KSČM

Rightists and social democrats frittered away what Communists had built

At the beginning of the CP of Czechoslovakia regime the total assets of Czechoslovakia amounted to about 400 billion CZK (crowns). Obviously, without the value of the land, of our cultural and historical inheritance (monuments and their equipment) and military arsenal. By the end of 1989 this property or the national assets had increased to roughly 3 trillion CZK, that is, more than 7.5 times (the Czech Republic’s share was 5.8 times, and Slovakia’s 11.4 times), with at the same time a fivefold increase in the level of personal consumption of the population. To this should also be added modern military hardware valued at about 200 billion CZK. (We had, for example, more than 400 combat aircraft) This is all calculated in comparable 1989 prices and after deducting the depreciation of production funds. These values then mirror the actual physical growth and the state of the total national assets. All are real existing in-use structures - buildings, machinery and equipment, not fictitious stock-market bubbles. Of this, public (state and local government) property in 1947 accounted for approximately 55 to 58%, and in 1989 approximately 65 to 70%. The remainder was mostly cooperative and personal property (mostly comprising private homes).

Unity of the International Communist Movement is Inevitable

La unidad internacional del movimiento comunista es inevitable

The Natural Child of Capitalism

Socialism of the 21st century

The collapse of the socialist camp in Europe not only had negative effects on the international balance of forces, but also on the ideology of the international communist movement. Rather than discuss this here, I want to talk about some basic principles which must be kept to when socialism is being built. I would also like to focus on some aspects which led to the deformation of socialist development in the former socialist countries. Learning from these experiences is the guarantee that a secure road is followed when firm bases for socialism are being established.

Security and Terrorism

The collaps of the European socialist camp was a serious setback for the international balance of forces. The USA is trying to fill the vacuum by establishing its ”new world order”.  In addition to neocolonialism, it is increasingly resorting to military force and the threat of force to achieve this aim.

Crimes of Imperialism

A struggle against imperialism will be successful only under the condition of joint efforts of patriotic, progressive, and democratic forces.

The Enlargement of EU: Domestic and International Impacts of Czech membership in the EU

The agreement on Association of the Czech Republic with the European Community opened up the Czech market to unequal competition and deprived the CR of the instruments necessary to protect its industry and agriculture. This happened at a time when, because of Comecon’s dissolution, the CR had lost its markets in the former socialist countries and also, as a result of the short-sighted policy of right-wing governments, its traditional partners in the developing countries.

Who are the Victims?

Since September 2000 the Palestinian people have been exposed to a new and aggressive occupation by Israel.

The best Members of the European Parliament from the Czech republic is Jaromír Kohlíček

The European League of Geneva  has selected its list of the best Members of the European Parliament per country for the year 2006, before Bulgaria and Romania joined on January 1, 2007.

The EU Lisbon Treaty

The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe, which aimed to make European union a political, economic and military “great capitalist power” has collapsed due to the vote of people in France and in the Netherlands, as well as due to the broad resistance of the people in the EU countries. The ruling circles have achieved an approval, on October 18 in Lisbon, of so called “EU Treaty”, which should be signed on December 13, aimed both to lay down by contract and to impose a reactionary antisocial and military politics against the interests of the people.

Anticommunism in the Czech Republic

The Communist Youth Union (KSM) was dissolved on October 12^th, 2006. The Czech Ministry of Interior substantiated it by arguing, that the KSM, by its Manifesto, stands on the side of efforts to remove private property of the means of production and to replace it by common ownership of the means of production, which are, however, arguments promoted by many left-wing parties and organisations in Europe.   

Dr Josef Skala - "private Marxist" with different view of life pre-1989

There's been a lot of talk in recent weeks of "coming to terms" with the legacy of the communist regime, as Czechs mark the 17th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution. We've heard at length from organisations such as People in Need, which are running educational programmes about the communist period in Czech schools. But what about those who have a different point of view about what happened in this country between 1948 and 1989? Rob Cameron spoke to Dr Josef Skala, who stood as a candidate for the Communist Party at the last elections and advises the party on foreign policy.