[Marxism] Re: Brazilians urged to take to streets

[dwalters@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

That rr and L. Proyect are basically saying the same thing, shows an interesting
drawing of a political line. I tend to agree with both of them. There is
actually little evidence that the US is looking at regime change in Brazil.
Regardless, we should always defend Brazil against any interference by the US.
This would be as true for ex-Marxist Cardozo as it is for ex-leftist Lula who
replaced him.

But...the situation is not that. The only differnce the US has with Lula is
*within* the realm of the market: trade blocks and trade deals; Lula working
with Kirshner in Argentina; working with Chavez in Venezuela. None of this, for
sure, is to the liking of the US. It is a big deal as we all just saw. But Lula
is also highly effective in making pro-market reforms *in* Brazil, especially
around labor codes, pension reform, privatization, etc. Previous regimes could
not do this without major counter-responses from the unions...and the PT. The
US understands that there is no other force in Brazil that could take on the
CUT, attack state workers, *go back on it's promises to the
landless-peasants*!etc. Only Lula could be that foil. Only Lula, and with
advice from Dirceu who is the architect of the PT's lurching to the pro-market,
WTO *and* WSF approved politics, can do this. As rr stated, the class struggle
continues in Brazil unabated because of these policies. But the working class
is on the defensive, against the Lula gov't.

>From what I can see, the attacks on Lula are being motivated by a right-wing,
not-particulary-nationalist, political coalition that *lost* to Lula and the PT
in the last election. Bourgeois democracy means that different wings of the
bourgeois fight *each other*. They might want Lula to move faster, be harder on
the working class, and certainly, they want a bigger share of the spoils. Above
all they want *power* which is the most important thing for any section of the
capitalist class. To get power, they need to get rid of Lula. There is no danger
is there is no reaction from the working class. They can heighten the divsions
in their own class because there is no danger of a major backlash by the
workers that could radicalize them.

Most workers by far still support Lula. One can't forget this. The PT still
holds the majority of the workers loyalty, even if Lula and Dirceu have gutted
the membership of the party and reduced the PT to an empty shell...the class,
as a class, still looks to the PT in general and Lula in particular. At the
same levels from 3 and 4 years ago? No. But, it does mean the PT and Lula can
be targeted by the right wing, which they have, because the are weak. So...I
suspect some Leftists there might be very specific in opposing the right wing
attacks on the gov't while still maintaining their distance from Lula, and/or
at least his policies.

David



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