Dear Editor,

In my letter in the SN dated May 13, captioned ‘Why are we arguing at this time about who suffered more?’ I used the opportunity to throw in the ideological issue and the question of the accumulation of capital, and I am sure the discerning would read the question of exploitation into my intervention.

I then reread the letter dated May 5 captioned, ‘Can we overcome our ethnic…’ by Eric Phillips and saw that he had a problem with poverty. I guess we all do. He quoted Unicef’s definition and I began to wonder how Eric would conceptualise the cause. With regard to the history of Africa would it be ok if we were to accept the explanation given to us by the book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.

This would bring into question the export of capital/imperialism. Those who usually praise the American system, would explain how slavery made America and the white capitalist class rich. They would also explain how the accumulated capital was used to create jobs for the workers, especially the poor black folks. Did I hear someone say that in the beginning was land and labour and it was labour that created the capital; then slave labour created a tremendous amount of capital and much more was created during a historical period of intense exploitation? And now we have to thank those that enslaved, exploited and appropriated that capital for providing jobs for us. I am thinking that there is a lot to learn, to understand.

Should journalists and the editorial staff expand their areas of reading to appreciate ideological and socio-economic issues? I wish sometimes they would define what they are talking about when they speak of Marxist socialism or communism, or socialism or class. One of the roles of newspapers is to educate, but the blind cannot lead the blind.

Obama is referred to by some Americans as a socialist. I wonder what Stabroek News means when it uses the terms I mentioned? Do they have any idea what Marx or Lenin meant when they used these terms, or have they simply adopted the populist distortions of these terms that are pedalled by the capitalist owned media, by the books printed by the wealthy publishing houses?

And does Eric Phillips think that Indians, Africans, etc, are homogenous units? Are they not class stratified? While there is a need for race identification and a race as a race may face special discrimination that needs to be addressed, should they all not be taught to appreciate their common class position also? Does he feel that by ensuring we have 38 per cent Africans in the Cabinet the Afro-Guyanese would be better off? At one time we had more than 75 per cent but it seemed like the Indians still shot ahead. That is the Indian capitalists.  In Africa generally we have over 75 per cent, but who controls the wealth?

Maybe we need more socialists. I know we need to balance this wild west capitalism. Some time ago in a letter in the SN I called upon Hydar Ally to support me in educating the Guyanese with regard to the Marxist-Leninist principle that is enshrined in the PPP’s constitution. This call has been in vain, and so the education of our people to raise their class consciousness has not been facilitated.

There goes Jagan’s legacy.  While race is a factor to be considered the class issue is vital.

If I had my way, then the dialectical methodology would have been taught in schools.  Most may not have even heard of the word dialectics.

I recall an editorial that said maybe Janet Jagan would be vindicated by what is taking place in the world. I think though it would be me, as I am among very few who have continuously written about Marxism-Leninism and it is my position that their writings, especially Das Kapital would give us considerable insight into and understanding of what is happening in the world of today

I wonder how many people have even read The Communist Manifesto. Could the editors say if they have?

We need to get out of the echo chamber and question what we have been indoctrinated to accept as truth. The present crisis is not only because of greed; it is structural in nature.

Yours faithfully,
Rajendra Bisessar