[Marxism] Early reports on Zimbabwe strike are ambiguous

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is a very odd article, simultaneously declaring the strike a failure
and a modest success.  And what does it mean to say "most Zimbabweans headed
to work."  How does the Times know where they are heading?  Have they
arrived yet?  Possibly just shoddy editing.

 

Anyway I want to make two points.   Bond declares flatly that there is no
land reform in Zimbabwe, deriving this directly from the character of the
regime,  which I do not support, and not attempting to prove it.  On the
other hand, Gowans  argues that  many in Southern Africa admire Mugabe for
taking on this issue.  But he says nothing about how Zimbabwean peasants
feel about the reform.

 

Similarly Steven Palmer declares that the threat (so far just a threat) to
nationalize the mines is meaningless even if it is carried out.

 

Again flowing directly from the character of the regime with no need for
further demonstration.

 

Well, I know of reactionary regimes that have carried out progressive
reforms on the land and elsewhere under tremendous pressure.  They have not
been meaningless although they do not resolve the fundamental problems
without a change of regime in the interests of working people  (which none
of the big forces in this dispute is actually proposing  -- the ISO
statements are the first examples I have seen at any rate.

 

And what about the challenge this represents to imperialist domination,
where the British have long treated the white farmers (who remain in fact a
settler-colonial hangover, in my opinion) as their protectorate guaranteed
by concessions imposed in the independence treaty and the United States
considers all property not in their hands as oh-so-terribly mismanaged  and
corrupt.

 

All these arguments carry the added presumption that the current regime is
so bad that there is nothing worth defending at present in the independence
and sovereignty of Zimbabwe, so relying on the imperialists as the most
powerful force in pushing  Mugabe out.  After all if the people can't or
won't or are not ready for whatever reason to remove him at present, what
else can one do but call on those who have the will to do the job?   And
critics who may be well-intentioned democrats turn themselves into  Chalabis
for the imperialist drive against Zimbabwe.

Fred Feldman

 

New York Times

April 4, 2007

World Briefing | Africa


Zimbabwe: Strike Call Goes Largely Unheeded 


By BLOOMBERG NEWS

Most Zimbabweans headed to work in the capital, Harare, appearing to ignore
a call by labor unions for a two-day nationwide strike to protest
deteriorating economic conditions. "The response has been mixed," said
Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Alliance, a
coalition of rights groups, churches and labor unions that is demanding a
new constitution. "Most shops and banks seem to be open, but there's very
little traffic and very little sign of business taking place."

 

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