Kolkata: CPI-M patriarch and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu on Saturday admitted "socialism is not possible now", endorsing Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s view that the state had to adopt capitalism.
"We want capital, both foreign and domestic. After all we are working in a capitalist system. Socialism is not possible now," he told reporters after a meeting of the party's state secretariat.
"We had spoken about building up a classless society, but that was a long time ago," he said.
Basu supported Bhattacharjee’s contention that industrialisaton in the state has to follow the capitalist course and wondered why this was being objected to by Left Front allies.
"Socialism is our political agenda and was mentioned in our party document, but capitalism will continue to be the compulsion for the future," said Basu.
Pointing out that CPI(M)-led governments existed in only three states in India, he said, "Can we say we will establish socialism on the basis of this?"
He said, however, while inviting private and foreign capital for industries, the interests of workers also needed to be taken care of.
Bhattacherjee had on Thursday said capitalism is the only way to industrialise the state. Criticising allies like Forward Bloc and RSP who have accused the government of deviating from Left ideology, Basu said he failed to understand their objections.
"Capitalists have a role too. We want capital. What is the objection to it and what is it for? I simply fail to understand it," he said.
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