An initial response to Akbayan’s defense of its coalition politics

An initial response to Akbayan’s defense of its coalition politics

By Sonny Melencio, Chairman of Partido Lakas ng Masa

Akbayan's article in today's Philippine Daily Inquirer (p. A14) stresses the importance and need for coalition politics. Leaving aside the rather patronizing tone, the article is also revealing in what it doesn't say.

Akbayan is in a ‘coalition government’ with the ruling party, so this is clearly no ordinary coalition. This is a coalition with the ruling class in power and therefore has grave consequences for the progressive movement, the masa, and the entire nation.

The political character of the government

The question was also posed right from the beginning: What is Akbayan coalescing around? What is the political platform of this so-called coalition government? If you are in a coalition government, you should be clear on what is the reform agenda of this government.

Many of us in the Left believe that this is a government still wedded to a neoliberal economic program. Many of us believe that the government represents the interests of the elite. Does Akbayan agree with this, or not?

Pointedly, how does Akbayan assess the political character of the government? The article does not address this.

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The article also defends Akbayan's decision to transform itself from a party of 'protest' to a party of 'governance'. Leaving aside the counter position of ''protest' and 'governance', any political party worth its salt should aim to be in power – to be the government. The critical question is: Do you win government to work within and limit yourself to the existing system, or do you win government so that you can fundamentally transform the existing system?

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) believes that we should win government in order to fundamentally change the system.

Governance and power

We also understand that being in government (‘governance’) and being in power are different things. Power also resides outside government, such as corporate power and the economic and military power of imperialist nations, which use their might to intervene in governments in order to protect their vested interests.

The woeful inability of Akbayan to contest and hold back the neoliberal economic agenda of the current government is testimony to this. Akbayan might have some positions in government, but to imagine that this is the same as winning government or being in power is to fool oneself and your supporters. To defend its line by arguing that it's trying to influence the direction of government is farcical. The fact is that Akbayan is unable to influence the direction of government to the extent that it claims it can. Akbayan’s record under the PNoy presidency demonstrates this. You merely end up becoming co-opted in the system.

If you are using your positions in government for your own political purposes, such as access to resources to build your base, that's a different matter. But please don't claim that the aims are to influence and change government policy, and so on and so forth.

Some international examples

And we too study international events and examples. We believe that in Bolivia and Venezuela today, we have socialist parties and forces who have actually won government and are using this power to implement anti-neoliberal policies and change the system. This also includes mass mobilizations on a massive scale and people’s power participation in government. Here 'protest' and 'governance' are combined in a unified strategy and are not mutually exclusive.

On the other hand, we also have the experience of the PT in Brazil and the ANC in South Africa, in governments implementing essentially pro-market neoliberal policies. Or the European and Australian Green Parties, aptly dubbed "neoliberals on bicycles".

The problem is the system

This is also linked to an assessment of the nature of the economic and political system. Akbayan believes, according to the article, that the system has 'limitations'. On the other hand, we believe that the system itself is the fundamental problem. Hence, it cannot be reformed, and the system needs to be replaced so that meaningful and far-reaching changes can be implemented.

These debates are as old as the hills, certainly as old as Karl Marx onwards.

As for electoral reform, we urge Akbayan to support and campaign for the anti-dynasty bills, the anti-DAP and anti-pork bills, the freedom of information bills, the genuine agrarian reform bills which are now key electoral reforms ignored by the president and the ruling party. Where does Akbayan stand on these key questions?

On compromises

There are compromises and compromises. There should be a framework to base these compromises. Compromises that benefit and advance only the interest of a select few, such as Akbayan’s people in Cabinet and in government, are by no means principled.  One of the main and guiding principle in opening up compromises should be whether it advances the interests and the struggles of the masses in general. Otherwise one ends up compromised and becomes opportunistic.

We don’t need inane lectures on compromises in coalition politics. Right now we need accountability from Akbayan on its role and activities in government, not just a superficial defense of its ‘tactics’. There has been no such accountability from this government, let alone the Akbayan leaders who are now in Cabinet and in leading positions in government.

Akbayan also asks us to keep hoping. In whom? The President and Akbayan? For what? For a miracle that the government will fundamentally change its course and genuinely address the dire needs of the masses?

A pragmatic plea

Despite the article’s claim that this is not a politics of pragmatism but based on idealism, to ask us to continue to hope under this desperate socio-economic situation, sounds a pragmatic plea to continue supporting Akbayan’s coalition with this government.

The masses are losing hope and large numbers have already lost hope with this government. What is Akbayan trying to say? That we should ask the masses not to lose hope in this government? We cannot do that, when we think they are correct to do so. This line of asking the masses to keep their hopes with this government will contribute to the derailing of the mass struggle.

In fact, our responsibility is not to ask them to hope harder, but to develop a genuine alternative to this government of elite rule and neoliberal economics. This is the big challenge that the Left faces today.