p The imperialists did their utmost to perpetuate their rule in the colonies and dependencies and chain them to their own economic and political system. They nipped in the bud any attempt of the oppressed peoples to develop their national economy, industry in particular.

p Imperialism retarded the development of Asian, African and Latin American countries for many decades. With very few exceptions their economies are still at a very low level of development. These countries which account for more than two thirds of the population of the non-socialist world, produce less than 20 per cent of the total output of manufactured goods in the capitalist world, approximately three per cent of machines and equipment and five per cent of metal. Moreover, a considerable part of the industrial enterprises in the developing countries are owned by foreign capitalists.

p In order to win economic independence the developing countries have to fight against imperialism’s neocolonialist oppression, and to limit and overcome the imposed international division of labour and inequitable economic relations founded on economic plunder of these countries, in the first place by multinationals.

p The mounting struggle of the developing countries for new forms of world economic relations, for a new world economic order, and for the radical reorganisation of economic relations between them and the imperialist states on a new, equitable and democratic basis, without neocolonialist exploitation, diktat and discrimination, is in fact a struggle for economic emancipation, for the fulfilment of the vital tasks of their economic progress.

p The struggle for a new international economic order is supported by the world progressive public, the USSR and other socialist countries in the first place.

p Only by delivering their economy from the yoke of 342 foreign monopolies will the peoples of the developing countries be able to assume full control over their vast natural resources and to work for themselves and for the nation, and not for the benefit of foreign imperialists. Only one way leads to the achievement of this goal—the promotion and development of their own national economy.

p One of the most radical means of shaking off economic dependence and building up a national economy is nationalisation, i. e., the conversion of industrial enterprises, transport, communications facilities, banks, commercial institutions and public utilities, schools and other educational establishments into national (state) property. Nationalisation gives rise to the state sector in the economy.

p India, Iraq, Algeria, Burma, Syria, Mali, Guinea, Ethiopia and other developing countries have nationalised a large number of enterprises, chiefly those which belonged to foreign monopolies and the local pro-imperialist bourgeoisie. Nationalisation and the establishment of the state sector in the economy have made it possible for the liberated states independently to solve certain problems of economic life, influence it and take steps towards the organisation of economic planning. This was a serious blow at colonial exploitation and in many respects deprived foreign capital from exerting a decisive influence on economic development.

p When, and this happens quite often, conditions prevent a developing state from promptly nationalising either all or a part of the property of foreign monopolies, the state, in addition to its nationalisation measures, controls the activity of the foreign monopolies for a certain period and curtails their opportunities, for exploiting the population and the country’s national resources. Frequently mixed enterprises owned by the state and private capital, including foreign capital, are set up.

p Economic independence can be attained only through the creation of a highly-developed national economy, through industrialisation.

p Industrialisation ensures the reorganisation of all branches of the economy in the developing countries, including their agriculture, on a modern technical basis, and also makes for high labour productivity. It is a basis on which the country enhances its defensive capability, promotes 343 scientific, technical and cultural progress, and improves the wellbeing of the people.

p Many newly-free countries are taking the first steps towards industrialisation. With the help of domestic resources and the assistance of other, particularly socialist countries, they are building up their own power base and modern industries, giving priority to those branches which are especially important for the country’s efforts to attain economic independence.

p The programme for the attainment of economic independence of the newly-free countries attaches great importance to resolving the agrarian question in favour of the people.

p Hence the essence of the agrarian question in the developing countries is to put an end to feudal and pre-feudal relations in agriculture, abolish pre-feudal, feudal and foreign ownership of land, and help the peasants to cultivate this land.

p Experience shows that there are different ways of solving the agrarian question. Some newly-free countries are carrying out deep-going agrarian reforms aimed at sharply reducing ownership in land and handing over land confiscated from wealthy landowners and foreign imperialists to the peasants. The most radical form of agrarian transformations is the cooperation of agriculture which has just started in some of the liberated countries.

p The solution of key socio-economic tasks of the national liberation revolution involves a sharp struggle between social forces. The attainment of political independence, which is the content of the first stage of the revolution, was secured by all the patriotic forces of a nation in the struggle against foreign imperialism, while economic independence is won not only in the struggle against imperialism, but also in the contention between various classes and social groups in the given country. In effect it is a struggle for the ways and methods of economic emancipation and the further development of society.

What are these ways? What are the prospects which they open for the newly-free peoples?