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Socialism Today 90 - March 2005

 

Socialism Today 90 - March 2005

Iraq: ballots & bloodshed

After only a few days, the sham nature of the Iraqi ‘elections’ became evident as Iraq was shaken by a renewed wave of bombings and violent attacks on government officials and occupation forces. As each day passes, it becomes clearer that the elections have resolved nothing for either the Iraqi peoples or the imperialist powers. TONY SAUNOIS reports.


World Social Forum 2005

The fifth World Social Forum took place in Brazil in February. For several reasons this year’s event was significant. For the increased numbers of radical young people and workers. The reaction to Brazilian and Venezuelan presidents, Lula and Chávez. For the emergence of P-Sol as a potential new left force in Brazil. HANNAH SELL, who participated as part of the Committee for a Workers’ International contingent, reports.


Bush’s class-war budget

After his inauguration extravaganza to launch his second term, Bush has moved on to his domestic agenda, what one commentator has called ‘top-down class warfare’. In the first major policy initiative of his second term, Bush has launched a savage, class attack on the poorest sections of the working class. On February 7 he set out proposals for a $2.57 trillion budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2006, starting 1 October 2005. If accepted by Congress, it will eliminate or brutally cut 150 federally funded social programmes. The hardest hit will be the children of low-paid workers, the unemployed, the homeless, and the elderly poor. LYNN WALSH writes.


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Updates

Venezuela
A new phase in the struggle

France
Workers resist new capitalist offensive

Danish elections
Social Democrats rejected

Anti-terror laws
Clamping down on civil liberties

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The great pensions robbery
The next phase in New Labour's neo-liberal drive against the public sector. Ken Smith writes

Tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka
Jim Hensman reflects on the lessons to be learnt from the disaster and its aftermath