Translated "Avante!" article by Albano Nunes, Member of the PCP Secretariat of the CC

Capitalism has assumed, in time and space, different forms of existence and its ideologists have never spoken as a one voice .And if there exist times of great unanimity and “ unique thought”, as it happened during the years of the triumphal celebration of socialism tragic defeats, others are, in which the capitalism crisis and the development of the class struggle nurture real disagreements amid the dominant class, namely between the two great historical currents which support them, the “liberal/ conservative” and the “ social-democrat / Keynesian”.

Before the international framework instability and incertitude, the perspective of a long period of economic recession and the possibility of a new and more destructive crash, that is the current situation. Many are warned for the great financial and speculative capital hegemony, the violent “austerity” policies pursued by the IMF and the EU, the spiral debt manipulation in order to strangle development and provoke the sovereign countries ’impoverishment, mass unemployment and the lack of measures to fight it, inequalities deepening, the latter, not but contradicts the economic recovery objective, as it carries in itself inevitable explosions of social discontent together with the questioning of the capitalist order’s foundations.

And this is what makes well-known economists and publicists run, who criticize the “ultra-liberal” policies, denounce the “lack of transparency” and the “ overrun” of financial speculation, regret the absence of the dominant policies “social conscience”, insist in the need of the banking system’s greater “ regulation” and preconize an “European government” and even a “ world government”, which might sustain the crisis bursting out ( as if these were not inherent to the capitalist exploitation system in itself) and without meanwhile, analysing the situation’s roots , and having very low concern on such dangerous phenomena, such as the national sovereignties vexing , the xenophobe and fascist nationalism development or the war dangers increase.

This is about Joseph Stiglitz, an Economy Nobel Prize and a reference ideologist, recent visit to Portugal, well-known for his critical positions relating to neo-liberal policies’ numerous aspects. Many of his statements and positions, and coming from someone who has been inside the system itself - World Bank vice-president and , chief -economist, USA’s presidents ’advisor, UN commissions’ spokesman on the international monetary system reforms, or climate changes - have contributed to dismantle rumours and help fight the most reactionary policies. And during his visit to Portugal, one heard concerns and accurate critics, namely on the urgent need of policies directed to economic growth, which one easily subscribes. But one also heard whitening statements on governmental disastrous policies and even supporting the monstrous agreement, prepared with the government, employers and the UGT, at the very same moment it was being signed down.

Coming from one of the great ideological system’s leader, such a position is not surprising, but its danger must be highlighted. At a peek of the capital offensive, Stiglitz takes part against the Portuguese workers and people. Having had the possibility of avoiding an attitude of open interference within our country’s internal life, he chose otherwise. On a central issue amid the sharp class struggle, in progress, in our country, and in a particularly delicate moment of that struggle, Stiglitz, frequently presented as a “neo- Keynesian”, placed himself, expressly, on the other side of the barricade. And here is the record and the advice to navigation. Do not draw away. Social-democracy, whatever the version, looks on to save the system, and never to fight it and much less to overcome it.