Editorial of the Asian Marxist Review - Winter 2006-07

In this epoch of an acceleration of the pace of events, the year 2006 witnessed a blizzard of unprecedented developments across the planet. Three events stand out from the others in their historic significance. The growing awareness that imperialism in Iraq is facing defeat, the bloody nose that the Israeli military received at the hands of the Lebanese resistance and the rising tide of "21^st century Socialism" in Latin America.

These events mark a critical juncture in human history: the ushering in of a tumultuous period of wars ad revolutions, yes, of sharp turns and sudden changes. Capitalism, even with its "higher growth rates" has failed to develop society. In this epoch this also applies to the advanced capitalist countries.

The high growth rates in countries like China and India have moved a mass of impoverished masses from the rural areas to the cities, but the general social conditions have worsened. Misery, poverty and disease stalk the land. Teeming millions sinking into the abyss of deprivation and poverty graphically illustrate the historical, social and economic impasse and bankruptcy of capitalism. But this is not all. There is truly socio-economic genocide taking place. This system offers ruthless wars, ethnic conflicts and social disasters. It is ravaging the environment, devastating life and threatening human existence.

After the collapse of Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the shameful capitulation of the Chinese bureaucracy to capitalism, the bourgeoisie on a world scale were euphoric. For almost two decades it seemed they had an unhindered sway. Yet they have failed to deliver. They have only brought doom and destruction to this world. But nothing in history is wasted. In these two decades Stalinism and reformism have been exposed and their grip on the mass movement has been weakened. Even in these dark times the masses have struggled to get out of this quagmire. With the collapse of Stalinist Left there was a vacuum of leadership and ideology in the workers' movement. With the ex-Left lurching into the embraces of reformism and NGO-ism, the anti imperialist struggle was left leaderless. This vacuum was temporarily filled by religious, nationalist and other reactionary trends based on the prejudices of the past. The imperialist media further strengthened these tendencies by blowing up theories such as the "end of history" and "clash of civilizations".

However these tendencies have now climaxed. The reactionary nature of fundamentalism and chauvinism has been exposed. The appearance of posters of Hugo Chavez and Che Guevara on the mass demonstrations in Lebanon, the Middle East as a whole and as far as India, are not a mere coincidence. It reflects the early stages of a decisive turn to the left.

In the year 2007 the crisis of the system will unleash more such movements. There will be more defeats for imperialism and the capitalist system. In this computerized epoch of the world economy, world politics and world diplomacy there is a greater integration of the masses and movements internationally than ever before in history. And at this moment a new upsurge in the class struggle is coming to the fore. In this class war many battles will be fought in many countries. A revolutionary victory of the oppressed with a Marxist programme and leadership can trigger a spate of mass movements and revolutions in one country after another. Today, once again, but on a much higher plane Socialist revolution is on agenda. It will bury the horror of capitalism once and forever. The communist emancipation of mankind will pave the way for coming generations of the human race to prosper and flourish, to enjoy life to the full.