Modern world our era, the era of the transition from capitalism to socialism
Significant changes have taken place in the capitalist society in the 20th century. Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism, was shaped. The monopolies were created, and played a decisive role in economic, social and political life, generating the trend toward stagnancy and corruption. The capitalist economy passed on to a new level in the internationalisation of capital and production. Banking and industrial capital merged. Financial capital was created, and the financial oligarchy. The export of capital took on great significance in relation to the export of commodities. International monopoly associations of capitalists were formed to divide up the world between the major capitalist powers. State monopoly capitalism (SMC) came into being.
On the threshold of the 21st century, international developments are marked by the imperialism’s barbaric and inhuman attempt to impose a new world order on earth. Humanity is living through grim moments because of the aggressive imperialist need to dominate and subjugate which is being manifested more openly after the counter-revolution in the socialist countries of Europe and the negative change in the international correlation of forces. The constant, open interventions and the competition between the imperialist forces over the distribution of markets are leading to new bonds of dependence and submission for some countries, to the appearance of new tension spots and local wars, and to the murderous action by the so-called peace-keeping NATO or other multinational forces. Action by the monopolies is accompanied by an unprecedented attack against the rights of the working people, against their labour and social gains, and by the plundering of the planet’s natural resources.
A small number of developed capitalist countries controls and exploits the greater part of global wealth. The dominant position among them is held by the United States, which is the leader in promoting the new world order. These same forces control the United Nations. The transformation of the UN into an agency for the international imposition of their will constitutes a flagrant violation of its founding principles and objectives. NATO has become a global watchdog and agent of the new order. The role and responsibilities of a number of international imperialist organisations and associations have been upgraded; these include the World Trade Organisation (formerly GATT), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the European Union (EU), which constitute the main instruments for suppressing the objective trends toward internationalisation in the plans and goals of the transnationals. The former socialist countries of Europe have been transformed into a field of tough imperialist competition. Their people have seen the inhuman face of capitalist restoration and exploitation. Around the leading powers in the international imperialist system is a second circle of countries, the local oligarchies of which endeavour to play the role of the regional chieftain and intermediary, with a view to upgrading their position and extracting part of the super-profits.
Despite the favourable circumstances for international imperialism, its profound and unresolved contradictions are becoming more acute and more numerous. Action by international capitalist organisations and transnationals is causing the contradiction between the social nature of production and the capitalist appropriation of its output to become increasingly deep and sharp.
The promotion of interstate imperialist regulations is deepening the disparity in the international division of labour and development. The peoples are paying for the competition between the three main capitalist blocs--the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the European Union (EU) and Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC)--and between the leading imperialist countries that constitute them, in their efforts to control and redistribute markets and spheres of influence.
The militarisation of international relations and the arms race, together with the sharpened contradictions within imperialism and the revival of nationalism and chauvinism, produce and reproduce violence and war, reinforce instability and create risks of a generalised military conflict.
The general crisis of capitalism continues. The relative and absolute poverty of large sections of the working class and other strata of the people continues. New zones of poverty are appearing. The waves of migration keep growing. The problems of unemployment, poverty, lack of housing, working in the black economy, crime, social illnesses, the spread of narcotics, prostitution, and the marginalisation of broad social groups have today taken on massive dimensions even in the heart of the capitalist world. The crisis in values, manipulation of the mass media, the commercialisation of knowledge and culture and the wholesale destruction of the environment mark the modern capitalist society ever more strongly. Racism and the fear and hatred of foreigners are being cultivated systematically together with the dissemination of irrationalism, the revival of all types of mysticism and religious fanaticism. Neo-fascist and nationalistic parties and organisations are re-appearing and becoming active. A shift has been observed toward political reaction, the main features of which include state oppression, constraints on individual and collective rights and overt action by the secret services and the machinery of the imperialist state. Parasitism and corruption have assumed enormous dimensions. The anti-productive activity of transnational capital is becoming stronger. The growth of the productive forces through the utilisation of new technologies goes hand in hand with the mass destruction of others. In our times, the great gains in science and human culture are being stifled under the cloak of capitalism. Human beings, who have never before had as much potential for well-being and freedom as they have today, are prisoners of exploitation and poverty.
All modern social reality shows the need for the working people to reply to a dilemma that is more pressing than ever before: whether to say yes to submission, to the constant worsening of their lives, to regression and obscurantism; or to say yes to the road of resistance against the prevailing capitalist options, against imperialism and the monopolies, in order to overthrow their dominance and power and to build socialism.
Capitalism is historically out-dated. The need and timeliness of socialism are emerging, as is the indomitable vitality of Marxism-Leninism, the scientific theory which has once again proven its timelessness, its irreplaceable role as the theoretical tool for analysing, understanding and bringing about revolutionary change in society.
The counter-revolutionary upheavals have not changed the nature of the times. The present phase, in which the international revolutionary movement is in retreat, is temporary. A new, resurgent phase is already maturing within the intensified class struggle, the resistance of the international working class and the new phenomena of the people’s awakening and militant presence. The 21st century will be one in which the revolutionary forces will regroup to repulse the offensive by international capital, and mount a decisive counter-attack. Our century will witness a new upsurge in the world revolutionary movement and a number of new social revolutions.
On the threshold of the 21st century, international developments are marked by the imperialism’s barbaric and inhuman attempt to impose a new world order on earth. Humanity is living through grim moments because of the aggressive imperialist need to dominate and subjugate which is being manifested more openly after the counter-revolution in the socialist countries of Europe and the negative change in the international correlation of forces. The constant, open interventions and the competition between the imperialist forces over the distribution of markets are leading to new bonds of dependence and submission for some countries, to the appearance of new tension spots and local wars, and to the murderous action by the so-called peace-keeping NATO or other multinational forces. Action by the monopolies is accompanied by an unprecedented attack against the rights of the working people, against their labour and social gains, and by the plundering of the planet’s natural resources.
A small number of developed capitalist countries controls and exploits the greater part of global wealth. The dominant position among them is held by the United States, which is the leader in promoting the new world order. These same forces control the United Nations. The transformation of the UN into an agency for the international imposition of their will constitutes a flagrant violation of its founding principles and objectives. NATO has become a global watchdog and agent of the new order. The role and responsibilities of a number of international imperialist organisations and associations have been upgraded; these include the World Trade Organisation (formerly GATT), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the European Union (EU), which constitute the main instruments for suppressing the objective trends toward internationalisation in the plans and goals of the transnationals. The former socialist countries of Europe have been transformed into a field of tough imperialist competition. Their people have seen the inhuman face of capitalist restoration and exploitation. Around the leading powers in the international imperialist system is a second circle of countries, the local oligarchies of which endeavour to play the role of the regional chieftain and intermediary, with a view to upgrading their position and extracting part of the super-profits.
Despite the favourable circumstances for international imperialism, its profound and unresolved contradictions are becoming more acute and more numerous. Action by international capitalist organisations and transnationals is causing the contradiction between the social nature of production and the capitalist appropriation of its output to become increasingly deep and sharp.
The promotion of interstate imperialist regulations is deepening the disparity in the international division of labour and development. The peoples are paying for the competition between the three main capitalist blocs--the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the European Union (EU) and Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC)--and between the leading imperialist countries that constitute them, in their efforts to control and redistribute markets and spheres of influence.
The militarisation of international relations and the arms race, together with the sharpened contradictions within imperialism and the revival of nationalism and chauvinism, produce and reproduce violence and war, reinforce instability and create risks of a generalised military conflict.
The general crisis of capitalism continues. The relative and absolute poverty of large sections of the working class and other strata of the people continues. New zones of poverty are appearing. The waves of migration keep growing. The problems of unemployment, poverty, lack of housing, working in the black economy, crime, social illnesses, the spread of narcotics, prostitution, and the marginalisation of broad social groups have today taken on massive dimensions even in the heart of the capitalist world. The crisis in values, manipulation of the mass media, the commercialisation of knowledge and culture and the wholesale destruction of the environment mark the modern capitalist society ever more strongly. Racism and the fear and hatred of foreigners are being cultivated systematically together with the dissemination of irrationalism, the revival of all types of mysticism and religious fanaticism. Neo-fascist and nationalistic parties and organisations are re-appearing and becoming active. A shift has been observed toward political reaction, the main features of which include state oppression, constraints on individual and collective rights and overt action by the secret services and the machinery of the imperialist state. Parasitism and corruption have assumed enormous dimensions. The anti-productive activity of transnational capital is becoming stronger. The growth of the productive forces through the utilisation of new technologies goes hand in hand with the mass destruction of others. In our times, the great gains in science and human culture are being stifled under the cloak of capitalism. Human beings, who have never before had as much potential for well-being and freedom as they have today, are prisoners of exploitation and poverty.
All modern social reality shows the need for the working people to reply to a dilemma that is more pressing than ever before: whether to say yes to submission, to the constant worsening of their lives, to regression and obscurantism; or to say yes to the road of resistance against the prevailing capitalist options, against imperialism and the monopolies, in order to overthrow their dominance and power and to build socialism.
Capitalism is historically out-dated. The need and timeliness of socialism are emerging, as is the indomitable vitality of Marxism-Leninism, the scientific theory which has once again proven its timelessness, its irreplaceable role as the theoretical tool for analysing, understanding and bringing about revolutionary change in society.
The counter-revolutionary upheavals have not changed the nature of the times. The present phase, in which the international revolutionary movement is in retreat, is temporary. A new, resurgent phase is already maturing within the intensified class struggle, the resistance of the international working class and the new phenomena of the people’s awakening and militant presence. The 21st century will be one in which the revolutionary forces will regroup to repulse the offensive by international capital, and mount a decisive counter-attack. Our century will witness a new upsurge in the world revolutionary movement and a number of new social revolutions.
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr