Monday, September 17, 2018

FOR A PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL

Harry Targ

Dear Friends,

Many have seen these essays on Portside. I am interested in a conversation about the positions these two statements are taking.

First, the authors recognize the rise of neo-fascism and alt-nationalism.

Second, they see the connections between these aberrations of populism to dramatic economic decline.

Third, they see the economic decline for vast majorities-the 99 percent, the precariat, the industrial working class, people of color, women—as a direct result of the neoliberal stage of capitalism.

Fourth, they see the rise of the right as tied to growing alienation, as in prior periods of economic crisis such as Germany in the 1920s. (The rise of fascism did not begin with racism but racism was used to give explanation to the inexplicable collapse of European and North American economies in the 1930s).

Fifth, the movement against the rise of the right and neoliberalism has been sparked by new mass organizations and movements. In the US this includes Black Lives Matter, Fight for $15, the MeToo movement, Climate Change campaigns, teachers strikes, gun control advocacy, a New Poor People’s Campaign, the organization of fast food and service workers, immigrant solidarity activism, solidarity with the Palestinian people, anti-militarism and nuclear disarmament. In the electoral arena these campaigns have coalesced around the Sanders campaign and its aftermath (Our Revolution) and insurgencies in the Democratic Party. In Great Britain the Corbyn majority in the Labor Party parallel the US developments. Other currents exist all across Europe and in the Global South. While experiencing hard times today, in the recent past we have seen the rise of the World Social Forum, the Bolivarian Revolution, protests against International Monetary Fund structural adjustment programs, continuing admiration for Cuba’s revolutionary tradition, and China’s increasing connectivity to progressive governments in the Global South. 

Sixth, while the political currents listed above, particularly in the Global South, may have different features, causes, and concerns than some of the progressive campaigns in the Global North, the centerpiece of the proposed strategies in both articles is a call for building a Progressive International. I take this to mean that progressives and the left among them should work to support, coalesce, and develop a progressivism that establishes a 21st century New Deal. This is not socialism, but at this point in time represents an achievable reversal of fascism and neoliberalism. A 21st century New Deal (a Green New Deal) could reverse the enormous pain and suffering endured by vast majorities of people on the planet. And, perhaps most importantly, it would reestablish the legitimacy of government, social responsibility, community, and the belief that all humankind is interconnected. For me this could serve as a short-term transition to the construction of a democratic socialist world.

In sum, the authors make a powerful case for continuing to build a progressive majority in the United States and to work in solidarity with progressive comrades around the world. The seeds have already been planted in many countries. They need to be watered and nurtured to create just societies everywhere.









The Bookshelf

CHALLENGING LATE CAPITALISM by Harry R. Targ

Read Challenging Late Capitalism by Harry R. Targ.