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Bill: RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics
Details
Submitted by[?]: Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This bill is a resolution. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: April 4456
Description[?]:
| In a press conference today, General Secretary of the UBWP, Professor Zdzisław Marceli, announced his resignation from party leadership and sweeping changes to the party, including party renaming, ideological changes and leadership restructuring. 'Fellow Beluzians, the time of reckoning has come for this party. For many years, Beluzia has been mislead by neoliberal government after neoliberal government. They promise better standards of living, a better environment, zero poverty, a better economy, a nation without homelessness or unemployment, without income inequality, but year after year, all we get is broken promise after broken promise. The idea espoused by neoliberal governments that capitalism still works is a fallacy. It has been clear that capitalism is the root cause of all the societal ills, from crime to income inequality. Yet it is certainly true that the appearance and spread of capitalism brought with it a tremendous expansion of individual freedoms and, eventually, popular struggles for more democratic forms of political organisation. To say that capitalism restricts the flourishing of these values is not to argue that capitalism has run counter to freedom and democracy in every instance. Rather, through the functioning of its most basic processes, capitalism generates severe deficits of both freedom and democracy that it can never remedy. Capitalism has promoted the emergence of certain limited forms of freedom and democracy, but it imposes a low ceiling on their further realisation. Capitalism has constructed a boundary between public and private spheres, and in doing so, constrains the realisation of individual freedom and democracy. It is clear that capitalism is a hypocritical ideology. While human tragedy after human tragedy is occurring, our leaders wring their hands and fake tears, as if the problem has happened suddenly, and they shake their heads, refusing to pay large amount of money to alleviate the problem. How is being unwilling to alleviate poverty, homelessness promoting individual freedom? Someone who is trapped in a cycle with no way out is not freedom. It's a prison. Is that what individual freedom is? Is slashing healthcare budget in the proposed budget individual freedom? Is cutting spending on public services individual freedom? Is restricting unions democracy? 'Work or starve' isn't freedom. Capitalism is anchored in the private accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of income through the market. Freedom must include the ability to say 'no'. The economic inequalities that result from these activities are intrinsic to capitalism and create inequalities. A wealthy person can freely decide not to work for wages; a poor person without an independent means of livelihood cannot do so easily. But freedom is more than this. It is the ability to act positively on one's life plans-to choose not just an answer, but the question. The children of wealthy parents can take unpaid internships to advance their careers; the children of poor parents cannot. Yet we do not call for the abolishment of capitalism. Rather, we call for the radical reforming of capitalism to make it humane. That reform is: Increasing spending, raising taxes on the rich and cutting taxes for households, a strong social safety net and nationalisation on the whole or partially, cooperative enterprises, market socialist, participatory and decentralised planned economies. We want to introduce the principle of self-management into the economy. Where workers are in charge of their sectors, and not by managers or a big government bureaucracy. By doing so, workers can work amongst a competitive system, and have the incentive to work, with the goal of producing without sacrificing quality. This maintains the right of property to be owned by society as a whole, yet it vests the rights to manage and run the economy in the workpeople, not inexperienced officials as society’s representatives. There will be an elected workers council, which hires managers and has formal control over the firm. Workers are the better representative of society, not big overreaching centralised governmental departments. This economy will be a more efficient and economically sustainable system based on targets set by the workers themselves. Allowing the workers to produce what they want to produce without restrictions from big bosses empowers them We want active participation of all agents at all levels – self-management within and among firms, and social planning among sociopolitical communities. This model is where where the assets of firms are owned by local counties, but not directly managed by the national or local government. In this model the state is an important economic actor via public banks which control flows of investment based on market criteria of economic performance (profit and loss). We do not want to abolish business in any way. We want to empower workers, not have them undergo slave labour. This is our party's new vision. A economy that is run on the basis of the market economy, but with heavy influences from left wing ideology. This might alienate our traditional support base of communists, socialists and anarchists, but we say to them, revolutionary radicalism no longer works. Our revolutionary radicalism worked in the past, yet the advancement of society and the global economy and our small to moderate gain and decline in recent elections tells us that the people have had enough of revolutionary ideas and that they can no longer be applied. Rather, what must be done is to compromise and radically reform society so that it works for the working class and not the corrupt elitists that influence every inch of the government. As such, today, I announce the rebranding of the Kaminskiist Workers Revolutionary Front to one that is less militant and aggressive in its pursuit of equality for all, one that runs itself on the ideas of democratic socialism. You might say that us changing to democratic socialism is an indication that we are authoritarian or undemocratic, yet in our party's history, not once have we ever said that we want to destroy democracy. We have never condemned free and fair elections, we have never called for the development of philosopher kings, we have not undermined the rule of law, we have fought for human rights, civil rights, civil liberties and political freedoms for all people, and we have drawn upon a constitution, to delineate the powers of government and enshrine the social contract. We are a party that has upholded liberal democratic values ever since its founding as the United Democratic Action Party in Davostan, then as the renamed Beluz Progressive Democratic Party when we immigrated in search of better political fortunes. And we have continued this practice ever since. Our idea of democratic socialism is: Democratic socialism should mean an active, democratically accountable state to underpin individual freedom and deliver the conditions for everyone to be empowered regardless of their race, gender, age, appearance, economic status. It should be complemented by decentralisation and empowerment to achieve increased democracy and social justice. Modern day democratic socialism's task is to recover the high ground on democracy and freedom through maximum decentralisation of control, ownership and decision making and waging a fight against far-right ideologues that seek to exploit a tragedy or the migration crisis for political gain, rather than addressing people's woes as a fault of failed economic policies and society, but as the fault of other human beings, and in doing so, undermining the liberal democratic world order. For socialism can only be achieved if it springs from below by popular demand. The task of a democratic socialist government should be an enabling one, not an enforcing one. Its mission is to disperse rather than to concentrate power, with a pluralist notion of democracy at its heart. We have a longstanding belief in democracy and that our party should be an enabling one, not a party based on authority, and as such, today, I also announce the renaming of the KWRF to Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party. We are a party that will not be subjugated by authority. We are a party that will not be restrained by authority. We are a party that will not be defeated by those that are scared of changing the status quo. We are a party that will truly work for the many that have been shackled like slaves under the failing capitalist system. We are a party that will bring actual change to Beluzia and not the failed militant, revolutionary radicalism that has polarised this society. For those that were harmed by our aggressive and militant tactics, I would like to take the opportunity to sincerely apologise for the hurt that our militancy has caused to your families, your loved ones and your emotional and physical health, and we pledge to all of you that we will work to reconcile our differences and to forge a better, brighter Beluzia. I ask for you to come and join this newly rejuvenated movement, one that will focus on making peace and working together with adversaries, one that will alleviate all societal ills, and one that will lead the charge against hyper-partisanship, ideologues and extremism espoused by far-right parties and left wing organisations that deviate from what leftism is supposed to be about. I would also like to take this opportunity to say that our new party leadership will no longer be one that is not constrained by term limits, and will be one that is constrained by term limits. Furthermore, this party will no longer be run by two individuals, as that can create infighting and bureaucracy, and will be run by one individual who is advised by the Central Committee, the State Council, and the wider membership, making the position of General Secretary more transparent. As per my new policy on term limits, all General Secretaries will be limited to serving no more than two eight year terms. My control of this party for the past 200 years is the main reason why I believe that we have not been able to make any significant progress in recent elections. Society is changing, and the radicalism that I espoused in the past, which resonated with the majority of the nation, is no longer working. People want a rejuvenation of politics into one that is not tainted by ideological attacks, but one that focuses on working with all voices to ensure that government truly works for all. Once again, I apologise for the harm that my brand of politics has created in this nation and I extend an olive branch to Liberty, the NCP and the TBWP, calling for coalition talks amongst not only our parties, but all parties, in transparent and publicly televised coalition negotiations. To Liberty, I would like to restore the friendship that our parties once had and we apologise for creating the political crisis that we now have, of early elections, unstable government and an inefficient Parliament. To the TBWP, while we condemn fascism and far-rightists, we call for a common understanding between our parties and for talks to be held to moderate the far-right image that your party espouses. To the NCP, I would like to establish a friendship based upon helping Beluzia despite our extreme ideological differences. And to resolve differences and implement modern policies, it cannot be done with the same old leadership that espouses views that are not in line with contemporary society. As a result, I am announcing my retirement from politics today. I believe that I have become part of the establishment, something which my party does not believe in, and that the KWRF is in need of newer, fresher faces. I insisted that on Day 1 of my leadership, but somehow, it did not turn out the way I wanted it to be, and I once again deeply apologise to those that once supported this party, but because of my attachment to the establishment, turned away in search of parties that would break the status quo, which I feel I have contributed to. I call for my friends in the UDP, NDP and BCP to consider rejuvenating their parties to inject a newer, younger, more optimistic left-wing politics. Persistent status quo does no good to anyone, not even to the leftist ideologies that we support. Leadership elections will be held, and in closing, I would like to say that it was a good run, and that I will hopefully live to see a better Beluzia under a newer, younger generation of left wing leadership in the UBWP. Thank you, and god bless the Republic of Beluzia. |
Proposals
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 22:56:12, September 15, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | So essentially you want to plunge our country into massive debt, stagnate growth, and give money to people who don’t deserve it/dont work. I appreciate the offer of friendship, but I cannot and will not compromise with a communist. |
| Date | 23:00:46, September 15, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Socialist* |
| Date | 04:12:47, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | You still really think that I'm the typical Socialist: It also typically organizes economic activity through planning rather than market forces, and gears production towards needs satisfaction rather than profit accumulation. Where in my speech did I say that I wanted to do centralised planning? If you took the time to read the speech, I praised capitalism in the first parts of my speech. I said that markets do work better than the alternatives: just look at the economic record. This is not to say that markets are perfect, nor is it to say that they should be allowed to operate ‘freely,’ without any constraints. Market regulations are integral to the market socialist vision. Market socialists are no kind of market fundamentalists. I am a pragmatic. When I see the wrongs of capitalism, I also see the problems with planning-based socialist alternatives. The way forward, is to take the good parts of capitalism and combine them with the good parts of socialism. This will displease fundamentalists on both sides, but what alternative is there? Capitalism is a moral disaster. Central planning was worse. Participatory planning is a pipe dream. 21st century leftists must fuse socialism with markets. There is no other way. And if you think that I intend to give money to poor people, unemployed people, or as you say 'people who don't deserve it', you're right, I'm going to give money. But not by welfare. Welfare dependency is the most pressing problem facing Beluzia's social security system, and it is “poison” for the unemployed. The answer to the welfare crisis is work, jobs, self-sufficiency, and family integrity; not a massive new extension of welfare; not a great new outpouring of guidance councillors that give poor advice. My message is not that government needed to crack down on abuse, but that recipients would be better off if government invested in jobs. I think welfare is demeaning and destructive of the human being and of his family. But instead of welfare, instead of the dole, instead of a handout, what we need is jobs jobs jobs. I do not blame the recipients, I blame the system. We need good paying jobs, the kind that lets a man say to his community, to his family, to his country, and most important to himself—‘I helped to build this country'. So is it not clear that there are some issues that we can work on? You don't want to give money, I want to give money, but you think I will do it through welfare. Yes, but not 100% of the time. Rather through infrastructure infrastructure infrastructure. Do you not support spending on infrastructure? Do you not think that that is the best way to create jobs? Conservatives like you always think that democratic socialists are just the stereotypical socialists that want to nationalise everything and do central planning when I'm the exact opposite. Market socialist, if you read clearly. If we ask people to get jobs, rather than depend on handouts all the time, how exactly does that stagnate growth? Furthermore, why don't we just do Universal Basic Income? A policy of universal, unconditional cash assistance (Universal Basic Income or UBI) would substantially alleviate extreme poverty, which has been on the rise during an era in which existing unconditional transfer policies have been scaled back and repurposed, while the labor market is proving less reliable as a source of support than it once was, especially for low-wage workers. Welfare as used in society currently has an underlying purpose. It is used to help those that otherwise, can not help themselves. We have capitalism as a primary form of support in society and we expect people who can work, should work to help themselves. But we understand some people can’t work, or can not be as effective as workers, such as the old, and the sick, or the young, who we want to go to school instead of working at a job. For the people that can’t work, or who are burdened by special conditions, we have used welfare as a form of social support. Welfare is used to help those that for one reason or another, can not help themselves. A Basic Income is different from this type of welfare. We can justify (and should) understand that a Basic Income is a fix to a fundamental flaw of capitalism — which is socially unfair and unjust levels of inequality. Capitalism creates inequality, not as a just reward for contributions, but as an unjust reward for being rich. The rich are rewarded for being rich, while the poor are punished for being poor. The rich get free income (a larger share of the GDP), not for what they contribute, but just because they are rich. The correct justification for a Basic Income is not to help those that can not help themselves, but as a fix to the system we use for those that CAN help themselves, but who are not given a fair reward for their contributions. Capitalism rewards wealth with free goods and services but there is no social value in allowing this to happen. We fix this by turning these free goods and services into a gift from capitalism to everyone — as a Basic Income. However, Basic Income would be much more than just a replacement welfare scheme! It would do much more than just help the poorest. It could provide a foundation upon which every citizen can build their lives. It could give us all more control over our lives and more freedom. It would give us each more flexibility, for example, to take time away from work to become better-educated or to take up training opportunities. It would give us each far greater opportunities to choose the career of our choice or to start up our own businesses. So if we are able to compromise on that, I would be happy. But considering how even when Dr Marceli resigned, you took it as an opportunity to attack our party rather than wishing Dr Marceli well on his future endeavours, as is typical political farewells, I don't think so. |
| Date | 06:02:07, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | I said it before and I’ll say it again. I will not compromise with a socialist/ communist. Same thing in my eyes. Inequality is not unfair, it’s nature. There will always be advantages and disadvantages in life, that’s how it works life is not fair. Lowering taxes and giving the most freedom to the individual to decide their own future is the best way to alleviate poverty and create growth. Do you know why? The hardworking will work and the lazy and uneducated will not. And who benefits? The lazy. All socialism or communism does is enable lazy and unmotivated behavior and create a culture of entitlement. This is natural selection. The strong survive, the weak die. Humans are animals after all, why should t be any different? |
| Date | 06:13:00, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | One more thing to add. Do not confuse what I said with me only wanting to help the rich. Quite the contrary actually, I hate big business because it can be just as corrupt as big government. I just think capitalism rewards hard work and efficiency. Communism and socialism reward anything. |
| Date | 06:13:04, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | It's quite denigrating to say that 'lazy' and uneducated people will not work. Tell me, do you think the countless thousands that sleep on the streets are uneducated and lazy? |
| Date | 06:22:45, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | One more thing to add. Do not confuse what I said with me only wanting to help the rich. Quite the contrary actually, I hate big business because it can be just as corrupt as big government. I just think capitalism rewards hard work and efficiency. Communism and socialism reward anything. |
| Date | 06:27:57, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | I understand the far-right as economically left in some areas, but conservative elsewhere. And I think it's perfectly fine. We can have our differences, but we can continue to coexist with one another. That's the beauty of democracy |
| Date | 06:29:18, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Under a free market capitalist economy with low taxes, which is what I would implement, yes. Self-discipline and hard work are key here. The government cannot and should not regulate everything. If you cannot discipline yourself and do not work hard, I’m sorry, but you are undeserving of any money from the government. |
| Date | 06:32:22, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Lastly, I will be potentially willing to compromise in other areas. Just not economics. This is something I stand very firm on. |
| Date | 06:33:14, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | I'm pro protectionism too, so that is something which we can commonly agree on and work together on. Tariffs on all nations that threaten our businesses by outsourcing jobs. I'm anti-big business, and we need stringent anti-trust laws. And I agree that hard work is the key, but then we will diverge |
| Date | 06:38:03, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | We understand that paleoconservatism is not likely to change its economics stance, but we are looking forward to seeing what areas of society you are willing to compromise on |
| Date | 18:23:51, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Archiving |
| Date | 18:38:48, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Liberty Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Liberty will maintain an open door to all political parties to discuss the issues of the day as necessary however we are looking to make common cause, and go in to government, with more free-market political entities. Despite the name change and promises of a new direction Liberty are not convinced that the former KWRF are that party. We are willing to revise this position should the UBWP demonstrate a clear dedication to small government mercantilism in the future. |
| Date | 19:12:35, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Center party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | What are we voting for? All the ideas or?? |
| Date | 19:20:34, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Unsubmissive Beluzian Workers Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Just to archive the bill. Not the ideas |
| Date | 21:12:03, September 16, 2018 CET | From | Confederal Freedom Party | To | Debating the RP: Professor Zdzisław Marceli, General Secretary of the KWRF, announces sweeping changes to the party and his retirement from politics |
| Message | Sorry for sounding aggressive earlier, but yes, I think the NCP can agree with the UBWP on protectionism and small government if you’re committed to that as well. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 158 | ||||
| no |
Total Seats: 32 | ||||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 310 |
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