Say no to the bosses' profit system

make poverty history...

...make socialism our future!

MILLIONS OF French workers and young people have said a resounding 'non' to the European bosses' agenda of low wages, job cuts, privatisation and vicious attacks on working conditions, benefits and public services.

Carol Harrison

The 55% 'no' vote in the referendum on the EU constitution was overwhelmingly a rejection of policies aimed at boosting the bosses' profits and wealth through driving down workers' rights and living standards.

It's the ruthless pursuit of these same 'neo-liberal' policies, and the profit system which underpins them, that have condemned tens of millions in Africa and around the world to abject poverty.

Tony Blair, sporting his 'make poverty history' wrist band, and Gordon Brown hypocritically talk about ending the "scandal" of African poverty. At the same time they promote policies, through the IMF, World Bank and other institutions which devastate the lives of workers and poor people at home and internationally.

In return for aid and debt relief the governments of poor countries are expected to cut spending on already inadequate health and education services, sack workers, increase the price of basic foodstuffs and open up their markets to the big corporations, a handful of which already control 70% of world trade.

Poor countries are forced to sell off basic utilities like water, gas and electricity to multinational vultures which swoop in and make a killing.

The real "scandal" is that the profit system which Blair and Brown support kills ten million children every year from hunger and preventable diseases and leaves one billion people at risk from poverty, war and famine. Meanwhile $1 trillion is wasted annually on arms spending and 1% of the world's population controls more than 57% of the planet's wealth.

Blair and Brown and the other representatives of the world's rich and powerful will be meeting at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland at the beginning of July. Up to 250,000 demonstrators will also be there demanding more aid, cancellation of the debts of poor countries, fair trade and an end to poverty.

Socialist Party members will be joining the protests and urge all our readers to do the same. March with us behind our banners which will show the only way to end poverty - by making capitalism history and making socialism our future.