Nor can democracy coexist with capitalism.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/27/19, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
https://themilitant.com/2019/03/23/no-imperialist-regime-can-ever-conduct-a-just-war/
Books of the Month
‘No imperialist regime can ever conduct a just war’
Vol. 83/No. 13
April 1, 2019
Most of the 18 convicted leaders of the SWP and Minneapolis Teamsters
line up on way to prison, December 1943. This was U.S. rulers’ first use
of their thought-control Smith Act, adopted as Washington prepared to
enter the inter-imperialist Second World War.
Militant
Most of the 18 convicted leaders of the SWP and Minneapolis Teamsters
line up on way to prison, December 1943. This was U.S. rulers’ first use
of their thought-control Smith Act, adopted as Washington prepared to
enter the inter-imperialist Second World War.
This week’s Book of the Month is The Socialist Workers Party in World
War II: Writings and Speeches, 1940-43 by James P. Cannon. The excerpt
below is from “A Statement on the U.S. Entry into World War II, December
22, 1941.” Cannon, a founding leader of the SWP, was framed up in 1941
and imprisoned by the U.S. rulers in 1944-45, along with 17 other
leaders of the SWP and of the Minneapolis Teamsters union, for opposing
Washington’s imperialist war drive. Copyright © 1975 by Pathfinder
Press. Reprinted by permission.
We considered the war upon the part of all the capitalist powers
involved — Germany and France, Italy and Great Britain — as an
imperialist war.
This characterization of the war was determined for us by the character
of the state powers involved in it. They were all capitalist states in
the epoch of imperialism; themselves imperialist — oppressing other
nations or peoples — or satellites of imperialist powers. The extension
of the war to the Pacific and the formal entry of the United States and
Japan change nothing in this basic analysis.
Following Lenin, it made no difference to us which imperialist bandit
fired the first shot; every imperialist power has for a quarter of a
century been “attacking” every other imperialist power by economic and
political means; the resort to arms is but the culmination of this
process, which will continue as long as capitalism endures.
This characterization of the war does not apply to the war of the Soviet
Union against German imperialism. We make a fundamental distinction
between the Soviet Union and its “democratic” allies. We defend the
Soviet Union. The Soviet Union is a workers’ state, although degenerated
under the totalitarian-political rule of the Kremlin bureaucracy. Only
traitors can deny support to the Soviet workers’ state in its war
against fascist Germany. To defend the Soviet Union, in spite of Stalin
and against Stalin, is to defend the nationalized property established
by the October Revolution. That is a progressive war.
The war of China against Japan we likewise characterize as a progressive
war. We support China. China is a colonial country, battling for
national independence against an imperialist power. A victory for China
would be a tremendous blow against all imperialism, inspiring all
colonial peoples to throw off the imperialist yoke. The reactionary
regime of Chiang Kai-shek, subservient to the “democracies,” has
hampered China’s ability to conduct a bold war for independence; but
that does not alter for us the essential fact that China is an oppressed
nation fighting against an imperialist oppressor. We are proud of the
fact that the Fourth Internationalists of China are fighting in the
front ranks against Japanese imperialism.
None of the reasons which oblige us to support the Soviet Union and
China against their enemies can be said to apply to France or Britain.
These imperialist “democracies” entered the war to maintain their
lordship over the hundreds of millions of subject peoples in the British
and French empires; to defend these “democracies” means to defend their
oppression of the masses of Africa and Asia. Above all it means to
defend the decaying capitalist social order. We do not defend that,
either in Italy and Germany, or in France and Britain — or in the United
States.
The Marxist analysis which determined our attitude toward the war up to
December 8, 1941, continues to determine our attitude now. We were
internationalists before December 8; we still are. We believe that the
most fundamental bond of loyalty of all the workers of the world is the
bond of international solidarity of the workers against their
exploiters. We cannot assume the slightest responsibility for this war.
No imperialist regime can conduct a just war. We cannot support it for
one moment.
We are the most irreconcilable enemies of the fascist dictatorships of
Germany and Italy and the military dictatorship of Japan. Our cothinkers
of the Fourth International in the Axis nations and the conquered
countries are fighting and dying in the struggle to organize the coming
revolutions against Hitler and Mussolini.
We are doing all in our power to speed those revolutions. But those
ex-socialists, intellectuals, and labor leaders, who in the name of
“democracy” support the war of United States imperialism against its
imperialist foes and rivals, far from aiding the German and Italian
antifascists, only hamper their work and betray their struggle. The
Allied imperialists, as every German worker knows, aim to impose a
second and worse Versailles; the fear of that is Hitler’s greatest asset
in keeping the masses of Germany in subjection. The fear of the foreign
yoke holds back the development of the German revolution against Hitler. …
In the midst of the war against Hitler, it is necessary to extend the
hand of fraternity to the German people. This can be done honestly and
convincingly only by a workers’ and farmers’ government. We advocate the
workers’ and farmers’ government. Such a government, and only such a
government, can conduct a war against Hitler, Mussolini, and the Mikado
in cooperation with the oppressed peoples of Germany, Italy, and Japan. …
Our aim is to convince the majority that our program is the only one
which can put an end to war, fascism, and economic convulsions. In this
process of education the terrible facts speak loudly for our contention.
Twice in twenty-five years world wars have wrought destruction. The
instigators and leaders of those wars do not offer, and cannot offer, a
plausible promise that a third, fourth, and fifth world war will not
follow if they and their social system remain dominant. Capitalism can
offer no prospect but the slaughter of millions and the destruction of
civilization. Only socialism can save humanity from this abyss. This is
the truth. As the terrible war unfolds, this truth will be recognized by
tens of millions who will not hear us now. The war-tortured masses will
adopt our program and liberate the people of all countries from war and
fascism. In this dark hour we clearly see the socialist future and
prepare the way for it. Against the mad chorus of national hatreds we
advance once more the old slogan of socialist internationalism: Workers
of the World Unite!
In This Issue
Front Page Articles •No to attacks on Muslims, mosques in New Zealand!
•Solidarity with victims of anti-Muslim killings
•Boeing bosses’ drive for profit leads to deadly plane crashes
•SWP takes campaign to small towns, rural areas
•New York protests demand gov’t give immigrants driver’s licenses
•Syrian gov’t, Moscow step up strikes on opposition forces in Idlib
province
Feature Articles •Long view of history on display at Iraqi museum
Also In This Issue •Algerian protesters say, ‘We need to get rid of the
system’
•Cuba: ‘We will defend our revolution, no matter what’
•Kentucky teachers fight state moves against union, pensions
On the Picket Line •Locked out Quebec aluminum workers reject bosses’
ultimatum
•Chicago Symphony Orchestra players strike to defend pensions
Books of the Month •‘No imperialist regime can ever conduct a just war’
25, 50 and 75 years ago
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Carl Sagan
“ The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may
be counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be
consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do
not determine what's true. ”
― Carl Sagan
