Banner with a painted globe and a caption that reads "one world." Photo: Markus Spiske/Pexels.
By Agonas – Mar 20, 2024
The Disconnect of the Western Left
Proletarian Internationalism stands as a cornerstone principle in socialist theory, rooted in the understanding that capitalism systematically exploits and oppresses the global working class. Advocating for a unified struggle against capitalist exploitation and imperialism, internationalism recognizes the interconnectedness of the modern world, necessitating a global approach to addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.
Within the Western left, particularly in affluent countries, there has been a noticeable detachment from the principles of internationalism. This detachment is evident in responses to real-time crises such as those in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Congo, and Haiti. Rather than viewing these struggles as connected to the broader fight against Western imperialism and exploitation, the Western left’s response has often been fragmented and inconsistent.
Marxists argue that the interests of the working class transcend national borders and emphasize that only through international solidarity can the proletariat achieve liberation from capitalist oppression. Proletarian internationalism recognizes that workers of all nations share a common adversary in the capitalist class.
The First International Workingmen’s Association (IWA), founded in 1864, acknowledged the international nature of the working class struggle. Its objective was to unite workers across borders to enhance their bargaining power and political influence.
Proletarian internationalism, as articulated by Vladimir Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg during the Second International, analyzed how wars between capitalist states were propelled by competition for markets and resources, fueled by militarism and national prejudices. Their resolution called for working-class efforts to prevent war and ultimately abolish the capitalist system to achieve lasting peace.
The Russian Revolution of November 7, 1917, where the Bolsheviks seized power, catalyzed liberation movements worldwide, notably in Africa. In 1919, Egypt witnessed widespread resistance against British colonial rule following news of the Bolshevik victory.
Furthermore, from 1960 onward, the Soviet Union supported various Marxist African struggles, providing political backing, weaponry, and military training, notably aiding the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in their resistance against Portuguese colonization.
African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah and Frantz Fanon expanded Marxist theory in their independence movements, while activists in the United States like The Black Panther Party, influenced by International Marxist thought, viewed the Russian Revolution as a symbol of resistance against racial discrimination and economic exploitation.
Atomization refers to the process of breaking down collective identities and solidarity into isolated individuals or small, fragmented groups. In the neoliberal framework, individuals are encouraged to pursue their own self-interest, leading to competition and isolation rather than solidarity and cooperation against the common oppressor.
Neoliberalism exacerbates divisions, turning social struggles into isolated battles for recognition and representation. Instead of addressing the root causes of oppression, neoliberal policies often offer superficial solutions that fail to challenge the underlying structures of power and inequality.
Spiritual bypassing within the class struggle occurs when individuals or groups disregard or minimize issues such as racism in the pursuit of purely economic goals. This approach fails to recognize the intersecting nature of oppression and often dismisses the lived experiences of marginalized communities.
Lenin addressed this issue in his critique of economism within the Marxist movement, particularly in his work “What Is to Be Done?” He argued against reducing the class struggle to merely economic demands, emphasizing the importance of addressing all forms of oppression, including national and racial discrimination.
Lenin stressed the need for the proletariat to unite with oppressed and marginalized groups in a broader struggle against capitalism and all forms of oppression. He argued for the unity of the proletariat with oppressed groups, recognizing the interconnected nature of class struggle and social oppression, but not at the expense of causing harm.
“Unity is a great thing and a great slogan. But what the workers’ cause needs is the unity of Marxists, not unity between Marxists, and opponents and distorters of Marxism. And we must ask everyone who talks about unity: unity with whom? With the liquidators? If so, we have nothing to do with each other.”
-Vladimir Lenin
Living in the imperial core, there is a tendency to judge socialist movements abroad through a narrow lens of Western values and standards, often failing to appreciate the unique historical, cultural, and socio-economic contexts in which these movements operate.
The detachment of the Western left from the working class leaves it disconnected from the material conditions and struggles of the working class within their own countries, prioritizing abstract ideological debates over concrete solidarity with socialist movements abroad.
Working towards internationalism requires building genuine solidarity based on mutual respect, understanding, and a shared struggle against capitalism and oppression. This involves actively supporting and amplifying the voices of socialist movements in the Global South, as well as challenging Western hegemony within the imperial core.
(Substack)
