Neither Fascism nor Democracy: Communism here ⊠Elections in Guatemala: Masses Need Communism here âŠ
Indigenous protest in Guatemala
Neither Fascism nor Democracy: Fight for Communism!
Democracy: Dictatorship of Capital over Its Wage Slaves
The US and Israeli governmentsâ genocide in Gaza is leading to widening war in the Middle East. Iran has answered Israelâs aggression with its own attacks. Its allies the Houthis and Hezbollah have joined in. The genocide in Gaza and war in Ukraine are only the opening shots of a possibly nuclear World War III. It is the imperialistsâ last desperate attempt to âsolveâ their systemâs deepening economic and political crisis.
Capitalismâs deepening crisis is driving billions into inhuman living conditions. The working masses are fighting back. Many see that capitalism canât meet our needs. Many are open to communism.
In response, the rulers are organizing mass fascist movements from Germany, to Israel, the US, Mexico, India, South Africa, and beyond. They need fascism to discipline rebellious workers and to force us to fight and die for their profits and empires.
Elections Divert Workers from Revolution, Pave Road to Fascism
This year there will be elections in seventy-eight countries. The rulers and their trade union and other mass organization leaders are mobilizing over two billion voters. Their goal is to divert these masses from revolution, building illusions that âless fascistâ or âanti-fascistâ politicians can solve our problems.
But these masses can fight for their own class interest: communism. Then they will change history!
The reformers say we can defeat fascism by voting for democracy. But democracy is the dictatorship of capital, the velvet glove covering the capitalistsâ fascist iron fist. Their elections also build openly fascist movements, like Trump (USA) and Modi (India).
Biden is also fascist! He sends more lethal weapons to Israel and Ukraine. The US Airforce helps the IDF (Israeli military) select targets to bomb in Gaza. The US fascist war budget means more cuts in US workersâ wages and benefits.
Fascism or Revolution
In the 1930s, the worldâs workers faced something similar: war was advancing; fascism was growing in Germany, Italy, Japan, and beyond.
In response, two contradictory lines emerged in the communist movement.
One line held that fascism was a new development âthe open terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, and most imperialist elements of finance capital.â It claimed fascism was so powerful that communist-led workers could not fight it, much less defeat it.
It called on communists to unite with the âgood capitalists-imperialistsâ against the fascist ones. However, not only did all German industrialists support fascist Hitler, but some âgoodâ imperialists in the US, UK, and France also funded Hitler!
The other line explained that the nature of capitalism makes fascism inevitable. It is the open dictatorship capitalism resorts to when preparing for world war. R. Palme Dutt, a key leader of the British Communist Party, showed that only when the communist masses defeat capitalism can we put an end to fascism and imperialist war.
The communist movement adopted the United Front Against Fascism line because the leaders lacked confidence in our classâs ability to unite to defeat fascism with revolution.
It was a disastrous betrayal. Instead of organizing the masses for an armed revolution to destroy all capitalists-imperialists, the communists chose to ally with the âgoodâ capitalists-imperialists to âdefeatâ fascism.
The German communists had already chosen the electoral path. They failed decisively. They were wiped out.
Even when leading armed struggle, the communists fought, not for workersâ power, but to restore âdemocracy.â The aid promised by the âgoodâ imperialists never came.
Despite this, the Soviet Union defeated fascist Germany. Communist-led guerrillas liberated Eastern Europe, Greece, France, and Italy. But immediately after the war, these fighters gave up their weapons and state power to the âgoodâ capitalists.
The communist movement, lacking confidence that workers would fight directly for communism, fought for socialism instead. Socialism failed. It is state capitalism. It keeps money, wages, and production for sale.
Only armed revolution for communism can put an to end capitalismâs fascism and wage slavery. In communism we will produce all that we need, and collectively share it according to need, without money.
Liberals and Fascists All Support Capitalist Rule
Everywhere, the âgoodâ capitalists-imperialists attacked the communists who fought fascism, seeing communist revolution, not fascism, as the real existential threat.
Today, liberal politicians, pushing voting to stop fascism, are the main danger to our class. They blind us from seeing that capitalism can have no solution to growing fascism and war because they are part of its nature.
We are confident that the powerful working class âindustrial workers, soldiers, and youth- will unite to defeat fascism and imperialism worldwide by fighting directly for communism. Letâs build ICWP to make this a reality!
Indigenous Masses in Guatemala Need Communism. Elections Donât Change the System
Sunday, January 14 marked the 105th day of the takeover of space in front of the Public Ministry of Guatemala by members of indigenous communities, the â48 cantons (districts).â Their objective: To press for the inauguration of President-elect Bernardo ArĂ©valo that very day.
ArĂ©valo ran as an anti-corruption candidate. Forces within big business, the traditional economic elite, and the military oppose ArĂ©valoâs inauguration. The United States supports him.
In September ArĂ©valo called on his followers to âdefend democracy.â On October 2, the 48 districts mobilized tens of thousands of indigenous workers. They marched hundreds of kilometers, paralyzing the main access roads to the Guatemalan capital. They blockaded roads for weeks. Other groups of workers, small businessmen, and, to a lesser degree, students, joined them.
Capitalist Democracy Doesnât Solve Workersâ Problems
It is an illusion to think that electing a new president will end racism, exploitation, hunger, or lack of education. And these are only some of the problems the working class faces. Only a communist revolution of the workers led by their International Communist Workersâ Party can break the whole power structure of the racist capitalist system.
At first the protesters were applauded and cheered in the marches in the capital. Later many city worker supporters abandoned them. Enduring cold, rain, and sometimes hunger, the indigenous people stood firm in their demands in front of the Public Ministry building. âOut with the corrupt!â was their battle cry. âRespect for the Popular Vote and Democracy!â This pressure was key for Bernardo ArĂ©valo to take office on January 14.
The indigenous protesters expected a more inclusive government. But their first disappointment was when Arévalo announced his cabinet. Of the fourteen members, only one is indigenous. Forty-three percent of the Guatemalan population identifies as indigenous.
Racism cannot be erased with the stroke of a pen. It is a pillar of the capitalist system. Only communist revolution can crush it by transforming society.
Another sharp blow to ArĂ©valoâs supporters was his betrayal of his campaign slogan: âA future without CACIF!â CACIF is the Guatemalan business leadership group. Minister JazmĂn de la Vega belongs to CACIF. Her most loyal followers justify this by saying, âwe need the businesspeople.â
In the capitalist system, the bosses have economic power. Their government, army, and police exist to maintain their unjust system of exploitation. The change of government does not change any of this power structure.
In communism, workers will have power. We donât need any businesspeople. Weâll produce directly for the massesâ needs without money or profits.
A Long History of Struggle
The indigenous masses in Guatemala never stopped resisting the vicious racist exploitation of Spanish colonialism. They continued this tradition of struggle against US imperialism, Spainâs successor. In 1944, they actively supported the ârevolutionâ that overthrew Jorge Ubico, a US-backed dictator who savagely oppressed the indigenous masses for the benefit of US banana companies.
Juan JosĂ© ArĂ©valo, Bernardoâs father, became president in 1945. He was a staunch nationalist, very popular in Guatemala and the region. He was followed by Jacobo Ărbenz, who continued ArĂ©velo’s nationalist policies. A US-backed military coup overthrew Ărbenz in 1954, when he wanted to nationalize US-owned banana plantations.
The first guerrillas organized in Guatemala in 1960. Thus began a civil war that would last 36 years, leaving a trail of destruction and death. Hundreds of thousands of workers, peasants and students were imprisoned, tortured, and massacred.
Among them, the indigenous ethnic groups suffered the most because they were the ones who supported and participated the most in the guerrillas. From 1981 to 1983 alone, the regime of the âborn-againâ Christian Rios Montt, razed 600 indigenous villages to the ground. It massacred more than 200,000 indigenous people.
The guerrilla leaders never professed to fight for communism. But the government campaign was rabidly anti-communist. The indigenous masses offering their lives identified themselves with the âcommunistsâ. This should give us confidence that by organizing ICWP we can massively mobilize these masses for real communism.
Read our Manifesto “Mobilize the Masses for Communism” here.