The historical task ahead of the international working class is probably bigger than we think. Neoliberalism – albeit dead and almost buried, has over the past three decades divided and seriously weakened the international working class while simultaneously transforming the union movement into the equivalent of a corrupt corporate policeman. How can the only political programmed party advocating world socialist revolution the ICFI/SEP increase the momentum of its recent initiative the IWA-RFC to the point where it is uniting a large enough percentage of the international working class to start making a difference? 

The task ahead is big, very big, for example using the number 6 billion – probably a very conservative minimum, to represent the international working class as a whole and using the number 1 million – probably an overestimate, to represent the number of active members implementing the ICFI/SEP – IWA-RFC program and strategy, means that the ICFI/SEP – IWA-RFC program and strategy would be having an influence on about <0.017% of the international working class. Let’s be honest, this is a minuscule percentage of the international working class. 

Maybe we should consider further what our leader and mentor Trotsky was advising us in his 1939-40 writings when he wrote that  – ‘Only initiative and activity, resoluteness and boldness can really materialize the slogan “Workers of the world, unite!”. Clearly the ICFI/SEP has the first parts ie; the ‘initiative and activity resoluteness’ in hand having launched the IWA-RFC strategy, but where is the ‘boldness’ in this strategy? The principle of world socialism and the theory of permenant revolution underpin the IWA-RFC strategy, but how can it gather enough momentum to start making an impression on the international working class as a whole? 

While capitalism and neoliberalism are obviously sick and dying, nationalism and fascism are alive and growing. The influence of nationalism and fascism on the international working class is massive, especially when compared to the relatively minuscule influence of the ICFI/SEP – IWA-RFC program and strategy. The task ahead must be even more bold and clever than our leader and mentor Trotsky could have known back in 1939-40. In 2021 the international working class is confronted by the combined threats of nationalism, fascism and artificial intelligence. There is little to be gained and possibly everything to be lost by confronting the vastly superior size and influence of these threats head on, as enemies to be fought against. The ICFI/SEP – IWA-RFC program and strategy does not have nor need the physical resources to fight against such a strong force, what the ICFI/SEP – IWA-RFC program and strategy does have is the blue print and the political nous to use the strength of its opponent to its advantage.  

Who or what is the strongest opponent to be taken advantage of – as distinct from an enemy to be fought against? Clearly it is not the people of any nation state, nor is it the government of any nation state, nor is it the capital within capital-ism of any nation state, the strongest opponent to be taken advantage of is nationalism, which can and is rapidly morphing into fascism, this is the combined and greatest threat to the international working class and this is the task ahead. 

For example, when considering the sheer size and direct influence that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) is having on at least <18% of the international working class there is no contemporary nationalist state equal. Deliberately denigrating the PRC/CPC by referring to it as Stalinist and or capitalist is being unnecessarily cynical about todays PRC/CPC. Treating the PRC/CPC more like an enemy to be fought against rather than the strength of an opponent to take advantage of requires a level of misleading political spin that is beneath the usual high standard of the ICFI/WSWS journalism and political information. 

Given the massive difference in active membership and direct influence (ie; 18% – CPC as opposed to 0.017% – ICFI) that each of these two communist programs are now having on the international working class, it must be worth considering the common ground that these two programs have, for example they both claim to be communist, they both claim to be socialist, they both claim to be influenced by Marxist theory, most importantly they both claim to represent ‘the people’. For the ICFI/SEP – IWA-RFC program and strategy of world socialist revolution to make an impression on the 1> billion Chinese working class will require a less cynical and more bold approach in dealing with the PRC/CPC.  

malpaTaffy

Spring SH.