Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Socialist Party blames Zambia poverty on capitalism

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Socialist Party interim General Secretary Cosmas Dr Musumali
Socialist Party interim General Secretary Cosmas Dr Musumali

Socialist Forum Ghana recently organized a Public Lecture on Zambia to solidarise with the people of Zambia.

The lecture was delivered by Dr Cosmos Musumali, General Secretary of the Socialist Forum of Zambia (SFZ) on the topic ‘Socialism and the reality in Zambia.’

Dr Musumali brought up the many issues that troubled Zambia and its people over the past years.

He stated for instance that the Zambia was currently in a capitalist rule and suffering with high levels of poverty.

Dr Musumali added that there were massive gaps within the classes of people in Zambia with many of its government officials having anti-socialism values.

“And with most of the political parties in the country having a capitalist mind-set, the future of Zambia is very much in doubt,” he added.

Dr Musumali noted that the SFZ had compiled various inconsistencies and issues facing the country as well as recommendations to revamp the economy and presented it to government officials but were yet to see any action.

He stated that foreign organisations had made reference to the declining state of the country but government officials were yet to respond to those issues.

Dr Musumali disclosed that citizens with degrees and masters were unable to secure jobs and due to government policies, companies hire and dismiss workers without following the labour laws of the country.

“Businessmen and consultants are titles being used to describe the unemployed to spur them to become entrepreneurs as they are unable to secure jobs,” he added.

Dr Musumali describing the worsening state of Zambia noted that capitalism was a major factor to the declining state of his country and prayed for international aid to pressure Zambia’s government to care and provide for its citizens.

He expressed his dismay at how more than 70 per cent of the population was engaged in agriculture yet the sector contributed only four per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that, the Zambian government being the largest buyer of agricultural produce, would buy from the farmers at low prices and sell to foreign countries at a higher cost.

Dr Musumali called on African country leaders to plead with the leaders in Zambia to consider the future of Zambia and its people before taking decisions.

The lecture was part of the SFGs ‘Wednesday Palava’ programme and was attended by members of SFG and a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP) Jonis Ghedi Alasow and Andeli Zeto of the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa.

14 COMMENTS

    • Capitalism isn’t the cause of poverty, it’s the ignorant and greedy leadership that has.
      Just because you suck at capitalism doesn’t mean it’s bad, yes capitalism is not perfect but it’s better than socialism. Socialism was tried in KK’s time and it failed.

  1. Even the World’s second largest economy, China was wallowing in poverty under Mao Zedong with its communism a brand of socialism until Deng came on the scene and adopted a mixed economy. For example Deng did not sell the SOEs (State Owned Enterprises) but allowed them to compete with newly formed private enterprises which made them competitive. He is supposed to have said he does not mind the colour of the cat whether black (communism) or white (capitalism) so long as it catches mice. But here the SOEs were sold cheaply so that the arrangers of the sales, (the Chitalus and HHs) could buy them back cheaply.

    • Senior Engineer RTD

      How I wish there was a provision to like your comment a billion times.Hypocrisy of these ‘socislists’ is baffling to say the least.

  2. Capitalism is just a system it is the integrity of the people managing it that underscore its success. We tried socialism, Kaunda squandered all the money the British had handed over about £1bn and left a debt of $7bn. In 1991 we went back to capitalism and in the process we got debt relief of the $7bn and an opportunity to develop. But instead we are in more debts the ever before of $20bn.

  3. Does anyone remember how the mines were going to ‘bring jobs’ while automating at the same time?

    All this, so they wouldn’t have to pay taxes, and the Zambian people could be burdoned with debt.

  4. Here is the explanation of ISMS at the village man’s level:-
    SOCIALISM – You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your lazy neighbour.
    COMMUNISM – You have two cows. The government takes both, milks them and gives you some milk
    FASCISM – You have two cows. The government takes both milks them and sells the milk
    CAPITALISM – You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.
    CAPITALISM creates more wealth but it requires some regulation to spread opportunity and reduce blatant exploitation.

  5. Don’t just parrot things because you learnt it in civics and all the movies you watch are from capitalist countries. Capitalism IS the cause of our poverty,there is no doubt about that. China embraces both capitalist and communist strategies and thats why they are prospering.even America is not totally capitalist. People get welfare from the government,government provides housing for the poor..so lets not try to impress our colonizers that we are good students of their capitalism even as we wallow in poverty.We need to find something that will suit us and work with it.

  6. In the real world, there is no such thing has pure capitalism and pure communism. All economies in the world are hybrids.

  7. Capitalism generates wealth but only for the select few who take risks.
    Communism seeks to destroy capitalism and replace it with a system of state owned enterprises which have failed in the past (e.g under UNIP). Communism how ever has improved the lives of the many.
    Socialism on the other hand understands the importance of capitalism but seeks to control and tax it for the benefit of the poor.

  8. “Businessmen and Consultants are titles being used to describe the unemployed to spur them to become entrepreneurs as they are unable to secure jobs.” lol

    Dr Musumali,thats the spirit behind capitalism.Capitalist America evolved from demeaning British work titles such as Cleaner, Garden boy etc to Sanitary officer,Landscaper etc respectively.This was done to motivate and appreciate workers at all levels of production.

    Coming to Socialism,this is a proven failed project.China and Russia experimented with it and we all know what kind of economic models are currently functional in their respective economies.We all know the story of Cuba.Now Dr. Musumali,can you mention one country in the world where Socialism is delivering econonic miracles?
    Capitalism in itself is not bad but its…

    • Capitalism in itself is not bad but its excesses such as greed.It is for this reason we have governments to ensure social re-distribution of wealth through taxation and other means.

  9. No human system is perfect! In fact the best evil between Socialism and capitalism is Capitalism!
    Socialism breeds laziness while capitalism breeds innovation! We have been through Socialism under UNIP and we saw what happened! We should not be taken back! Chiluba introduced Capitalism and for the first time, Zambians became self-reliant! This thing of always waiting for Boma to do everything is a thing of the past! It’s not government’s job to create jobs!

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