The People's Ledger

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About Us​

The People's Ledger / Dziennik Ludowy​

“A free society is one in which none go hungry, none go unheard, and none go unrepresented.”​

The People's Ledger is a proudly pro-socialist, internationalist newspaper dedicated to truth-telling from below. We report for the many — not the few. In an age of billionaire-owned media and state propaganda machines, we serve no oligarch, no monarch, and no corporation. We serve people.

Rooted in the tradition of democratic socialism, workers’ rights, and global solidarity, we amplify the voices of those building a better world — where labor is honored, dignity is guaranteed, and capital serves the common good, not private greed.

We believe:

• That democracy must extend beyond the ballot box — into the workplace, the economy, and the streets;
• That healthcare, housing, education, and a livable planet are not privileges, but human rights;
• That true freedom includes the freedom from exploitation, poverty, and discrimination;
• That capitalism has failed to meet the basic needs of people or the planet — and that better is not only possible, but necessary.

We are internationalist in perspective, feminist in principle, and ecological in urgency. We publish in resistance to authoritarianism — whether it wears a military uniform, a crown, or a designer suit.

 

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Statues of Rosa Luxemburg and Pridi Banomyong Unveiled at the Grand Palace:
A Monument to Participatory Democracy and National Renewal

By Kasem Namsena | The People's Ledger | August, 2006

Bangkok, Thai Confederation — In a landmark moment for the Thai people and the global movement toward dignified socialism, the statues of two intellectual giants — Rosa Luxemburg and Pridi Banomyong — now stand proudly at the front yard of the former Royal Thai Grand Palace. Their placement, following a month-long direct-democracy vote among Bangkok’s district assemblies, reflects a bold reaffirmation of the Thai Confederation’s commitment to participatory justice, historical truth, and pluralistic progress.


Crafted by community-selected sculptors and shaped through collective design workshops, the statues reflect not just individual greatness, but the popular will of a people who are shaping their socialist future with clarity and compassion.

✦ Embodied Ideals: Democratic Socialism and Moral Governance​

Pridi Banomyong, a founding father of modern Thai governance, stands with one hand raised in civic invitation. His platform bears words that resonate deeply with Thailand’s current path:


“In politics, the exercise of democratic rights must be done with sincerity, genuinely aiming for the common good, not for personal gain… Only then will true unity or genuine democracy be possible.”
— Pridi Banomyong, May 7, 1946


Alongside him stands Rosa Luxemburg, the Polish-German revolutionary whose life was dedicated to liberating society from violence, tyranny, and imperialism. Her platform reads:


“Freedom only for the members of the government, only for the members of the Party — though they are quite numerous — is no freedom at all. Freedom is always the freedom of dissenters.”
— Rosa Luxemburg, The Russian Revolution, 1922


By welcoming both critiques and inspiration from historical socialist figures, the Thai Confederation displays the ideological maturity to embrace pluralism within unity — a democracy not of chaos, but of conscience.

✦ Reconciliation Through Justice: The Release of Former Counter-Revolutionaries​

In parallel with the monument unveiling, the Ministry of Justice announced the successful completion of the reintegration program for 22,765 individuals once convicted of counter-revolutionary activity after the 1998 Thai Revolution.


Rather than punitive incarceration, these individuals were housed in technologically advanced public housing designed for rehabilitation and dignity, provided by provincial administrative organizations. Regular access to family, healthcare, and education — including deep study of socialist democratic theory and Marxist humanism — ensured that rehabilitation centered on restoration, not vengeance.


“We do not believe in throwing away citizens,” said Deputy Minister Thawan Sripong. “We believe in helping them find their way back to the civic whole — and back to each other.”


Post-release surveys conducted with the support of international human rights observers found that 89% of these individuals voluntarily chose to remain in their housing units, now as citizens, not detainees. The remainder have requested relocation — a process already underway with full provincial support.


This policy has been internationally praised for its humane model of ideological healing and its example of justice without retribution.

✦ A Model for the World​

At a time when many states respond to dissent with violence or neglect, the Thai Confederation stands apart. By embracing critical thinkers like Luxemburg, and honoring democratic trailblazers like Pridi, Thailand demonstrates the confidence of a society that listens to its past to guide its future.


This is not revisionism — it is realism, matured by democratic consensus.


As the morning sun shines over the Grand Palace’s new statues, children gather with their teachers to hear stories of revolution, of peace, and of ideas more powerful than violence. In Thailand, democratic socialism is not a slogan — it is a living system, tested, reformed, and loved.


And that — above all — is what Rosa and Pridi would have wanted.

 

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Catalonia’s Fight for Self-Determination Faces State​

Repression as Commander Julia Riera is Arrested​

Madrid, August 2006 — In a troubling escalation of state repression, Commander Julia Riera, a prominent figure in the Catalan independence movement and leader of the Free Catalan Assembly, was arrested on charges of rebellion and alleged unauthorized communication with foreign entities. The detention, carried out by Spain’s National Intelligence Center, is a stark reminder of the lengths to which centralized powers will go to silence the voices of marginalized peoples striving for political and cultural self-determination.


The Spanish Prime Minister framed the arrest as a defense of democracy and national unity, insisting that all political goals must be pursued through “peaceful and legal” means within the existing constitutional framework. Yet, this language of legality masks a harsh reality: the constitutional order in Spain continues to suppress genuine democratic expression and ignores the deep grievances of Catalonia’s working-class communities and cultural activists.


Commander Riera’s activism reflects a broader grassroots movement that challenges the status quo, demanding not only political autonomy but also social justice and economic dignity for a region historically exploited and marginalized under centralized capitalist structures. The government’s decision to criminalize this struggle highlights the tension between authoritarian state power and the democratic rights of peoples to shape their own futures.


At a time when inequality and austerity measures ravage communities across Spain and beyond, the voices calling for regional autonomy and workers’ empowerment must not be dismissed as “extremism.” Instead, they should be understood as part of a global movement for justice, where democracy is more than empty rhetoric—it is a lived reality that must include economic, social, and cultural rights.


The People’s Ledger stands in solidarity with the Catalan people and all oppressed communities who face repression under state apparatuses. We recognize that true freedom demands dismantling systems of exploitation and central control that deny people their dignity and agency.


Spain’s response to the Catalan movement reflects a wider pattern seen across capitalist states: maintaining national unity often serves to uphold elite power and suppress popular movements for change. Only through sustained, inclusive dialogue that centers workers, women, youth, and marginalized peoples can a just and lasting solution be found—one that respects the right to self-determination while addressing inequalities that fuel division.


As this crisis unfolds, we call on international solidarity networks to support those fighting for democratic rights, economic justice, and cultural recognition across Spain and Europe. The path to freedom is collective and demands resistance to authoritarianism in all its forms—be it through the courts, police forces, or political institutions.

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Published by The People’s Ledger, a voice for the many, not the few.