ERBIL, Kurdistan Region, Iraq — Over 50 people attended a March 11 presentation by Steve Clark on The Low Point of Labor Resistance Is Behind Us: The Socialist Workers Party Looks Forward. Clark is editorial director of Pathfinder Press and a member of the SWP National Committee. He is an author of the new title, along with SWP National Secretary Jack Barnes and party leader Mary-Alice Waters. The event was part of a daily series of televised presentations and book signings at the Erbil International Book Fair.
Clark noted the importance of holding a book fair in Erbil, a city both in Kurdistan and Iraq. “The U.S. rulers have brought so much devastation to Iraq,” he said, pointing to the killings of hundreds of thousands due to Washington’s wars of 1990-91 and 2003 and the destruction still evident in Baghdad and other cities.
“The Kurdish struggle is an inspiration for toilers throughout the region and around the world,” he said. “Massive protests by working people of all nationalities across Iran were sparked by the death in police custody of Zhina Amini, a young Kurdish woman, last September.”
Pointing to the collapse the previous day of Silicon Valley Bank, Clark said the volatility of the banking system is part of the capitalist-caused crisis for working people the SWP is responding to. Employment levels have dropped over decades, while inflation surges. The unions have declined in strength. Life expectancy is at the lowest level in a quarter century, due to an epidemic of drug addiction, among other social ills.
“In face of these conditions, more workers are starting to say, ‘Enough!’ and organizing to use their unions to resist.” The Low Point of Labor Resistance Is Behind Us, he said, explains the SWP’s response to these new openings to build the unions and to present why the working class must fight for a labor party based on the unions and for a workers and farmers government.
“The U.S. rulers continue to assert their domination over Puerto Rico, which is the largest colony in the world today. The Kurdish people are the largest nation without a country, so you have something in common.”
“But they have a country right here. You’re in it!” the moderator interjected, referring to the Kurdistan Regional Government
“Yes, that’s a big advance. But the Kurdish nation still has no country of its own, neither here nor in Iran, Syria and Turkey,” Clark replied, to many nods of agreement in the audience.
After the presentation, visitors to the fair lined up to have Clark sign their newly purchased copies of the book.