The path of democracy

In Bolivia democracy isn't going down a smooth path, regional cessesionists are trying to thwart the will of the overall majority - will the US back any breakaways there? After all, Russia has made the precedents...

Anyway, Zimbabwe's democracy seems to be just about holding up. To their immense credit, the MDC never turned to guerilla warfare, and put the safety of its supporters high up its agenda - high enough to back away from the violence of the state. Today's power sharing deal could see Tsvangirai just turn shit pol with his feet under the table, or it could see Zimbabwe finally emerge as a stable democracy.

To be clear, in both cases, it is democracy and not street violence that must prevail - as the MDC has shown, plugging away can and does work. The conquest of democracy is an essential tool in the worker's hands for self defence and revolution. These events knock the sterility of the neo-con/cruise missile left's perspectives into a cocked hat. This is the way democracy spreads. This will do more good than the Iraq war or the Afghan campaign.

Now, we have to wait and see what will happen to Chavez in Venezuela, he needs to go for the good of democracy...

Stand ye close and resolute

So, back to politics.

The BBC has had a couple of really good in depth reports recently, explaining just why it is Mugabe in Zimbabwe commands such support from his contemporary African leaders - and tellingly where the problem lies.

The correspondent this morning said Mugabe had been likely to give in on the election issue, but that his cotery, forged in the military struggle for power, were unwilling to let their positions go without a fight - they need him to protect themselves.

Significantly, and I suspect hopefully, the MDC have not turned to armed struggle themselves, as indeed they would be "justified" in doing now they have been beaten into submission - but that way would only replicate the tragedy of ZANU-PF.

Some might argue that the Zimbabwe situations shows the folly of electoral tactics like ours, the MDC have literally been beaten into submission. But, let's not forget, they have the majority in Parliament to protect, they have damaged Mugabe's legitimacy, and there are signs that Zuma in South Africa, closely allied with the trade unions there, may be more hostile to Mugabe.

Let's remember that Zimbabwe is an economic dessert, the Unions there are powerless, but the struggle for democracy continues.

An injury to one is an injury to all.

Update: via Harry Barnes comes this worthwhile effort from the TUC:

Internationale

According to the ITUC part of the repression in Zimbabwe has fallen on the trade unions there:

13 March 2007: The headquarters of the Zimbabwe Trade Union Congress (ZCTU) were today raided by government security forces, as part of a "concerted effort to try and crush all civic organisations" according to ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo. Central intelligence Organisation officials and police ransacked the premises at 09.30 this morning, assaulted three ZCTU staff members and detained the organisation’s Financial Administrator

Obviously - the workers' movement is the first thing any repressive regime needs to crush. Of course, things are so bad in Zimbabwe that the workers' movement is incredibly weak. This report from the South African SABC sets out the stall:

Regional leaders called the SADC meeting to discuss the political crisis in Zimbabwe which analysts say threatens to destabilise the region as millions flee food shortages, 1 700% inflation and 80% unemployment. Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the main opposition in Zimbabwe, and other party supporters, were arrested and beaten after attempting to attend a banned prayer meeting this month.

pace the ideas of fantacists the workers' movement relies on a strong economy, 80% unemployment leaves proletarian politics impotent and the opposition flailing around in a sea of plebeian politics - not something that's easy to organise in a largely rural economy.

To be frank, I don't see much hope, the breaks within ZANU-PF may well unseat Mugabe - but he is a machine politician anyway - ZANU-PF will be there fore some time to come.

What can we do? We could send letters to the Zimbabwean embassy, but they won't listen. It's dangerous to probably send any letters of support to the ZCTU for fear of making them appear to be agents of foriegn/imperial domination. Any further suggestions?