Now that the South Carolina primary is behind us, the press is focused on ”Super Tuesday”. As the working people watch the news, and in fact they pay strict attention to the news, it is up to conscious people, Marxists, to also watch the news. The only way in which we can hope to raise the level of awareness of the proletariat and bring that awareness to the level of Marxists, is by becoming involved in that which interests the workers. At the moment, that is the Democratic primaries, and in particular the nomination of the self declared independent socialist, Bernie Sanders. The corona virus is also in the news.
The press is most generously assisting us in our noble endeavour, although they, no doubt, are not aware of this. They are quite cheerfully pointing out the fact that in the ”Nordic” countries, which are thought to be socialist, there are more billionaires, per capita, than there are in America. These facts are carefully documented, as is the fact that the highest taxes are paid by the ”middle class and poor people”. Note that they are careful not to use the correct scientific expressions of petty bourgeois and proletarians, and of course the bourgeoisie are referred to as billionaires. This is consistent with the North American lie, as propagated by the American bourgeoisie, that classes do not exist.
Those of us who are scientific socialists, which is to say Marxists, have been saying right along that utopian socialism does not work. Sanders has his own version of utopian socialism, which he refers to as ”independent socialism”. This is merely a ”rose by a different name”, a different shade of the same colour. The only effective socialism is scientific socialism, as expressed by Marx, and that is in the form of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. That is the one and only way in which the class enemies of the proletariat, the bourgeoisie, can be crushed, after they are overthrown through revolution.
It is only the proletariat that can emancipate the proletariat. No amount of well meaning middle class utopian socialists can do this for the working class. Further, in a monopoly capitalist country such as America, one which has so fervently embraced imperialism, there can be no thought of a peaceful transition to socialism. The one and only way in which socialism can be established is through violent revolution. That revolution could break out any day now.
The country can be compared to a ”powder keg”, in that any spark could set off an explosion. It is entirely possible that the other item in the news, that of the ”corona virus”, could well be that spark. We have no way of knowing. We do know that the stock markets have been tumbling, and may continue to tumble. We also know that Trump is speaking of a ”miracle”, in that the corona virus will magically disappear, while his son, Donald Trump, Junior, is saying that the Democrats are hoping that ”millions of people will die from this sickness, just to make President Trump look bad”.
It is characteristic of the bourgeoisie that a sickness which is killing thousands, concerns them only in so far as it affects their wealth and power. People are dying and they are concerned because it is affecting the stock market! It is facts such as these which should be driven home to the working class.
As working people are paying attention to the press reports concerning the stock market, feel free to explain that the capitalists refer to a drop of ten percent as a ”correction”, while a drop of twenty percent they refer to as a ”bear market”. Then there is a recession and the dreaded ”D word”, a depression. As yet, they have not dared to use that word. If, as medical experts fear, this virus spreads around the world and becomes a pandemic, then they may be forced to use that word. A depression could be ”right around the corner”.
Explain to the working people that the capitalists have tied together the economies of the world. That which has an effect on the economy of one country affects the economies of all countries. As the journalists are quick to point out, the fear of becoming infected with the virus causes people to avoid travel, and the profits of airlines and ocean cruise vessels, among others, takes a ”nose dive”. Then too, as people cannot go to work, for fear of catching the virus, factories shut down. The companies which count upon the goods provided by these factories are also affected. As China is most effected by the virus, and because so many companies now buy from China, the ”ripple effect” is felt throughout the world. So say the journalists, and they are probably correct, as far as they go.
No doubt the workers are aware of recessions and depressions. The more advanced workers may ask the difference between the two. The capitalists have a definition, which may not be very accurate, but gives a place to start: ”A recession is the contraction phase of the business cycle. A common rule of thumb for recessions is two quarters of negative GDP growth. A depression is a prolonged period of economic recession, marked by a significant decline in income and employment. There is no widely accepted definition of depressions”. We may add that GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product, while a quarter is a three month period.
That is the best definition the capitalists can provide, for what it is worth. Those same capitalists are blaming the drop in the stock market on the corona virus. Although that may be a contributing factor, that is far from the whole story.
A more accurate explanation is provided by Lenin, in his book, Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism. As he phrases it, ”The statement that cartels can abolish crises is a fable spread by bourgeois economists whom at all cost desire to place capitalism in a favourable light. On the contrary, when monopoly appears in certain branches of industry, it increases and intensifies the anarchy inherent in capitalist production as a whole.” We may add that by now, monopoly has taken root in almost all branches of industry.
It is clear that the corona virus is not responsible for the ”correction” in the stock market, just it will not be responsible for any possible ”bear market”, never mind recession or depression. These crisis in capitalism are a natural result of that which Lenin explains as ”the extremely rapid rate of technical progress gives rise more and more to disturbances in the coordination between the various spheres of industry, to anarchy and crisis.” Lenin goes on to say that ”Crises of every kind-economic crises more frequently, but not only these- in their turn increase considerably the tendency towards concentration and monopoly”. Perhaps the key statement is ”economic crises more frequently, but not only these”. (my italics) It is entirely possible that we may be facing an economic crisis along with a medical crisis, that which the capitalists may refer to as a ”perfect storm”.
The capitalists are referring to a possible ”panic” among politicians, those who are terrified at the prospect of Sanders becoming the Democratic Party nominee for president. They are also reporting ”panic” among stock brokers. Perhaps a bit of this ”panic”, or at least deep concern, should extend to the Left. We have no way of knowing what will happen to the stock market, just as we cannot predict the course of the outbreak of the corona virus. We do not expect a ”miracle”, as Trump suggested. We do know that the revolutionary motion is becoming more intense and could explode any day now. We also know that an economic crisis, such as a severe downturn in the stock market, could rapidly intensify the conflict. As could a rapid spread in the virus. The two together could lead to a complete out break of hostilities, revolutionary war.
I mention this as an incentive to all Leftist people. Feel free to come together and take action. Put aside your differences, at least until after the revolution. For that matter, by the time the revolution is over, your differences may be pointless. The revolution may resolve those differences. But in the mean time, join the two mainstream political parties. Run for office. Encourage your families and friends to do the same. Organize protests and demonstrations. Disrupt the town halls and primaries the capitalists so love. Women and students have worked miracle before, now do it again. Only this time carry the protests through to the revolution. Do not rest until the bourgeoisie are overthrown and crushed under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Last but not least, Marxists must come together and form a Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. For the Love of God, take action!
The revolution will not wait until you are ready. The proletariat is counting on you.
I most fervently hope and pray that many members of the working class, those who are just now becoming politically active- Welcome, my Brothers and Sisters, my Comrades!- are reading this article. With that in mind, I can only point out that the best way to get the attention of as many people as possible is with slogans. It is a place to start. Feel free to come up with slogans of your choice, but these are suggestions only:
Unite the Left!
Join the two Parties!
Sanders For President!
Scientific Socialism!
Workers of the World, Unite!
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 