This abstract formula "not with British imperialism nor with Brazilian fascists but with the interests of the working class", leaves the question of what should socialists say and do in the face of imperialist agression unanswered. Its reveals itself as nonsense when applied it to historical examples: "Not with or against the US invasion of Iraq, but with the interests of the working class", "not with or against the US invasion of Panama", "not with or against the US invasion of Venezuela", "not with or against the US-Israel attack on Iran". In these four cases, the countries which were attacked by US imperialism are capitalist dictatorships. Does the international working class have any stake in this type of conflict, should it be neutral or should it side with "democratic imperialism" if the peripheral country has a dictatorial regime?
The Communist Manifesto states: "In proportion as the exploitation of one individual by another will also be put an end to, the exploitation of one nation by another will also be put an end to. In proportion as the antagonism between classes within the nation vanishes, the hostility of one nation to another will come to an end." Marx and Engels also considered it to be in the interest of the working class for imperialist and colonialist domination to end. If socialists take the opportunist stance of endorsing a "democratic" imperialist power in its attack against a country under a dictatorial regime, this would in fact legitimize most imperialist wars, as in most cases the attacker can claim democratic credentials and deny them to the attacked country, even using the language of democracy in its propaganda. Such was the case of the US attacks on Iraq and Panama. Israel claims to be the only democracy in the Middle East while furthering imperialist interests, France claimed to be democratic while colonizing Algeria and Vietnam, Russia claimed to be "de-nazifying" Ukraine, etc. This perspective is unacceptable for socialists and incompatible with marxism. Since we live in a capitalist world where imperialist powers exert domination upon most of the world, as socialists we can't pretend the working class can be neutral regarding this crucial form of domination. Anti-imperialism is a necessary component of the struggle against capitalism and expresses the interests of the working class worldwide, not only in poor countries but also in imperialist countries. Imperialism corrupts the working class in imperialist countries, as Marx saw clearly regarding British domination of Ireland ( https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1869/letters/69_12_10-abs.htm). In this sense, the marxist tradition answers the question of where working class interest lies in military conflict between imperialist powers and peripheral countries, whether colonial or semicolonial, in the same way as Trotsky did, not by advocating neutrality or support for imperialism but siding against imperialist aggression. The defeat of imperialist powers is in the interest of the working class. This does not, obviously, imply giving political support for any bourgeois government or faction in the attacked country. In Venezuela the left-opposition mobilized against the US naval blockade and the military attack of January 3rd without supporting Maduro or Delcy Rodríguez. Opposition to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 had nothing to do with giving political support for Hussein. Similarly, one can and should oppose US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon without praising the Iranian dictatorship or lending it any kind of political support. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#41212): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/41212 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/118369160/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
