Dear comrades,On behalf of the CC/HQ of WFDY let me first of all thank to our comrades of KJO for the opportunity given to us to organize this seminar in the framework of our CENA meeting. It is highly important that we can take benefit of all opportunities together to debate and deepen our collective thoughts on important matters for the youth and the anti-imperialist movement.
From the perspective of the CENA Coordination, when proposing this theme about the 20 years of the overthrown of Soviet Union, we meant mostly to rise among the members of WFDY the possibility to strengthen our knowledge and reflection in a year when, as happened with the 20 years of Fall the Berlin Wall, it is more than likely that imperialism and its tools take this sad anniversary to intensify their anti-communist crusade, both at ideological and political level, so that we can further consequences of this sad fact, both there and in each of our countries.
Furthermore, it is important to say that, unlike what imperialism and bourgeois forces like to say, this is not at all an action of nostalgia, but indeed an event were can look at the past with our eyes on the future, facing the present challenges in better conditions for the battles we all have ahead of us now and in the coming years.
Without any aim to empty the debate and the coming speeches of the comrades present at this seminar, let me just remark some aspects that can be considered as our starting point on our discussion:
1) The existence of the Soviet Union meant an unprecedented (direct and indirect) support to the struggles of the people and youth. Not only the Soviet Union made possible that imperialism did not have a free pathway for its wars and interventions, as it created better conditions for the peoples’ movements of national liberation. The examples are almost as many as the number of countries in Asia, Africa and Middle East. Furthermore, it is undeniable the vital contribution of the Red Army to defeat the Nazi Fascist threat and victory of the progressive forces in the WW II.
2) The achievements at social and political level in the Soviet Union were of a remarkable power to the struggles of the workers and peoples of the entire world. Basic social rights that today are being denied to the new generations, were achieved by the soviet people before the 1960’s, which represented not only an example that it could be made as a pressure in itself for the bourgeoisie in the capitalist countries to be forced to accept the demands of the workers and the youth.
3) The very high standard of scientific research, cultural production and sportive performance, changed the life of all mankind in a truly revolutionary way. Even if nowadays the system tries to hide the origin of most of these achievements, their existence are deeply connected with a system and a country that privileged the well being of the human being and not the profit.
4) All these 3 aspects had a direct influence in the creation and huge growth of WFDY, with a big contribution by the Soviet youth, but also with its achievements and solidarity with the youth struggling in all countries around the world, that allowed WFDY and the Festival’s movement to be a truly international and powerful organization.
Dear comrades,
Many times we hear that, 20 years ago, the Soviet Union “fell apart”, “collapsed by itself” or even “died”. Imperialist powers aim to implement the thesis that the socialist system (or in more recent times, any social oriented measure) has no sustainability and, therefore, collapses by itself.
Please note that I do not mean to say that, during the decades of existence of the Soviet Union there were no mistakes or wrong decisions, not at all. However, it cannot be undermined the powerful offense that at all levels the Soviet Union suffered in the framework of the imperialist attempt to defeat it - as it eventually happened through the conquering of the power of counter revolutionaries, whose present statements and options clearly show where they stand.
In fact, as an extension of that same ideological approach, soon after the overthrown of Soviet Union, imperialism tried to impose the idea that mankind had reached the final formula of development, the so called “end of history” and adjacent theories. In a word, that there was no point struggling or fighting, because there was no better place to go than the capitalist system, that was not only the best, but the only possible.
Sadly, even in WFDY, just 6 years after the splendorous WFYS of Moscow, these theories penetrated and we were close to give up and disband it. That didn’t happen, not only because of some organizations will (also that, of course), but because any theory of “end of history” was insufficient in face of the growing attacks suffered by the youth and peoples at national and international level. Furthermore, it is important to point out how WFDY was able to keep itself with the contribution of its members, defeating the thesis that it was an organization dependant on the states, particularly on the Soviet Union.
As years went by, it was more clear that the world after the Soviet Union was a more violent and inhuman one. Particularly for the peoples of the countries of the former Socialist Block, but for all mankind, in general, the consequences started to be felt as wars and conflicts started to be spread all over by the invisible hand of imperialism. Iraq, Uganda and the Balkans (in a process that only ended with the so called “independence” of Kosovo in 2008) others are bloody examples of this reality.
NATO, the organization of the fascists and their friends, that was founded to fight all progressive powers as well as any progressive movement, gained new strength as the main vehicle of imperialism to spread war and destruction wherever the peoples’ opposed the imperialist domination. The highest moment so far, was in 1999, when after recognizing that it is not a defensive organization, it bombed the Yugoslavian people to tear the country even more apart.
At social level, also massive unemployment, widespread of precariousness and the privatizations of public services lead to a situation of fast increase of inequalities, injustice and poverty for millions of people all around the world, since the economic groups and its allied powers felt now more comfortable to withdraw the rights achieved by struggles of decades.
Despite all this, the struggle continued and not even worst conditions stopped the workers and youth of struggling for their rights, resisting in most cases, but also achieving victories in others, as it is the fantastic example of the victory of the South African people against the apartheid regime in 1994.
Comrades,
It is true that the conditions are worse, making achievements for the workers and the youth more difficult, but it is also true that there is no other way than the organized and militant struggle to resist and fight back. The less the peoples organize themselves and struggle, the faster and bigger the offensive upon them - it is only necessary to look at many of the Eastern European countries to realize that.
It is also true that the overthrown of Soviet Union created a more complex international scenario, where the disputes are no longer between right and wrong or good and bad, but in most cases between two poles of one same imperialist order, where common strategies and rivalries live side by side within the same actors, as the USA, European Union, Japan and other emerging powers.
Those are the conditions we have and it is in them we have to struggle. They are difficult, but they are not impossible to overcome. The signs are everywhere and every day present, not only in big and famous processes as Latin America or some of the movements in the Middle East (which we of course salute), but in the schools, the companies and the neighborhoods where the peoples, workers and youth are resisting bravely and also attaining victories.
For that, WFDY calls upon all young people to never quit struggling and to continue in a persistent and organized way, as not only it is possible, but necessary to win!
(WFDY speech at seminar in Wien_Austria with the same title as the speech, on March 13, 2011)
