"National Question" 31 Fisking Ken Douglas
Ken Douglas on Marxism and Maoridom
The '90s Maori radicals, received much of their inspiration, training and money from the Marxist-Leninist controlled trade unions.
In 1995, the Council of Trade Unions passed a remit proposed by the Socialist Unity Party/Sociast Party of Aotearoa controlled National Distribution Union, calling for the CTU to identify with the struggle for Maori rights and sovereignty.
According to "Socialist Worker", October, 1995 Ken Douglas, then President of the CTU, stated that the CTU "strongly identifies" with and supports Maori Sovereignty, the developing Maori economy, the Treaty of Waitangi process, and greater support for Maori in union negotiating processes.
It is important to remember that despite his semi-respectable image, Ken Douglas was at the time still NZ's leading Marxist-Leninist.
Douglas' influence both open and hidden was and still is, immense.
Douglas joined the Communist movement in 1960, fresh from working in the Party led, "No Maoris No Tour" campaign.
Douglas trained extensively in Moscow and for many years was practically a permanent fixture at the Soviet embassy in Wellington. He still maintains a network of socialist and trade union contacts that spans the world.
A "true believer" socialist, and great admirer of late East German leader Erich Honecker, Douglas remains to this day, a totally committed revolutionary.
His opinions on Maori issues can therefore be safely assumed to reflect Marxist-Leninist policy.
In her 1995 book "Maori Sovereignty; the Pakeha Perspective" author Carol Archie included a lengthy and revealing interview with Ken Douglas.
Below I quote passages from her article and then attempt to interpret Douglas' Marxisms into plain language.
"Philosophically, the socialists empathised with the Maori concept of social ownership of the land and the idea that tribal societies saw preservation of the land as their heritage and future. Ken Douglas says that is why socialists and progressive labour people identify with the need to protect Maori land interests and to right the wrongs of the process of colonisation."
To me this is confirmation of my thesis that New Zealand socialists have attempted to exploit so-called "Maori Communism" in forging a Maori/Marxist alliance.
The socialists have exploited and embittered Maori grievances, real or imaginary at every opportunity for 60 years. Do they care more about Maoris, or more about revolution?
"Marxism encourages Ken to to analyse in a scientific way what he calls the dialectics of historical materialism, the issues of Maori exploitation and the circumstances that Maori now find themselves in... He says the debate around the economic and sovereign rights of the Maori is much sharper in 1995 than in what it was in 1960 because of that historical process.
Another example he gives is how the the "No Maoris No Tour" campaign in 1960 was a significant lead-up to the Springbok Tour protests in 1981 'So it's like a spiral of time. The issues go around, they almost come back to the same point, but they are further ahead and more people are aware of them'."
This shows just how deeply Douglas is enslaved by Marxist thinking. To me this statement means that socialists have campaigned on racial issues, gradually "brainwashing" public opinion into accepting the Marxist viewpoint. To Douglas this is the natural unfolding of history.
"Indigenous peoples rights are an internationalist issue for Ken. He says as a unionist he cannot view Maori rights in an exclusive way because the concepts of working class solidarity spread past national boundaries. On behalf of the CTU he is a member of several Asian and Pacific trade union bodies which recognise indigenous peoples rights.
One of them, the South Pacific Oceanic Council of Trade Unions, even offers support for indigenous independence movements. In New Calendonia, where the Kanak struggle became quite vicious, there were union initiatives to support the Kanaks to try and disrupt the supply of arms to French colonial forces there. Involvement in the independence movement of another country raises the question of what you are doing about the independence of the indigenous people in your own country."
This supports my thesis that "National Question" activity is international in scope and that trade unions are the major transmission belt of Marxist direction and aid to indigenous peoples movements.
Douglas did plenty to help the "indigenous peoples movements" in this country. I wonder if Douglas would have supported the blocking of supplies to the New Zealand army if it were ever engaged in combat against "indigenous" forces?
"Within it's own structure the CTU has a national runanga which provides two Maori members for the 15 member national executive. Ken also says the CTU has built a relationship with the National Maori Congress to co-operate on such issues as Maori unemployment and to press politicians for an independent Maori economy".
The Maori National Congress was a socialist influenced body directly affiliated to the CTU. It purported to be the national voice of Maoridom and strove for the "independent Maori economy" so long sought by the Marxist-Leninists.
The unions were and are the "transmission belt" of communist ideas from the party to the people.
The '90s Maori radicals, received much of their inspiration, training and money from the Marxist-Leninist controlled trade unions.
In 1995, the Council of Trade Unions passed a remit proposed by the Socialist Unity Party/Sociast Party of Aotearoa controlled National Distribution Union, calling for the CTU to identify with the struggle for Maori rights and sovereignty.
According to "Socialist Worker", October, 1995 Ken Douglas, then President of the CTU, stated that the CTU "strongly identifies" with and supports Maori Sovereignty, the developing Maori economy, the Treaty of Waitangi process, and greater support for Maori in union negotiating processes.
It is important to remember that despite his semi-respectable image, Ken Douglas was at the time still NZ's leading Marxist-Leninist.
Douglas' influence both open and hidden was and still is, immense.
Douglas joined the Communist movement in 1960, fresh from working in the Party led, "No Maoris No Tour" campaign.
Douglas trained extensively in Moscow and for many years was practically a permanent fixture at the Soviet embassy in Wellington. He still maintains a network of socialist and trade union contacts that spans the world.
A "true believer" socialist, and great admirer of late East German leader Erich Honecker, Douglas remains to this day, a totally committed revolutionary.
His opinions on Maori issues can therefore be safely assumed to reflect Marxist-Leninist policy.
In her 1995 book "Maori Sovereignty; the Pakeha Perspective" author Carol Archie included a lengthy and revealing interview with Ken Douglas.
Below I quote passages from her article and then attempt to interpret Douglas' Marxisms into plain language.
"Philosophically, the socialists empathised with the Maori concept of social ownership of the land and the idea that tribal societies saw preservation of the land as their heritage and future. Ken Douglas says that is why socialists and progressive labour people identify with the need to protect Maori land interests and to right the wrongs of the process of colonisation."
To me this is confirmation of my thesis that New Zealand socialists have attempted to exploit so-called "Maori Communism" in forging a Maori/Marxist alliance.
The socialists have exploited and embittered Maori grievances, real or imaginary at every opportunity for 60 years. Do they care more about Maoris, or more about revolution?
"Marxism encourages Ken to to analyse in a scientific way what he calls the dialectics of historical materialism, the issues of Maori exploitation and the circumstances that Maori now find themselves in... He says the debate around the economic and sovereign rights of the Maori is much sharper in 1995 than in what it was in 1960 because of that historical process.
Another example he gives is how the the "No Maoris No Tour" campaign in 1960 was a significant lead-up to the Springbok Tour protests in 1981 'So it's like a spiral of time. The issues go around, they almost come back to the same point, but they are further ahead and more people are aware of them'."
This shows just how deeply Douglas is enslaved by Marxist thinking. To me this statement means that socialists have campaigned on racial issues, gradually "brainwashing" public opinion into accepting the Marxist viewpoint. To Douglas this is the natural unfolding of history.
"Indigenous peoples rights are an internationalist issue for Ken. He says as a unionist he cannot view Maori rights in an exclusive way because the concepts of working class solidarity spread past national boundaries. On behalf of the CTU he is a member of several Asian and Pacific trade union bodies which recognise indigenous peoples rights.
One of them, the South Pacific Oceanic Council of Trade Unions, even offers support for indigenous independence movements. In New Calendonia, where the Kanak struggle became quite vicious, there were union initiatives to support the Kanaks to try and disrupt the supply of arms to French colonial forces there. Involvement in the independence movement of another country raises the question of what you are doing about the independence of the indigenous people in your own country."
This supports my thesis that "National Question" activity is international in scope and that trade unions are the major transmission belt of Marxist direction and aid to indigenous peoples movements.
Douglas did plenty to help the "indigenous peoples movements" in this country. I wonder if Douglas would have supported the blocking of supplies to the New Zealand army if it were ever engaged in combat against "indigenous" forces?
"Within it's own structure the CTU has a national runanga which provides two Maori members for the 15 member national executive. Ken also says the CTU has built a relationship with the National Maori Congress to co-operate on such issues as Maori unemployment and to press politicians for an independent Maori economy".
The Maori National Congress was a socialist influenced body directly affiliated to the CTU. It purported to be the national voice of Maoridom and strove for the "independent Maori economy" so long sought by the Marxist-Leninists.
The unions were and are the "transmission belt" of communist ideas from the party to the people.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
9/24/2007 09:30:00 PM
3 Comments:
"Douglas has moved to the right over the last two decades and sits on Air New Zealand and New Zealand Post Boards. He is also chairperson of Positively Wellington Business.
Douglas has come under increasing criticism from the New Zealand trade union movement for refusing to use his position on Air New Zealand's Board of Directors to stop the airline from cutting the pay and conditions of its workers under threat of outsourcing."
Thats from Wiki. Hardly fits with "Douglas remains to this day, a totally committed revolutionary." does it, Trev?
Oh Trev, it's widely known that Douglas is a has-been with his snout in the corporate trough. You're a bit behind the times mate, but then you wouldn't let a little thing like facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory would you?
And a piece of advice from me to you: put your tinfoil hat back on mate, I can read your thoughts.
Asher and Tane-will answer you both in a future post.
Cheers
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