The Communist Party condemns the attempted coup d’état by white supremacist and fascist movements urged on by US President Donald Trump January 6th, and warns that Trump’s imminent departure from the White House does not mark the end of the fascist danger in the US.
Trump is the head of a movement that secured the votes and has the support of almost half of white adults in the US, and is backed by police across the country, as well as important sections of Big Business. He is not a lone ranger, but the most visible leader of a well-organized and well-financed movement with ties to similar far-right and fascist movements around the globe.
Threatened by the US’ declining influence globally, by the deepening global economic crisis and the sharpening contradictions of capitalism, and by the ascendancy of China as a global economic powerhouse, the most reactionary, most chauvinist, most imperial, and most violent sections of capital in the US have given their political consent and financial support to the MAGA movement headed by Trump, which is a coalition of the US’ far-right populist, white supremacist and fascist movements.
Their goal is to roll back the clock to the days when US imperialism was on the ascendancy in its domination of the world, and the US was awash with the domestic plenty of imperialist exploitation and wars abroad.
President-elect Joe Biden and the Democrats differ with the Republicans on a number of important domestic issues, but they have no differences when it comes to the goal of advancing the interests of US imperialism, the US military-industrial complex, and the super-profits of the large national and transnational corporations.
For decades, the US has pursued a foreign policy based on war, invasion, coup d’etat, torture and mass murder. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have pursued an aggressive, imperialist foreign policy for the past 75 years. Now, faced with the most serious political and economic crisis since 1929, fascism and reaction have come home to roost in the MAGA movement.
The election of Joe Biden as President, and the Democrats’ slim control of both houses of Congress, will not solve the systemic problems of racism, exploitation, violence, war and reaction that permeate US politics and wide sections of society.
Only the most fundamental reforms that limit corporate power and the power of the police and the military, that expand labour, social, civil, democratic and equality rights, that create jobs and raise wages and living standards, that address climate change and climate justice, that pursue a foreign policy of peace, disarmament and collective security, can cut the ground from underneath these reactionary, far-right, racist and fascist movements.
Clearly, with both Democrats and Republican parties representing the interests of the biggest corporations in the world, these parties cannot deliver these reforms. While Trump pretended to represent workers and the unemployed, in fact he was their worst enemy. While the Democrats pretended to be a party of the working people, they broke all the rules to prevent Bernie Sanders from becoming their Presidential candidate – not once, but twice.
As is the case in every country, working people in the US need their own political party, that will fight for their interests and needs, including for socialism and working class political power.
Canada shares a 5,000 km border with the US, and is economically tied to the US through USMCA, with 75% of our trade going to the US. The Canadian economy is shot through with US investments.
US domination of the Canadian economy and English-language mass media and culture, have already negatively impacted on Canada’s foreign policy and sharply limits the ability of the peoples of this country to adopt progressive social and economic policies. The coup attempt this week, and the growth of the white supremacist and fascist movement in the US, are a growing threat to democracy and equality rights in Canada, and to peace and collective security in the world.
Progressive forces in Canada and around the world must act to stop the growth of fascism around the globe before it overwhelms the nations and peoples where it is organizing. Fascist and white supremacist organizations must be banned as criminal organizations, and individuals like Steve Bannon who are working to unite far-right and fascist movements globally must face criminal prosecution.
Fascism is endemic to capitalism. It is the most violent form of capitalism. As capitalism lurches into deep crisis, it is the option that the most reactionary, most racist, chauvinist, and violent sections of capital will choose.
For workers, the choice is increasingly between socialism and barbarism, as evidenced in the US this week. Capitalism is the disease. Socialism is the cure.
Central Executive Committee
Communist Party of Canada
January 8, 2021