Capitalism is in crisis. The situation we are currently witnessing around the world was not created by the Coronavirus, but through an international economic collapse, a capitalist crisis of over production.
The Coronavirus has merely sharpened the contradiction. The virus, although a serous public health concern, especially for the elderly, the vulnerable and those with underlying health conditions, at the same time has provided a smoke screen for the implosion of capitalism and has been used successfully by imperialism and its running dogs to hide the scale of economic crisis and spread fear and panic among the people. This fear and panic is being used by the forces of reaction to manufacture consent for the introduction of new and repressivepowers to secure the interests on the bourgeoisie, powers that will not be easily given up when the virus pandemic passes.
In the 19th century Karl Marx discovered the laws of capitalist development and outlined how capitalism moved in a cycle from crisis of over production to crisis of overproduction and highlighted that it would eventually be overthrown by the organised revolutionary Action of the working Class. Such Revolutionary Action is what Imperialism and the forces of reaction fear most in this crisis.
International Response
Revolutionaries around the world have been quick to highlight the reality of the economic collapse and to expose the use of the Cornavirus pandemic by Imperialism and its running dogs to mask the true nature of the crisis.
In an article entitled ‘World economy heading for depression: coronavirus hides the crisis of imperialism’,published on March 13th the Brazilian Revolutionary journal, A Nova Democracia asserted, ‘Industrial production and financial market stock exchanges collapsed in early March in practically the world. The trigger, as the world press monopoly advertises, is the expansion of the coronavirus. However, it is actually the crisis of relative capital overproduction. Coronavirus alone could not have such an impact on the world economy. The reason for the interruption of the reproduction of capital is capital itself.’ And continued, For the peoples, the crisis will bring massive unemployment, great wage drop, longer working hours and other problems. This will push large masses into the struggle and can open a period of radicalization of the spontaneous and conscious class struggle.’
An article on the German website Dem Volke Dienenstressed, ‘The corona virus has had a significant impact on everyday life, the world is paralyzed by this global epidemic. Especially with regard to the epidemic, the fatal consequences that come with the outbreak; economic and social devastation; the capitalists and imperialists are responsible for this. While this may seem like an ordinary explanation to us, we must be aware that capitalists are trying to hide and distort their responsibility for all of this.
This was followed by an article from Revolutionaries in Norway, published on the Tjen Folket Media site that asserted, ‘The Coronavirus and the handling of it overshadow the economic crisis in the media. It is also portrayed as if the crisis has come as a result of the virus. This is a lie that the rulers are using to acquit capitalism and to implement capitalist austerity and cuts’, and correctly concluded, ‘The hoax that the crisis of capitalism is a “corona crisis” must be dispelled in favour of understanding it as a cyclical crisis of overproduction. The revolutionary struggle must be intensified, not set on pause. The Proletarian World Revolution is the only solutions for the crises of capitalism’.
A new revolutionary news service in the USA, Tribune of the People declares, ‘The economic crisis deepening in the world today has been predicted; the bill has been in the mail for some time. It is far easier to be taken in by the narrative of the imperialist ruling class and their media than to grapple with the fact that even the bourgeois economists have been predicting a severe economic crisis hitting in 2020, even worse than the one in 2008,’ and concluded, ‘For the peoples, the crisis will bring massive unemployment, great wage drop, longer working hours and other problems. This will push large masses into the struggle and can open a period of radicalization of the spontaneous and conscious class struggle.’
Imperialism in Crisis
International Imperialism is overstretched and in crisis. Imperialism has never been able to recover from the crisis of capitalism in 2008, and with the current crisis predicted to be much sharper and deeper, will be further weakened. Imperialism is in decline. Over the course of this crisis, Imperialism will be shown to be a paper tiger and will break at its weakest points. We have entered the final stages of imperialism, its death knell has already sounded and it will, inevitably, be overthrown by the World Proletarian Revolution. The current crisis will create important opportunities to advance the World Proletarian Revolution that must be grasped by all Revolutionaries.
The Situation in Ireland
In response to the crisis, British Imperialism and the Free State Garrsion Class moved quickly to secure their own interests.
Both pro Imperialist states in Ireland are now on lockdown with new powers being granted to the police to restrict movement and detain anyone outside without a reason, with all gatherings in both jurisdictions now prohibited
In the occupied Six counties illegal British Military troop movements have been stepped up and the paramilitary police have used the virus to harass Republicans.
In the Free State, the Garrison Class has moved quickly to introduce mass measures to pacify the unrest of the population, increasing social welfare payments, banning evictions for three months and freezing rent at current levels for three months and instituting a ‘mortgage holiday’. At the same time it has introduced a massive bailout for capital by bringing in measures to pay 70 percent of all wages as well as providing financial support for parasitic landlords.
In both states, the ruling classes are using the compliant media to spread fear and panic among the people about the threat posed from the virus, ordering people to stay home, with the Free State restricting movement to just 2km from home. While using the genuine threat posed to some vulnerable members of society with underlying health conditions by Covid-19, and the genuine fear of the people surrounding the virus, the old reactionary states are demonstrating that they can no longer rule in the old way and are manufacturing the consent of the population for new draconian powers to maintain the power of imperialism and uphold the dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie.
The Role of Revolutionaries
Despite the actions of British Imperialism and the Free State Counter Revolution to nullify resistance, it is inevitable that the masses will see through the smokescreen provided by the Coronavirus and begin to realise the necessity to combat and resist Imperialism and the Garrison Class.
Since the beginning of the crisis Irish Socialist Republicans, particularly the Mass Organisation Anti Imperialist Action Ireland, have engaged with the masses to expose the collapse of capitalism and to agitate, educate and organise among the people to stress the need to combat and resist the ruling class and to build the revolutionary movement to the position where it can seize power. It is the role of revolutionaries to represent the interests of the Proletariat as a class at all times, and to act at all times to serve the People and the Revolution. Now is the time for the Revolutionary Struggle around the world to be stepped up, fighting against the crippling austerity planned by the capitalist system and to fight until the defeat of Imperialism and the victory of Socialism. It is a battle for life and death. Revolutionaries in Ireland and around the world increase efforts to engage the masses and to organise them, win them to Socialism and mobilse them to fight for the victory of World Proletarian Revolution.
We are in the last 50-100 years of Imperialism, the epoch where it will be inevitably defeated through National Liberation and Socialist Revolution. It is the historic task of the working class to end exploitation and oppression through successful World Proletarian Revolution. We live in the days were this becomes not just the necessity but the reality.
Capitalism is the virus that threatens our world. Socialist Revolution is the only solution. The task of Revolutionaries is to lead our class to advance its interests by combating, resisting and ultimately overthrowing Imperialism and its running dogs.
Forward to National Liberation and Socialist Revolution!
Victory to the World Proletarian Revolution!