The Leaders

Imagine you’re a socialist. You’re committed to the advancement of socialism and the end of capitalism. The last 50 years have been pretty rough on you. By the 1960’s it was clear that your dream of planned economies out-producing free markets was not working. The masses were losing faith in your dream.

Then came the catastrophe in the ’89-91 period. The eastern bloc died with a whisper and joined the west.

You still had the middle east. Whatever happened, you could point to arab countries and say, “Capitalism is not for everyone.” It was something, at least.

Now Bush and the neocons are trying to bring capitalism – well, some watered down form of it - to your last showcase. If some form of mixed economy works among the arabs, socialism might not survive as even the hint of a suggestion of an ideal.

What do you do?

I think we’re seeing it in the anti-war movement. A.N.S.W.E.R. is a front group for the Workers World Party. United for Peace and Justice is co-chaired by a socialist. Not In Our Name is a maoist front group.

I’m sure most of the people who attend anti-war rallies have no affiliation with the organizing groups and don’t give a damn about socialism. I’m not writing about them, I’m writing about the organizers.

Maybe some of the members of these groups are sincere pacifists who oppose all war. Some might be motivated by reflexive anti-americanism. Old habits die hard. And some might see the anti-war movement as part of the struggle for the survival of socialism.