Some Thoughts: Fascism and Capitalist Crisis

Fascism and Capitalist Crisis

Some thoughts...

by Joaquin Cienfuegos



As the Revolutionary Autonomous Communities study an anarchist analysis of Marxist Economics, facilitated by John Imani, we are able to understand the capitalist crisis that is unfolding internationally but especially in Wall Street a little better. Personally, I hope that this system crumbles to the ground, but I know that things aren't that simple and these people will not give up their power that easily. Also, as the crisis worstens, so will the clamp down on the people and the movement.

When Lehman Brothers, a global investment bank serving the financial needs of corporations, institutions,governments and high-net-worth investors worldwide, collapsed it sent global stocks into a downward spiral. It has affected commercial banks like Washington Mutual and the ones who hold the actual money, investment banks. AIG (American International Group), an insurance giant that is worth a trillion dollars a year, had to be bailed out by the u.s. government for 85 billion dollars, in return they would have complete control of the company. Russia suspended stock market trading, and Asia panicked as the Nikkei dropped 260 points. Central banks and governments had to pump billions into the system keeping it from falling apart.

Capitalism is full of contradictions, the only reason why it didn't collapse years ago is because of the state (as we see today). The Federal Reserve, is used to pump money into a system that is doomed when they're in crisis to bail out these investestment banks and corporations. Where does that money come from though? It comes from the labor of the people, and in the globalized economy, it comes from the third world mainly, from theft of resources and land from colonized people in the world. It comes from the theft of the people from what they produce. Capitalists are always in search of a larger profit, which means the worst working conditions and the worst exploitation of workers in the "third-world." When one works for a capitalist, he produces his own wage, but every other hour he works for free and that surplus is accumulated by the capitalist. It is only a subsistence wage, only enough for us to go back to work, and to reproduce ourselves (our children and family). On the other hand, the inner-third-world or the neo-colonies within the u.s. empire, does not produce anymore. The only jobs accessible to the colonized people are service jobs that are super-exploiting and we can see that those who work in these jobs are people of color. The professional jobs are made up of those who already come from wealth, mainly the white settlers in the empire. The economy which is based on credit, which equals debt, will sooner or later create this type of crisis because it's not based on anything that is real, only imaginary money. Another aspect of monopoly-capitalism and imperialism is the need for it to consolidate and centralize it's wealth to survive in periods of crisis. This is the reason why during the depression people like Rockerfeller continued to flourish. An example of that today is why Merrill Lynch was swallowed by Bank of America. (Bear Stearns by J P Morgan, Lehman Brothers by Barclay's of London). What we're seeing today is part of the nature of capitalism.

We are also seeing the true role of the state in maintaining the power of the capitalists and the colonizer at whatever means. People will look more for a different way of life when this system shows that it is bankrupt and cannot provide a future for us and this planet. The government is also preparing for this type of historic rebellion and revolution from the people, so the fascist movement will grow, and these capitalists will rather die first than give up their privilege and life of luxury. One small example is the reason why the Los Angeles Police Department is attempting to hire 1,000 or more new officers, especially targeting recruits from the oppressed communities, to prepare for the rebellion. The movement must not only exploit the weaknesses of the system to create change, we must also prepare for attacks from the state. We must also prepare for a much larger crisis as Latin American nations in particular continue to resist u.s. imperialism and end their dependency on the empire. On the one hand we must build the infrastructure in our communities for change, of mutual aid; on th eother hand, we must also begin to build the infrastructure for self-defense to safeguard our autonomous community councils or people's institutions from the state. That is what the Food Program in McArthur Park represents, it's a process of building those relationships in the community where people start organizing themselves and stop relying on the state while building for a popular revolutionary movement. Cop Watching is a tactic to build self-defense people's organizations and units in the neo-colonies. The popular movement needs to grow on all levels and alliances based on revolutionary principles need to be built.

Power through the people!