Socialist Party (India)

National Executive Committee meeting 21 August 2011 

Delhi

Political and Economic Resolution

Political: The character of politics in India has undergone a major change during the last two decades. It has distanced itself from the needs and aspirations of the common masses and has, instead, focused its energies in implementing the dictates of the world economic bodies that nourish the neo-liberalism and the United States  controlled neo-imperialist establishments. This anti-Constitution and servile character of Indian politics has found its nourishment in communalism, casteism, parochialism, money-power, muscle-power and family lineage at the cost of Constitutional values like socialism, democracy and secularism.

The biggest and the most significant of the many changes that have entered the scenario of the international politics during past 3-4 decades, is the victory of capitalism over socialism. The USSR's socialist system witnessed collapse and the democratic socialist parties in Europe and other countries increasingly became  supporters of neo-liberalism, a new incarnation of capitalism. The crisis of capitalism in US and Europe has subsequently found a new lease of life in third world countries like India and China. Closely related to this, the second change at the international level is that democracy has come to be seen and used as an excuse and a vehicle for the implementation of neo-liberal system. As a consequence to this, there has been a phenomenal rise in violence, corruption and moral decline the world over, including India.

In such complex and challenging circumstances, the achievements of certain Latin American countries in their stride towards socialism through the democratic mode and the wave of democracy sweeping over certain Arab countries, presents reasons  for a glimmer of hope. It is amply illustrated by such developments in Latin American and Arab countries that the strengthening of the democratic socialism alone offers opportunities towards a better future for the world. The Socialist Party believes that in order to achieve this goal, a new socialist effort needs to be created and mobilised with the support of like-minded, existing socialist parties.

Economic: The neo-liberal economic policies which facilitate the capitalist-consumerist model of development are basically anti-poor and anti-development. The propagators of these policies all the time continue to chant the mantra of growth rate. However, growth rate cannot be the synonym of true development. Even as the rate of growth of GNP gathers momentum or faces a slow down the crisis and its manifestations continue to multiply. The point is that all factors that are wrong for the people : inflation, deprivation, malnutrition, diseases, unemployment, external dependence and volatility, are deepening with this apparent growth, just as the wealth of a select few reaches proportionally new heights. Company profits are reported as the speculative gains made on the stock exchanges and commodity futures markets. Also, vulgar consumption and drain of natural resources creates a clear diversion from the requirements of the common people. Inflation has led to the loot of around Rs. 600 crores in the last few years.

New elements in current day mainstream politics are the new disclosures about corruption, scams and the active or passive involvement of the entire machinery of the government. Both the main nodal parties have busied themselves in the  competition to prove each other more corrupt than oneself. An independent inquiry commission should be constituted to look into the wealth of all the main players, be they in the company sector, political parties or bureaucracy. Anyone should be capable of lodging a complaint and the moment a prima facie case is established there should be confiscation until cleared by an independent inquiry. Since the demand of a Lokpal is universal, the SPI supports an effective framing and implementation of the Lokpal Bill as per the spirit of the Constitution.

To fight the menace of rampant corruption politically, the SPI will mobilise all its efforts to uproot  neo-liberal system which breeds corruption and misery for the masses. The SPI advocates a decentralised, self-reliant economic system inspired by Gandhian-socialist model of development. Preference should be given to agriculture, agriculture based industries, small scale industries, self employment schemes over the high capital and high technology based industries. The party opposes acquisition of agriculture lands by the governments in the guise of public interest. The farmers should be the first party while lands are purchased. All traditional inhabitants, like : landless labourers, small traders, karigars, shop keepers etc., who had been dependent on the agrarian economy should be given compensation separately.     

The party demands certain immediate measures to be taken by the government so that poor masses can get some relief. MNREGA should be extended to the entire country for full 365 days and for every adult in a family. There should be an immediate imposition of a windfall tax on the super profits made as a result of inflation and the use of these proceeds employed to subsidize the supply of the essential goods through the PDS. Panchayats should be given required support and infrastructure by the government to build godowns for storage of farm produces. ( A detailed note by Prof. K.N. Kabra is attached on this point.)  

Ban should be imposed on export of the essential commodities that have fluctuating supplies and the per capita availability of which is inadequate for the country. Strict controls on unnecessary imports should be imposed as our imports   of manufactured goods is exceeding the domestic production of such goods. Proper and regular unemployment allowance should be given to all qualified persons.

Proposer

Dr. Prem Singh