PERSISTING IN THE STRUGGLE FOR CHANGE
So far in 2023, the analysis of international events reaffirms the theses of Leninism on imperialism and once again highlights the validity and correctness of the utopia and the tasks of the international proletariat in this epoch.
As we have pointed out on other occasions, capitalism today maintains the fundamental features pointed out by Lenin in his book: "Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism," confirming at every step, in addition to its decomposition and agony, the impossibility of going back to the dawn of capitalism, free competition, "peaceful democracy" or the establishment of a society where souls atone and with a purified heart come equality and justice.
A fallacy generally used by those who confuse politics with religion is that of those who preach the salvation of capitalism and the opening up of a humane capitalism, which regains relations of equality, justice and solidarity between men and societies.
To insist on such theses at a time when the characteristics of imperialism, crises and social antagonisms are increasingly evident is not only to defend an anti-communist gimmick but also to side with those who seek to defend the indefensible. Humane capitalism is an impossible theory to realize, fallacious par excellence, which ignores the violence and injustice that is inherent in the capitalist system, yesterday and today, instrument of the rapacity of the monopolies, the profound private appropriation of profit, the extreme and increasing levels of oppression and exploitation, the fusion of monopolies and the state and the adoption of violence as the main method of securing property, power and domination, as well as war seen in the redivision, subjugation and destruction of the sovereignty of the peoples.
Returning to what was stated at the beginning, the decomposition and agony of capitalism in its imperialist phase is reflected in the most relevant facts of the current situation. The big banks and monopolies have closed ranks and are contesting for the domination and control of the planet and cyberspace; the imperialist powers, without avoiding war, are unceasingly promoting and establishing the formation of alliances and blocs for domination, supremacy, control and redivision of the world, the strategic areas, raw materials and energy resources.
The competition and struggle of the superpowers is also opening the way in technological matters, the battle led by the US, China, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands are moving countless stocks and investments in the world, putting into play new forces and major economic, technological and social transformations. It is clear that in the immediate future the fourth industrial revolution. which is so much talked about these days, will lead to new ways of living, producing, working and relating. It is not a dream to say that the new economic and social activity will be nurtured by virtual and physical systems, which cooperate intelligently and flexibly at the global level. It is already foreseen that the widespread use of intelligent and connected systems will allow not only the fusion and combination of new technologies (genetic engineering, nanotechnology, robotics, quantum computing, renewable energies) but also new scenarios and social antagonisms.
The current battle between the US and China for control of Taiwan is leading to a whole geopolitical, economic and technological struggle. It is a secret to very few that 87% of the world's semiconductor production and market (microchip/integrated circuits used in all industries, electronic products, medical equipment, cars and industrial machines) are being monopolized by Taiwan, South Korea and China. It is also no secret that the "new oil" is in the form of a chip and that the movement and control of the world’s economy depends on it. Taiwan and South Korea also produce 83% of the chips for processors, with the growing demand for these, their scarcity could represent a superlative drag on the world economy. The control of the production of quantum computers (which use microchips below 6 and 7 nanometers, capable of processing high levels of information) would put any economy in check and that the new industrial and technological revolution will become another instrument of domination and redivision of the world.
It must therefore be emphasized that the action of the monopolies and in general all the violence used by the imperialists to increase their profits constitute a brake on the development of the productive forces and technical progress, because in some cases they limit it and in others they boycott it, always subjecting them to their designs and interests. It is true that social contradictions exist in the present and new dynamics of the world; it would be profoundly reactionary and obscurantist to deny them, to question them or simply to omit them, as opportunists of all kinds do.
The peoples and the different imperialist countries are insistently clashing over their interests, purposes and policies, while the competing imperialists strive to impose their countercyclical policies on the peoples. The peoples on the other hand are resisting, defending their sovereignty and rejecting the collusion and the society of the oligarchies (major and minor), the monopolies and finance capital which are seeking in the midst of the most extreme anarchy to raise their profits by placing the crisis on the shoulders of the working masses.
The working class likewise is clashing with the bourgeoisies of all kinds, not renouncing the strikes and the struggle to defend their demands and banners as a political subject. A new period in the emancipatory struggle is seen in highlighting the new challenges demanded by the new cyclical crisis and the new impulse to war and the redivision of the world.
The present facts lay bare the validity of the Leninist approach that warns that "Imperialism is capitalism in that stage of development in which the dominance of monopolies and finance capital has established itself; in which the export of capital has acquired pronounced importance; in which the division of the world among the international trusts has begun; in which the division of all territories of the globe among the biggest capitalist powers has been completed."1
The facts also show that the present period is marked by the sharpening of the fundamental contradiction of capitalism: that between the social character of production and the private-capitalist character of appropriation. This having been shown, the accentuation and exacerbation of social contradictions, the inevitability of the revolution and the end of imperialism is undeniable in the current situation.
In the context of the sharpening of the social contradictions that make their antagonisms more evident, these days the international situation highlights the escalation of confrontations in Ukraine, the high uncertainty of the arrival of the recession in several countries, the growth of inflation, the tightening of monetary policy, the anti-colonial struggle of the African countries, as well as the growth of strikes, work stoppages and in general of social mobilization against the countercyclical policies of the imperialists and their inter-state agencies.
The war in Ukraine, as one of the most relevant events of this period, is continuing to show that war is not a matter of the past and that the current confrontations are not less serious than some unbelievers still think. We are witnessing an increase in confrontations for economic and political domination of the world, in this case by the bloc formed by the US, the member countries of NATO against the bloc led by the Russian Federation, China, India and Iran. In the concrete scenario today this is in Ukraine, but with the danger of opening up to other parts of the planet such as the Baltic, southeast Asia or Latin America to maintain and raise the confrontation as a trend.
In this sense the world conflagration is imminent and is increasingly spurred on to the extent that new countries enter the confrontation and is taken up by the imperial powers as the most viable alternative to the serious economic and social crisis that plagues the capitalist world and that deeply hits the governance and "stability" of international financial oligarchy in the different countries.
Disturbing in the acute panorama are the permanent violations of human rights and international human rights, the inability of the UN and its specialized agencies, the growing hardening and militarization of states, as well as the arms race that is rising in all areas.
In economic matters, uncertainty and instability are increasing by leaps and bounds, showing the unbridled eagerness of the monopolies and banks to maintain maximum profit and increase the rate of profit.
High interest rates, rising taxes, austerity policies and tight restrictions on demand are becoming the main formulas of central banks and governments to curb the galloping inflation that affects most of the world's economies. The debt and its high interest rates are becoming a very strong noose for the dependent countries, mainly of Latin America, that are unable to comply with the dictates of the IMF, as well as of tracing a path of growth and development for their economies.
The slowdown of the Chinese and Russian economies, the recession in the US and the decline in most countries in Europe and Latin America account for the contraction of the world economy, estimates of the deepening of the crisis in 2023, as well as a possible economic crash or collapse similar to that of 1975 or 2008.
There are concerns about the high cost of fuels and the entire energy crisis associated with the use of hydrocarbons and coal that is becoming widespread and that encourages paralysis, the high cost of raw materials, fertilizers and food, in a context in which the interdependence of countries for their production and marketing is rising and deepening.
The neoliberal prescriptions promoted by the IMF and the WB, meekly accepted by the oligarchies of the different countries, barely satisfies the social needs that are deepening everywhere, the same happens with those who promote populist recipes or who call for consensus or the social pact (or class conciliation) as an alternative or solution to serious social problems. In times of crisis the gaze of the bourgeoisie becomes more short-term, reflecting its agony and inability to provide and satisfy social needs. Aggravated social and political problems, without a vision that makes it possible to face and get out of the crisis, the future of capitalism can only be that of greater agony, anarchy and uncertainty.
Another important aspect of the situation that must be further followed up are the great effects of climate change. Since the industrial revolution, the earth's temperature has increased rapidly due to the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions created by the growth of industrial activity, the burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), the destruction of forests and other human activities. Those who study the matter point out that, with the increase in temperature, the poles melt, the sea level rises and the coastal populations will be mostly affected. Agriculture suffers and food security is at risk. Climatic phenomena are more intense, frequent and unpredictable.
In the midst of antagonism and war, anarchy and competition for supremacy on the globe and in cyberspace, as elements that characterize the current international situation in times of crisis, the efforts and goals agreed to internationally are fruitless and ineffective. Thus, while the will and practice of the imperialist powers, the monopolies and the oligarchies of our countries go in one direction, in the opposite direction affirmative actions work for the diversification of the energy matrix, investment in renewable energies (the increases in investment are not commensurate with international needs), reforestation and care of forests, rivers and aquifer formations, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), among other measures.
At this point we cannot fail to mention that today no country is exempt from the effects of pollution, hurricanes, tornadoes, strong winters, droughts, heat waves, etc. In addition, it must be a great concern of ours if we take into account what the UN said, when it points to Colombia as the third most vulnerable country in the world to climate change.
Without fully emerging from the Covid 19 pandemic, in the last year workers have suffered deeply from the effects of the inter-imperialist war in Ukraine, debt, high taxes, rising fuel prices, the large decline in their incomes, the energy crisis and inflation. Wages have been diminished, on the contrary the burdens and sufferings grow. Insecurity and the curtailment of rights and freedoms fall like a sledgehammer, disabling projects and possibilities of a better future. Education, health care, housing, healthy recreation and sports in a context of crisis are also hit hard and the efforts of the popular sectors to access them are greater.
In fact, the oppression and exploitation of the broad masses has increased and the all-sided scenario in which the different countries are developing and suffering shows greater levels of alienation and social alienation.
The profits of the monopolies have also increased and with it greater control and reactionization of the states by the financial oligarchies, who are the ones that make the greatest apology for fascism, authoritarian solutions and war in times of crisis.
As a result of war and pauperization, hunger and growing inequality, and in general of enslavement and lack of opportunities, the world is once again facing a wave of mass migrations, perhaps the largest in human history. Millions of migrants in different parts of the world are facing death, hunger and poverty. The US, Canada, Spain, the UK, Germany, India and Saudi Arabia rank first in terms of the number of immigrants. All the above factors are pushing humanity and nature to greater ruin and hopelessness, in equal measure the only and most just alternative is the revolution and socialism.
The panorama of recent months also highlights the resurgence of social mobilization in most countries of the world. We highlight the struggle for independence and sovereignty that is making its way in most African countries, which are courageously confronting French neocolonialism, the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources, super-exploitation and the violation of individual and collective rights.
In the midst of the war, the absence of gas, the energy crisis, the rising inflationary wave and the arrival of winter, social unrest in Europe is growing, the rejection of the policies of the European economic community is widespread. Strikes, protests, work stoppages and mobilizations are growing and are having their effects. Several governments have fallen, others are about to fall as a result of the widespread rejection of the masses. The United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy appear among the countries with the highest number of demonstrators.
Although there are no policy changes in sight from most governments in Europe, confidence in the fruits of the strike and mobilization is beginning to develop among the unions and of the parties left. The immediate future therefore shows greater confrontation and the leading role of the workers in defining the European policies. Another region where protests stand out is in Latin America. Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru and Brazil have seen the highest number of demonstrators in recent months. The rise of the struggles of the masses is, however, quite widespread in all parts of the continent. The rejection of the high cost of living, high taxes, low wages, high costs of public services and transportation, and the budgetary cuts to health care, education, as well as subsidies for the most disadvantaged sectors are among the main causes of the growing mobilizations.
Relevant in the Latin American context is the victory of progressivism in countries such as Mexico, Chile, Bolivia and Colombia recently. Although they have not yet managed to demarcate lines with the neoliberal and populist policies that accompanied previous governments in their respective countries, the victory of these progressive candidates has made possible the raising of important popular banners and demands that continue to guide and mark the actions of the mass, democratic and leftist organizations.
The new electoral processes that are taking place in Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Venezuela highlight the contention in Latin America between those fascist-prone currents and defenders of US interference and the democratic, progressive and leftist currents. Although the dispersion among these currents has become very characteristic, we cannot ignore the role that each and every one of the members of these currents play in the global geopolitical contention, as in the outcome of the processes and confrontations that are taking place in each of the countries.
In the case of the political organizations identified by advanced thinking and those that make up this democratic, progressive and leftist tendency, the eagerness to enable greater mass leadership and achieve policies that bring about greater social relief in the midst of the crisis is highlighted.
The opening and strength of pro-fascist forces in Central America is disturbing. El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, for example, are a reflection of the growing and almost omnipotent power of these oligarchic forces.
It is also necessary to highlight the advances of the popular struggle in the US, the appearance in this country of numerous social and political organizations, the rejection in events and mobilizations against the Biden government, as well as the manipulation that he has been doing before the public opinion of the question of abortion, the defense of migrants and the right to work.
On the other hand, and striving to analyze the various situations in their proper context, we cannot lose sight of the danger that opportunist forces and especially social democracy in the region represent for democratic changes and the development of the various revolutionary processes.
Experience shows us that the bourgeoisie and all its parties and organizations adjust their discourse according to the pretensions they have as a class in power at a certain moment; in times of crisis their purpose is simply to strengthen their domination, opposing changes and the social revolution.
The opportunist forces likewise adjust their discourse and behavior, their purpose, whatever the manner in which they present themselves; overtly or covertly it is just to reconcile the working class with capitalism, to divide and accommodate the workers, their organizations and struggles in the interests of the ruling classes, to promote collaboration with the prevailing system, the state and its policies. They distinguish themselves because in exchange for and as a "prize" for their collaborationist action, they receive countless economic and political privileges.
In Latin America, many governments have been presided over by ideologues and agents representing opportunist forces, opposed to change and the social revolution; they take advantage of the difficulties and vicissitudes of capital to offer and provide their services and collaboration. In recent years, old and new theories have emerged that underpin the old revisionist and social democratic postulates, seeking to serve in some cases as a cushion, in others as a calming agent in the face of the crisis. Sustainable development, 21st century socialism, the citizens' revolution and humane capitalism are competing social democratic obfuscations in the region that are currently being used by different governments to cover up their bourgeois character, put the people to sleep, promote conciliation and distance them from the struggle for social change.
The progressive international, a variant of international social democracy, in which the current presidents of Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile are active, defend these theories in different ways, but they agree in denying class antagonisms, promoting conciliation, pointing out as an unavoidable purpose in our societies the coming to agreement with the powerful (the oligarchs and imperialists) and the building of a peaceful democracy, friendly to life and the environment. In our concept it is another way of opposing the revolution and encouraging a "reform" of capitalism that accepts and leaves unscathed the profits of the great imperialist powers, the monopolies and finance capital.
Aware of this grave danger, the real forces of change, and especially the revolutionaries and as part of them the communists, have the historic challenge of unmasking in their content and forms, the old and new strategies and policies of agreement and collaboration of classes promoted by the opportunists and in the region the new representatives of social democracy who are advancing them. The current political scenario therefore reflects and fosters a complex and open struggle to win the masses and commit them to the defense and strengthening of a certain project.
On our part, in the perspective of power, we will join forces with democrats and revolutionaries who are preparing to deepen democracy, to raise social participation, confront neoliberalism and the imperialist policies, and in general with all the forces and organizations that fight hard to accumulate forces in favor of the workers and the people.
Seen in this way the panorama and the turbulence that characterizes it, the revolutionary forces must refine and strengthen our political link to the masses, in a perspective that highlights the transformations in favor of democracy, sovereignty and the social rights that the popular masses demand.
Corporation for Research and Popular Education – CIEP
1 Vladimir I. Lenin. Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism.
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