“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”
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AKEL, Cyprus
AKEL’s activity in the conditions of the pandemic and the new crisis - Defending public health, the rights of workers and the people
The world is going through the worst pandemic of the last century, which has had a far-reaching effects on every manifestation of human activity. Despite the fact that the initial shock has been overcome, there is still a long way to go until we can declare with certainty that the danger has been overcome.
Science, humanity’s big weapon In the face of the threat of coronavirus, every logical person on the planet turned to science and the scientific community. Science provides answers with regards the appropriate measures needed to stop the spread of the virus, for personal health, the treatment and cure of the sick and for the discovery of the vaccine so that the virus can be defeated as was the case with other diseases and threats to human health that have tested humanity in other bygone eras. Nevertheless, unscientific conspiracy theories and zealous religious doctrines surrounding the coronavirus reached their peak during the period of the pandemic also via the multiple power of social media. The stand taken by governments, with the Trump administration in the USA being a characteristic example, of course also seeks to discredit science, but the big business-employer groups in most countries as well that were, openly and indirectly, demanding that the recommendations proposed by scientists and the restrictive measures should serve the needs of the economy and businesses. The fact that governments and business interests are selectively and conflictingly exploiting the recommendations of scientists in order to protect their economic interests has nothing to do with the correctness and supremacy of science. Furthermore, the fact that there are different views and findings among the scientific community does not negate the fact that it is through science that the unanswered questions surrounding the virus, but also any other similar threat, will be solved. At the same time, the race to discover the vaccine has reaffirmed that capitalism places science and scientific research at the service of its principal priority, which is none other than the maximization of the profits of the multinational monopolies, thus hampering the potential of modern science, impeding the overall cooperation of research teams that today are part of the competition between the business groups. Yet again, the big dilemma has been highlighted. On the one hand, we note the subjugation of science’s tremendous potential to the system, thus IB Special Edition
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