I would encourage a big turnout for this lecture.
Saturday, 9/15, 10 to noon, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom hosts U of M prof Erwin Marquit, talking about "The Quest for Social Justice in China's Socialist Market Economy," Van Cleve Community Center, 901 - 15th Ave SE, Mpls. www.wilpfmn.org
Ask the Professor about the role of capitalist corporations in China and how they are trying to put China on the road to capitalism and counter-revolution.
Ask the Professor what he thinks of Ford Motor Company closing the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant while moving much of its U.S. operations to China.
Ask the Professor what he is doing to try to halt the closing of the Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant while Ford has opened manufacturing facilities in China.
Ask the Professor when was the last time he met with Ford workers to discuss the need for public ownership in relation saving the Ford Plant.
The distinguished Professor Marquit is one big hypocrite when it comes to social justice for working people in China or the United States.
There is no such thing as a “socialist market economy;” socialist economies can only be planned economies… part of the plan might include allowing capitalist corporations to operate in the country; however, Communists never allow these capitalists and their “market economic system” to take over, and dominate, the economy--- socialist economies can only be “planned economies” (there is no other kind of socialist economy)… “socialist market economy” is a code phrase for capitalism and counter revolution.
There can only be social justice for working people through a planned socialist economy. Look, it is not hard to figure out that Erwin Marquit has no concern for social justice for working people when he is opposed to taking any action--- legislative and/or mass action (we need a combination of both)--- right in the very city where he lives concerning the Ford Plant closing… what can such a professor who doesn’t even have any compassion for social justice for two thousand working people in his own community know about social justice for working people in China? This is such a basic and fundamental question it boggles one’s mind to think that anyone with even half a brain would pay any attention to a professor with such a perverted and distorted view of Marxism.
Show me anyone promoting a “socialist market economy” and I will show you a charlatan and a fraud… if that person purports to be a Marxist.
For years Professor Marquit has used his academic position to foster a perverted view of Marxism with the intent of confusing working people about what socialism is in the United States, Poland, East Germany--- and now in China.
I don't know of workers anywhere in the world who are dumb enough to believe they can attain social justice through any kind of "market economy."
I have spoken with many Chinese business people and they don't speak of "market socialism." They speak of "free market capitalism." Of course they are all for this... they are getting rich exploiting Chinese workers who are suffering.
Anyone can see that China's working peoples' present problems stem from capitalist corporations being allowed to operate without any controls and restrictions placed on them while dictating economic "reforms" in China. Producing goods and services using cheap, highly exploited labor where working people suffer the most disgraceful abuses at the hands of those extolling the virtues of the "socialist market economy" is the reality.
That a prominent and respected organization like the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom would give Professor Erwin Marquit a forum for his perverted and distorted Marxist views without him having to participate in a forum where his views could be challenged is a disgrace.
Professor Marquit parades around the world professing to be a Marxist proponent of the "socialist market economy" only when he has no opposition... he creates his own caricatures which he purports to be his opposition (coincidentally, all his caricatures resemble Joseph Stalin)... then he proceeds to demolish them; but, Marquit never has the intellectual honesty or courage to debate a living, breathing human being... much less a worker.
Certainly the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom must understand that Professor Marquit's views on the "socialist market economy" are highly controversial... why then, would Marquit be allowed to pontificate his fairy tales without any opposition like a Catholic Priest at Sunday Mass?
Certainly the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom must be aware of the Minnesota corporation Mattracks which has a small manufacturing facility in northern Minnesota opening up a plant in China five times the size of its Minnesota operation to make equipment for "crowd control"... all financed with Pentagon funding obtained by Minnesota's only "Blue Dog" Democrat, Collin Peterson. Just what kind of "crowd control equipment" might the Pentagon be interested in financing? But, to use the tax-dollars of the American people in order to allow this corporation's bottom line to grow fat just so Collin Peterson can get a bigger campaign contribution is a disgrace and an insult to Minnesota workers who will suffer the social injustices associated with poverty wages and unemployment... the direct result of the so-called, mis-named, "socialist market economy."
Capitalists and their cronies like Professor Marquit are always trying to give capitalism a different face by playing with words. But, to go so far as to call capitalism "socialism," as Professor Marquit does, is the epitome of deceit and dishonesty.
There are tremendous debates presently underway in China with Chinese working people dead set against any further attempts by capitalist corporations and their hoax of "market socialism." Chinese workers understand "market socialism" means counter-revolution, not the planned socialist economy they have struggled to create and improve.
It is unfair to allow the proponents of "market socialism" to pontificate their views without allowing alternative views to be expressed.
I have offered to debate this learned professor on this issue many times... his response has been to initiate a dirty, name-calling, slanderous campaign against me.
Professor Marquit should not be given a forum for his views before any organization until he is willing to have his views challenged in a real debate.
I would urge people to attend this lecture by Professor Marquit to challenge his quackery which makes a mockery of scientific socialism.
This is from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom's web site:
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007, 10 am to noon.
“Coffee With”: The Quest for Social Justice in China’s Socialist Market Economy
Speaker: Erwin Marquit, professor emeritus, U of M, leader of study tours to China
and Vietnam
Van Cleve Community Ctr., 901 15th Ave. SE, Mpls
FREE EVERYONE WELCOME
FFI: 651-458-7090; www.wilpfmn.org
China’s mixed market economy has led to social problems such as pollution, hazardous working conditions, loss of free health care and education, and a growing income gap between rich and poor. However, besides cutting the number of people living below the poverty level, it has also raised the average standard of living, life expectancy, and educational levels. Drawing on recent extended visits to China, the speaker will address the question of whether the current Chinese policies of economic development will enhance or obstruct its quest for social justice.
I would suggest Professor Marquit spend a little time talking to Ford workers in his own home town and make a trip up to Karlstad, Minnesota and talk to working people who are unemployed and employed at poverty wages there... what Professor Marquit will find is that "market socialism" is robbing U.S. workers of jobs while creating misery for Chinese workers who will be employed under prison-like conditions, forced to live like rats in a "dormitory" where they will be robbed of their earnings to pay exorbitant rents, and have to eat slop in the company cafeteria--- again, with the cost of meals deducted from their miserly, poverty-wage pay-checks--- all very reminiscent of the "company towns" on the Iron Range in the early 1900's.
Professor Marquit likes to indulge in grand utterances about "market socialism" which have little connection to real world realities... just like some Chinese officials who have abused their positions in the Communist Party and the Chinese government to evade any real discussion about social justice for working people.
In fact, Chinese workers, many of whom are members of the Communist Party of China, are beginning to wage a determined struggle to reclaim the socialist road and the adherence to a planned socialist economy in quest of the social justice they have struggled for; they have had it with the charlatans posing as Communists and government officials who pad their pockets with bribes from capitalist corporations along with American Professors be they from the American Enterprise Institute or the University of Minnesota. Professor Marquit has written these workers, and their struggles for social justice off as "Stalinist."
When it comes to real socialism, Professor Marquit has some very real problems of his own... all he can see is the ghost of Joseph Stalin every time he hears the words, "planned socialist economy;" and every time he hears the term "workers' power" he sees the ghost of Gus Hall.
The day Ford workers determine the future of their plants and what will be manufactured according to what society needs, and American tax-dollars are invested creating jobs for U.S. workers in northern Minnesota in communities like Karlstad as Chinese and American workers make the decisions to cooperate in joint ventures--- this will be the day working people can rejoice in having attained real social justice... and this day will only come when we create a planned socialist economy... just like the Chinese people set out to do when they overthrew the feudal lords and routed the imperialists.
Alan L. Maki
