New Delhi, November 20-22, 2009
Dr. Marie-Nassif Debs Lebanese Communist Party
Foreword
The
contradictions of capitalism often lead to large and small crises,
which rupture and explode every now and then, leaving in their wake
economic destruction which is reflected, inevitably, on the forces of
production. It can even be argued that these contradictions do not
explode and unravel except when the development path of the forces of
production starts approaching and threatening the narrow limits of the
private property of the means of production. In such instances, the
bourgeoisie resorts to actions with the aim of causing a crisis,
thereby attempting to prevent the forces of production from effecting
real change.
Examination
of the second half of the twentieth century shows that several crises
unfolded during that period; perhaps the most important of which is the
crisis of 1974, which came about due to the oil stoppage which in turn
was a reaction to the Israeli aggression on the Arab countries. The
crisis of 1981 was equally important, and lasted like its predecessor
for approximately 16 months, affected the economies of the large
capitalist countries and adversely impacted the forces of production
within these countries. In this context, one must also view the crisis
at the beginning of this century (in 2002-2003) which shook the global
capitalist system and exposed the stock exchange system of Wall Street
and the deception and lies embedded within it.