the special Danish conditions have 'welfare state', on the contrary been - and remains - an essential prerequisite for capital accumulation. An economic condition because it has ensured the availability of a skilled workforce. A political condition, because the "welfare state" has arranged concessions to the working class, which should ensure its acceptance of exploitation.
At the start of the new millennium is the 'welfare state' - and thus the basic class compromise - under tremendous pressure. The state is rapidly moving to dismantle significant parts of its commitment to working-class reproduction. Past equal (universal) services to all be replaced by individual savings schemes, and one core public area after another outsourced and privatized.
The driving force of capital is needed to find ever new exploitation objects and its need for keeping labor costs as low as possible. Additionally, a growing pressure from the EU's 'single market' and the EU's efforts to correct economic policies in a broad sense in after EMU liberal principles.
The struggle to defend and extend the collective welfare based on solidarity principles are at the millennium an equally important task, as it was centuries ago.
Class Collaboration
The political basis for capitalism's specific development in Denmark is class collaboration, as has been arranged by the Social Democrats and the majority of trade unions.
Class collaboration has even assumed an institutional nature in the form of the so-called tripartite cooperation. "Social partners" and state / counties / municipalities are working closely together at all levels of management of capitalism.
An important precondition for this has been a labor market where employers and working class have been well organized and pretty much have regulated their relationships through collective agreements.
When the bourgeoisie in the extent accepted labor's influence is the fact that the Social Democratic politicians and union leaders never have been fundamentally questioned the capitalist order. However, they helped ensure that the working class struggle did not go beyond the framework of bourgeois society.
The condition of being able to play this role has been that class collaboration gave visible results in terms of improvements in working class living conditions.
5th Environmental Fight
The Left and environmental movements have gained many partial victories over the past decades.Almost all sewage is now treated before being discharged into the sea. The lead is removed from gasoline, and the organic solvent is largely removed from the working environment. We won the battle against nuclear power in Denmark and was instead to make Denmark a frontrunner in wind power. In recent years there has also been carried out major restoration projects around the country. And you can also mention other positive outcomes, such as many rivers today is far cleaner than they were 10-20 years ago.
But while we have won some small victories, then destroy the environment around us continues.Emissions of C02 are admittedly slowed slightly in Denmark, but certainly not globally. The greenhouse effect is still increasing. The same global warming. Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from agriculture is also increasing. Problems with the estrogen-like substances appear to grow dramatically. A number of the goods we buy in Denmark, will be produced at great cost to the environment. One can say that we have exported our pollution to other countries, especially in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.
Organic conversion
Advances of the future
Through our policy work, we press the community to develop and introduce production methods that implement a sustainable resource utilization manufactures products either during the manufacturing process, the use of any product or disposal contribute to environmental problems. It is a definition of what we refer to organic production. This work has a dual purpose by helping the development process will help ensure that people get an acknowledgment that it is in the field of activity among many different people's efforts to achieve results that are not dictated by short term financial gain, but against the common future goals that the real breakthroughs are achieved. People will increasingly find that the market economic mechanisms fail to develop the necessary technology and clean production.Without concrete proposals for sustainable ways to produce and organize themselves, the market economy come to appear as the least bad model.
The organic concept as leverage
by identifying products and processes as organic, we also have a tool which can function while still subject to EU. EU strategy forbids nations to go ahead and the EU even use decisions are driven by a minority of large countries, but organics have not yet tried to ban. It can also be a viable option to let the public prefer the purchase of organic products and initiate organic production or activity, although necessary for public tenders.
The transformation of agriculture to organic farming should now be promoted with 3 instruments: 1) specific duties on contamination including pesticides and the overuse of nutrients after the "polluter pays" principle - the principle. It will make organic production economically competitive. 2) Agriculture subsidies are removed. First, they are decidedly favors the conventional farming. 3) Public institutions are required to use organic products. It will kick-start production and give it a volume including make distribution more efficient. There are many resources that eventually can be released to invest in the ecological transformation of society: Today the state a fortune to make it economically advantageous within a market economy to behave more gentle to the environment than would otherwise have done.Society also uses funds to develop eco-efficient technologies in the longer term will only sustain an unsustainable system example. biogas slurry separation, pig pens with a little more space and pesticides that pollute less. This has greatly distorted the logical connections would otherwise plan production for, both in food production and other production.
New forms of property promotes the conversion
of the private property makes it very expensive for society when you want to change the law or have introduced new ways to utilize resources. Gains from society's positive development accrue largely those who have private property, thereby losing the state the opportunity to re-invest resources saved.
The concentration of capital and monopolies in agriculture and food industry must be combated by offering to farmers that they can pass to being clean soil use and thereby obtain debt relief and conversion to organic farming. Disposal over the farm will remain roughly unchanged, but the Credit will be replaced with the state. This gives the state the opportunity through regulation of land rents to provide economic relief to both good times and bad times will always be reasonable times for the farmer and his family.
Organic transformation of society
in a future in an organically converted society, we can achieve an increase in tire-tion of human needs while gross domestic product declines and economic growth is negative.
It requires the consistent introduction of renewable energies, and use local renewable resources
- lifespan of products must multiply
- the need to clean up after contaminants must be removed by not
- to use such
- unpolluted cures to be explored
- fair-trade will reduce the need for foreign aid.
This society will basically be organized by the waste products are quickly converted to resources. The state must take care to develop long term plans for all sectors gradually be converted to organic production. Organic production in publicly owned enterprises is the only way to genuinely and without artificial subsidies can manage to produce for the public good. To achieve this, the research, development and innovation be about to explore how natural resources rational use and gentle. Within textiles, household products, energy production, local wastewater solutions, foodstuffs, detergents, cosmetics and construction, is the foundation for a production based on organically grown produce and with non-toxic excipients already finished and just need to be developed. Within suchtransportation and logistics and cure of diseases, the development has not come this far.
Ecology is a prerequisite for democracy
, it is just as much organization - as the concrete methods of production - will be crucial that the whole is ecologically acceptable. The units will be smaller than today and matter flows shorter. It will not only happen for the sake of sustainable production, but also because a genuine democracy requires a clarity for the individual, and some close relation to its surroundings, to the vast majority of people feel the urge to participate in making decisions . When the people increasingly see through the premises for their own lives, people will also be better able to cope with being in solidarity with people on the other side of the globe.
Allocation of resources
We are facing a big - and growing - challenge: to stop pollution and destruction of the environment - while maintaining the inequality between rich and poor in the world should be compensated. It will not happen without an attack on consumer culture, created in the rich capitalist countries. Today, global consumption of resources very unequally distributed: 1 / 5 of Earth's population uses 4 / 5 of Earth's resources.
The consumption of natural resources and loads of natural light, as the world's rich countries have and are still seeking to grow, representing a serious threat to our common future. Widespread to the world's population as a whole would lead to a collapse of the natural basis. It exceeds the natural carrying capacity.
Instead of illusions that any one time will reach a consumption level that only the wealthy today can afford to require Alliance to the rich ends. In the short term, we believe in quotas and "overuse green taxes" to polluting forms of consumption such as gasoline. A truly ecologically sustainable and socially equitable development will only be possible in a socialist society.
By applying the concept of the ecological space we put numbers on how many resources we have maximum use when everyone in the world should be entitled to the same raw material consumption and there must be respect for the environment. This room sets in other words, some specific goals in kg m2 and m3 of where we're going. The big challenge for the next 20-30 years will be to show how we can lower the total raw material consumption, while the quality of life increases.
CO2 emissions from burning of fossil fuels must cease within the current generation's lifetime. Energy consumption should be reduced both as part of ensuring a gradual end to the use of coal and oil, but also as part of the transition to a less stressful production transport and consumption behavior.Material consumption will be reduced and not just the materials, which are visible as raw materials in final product, but perceived as the total mass of materials 'moved around' during production, it is called the product's overall 'ecological rucksack'. We seize really huge areas in other parts of the world to cover our spending. This should be restricted and these areas should instead be used locally to alleviate hunger and need, and provide a basis for increased welfare.
To bring the consumption down is just as important as the more traditional ways to smooth out inequalities in society. The way this is a broad cultural, economic, social and technological efforts combined with an overall planning of community land use.
Social is about to redeploy from private to collective consumption in areas where collective consumption to ensure more equitable access to necessary compliance and where the load on natural resources also can be made smaller, also in several parts of using a product such as. a car, a washing machine, a computer.
Economics is about to redistribute from rich to poor, so that luxury consumption is limited.
Psychology is about to do away with the market creates artificial needs and material dreams, and to gain understanding of that real human needs can not be satisfied with material excesses.
Culturally, these are to reduce the amount of funds for advertising and marketing, sponsorship and other ways in which all parts of society become 'appendage' to the profit machine, and instead increase the amount of funds for real information and debate on consumer issues, nature and environmental issues.
Simultaneously, the technological potential to reduce resource consumption could be fully utilized by society. The materials used in production as far as possible be local and renewable. Products must be manufactured with as little resources as possible. Products must be produced with longer life and better opportunities for repair instead of complete replacement. They must be disassembled in the ingredients they are made of, so the components can be reused and a larger share of production must be based on recycling of resources. Today it is unfortunately the case that it often pays to repair such electronic and electrical appliances. We therefore propose that the government - possibly. related to the municipal recycling centers - establish repair shops to non-profit basis.
Not only the size of resource consumption is central. The composition of the consumption is equally important. The enormous consumption of undesired, environmentally harmful substances away. There must also be paid to avoid leakage of such substances from production where they often occur as by-products. A shift of production and other activities so that these and other risk avoided is an important work. At the same time, new substances and methods can not be used until the effects have been assessed.
Joint and environmental policies
are crucial to the ecological setting that everyone gets the opportunity to participate. Ecology must be for everyone. This means that organic foods and other organic products must be available and cheap.Therefore, work Unity for: that all procurements are converted to organic for VAT exemptions on organic products, and price and profit control, so as to ensure good and cheap goods while organic producers are protected.
Enhedslisten only support green taxes, assuming that it's over consumption is taxed, to ensure a basic level of consumption that are inexpensive or free. Alternatively, a given social compensation for anyone with low income.
Sustainable urban
consumption of resources in dwellings in Denmark are very large. First, use large resources for the construction of homes and the energy consumption in homes big. Therefore, residential reorganized so that only built homes with the lowest possible energy consumption, with a choice of materials based on durability and local materials. Residential construction should also be planned so it is part of environmentally, socially and economically sustainable communities. Parking area in cities must be reduced, especially in city centers. This released land, either built on or turn into green areas.
Establishment of large shopping centers and office locations in the suburbs and urban periphery creates a lot of car travel and to be avoided. Such jobs should instead be located close to city centers with optimal accessibility by public transport. The various shopping centers the size of the re-stricted so they do not outperform the local grocery stores in residential areas.
Transport Policy
Transport has a huge waste of resources and characterized by a spatial planning that takes better account of profit and prestige than a sustainable society. The cost in terms of climate stress, pollution, accidents, land use and fragmentation of the landscape and the restriction of opportunities for walking and cycling, are far greater than the societal and individual value.
We will invest in better and cheaper public transport, so this may pick up most of the automobile and air travel. This requires however that there is a massive expansion of rail, complemented by a flexible, dense network of buses and light rail.
Many decades of deterioration of public transport and one-sided emphasis on private car use has created a situation where a reduction of working time or a drastic expansion of public transport is a prerequisite for many, for example. families with children can manage without a car.
In a sustainable transport policy should be targeted toward the most environmentally damaging means of transport: cars, fast ferries and planes. Driving the reorganization and restructuring are necessary conditions for that society does not leave a heavy environmental heritage for future generations and these problems are related not only to the residential site traffic, but equally to the chaotic and rapidly growing leisure and errand traffic. Alliance opposes the construction of more or wider highways in Denmark. In the cities must grapple car space is reduced, including by introducing more bus lanes and cycle paths.
Freight is today almost exclusively with energy heavy container ships and trucks, while freight and småskibstrafik lose ground. This trend must be reversed and to be constructed tech decentral freight terminals so that it again becomes easy and cheap to ship goods, even over short distances. Introduced maximum limits on how far trucks may run, toll, reducing the mileage deduction, of importing truck tolls, etc..
The nucleus of all transportation is walking and cycling, therefore, housing, shopping, work and leisure are integrated in a geographically de-limited and attractive space. Also for reasons of public health it is important to make the conditions for pedestrians and cyclists better so that more people choose these modes. This is the basis for a sustainable transport policy, supplemented by the operation of other transport must be based on renewable energy (hydrogen and wind).
Energy
Certainly CO2 emissions in isolation, decreased slightly in Denmark, but in fact the Danish emissions increased. This is because an increasing proportion of the goods we buy are manufactured in countries where it has not yet begun to do something to reduce energy consumption and thus CO2 emissions.The Danes have so overall, one of the world's biggest CO2 emissions per kilometer. capita and the trend must be reversed. A shift of energy production must be based on energy conservation and renewable energy sources like wind, solar, wave power and transport will be operated with alternatives to fossil fuels such as hydrogen and electricity from renewable energy. This is especially important in a global context, where CO2 emissions through the greenhouse effect plays the main role in climate change. Electricity supply must be decentralized and again subjected to social ownership and democratic control.
It is important that there is a fusion of urban transport policy. energy and location of homes and businesses. A production based on local needs will reduce transport needs, energy consumption and traffic pollution.
But energy is not just about pollution reduction, it is also about oil reserves expected to run out over 15-30 years. This means that it is also for this reason is very important to reduce our dependence on oil. There is therefore a need for continued development of renewable energy sources, including developing a transport system is not based on oil.
Nature Management and Ecological
Sustainable use of nature implies that we must "deliver" a natural for the next generation, at least not inferior to the present. In the case of Denmark is the diversity of animals and plants deteriorated sharply over the last 100 years. Therefore there must be a restoration of missing natural and living conditions for animals and plants must be improved overall. Society has, through its decisive influence on the landscape is responsible for ensuring a diverse landscape with a rich flora and fauna. Pollution from agriculture, traffic and energy production must be reduced to levels that do not damage natural resources.
There is so much nitrogen and phosphorus in the manure as the Danish agriculture brings out on the ground that it corresponds to the untreated sewage from 80 million people. The livestock population in Denmark can be as unnaturally large due to one quarter of the food is grown abroad.
To avoid contamination of natural water, groundwater, soil and growing food, agricultural production is done without the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Unity requires that all farm converted to organic growing, so we are assuring wholesome food, proper animal welfare, GMO-free crop and prevent further pollution with pesticides in ground water and nature. By shifting agriculture to predominantly local supply, increase food security locally while Danish agriculture imports of protein feed from developing countries may cease.
The transformation of agriculture and less land to produce pig feed, agricultural land is reduced significantly, while with that it will provide great opportunities to land can be used to grow crops for example. building materials and textiles. Cultivation of hemp for textile can replace the import of cotton.Hemp and flax can be used for insulation, straw can also be used for building materials.Simultaneously, the optimum organic farming Extensive farming methods produce better natural values with several hedgerows and much more patches of scrub and woods. There will be much more grazing land is not plowed up, but lies across as permanent pastures. Minor drainage will cause moist meadows along streams and many more ponds. There will even be more land left that can turn into large continuous areas, where animals and plants can flourish relatively undisturbed.
Danish fisheries must be sustainable. Therefore, among other things, the use of heavy equipment which disturbs the seabed is prohibited and industrial fisheries reduced. Instead, using gentler methods and energy consumption must be reduced.
The struggle to secure our natural basis and the struggle to ensure decent conditions of existence for us humans are one and the same struggle. It is about increasing our influence on the production, we are participants in the same time as we reduce exploitation: of ourselves and the natural basis in which the production rests.
Both red and green
, the fact that capitalist society based on private ownership and market economy have serious repercussions for society and the individual but also for nature and the environment.
The private ownership means that important public resources are used based on private interests, where the owners need not take into account the public interest. Utilization is controlled instead of the owners' desire to maximize their profits, often without regard for the environment and future generations.
In the capitalist market economy, prices are fixed solely on the basis of the costs are directly included as a cost in production. All external costs appear to be irrelevant. This means that the manufacturer does not need to take account of later consequences of the work environment for employees, depletion of natural resources, destruction of biological diversity, or effects of pollution on the surroundings, whether it is for humans or for nature.
In the short term, the State try to mitigate some of the most unfortunate consequences of market economy and private ownership of means of production and through bans, taxes and subsidies to try to regulate the exploitation of nature and reduce the adverse consequences of the production. Basically you can not price the benefits of nature and health. We can discuss them and prioritize them through democratic processes and the market can not replace. Therefore it is necessary to break with capitalism and the capitalist market economy.
Enhedslisten call themselves the Red-Green in a recognition that the need for both a red and a green critique of capitalism, and that these critiques are linked. The capitalist growth economy is not ecologically sustainable and continued growth in resource consumption will lead to a deterioration of living conditions for future generations. Simultaneously, the consequences socially skewed. The rich can buy their freedom, while the poor must live with the degradation of the environment. The environmental devastation that growth causes, turns the heavy end down both internationally and in Denmark.
Environmental battle is about to secure natural resource base and thus the existence of future generations. In this struggle it is important to make concrete proposals for sustainable ways to produce and organize themselves and fight through them politically. It is also a struggle for some exploitation of the environment should not endanger others' health or undermining the environment in which others live by. Environment struggle is a struggle for justice and equity between generations and globally within each generation the opportunity to use nature as our common basis of life.
6th Release: Women and Gender battle
Enhedslistens goal is liberation of both sexes from the oppressive patriarchal structures. Gender equality - in the sense of equality and opportunities - is an important means to achieve such liberation.The goal is not that all men must be alike. On the contrary, is a prerequisite for both men and women can express themselves freely and equally, that we do away with the bourgeois capitalist society norms about what women and men can and should.
Women's struggle in Denmark
With 70s women's movement achieved some progress for women in Denmark, including formal equality and equal pay, abortion rights, development of good child care, etc.. which gave women easier access to a paid job and economic independence. This was supported by a development in which it was plain that women received training and work.
However, there has been no concrete progress on equal pay since the late 70s and 90s is the gap between women's and men's wages have been increasing. This development should be seen against the background that there is insufficient public awareness and political pressure for equality, and economic and social development, giving the market is still more latitude. That is a neo-liberal politics, as in Europe for example. forced through by the EU and EMU. It has meant spending cuts and privatization with a progressive undermining of the welfare state, more precarious jobs, new payroll systems with individual wage setting, etc.. Where women often draw the short straw. Neoliberalism hinder women's equality and emancipation.
Many women get the first shock, when the kids. The upbringing, the education system and enter the job market gets girls and women to know that equality is achieved, but when the kids, it turns out to be a lie. So lead the disappointed expectations of the division of labor at home and double the work that individual solutions as divorce or part-time, the solution to poverty or worse career opportunity and lower wages as a result.
The economic independence gives Danish women not yield. Therefore, labor organized so that it meets the needs of women - and progressive men - is how their work and life, moreover, may be related. A flexible labor market must be flexible in relation to children, family and participation in democracy.
The attacks on the public sector in recent years has escalated and the EU-coordinated with the economic adjustment policies to EMU affects women three-fold: They earn their money in and users of the public sector, and it further women who take over when they won welfare benefits such as childcare and eldercare are inferior or too expensive.
Oppression of women is a global problem. Everywhere in the world it is women who first hit by poverty, marginalization and violence. Sexual abuse in the family and in third-world sex industry has a large number of children and women as victims. In some countries, women have not even the most elementary rights by authoritarian regimes or fundamentalist religions. Persecution based on gender are not due asylum in countries whose men are largely users of the sex industry.
What is it we want?
Socialism is a necessary but not sufficient condition for eliminating the oppression of women. So besides fighting to get socialism, it is necessary to do away with women's oppression wherever we see it. The battle must be fought in the labor market, at home, in education - and in Unity, as it also is part of the road to socialism.
No class struggle without women's liberation - no woman struggle without class struggle.
Revolutionary socialist queer perspectives
likeness between homosexual and heterosexual have long been the mantra of the gender agenda. For both gay activists as well-intentioned and supportive straight people were the second since World War is often important to create a legal equality - gay couple and lesbian couples should have the right to be just as bourgeois, as a couple consisting of a man and a woman.
Only a few movement attempted a break with this policy. Gay Liberation Front from 1970 to derivative activities (Gay House, Miss World, etc.) was a bid to not only demand equality, but liberation - the right to be themselves through a break with traditional gender roles and identities.
The emergence of AIDS in 1980 's meant a setback for the release.
The disease in the Western world primarily affected - and hits - gay, also meant a focus on the solid relationships and a search for the "safe". The adoption in Denmark by the "registered partnership" can also be seen in this context - conservatives could suddenly see the sense in letting gays tie themselves and not continue the 1970 "excesses", which made it possible to achieve a majority in parliament for a tributary to legal equality.
Unity is working actively for the breakdown of any gender discrimination. This implies that the Alliance work for asylum access to all who have been victims of oppression based on gender or sexuality.
Throughout history, there are many examples of the oppression of sexual minorities on the basis of traditions, cultures and religions. But today religion plays a special role in the oppression of sexual minorities and that makes it difficult for adolescents to practice sexualities or gender identities are not in conformity with the norm in society.
Unity will work for a showdown with religion normativisering of heterosexuality, so that eg the Danish education system open and unbiased information about the diversity of gender identities and sexualities, and any choice of the same.
As revolutionary socialists we fight to change the historical structures that act arbitrarily and oppressive. Instead, create a more flexible framework for human coexistence and expression: a break with past cultural systems and production conditions. An example would be to remove the distinction between registered partnership and marriage, another will be the succession, which takes account of contemporary and non-traditional forms of cohabitation and family relationships.
For Unity, the challenge is to consider the gap homo / hetero and historically conditioned and the heterosexual norm imposed. We will not accept minority status, but to question the normality, just as also the lesbian feminism did in the 1970s. It is not the minority are the problem, but its too cramped defined norm.
The gender-political work and the queer perspective in Unity will be based on it, and fellowship with women's political showdown with such patriarchal norms and mechanisms of oppression is thus clear.
7th The socialism we fight for
the future music can and should not be composed in advance - the people who are fighting against capitalism and its consequences must be composers. It is they who will decide the shape of socialism.
It does not however mean that it is necessary to set some goals for the socialist alternative, we are fighting for. A socialism that points toward a classless / communist society. That is a society where the individual's free development is the condition for the free development and a society where everyone contributes according to ability and consume according to need.
consciousness developed in the struggle against the oppression that the capitalist system is causing.But one of the conditions in which this struggle can develop into more than demands for reform within the pass complemented frames, is an idea of another and better system of society - a socialist alternative.
These ideas are partly based on some of the elements in the capitalist Denmark, which points toward socialism. For example. existence of a public sector which in principle is a demand-driven manufacturing - although the needs of course influenced by the fact that we live in a capitalist society.This is also the fact that a wide range of services funded jointly and made available to the citizens who need them - and we have a highly educated workforce, which immediately able to take full control of their workplace .
Moreover, liberalism has spread the illusion that capitalism can give the individual the opportunity to express themselves freely as both producer and consumer. Contradictions between these illusions and reality also provides good opportunities to develop socialist visions.
Socialist economics
Socialism is a system of society where production to meet human needs and not to gain a profit. The private property and dispose of the means of production is abolished and replaced by various forms of collective ownership forms, characterized by a full implementation of democracy in relation to both content production and export. Under socialism stops democracy not by the door to work or shopping instead.
The management of society's economic resources are no longer left to a small powerful class of capitalists and forces, but are an essential part of what all people helps determine. The capitalist class ownership of the means of production must be abolished because it creates a fundamental inequality, exploitation and oppression of the non-propertied. Market forces must be stopped because they lead to a blind growth solely driven by the quest for maximum profit. It should be no more profit hunt because the catastrophic breach of human needs, wearing down and injure the workforce and threaten the natural basis of humanity.
The socialist revolution will replace capitalism with a democratically planned and controlled demand-controlled economy. The means of production will be taken over by workers at different companies and will be operated and further developed on the basis of a workplace democracy in interaction with the political bodies that determine the economic goals and frames. Workers', residents and user, along with community organizations and grassroots movements important parts of the socialist democracy, where participation in decisions can be made with different starting points. Openness and transparency in political decisions and economic conditions are hand in hand with direct democracy important means to ensure that all are active participants in the governance of society and not just spectators on the sidelines.
Under socialism various collective production and business forms could be developed, ranging from state and municipally owned companies over production collectives and cooperatives to companies owned by neighborhood associations or other local organizations and institutions. The basis for the establishment must be that they work to meet the real needs of the most scrupulous regard for people and environment. Therefore, the production as a starting point be as close as possible to both suppliers and buyers, but obviously adapted in relation to the type of production. A comprehensive planning and prioritization of production must therefore interact with a participatory democracy that gives workers at individual businesses and the local democratic organs greatest latitude to organize a production that meet both local needs as they need to be handled for the entire society.
Socialism will be a variety of initiatives, not restricts, but opens up new possibilities, so long as it is happening, taking into account the whole and with the overall goal to create a better life for all and not just the few. Socialism thus becomes the basis for a more equal distribution, even at international level.The foundation for a just and ecologically sustainable society will be created.
Democratic rights,
abolition of private ownership of means of production is thus an important prerequisite for socialism, but it is far from sufficient. It shows not least the experience of the alleged socialist societies, where a small, privileged minority exercised a dictatorship at the expense of the majority population. The monstrous crimes against humanity that were committed here, illustrates what happens when power corrupts in a small elite, and when the socialist elements in the economic and social policy is not underpinned by a strengthened political consciousness and implemented democratic rights. When the party from being a forum for political inspiration and guidance is an independent power agency outside popular control.
Democracy means to us the people's power. Socialism will expand democratic rights and the personal and collective freedoms and make them real - not restrict them, as we've seen it done in the name of socialism.
Sat at the tip, one can say that capitalism gives everyone the same 'freedom' to to choose between homeless housing or luxury villa - and the same "democratic right" to buy a newspaper or a television station as a political mouthpiece. Freedom, as well as democratic rights are immensely skewed even the "perfect" bourgeois democracy.
Thus the removal of the enormous economic and social inequality a prerequisite and an important means to make the democratic rights and freedoms are real in the socialist society. Conversely, only freedom and democracy, ensure that power does not fall into the hands of a new social strata, who usurped the economic power and social privileges at public expense. Freedom and equity condition as each other.
The socialist society must therefore not only preserve but also enhance the true meaning of the individual and collective democratic rights and freedoms that are formally valid in eg Denmark: Assembly and freedom and right to strike, freedom of expression - and the press, freedom of religion, freedom of association (including equal rights for all political parties), protection of minorities, equal rights regardless of gender, ethnic background or sexual orientation, etc., etc.,
Socialist democracy is so much more than a cross around. every four years. First and foremost, build socialism on the people's takeover of power through self-management in the community - in the form of works, housing, etc. Consumer - To ensure that those involved have the opportunity to participate directly in decision making.
This basic democracy should be coordinated and completed on the general societal level, to facilitate a conscious planning of community resources to benefit people and the environment. There will then also be regional, national and even international bodies composed of representatives of the people who are directly elected in such a way that even minorities have the opportunity to be heard and help make decisions.
Important elements in the choice of Representatives will be transparency in decision making processes, minority protection, a kind of back and rotation principles as well as a remuneration of elected at the same level as those they represent.
The democratic foundations of the socialist society is crucial to socialism can be achieved. Revolution, the abolition of capital power, but rather the beginning than the end point of the process that will liberate humanity.
Contradictions in socialist society
in a number of years after a socialist revolution will continue to exist remnants of the previous capitalist system of society, for example. in the form of private business, income differences and the use of market mechanisms. Therefore, a real class struggle in a long time remain a major driving force in evolution.
Exploitation of others' labor to be brought finally to an end and to encourage a collective organization of work. There will still be a political struggle for production result
how much should be used to secure the old and sick, to education, innovation and development of production facilities, to public goods, etc.. There may be conflicts between local and central levels, or between consumption needs and ecological necessity.
There will be a need for continued struggle for emancipation of women, fight against discrimination of ethnic minorities and sexual minorities, cultural struggle against the reactionary prejudices of many kinds, etc. The socialist society is not a static idyll, but a continuing revolutionary process.
In all these conflicts and struggles are freedom and democracy of the socialist community key tool to combat stagnation, regression and new forms of oppression - and to ensure a dynamic and positive social development.
Nothing given endpoints
, there is nothing given endpoints. A democratic socialism will always be drawn up by the population at the time. Nevertheless it is important to establish utopias, which breaks with the possibility of capitalism dictated horizon we daily limit of. Based on the communist vision of a classless society we dream about the liberation of humanity. An emancipation within the framework of a genuine democracy frees man's natural prerequisites for care and respect for people, animals and all the beautiful planet.
8th Towards a socialist revolution
The socialism that we work for, must first of all replace the current capital of power with all its people democratic, active management of social change. This ambitious goal has of course consequences for the funds and the strategy we use.
Because socialism will eliminate the economic and political power power and privileges, it can only be imposed in connection with a revolutionary break with capitalism and the ruling class under capitalism - the bourgeoisie.
Socialist revolutions can perhaps be implemented in individual countries and shifted over time. But an actual launching of the giant transition that socialism represents, implies that the revolution quickly spread to the central capitalist nations, or else the revolution will be defeated ideologically, economically, and ultimately even military war from the surrounding capitalist world page .
The socialist revolution does not come by itself. It grows out of everyday popular struggles against the capitalist society assaults on the environment, living conditions, democracy and human rights and the right to manage the added value of working themselves created. Therefore, the goal for the Unity List's policy to create a popular organization and mobilization of a red and green politics. Enhedslistens representation in Parliament is a means to bring about this mobilization.
Class struggle
working class, the vast majority of the population exposed to exploitation, plays a crucial role in these everyday struggles. Under capitalism is working in a strict opposition to the bourgeoisie. The battle for what should be produced which will be produced, how to be produced, who should produce and how the result of production must be distributed is a fundamental source of class conflict in a capitalist society.
The working class has also a strength because of its location relative to production. The working class can put society to a standstill, but can also directly and immediately take control of the means of production and continue production as part of a showdown with a single capitalist or the whole bourgeoisie.
Time after time, when 'new thinking' (civic) philosophers have stated working for nonexistent and the class struggle of death, is precisely the same fundamental class struggle between workers and capital owners flared up again a few years later.
But class struggle is not only a battle in the workplace between workers and employers. The struggle for a better life is also a fight for a welfare society in the broadest sense. Against the exhaust of the weakest. For full coverage of lost earnings for all those who can not work or can not get a job. For free, good hospitals, schools and institutions, etc.
And it is the struggle for an ecological society that does not threaten public health in the short term and natural riches, yes, the whole existence of mankind in the long term.
The struggle for democracy and people's influence on society . Against oppression and discrimination of any kind. And for a peaceful and just world, there must constantly live in fear of devastating wars.
Solidarity, Action unity and alliances
foundation of the socialist struggle is solidarity. Individually we can do nothing against capital power.Divisions between workers and the unemployed, old and young, women and men, immigrants and natives - are married, not just socialism, but also to fight for an ever so slight improvement here and now. "Divide and rule 'has been the rulers parole since slave communities' time.
"Pie Theories' that parts of the working class can get more if others get less, dangerous. On the contrary: the worse conditions, for example. manages to give the unemployed, the worse conditions you can get away with to offer those who are in work. The balance of forces between the classes is crucial - and disunity and lack of solidarity weakens the working class is crucial.
It is therefore a vital task for socialists to fight and overcome these divisions. To build a common, joint struggle across the A, B and C teams and across race, gender and boundaries.
Also on a different part of the goal is to overcome fragmentation. When it comes to movement and activity for a - very modestly - common goals, we stand shoulder to shoulder with all who would join.Above sectarian write off those who do not have the same socialist perspective as us, we urge the contrary everyone - including the reformist parties, top, if the paper has the same goal - to join with us to go a very small step in the right direction.
Finally, we work consistently to build alliances with the middle and lower self, which in many ways also are powerless victims of the capitalist system. Partly by getting them in matches where they just have the same interests as working class (environmental, peace, welfare, etc.). But also that we develop a policy that provides anti-capitalist response to these particular groups problems. For example. be a requirement that university researchers must have a high degree of autonomy and not be in the pocket of private capitalist sponsors. Or demand that a government credit institution must offer small independent more human terms than banks do.
History has shown that young people often play an important role in radical social change.Adolescence is obviously torn between different classes and strata, yet educational institutions can provide a good base for activities in the fight against neoliberalism and various reactionary governments in specific policy. This applies both to young people from upper secondary schools and universities and the youngsters who are about to take a training.
Socialism only natural enemy is the bourgeoisie, which represents a microscopic part of the population.A socialist strategy must therefore have as its natural aim to gather people's overwhelming majority in a united front against capitalism.
Reform struggle and movements
of the grassroots organizations and movements that are active, and the fighting that takes place here and now, the beginnings of the transformation of society we want. Therefore it goes without saying that we should not sneer at the nose of the 'reforms'. Rather, we are the first people to reform demands - whether it's a holiday requirements in the union or a claim in Parliament about statutory ban pesticides.
When Unity rejects 'reformism' of social democracy and SF, it's not that we take distance from "small step forward." But if we do not believe in class collaboration as a way to actually get implemented some lasting reforms. Neither the shareholders nor the successive governments, who dances after capital pipe, will sacrifice a penny of capital profits on a reform if they are not being pressured into it.Therefore, good arguments and good lunches behind closed doors generally not the way forward - either by negotiation or agreement at Christiansborg.
Reforms have been carried out from a position of strength. And a position of strength is achieved only through popular mobilization, organization and action, strikes, demonstrations, ideological and cultural struggle, civil disobedience, etc.
Enhedslistens important work therefore lies in the movements in the trade union movement, the trainees organizations, environmental organizations, international solidarity organizations, peace movements, etc. . We are committed to these being active, fighting and democratic movements.Genuine democracy is the best guarantee against pamperi and passivity. Conversely, active members of the best starting point for creating a vibrant democracy.
Break with the capitalist system,
our rejection of "reformism" also concerns that we not let our struggle for reforms limit of the capitalist society's narrow confines. When we eg. fighting for the obvious and basically modest reforms required to eliminate unemployment, we are not afraid to also use the means necessary to make the claim implement realistic: to let the state make production companies intruding on employers' right to mass layoffs, to implement a radical reduction of working and more of the same - although much of this break with the capitalist system's fundamental laws.
If shareholders want to block reforms with threats of capital flight, we will not neatly up and apologize, but on the contrary, any claim for further action on capital that can impede capital flight: Closing of the Stock Exchange and the nationalization of banks such.!
Revolution necessity
Unity has no illusion that socialism will be realized as the sum of a number of reforms implemented over a longer period.
Centrale reform requirements, such as. a definitive abolition of unemployment, can only be achieved precisely by breaking with the capitalist system framework. And it is a hard-historical experience, the social class that sit on the capital power, not willingly allow such breaches. Even if a majority of the population is behind the desire for social change. The ruling class will use all instruments of economic sabotage to violent oppression, to prevent such a development.
Therefore it is necessary to carry out a revolution - in the sense of a radical system change, where a mobilized and organized working class and its allies deprive the ruling class the enormous power resources, it actually manages today.
Specifically, these are obviously the takeover of the economic nerve centers (worker takeover of the larger companies, democratically controlled social ownership of the banking and credit services), but also to replace key parts of the state apparatus with new people power bodies . Above all, the disintegration of the police and military, who once again has emerged as the capital of power last, all too effective allies. A socialist society can not just 'take over' the current state, which basically is designed to organize and defend just a capitalist society. This is the Danish state, and even more all-embracing the EU state which is under construction.
It is necessary to prepare such a revolution. Along with that win popular support for revolutionary break with capitalism, must build democratic people's power organs that have the organized strength to win the confrontation with capital power, which at one time or another will break out. Just as strong as Unity rejects terrorism and elitist coup, just as strong, we reject to bend your neck and turn the other cheek in a situation where the bourgeoisie resorts to anti-democratic force.
Enhedslistens main tasks
Popular mobilization and popular movements are the core both in the struggle for socialism and daily defensive struggle, but socialism does not grow spontaneously out of the various movements' struggles. Revolutionary parties play an important and necessary role.
In the daily struggle to Device list function as an inspirer and organizer of the popular movements.Unity must conduct a comprehensive analysis of the concrete economic and political forces in society on this basis to develop a strategy both for the current day's struggle and the struggle for socialism.Alliance will help build and develop the fighting, democratic movements and grassroots organizations.Unity must work to unify and strengthen the movements and forces through alliances can promote the common struggle. Alliance to develop into a party that is able to actively participate in and influence the class struggle. Enhedslistens parliamentary work is an important tool for achieving these goals.
