Ecevit shows true IMF colours

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The 32.5% devaluation of the Turkish lira, coupled to a series of new anti-working class measures is further proof of the reactionary nature of Ecevit's bourgeois RPP government.

Ecevit is implementing to the letter the demands of the IMFjust as the previous National Front coalition attempted to do.

But instead of reliance on the brute force of the state and the fascists, Ecevit's policies rest on the collaboration of the Stalinist and reformist union bureaucracy.

These leaders • have been peddling the line that Ecevit must be supported as a "lesser evil'"the only alternative being fascism.

Now Ecevit has shown his hand with savage devaluation, price increases, cuts in state spending, wage freezing and talks with Greek prime minister Karamanlis which are designed to create conditions for resumed arms deals with the USA.

But still the Turkish labour bureaucracy continues its dedication to Ecevit. As a peace offering, the Stalinists in control of the Metal Workers Union have finally succeeded in forcing home the imposition of centralised pay The Stalinists have now accepted precisely the proposals made by the employers' federation MESS that they rejected in December.

This following points:

*All collective agreements will end on 1 September 1979. [This means some factories will have no review for 3-4 years).

*No. payment to strikers for the strike period.

*Reduction in working hours to 46,5 over two years.

*No increase in redundancy money.

*No reinstatement of workers sacked for striking against state security courts.

*Fringe benefits to be introduced according to the employers proposals.

The Stalinists, who did nothing during the strike to mobilise other sections in support of the 11,000 actually on strike in 42 plants, are now dressing up this betrayal as a "victory"

But there is no doubt it will greatly strengthen Ecevit in his determination to press full ahead with further attacks on the Turkish working class. To resist these attacks political independence is essential.

The crucial fight is to break the Stalinist and reformist parties and trade unions from their alliance with Ecevit, and force them to fight for the formation of a workers and farmers government.

In the course of such a fight workers can learn in practice the need for revolutionary leadership based on the Trotskyist gramme.

Historic crisis

The resurgence of her power today starkly demonstrates the monstrous historie crisis of working class leadership.

The Stalinists offer only different varieties of the universal species of Popular Front and class collaboration with the bourgeois leaders of the Janata or the Congress.

Although the struggles of the Indian masses are entering a new phase, the central and vital task remains the building of a Trotskyist party within a reconstructed Fourth International, that can consistently direct these efforts toward the socialist revolution.

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The Vorster government won't be moved by protest made in struggle over the last at the same time to head off