Reflections on Jack Rasmus’s "Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges"

Reflections on Jack Rasmus’s book Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges.

By Kostas Pateras* / Source: Marxism Leninism Today.

Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges by Jack Rasmus. Atlanta, Georgia: Clarity Press, 2016. $24.95. 312 pp.

The prolonged capitalist crisis in Greece, the intense labour-people's struggles, the dramatic negotiations and contradictions around the Greek debt (for which the Greek people are not responsible), the rise of SYRIZA have all attracted the interest, and this is only natural, of analysts, commentators, journalists, and, of course, ordinary workers from all over the world.

In the last two years in particular, a plethora of books have been published that attempt to analyze these developments and draw conclusions. One such effort is Looting Greece: A New Financial Imperialism Emerges, a recent book by Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics and politics at St. Mary’s College in California, and a writer for Z Magazine and Counterpunch.

VIDEO: Large and militant rally by KKE in Athens honoring the 43rd anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising

The demonstration in Athens was attended by the General Secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas who made the following statements:

43 years since the 1973 Athens Polytechnic Uprising against the military Junta

Mass rallies have been scheduled for today in many Greek cities in order to commemorate and honour the 43rd anniversary of the students and workers uprising in Athens, which is historically known as the Polytechnic Uprising. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Youth (KNE) have organised a large demonstration-march to the U.S. embassy in downtown Athens, as well as other rallies in major cities, including Thessaloniki, Patra, Larisa, Iraklio etc. This year's anniversary of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising against the military Junta coincides with the visit of U.S. President Obama (15-16 November) in Greece and the SYRIZA-ANEL policy which involves the country deeper in the imperialist plans. 

What follows is a brief historical review of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising. 

On the night of the 20th to the 21st of April 1967, the reactionary military circles of the country, which were closely connected to the secret services of the USA and NATO, conducted a military coup. The operation of the surrender of power to the army had been developed at the staff of NATO, under the code name "Prometheus". Colonels G. Papadopoulos and N. Makarezos, who were actively involved in the preparation of the coup, became known as "the black colonels". 

Massive rally against Obama's visit in Athens - People say a thunderous "NO" to US-NATO imperialist murderers

Under the slogans "Neither land nor water to the murderers of the people", "Get NATO out of the Aegean" and “The imperialists re-divide the world, they draw the borders with the blood of the peoples” thousands of people, workers, young men and women, participated in a massive rally in central Athens against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama. The protesters condemn Obama's visit and the Greek government's participation in the Euroatlantic imperialist plans. 

Despotic and despicable decision by the SYRIZA government forbids demonstrations during Obama visit in Athens!

With a despicable decision which reminds authoritarian establishments, the Greek Police have banned demonstrations in Athens on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of security preparations for a visit to the Greek capital by outgoing US President Barack Obama. 

The despotic decision by the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government was slammed by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) which issued the following statement / Source: 902.gr, Translation: In Defense of Communism.

"With a despicable and despotic decision by the Police, the SYRIZA-ANEL government essentialy forbids any demonstration against the visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama, thus following the policy of the previous New Democracy-PASOK governments which SYRIZA, being in the opposition then, was denouncing.

"Neither land nor water to the murderers of the people"- Statement by the KKE about President Obama's visit in Greece

Regarding the upcoming visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama in Greece on Tuesday 15 November, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece issued the following statement.

Source: 902.gr, 

Translation: In Defense of Communism.

"Neither land nor water to the murderers of the people".

The KKE calls the working people, the youth, all Greek people to give a militant "welcome" to the outgoing President of the USA, Barack Obama, who visits our country in a period when the offensive plans of NATO-US-EU are intensified, with Greece's active participation and with huge dangers for the Greek and other people of the region. They (the people) must participate massively to the demonstrations organised by the EEDYE*, PAME and the other bodies of the popular-labour movement, of the youth.

KKE: The role of the Communist Party in the struggle for the equality and contemporary needs of women

The role of the ΚΚΕ in the struggle for women's equality and their contemporary needs.

Source: inter.kke.gr.

In the struggle for women's equality and the contemporary needs of women, in the unrelenting class struggle, leading women communists emerged as cadres of the global revolutionary labour movement. They gained their impetus from their understanding and deep conviction in the goal of their struggle for the abolition of the exploitation of man by man.

Their example highlights the need to prepare a vanguard of communist women, utilizing the practical example of the communist women in social, political activity, in the workplaces, universities, in the family. It reflects the need of the CP and the Communist Youth Organization to act as a vanguard everyday in the struggle for the needs of women today, from young girls to the elderly, for equality and social liberation, for the strengthening of women's participation in the class struggle and their promotion in the organs of the labour-people's movement, in the mass organizations.

Communist Party of Greece (KKE): Statement regarding the result of the U.S. Presidential Elections

On the occasion of the results of the U.S. Presidential elections the Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement:

"Both the political forces which today celebrate the victory of Trump as well as those which "cry" for the non-predominance of Clinton, hide that both the two nominations represented exclusively the interests of the american capital and will continue the reactionary, antipeople policy against the american people, as well as the dangerous warmongering policy against other people, especially in our region.

KKE: Statement regarding the government's cabinet reshuffle

Regarding the cabinet reshuffle of the Tsipras' government, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) issued the following statement. 

Source: 902.gr / Translation: In Defense of Communism.

"Except from its communicative character, the reshuffle of the SYRIZA-ANEL government aims in creating a (governmental) form which, with bigger stability and as little as possible "wobbling", will implement completely the antipeople restructures and the committments of the 3rd memorandum.

The pursuit of blaming some persons and manipulations for the antipeople measures, which caused a generalized popular indignation and anger (e.g. social security issue), must not hide the total governmental responsibility and policy which these specific persons consistently served.

Decision of the CC of the KKE on the developments around the Cyprus Issue and the position of the KKE

Decision of the CC of the KKE on the developments around the Cyprus Issue and the position of the KKE / Source: inter.kke.gr.

The CC of the KKE met and examined the overall developments on the Cyprus issue through the prism of the new facts. It came to the following decision:

The Communist Party of Greece follows, studies and takes a responsible position on the Cyprus problem. It has made a significant contribution to the denunciation of the Turkish invasion-occupation, to highlighting the international character of the problem, to expressing internationalist solidarity with the working class and popular strata of Cyprus, the Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins.

The KKE fights against the negative, for the peoples, plans that are unfolding in the framework of the antagonisms of the bourgeois classes of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, as well as the in the context of the negative and dangerous role played historically and still being played today by the USA, Britain, NATO and the EU as regards the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

Interview with the member of the CC of KKE Thanasis Pafilis: The Cyprus Issue, AKEL and the positions of KKE

Interview of Thanasis Pafilis, member of the CC of the KKE, and parliamentary representative of the party to the MEGAONE news outlet in Cyprus- "Cyprus, united, independent, with its people sovereign".

Source: inter.kke.gr.

1. Is the KKE not concerned about the fact that its decision could negatively affect AKEL, with which it has special relations, and indeed in a period where the process of the resolution of the Cyprus Issue, which is also supported by AKEL, is being called into issue by various sides?

The stance of the KKE is rooted in its deep internationalist solidarity with the working class and popular strata of Cyprus, the Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, Armenians,  Maronites and Latins, and is opposed to the monopoly interests that are promoting a new dichotomous plan so that they can gain control of the natural resources without any impediments. The leadership of AKEL has made its choices and its agreement with the framework of the government and President, a framework supported by the USA and the EU and especially Britain, is mistaken, without prospects and is leading the Cypriot people into great hazards.

KKE: On the developments regarding the "Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)" between the EU and Canada and the stance of the SYRIZA-ANEL government

Statement of the KKE delegation to the European Parliament.

The complications - due to conflicts within the EU – concerning the ratification of the «Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)» between the EU and Canada which was scheduled for the 27/10/2016 does not mean that the peoples can rest easy. These conflicts have nothing to do with people's interests. They express instead violent contradictions among various monopolies, on the basis of their own interests and plans.

KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas' remarks after the meeting with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: The Greek people must be vigilant about developments in the region.

Source: 902.gr/ Ιn Defense of Communism.

Today, Wednesday 2 November, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas met with the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos, regarding the developments on the Cyprus Issue, as well as about the positions of KKE on the developments in the broader region.

After the meeting, Dimitris Koutsoumbas made the following statement to journalists:

"I informed Mr.President of the Republic about the developments in the region and the positions of the KKE. The sharpening of the contradictions, the antagonisms, the military conflicts and the accumulation of military weapons and forces throughout the region, from central and eastern Europe, the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Middle East do not bode positive steps and issues for the people and especially for the Greek people.

Golden Dawn Trial: The murderous attack against the members of KKE and PAME was planned and organized

Sotiris Poulikogiannis testifies in the court during the trial of the Nazi Golden Dawn (Monday, 31/10/2016)

Special to In Defense of Communism.
Info from 'Rizospastis' (1/11/2016) and news services.

In a revealing testimony on Monday, at the trial of the Nazi 'Golden Dawn' party in Athens, the president of the Metalworkers Trade Union of Attica Sotiris Poulikogiannis, who was among the victims of a murderous attack on September 2013, provided to the court some very interesting facts. Poulikogiannis spoke about the viciousness of the attack, the organized and planned character of the ambush and he revealed the relations between the Golden Dawn and large contractors of the dockyards in Perama. The communist trade unionist said that Golden Dawn is a criminal organisation because of her Nazi ideology and character and he refered to historical examples about the role and the activity of Nazism.

Interview of Dimitris Koutsoumbas: Popular discontent can find a way out through the political proposal of KKE

Interview of the GS of the CC of KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas on the ERT1 public television channel, on 24/10. Below are extended excerpts from the interview. Source: inter.kke.gr.

-        I read the following in “Rizospastis”: The day when the government begins the discussion with the “institutions” (Troika) about the new attack against working and trade union rights, SYRIZA and ND choose to squabble about their favourites and also about the misleading issue of corruption in order to hide their convergence on the antiworker measures. Is corruption a misleading issue? Can you explain this? Doesn't this issue objectively exist in our lives?

Speech by Giorgos Marinos, KKE Politburo member, at the 18th International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties

"Capitalist crisis and imperialist offensive-Strategy and Tactics of the Communist and Workers Parties in the struggle for peace, workers' and people's rights, for socialism." - Speech by Giorgos Marinos, member of the Political Bureau of the CC of KKE at the 18th International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties. 

Source: inter.kke.gr.

Dear comrades,

The Communist Party of Greece salutes the 18th International Meeting of the Communist and Workers Parties and warmly thanks the CP of Vietnam for its hospitality.

Our party has expressed its internationalist solidarity and has stood for many decades at the side of the Vietnamese people in their struggle against French and Japanese colonialism, against the imperialist intervention and crimes of the USA.

The glorious victory of the working class, of the people of Vietnam under the leadership of the Communist Party and its leader comrade Ho Chi Minh was a great victory of international significance and demonstrated that when the people are determined, well organized and armed, they can defeat the strongest opponents-dynasts and break the shackles of exploitation and oppression.

The history of the communist movement is full of heroic pages and is a valuable source for study and the drawing of conclusions that will lend strength to the communists so that they can meet the challenge of the complex conditions of the class struggle, fighting for the overthrow of capitalist exploitation and the construction of socialism-communism.

NATO Imperialists not welcome in Piraeus! KKE denounces the presense of US Navy flagship in Greek port

The presense of the United States 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) and USS Mason, a US navy destroyer, in the port of Piraeus on October 24th has been strongly denounced by the KKE Piraeus Sectoral Organisation. In its announcement, the KKE calls the city's people to strengthen their struggle against the involvement of Greece in NATO's war plans. 

More specifically, the KKE Piraeus S.O. points out:

"They have the audacity to dock at the port of Piraeus, while the presense of NATO in the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Aegean and the Mediterranean is enhanced, using for the last two sea areas the pretext of controlling the refugee flows which are caused and amplified by the imperialist wars and the dire consequences against the people.

Truth and Lies about Socialism: On the 60th anniversary of the counterrevolutionary events in Hungary 1956

On the 60th anniversary of the 

counterrevolutionary events in Hungary 1956.

Below you can find extracts from the publication of the CC of KNE “Truth and Lies about Socialism” (Synchroni Epohi 2012) in relation to the counterrevolutionary events that took place in Hungary in 1956.

THE COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY EVENTS IN EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

"In autumn 1956, Hungary announced its withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, but Soviet troops invaded the country and suppressed the uprising."

Political event by KKE in Edinburgh: "The current political situation and the viewpoint of the Greek Communist Party"

The KKE Party Branch of Britain organises a political event in Edinburgh, Scotland on Sunday, October 30th. The event's title is: "The current political situation and the viewpoint of the Greek Communist Party" and will take place at 3 pm local time, at David Hume Tower building, room 4.18. 

The 18th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) to be held in Hanoi, 28-30 October 2016

The 18th of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) is scheduled to be held at Hanoi between 28-30 October, hosted by Communist Party of Vietnam. 

The theme of the meeting is: “Capitalist crisis and imperialist offensive - Strategy and tactics of the Communist and Workers’ Parties in the struggle for peace, workers’ and peoples’ rights, socialism.”

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) will participate in the International Meeting with a delegation which includes Giorgos Marinos, member of the Political Bureau of the CC, Eliseos Vagenas, member of the CC and responsible of the Partry's International Relations Department and Danae Helmi, collaborator of the Int. Relations Department of the CC of KKE.