In issue 216 of SC, Matilde Zimmerman, reporting from Managua, outlined the emergency measures taken the FSLN government deal the economic crisis. But it seems to me that she argues in a very unfortunate way.
She says that during the state of emergency 'various activities banned These various are price speculation and hoarding, the publication of false informatior designed panic, the sabotage of production illegal strikes and factory takeover occupations outside the framework of the agrarian reform This running 'various activities is quite imperby of the workers against the bou to to differentiate nature of these different actions Moreover, man's placing of are activities government itself against the against the workers. clultullil the FSLN may seems to me that we need more discussion about whether it is right to outlaw strikes and occupations of cent of enterprises in Nicaragua ar missible, since some refer to the sabotaging activities of sections of the bourgeoisie and others (strikes land occupations) refer to actions geoisie. Even if all these measure were correct, it would be necessary between the class capitalists in Matilde Zimmerthese things together seems to reflect the 'ever handed' approach of the FSLN • some actions capitalists, other:
The austerity measures taken by be correct, but i precisely We should remember that 75 pr still in the hands of private capital Eventually, create a workers' state and a socialist economy, these capitalists will have "The SLN measure. ex propriated. may well tend to dampen the sel! activity of the masses, and thei determination to take on the Many case nowhere in the ar ticles does Matilde Zimmerman ex plain, why these measures on strikes and occupations are necessary.
I also think that her argumen! that the Nicaraguan workers have never known anything but austerit argument in justification FSLN's austerity measures. It the every crook - that the people ar used to it and will understand Philip Jenkins BRIGHTON Socialist Challenge 22 October 1981 Page 11