Beginning the Battle for Democracy

Bringing back the left

What would a genuine radical left do if it existed? I think the battle for democracy would take up a lot of its attention. It would recognize the tyrannies as the main enemies. The well armed and aggressive ones are of particular concern. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea obviously come to mind here. We also have the regimes that should be the targets of the next instalment of the Arab Spring. Together with China we have the "socialist" tyrannies in Cuba, Venezuela and Vietnam. And we mustn't forget the kleptocracies of Sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed we can say that most people live in countries that are decidedly unfree.

In the bourgeois democracies the left would be a prime mover in awakening a mass democratic movement that (1) harasses their governments into pursuing policies that weaken rather than strengthen the tyrannies; and (2) defends democracy and political freedom at home from those who undermine it.

The fact that we do not see street rallies demanding unlimited military support for Ukraine is clear proof that there is neither a left nor a democratic movement at the moment. Defeating Russia would achieve a great deal! Both Ukraine and Belarus would be free and Europe no longer threatened. The fascist ultra-nationalist gangsters in Russia would be in a much weaker position. The monsters in Beijing would be more likely to think twice about invading Taiwan. We can see a similar failure with Gaza. People in the West are not out on the streets calling for international intervention to ensure a Palestinian state with a freely elected government.

The left would of course also constantly point out the problems that capitalism poses for democracy and open government. Three come quickly to mind. Firstly, there is the corrupting effect of vested interest in a society where everyone is seeking personal gain. Secondly, the government, no matter how democratic, is governing capitalism; it is the servant of the present system with all its obstacles to human progress. Thirdly and most importantly, fascism is a “solution” for capitalism embraced by many when conditions become too unstable and rebellious for their liking. There is the threat of these types seizing power.

For a future radical left it would be particularly important to attack the "socialist" tyrannies and look forward to their demise. This would allow it to clearly distinguish itself from much of the pseudo left and provide an opportunity to explain both the obstacles and objectives of the proletarian revolution.

There are the "anti-imperialists" to deal with. They call supporters of democracy "social imperialists". In turn they should be called social fascists or fifth columnists. These individuals are just a small fringe however their ideas cannot be ignored because they permeate the common "discourse" and they threaten to infect any new generation of people spurred into political action. So, a harsh light needs to be shone in this dark corner.

According to the social fascists, western imperialism is the main enemy and "multipolarity" would give countries more scope to break free from it. Such multipolarity in fact means closer ties to Russia or China and greater scope for corruption and dictatorship.

While defeating tyranny is of course highly desirable in itself, it is also critical for a future proletarian revolution. Firstly, growing up in a freer society makes workers more prepared for their task of transforming themselves and society once they have dispensed with the bourgeoisie. They are less obedient and deferential and have cast off more of the backwardness inherited from pre-capitalist society. Secondly, the far lower level of repression in a bourgeois democracy provides much more favorable conditions for a revolutionary movement to emerge.

The battle for democracy lies ahead of us. And the only way a radical left movement can emerge and grow is by joining it.