CAPITALISM HAS FOR CENTURIES FAILED OUR PEOPLE
Socialism is about a better life for all our people anchored on equity, solidarity, humility and honesty. And socialism has shown how poor nations can get out of poverty in the shortages historical times. Look at the achievements of Cuba – a country fought and blockaded for over 63 years. Without the minerals Zambia has, Cuba in 2020 had a GDP of around 107.35 billion U.S. dollars. GDP is an important indicator of a country’s economic power.
GDP in Zambia was expected to reach 24.00 USD Billion by the end of 2021. In the long-term, the Zambia GDP which has been pursuing unbridled neoliberal capitalist policies for more than 30 years is projected to trend around 27.00 USD Billion in 2023, according to some econometric models.
India’s socialist state of Kerale is leading in many economic and social indicators and scientific achievements. Whatever their attempts to credit China’s achievements to capitalism, that is a great socialist state pursuing socialism with Chinese characteristics. And this what its leaders say. They attribute their economic successes to socialism. We also have the successes of Vietnam.
The ignorant attempt to smear socialism and socialists to hide their greed and corruption quest to become billionaires won’t do. No matter what they say or do socialism will one day triumph in our homeland. Capitalism has for centuries failed our people. Let them show us where capitalism has succeeded in Africa?
And more interesting is the fact that the most achievements scored in Zambia can be attributed to certain socialist inspired principles that were implemented in the country. The creation of free education, infrastructure development, creation of state-owned enterprises that employed many and some which still stand today are as a result of having a human face towards national economic development which in itself is socialism. Most leaders today who are a product of free education and other socially oriented programmes want to ridicule a system that moved them from poverty and then support imperialist policies that only benefit a few foreign interests.
Zambia definitely needs a citizen led economic development agenda which under a socialist government will be attained.
We want Zambians who can have genuine businesses and not these crooked dealers, tenderpreneurs calling themselves businessmen. Like China, Zambia will manage to free its people from poverty through socialism with Zambian characteristics. It’s socialism and only socialism that can guarantee us a better life and prosperity.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party