Puerto Rico: Our Lives Are Worth More Than Their Profits
Revolutionary communist and internationalist greetings from the Organization of Communist Workers and Students for Social Change in commemoration of International Workers’ Day.
The world is going through a health crisis today. Scientists had previously warned that global socio-ecological changes, which allow infectious diseases and other inequalities to emerge, were rapidly increasing.
Even the World Health Organization warned last year that the world was at grave risk of devastating epidemics or pandemics that would cause the loss of many lives, destroy economies, and create social chaos. These prophesies don’t come from divine revelation. They are a natural consequence of world capitalism. The Covid 19 pandemic is yet another manifestation of its deadly effects.
Capitalism is death. Capitalism is exploitation. Capitalism is destruction, it is misery, pain, disease, inequality, injustice. Yes, it is all these things, but for whom?
The coronavirus pandemic further exacerbates the enormous social inequalities that already exist. It is a selective virus that is killing the most vulnerable populations on the planet. In the United States, the highest number of fatalities is among Latinos and African-Americans and poor working-class neighborhoods in big cities, such as New York.
Curiously, those who make up a large part of the working class have no other choice but to go out to work in order to get their livelihood and that of their families. Construction workers, service workers, healthcare workers, supermarket workers, cleaning workers, delivery people— in short, those who sustain the life of society— fall like flies because they have to choose between going to work or losing their job.
Amidst the pandemic, we affirm that the deadliest virus of all is the virus of capitalism, which kills more than 25,000 children daily from hunger and curable diseases. This was the case long before the Covid 19 appeared.
The men and women workers in Puerto Rico suffer from the same ills as the rest of the workers in the world. The virus has confined us with no option. It is further aggravating the socio-economic conditions left by two devastating hurricanes two years ago and several earthquakes just months ago, which left an area in the south of the country destroyed and thousands of poor workers homeless and without work.
In our organization we understand that the working class has to respond internationally. We must begin to establish ties and raise international proclamations such as “Our lives are worth more than their profits,” against the ruling classes and their economic and political interests. The class struggle in the coming years will intensify, as a result of the exploitation by the ruling class.
The real disease is capitalism and the working class anywhere in the world must be united and vigilant to combat it. The fight for a communist world, free of exploitation, with access to health for all, is more necessary today than ever. The working class has no borders! Long live International Workers’ Day!
May Day in Athens, Greece—”Capitalism is the Deadliest Virus”
US Hospital Comrade: “My Co-workers Hate Capitalism”
If I asked my hospital co-workers and my friends to raise their hands if they have lost confidence in capitalism, almost everyone would. Healthcare workers account for more than 11% of U.S. Covid-19 infections. Even those friends and co-workers who don’t know that much about capitalism would raise their hands. I suspect this is the situation around the world.
Me too! I had illusions about what my retirement would be. Those illusions are now all smashed. Bankruptcy seems to be in my future. My options are similar to those of my co-workers. And most importantly, capitalist healthcare is killing masses of workers. That is why healthcare workers are protesting across the country and around the world.
I had thought for a long time that all these little groups of leftists would never amount to much—let alone gather the forces needed to make a communist revolution. I’m changing my mind as are members of my family.
This hatred of capitalism is a good sign, but it is not enough to create a communist revolution.
Some say communism has never succeeded. First off, capitalism clearly isn’t succeeding. It’s killing us!
Secondly, no country has ever had communism. The communist movement has always fought for socialism. Socialism is not communism lite, as many think. It is capitalism with all the hallmarks of this deadly system: wages, money, production for profit. The profit-based healthcare system in the U.S. is a prime example.
Our job now is to turn these small groups into bigger collectives that can mobilize masses for communism throughout the world. I am circulating Red Flag to a small group. Discussing these politics with some more.
Nice to see this virtual rally so international!!!