Socialists wrap up congress in Brazil with declaration decrying U.S-domination, capitalist greed

Associated Press ^ | 10-29-03 | By STAN LEHMAN

[Oldeconomybuyer]

SAO PAULO, Brazil, Oct 29, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Left-leaning politicians from the around the world wrapped up a three-day congress Wednesday with a call for a new world order and an end to the unilateral policies of the United States.

The "Declaration of Sao Paulo," approved by delegates to the 22nd Congress of the Socialist International, called for reshaping globalization, which it says now favors rich countries and corporations to the detriment of the planet's poor.

Without citing names, the declaration's final version pointed an accusing finger at the U.S. administration of President George W. Bush.

"Neo-conservatives are attempting to .... dismantle all forms of global governance, to minimize the role of the United Nations, to undermine multilateral institutions, to promote unilateralism and the consecration of the market and to impose the will of the powerful to decide the future of mankind," the document says.

American unilateralism makes it difficult to establish the new world order the Socialist International is calling for, said the organization's president, Antonio Guterres.

"After World War II there was a new vision, and we need a new vision today," he said. "It is obvious that with the present administration in Washington, a dialogue about this new vision is quite difficult."

But he added that left-center leaders have to deal with the United States because the world's most powerful country "must be part of any solution to the world's pressing problems," he added.

The congress brought together 600 delegates from 150 left-leaning parties from Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia. They concluded three days of meetings after reaching a pessimistic diagnosis of world conditions.

"The world is not well because the current world order cannot guarantee peace, security or fairness," Guterres said. "On the contrary, it has favored war and terrorism."

"We have an answer - a coalition to create a new world order based on multilateralism for sustained economic development, free trade and the fair distribution of wealth," he added.

During Wednesday's plenary session, Sandinista ex-president Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua proposed the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. But his effort was replaced by one condemning unilateral preventive military actions.

"We favor a rapid transfer of sovereignty in Iraq, but we did not think it was an opportune moment to make specific recommendations because of the very complex situation there," Guterres said.

He condemned the U.S. embargo against Cuba but said the Socialist International was concerned with the human rights situation in the Caribbean nation.

"We hope the Cuban people will someday be free and independent," he said.

Luciano Vecchi of Italy's Democratic Left said the meeting was a success, noting that the Socialist International roster of member parties grew from 141 to 168 members, with some "very interesting additions" such as former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's Social Democratic Party.

"Since the 1980s, the conservative economic agenda has dominated debate in the world," Vecchi said. "In the last two or three years this began changing because the Bush administration has shown that this agenda does not work. It does not bring security or prosperity."

"We are not against the United States. We are against the Bush administration's unilateralism. No country, however powerful, can solve the world's complex problems."

The Declaration of Sao Paulo also said that globalization as it stands now, is "unsustainable" because it fosters social and economic inequity.

To address this issue, the document calls for the reform of the United Nations, making it more "representative, democratic and responsive."

Another document, entitled "The Socialist International in the World," calls for the end of agricultural subsidies in the United States, the European Union and Japan, charging that they stymie economic growth in developing nations.

It also calls for a Palestinian state established side by side with Israel "under irreversible security guarantees for both sides."

It urges Israel to dismantle the security wall it is building and end to the construction of settlements. It calls on Palestinian authorities to redouble their efforts to stop terrorism.

Founded in 1951 by a group of mainly European social democratic parties, the Socialist International holds a congress every four years to discuss advancing social democratic change under the banner: "For a more human society. For a world more fair and just."

Former German Chancellor Willy Brandt led the group from 1976 to 1992, and was succeeded by former French Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy.

[Semper Paratus]

Arise ye workers [starvelings] from your slumbers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise
We'll change henceforth [forthwith] the old tradition [conditions]
And spurn the dust to win the prize.

So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.

No more deluded by reaction
On tyrants only we'll make war
The soldiers too will take strike action
They'll break ranks and fight no more
And if those cannibals keep trying
To sacrifice us to their pride
They soon shall hear the bullets flying
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.

No saviour from on high delivers
No faith have we in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear
E'er the thieves will out with their booty [give up their booty]
And give to all a happier lot.
Each [those] at the forge must do their duty
And we'll strike while the iron is hot.

[You Dirty Rats]

Adding Gorbachev's Party (didn't even know he had a new one!) makes this meeting a success?

These people are so 20th Century.

[expatpat]

Neo-conservatives are just ex-socialists who finally saw the error of their ways.

[Mad Dawgg]

Once upon a time, on a farm in America, there was a little red hen who scratched about the barnyard until she uncovered quite a few grains of wheat. She called all of her neighbors together and said, "If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat.


Who will help me plant it?"


"Not I," said the cow.


"Not I," said the duck.


"Not I," said the pig.


"Not I," said the goose.


"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen. And so she did; The wheat grew very tall and ripened into golden grain.


"Who will help me reap my wheat?" asked the little red hen.


"Not I," said the duck.


"Out of my classification," said the pig.


"I'd lose my seniority," said the cow.


I'd lose my unemployment compensation," said the goose.


"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen, and so she did.


At last it came time to bake the bread. "Who will help me bake the bread?" asked the little red hen.


"That would be overtime for me," said the cow.


"I'd lose my welfare benefits," said the duck.


"I'm a dropout and never learned how," said the pig.


"If I'm to be the only helper, that's discrimination," said the goose.


"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen.

She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share. But the little red hen said, "No, I shall eat all five loaves."


"Excess profits!" cried the cow.


"Capitalist leech!" screamed the duck.


"I demand equal rights!" yelled the goose.


The pig just grunted in disdain. And they all painted "Unfair!" picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.


Then a government agent came, he said to the little red hen, "You must not be so greedy."


"But I earned the bread," said the little red hen.


"Exactly," said the agent. "That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who are lazy and idle."


And they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, "I am grateful, for now I truly understand."


But her neighbors became quite disappointed in her.. She never again baked bread because she joined the "party" and got her bread free. And all the Democrats smiled.


'Fairness' had been established. Individual initiative had died but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared, as long as there was free bread.

[george wythe]

He condemned the U.S. embargo against Cuba but said the Socialist International was concerned with the human rights situation in the Caribbean nation.

"We hope the Cuban people will someday be free and independent," he said.

What about supporting an independent socialist party in Cuba?

What about asking Castro to allow other parties to participate in his sham elections?

Hoping is Good, but Doing is Better.

[Steve_Seattle]

"We hope the Cuban people will someday be free and independent," he said."

Much of the quotes from the congress were boilerplate Leftist dogma, but this quote actually surprised me; it is very rare, almost unheard of, for Leftists of any stripe to criticize Cuba.

[DeFault User]

"After World War II there was a new vision, and we need a new vision today," he said. "It is obvious that with the present administration in Washington, a dialogue about this new vision is quite difficult."

Let's keep it that way. They can play footsie with Ortega, Mugabe, Castro and the other prime practitioners of their new vision.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

This deserves its own seperate thread.

[Spok]

"American unilateralism makes it difficult to establish the new world order the Socialist International is calling for, said the organization's president, Antonio Guterres."

It's good to hear that somebody thinks we're doing something right.

[Mad Dawgg]

"This deserves its own seperate thread."

Funny you should mention that: Only in America

[shaggy eel]

~ socialism spreads poverty evenly ~

[Snuffington]

American unilateralism makes it difficult to establish the new world order the Socialist International is calling for, said the organization's president, Antonio Guterres.

Ironically, if you made the same statement in defense of Bush from the right, you'd be labelled a right-wing nut. New World Orders and Socialist Internationals are supposed to be as mythical as unicorns and leprechauns. Funny no one told them that in Sao Paulo.

[onedoug]

...And decrying the good America is bringing to the world.

[VaBthang4]

"But he added that left-center leaders have to deal with the United States because the world's most powerful country "must be part of any solution to the world's pressing problems"

Translation: "We need someone to pay for our utopian nonsense"

[AdvisorB]

Old stain head's socialist party held its last
convention in a phone booth.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Transfer payments.

[Last Dakotan]

"We have an answer - a coalition to create a new world order based on multilateralism for sustained economic development, free trade and the fair distribution of wealth," he added.

Another voice for free trade!

[rudypoot]

The rest of the free world is socialist and they wonder how the US can be so successful and happy at the same time.

Instead of trying to walk in our footsteps, they are trying to make the US walk in theirs.

[exmarine]

How do you spell "E-N-V-Y" in Portuguese?