> At 10:02 08/09/99 +0100, you wrote:
>
> >Chris, what was your position on sanctions against South Africa?
> >
> >Peter
>
>
> Interesting question. I spent thousands of hours trying to promote them.
> And of course so did many others.
>
> But then what do we see now? Capitalists in power in south Africa, as much
> poverty as ever, but some of the capitalists are now black. The folly of
> attempting to be pip-squeaks!
(And, as I mentioned in my other message, the SACP supports the black capitalists)
So, the ANC managed to contain the black liberation struggle in South Africa. Does this mean that sanctions were wrong? Part of the result of sanctions is arguably that the South African economy (which is now 'liberalising' at a rate even faster than mandated by the WTO) remained insular and outdated (because sanctions merely strengthened protectionist elements within the Nationalist regime). Yet I (and I'm sure the vast majority of South Africans) much prefer the current state of play in South Africa, to the situation which prevailed under the Apartheid regime. The opponents to sanctions against South Africa said that they would increase the misery of the black population - is that not the same argument you are using against economic action against Indonesia?
Peter -- Peter van Heusden : pvanheus at hgmp.mrc.ac.uk : PGP key available 'The demand to give up illusions about the existing state of affairs is the demand to give up a state of affairs which needs illusions.' - Karl Marx