April 2011 - Centre for Civil Society - University of KwaZulu-Natal

investments in the fields of education, health, housing and infrastructure.
At the same time the removal of an exploitative capitalist class would
remove the primary hub of racist policies that aimed at dividing the
working class, while full employment and raised living standards would
eradicate want and competition between workers, thus destroying the very
basis upon which racism in a class society rests.
As for corruption, again we can look at the Bolsheviks who solved it by
introducing the dictatorship of the proletariat, i.e. a soviet state, and
workers' control and management in all industries, so all the books were
open and all positions were elective and subject to recall while no elected
representative receiving a higher wage than an average worker. While we
await the reply of the comrade we will continue to look at this concept of
the “balance of forces”.
The balance of forces
Although it is never concretely explained as to why and how the “balance
of forces” always appear to be unfavourable for socialist revolution,
comrade Nzimande is very fond of this logic. But in what ways is the
“balance of forces” unfavourable?
Is it because the working class is not willing to struggle? Well that cannot
be the case. More than 1.3 million workers were engaged in the fiercest
struggle against the government just a few months ago. These workers
were more than willing to go as far as fighting with the police in order to
win their struggle. Also it is now an almost daily event that whole
townships are rising up to protest against the cutting of the electricity and
water supply.
Could it then be because the workers are politically backward? But today
hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of South African workers are in one
way or another politically active in a party or other organizations. The
Communist Party and Cosatu have experienced historical growth and
activity has never been at such a high level.
Could it be because the capitalists are too strong? Capitalism today is going
through its worst crisis ever covering the entire world and with no end in
sight. The capitalists have no other option but to attack, not only the
workers, but all other layers and classes in society including their own
previous pillars of support. The situation with the South African police
should be the best proof of this, especially the remarkable announcement
of support for the public sector workers by the police union during the
strike and the constant reports of refusal of the police forces to crack
down on protesters. When the armed bodies of men are no longer
prepared to actively defend the interests of capital, we can feel the
ground shaking under the feet of the bourgeoisie. But of course if there is
no one to offer an alternative, then nothing will change.
Could it be because the class struggle worldwide is at a standstill? Workers
all over the world are rising to struggle against the injustices of capitalism.
In Latin America, led by Venezuela and Bolivia, the working masses have
drawn the most revolutionary conclusions. In Asia there have been
uprisings in Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and even India where several
areas are in a state of constant civil war. The Middle East and the Arab
world now stand out as a shining example of what the masses can achieve
once they are mobilised. We have seen the huge revolutionary movements
in both Tunisia and Egypt that have led to the overthrow of the hated
dictators, Ben Ali and Mubarak. In Algeria, Yemen, Jordan and many other
Arab countries we have seen the signs of a rising tide of revolution. In Iran