Only Mobilizing for Communism Will End the Contradictions of Capitalism
October 17—In Ecuador, the mass rebellions – that triggered the sharp class struggle between the working class and the capitalists – have died down. The spark that lit the fuse was the increase in fuel prices and other austerity measures dictated by the International Monetary Fund and implemented by the capitalists.
Mass demonstrations and pitched street battles between protesters and the repressive police bodies paralyzed the country for almost two weeks. A general strike called by the indigenous movement launched hundreds of thousands of city workers, indigenous rural workers, teachers and students into the streets, closing factories and schools—all in defiance of their pro-capitalist leaders.
Indigenous people gave indispensable leadership at critical moments of the struggle. The indigenous rural workers have great political influence among the masses because of their militant, constant and tireless struggle against centuries of racist capitalist oppression.
The agreement between the government and the indigenous leaders allowed the capitalists to stop the rebellion. They will implement an austerity package very similar to the one that was repealed. However, it’s “acceptable” to the masses because of the indigenous leaders’ participation in elaborating it. In appearance, the masses have been appeased.
But this is simply the calm before the next storm. The masses in Ecuador and worldwide were inspired seeing the government flee the capital when the masses surrounded the National Assembly building. They were motivated by seeing military units refuse to attack the masses, and instead attack the police and march with the masses.
They saw the revolutionary possibilities of the situation. If the International Communist Workers’ Party (ICWP) were there with a massive base among the industrial workers, the indigenous population, soldiers and youth, we would be leading the masses in an armed insurrection for communist workers power. Then, this rebellion would not end like others: changing one capitalist executioner for another.
There will be other opportunities, products of the sharpening contradiction of capitalism. A contradiction is the unity and struggle of opposites. Capitalism is the unity and struggle between the working class and the capitalist class. We are united – not by our own will – but because we cannot survive without selling them our labor power for a miserable salary.
It is a unity between slave and master, the product of the wage system. Wages are chains that bind us to them. That unity, however, is temporary. The struggle, as Ecuador shows, is ceaseless and absolute.
To break those chains, we need to resolve the contradictions of capitalism through a communist revolution that ends the capitalists and their wage system (including money, banks, markets, and their poisonous ideologies).
Only communist revolution and building a communist society can create the world we long for and need: A world without borders or nations, without racism, sexism, xenophobia or homophobia. A world where we collectively produce and share what we produce according to the needs of each one. A world where our destiny is in our hands – without anyone being above anyone else.
The capitalist contradiction – like any contradiction – is resolved by sharpening it. The capitalists sharpen it (but they can’t and don’t want to solve it) because they have to compete for the markets. Those who do not compete successfully sink. That is why they intensify our exploitation: demanding more work for less wages and benefits.
Eventually the social powder keg explodes in great rebellions because we cannot live under those conditions. If we take advantage of them, we can solve the contradictions of capitalism forever through communist revolution.
To achieve this, we must sharpen the class struggle by building ICWP where we are, especially in the bosses’ armed forces. The old communist movement – with the exception of Russia’s – put little effort into doing so. Ecuador shows the great potential of communist soldiers and workers joining together to lead the revolution.
We invite all who are reading this article to join ICWP and organize Party collectives to read, discuss, distribute and write for our Red Flag newspaper. By massifying communist ideas and ICWP, we will sharpen the class struggle so that the coming social explosions resolve the contradiction between workers and capitalists in favor of communist revolution.
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Struggle in Ecuador Inspires Comrades in India
ICWP members in India had very a lively discussion about the situation in Ecuador with some auto workers. “If they can do it to (Ecuador’s president) Moreno, why can’t we do it to Modi?”
Our discussion led to concrete things we can do to build our party. Some workers wanted to send a message of solidarity to the transportation workers in Quito. Others talked about how we can recruit more to the party. An autoworker wrote a poem in solidarity with the workers called ‘Teargas in Quito.” He has a nephew who joined the army and wants to talk to him. This immediately got a response from almost everyone in the room who has a relative in the army. People looked at each other as if somebody had turned the light on. The seeds of the revolutionary army are for us to nurture.
We know that the world is rife with crises which will create the potential for communist revolution. Our biggest weakness is that we underestimate the opportunities in front of us. The experience in Ecuador pushes us to advance. Every collective should draw its own particular lesson and produce leaflets for mass distribution.
In the absence of communist leadership, the situation in Ecuador will be settled with another set of capitalist bosses taking over. But this will leave millions yearning for communism. We established a beachhead in South Africa in a very challenging situation after learning from the miners’ strike in Marikana. We have the potential to establish a large party in Ecuador if we take the opportunity seriously. Comrades in El Salvador, Mexico and Brazil who have friends in Ecuador have a leadership role to play. We have a world to win.
Teargas in Quito
Comrades in Quito, we see plumes of teargas in the street
We want to be with you comrades, shoulder to shoulder
We want to breathe the teargas with you
Because when the mighty working class extinguishes it,
We will breathe communism.
Comrades in Quito, we see plumes of teargas in the street
We want to be with you comrades, shoulder to shoulder
We want to be with you because our mothers cried at night
We saw their sorrow and tears because they could not feed us.
We are hungry for communism; we want to feed you.
Comrades in Quito, we see plumes of teargas in the street
We want to be with you comrades, shoulder to shoulder
Because Moreno, Modi and Maduro are all the same.
We want to be with you because we are all the same
The international working class. We are members of ICWP
Join us, comrades in Quito.
This poem, written in Tamil by comrades in India, was read aloud in English and Spanish by an ICWP comrade at a protest called by indigenous activists in front of the Ecuadoran Consulate in Los Angeles.
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