Six important points

Conflict is a political organisation born out of experience in the trade unions, and the conviction that the Bulgarian left must redefine itself and defend workers’ ideas against creeping nationalism and triumphant capitalism. Here we present six points that we believe are important to define if we are to take back power over our lives and fight for a more just society.

Capitalism and labour
Capitalism dominates the entire world today, from the deepest mining galleries of the Third World to the highest corporate offices in the First. Historically, capitalism played a progressive role in liberating the potential of the productive forces, but today it is an obstacle to their development.
At the same time, it has always borne the hallmarks of a predatory system based on the exploitation of human labour, giving rise to inequality, social decline and environmental catastrophes. Those who have money think they can manage on their own. Recognising the insolvency of this choice for society, we defend the value of labour and the interests of those who produce wealth. In addition since our bodies do not always allow us to work, we support those who are unable to do so through a system of solidarity financed by labor and protected from speculation.
Beyond the immediate protection of workers’ wages and living conditions, we need to draw the contours of a more rational post-capitalist economic system based on freedom, solidarity and equality, capable of responding to the global challenges facing humanity.

Ecology
Unlike owners of capital, workers have only their bodies as labour power and common resources such as land, air and water.
Therefore, resources must be managed collectively and harmful production stopped. Environmental catastrophe represents the most immediate threat to humanity, alongside nuclear self-destruction.
After three hundred years of accelerated industrialisation and capitalist profligacy, it is humanity’s turn to pay the bill, and the poorest parts of the world are already doing so. Unfortunately, the current economic system, relying on endless growth, and the current world political system, based on competing and warring states, are completely incapable of solving the environmental problems of the present and the future.
That is why we strongly oppose the fallacies of so-called ‘green capitalism’ and call for a radical approach to ecology that connects our daily struggles with that for an ecologically sustainable future, which can only be achieved through a radical break with capitalism.

Revolution
We believe that change can be achieved through revolution, not easy reforms. In theory, reforms are a tool to improve the existing system, but in practice they are an effective means to preserve and reproduce it.
Revolution, on the other hand, is the overthrow of the established order, making possible the redefinition of the balance of power in a society. The revolution we call for will be led by the workers and will entrust them with the task of organizing themselves to collectively take control of the means of subsistence.
The revolution will only be possible when a decisive mass of people has an alternative to defend and fight for. Once the revolution is underway, we will not defend the naïve vision of an ideal world without conflicts of interest, even if only between workers this time. Revolution redefines but never abolishes the balance of power. That is why it will never be definitive. We will have to be constantly alert to the new imbalances and contradictions that will be created.

Syndicates
A trade union is an institution that represents workers against employers in the context of class struggle. Trade unions emerged when workers realise that they are stronger once they defend their rights together within an enterprise. They are therefore institutions based on the principles of solidarity and class struggle.
Unfortunately, like all institutions, they risk acting only to preserve themselves and, in trying to manoeuvre between the interests of their members, the bosses and the state, are often prepared to betray the workers. That is why we support the idea of self-organisation.
Don’t wait for the union to tell you what to do to defend yourself. Organize, become participants in your own struggles and make your own decisions.

State capitalism
The Russian Revolution of 1917 shook the world and was one of the rare moments in history when a world workers’ revolution seemed possible. But the failure of the world revolution inevitably led to the failure of the Russian revolution.
The system built on its ruins was labelled “socialism” and “communism”, but was in fact a highly centralised and authoritarian state capitalism which, while sometimes effective by capitalist standards, eventually collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions.
That is why we oppose any calls for a restoration of the Soviet model. It is not very different from the form of the current Chinese state. It demonstrates more that capitalism is not interested in democracy in the first place than that communism would fail.

Discrimination
We are against all kinds of discrimination – ethnic, religious, sexual. We believe that discrimination is largely related to the history, form and demands of the economic system in which we live.
Those in power need to divide us in order to govern us more easily. In fact, racism and all other forms of discrimination are a political choice: to dehumanise a section of the population in order to justify inequality of wealth and rights.
If you support this ideology, you accept the risk of one day being the target of this arbitrary choice. If you do not, you win allies in the struggle to preserve the rights of all workers.