Karl Marx Oration brochure 2008

2008 Karl Marx oration

by Dr Carolus Wimmer Head of International Bureau Communist Party of Venezuela

T

oday, when we are commemorating the 190th birthday anniversary of Karl Marx in this historic place, it is for me a great privilege to speak to you.

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I am grateful for the warm and welcoming invitation the Communist Party of Britain made to me. Not only to be here in the Highgate Cemetery, but also to have the opportunity to discuss the victorious struggles of the Latin American people against capitalism, against imperialism and for a socialist society in public meetings in Cardiff, Birmingham and finally in the Bolivar Hall in London.

It is a pleasure for me also to share with you some thoughts on the theme for this year’s 160th anniversary of the Manifesto of the Communist Party and its importance The seriousness of currently in the struggles in this threat to US power is Latin America. increasingly drawing the attention of Washington.

The revolt against US hegemony in Latin America in The twenty-first the opening years of the century is likely to be twenty-first century constitutes nothing less than a known as the 'Antinew historical moment. Latin Imperialist Century', marking a growing America is reasserting its independence in an attempt to intolerance of the waning US empire. free itself from centuries of imperialist domination.

Outweighing even the resistance to the US war machine in Iraq in this respect, is the political realignment to the left in Latin America, which is destabilising US rule in the Americas and offers a 'prophetic microcosm' of what can be expected worldwide.

I am confident that all of you, comrades and

‘The twentyfirst century is likely to be known as the 'Anti-Imperialist Century', marking a growing intolerance of the waning US empire.’

friends, will see Latin America and especially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela taking the heritage of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels along with its own political revolutionary leaders as Simon Bolivar and Francisco Miranda, in order to fight for a new society: with social justice, with peace and for socialism.

I have no doubt that the experiences of Latin America will be fruitful and their outcomes will help all peoples, all workers all revolutionary forces is decisive for our by hand and brain, to do everything in anti-capitalist struggle. their power to intensify the struggle against capitalism in its old and new forms.

And Latin America gives an important and successful example.

Latin America proves that the unforgettable work of Karl Marx has not In Venezuela we have begun the lost its importance and contemporary construction of an anti-capitalist and antiurgency. imperialist alliance: namely, that of the new United Socialist Party, the Although after 1989 the end of history was announced, the recent history Communist Party of Venezuela and other political organizations. in Venezuela and other Latin American countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, In Latin America, also, unity is Nicaragua, Uruguay, Argentine and finally Paraguay demonstrates that dialectical and progressing: more and more countries are historical materialism is real and scientific participating in ALBA—the Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America—after Cuba in all countries and all times. and Venezuela: now Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, and in the near future On the other hand, socialism in Paraguay.

Korea, Cuba, China, Laos and Vietnam continues. Its development under the Historical reality tells us that the inspiration of Karl Marx takes different forms but is a real demonstration that the principles of Marxism are some of the essential requirements if humankind is to anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist win the struggle against poverty and attain revolution also continues with great the goal of a better life for all, which can vitality in the twenty-first century. only be achieved in a socialist society, free from the mistakes of the twentieth Indeed, after 1989, not only were many parts of the world denied socialism, century, but profitably using its rich but the overwhelming majority of human experiences and diversity. beings did not enjoy peace and security As Latin Americans we are happy either. that you have decided to focus on this matter because capitalism denies the very Naturally, in these conditions, the essence of humanity and can lead many presence of Communist and Workers people who subsist in poor conditions to Parties, besides other revolutionary and progressive organisations, is as necessary a sense of hopelessness and despair. as before. On the other hand, the unity of

‘Experiences of the revolutionary process show that revolutionary transformations will not happen mechanically.’

Experiences of the revolutionary process show that revolutionary transformations will not happen mechanically.

They can only take place on the basis of conscious decisions sharing the Marxist understanding that capitalism constitutes a structural fault in the global human society, and that, because of this, no society anywhere in the world can isolate itself from the negative consequences of capitalism without applying the theory and practice of Karl Marx's teaching.

I am convinced that our contemporary working class organised in Marxist parties, the historical indigenous movements and the new social movements, now have the potential to occupy the front ranks in the struggle to push back the frontiers of exploitation and social injustice, recognising the fact that capitalism constitutes a serious threat to the cohesion of human society.

Accordingly, in order to successfully push back the frontiers of capitalism, all of

us gathered here at this memorial for Karl Marx need to implement the many lessons we have received through the struggles of the peoples and working class of our countries and from revolutionaries as Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Ilich Lenin, Simon Bolivar from Venezuela, Marti from Cuba, Mariategui from Peru, Sandino from Nicaragua and many others.

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

Carolus Wimmer is Head of the International Bureau of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), a deputy in the National Assembly of Venezuela and Vice-President of the LatinAmerican Parliament.

Whilst in Britain, he will be addressing three public meetings; Birmingham Monday May 12 (Carrs Lane Church Centre B4 7SX, 7pm organised by the Midlands Communist Party and VSC); Cardiff Tuesday May 13 (Transport House, Cathedral Rd., 7.30pm organised by the Wales Morning Star Campaign Committee); London, Wednesday May 14 (Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way, 7pm organised by the Venezuela Information Centre).

‘Our contemporary working class organised in Marxist parties, the historical indigenous movements and the new social movements, now have the potential to occupy the front ranks in the struggle to push back the frontiers of exploitation and social injustice’