Difference between revisions 43223848 and 43231356 on enwiki

{{Colombia conflict}}
The '''Socio-economic structure''' of the [[Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia|FARC-EP]] refers to the FARC's social structure and economic activities. The FARC is mostly a military organization, but generally these aspects are considered to be of importance by analysts. There are lot non-military policies and activities involved, having been implemented throughout the FARC's four decades of history.

==Background==
(contracted; show full)l as by their enemies (such as the Colombian government and the [[CIA]]). The resulting reactions were based on their favorable and unfavorable perceptions of the FARC's policies. Some observers believe in wanting to support the FARC's structure and some want to destroy it. The socio-economic structure built by the FARC serves as a sort of model for the future socialist state they wish to establish, additionally allowing them to continue to build their own strength and support base.

==Political 
Ddoctrine==
The political doctrine of the FARC-EP is based on [[Marxism-Leninism]], Cuban and Guevarean influence, Bolivarian ideology and Christian Liberation theology. The FARC's political doctrine covers every fact relating to their society as result of the mixture of the above philosophies, illustrating the perspectives of the political and socio-economic model of their future socialist state.

(contracted; show full)

===Marxism and Leninism===
In February 1848, Communists of various nationalities under the leadership of [[Karl Marx]] and [[Friedrich Engels]] assembled in London and sketched the "[[Manifesto of the Communist Party]]", which was later published in English, French, German, Italian, Flemish and Danish.

The preface of the book begins like this: "A spect
ere is haunting Europe - the spectere of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectere: Pope and Tsar, Metternich and Guizot, French Radicals and German police-spies". From a Communist perspective, the reality of this statement is similarly applicable into the situation of Latin America today, as considered by the FARC. In other words, "a spectere of Communism is haunting Latin America and the United States is allied with the capitalist and imperialist powers to exorcise this spectere". In recent years, the FARC and its support have related this to the former president of the United States [[George H. W. Bush]], who once said that "the imperialist, aggressive communism is dead, and there are no chances for its revival, in my view", at a media conference held soon after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The FARC has openly sought to put in practice Communist theory from 1964 onward. One person believed responsible for this practice was [[Jacobo Arenas]], and he taught his fellow revolutionaries quoting the books such as [[Das Kapital]], [[Development of Capitalism in Russia]] and [[Guerrilla Warefare]], written by [[Karl Marx]] / [[Friedrich Engels]], [[V.I. Lenin]] and [[Che Guevara]] respectively. Many writings of Jacobo Arenas are about the adaptation of Communism into the Colombian socio-economic reality. In particular, the status given to women in the FARC's doctrine is considered to be a significant starting point, stating that men and women can assume the same roles in the guerrilla organization, in spite of some differences due to their biological structure. In the FARC's ideal of a future socialist state, women would participate in production while continuing to fulfill their duties as mothers, quoting the writings of Marx and Lenin regarding "women's liberation".

Jacobo Arenas is thought to have loved what he referred to as the "peasant culture" in China, appreciating the role of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). He believed that the PLA were supporting their people's work, just as he considered that the guerrillas in Marquetalia were doing the same. He taught FARC cadres to have solidarity with China in the future, for the future benefit of Colombia. He also stated that everybody in FARC should keep in mind that the workers in the Chinese manufacturing field were capable of producing from "the needle to the aircraft", as a displaymenting of their commitment to work for the benefit of their own country. Arenas further taught his cadres that the foundations for a manufacturing culture in China were established by Mao Zedong, and that one day they would be the leaders in the field, by supplying anything required in the world. The idea of having solidarity with China as a way of giving more benefits to a future state is also considered to have been supported by two famous people's thoughts about China. Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France, once stated that "China is like a sleeping giant, one day the will giant get up, and he will terrorize the whole world". Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of the United Kingodom later said that "China will be the next superpower".

One of the most significant activities put into practice by the FARC is their analysis of the failures and benefits of every Marxist theory, adapted to the diverse revolutionary states and movements around the world. The clandestine political bases of the FARC within rural villages and urban municipalities study these aspects deeply. Sometime in the future, it is thought that the FARC and their political bases will seize power in Colombia. After this, the FARC's political cadres and workers will be to carry out different tasks regarding nationwide socio-economic development. They also consider that they will then take into consideration the significant participation of women in the processes of production and agriculture in the [[Republic of China]].

===Anthropology===
An important subject that Jacobo Arenas taught to the FARC cadres was Anthropology, which intended to give them a suitable attitude for the "future socialist state of Colombia and the Communist world, which Karl Marx described is not a dream, it will become true one day". Anthropology was taught in lower to roughly equivalent to college level grades in FARC schools in different forms. Most of the guerrillas study in lower level grades which taught this subject in a summarized form, but in the higher grades the teachings are very in depth.

This subject has been historically taught in U.S.A. and U.K universities, sometimes divided into four fields, such as physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology and archaeology. Jacobo Arenas intended to combine all the fields of study and also apply Marxist dialectical theory to it. Arenas also added to the FARC's anthropology courses an additional emphasis on the study of Colombian indigenous communities of the Caucasus department (some of them partially related to the Inca civilization, whose northernmost limit was near the southwest of Colombia). Marquetalia, where Arenas was involved in what was termed a "Project of Socialism", was located around the Tolima department, close to parts of Cauca. It is believe that his thoughts on the matter still echoe within the FARC, and thus a number of its members would still believe that socialism is not a dream but will be future of mankind. This belief is thought to give them more strength to continue their life as a Marxist revolutionary in remote Andean jungles and valleys.

The study of anthropology, as Arenas taught, started with the study of civilizations. Karl Marx "believed that the beginning of the civilization was the beginning of the oppression", by analiyzing early communist societies. Significant early civilizations include the Maya and Inca in America, in addition to others in Africa and the Middle-east such as the Mesopotamian and Babylonian civilization, as well as Europe's Western civilization from Athens (Greece), the Asia Indus Valley and China Howangho civilizations. Jacobo Arenas found an easy way to meet the goals of his study by analyzing the Incan civilisation because of its famous archaeological site Machu Pichu in the Andean mountains of Peru. The famous Inca leader Tupac Amaru, from a Marxist interpretation, is thought to have showed the way to fight against oppression. Modern Latin American society has acquired massive influences from the Athens based Western civilization, but increasingly minoritary segments of the Latin America population still have strong indigenous roots dating to the archaeological heritage of the Inca and Maya civilization(contracted; show full)uerilla Warfare, Message to the Tri-continental and the Bolivian Diary were closely studied and appreciated by Colombian guerillas and are usually still kept as handbooks. Photos or images of [[Che Guevara]], as well as political propaganda slogans such as "Che, the hero of Latin America", are prominent among FARC ideological teaching schools and media offices inside and outside Colombia, sometimes to a greater extent than those of other Communist leaders and theoreticians.

===Bolivarianism and 
Lliberation Ttheology===
[[Simón Bolívar]] was born in Caracas, Venezuela and is considered as a South American revolutionary leader, credited with leading the fight for independence in what are now the nations of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Bolivia. He is often revered as a hero in these countries and is usually respected throughout much of the rest of Latin America. In [[1812]] Bolívar wrote his famous [[Cartagena Manifesto]], whose interpretation has served as one of the inspirations for the FARC&#x(contracted; show full)ch was killed by troops of the U.S. trained [[Atla Catle]] battalion while conducting a mass on March 24, 1980. In 1997, he was assigned sainthood by Pope John Paul II, bestowing upon him the title of "Servant of God". Outside of Catholicism, Romero also is honored by other religious denominations, like the Church of England through its Common Worship. Romero has also been considered as a spiritual patron of Latin America and of [[Liberation Theology|liberation theology]].

=="People's 
Eeducation"==
The concept of "people's education´" was significant to the FARC even before the 1964 attack on Marquetalia. Traditionally, proper education has been limited to higher income classes in Latin America, as well as in Colombia, due to the historical absence of possibilities for free education. Illiterate peasant communities have historically existed throughout Colombia and the region. The FARC believe that human beings have the rightto be educated, as education serves as the bri(contracted; show full)rade Area (FTA) is used to show how the United States seeks to indirectly gain their wealth. The FARC further teach that this has happened in Latin America for decades, and that countries like Cuba and Venezuela have later learned how to stand on their own feet to give more benefit to their people. As a result of these teachings, the Colombian people must learn to realize that poverty has infiltrated their lives since decades, generation after generation, due to economic exploitation.

===Politics and the 
Sstate's Ppower===
Politics and the state's power is a subject taught by the FARC to its students starting from the current political situation of the country. It begins by analyzing the slogans used by political movements within their campaigns before coming to power. Later, the gap between their slogans and the promises implemented after gaining power is highlight with contemporary examples. The FARC teaches that the present politicians only introduce temporary solutions which make the situation worse by not ac(contracted; show full)cio-economic policies implemented by present politicians are analyzed, finding that present and future benefits for the imperialists. The FARC's teachers pose questions to students, such as why do financial budgets have to be balance according to the conditions demanded by foreign aid organizations, and why do politicians surrender to the socio-economic changes proposed by supranational organizations, such as the [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]] and the [[World Bank Group|World Bank]].

===Further 
Eeducation===
After a series of formal educational programs are taught, the FARC changes the style of its educational system, focusing on discussion and not on standard teaching. "People's committees" are organized and gathered frequently to discuss present matters. If the committee decides that the solution to a particular matter can be provided by a military revolutionary action, a plan to be carried out is suggested and implemented. In several FARC influenced enclaves, farms and food crops are maintained by the "people's committees", and the benefits are shared among the committee members as well as among FARC fighters. The FARC encourages the inhabitants of these remote rural areas to work towards establishing smallscale manufacturing processes, giving them the necessary knowledge and technical advice. The goal of the FARC is to encourage their popular base towards building a manufacturing culture proportionally similar to that developed by the [[Republic of China]].  

In some areas under FARC control, some healthcare programs are organized to educate locals to develop and protect their own health. As for civil administration, it is taught through day to day examples and events. The judicial system, where possible, depends on the concept of revolutionary justice, where the necessary punishments, as judged by local guerrillas and the committees, are applied according to the different criminal acts. All these elements in the FARC's system of education seek to develop and sustain the image of the practical implemention of the FARC's model for a future socialist state.

==People's Eeconomy==
===Overview===
The base of the every economic system is production and depending on the different focuses it divided into two kinds that is focus of production is based on the requirement of the market and the requirement of the society. The production is based on the market we called it market economy and it is based on the needs of the society we called it socialist economy. The requirement of the market is depending on the amount of money which the people have and in the socialist economy they d(contracted; show full)ey introduced a policy to gain it's income for the benefit of the poor people in the country. The local capitalist are mostly involved in businesses which has no benefit for the country only for their prosperity such as investing their money in multi-national firms which takes the profit and it's most of the money flows outside the country. The FARC should consider all these things and will introduce a proper economic plan based on the policies which gave the benefit for the country.

===Initial 
Sstage of Ssocialist Eeconomy===
The economy based on the requirements of the human. The top priority is given to the food, clothing and shelter. The leftists guerrillas in Colombia has got the experience about the small economies inside their rural enclaves. They first do the infrastructure development for the cultivation of domestic products such as some kind of grains. Then after getting the crop they stored it and distribute among the people under their control areas accordingly and they keep some stock another safety place for use it in the future disasters. The manufacturing of clothing has some difficulties then they bought some large stock from a cheaper place for distribution among the people for their daily needs and some quantity of good quality clothing for use of ceremonies for the people is also distributed. The making of shelter is more difficult than clothing and they participated with the people for the building of shelter. This small kind of economic system would gain some income and the people's support to the FARC.

The rural economy and the economy based on domestic consumption is quite different. The humans requirements are expanding and they need money for the education of the children, health, transportation, entertainment etc. The people living in these enclaves also find the ways to earn more money to fulfill the above requirements. The rebels has to involved in small manufacturing industries and cultivating of the plants which has high market value. In 1980's after paramilitary threat increased and their main business of drugs provoke and encourage the people in these enclaves to cultivate [[coca]], the plant with a very high market value because it used to extract the [[cocaine]] (the most expensive drug in the world today).

There is another area which the people are involved in, that is the supplying of things to the FARC such as food and equipment needed them. The people who are living inside their control areas also encourage to supply things regularly to the FARC and they paying money to the people. The vocational training also provided by them to manufacture the things and some of the things relating to military are manufacturing secretly under the supervision of the guerrillas.

It has long been believed by the United States and the Colombian government that the FARC's main source of income is that of coca plant cultivation and cocaine production. THhe [[CIA]] believes that reducing coca farming and eliminating cocaine production will have strong economic repercussions for the FARC . Towards this end, the [[Plan Colombia]] has been organised.

===Future plans===
Colombia is a country which has valuable natural resources such as petroleum, natural gas and coal, which at present are controlled by American and Colombian corporations. The FARC, [[National Liberation Army (Colombia)|ELN]], and similar organisations are in opposition to the foreign ownership of resources and wish to expropriate them in order to finance their own efforts and build their infrastructure further. There were several attacks carried out by the ELN to destroy the petroleum pipe line (Trans Andean) which runs through the north-eastern part of the Colombia and the United States aided and trained special army unit is operating in this area to protect it. The Colombian government has claimed that in the future it will use the revenue from these natural resources for the development of rural infrastructure, education and healthcare although they have yet to follow through with this proclamation; a majority of the population still lives in poverty with a declining standard of life. Although the countryside is well suited for agricultural purposes the land for the most part is not cultivated due to underlying circumstances; civil war, government intervention, and the large amount of coca farming by left and right-wing militias, and crime syndicates towards the end of cocaine production all being contributing factors. There has been a push in recent times by the government to build a strong agricultural sector but this has been hindered by both the ongoing civil war and the government's failure to control much of it's claimed territory.

In recent times the FARC has been known to expropriate land owned by both foreign corporations, government agencies and Colombian civilians to further it's military, economic, and political agendas and there is no foreseeable end to this in the future. It is likely that they will continue expropriating land for various purposes so as to further their war.

(contracted; show full)
*''War in Colombia: Made in U.S.A.'', edited by Rebeca Toledo, Teresa Gutierrez, Sara Flounders and Andy McInerney, ISBN 0965691691, 2003
*''The Profits of Extermination: How U.S. Corporate Power is Destroying Colombia'', Aviva Chomsky and Francisco Ramírez Cuellar, Common Courage Press, ISBN 1567513220, 2005

[[Category:Communism]]
[[Category:Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia]]