Revolts in the Maghreb
ON THE RENEWED REVOLUTIONARY UPSURGE IN MENA (Middle East and North Africa);
Excerpt(1) from the Book, 'REVOLTS IN THE MAGHREB', Chapter 8, pg 212, (2016):
" From the essay, we can summarize some of the general points as follow:
The MENA revolts and revolutions have reenacted the struggle of the working and oppressed people against capitalism. It has indeed taken it to another level: the level of ouster of unwanted regime. Consequently, global mass movements of workers, oppressed and the youths have taken cue from these important events.
The revolts and revolutions in MENA, while they have reshaped the political landscape of the Middle East and North Africa, have not led to the ouster of capitalism, or even complete removal of former ruling classes. From Tunisia to Egypt, former ruling classes are reappearing in the political landscape. In Libya, Yemen and other Gulf states, ruling elites are being strengthened by imperialism. Added to this, is the growth of religious fundamentalism and sectarianism, engendered by imperialist interventions.
Irrespective of these realities, the revolts and revolutions in MENA have opened up floodgates of mass movements and revolutions in not only Middle East and North Africa, but globally. More importantly, these movements have set these countries on a motion that may be hard to reverse in the coming period.
Clearly lacking in these revolts and revolutions is the revolutionary platform of the working people. Added to this is the treacherous character of the leadership of mass organizations of the working people, especially trade unions, left parties, etc. This is in addition to the fall in socialist consciousness occasioned by the collapse of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, introduction of neo-liberalism and capitalist propaganda against not just socialism, but mass organizations. All of these, coupled with the weakness of left forces, have seriously affected the popularity of socialist ideas. However, these will change as more people search for a way out of capitalist quagmire, exemplified in this era by the economic maelstrom that has refused to go away.
This reality necessitate the need to start the process of theoretically rearming advance layer, activists and cadres of mass organizations, with the best of ideas, so as to lay the premise for the emergence of strong revolutionary socialist movement. It also raises the need for genuine left to begin the process of intervening in the day-to-day struggles of the working people as a part of the process of building or rebuilding the revolutionary movement of the people.
As a result of the global integration of capitalism, and globalization of stark exploitation, the world is not only integrated economically, but also politically; and politics is more than ever integrated into the economy. This means that global capitalist ruling classes are growing concerned about mass movements in every country; knowing fully the implication of genuine mass movement of people can have for capitalism. On the other hands, solidarity of the working class is growing, as workers are rapidly realizing that capitalist exploitation is everywhere. Therefore, revolts and revolutions in this era, more than ever before, have far-reaching effect, in igniting movements elsewhere. A successful socialist or left-leaning revolution anywhere in the world today can spread like wildfire globally.
As against the attempt at portraying MENA revolutions and revolts as mere movements against autocratic, sit-tight regimes, the revolts and revolutions are indeed products of the failure of capitalism and more specifically, neo-liberal capitalism in the Middle East and North Africa. More than this, these revolts and revolutions also have roots in the global crisis of capitalism, and its failure to move humanity forward. The footprint of global capitalist crisis are clear on the MENA revolts and revolutions as witnessed in the deeper integration of the region into capitalist orbit, and its dependence on global capitalism. While so-called economic growth are announced for the region, the reality is that from country to country, this economic growth, aside being concentrated in few hands, have actually furthered exploitation of the working people. While wages and income have increased, on the basis of global integration of capitalism, and neo-colonial nature of MENA economies, these increased incomes could actually buy fewer goods, while as a result of neo-liberal policies of privatization, commercialization and liberalization, working people have been forced to spend more of their income on paying for what are previously subsidized by the state. Added to this is the stagnation in society occasioned by the failure of capitalism to provide opportunity for new entrants into the middle class, thus condemning them into not just working class, but in many instance to the relics of the society. Furthermore, those who are in the categories of middle class are finding it more difficult to maintain their hitherto status.
Therefore limiting the revolts and revolutions to such social factors as lack of opportunity for youth, inequality, or corruption, does not do justice to the economic undercurrent of the revolutions and revolts. While these factors have manifested in MENA and elsewhere, they are indeed features of the bankruptcy and failure of capitalism, and its neo-liberal phase.
The attempt at portraying the MENA revolutions and revolts as mere youth movement without underlining the class character of these revolts and revolutions, is an attempt at disarming these revolutions and revolts, and preventing the mass of workers, working class youth and the oppressed from drawing the necessary conclusions on how to move these historical movements forward. Moreover, the overemphasis on social media as main vehicle for the revolution is misplaced. While social media, and mass media, can play useful and important role in revolutionary movements, they cannot replace mass organization and party of the workers or revolutionary vanguard necessary in leading these movements to logical conclusion.
It is also the contention of the writer that what these revolutions and revolts need is not pan-Arab or pan-African nationalism, but international revolutionary movement and organizations of the working class. As against the Cold War-era left nationalism, the current era has engendered reactionary nationalism cannot move society forward. Ruling classes globally, despite their occasional and superficial disagreements are united for neo-liberal capitalism. Moreover, the rise of political Islamic forces reflects the limitations of these revolutions, in terms of absence of revolutionary organizations of the working class and the oppressed to unite the working people in their struggle against capitalism."
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1520298781https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1520298781
Excerpt(1) from the Book, 'REVOLTS IN THE MAGHREB', Chapter 8, pg 212, (2016):
" From the essay, we can summarize some of the general points as follow:
The MENA revolts and revolutions have reenacted the struggle of the working and oppressed people against capitalism. It has indeed taken it to another level: the level of ouster of unwanted regime. Consequently, global mass movements of workers, oppressed and the youths have taken cue from these important events.
The revolts and revolutions in MENA, while they have reshaped the political landscape of the Middle East and North Africa, have not led to the ouster of capitalism, or even complete removal of former ruling classes. From Tunisia to Egypt, former ruling classes are reappearing in the political landscape. In Libya, Yemen and other Gulf states, ruling elites are being strengthened by imperialism. Added to this, is the growth of religious fundamentalism and sectarianism, engendered by imperialist interventions.
Irrespective of these realities, the revolts and revolutions in MENA have opened up floodgates of mass movements and revolutions in not only Middle East and North Africa, but globally. More importantly, these movements have set these countries on a motion that may be hard to reverse in the coming period.
Clearly lacking in these revolts and revolutions is the revolutionary platform of the working people. Added to this is the treacherous character of the leadership of mass organizations of the working people, especially trade unions, left parties, etc. This is in addition to the fall in socialist consciousness occasioned by the collapse of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, introduction of neo-liberalism and capitalist propaganda against not just socialism, but mass organizations. All of these, coupled with the weakness of left forces, have seriously affected the popularity of socialist ideas. However, these will change as more people search for a way out of capitalist quagmire, exemplified in this era by the economic maelstrom that has refused to go away.
This reality necessitate the need to start the process of theoretically rearming advance layer, activists and cadres of mass organizations, with the best of ideas, so as to lay the premise for the emergence of strong revolutionary socialist movement. It also raises the need for genuine left to begin the process of intervening in the day-to-day struggles of the working people as a part of the process of building or rebuilding the revolutionary movement of the people.
As a result of the global integration of capitalism, and globalization of stark exploitation, the world is not only integrated economically, but also politically; and politics is more than ever integrated into the economy. This means that global capitalist ruling classes are growing concerned about mass movements in every country; knowing fully the implication of genuine mass movement of people can have for capitalism. On the other hands, solidarity of the working class is growing, as workers are rapidly realizing that capitalist exploitation is everywhere. Therefore, revolts and revolutions in this era, more than ever before, have far-reaching effect, in igniting movements elsewhere. A successful socialist or left-leaning revolution anywhere in the world today can spread like wildfire globally.
As against the attempt at portraying MENA revolutions and revolts as mere movements against autocratic, sit-tight regimes, the revolts and revolutions are indeed products of the failure of capitalism and more specifically, neo-liberal capitalism in the Middle East and North Africa. More than this, these revolts and revolutions also have roots in the global crisis of capitalism, and its failure to move humanity forward. The footprint of global capitalist crisis are clear on the MENA revolts and revolutions as witnessed in the deeper integration of the region into capitalist orbit, and its dependence on global capitalism. While so-called economic growth are announced for the region, the reality is that from country to country, this economic growth, aside being concentrated in few hands, have actually furthered exploitation of the working people. While wages and income have increased, on the basis of global integration of capitalism, and neo-colonial nature of MENA economies, these increased incomes could actually buy fewer goods, while as a result of neo-liberal policies of privatization, commercialization and liberalization, working people have been forced to spend more of their income on paying for what are previously subsidized by the state. Added to this is the stagnation in society occasioned by the failure of capitalism to provide opportunity for new entrants into the middle class, thus condemning them into not just working class, but in many instance to the relics of the society. Furthermore, those who are in the categories of middle class are finding it more difficult to maintain their hitherto status.
Therefore limiting the revolts and revolutions to such social factors as lack of opportunity for youth, inequality, or corruption, does not do justice to the economic undercurrent of the revolutions and revolts. While these factors have manifested in MENA and elsewhere, they are indeed features of the bankruptcy and failure of capitalism, and its neo-liberal phase.
The attempt at portraying the MENA revolutions and revolts as mere youth movement without underlining the class character of these revolts and revolutions, is an attempt at disarming these revolutions and revolts, and preventing the mass of workers, working class youth and the oppressed from drawing the necessary conclusions on how to move these historical movements forward. Moreover, the overemphasis on social media as main vehicle for the revolution is misplaced. While social media, and mass media, can play useful and important role in revolutionary movements, they cannot replace mass organization and party of the workers or revolutionary vanguard necessary in leading these movements to logical conclusion.
It is also the contention of the writer that what these revolutions and revolts need is not pan-Arab or pan-African nationalism, but international revolutionary movement and organizations of the working class. As against the Cold War-era left nationalism, the current era has engendered reactionary nationalism cannot move society forward. Ruling classes globally, despite their occasional and superficial disagreements are united for neo-liberal capitalism. Moreover, the rise of political Islamic forces reflects the limitations of these revolutions, in terms of absence of revolutionary organizations of the working class and the oppressed to unite the working people in their struggle against capitalism."
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1520298781https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1520298781
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