Audio's Daniel Bensaïd (43)
1984 The 'turn to industry'
At Eleventh World Congress, it was decided to send comrades to industry to change the centre of gravity of sections. The term "turn to industry" implies a denigration of proletariat to only "industrial proletariat", but in fact, it included all employers. Bensaïd discusses certain weaknesses in the adoption of this policy, and arguments against the policy.
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Duration: 47:51
2002 Migration and racism today
In this recording Bensaïd explores the consequences of the state, the networks of clandestine immigration on the one hand and of the social, revolutionary and workers’ movements on the other hand regarding the development of populist legislative measures such as the expulsions in the name of “public order” (which is more and more widely discussed in populist groups across Europe). He then mentions the emergence of successful movements like the one of the “without papers” in France or a caravan of the undocumented in Germany. In this framework, Bensaïd recalls the importance, of self-organization and joining forces to fight against ideas which make us remember Nazism in the 1930s.
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Duration: 27:32
The Cuban revolution 1
In the Cuba lectures, Bensaïd focuses firstly on the strategy of taking power in the Cuban Revolution in comparison with the Nicaraguan strategy. Secondly, he discusses the formation of revolutionary leadership through the revolutionary process; and thirdly, he analyses the transition, namely the destruction of the bourgeois state and the foundation of a workers state. In this first session of the lecture, Bensaïd starts his talk with a survey of historical facts on Cuba in 1950s as a semi-colonial state strongly dependent on American imperialism with large sectors of industrial workers, agricultural workers and unemployed. He depicts the socio-political background and the emergence of the guerrilla movement in 1958. This part ends with the historical moment when the guerilla movement connects with the urban workers' movement, which culminates in the general strike in April 1958. Both the general strike and the military counter-offensive were failures. However, this period witnesses an expansion of self-administration, albeit very limited. The proclamation of agrarian reform law by the leadership of the guerilla, which starts to act as a pre-government, is a turning point.
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Duration: 45:56
The Cuban revolution 2
In this second session of the lecture, Bensaïd starts with an organisational and political analysis of the Cuban Communist Party. After talking about the emergence and organisation of the guerrilla movement, Bensaïd emphasises the overlooked dimension of the urban workers movement in the Cuban Revolution alongside of the guerilla warfare. He outlines the demands of urban workers movement, and strongly underlines the combination of the urban workers movement with the guerilla insurrection. He covers the discussions and criticisms around the general strike in 1958 and its aftermath.
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Duration: 46:13
The Cuban revolution 3
In this third session, Bensaïd focuses on 1959 from the point of view of three processes. Firstly, he depicts the process of breaking with the Cuban bourgeoisie, and the power structures in the beginning of '59. Secondly, he analyses the process of differentiation and rupture with the bourgeois elements in the government; and thirdly, he recounts the process of confrontation with imperialism, which goes to some extent parallel with the process of radicalisation of the Cuban revolution.
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Duration: 43:02
The Cuban revolution 4
In this fourth session of the lecture, Bensaïd focuses on the transition in Cuba. Bensaïd tackles the question of political power as the first instrument to initiate social transformations, which brings the problem of bureaucratisation as a danger in the process of transition. In his analysis and discussion, Bensaïd makes comparisons with Nicaraguan Revolution and Russian Revolution. The session ends with a discussion of the nationalisation of imperialist and big companies in 1960 and 1961.
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Duration: 38:39
The Cuban revolution 5
In this fifth session of the lecture, Bensaïd discusses the transitional economy in Cuba, comparing it to Nicaraguan Revolution. He identifies several problems that followed from the very sharp shift in the Cuban economy such as new dependencies, bureaucratic incoherence and chaos, and limiting of sugar exportations without substitution, which lead to a sudden growth of the budget deficit, eventually bringing bankruptcy in 1963. He discusses the Four Year Plan, which prioritised the increase of sugar production as a solution to the deficit. There were tensions between the CPs of Cuba, Russia and Venezuela, regarding the internal and international politics. The end of the 60s is usually characterised as ultra left, but all of that is linked to rapid and quick revolutionary extension in Latin America. It will change with economic failure and political defeats in Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Brazil. In this context, economic difficulties in inside and military defeats in outside will provoke a new change in 1970s Cuba. He concludes with several remarks from Fidel's self-criticism speech.
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Duration: 46:15
The Cuban revolution 6
In this sixth session of the lecture, Bensaïd starts with a discussion of the system of management and planning which was launched in 1975 and was based on 'objective' economic information. After an analysis of this plan and its outcomes, Bensaïd connects the Cuban Revolution with the present, and draws some lessons from the experience.
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Duration: 17:34
1986 The Fourth International and party building 1
In this lecture, Bensaïd focuses on the history of the Fourth International in its founding years, which means 1933 and 1938. First of all, he introduces a historical motivation to understand what battles we come from, and what is the problematic heritage we have. Secondly, he points to present interest in the problems that were tackled by the FI in its founding years. He organises the lecture around three points: when did a new international become necessary; on what basis was the new international built; and lastly, how was it built? He discusses the problems of entryism and fusion with a focus on Trotsky's writings on these issues.
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Duration: 43:10
1986 The Fourth International and party building 2
In this second part of his lecture, Bensaïd focuses on the concrete facts and phases of building the FI. He underlines Trotksy's efforts of bringing together different currents. Bensaïd analyses the first gatherings, participants, and different currents and organisations against a historical background. In his analyses, he always keeps in sight their meaning for the present.
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Duration: 46:18
