The conflicts breaking out worldwide are linked to the crisis in US imperialism. Capitalism has plunged into a new stage of crisis, the likes of which we have not seen since the 1940s. US hegemony has been substantially undermined. Resultantly, the US and its allied imperialist powers have been forced towards confrontation with Russia.
Today, as the American, British, and EU imperialist bloc faces a crisis, Communists have a chance to once again reach the working class.
The primary difficulty for all working class people across the world is US imperialism. For example, US imperialism has turned Ireland into a tax haven creating problems housing, homelessness, immigration and emigration.
The US has tried to engage in war with Russia via the Ukraine. The aim of which is to plunder and balkanise Russia.
Some people believe that Russia is an imperialist power seeking to annex the Ukraine for access to markets.
This is mistaken.
Imperialism develops out of the merger of finance capital and industrial capital.
Does Russia have this merger of banks and industry?
Can it exploit labour abroad for super profits?
Does it extract raw resources and sell finished commodities to the market of resource extraction?
No.
Russia is not home to an advanced capitalism.
Russian industrial production has lost much of its past Soviet diversity.
The Yeltsin government underdeveloped hi-tech production, the sciences and the Armed Forces. Infrastructure suffered to an untold degree. The Russian government only invested in raw resource extraction to appease European markets.
It is only during this war that Russia has started to redevelop it’s industry and finances.
Additionally, the actions of Russia have not been to the benefit of Monopoly Capitalism. This war has cut off the compradors of Russia from foreign investment for their finance capital. This objectively weakens imperialism worldwide, as large swathes of the global market are excluded from the opportunities of imperialists.
While certainly a capitalist state and by no means sympathetic to socialism it is clear Russia is not an imperialist power.
Russia is a target due to its own independence, resources, and the assistance it provides to other countries, e.g. Cuba, Syria, etc.
As there cannot be peaceful coexistence between imperialist countries and independent states, a peaceful deal to end this conflict is unlikely.
And while defeat for NATO would weaken US and European imperialism across the globe; defeat for Russia would mean the balkanisation of the state and immediate attacks on Cuba, Korea, and China. The latter would be a disaster for the working class worldwide. Therefore, calls by liberals and even some socialist and communist organisations for Russian capitulation are erroneous and short-sighted.
As established, there is only one imperialist side in this conflict. A defeat for NATO will significantly weaken the United States and imperialism and this in turn may offer breathing room for the workers’ movement and socialism to grow. We have already seen French imperialism suffer the loss of their neo-colonies Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso during the course of this conflict.
As socialists we must make a sober assessment of the current conjuncture in order to identify potential opportunities to tip the scales in our favour. From this perspective it is clear that the defeat of NATO is the optimal outcome for the working class and potential socialist development.