Hugo Blanco on THE CRISIS OF THE NEOLIBERAL SYSTEM

Hugo Blanco is the historic leader of the Peruvian left, at the age of 81, he is still active as editor of Lucha Indigena (Indigenous struggle), here is a recent editorial, you can read Lucha Indigena here http://www.luchaindigena.com/

Editorial 

THE CRISIS OF THE NEOLIBERAL SYSTEM 

The UN's Bretton Woods agreement of 1944 symbolizes the birth of the imperialist neoliberal system that governs today's world.  Capitalist competition has not disappeared, but the multinational or transnational corporations formed from the agglomeration of capital from many countries is flourishing. 

Wealth is increasingly concentrated in fewer hands, while poverty spreads among the majority.  The world's richest 1% owns more than the remaining 99% of us. 

Globalization and the privatization of public services are features of this system.  Globalization means that it is not the particular needs of the states but those of the global system that take precedence.  We are in full agreement with Argentinian jurist and academic Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni, who says : 

"Global power today is in the hands of big corporations and transnational conglomerates.  Anyone who doesn't understand this cannot make sense of what is going on in the world or what is happening to us in this region and this country. 

"Political power has been taken out of the hands of the democratically elected governments.  This has happened as capital has increasingly been concentrated in immense corporations.  As these 'establishments' grew, they had less and less need for the politicians, who were increasingly displaced from the corridors of power.  Decades ago, this was seen by the smartest observers, including two military men who were more than mere warriors.  In his presidential farewell speech, Eisenhower deplored in the strongest terms the replacement of his country's strategic interests by those of the 'military-industrial complex'.  And DeGaulle warmed that Europe was on a bad course for much the same reason. 

"World leaders today serve as administrators and spokespersons on television, yet they are in the same hands are ordinary politicians.  They are no more than prisoners in their own land countries, which form the new metropolises in the framework of contemporary colonialism. 

"Throughout our region's history there have been well-known variations on this theme, all with a single substance, which is the struggle between colonialism ad emancipation.  We are living in a higher or advanced stage of colonialism in which the big corporations have world hegemony." 

The neoliberal world is in economic, political, environmental and ethical crisis.  How are the people responding to this situation?  In more than one way. 

-- Those at the bottom of the society are in collective rebellion against the oppressors. 

-- There are others, somewhat better off, who blame those on the bottom and rise against them. 

-- And there people who engage in terrorism in either or both of these other groups. 

The best examples of the rebellion against the 1% and the beginnings of building another world are the native Zapatistas of Chiapas, Mexico and the Kurdish fighters who liberated Kobane and are making a truly democratic society.  In Britain, Jeremy Corbyn has won the leadership of the Labour Party.  He is demanding a raise in wages, the reception of more refugees, and a decrease in military spending and war. 

As half-measures rebellions, consider South America's "progressive" governments.  In Europe the people who put the blame on those at the bottom are seen in France's National Front, Greece's Golden Dawn and other neo-fascist organizations.  These are also the Europeans who want to deny asylum to refugees. 

In France the ultra-right National Front is gaining in strength.  And France's islamophobia is spreading through Europe and the United States.  Europe's great problem today is the refugee crisis, brought on by imperialism's push to keep its former colonies in economic chains and the USA's wars against Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.  Some 80,000 immigrants and refugees arrived in Europe in the first six weeks of the year.  Many more perished in the attempt. 

In Syria 11.5% of the population has been wounded or killed, 3.5 million have lost their livelihood, half the population is displaced, and 85% are in poverty.  Russia warns that the war in Syria could turn into another world war. 

Terrorism from above and state terrorism feed on each other, the one giving strength to the other.  And the innocent are the main victims of both.  The United States and Turkey protect the terrorist Islamic State from ultimate destruction.  In this issue of Lucha Indígena we examine some aspects of the crisis and the reactions to it.