Turkish bosses boost fascists
Socialist Press1977 1977-08-17Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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The new right wing National Front coalition government in Turkey led by Justice Party leader Suleyman Demirel has achieved a vote of confidence in Parliament.
This clearly marks a decision by the Turkish capitalist class that their economic plight is so desperate (with a 35% currency devaluation to come that they are now determined to bolster up the fascist forces that are Demirel's stable-mates in the coalition.
The capitalists feel unable now to rely as before on the loyal efforts of the union leaders to control and divert the working class at a time when yet another series of attacks on living standards is about to be unleashed.
GENERAL STRIKE
Rather they must attempt to smash the unions. Even the most right wing union bureaucrats have now recognised this harsh reality.
This is what has pressed the leaders of the right wing confederation Turk-is to call for a general strike against the NF coalition government-in a desperate bid by the bureaucracy for self-preservation.
Talks are now planned on this call between Turk-is and the 'left' union confederation, DISK.
Central on the agenda of these bureaucrats will be the problem of keeping such a strike under control, within the bounds of bourgeois democracy.
DEFENCE SQU They will certainly set out to limit the strike to a one-day or two-day • token protest-which will do nothing to politically strengthen the working class, and encourage further fascist attacks.
The call must be for working class organisations and workers' parties to break all links with the bourgeois parties and to mobilise an all-out general strike to bring down the Demirel coalition. To protect against fascist attacks, workers defence squads must be formed.