State, Government and the Working Class

8/9/2019 State, Government and the Working Class

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State,Governmentandthe

WorkingClass

By:DonCurrie

ChairCanadiansforPeaceandSocialism

EditorFocusonSocialism

August18,2008

www.FocusOnSocialism.ca


2/28

www.FocusOnSocialism.ca Page2of28

TheGlobalEconomicCrisisofCapitalismHereandNow!

Theeconomic

crisis

gripping

the

USA

has

now

spread

to

all

capitalist

countries

from

the

fully

developedtotheleasteconomicallydeveloped. Aconvergenceofrecentcrisisphenomena

superimposedon thegeneralcrisisof imperialism is resulting inglobaleconomicdisorder,

instabilityanderuptionofmilitaryconfrontations. Noneofthisvolatilityisrespondinginthe

samemanneraspreviousimperialisteconomicupheavaltocontrolmechanismsimposedby

NATO, the IMF, and the WTO, the EU or decisions taken at recent G8 meetings. The

geniusesofhighfinancecannotevenagreeonacontrolstrategyexceptone;toprotect

theprofitsystembywhatevermeansnecessaryattheexpenseofworkingpeople.

Thecurrentcrisis isatanearlystageof itsdevelopmentandhasneitherreachedatrough

nor does it show any sign of recovery. The crisis phenomena are similar for all leading

capitaliststates,differingonlyinthedegreeofseverity.Neoliberalpoliciesadoptedinpast

decades,andnowfullymaturing,arecausinghavocintheglobaleconomy,explainingsome

of the current instability and chaos. Othersmore recent attest to the anarchic state of

capitalisminthemodernera.Themajorphenomenaincludebutarenotlimitedto:

1. EscalatingcostsofUSNATOimperialistandproxywarsofaggressionandoccupationthatburdenstateswithuncontrolledandrisingarmsexpendituresontopofmassive

arms budgets allocated to maintain weapons systems, foreign military bases and

largestanding

armies.

2. Highmonopolyenergypricesresulting influctuatingandunpredictablecoststokeyeconomic sectors namely manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and utilities,

thelatterbothprivateandpublic.

3. A world wide failure of the capitalist credit system resulting in bank failures andinvestorlossesarisingfromthemortgagedebtcrisisintheUSA.

4. Emergencyinterventionsbyallleadingcapitaliststatestopropupthevalueofpaperassets

of

banks

and

near

banks

in

an

effort

to

recover

losses

of

investors

and

speculatorclassesthroughtheforcedsaleofmillionsofrepossessedworkershomes

atdepressedprices.


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5. Government fiscal and monetary policy dictated by finance capital and parasiticinvestorclassesthatreduce taxesoncorporate,usuryandspeculative income,and

increasestaxes

on

wage

earners

and

small

property

owners.

6. Government approval, support and legislation permitting the plunder by financecapitalofworkersprivateandpublicpensionfundsthattransferthemtocorporate

cofferstofinancecorporatetakeoversandtopropupsaggingstockmarketsthereby

endangeringretirementincomesofmillionsworkingfamilies.

7. Government privatization of state capitalist functions resulting in a loss of publicoversight and control of health, education, welfare, food, infrastructure,

transportationandvitalresearchanddevelopmentprogramsbenefitingthepeople.

8. Government sale of state assets and property to enrich private investors andspeculators artificially inflating the value of corporate real estate and increasing

rentalandpurchasingcosttosmallbusinessandpricerisesofresidentialpropertyfor

workers.

9. Profiteeringbycorporate investors,stocktradersandmarketerscapitalizingonthedemand for industrial agricultural products for energy inflating worldwide food

prices,causinghungerandstarvationamongthepoor.

10.Shiftingthecostsoftheeconomiccrisisfromcorporateprofitstoemployedworkersby implementing wage freezes, roll backs andwage increases below the rate of

inflation, intensification of labour and off loading rising costs of social programs;

health,education,childcareandpensions, from the state towageearnersandby

increasedtaxesonincome.

11. A drop in purchasing power in the hands of working people accompanied withgrowingunemploymentinkeysectorsoftheeconomyespeciallymanufacturingand

permanentunderemploymentintheremainder.

TheFaultLinesofImperialismStressedClassStruggleIntensifies

All of these intersecting economic and political crisis factors severely impact working

people. Theyoccur in themidstofanacceleratingcannibalisticprocessof financecapital

monopoly mergers, consolidations, takeovers and the wholesale sell off of state assets


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resulting inwork force rationalization, the exportof jobs to lowerwagemarkets, the

ruinationofmediumandsmallcompaniesanddisruptionanddestructionofhomemarkets.

The crisis exposes the advanced stage to which the merger of the state and monopoly

capitalhasprogressedandhowitsinstrumentsandfunctionsarenowdedicatedexclusively

totheinterestsoffinancecapital.Thisoccurswiththefullsupportandcollusionofelected

officialswithoutregardto its impactonsocietyasawhole.Thechasmbetweentheruling

elitesandthemassesofworkingpeoplehasneverbeensowideandunbridgeableas it is

today.

Thesecrisisphenomenahavestressedthefault linesofthe imperialisteconomicsystemto

themaximum.Reliefcanonlycomeasa resultofaradical readjustmentofeconomicand

politicalpower

relationships

in

all

countries

affected.

Respite

from

the

deepening

crisis

will

comeattheexpenseofeitherthevitalinterestsoftheworkingmassesorthatoftheruling

capitalistclasses.Thestatusquoisnotanoption.Thatistheobjectiverealityatthemoment.

The outcome is being decided by bitter class struggles that are breaking out on all

continentsandinallexploitativecountries.

Politically, financecapital isturning torightwingcorporatestylegovernance inall leading

capitalist states as the preferred option of class rule and systematically ousting liberal

democratic regimeswherepossible.The intercapitaliststruggles,agitateallupperclasses

witha

direct

stake

in

the

system,

and

politically

alienate

the

lower

middle

classes.

It

places

severeeconomicpressureandhardshiponworkerswhoincreasinglyarevictims,ratherthan

beneficiariesofpoliticalchange.

The slogan, for real changehas ahollow ring since it is advancedby allpartiesofbig

businessandaddressedtoitsbasesupportandnotworkingpeople.

Thisprocess has been unfolding for some time andwill continue inmore acute political

forms political, military and economic crisis for the foreseeable future. This intensifying

processposestheneedforacompletereappraisalbythe left,and inthefirstplacebythe

Communists,as

to

where

the

political

process

is

leading,

what

special

responsibilities

revolutionaryMarxistLeninistforceshaveatthisjunctureandthetacticsrequiredtomount

counterattacksasthefaultlinesinimperialismareexposedandstressed.

Letsfirstconsidersomeobviousfactors.


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CapitalistsAreNotUnitedUSImperialismsStrugglefor

Dominance

Thepresentcrisis isaffectingall classes including the capitalist classes.Capitalistsare far

fromunitedonwhichstrategytoadopttosavetheirsystemfromtheeffectsofthecurrent

global economic andpolitical instability.Power relationshipsoccurringwithin and among

the leading imperialiststatesandtherestofthecapitalistworldarechangingandwillnot

returntotheordertheyoccupiedpriortothepresentcrisis.

Doesthatmeanthattheworldwidesystemofcapitalismisabouttocollapse?Noitdoesnt.

Neithercan itbe saiddefinitively that itwont.What can,and shouldbe said, is that this

extreme

instability

will

create

and

expose

points

of

weakness

in

the

system

to

be

exploited.

Theadvanced forcesof the leftand theorganizedworkingclassaremoreurgentlycalled

upontostudythoseweaknessesandfaultlines,considerhowtomountoffensivestruggles

andadvancenewtactics,alliancesandorganizationalstructuresintheirownvitalinterests.

Thesepointsshouldformthebasisandfocusofdiscussionwithinthejournals,meetingsand

campaignsoftheCanadianleft.

Thecurrentcrisisisresultinginrealignmentsofimperialistpower,theoutcomeofastruggle

nowunderwayamongthe largestglobalmonopoliesformaximumprofit. Thisprocessof

realignmentmanifests itself inwars for controlof natural resourcebases, destructionof

homeand

foreign

markets

and

increased

domination

of

global

stock

markets

over

national

economies. Weakened competitors are destroyed, market share is reapportioned and

medium and smallbusinesses are eliminated.We read about it everyday in the capitalist

press.

The inabilityofUS imperialismwith itsvastmilitaryandeconomicpowertounilaterallyre

order theworld in its own strategic interests, as it planned to do when President Bush

enunciatedtheNewAmericanCentury,isunderreviewbytheAmericanestablishment.The

Bush Doctrine is a fiasco and the November election is about replacing a failed and

discreditedUS

policy

while

retaining

its

principal

strategic

goals.

USimperialismismarshallingallofitseconomicandmilitarypowertoretainitsdominance

withinthesystemasitattemptstorideoutthecurrentcrisisbyemployinganyandallmeans

necessary including fomentingnewwarsofaggression.Regardlessof theoutcomeof the

USNovember2008Presidentialelectionstheaforementionedrealitymaybealteredbutnot


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changed in its fundamentals.Not a singleUSPresidentialhopeful,with the exceptionof

Kucinich,repudiatedunequivocallythemilitaryplanningnowunderwayatthehighestlevels

ofUS

power

for

a

combined

US

Israeli

attack

on

Iran

and

a

possible

expansion

of

the

war

into parts of Pakistan. Hillary Clinton actually called for Iran to be obliterated. That fact

shouldbeasober reminder thatUS imperialismoperatesaccording toobjective lawsand

notthesubjectiveutterancesofitsambitiouspoliticalaspirants.

MillionsMaketheDifference TheTheoryoftheDecisivenessof

MassMovementsandAlliancesinContemporaryStruggles

Thetheoryofmassmovementsdeterminingtheoutcomeofmajorconfrontationswithbig

capitalis

objectively

based

and

critical

to

an

understanding

of

how

the

working

class

advances tohigher levelsofstruggle.Theexperiencegainedbymillionsengaged inmass

struggle,often inacontradictoryandspontaneousway,usuallyasa response towarand

economichardship is theprocesspresentlyunderway togreateror lesserdegrees in the

USA. The struggle for peace and economic reform is being waged through mass

participationinelectoralstrugglesnotarevolutionaryriseofworkingclassstruggle.

Movements that drawmillions into a great and historical electoral struggle, as presently

unfolding intheUSA,willdeterminewhichsectionof imperialpowerhassway inthenext

immediateperiod,

are

significant.

Communists

and

all

left

progressives

enter

into

these

strugglesinafulsomeanunconditionalmannerandwithoutattemptingtoopportunistically

imposean ideologicalagendaon themovementsas thehyperleftoftendoes. Noone,

including social reformists have a monopoly of political virtue over such developments.

Leadershipisearnednotproclaimed.

Theworkingclassisnotindifferentaboutwhichrepresentativesofthecapitalistclassarein

power.Withnomassrevolutionarypartiesoflabourtoadvancetheirinterestsitcouldnot,

at thishistorical juncture,beotherwise.The repudiationof theBushvariantof imperialist

policy

and

along

with

it

the

current

US

Republican

administration

would

not

be

insignificant

foroneoverriding reason; itwouldbethe resultof thecoming togetherofmillionsofUS

voters opposed to right wing extremism,war and economic chaos. Itwould strengthen

similartrendsinCanadaandMexico.

ThedefeatoftheBushRepublicanshasinternationalimplications;itwouldmarkatangible

rise in thepoliticalconsciousnessofmillionsofUSvoters,mostlynotablyworkers. Itwill


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representabreakfromtheinsularviewofUSexceptionalismandentitlement,aworldview

imposedonthembycorporatemediahacks.Itwouldmarkapoliticalshift,difficultforBarak

Obamato

ignore.

The victoryof suchan electoralmovementwouldbemorepolitically significant than the

actualremovalfrompoweroftheBushadministration. Attheforefrontofthedemocratic

alliance formingaround thecandidacyofObamaaredemands forpublicMedicare,ashift

fromwarexpenditurestopeoplesneedsandsomeformofretreatfromthewarinIraq.The

electionwouldbetheendofoneprocessofstruggle,anelectoralstruggle,openinganother

thestruggleforpeaceandbasicsocialreform.

WhatcanalterthepowerrelationshipsinCanada,theUSAandMexicoistheinvolvementof

millionsin

progressive

politics.

Mass

movements

led

by

labour,

including

electoral

alliances

of a leftcentre type, can forestallwar and affect the developmentofproductive forces.

Compelling finance capital to reduce arms spending and institute state capitalist reforms

throughlabourledmasspoliticalstruggleswillresultinrealgainsandaqualitativechangein

working class thinking about its own organizations and how they should participate in

politics.

Organized struggles of the New Deal era in the USA, and the reforms instituted by the

LiberalsfollowingthedefeatofIronHeelBennettinthelate1930s,resultedinpensionsand

unemploymentinsurance.

In

the

post

war

WW2

era

they

finally

won

public

health

care.

The

constitutionalreforms,inparticulartheCanadianCharterofRightsandFreedoms,andsome

oftheforeignpolicydoctrinesofpeacefulcoexistenceespousedbyLiberalPrimeMinister

Pierre Elliot Trudeau are other examples of bourgeois democratic reforms that have

benefitedtheworkingpeople.

ThereAreReformsandthenThereAreReforms

ImpermissibleamongMarxists, is theadoptionofanaboveclassornonclassviewof the

strugglefor

reforms.

The

aforementioned

reforms

were

ameliorative

reforms

reluctantly

concededbytherulingclassconfrontedwithadisaffectedelectorate. Theyweredesigned

toprotectthecapitalistsystemwhilesimultaneouslyretainingcapitalismsfundamentalgrip

onpower. It isalsoa fact, thatsomeof theworstcrimesof imperialismwerecommitted

evenastherulingclassesoftheleadingcapitaliststateswerereluctantlyforcedtoconcede

certainsocialanddemocraticreformstotheirownpeople.


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Imperialistswereabletocarryoutsuchcrimesabroadbyamasterfuluseofthepsychology

ofmassfearathome,borrowedfromtheNazis,ofexternalthreatsmenacingwestern

values.These

were

all

euphemisms

for

an

exaggerated

and

undifferentiated

position

of

privilege,allegedlyenjoyedbyallworkingpeople, in thewesternworld.Suchaviewwas

nevertrueandisnottruetoday.

The impoverishment of the majority of the global masses that must labour to live is

catastrophicand severe,andcannotbeequated to the struggle tomaintain standardsof

livingprevailing inadvancedcapitaliststates.Atthesametimesweepingdefinitionsofthe

Southversus theNorth,of therichwestversus the impoverisheddevelopingstates,of

environmentalprotectionversusindustrialdevelopment,ifnotcarefullydefinedfromaclass

standpoint, can be interpreted carelessly as an alignment of the working classes and

exploitedoftheadvancedcapitalistcountries inalliancewiththeir rulingclassagainst the

oppressedmassesoftheworld.Suchaworldviewdoesnotaccordeitherwiththetenetsof

Marxismnorwiththeunfoldingrealityinwesterncapitaliststates.

Nodoubtthe imperialist ideologuesthatpreachwemustarmtotheteethtoprotectour

wayof lifeagainst thepooroftheworldwillfindsupportersamongthe topechelonsof

societyincludingwhatLenintermedthearistocracyoflabour.

Internationalistsrejectanycallsfromanyquarterthatalignworkerswith theiroppressors

andstand

for

the

unity

of

all

working

people,

citing

the

objectively

true

slogan

of

the

CommunistManifesto,WorkersoftheWorldUnite.

To return to thematterof reforms; there isadifferencebetween concessions the ruling

classispreparedtomakewhenconfrontedbyadramaticlossofsupportamongthemasses

andconcessionswrestedfrom therulingclassesbymovementsthatarise independentof

thecapitalistparties.The latterareanadvanceoverotherreformsbecausetheyresult ina

dramaticrise inpartisanpoliticalclassconsciousnessthatopenlyquestionsexistingpower

relationships.Thedevelopmentofsuchstrugglescanberapid,arisingfromwar,economic,

political,constitutionalordemocraticcrisis,quicklytransitioningtohigherpoliticalstruggles

thatbegintodelineateclasslines.

Thatwas the case in theWinnipegGeneralStrike 1919and thataroseagain in theOnTo

OttawaTrek in 1935.Somestrikes inCanadasuchas theMiners strikes inNovaScotia,of

1922 25, the Saskatchewan Souris Valley Coal Miners strike in summerfall 1931 and the

CrowsNestPasscoalminersstrugglesencompassinga longperiodfromthe1930stothe


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mid1950sareotherexamples.TheCommonFrontStrikeof thepublicsectorandprivate

sectorunions inQuebec in theperiod 197072 that intersectedwith the impositionof the

WarMeasures

Act

during

the

October

Crisis

of

1970

is

another

example.

All

of

these

strugglesarousedthealarmbellsatthehighestlevelsofcorporatepower,causedthemto

employ the suppressive power of the state against the people, because they began to

articulaterevolutionaryideasofworkingclasspower.

Anadvanceinworkingclassinternationalistconsciousnessoccurredduringthemobilization

ofvolunteers indefenceofRepublicanSpainandagainduring theperiodofWW2and its

immediateaftermath,whentherewaswidespreadpopularsupportfortheSovietUnionand

awarenessofthethreatofNazismtodemocracy.ThedecisiveroleoftheSovietUnioninthe

defeat ofHitler raised socialism to unprecedented heightsofprestige andbegan towin

wide adherence in Europe and acceptance in North America for the ideas of peaceful

coexistenceand itspromiseofa longperiodofpostwarpeace.ChurchillsFultonMissouri

coldwarspeechin1946wasnoaccident.Itwasadeliberate,panicresponsebyimperialism

againstadramaticlossofcontrolovermassideology.

A rise in class revolutionary consciousness is qualitatively different from bourgeois

democraticreforms.Revolutionaryconsciousnessisthecomingtogetherofbotheconomic

andpoliticalawarenessandorganizationarisingfromaparticularsetofclassrelationships

thathavereachedapointwhereitisimpossibletocontinueintheoldway.

ItIsImpossibletoContinueintheOldWay

Canadian labour politics has reached the pointwhere it has become impossible to bring

aboutan improvement intheconditionsoftheworkingclasswithoutengaging inpolitical

struggles. Withoutpoliticalstrugglesthemainissuesstandinginthewayoftheprogressive

advanceofthecountryasawholecannotberesolved.Inotherworldslabourmustleadthe

wholecountryorlosethestruggleforitsownvitalinterests.

Anactive

and

organized

campaign

for

an

anti

monopoly

economic

program

which

openly

challengesthepowerbaseoftherulingclasswillresult inaqualitativeadvance inworking

classpolitics. Anantimonopolyeconomicprogrammust:

Openlychallengethemilitarizationoftheeconomy,


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Demand Canadian withdrawal from imperialist military alliances such as NATO,NORADandNORTHCOM,

Demandthepermanentbanofnuclearweaponsandnewweaponssystemsinspace, Callfortheshuttingdownofforeignmilitarybasesandareturntothefundamental

principlesoftheUNCharter,

Demand thatkeysectorsof theeconomybenationalized, in the firstplaceenergyandmineralresources,transportationandcommunications,

Demand a halt to privatization and make all social programs that benefit peoplepermanentandunassailable,

Callforthenationalizationthebanksanddemandcontrolsbeplacedonthetyrannyoffinancecapitaloveralleconomicdevelopment.

Such demands, supported by millions, will inevitably confront the furious and violent

oppositionoftherulingelites,compellingallclassestoconsiderthequestionsofpowerand

posetheneedforsocialism.

Even the conceptof antimonopoly struggle canbe a somewhatorderly viewofpolitical

development. If it isembraced inadoctrinairefashion itwillnotcorrespondtotheway in

which crisis phenomena actually appear in the global system of capitalism. That is what

Marxists,Socialists

and

Communists

must

be

prepared

to

respond

to.

It

would

not

be

dialecticaltothinkotherwise.

TheGlobalEconomy AnUnfoldingContradiction

The thesis that the global economy is homogenized, undifferentiated and that individual

countries are incapable of resisting or breaking out of the orbit of imperialism is

unsupportable by the facts. Even US imperialism does not view the world that way.

Imperialism isengagedinattemptingtosaveitssystemand itsprivilegedpositionwithin it

byexploiting

the

weakest

states

to

protect

the

strongest.

US imperialism is offloading the crisis it is mainly responsible for creating, onto others,

wherevertheopportunityarises,andusingcrassappealstoorganized labourtokeepour

jobs while destroying theirs. The gross irresponsibility of the Harper Government is to

spread the illusionamongCanadians that theUSrulingclasshasabenignviewofCanada


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anditspeople.PrimeMinsterHarperspreadstheillusionthattheUStakesadifferentview

ofCanadainrelationtoothernations.HeinsinuatesthattheUSexcludesCanadafromthe

predatoryactions

and

aims

of

its

investor

classes

and

power

elites.

That

is

far

from

the

reality of USCanadian relations which always have been, and remain, contradictory and

conflicted.

Industries both private and state capitalist, in states such as Canada, that are heavily

dependentonprimary resource extraction and energy exports as theprincipalmeansof

economicdevelopmentareparticularlyvulnerabletoforeigntakeoverandthedestruction

of their core manufacturing and industrial industries. Canada is no exception. What is

criminalisagovernmentthatnotonlyletsithappenbutactivelypromotesitasadesirable

policy.

SincetheonsetoftheeconomicdownturnUSfinancecapitalhasaccelerateditstakeoverof

Canadianenterprisesinallsectorsoftheeconomy.ThisacceleratedannexationofCanadian

industry is resulting in permanent job loss and acceleration. It is a rapid and brazen

repatriation of high paying Canadian jobs to low wage areas in the USA. US finance

capitalists, with the support of a small insider group of Canadian collaborators, have

achieved greater dominance in the determination of overall Canadian economic

development since theHarper Conservatives haveoccupiedpower. That iswhyHarpers

approval rating with George Bush is high and dismal among Canadians. Canada is more

vulnerableto

the

affects

of

the

global

economic

crisis

now

underway

in

the

USA

since

the

Harperadministrationhastakenthereinsofpower.HistalkaboutCanadiansovereignty is

themostcontemptibleformofpoliticaldeception.

TheWorldSystemofCapitalismisEvolving AMomentof

WeaknessforUSImperialism

Allofthesefactorstakentogethermeanthatnothingasitwaspriortothecurrentcrisiscan

remain

the

same.

Power

relationships

are

being

altered

and

not

to

the

advantage

of

US

imperialism. Thecapitalistglobalsystemisvulnerabletodemandsbytheworkingmasses.

The general crisis of imperialism is deepening and the imperative for socialism is more

apparent. The current interdependence of China and US imperialism, enabling US

imperialism to wage war and pacify its populace with cheap consumer goods, is being


12/28


alteredbythecurrenteconomiccrisis.Thatrelationshipisnotpermanentandbeginningto

fray.

USimperialismsinabilitytodecisivelyandquicklyconcludeitswarsofaggressioninIraqand

Afghanistanandseizeallregionaloilandmineralresources,oustitscompetitorsandextend

itsdominancefrom IraqtotheCaspian inonefellswoophasresulted inacostlystrategic

miscalculation.ThemostrecentexampleisthedefeatofGeorgia,aformerSovietRepublic

and now a US puppet regime, by the Russian army, after being goaded by the Bush

administration intoacostlyadventurecostingthe lives1,400people inSouthOssetia.The

warinstigatedatthetimeoftheOlympicsandtimedtocomplicatetheObamapresidential

campaign,mayalsobeadangerouscoverforaUSattackonIran.

Resistancefrom

countries

and

political

forces

opposed

to

US

war

for

oil

strategy

in

the

regionextending from theCaucuses toCentralAsiaand theMiddleEast is stiffeningand

spreading.Whatwasplannedasashockandawevictoryhas turned intoadebilitating

and costly quagmire for the US military and a millstone on the US economy. The Bush

AdministrationwiththehelpofnewlabourTonyBlairdragooneditsNATOalliesintothe

socalled Coalitionof theWilling and in theprocessdestabilized international capitalist

relations, weakened the cohesion of NATO relations and aggravated global capitalist

economicrelationships. Thishascreatingirreparablestressesamongparticipants.

Forthe

people

of

the

Middle

East

and

Central

Asia

the

illegal

aggression

of

the

Bush

Administration into their countries is a crime against peace and a violation of national

sovereignty thathasbroughtdeathandmisery tomillions. Thepopular resistanceof the

IraqiandAfghanpeople to the imperialist intrusion into theircountries isunderstandable

and justified.Theresistancemaynotasyethavesucceeded inoustingtheUSmilitaryand

theeconomicpowerof thecorporationsprofiteering from thewar,but itdoes represent

theirretrievablelossofUSimperialismspoliticalinfluencerepresenting,indramaticterms,

theirreversiblehistoricdeclineofitsdominanceintheentireregion.

The fact that both Presidential candidates enunciate changes in policy but not in US

strategicgoals,originallyproclaimedby theBushadministration,means that thereareno

circlesamongtherulingUSelitesthathavedrawnthenecessaryhistoricalconclusionsfor

therequisiteretreatoftheempire.ItmeansthatallfactionsofUSpowerwillcontinuetheir

questfordominanceandthenegativeeconomicaffectsoftheUSNATOwarsofaggression

inIraqandAfghanistanwillcontinue longaftertheNovemberelections.Thesepolicieswill

continue toundermineanddestabilize theUSAandallwestern economies,andwith the


13/28


utmost certainty, that it will continue to worsen the current economic problems facing

Canadians.

Thesefactsrevealafundamentaltruth.ThecrisisintheUSAisnotcausedbyBush,Cheney,

Rice or Gates or any other corrupt group of servants of imperialist power. The Bush

administration isaproductofasystem, the resultandoperationof theobjective lawsof

capitalisminitsfinalstageofdevelopment imperialism.Capitalistpoliticianswilladmitthat

apolicyisflawedandmustbealtered,butnotasingleonewilladmitthatthesystemitselfis

brokenandcannotberepaired. Capitalismishistoricallyspentandmustbereplaced.Thisis

whatworkingclass leadersarecalledupontodo lead thestruggle toreplacecapitalism

withsocialism.

TheNatureoftheCrisisandtheProspectofRevolution

Revolution,likecyclicalcapitalistcrises,isanobjectiverealityofthedevelopmentofsociety

and itsproductive forces in relation to theprivateownershipandaccumulationofcapital.

Revolutionwillnotdisappearbecauseithasbeendemonizedbyfinancecapitalanddefined

byacademiaassomeaberrationofhumandevelopment.Pleadingwithcapitalismtoreform

itselfwillnothaltthebuildupofrevolutionaryforcesor limitrevolutionarymovementsto

demandsofreforms.WhatMarxandEngelsdescribedintheirdayandLenininhis,wasnot

theform

that

revolution

might

take,

but

its

underlying

causes

and

its

inevitability.

Why

is

revolutioninevitable?

What all capitalist societies and the globalprofit system confront is the seismicbuild up

betweena rapidgrowthof theproductive forces in theeraof thescientificand technical

revolutionandtheantiquatedrelationsofproductionthatattempttocompressandcontain

it.Summedup,thecontradictionthatunderliesourmodernworldandwhichhastakenon

globalproportionsisthecontradictionbetweensocialproductionandprivateownershipof

themeansofproductionandappropriationoftheresultofthatproductiverelationship.

Everyleft

theorist

acknowledges

and

describes,

sometimes

brilliantly

and

in

the

greatest

detail, thegrowingdisparity inglobalwealthandpovertybut few reflecton its inevitable

outcome,therevolutionaryconvulsionsitcreates.

Leftsocialdemocracyisstuckinaperpetualcircleofdescriptiveanalysisofthehorrorsof

imperialismandanoutpouringofameliorativefixestoalleviateitsworstfeatures,butfew


14/28


accept imperialisms certain demise and that socialism, its inevitable, necessary and

historicalreplacement,resultsfromrevolution.

What crisisphenomenawill come together to create conditions fora rapid revolutionary

advance is not completelypredictable.But not to study them from theperspective of a

revolutionaryviewofhistoricaldevelopmentisnotreality.

Todaytheworldsystemofcapitalism is inastageofvolatility.That iswhy it is imperative

thatthesocialistalternativetocapitalismneverbesetasideforthefuture,assomethingof

awistfulnotionnot forour time. Itcanvery rapidlybecome theurgentnecessityaround

whichmillionswouldbepreparedtounite iftheeconomicconditionsoftheworkingclass

made itclearthatsocialismwas thewayout.Socialism is thewayoutand it is incumbent

uponall

who

claim

to

want

genuine

change

to

say

so.

Such is theviewof theCommunistPartiesofGreece,PortugalandCyprusandnow India

whereactivemasspartiesoftheleft,includingmassCommunistParties,havewonsupport

of importantsectionsofworkingandexploitedclasses.VenezuelaandBoliviahave joined

Socialist Cuba where revolutionary class forces have assumed power and proclaim their

intentiontoinstitutesocialistsolutionstothedevelopmentoftheireconomies.

Thesocialiststatesandthose intransitiontosocialismandallofthenonalignedcountries

impacted

by

the

current

global

crisis

of

capitalism

are

in

a

better

position

to

preserve

peace

andmitigate the ruinous effectsof the current crisisof capitalismonworkingmassesof

theircountries.That iswhatsocialismofferstheworkingclassand itsallies,peaceandthe

opportunitytobuildtheeconomyintheirowninterests.

WhathasallofthattodowithCanada?Dotheseeventsoffertheopportunitytoposethe

socialistalternative?Theydo!

How it is to be done requires some careful thinking. Where does it start? It starts with

recognizingthatthesystemisbothinageneralcrisisandisatthebeginningofaneruption

ofa

new

cyclical

crisis

of

unknown

depth

and

duration.

CanadianPartiesofBigBusinessCowerandWait

Theeconomiccrisisofthesystemcreatesamomentofindecisionforthecapitalistparties.

Political paralysis is gripping the Conservative minority government and the Liberal


15/28


Opposition as their leaders wait timorously for the outcome of the US elections in

NovemberandanewPresidenttoestablishtheframeworkofCanadianUSrelationsforthe

nextfour

years.

ThetotalbankruptcyofCanadiancapitalistpoliticsisnowfullyexposed.Thefactthatnota

singlepartyleaderhasthecouragetostepforwardbeforetheUSNovemberelectionsand

enunciate an independentprogram thatplaces the interestsofCanadianworkingpeople

first lays bare this reality. The fear in Canadian ruling circles to confront the new US

president and Government with a program of economic and political development, that

befitsafullysovereignstateandplacestheinterestsofitsworkingpeopleatthetopofthe

political agenda, stands in stark contrast to socialist Cuba and Venezuela that have

embarkedonanindependentpathofdevelopmentwithoutseekingUSapproval.

PrimeMinisterHarperandhisgovernmentare incapableofconceivingofaworldwithout

USimperialistoversight.AllissuesimpactingthevitalinterestsofCanadianworkingpeople

aresubordinated toUSstrategicgoals.Canadianeconomicpolicyas farasPrimeMinister

Harperisconcerned;awaittheoutcomeofaUSPresidentialelection.

An independent economic program to protect Canadian workers from the made in USA

global economic crisis which is destroying Canadian jobs, depressing wages, slashing

purchasingpower,burdeningtaxpayerswithbankbailouts,payingforawarandoccupation

inAfghanistan,

shipping

Canadian

energy

resources

to

US

refineries

and

militarization

of

the

economycanonlybewonbyopenlyconfrontingCanadiancapitalpowerrelations.

TheEnergySectorStrengthorWeakness?

US dominance both as the principal importer and owner of Canadian energy resources

revealsthevulnerabilityoftheCanadianpeopletothepolicyofresourceselloutpromoted

bytheHarperConservatives. Insteadofasourceofstrength inthepresentcrisisasPrime

MinisterHarpervaingloriouslyassertsprivateforeigncontrolofCanadianenergyresources

anda

single

US

market

for

the

product

is

Canadas

greatest

economic

weakness.

TheenormousprofitsgeneratedfromtheTarSandsthatHarperboastsmakesCanadathe

newenergysuperpowerarebeinggleanedfromthelabouroftheenergysectorworkersof

Alberta, Northern BC and now Saskatchewan. These workers construct the plant and

refineries, installandmaintain thegathering systemsandpipelines thatextract,produce,


16/28


andtransportbothrawandsemiprocessedoilandgastotheUSmarket.Theirlabouristhe

principalsourceofnewcapitalflowingintothehandsofprivateinvestors.Whathappensto

thiscapital?

CapitalFormationfromtheEnergySector

Capitalaccumulations from theexploitationof theTarSandsarenotused toeither lower

costs of energy to Canadian consumers, industry and agriculture or to help halt the

precipitousdeclineofeasternCanadianmanufacturing.NewcapitalfromtheTarSandsgo

directly into the pockets of the private energy sector to reinvest in exploration and

productionandincreasinglytoengageinforeigninvestmentplaysinSouthAmerica,Central

Asiaand

the

USA.

ItisalsoincreasinglybeingusedastheprinciplestrategicsourceformeetingUSmilitaryfuel

requirements. LargeincreasesinupgradingandrefiningcapacitiesinIllinois,Oklahomaand

Mississippiarebeingconstructedwhileupgradingandrefiningcapacitiesarebeingcurtailed

in Canada. RoyalDutch Shell (RDC formally Shell Canada) announced in June that it is

haltingitsplannedSarniaOntarioexpansionandwithitthousandsofCanadianconstruction,

operationandmaintenance jobs ina region indesperateneedof jobs. RDCsaid thevery

nextdayaftertheSarniaannouncementthat itwillstopanyfurtherplannedexpansionof

PhaseII

through

Phase

IV

of

its

Ft.

Saskatchewan

Alberta

upgrader.

Shifting

the

upgrading

capacitiestoOklahomaand intononunion jurisdictionswherewagesare lowerandsafety

regulationsarevoluntarybythecontractorsandowners.

Intheirinsatiablegreed,theenergyinvestorsareplottingtoreplaceCanadianenergysector

workerswith importedforeign labourunderthetermsofthenew immigrationrulesofBill

C50.TogetherwiththeHarperGovernmentsamendmentstotheImmigrationandRefugee

Protection Act (IRPA), it will clear the way for a flood of low wage foreign temporary

workers intotheenergysectortobeusedascheap labourtofurtherweakenthebuilding

tradesunionsworkingintheconstructionofTarSandsmegaprojects.

BillC50 ispartof the setofagreements struckunder the SPPandTILMA inan effort to

depresswages,breakunionsandruinstablecommunities.TheAlbertaenergygiantsCNRL

andSuncorhaveconstructedbarracklikecampsatFortMcMurraywhichhousetheinfluxof

largenumbersofforeignworkersdirectlycompetingwithCanadianworkers inthefieldof

skilledtrades,technologyandengineering.


17/28


This is what Prime Minister Harper means when he speaks of Canada as an energy

superpower.Removingtherhetoricweareleftwiththepoweroftheenergydevelopersto

shapegovernment

policy

to

provide

cheap

labour,

keep

corporate

taxes

low,

remove

all

export barriers and defy the rising public outcry against rising prices and the obvious

environmental damage being created by irresponsible and uncontrolled private

development.Asothershavesaid,thePrimeMinisterisnothingmorethananenergysuper

marketer,sellingoutthefutureoftheresourceandtheenergyneedsofthewholecountry

forafastbuck.

ProductionCapitalOut,Usury,SpeculativeCapitalIn!

Furtherexacerbating

the

current

economic

crisis

is

the

conflict

among

some

sections

of

the

capitalistclassesthatderivetheirprofitsfromexploitingworkersengagedintheproduction

of industrial and manufactured commodities. The Canadian Manufacturers Association

supportedbytheLiberalsconfrontFinanceMinisterFlahertysedictthateconomicplanners

mustacceptas theirfirstdutyto theirclass,theBankofCanadaandFederalGovernment

policyofbailingoutthebankingsector,shoringupusurycapitalandshoringupthelossesof

large investorspeculators.Theproductivesectorgetswhat is left.Themeetingsbetween

OntarioandQuebecpremierswereareactiontothatpolicyandthemostrecentmeetingof

theprovincialpremiersinQuebecCityrevealedthatsplitbetweenresourcesectorprovinces

andmanufacturing

based

provinces

is

real

and

growing.

The

fiery

denunciations

by

Premier

DannyWilliamsofNewfoundlandLabradorofPrimeMinisterStephenHarper isarevealing

symptomofthesplitswithintherulingelites

TwoServantsFightingtoServetheSameMaster

Tosaythere isnodifferencebetweentheLiberalsandConservatives isthesameassaying

thereisnodifferencebetweentheUSRepublicansandDemocrats,theBritishToriesandthe

BritishLabour,theSarcozyRepublicanstheFrenchSocialists,andonandon.Suchtautology

getsus

nowhere.

Thereisbroadagreementontheleftthatthedivisionsamongcapitalistpartiesarequarrels

among servants vying for the rewards flowing from serving the same master, finance

capital.What isnotoftenconsidered isthatthesequarrelsarerealandcanbecomebitter

andsometimes,asishappeninginTurkeyandPakistan,quitebloody.


18/28


In Canada these realities of capitalist politics stem from the confrontation between the

dominanceofnewcapitalarising fromenergyproduction,and theoldcapital invested in

manufacturing,the

parasitical

weight

of

banks,

usury

and

speculative

capital

versus

the

needsof theproductive sector of the economy for cheap investment capital. Itpartially

explains the splits in the capitalists parties, the divisions between eastern and western

regional capitalist interests, between the federal government and the provinces, all

attesting to disunity among competing capitalist interests engaged in the most vile and

acquisitivepursuitofselfinterestattheexpenseofCanadaanditspeople.

Similarlyonan international scale,competitionbothwithinandamong imperialist trading

blocs, principally the EU and NAFTA and, its most recent iteration, the Security and

ProsperityPartnership (SPP), are sharpenedby the currentglobal crisis further inflaming

interimperialist rivalries. Within theEU itself, thereare stressesanddisunity. These are

exemplifiedbytherecentdefeatoftheEUReformConstitutionbythevotersofIreland.This

disunityhas created a serious crisisofpolitical and economic development for European

financecapitalanditsplanstotransformacapitalistEuropeintoacontenderwiththeUSA

forworldimperialistdominationandcontrol.

ThedreamsoftheambitiouscorruptrulingelitesofUkraine,dismemberedYugoslaviaand

Kosovo,GeorgiaandformerEuropeansocialiststatesadmittedtoNATO,thatacornucopia

of riches andwealthwould reward theirbetrayalof socialism and thepeople confronta

bitterreality.

These

states,

confront

the

hard

nosed

demands

of

the

dominant

European

capitaliststates,Germany,France,ItalyandtheUK. Thesupplicantsmustfirstgiveuptheir

sovereignty, theirmarketsand their resourcesandallof thegainsmadeunder socialism,

beforetheywillbeletinthedoor.

InthecaseofPolandandCzechoslovakia,andUkrainewhereasmallelitebeggingtheUSA

forapositionofprivilegewithinNATOandattheimperialisttable,permittheUSAtostation

forwardadvancednuclearweapons installationson their territory thusmenacingRussian

security,expose theirowncountriesand itspeople tocertaindestruction in theeventof

nuclearwar.

TheRoadAheadIncreasedInstabilityoftheCapitalistSystem

Allof these factorsarebound tocreateextremepolitical instabilitywithineachcapitalist

country and the global capitalist system thatwill shape class relations for some time to


19/28


come.Tosaytheglobalsystemofcapitalism is integratedwithoutexplainingthetenuous

andcontradictorynatureofthatintegrationrobstheworkingclassofanimportantweapon

inits

struggle

for

its

own

interests,

the

ability

to

take

advantage

of

inter

capitalist

and

inter

imperialistcontradictions.Worsethanthat, itperpetuatesthe illusionofthe invulnerability

andpermanenceofglobalcapitalismintheimperialiststageofitsdevelopment.

AnotherWorldintheMaking

The doctrines of a small group of imperialist states led by theUSA that rely onmilitary

power and political and economic threats, and proclaim their right to violate the

sovereigntyofpeoplesandnations toexactregimechange, to intervenemilitarilyand

unilaterallyin

international

affairs

is

being

challenged.

More peoples and countries, recognizing that imperialism cannot be reformed, reject its

tenetsandaretakingmatters intotheirownhands.Theyaredeclaringpeaceastheirright

andboldlyestablishingnewformsofgovernanceutilizingtheirownnaturalresourcesand

peacefulcreativelabourtoprovidefortheeconomicandsocialneedsoftheirpeople.

A group of states, the Peoples Republic of China, the Democratic Peoples Republic of

Korea,thePeoplesRepublicofVietNam,theRepublicofCuba,theBolivarianRepublicof

Venezuelaand theRepublicofBoliviahavechosen socialistmodelsofpolitical,economic

andsocialdevelopment.Thesemodelsarebasedon stateownershipof thecommanding

heightsof theeconomycombiningother innovative formsandmethodsofproduction to

overcomeproblemsofunderdevelopment.

The socialist states emphasize economic cooperation, the application of science and

technologytoincreaseproductivityandeaselabourtomeettherisingneedsofthepeople

fornecessities.Atthesametimethesocialiststatesaresystematicallyimprovingthehealth,

advancededucationandculturallifeofthepeopleandimplementingvigorousprogramsto

preserve the environment, conserve energy resources and avoid the worst aspects of

consumerism.

OtherstatessuchasEcuador,Chile,Paraguay,Nicaragua,ArgentinaandBrazil,Russiaand

India,SouthAfricaandByelorussia (Belarus)andmanyothers thatareconsidering joining

them,representnationsintransitionthatarenotfullyintheorbitofimperialismandoptfor

anonbelligerentstanceininternationalrelations.


20/28


Thesestatesareweaklyintegratedintheglobaleconomicsystemofimperialismandoften

act independentlyof itwhen theirvitaleconomic interestsareat stake.Theyareactively

engagedin

building

new

non

belligerent

trading

blocs,

free

of

military

threats

and

imperial

ambition. Mutually beneficial economic relationships built at a regional level and that

objectivelychallengethedominanceandextremeaggressivenessofthe leading imperialist

statesledbytheUSAissomethingnewininternationaleconomicrelationssince1990.

Thenew trends in internationaldevelopmentattract theattentionof themajorityof the

peopleoftheworldandraisehighthehopesforpeaceandeconomicprogressfreeofwar

andoppression.

Thesetrendsalsoarousetheenmityandscornoftheolddiscredited imperialistcentresof

powerand

privilege

and

their

dominant

role

in

global

affairs.

These

trends

are

causing

old

imperialist powers to resort to threats, occupations, militarism and war, inflicting

unspeakable crimes against the people, as people attempt to emerge from poverty and

exploitation.

CanadasChoice OldImperialistConflictorTowardsaNewEraof

NonbelligerenceandCooperation?

These

developments

challenge

Canadians

to

consider

alternatives

to

the

dominant

subordinaterelationshipthatpresentlyexistsbetweenCanadaandtheUSA.Withadifferent

government,Canadacouldmoveclosertothesetrendsininternationalrelationsthatreject

war,aggressivenessandbelligerenceamongstates.

PrimeMinisterHarperdoestheoppositeandhasabandonedanypretenceofpromotinga

foreign policy of peace. USCanadian military and foreign policy collaboration has led

Canada into membership in the imperialist military alliances of NATO, NORAD and

NORTHCOM,adaptingand integratingCanadasmilitaryandforeignpolicy instepwithUS

imperialistglobalambitions.

Canada,theWorkingClassandtheFuture

Canadiancapitalism isnot immune to thecurrentglobalcrisis; in fact thedecisionsof the

Harper Government aggravate the general crisis and make itworse. All of the solutions


21/28


offeredthusfarpromotedbytheminorityrightwinggovernmentaredesignedtodeepen

Canadian involvement in imperialistwar,divertpublicwealth tobailoutprivate investors,

andpromote

high

energy

prices

and

a

low

wage

policy

that

reduces

purchasing

power

of

consumersforallbuttheupperincomeelites.

Allof the solutionsofferedby geniusesof high finance aredesigned toprotect the

profitsof richest andmost powerful finance and resource capital formations. From the

GovernoroftheBankofCanadatotheFinanceMinister,tobankCEOsandthefullrangeof

corporate groups such as the Canadian Councilof Chief Executives (CCCE), the Canadian

ManufacturersAssociation(CMA),theCanadianAssociationofPetroleumProducers(CAPP)

and the stock exchanges S&P/TSX,while disagreeingonmethods, all agree that it is the

workingclassandthenoncorporatetaxpayersthatmustbearthebruntofthislatestfree

marketdrivenfiasco.

Capitalists in all countries, including Canada sensing the vulnerability of politically and

economicallyunorganizedworkingpeoplewill imposeharshconditions that include rising

monopoly prices,wage freeze, and severe consumer debt pressure. Thesemeasures all

resultinfallingpurchasingpowerinthehandsofworkers.Thisprocesswillcharacterizethe

classstrugglesolongasthecurrentcrisisworsens.

Thecrisishassharpenedallclassrelationshipsandwillcompelallthosewhomustlabourto

liveto

reconsider

their

previous

assumptions

about

the

capitalist

systems

ability

to

meet

theirneedsnowand in the future.The crisisposes thesequestionsmosturgently to the

working class.Workers confront abitter choice.Believe the theoriesof thosewho claim

capitalism can master the current crisis and manage its way out and wait for them to

attempt to do it, or do their own thinking and intervene in the political and economic

processtodefendtheirinterestsnow,andworkonaworkingclasssolutionforthefuture.

Howeachworkerandeachworkingclassorganizationanswersthatquestionwilldetermine

howrapidlytheworkingclassentersthestruggleforitsownvitalclassinterests.

The thesesofawide rangeofeconomicanalysts from theavowedlyproimperialist toan

array of neoMarxist academics and even some Communist theorists is, that the current

situation is simply another predictable and recurring cyclical event in evolving global

capitalist economy and that the economic gurus of Wall St., Fleet St. and Bay St., can

managetheirwayoutofthecrisis again.Thatblandassurance,inallofitsleftandright

variants ispropagatedeveryminuteofeverydayby the corruptmedia. It is suspect and


22/28


shouldnotbetakenatfacevalue.Thecurrentcrisisneedsdeeperanalysisandthatcanonly

comefromafreshlook.

Whatdoallofthesetheorists invitetheworkingclasstobelieve?Theworkingclassofthe

leadingcapitaliststates,areinvitedtobelievethattherulingelitesoftheimperialistsystem

ofstateshavemastered the lawsofcapitalistdevelopmentand in timewilldeviseaplan,

andinfactarebusyimplementingsuchaplan.Theplanmostassuredly,willsavethestatus

andprivilegesofworkersand farmers in theadvancedcapitaliststatesat theexpenseof

workersandfarmersinunderdevelopedstates.Suchtheoriesareflawed.

ACapitalistCrisisStrikingattheEpicentreofImperialism

The current global crisis of capitalism is most severe at the epicentre of the imperialist

system theUnitedStatesofAmerica. Infact,itarisesfromthere.Unlikepreviouscrisesof

capitalismsuchastheAsiancrisis,theArgentinacrisis,thecollapseoftheRussianeconomy

following1990counterrevolutionaryoverthrowoftheSovietUnion,USAfinancecapital is

unable this time to turn a capitalist crisis of global proportions into an opportunity to

strengthenitsdominanceintheglobalimperialistsystemofstates.

In fact the current crisis is weakening US dominance and exacerbating interimperialist

tensions. Regardless of how the current crisis is resolved, the USA will emerge from it

weaker than when it began. This is not the aftermath of WW2 when the US economy

emerged unscathed bywar on its territory and became the undisputed dominant global

imperialistpower.AtthattimeUSfinancecapitalistsembarkedonalongtrajectoryofprofit

makingbyinvestinginthereconstructionofwarravagedcapitalistEuropeandtherearming

ofGermanyinviolationofsolemnagreementswiththeSovietUnion.USimperialismcreated

andarmedNATOandbuiltup the firststrikestrategicnuclearcapabilityof theUSarmed

forces,allofwhichwasaimedatdestroying theonly threat toUS imperialistascendancy,

thesocialistsystemofstatesledbytheSovietUnion.

Thecapitalists

of

the

west

European

states,

ruined

by

Hitlers

war

of

aggression

learned

nothingfromthatexperience.InfactmanyofthemhadactivelycollaboratedwithHitlerand

expectedtobethebeneficiariesofafascistvictory.Thwarted,theyeagerlyembracedthe

USfinancecapitalistplanfortheanticommunistreconstructionofEurope.Anticommunism

hasalwayshaditsrewardsforitsmostardentexponentsandstilldoestothisday.


23/28


ThelongpostwarperiodofunimpededUSexpansionismisoverandUSimperialismisnow

enteringtheperiodofitshistoricaldecline.Asanydyingorganism, itresortstoanyandall

meansto

prevent

the

inevitable.

In

its

moribund

state,

US

imperialism

resorts

to

militarism

asitsfirstoptioninassertingitsprimacyintheimperialistsystem.

LegionsofbourgeoistheoristsandneoMarxistsnevertireofassertingthatUSimperialism

transcendsthelawsofcapitalistdevelopmentandisexceptionalforitsabilitytomanageits

wayoutof crisisandovercome the fundamental lawofcapitalism, socialproductionand

privateappropriationofsurplusvalue.

ThetheoryofAmericanexceptionalism, inessenceatheoryofcapitulationto imperialism,

was firstpropoundedbyKautskyanddemolishedbyLenin. It isbasedon the theory that

imperialismhas

evolved

into

a

unified

system

that

has

eliminated

inter

imperialist

rivalry.

It

thereforelogicallycreatesanoverarchingsinglefinancecapitalistmonopolythatdirectsthe

whole system thereby removing the basis of interimperialist war and conflict. And

therefore as a unified system it can manage the fundamental law of capitalism the

contradictionbetweensocialproductionandprivateappropriation.

The theory received itsgreatestvindicationwith thecounterrevolutionaryundermining

of the Soviet Union. With the destruction of the Soviet Union and along with it, the

Europeansystemofsocialiststates,imperialisttheoristsandacademiaingeneralproclaimed

theend

of

history

and

engaged

in

a

great

search

for

the

next

theory

that

would

replace

Leninism.

For the imperialist realists running the show, the removal of the SovietUnion, themain

supportforthepeaceanddisarmamentmovements,oftheanticolonialmovement,forthe

nonalignedstates,fortheantiimperialistandsocialistmovements,fortheworkingmasses

and inparticular theworking class, the global landscapewas changed. Itopened up the

possibilityforUSimperialismtoexpandempire,stealmarketshare,plunderresources,and

exploitforeignlabour,withoutthecomplexityandburdenofhavingtoformallianceswith

anticommunist factions to achieve their goals. Following the removal of the socialist

roadblockthedreamsofGerman,British,French,Italianimperialiststoreestablishtheirlost

colonialpossessions,theirformerpresocialistdominanceinEuropesoaredtogiddyheights.

BecausethecurrentcrisisisweakeningtheUSeconomy,theabilityofUSfinancecapitalto

useitseconomicpowertocoerceothercapitaliststatesintoabsorbingthecostsofthecrisis

is lesseffectiveandmorecomplexandcontradictory.Fromasourceofstrengthforother


24/28


imperialiststates,theUSeconomyisnowitsprincipalweakness.InfactfortheUStosurvive

thecurrentcrisisitmustaggressivelyandruthlesslyexportitseconomicproblemsfirstofall

toits

own

working

class

and

to

the

working

masses

of

other

capitalist

and

non

capitalist

states,butalsotoothercapitaliststatesandclasses.

Thecurrentcrisisas inallpreviouscrisis leadstothedestructionofsmallandmediumsize

businesses and in a ruthless andbitter struggle for dominance and survival among large

financecapitalistinterests.Thisprocessisleadingtogrowingworldwideresistancefromthe

victimsoftheglobalcrisis,inthefirstplacetheinternationalworkingclassandaweakening

ofthepoliticalcohesionoftheentireimperialistsystem.

There isvery little incurrentUScrisismanagementproposalsemanatingfrom itsprincipal

powercentres,

the

Whitehouse,

the

Pentagon,

the

State

Department,

and

the

Federal

Reserve that resonates positively in the capitals of the EU, Asia or South America. In

particular thedeliberatedevaluingof theUSdollar, thecapitalistworldsprincipalreserve

currency,hastheeffectofdevaluingUSdebtowedtoforeigninvestors,suchasChina,India,

JapanandseveralfrontrankMiddleEasternoilexportingstates.Foreign investment inUS

treasurybillsandUScapitalmarketsboughtwithUSdollars tenor twentyyearsagoare

worthmuchlesstoday.

TheUS isalsoengaged inattempting to repatriate someof itsoutsourced industrialand

manufacturingcapacity.

Corporations

have

driven

down

wages

in

the

USA

to

third

world

levelsmakingitattractivetobringsomeofthatproductionbacktotheUSA.Countriessuch

as Canada that became heavily dependent on branch plant economies such as auto

manufacturingarefeelingtheaffects. Theeffectsarealsobeginning toshow inCanadas

energysectoraswediscussedabove.

Thecloser the statesaffectedby thecrisisare to theepicentre, themore integratedand

dependent theyareon theUSmarket, themore integrated theyarewith theUS finance

capitalistsystem,inparticularitsbankingsector,itsarmsindustryandspecificallyitscostly

militarysystem,themoreinvolvedtheymustbeincostlywarsUSimperialismhasinstigated

in IraqandAfghanistan, themorevulnerable thesestatesare toageneralcollapseof the

globalsystem.

Capitalist economists and theorists have postulated the opposite. That view drives the

ideology and world view of Prime Minister Harper. He asserts that the closer the most

advanced capitalist economies are to theUSA, themore dependent they are on theUS


25/28


dollar,themorerelianttheyareonUSfinancecapital,themoredependenttheyareonthe

USmilitarysystem for theirdefence, themorewilling theyhavebeen toparticipate inUS

warsof

aggressions,

the

more

strengthened

will

be

the

domestic

capitalist

economies

they

command,themoredependenttheyareontheUS market,themoresecuretheirprofitand

thereforethepeopleofCanada.

ThePathForward

Working classanalysts andpolitical leaders that fail to studymoredeeply these evolving

trendsandadjusttheirpoliciesaccordinglywillberelegatedto irrelevance.Financecapital

dominatescapitalismandcommandssucheconomicpowerthatitbuysgovernmentstodo

itswill.

All

governments

in

Canada

are

state

monopoly

governments.

State

monopoly

governmentsmanagetheeconomicpoliticalaffairsofthecountryintheinterestsoffinance

capitalandtheirpursuitofmaximumprofit.

The capitalist state isan instrumentof class rule thatutilizes themilitary, the courts, the

police and vast states apparatus to administer the affairs of the country, to coerce the

workingclassestosubordinatetheirclassintereststotheprofitgoalsofbigbusiness.

Everycitizenknows this tobe the realstateofaffairs inallcapitalistcountries from their

ownexperience.Whethertheeconomyisinanexpansionoracyclicalcrisisphase,allofthe

majordecisionsofgovernmentaretakenwithonepurpose, topreservetheprofitsystem

andtheinterestofthoseclassesthatarethemainbeneficiaries.

The deep economic roots causing the political turmoil afflicting all advanced capitalist

countries includingCanada isgraduallycompelling thenonsectarian left toenter intoa

moresoberanalysisofmoderncapitalistdevelopment.TheCommunistsareplayingcatch

up.Fortoolong,anonclassliberal,socialdemocraticanalysishasdominatedthetheoretical

discussionandkept itat the levelofacademiawhereneoMarxiststarsappropriate the

leadershipof thediscussion. Workersand farmers,workingclassyouthandstudentsare

leftscratching

their

heads

in

bewilderment

as

brilliant

descriptions

of

capitalism

and

globalism are elaborated but without advancing a single solution that breaks the

strangleholdoftheprofitsystemovertheeconomyandtheirlives.

How will we explain the differences between the Communist vision of Canada and the

Liberalsocialdemocratic vision? Communists argue that the need to abolish the profit


26/28


system isrevealed,notprimarilybytheexposureof thehypocrisyofwhatcapitalismsays

aboutitself,somethingallsocialandliberaldemocratsareadeptatdoingandoftendovery

well,but

primarily

by

the

exposure

of

the

actual

source

of

the

causes

of

the

steady

decline

of

theeconomicconditionsoftheworkingpeople.

TheCommunistssaythesourceoftheworseningeconomicconditionsoftheworkingclass

isthesystemofcapitalismitselfandthatcapitalismisirreparableandmustbereplacedwith

socialism.Theliberalandsocialdemocratssaythesourceofthecausesofthedeteriorating

conditionsoflifeofworkingpeopleisamalfunctioningcapitalismandallthatisrequiredis

torepairthesystem.

Communistsassertthatitisimpossibletoseriouslyconsiderasolutiontothedilemmafaced

byhalf

of

all

Canadians

who

rely

on

wages

and

salaries

to

live,

and

who

are

only

two

pay

chequesawayfrompoverty,withoutconsideringhowtofundamentallychangethepolitical

andeconomicsystemthatexposeworkerstosucheconomicuncertainty.

Whiletheimmediacyofthepossibilityofreplacingcapitalismwithsocialismmaylegitimately

bediscussed,itisincumbentuponthosewhoadvocatedeferringthediscussionofsocialism

to some distant time, to explain how that deferral strengthens the immediate and

contemporary struggles of the people for peace, democracy and social and economic

progress.Toassertthatsocialismisnotontheagendaimpliesthatcapitalismisdurableand

hasovercome

its

internal

contradictions

and

periodic

crises

eliminating

the

possibility

of

revolutionarysituationstherebyobviatingtheneedforarevolutionaryparty.Toassertthat

socialismisnotontheagendacanalsobeaconvenientwaytoevadethetaskofdefending

theachievementsofprevioussocialistrevolutionsandthe internationalistdutytoorganize

solidarityandsupportforexistingsocialiststatesandcontemporarysocialistrevolutions.

Postponement of the discussion of the dialectical relationship between socialism and

immediate struggle for reform reduces the role of Communists to a choir for social

democracyandreformismandbecomes inpracticeanaccommodationwithneoliberalism

andanunintendedconcessiontoanticommunism.

Theanswer toanticommunism isconsistentpartisanship for thesum totalof thehistoric

experienceofthestruggleoftheworkingclassforsocialism.Communistsconcedenothing

to theanticommunist revisionofworkingclasshistory.Theworkingclasscreates itsown

history instruggleand itwilldecidewhat is relevantandwhat is tobe learned from that

history.Imperialistideologists,theoristsandapologistshavenothingtoteachMarxism.


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TheSourceofOpportunismToday

Thegreatest

threat

to

the

working

class

fight

back

against

the

present

unfolding

crisis

is

the

illusion it is simplyanothermechanisticcyclicalevent that shallselfcorrect, that thehigh

priestsoffinancecapitalwillsavethesystemandtheinterestsoftheworkingpeoplealong

with it.Such illusion istheformthatpoliticalopportunismtakestoday.Accompanyingthis

opportunisticassessmentisthecanardbandiedaboutbyacoterieofneoMarxistacademics

thattheworkingclassiscorruptedandincapableoffightingback. Theyimplythatbecause

ofitsintegrationinthecapitalistsystem,throughprivateownershipofpropertyandsavings

fromdeferredwagesintheformofRRSPandothersmallinvestments,workersareunable

tomountanoffensiveintheirownclassinterests.

Lefttheoristsspendtheirtimehandwringingandchurningouttreatisesexplainingwhat

thecurrentcrisis isnt.Theysolemnlydeclare it isnta recessionoradepressionora 1929

crashoraglobalcollapseofthecapitalisteconomy.LeninandMarxhavebeendisproven

whichseemstobetheobjectiveoftheirefforts.Sincethecurrentcrisisisntexactlytheway

Marxpredicted it inCapital inthe19thCenturyandLenindescribed it in Imperialism in20th

Century the neoMarxists and their wideeyed coterie of hyperleft followers, busy

themselvesinthe21stCenturycorrectingMarxandLeninandseekingamorecogentanalysis

thatwindsupwithanappealtoworkerstobecomerevolutionaryas though theywere

waitingaroundjusttobetold.

WorkersRemainWorkers

The economic ruinationofworkers, thosewell established and those carrying largedebt

loadshappensallofthetimeandishappeningnowandinaparticularlyacuteway.Workers

donthavesinecures.Ruination isclassbased.Workerswithbuiltupeconomiccushions in

theformofsavingsorpensionsoradditionalincomefrompettybourgeoisenterprisedoes

notchangetheirfundamentalpositionintherelationsofproduction.Thereisnodoubtthat

some

imagine

they

do,

having

accepted

the

spin

of

capitalist

apologists

that

everyone

is

the

authoroftheirownmisfortune.

What is primary is not what is believed or imagined but what exists objectively

independentlyofourindividualactions.Whatisprimaryisthefactthatworkersdonotown

themeansofproductionandmustselltheirlabourpowertolive.So longastheirprinciple


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incomeisfromsellinglabourpower,whenthereisnomarketfortheskillstheyhavetosell,

theeffectisinstantaneousandbleak.

MarxismLeninismstudiesclass relationshipsastheyexistobjectively,todiscoverthe laws

underlyingtheirdevelopmentandtobaseprograms,strategiesand tacticsonthatreality.

Theclassstruggleisaprocessandlikeallprocesses,isadevelopmentnotanevent.

Fromthemomentoftheonsetofaglobaleconomiccrisisofthesystemofcapitalismsuch

astheonethat isuponusnow,there isanascentperiod,aperiodofquantitativebuildup

beforestrugglesmatureandtakeaqualitativeleap.Forexample,the1929crashfolloweda

longperiodof relative full employment during thepostworldwarone recoverywhen a

stratum ofworkers had achieved a relatively high standard of living. The high priests of

financecapital

preached

a

world

of

prosperity

for

all

that

would

never

end.

Well

it

did.

Whenthedepressionhititusheredinalongperiodofeconomichardshipsfortheworking

classasawhole,bothemployedandunemployed,causingbothmassunemploymentanda

drasticdropinpurchasingpowerofthosewhocontinuedtobeemployed.

Theperiodbetweenthe1929crashandtheOntoOttawatrekandtheDominionDayRiotin

ReginaofJuly1st 1935encompassedsixyearsofbitterclassbattlesduringwhichtime the

working class and farmers realized from their own bitter experience that their only

alternative

was

organized

struggle.

Other

historical

examples

can

be

cited.

The

crisis

now

breakingoutisstillatanearlystageofitsdevelopment.

Now is the time todeepen theanalysis,drawonallof thehistorical lessonsof thepast,

apply thescienceofMarxismLeninism to theunderstandingof the realitiesof todayand

broadenanddeepenthediscussioninthemostpublicofways.

State, Government and the Working Class

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