p Comrades, there are many symptoms in Denmark that we are at the start of a new period in the battle against the system of monopoly capitalism, imperialism. The power pillars of the old society are shaking, and there is a growing desire among the people for vigorous action to bring about a change, On the other hand, this is a period of sharpening struggle requiring much more firmness, clarity, boldness and organisation.

p In Denmark, a link of the world imperialist system, we can plainly see that monopoly domination breeds instability, now much more widespread and more profound than during the post-war boom. Financial and trade crises, marketing and balance-of-payments difficulties, more unemployment—such are now the salient features of Denmark’s economic development. The causes should be sought both in the economic upheavals of the world imperialist system and in the higher profits monopoly capital in our own country extracts from its exploitation of social labour. The impact of state-monopoly capital can be seen in a sharp rise of taxes and levies, the credit squeeze, declining expenditure on the social services, and the wage freeze in a situation of inflation and soaring prices. As a result, real wages are declining, though production is increasing. All this comes as a telling blow to the myth that capitalist Denmark is a "welfare state" and, consequently, the class struggle, even energetic action by the workers, are now superfluous. These illusions are being dispelled also by the mounting discontent over the widening gap between the conditions of the working people and the opportunities technological progress offers for their improvement. Consequently, the sharpening of social struggles holds out the prospect of a far-reaching change in the attitude of the working class and working people generally towards the existing system.

p We know from our own experience that the marked change in mass thinking is due also to the aggressive manifestations of imperialism’s global strategy and the fight against them. This, of course, applies above all to US imperialism’s dirty war against the Vietnamese people, with all its savagery, calculated cynicism and obnoxious hysteria. Their heroic liberation war has won the Vietnamese the deep admiration and respect of the Danish people. This has found expression in the broad and active solidarity movement which pressured the Danish government into protesting against the American bombings of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. An important lesson to be drawn from the fight of the Vietnamese people is that determination to fight through to victory, plus international solidarity, can foil imperialism’s aggressive plans. The Vietnamese struggle has graphically demonstrated the magnitude of the menace mankind must ward off.

p That explains the heightened vigilance and stronger mass resistance to other 194 imperialist designs and manoeuvres aimed at preparing another war and hardening national oppression. That is evidenced by the reaction to the war danger in the Middle East resulting from the Israeli imperialist-supported aggression; to the fascist take-over in Greece; the military operations against African and Latin American countries and their continued oppression by imperialism. The same can be said in relation to many other conflicts. As a result, more and more people are coming to realise that the fight against imperialism and its leading force, US imperialism, is becoming a cardinal factor of social progress.

p In Denmark, this finds concrete expression in the country’s affiliation to NATO and its consequent subjection not only to US imperialism, but also to monopolist and militarist West Germany, the chief aggressive imperialist force in Europe. The arguments adduced 20 years ago to bring Denmark into NATO have long lost their influence on the people. New arguments and new “explanations” are being thought up to justify Denmark remaining in NATO. The people are being bullied by the claim that there is "no other alternative", and placated by the claim that NATO is a harmless "negotiating instrument". Meanwhile, NATO is pressuring Denmark to share in the arms drive and staging recurrent military exercises on its so-called Northern Flank. Similarly, the policy of military blocs is being shored up by a policy of economic blocs tied to the Common Market. This disregard of national interests and dutiful adherence to NATO is leading Denmark into a profound political crisis.

p The sharpening of all these economic, social and political conflicts is generating within the working class and the people an urge to influence the course of events. The restricted nature of bourgeois democracy is more widely seen. There is a growing demand for new democratic rights, particularly participation in the management of industry and in the administration of public affairs. This urge to compel the powers-that-be to reckon with the opinion of the working people is materialised in demonstrations, strikes, and other actions directed against those who control both the economic and ideological " production apparatus". But the latter have launched a counter-offensive to maintain their domination and privileges. The police and other components of the power structure are being strengthened and are employing more modern control and suppression techniques.. More coercive measures are being used, also hooligan elements, to fight the progressive forces.

p All this is proof of a sharpening class struggle, of which democratic action against imperialism and the monopolies is now the principal form. This has given rise to many Left trends, some of them distinguished by commendable courage, but still weak because of inadequate organisation and cohesion and inability to distinguish between major and minor issues—in short, lack of clear understanding of the content and purpose of the struggle, an understanding which can only be drawn from Marxism-Leninism.

p In this situation, the Communist Party of Denmark is working to bring together all the Left forces to combat the forces of reaction that safeguard the interests of monopoly capitalism, imperialism and its aggressive policy. The Party can accomplish this only if it acts as an independent educating and 195 organising force on the basis of Marxist-Leninist ideology, socialist internationalism and co.nmunist organisational principles. Our country has had more than its share of opportunist “stars”—they fell as quickly as they rose and only hampered the process of development.

p Our programme for uniting the Left forces envisages, in particular, neutrality, which would extricate Denmark from the system of imperialist blocs and enable it, by political means, actively to contribute to peace and international detente, the prevention of aggression, the peoples’ fight to break out of imperialist overlordship. The effort for a European security system based on the decisions of the 1967 Karlovy Vary Conference of European Communist Parties, which among other things provide for neutrality and the security of neutral states, is of very special significance for Denmark. A European collective security system would replace the present military alliances. Together with other North European Communist Parties, we are endeavouring to utilise every realistic opportunity to make the countries of our area independent of imperialist blocs. That would be a contribution to European security and universal peace.

p In home and economic policy, we propose a common action programme for all the Left forces as a counterweight to the policy of the bourgeois government. Its concrete and substantiated measures are directed against the monopolies, and their implementation would alter the alignment of class forces and undermine monopoly power. Furthermore, the Communists propose that these measures be carried out under the effective and active control of the working class and the people. Still another task is to extend the fight against monopoly counterattacks. This will help wider sections of the people to appreciate the need for transition to a new social system, socialism, and such transition will thus be placed on the order of the day.

The forces we want to unite and direct can make a decisive contribution to the anti-monopoly and anti-imperialist struggle.