I really appreciate these posts. I get what you're saying about the critical juncture of 2020 and being past that juncture now. But I am trying to wrap my head around this line about the two ruling class parties. "In fundamental terms, they are “equally terrible” because they both represent and enforce this system of horrors—but they are not “the same.” If fascism is a more open and blatant form of capitalist dictatorship, and given Trump's openly genocidal rhetoric, what does it mean to say they are equally terrible in fundamental terms?
Good question. I would say "in fundamental terms" because they represent the same system of capitalism-imperialism that is bringing the existential crises of climate catastrophe and the danger of nuclear war... that cannot deal with the mass migration of refugees in any kind of humane way... that cannot end white supremacy, the oppression of women, and such needless exploitation, oppression and suffering around the world. Yes, fascism will intensify all this in profound ways but either way, the fact is that as BA has said, "We can no longer afford to allow these imperialists to continue to dominate the world and determine the destiny of humanity. And it is a scientific fact that humanity does not have to live this way."
My approach to getting my head around this is comparison with what Avakian says about how supporting either side of "Jihad vs McWorld" ends up supporting both. I also found the story on Wikipeia of Ludwig Frank, a German Social Democrat who was a leader in getting the party to support the first world war in the Reichstag and was then killed at the front. His reasoning was two things: defense against Russian reaction, and the prospect of democratic reform in Prussia. He was wrong on both counts.
I really appreciate these posts. I get what you're saying about the critical juncture of 2020 and being past that juncture now. But I am trying to wrap my head around this line about the two ruling class parties. "In fundamental terms, they are “equally terrible” because they both represent and enforce this system of horrors—but they are not “the same.” If fascism is a more open and blatant form of capitalist dictatorship, and given Trump's openly genocidal rhetoric, what does it mean to say they are equally terrible in fundamental terms?
Good question. I would say "in fundamental terms" because they represent the same system of capitalism-imperialism that is bringing the existential crises of climate catastrophe and the danger of nuclear war... that cannot deal with the mass migration of refugees in any kind of humane way... that cannot end white supremacy, the oppression of women, and such needless exploitation, oppression and suffering around the world. Yes, fascism will intensify all this in profound ways but either way, the fact is that as BA has said, "We can no longer afford to allow these imperialists to continue to dominate the world and determine the destiny of humanity. And it is a scientific fact that humanity does not have to live this way."
My approach to getting my head around this is comparison with what Avakian says about how supporting either side of "Jihad vs McWorld" ends up supporting both. I also found the story on Wikipeia of Ludwig Frank, a German Social Democrat who was a leader in getting the party to support the first world war in the Reichstag and was then killed at the front. His reasoning was two things: defense against Russian reaction, and the prospect of democratic reform in Prussia. He was wrong on both counts.