Jordanian Communist Party

In defense of the Rights of the Working Class at the Challenging times of COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr. Muneer Hamarneh, Member of PB of Central Committe of the Jordanian Communist Party

Prior to COVID-19 Pandemic, the capitalist econ-75 omy was in crisis suffering from a series of crises on top of which the crisis of 2008-2009 and what followed of challenges and diversified problems to peoples worldwide not only in the capitalist world but also in developing countries. Then, the capitalist centers that failed to solve the successive crises were trying to administer and manage this crisis in a way to pass the aftermaths of the severe problems on the shoulders of the peoples everywhere. At the same time, the wealth of the richest of the rich and the international corporations and monopolies increased to unprecedented figures. The rich got richer and the growing numbers of the poor got poorer. This drew a scene of brutal capitalism whereby growing poverty dominate in almost every country of the world increasing in the rest of the world.

The COVID-19 Pandemic had unleashed the depth of the capitalism brutality as the pandemic is still hitting hard the globe. The true face of capitalism is shown to all, whether the market economy or the neoliberal policies that are imposed all over the world in all countries, rich or poor including the developing countries. The aim is to continue with policies that make the rich richer and the poor poorer. It is proven now to everyone that the capitalist countries had failed to protect their own peoples from the impact of the new global unprecedented Pandemic. It is established under the eyes of all humanity that capitalism has failed to overcome the aftermaths of the COVID -19 economic crisis that left millions of unemployed workers, spread poverty and hunger in all countries and revealed the lack of social protection to poor and the unemployed. Moreover, the low-income workers, especially women and the poor families were disproportionately affected because the discrimination in entrenched in the governments’ policies. Globally, the crisis is getting deeper and deeper affecting the world economic growth due to absence of production of several economic sectors that were hit hard with the restrictions accompanying COVID-19 Pandemic. To name some, we indicate the international trade and the tourism sector that was extremely affected by the paralyzed international air-aviation as well as the marine and land transportation.

The core issue that was revealed is that “Capitalism” got weaker. It failed as an economic choice and failed to protect the people of the world from the new health crisis. This goes along with being unable to present any solution to the economic crisis which left the world under deep elongated and complexed economic and health crises. The Public Health in all

76 the capitalist countries has failed to serve the infected persons in hospitals causing the death of thousands and thousands. If we take the example of the

USA itself, leaving aside other capitalist countries, the picture gets clearer. At the same time and in the same suffering countries social protection was almost absent. When it comes to social protection in the developing countries is not in the system to provide social security to all workers or medical insurance to all. This leaves millions in the informal sector sinking into poverty and hunger. In Jordan the impact of the crisis of COVID-19

Pandemic was sever. An economic crisis erupted and hit hard workers by leaving them unemployed and leaving low-income employees under the threat of cutting wages or thrown to the streets and owners of small enterprises without resources. This has already increased the unemployment to 30%. Moreover, lack of social protection had hit hard the workers in the informal sector, especially women who form the majority in the agriculture sector. Alongside, many industrial sectors got affected like tourism, trade and transportation. At the country level, debt increased to the limit of 110% of the GDP with a decrease in the general income at a time of a the much-needed general income for the increasing expenses. We, in the Jordan Communist Party (JCP) as well as the other progressive forces, are aware of the fact that the conditions will not be the same again as before the pandemic and Jordan shall not return like before to the same previous basis that led to the current elongated political and economic crises.

Therefore, we courageously launched a campaign calling for more “State interference” in the economic life and the immediate stop the neoliberal policies.

We called for “self-reliance” in the economy, which means the refusal of the IMF imposed policies that deepened Jordan economic crisis, a year in and a year out. We also called for a new policy based on: - making use of the existing natural resources, - a new policy in renewable energy based on excavating and using “Oil from Rocks”, excavating and using “Copper” and using products of the “Dead Sea Salts”. JCP recalled for ending the policy of “privatization” and strengthening the agricultural sector, which is suffering most. The agricultural sector needs support because farmers are neglected and their debts are increasing. The agriculture sector is supposed to ensure the food security needed these days to stop importing food products by increasing local “Flora and Fiona” production, which will definitely help Jordan to open up jobs and overcome the rise in unemployment that is approaching 30%.

Historically speaking, imperialists and international financial institutions, especially IMF had played a big role in letting Jordan stop using its natural resources and hit hard the agricultural sector in particular. This was made so that Jordan is forced to import essential “Grain/Wheat” and all other seeds from the capitalist countries. Thus, the agriculture crisis in Jordan, as in many developing countries, has deepened. This issue was discussed during the negotiations to establish the WTO, years ago. Consequently, the rate of unemployment kept soaring and the immigration from the countryside to cities was overwhelming, which formed a threat to economic life. This is coupled, these days, with the shortage of remitacences of Jordanian expatriate workers.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the economic crisis is very sever encompassing all sectors. Therefore, JCP and the Progressive forces are to build a front to bring forth and put on the table of dialogues reform policies to combat poverty, hunger and unemployment and to strengthen the public health and public education during the crisis to overcome the many difficulties they are facing. Here, we should say loudly that the public health and public education sectors had played a positive role during the COVID-19 crisis, because they are still supported by the State.

Let’s remind everyone that the Jordanian working class and the poor were the most affected by COVID-19 like the rest of the other countries. Let’s launch a common international campaign on the neoliberal and the market policies and call for social justice. This entails struggle to form a wide national front locally and internationally to stand up for the socialist economic policies.

Our party with the progressive forces is planning to undertake a comprehensive revise in order to get rid of the imposed IMF policies from now on.