Re: UN tool of imperialism?

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

OK Jeff,

We have hung on in, and clarified some areas of agreement and
disagreement. I am particularly interested that your feedback suggests
a strong sentiment for peace among different ethnic groups.

Milosevic does not seem to be coming under overwhelming pressure to
go to war with Croatia. The right wing will be very much in the ascendant
in Croatia at the moment, but it is interesting and hopeful that
Croatia has not yet seized the land above Dubrovnik from which the
city was being shelled. Most important, it has not yet
retaken eastern Slavonia by force of arms. One key test of a democratic
solution is whether massive population shifts from eastern Slavonia can
be achieved.

I would have thought a policy of "peace, jobs, houses" could be a
perspective for co-operation and unity between the different ethnic groups.
A pitfall to be watched very closely here is that the USA will be
brokering a financial programme for reconstruction, which will be

a) inadequate
b) strengthen capitalism
c) will not take advantage of, still less rely on, the energies of
ordinary people.

Serious work needs to be done by someone to anticipate this. We cannot
ourselves, but we could support people who are trying to do so.


Some major differences remain. I think you have difficulty with compromises
about state structures. For example one of the most valuable things
that could be done by people outside Yugoslavia at the moment is to
press our (bourgeois) governments to press Croatia to let in monitors
to Krajina, investigate and stop the house burning, and put actual
flesh on reassuring even a few Serbs who want to return to their land.
As many of them are peasants, it should not be impossible if the will is
there to ensure and monitor human rights.


About the UN I mean more than that it should be a platform for worker's
representatives. It has to argue about real things - like whether to demand
Croatia negotiates on eastern Slavonia. Even from your limited (imho)
point of view, you cannot expose the bourgeois nature of a plan without
getting down to how it is bourgeois and ideally proposing an alternative.
When I argue that the UN is an arena of struggle, I also mean that it is
part of an emerging global state structure.

Perhaps no one political organisation can at the same time be
thoroughgoing revolutionary and also skillful in the tactical maneouvers
of power politics.



-----------------------------

From: Jeffrey Booth <booth2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 1995 12:44:50 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: UN - tool of imperialism?

        Chris,
                I WOULD agree that the key to a marxist line in
Yugoslavia is what's based on the interests and contributions of working
people.  Especially if contributions means working class Parties, unions,
community groups, etc... organizations that workers control or
potentially control.  I believe this excludes the U.N. except in the
sense of certain, temporary situations where it could be used by workers'
representatives as a propaganda platform.
        Now this leaves the tasks of defining what the best interests of
working people are in the FY (from the workers themselves) and
internationally.  Also, which tactics and organizations can best carry
these out.  Not all of this discussion, particularly on international
marxist organizations working within the FY, is suitable for the internet.
        As to what the best interests of working people in the FY are; my
impressions both from people that have been there recently and reading
that I've done is that there IS a strong sentiment for peace among all the
ethnic groups.  I would stretch it a little to say that if workers'
organizations, in general, organize around economic issues in a marxist
way and strive for internationalism, self-determinination and the unity,
across ethnic lines, of workers' organizations, then not only would
nationalist forces be weakened but a pre-revolutionary situation could
even begin to develop.  How about:  "Peace, jobs, and houses" for an
agitational slogan?

                                -- Jeff Booth



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