ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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Nuclear War and the Third World

Nuclear War and the Third World James Petras THE line of antagonism between the US- USSR does not run through Berlin, Warsaw and Prague but through the Countryside of Guatemala, El Salvador, Angola and Cambodia, in the cities of South Africa, Brazil and the Philippines.

GENEVA SUMMIT- Talking Peace, Preparing War

January 25, 1986 industrialised world have used to obfuscate the real issues of arms race and put forward diversionary proposals. In the post-NPT period, the NWFZ concept is a complementary measure to the NPT, of utilising regional treaties to bring into the NPT regime those states that found the hegemonistic and discriminatory nature of NPT unacceptable. He cited several cases of violation of the Latin American NWFZ by the nuclear weapons powers. He contended that the arms control impact of the NWFZ agreement in the South Pacific is minimal- it might pressurise France to stop its nuclear weapons tests in the region. The fact that the zone excludes Guam

Why Latin America Cannot Support Further Austerity

Further Austerity James Petras RESISTANCE is growing among previously complaint Latin American regimes to the austerity programmes of the IMF, as the massive debt payments continually undermine economic development and recovery. In recent months the newly elected President of Peru has threatened to pull his country out of the IMF and has limited debt payments to ten per cent of export earnings. Brazil's newly elected President, Jose Sarney, has stated that "Brazil will not pay its foreign debt with recession, not with unemployment nor with hunger". Similar statements have come forth from a variety of other Latin leaders. While previous opposition was based largely among labour unions and leftist groups, today's critics include leaders and politicians who have followed IMF directives, complied with its stabilisation recipes and been celebrated as 'models' in dealing with the debt crises. It was precisely this outward compliance with the IMF and the creditor nations which has been heralded in the international business press as a success. The dark-side of the picture, the dimensions which are now pressing upon the current political spokespersons, however, is the profound economic and social costs of this creditor success story. To paraphrase a Brazilian general: the debt payments are going well, only the economy and the people are suffering. Compliance with the debt payments and IMF austerity programmes has had a disastrous effect on the economy and living standards, while the volume of debt mounts and the payments continue their upward spiral. Latin America's conservative and accommodating behaviour has not been matched by any reciprocal payoffs: the trade-off for austerity is more austerity ... and continuing stagnation. What makes the problems more acute today is the existence of political space in a growing number of countries, the establishment of democratic norms, which allow an increasing number of citizens to express their discontent.

Resurgent Democracy in Latin America-Rhetoric and Reality

Rhetoric and Reality Edward S Herman James Petras The Reagan administration's policy is operating on four tracks in Latin America.
In Central America where there is a mobilised population pressing for democracy and structural change, Washington has opted for the 'terror-with-demonstration elections' formula, attempting to destroy the social movements and then promote (and publicise) elections among local loyalists that will ratify the status quo.

Class and Political-Economic Development in the Mediterranean- An Overview

in the Mediterranean An Overview James Petras Profound changes in the nature of the productive system, class structure, and the state characterise Mediterranean development after World War II. An attempt is made in this paper to describe some of the salient features of class formation in this region and to provide a periodisation of the process of class conflicts. The author concludes with a brief discussion of the new political direction

Crises in US-European Relations

in the offing? As a matter of fact a number of hands are in the brew. The BJP has been quietly at work all this time, and may in fact be behind the recent ouster of Nibaron Bora from the Purcanchalia Loka Parishad of which he was the founder-President, though regionalism would not quite square with the BJP's ideal of a Hindu Rastra. Or, more likely, the long hand of and unlimited resources from cornucopia itself, allegedly made available to a former cabinet minister, very able and very unscrupulous, who is now back on the political scene after medical treatment abroad. At all events a new regional configuration appears to be on the way, maturcr and more professional than the earlier attempts, and incidentally more viable at the polls, if they do take place.

Reagan s Caribbean Basin Aid Programme-A Military Policy in Search of an Economic Rationale


Reagan's Caribbean Basin Aid Programme A Military Policy in Search of an Economic Rationale PRESIDENT Reagan's programme for economic development in what is now dubbed the Caribbean Basin is constructed on a set of assumptions that have little relation to historical or contemporary reality. The economic programme will neither contribute to develop the region nor reduce the level of political and social warfare. Basically, it not only fails to come to grips with the deep structural features that engender conflict, but its assumptions concerning the relationship between politics and development, the state and market are fundamentally flawed. Ultimately, the presentation of the economic package, while couched in the pragmatic language of concern for economic development is a rationale for greater military involvement The likely failure of the programme, the incapacity of the economic proposals put forth to deal with the major economic and social issues will establish the groundwork for straightforward military solutions. The failures will be attributed to subversion

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