Greece, Turkey, France, Spain ... The workers' response must be international and united!

Tuesday evening, June 11^th , thousands of angry proletarians flocked to Greece’s public television and radio headquarters, in response to the bourgeois government’s sudden and brutal announcement of its closure, and to stand in solidarity with the thousands of dismissed workers. All the while, massive labor protests had paralyzed Turkey – the so-called "hereditary enemy" – for almost 15 days in its major cities, despite the Turkish bourgeoisie’s violent and even bloody repression (with several protesters killed). Proletarian anger, determination and courage in struggle remains unabated in the face of the brutal repressive forces of the State. This reaction reflects the current reality of confrontations between classes at the international level and, more importantly, shows the course that the entire international working class must take to defend itself against the constant attacks it has suffered everywhere, and to impose another power relationship to that of the bourgeoisie and capitalism.

It’s all across Europe, in fact  – and even beyond – that workers’ reactions are escalating in response to the rise of increasingly brutal attacks that capitalism in crisis imposes everywhere. Despite the bourgeois media’s misrepresentation and deliberate censorship of these mobilizations – one must take time to scour the Internet for alternative sources of information to get a sense of the many struggles and mobilizations, all of which we cannot mention here– from Spain to Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain and elsewhere, working class and exploited people are overwhelmingly expressing their anger.

By now, we must recognize that all the struggles (and there are many) that have arisen since the start of capitalism’s open crisis in 2008 (the "subprime"), failed to drive back the bourgeoisie and their state, except perhaps momentarily. Essentially, the struggles remained too limited, hampered by the same ideological framework and capitalist policies imposed by all political and trade union forces, and primarily the bourgeois states.

Compliance with this order of affairs or even any illusions about it remain a source of deepening misery, the most crushing of defeats, and even death for the proletariat. This is why we should not be fooled by poisonous rhetoric, deceptive and "legalistic" political and bourgeois media. That is why we must rid ourselves of the union-imposed framework, and take our struggle into our own hands. We must not accept that every mobilization remain in its particular “corner” in its “own” region or its “own” country. To remain isolated, separated from other sections of the working class, poses the best prospect for the bourgeoisie to continue to maintain control of the situation, for it to successfully wage more attacks against our lives, forcing us to sacrifice more and more, ultimately sacrificing our lives in the inevitable war that capitalism’s crisis brings down on us all.

Only all together, combining all sectors, in all countries at once, can the proletariat contend with the bourgeoisie, pin back its murderous arm, put an end to it and its system of misery and barbarism. It is high time for workers to join with the struggles across borders. It’s time for the international generalization of the class struggle against capitalism.

The brutality of the Greek government’s latest measures offers just such an opportunity. All European workers, at least, have their eyes now on what’s unfolding in Athens, as well as in Istanbul, and (indeed) on other struggles. With European air traffic disrupted by an air traffic controllers’ strike – controllers from different European countries are taking over from their French colleagues. With protests raging on in Turkey in spite of massive repression. Through it all, the struggles increase, with generalized anger spreading amongst workers of all countries. Even the bourgeoisie at the moment, given the general anger amongst workers, is apprehensive about the social and political consequences of the Greek government’s decision.

The time for unified struggle is upon us. Time to join our comrades in Athens and in Istanbul. It’s time to enlist all local and European mobilizations in direct and active solidarity with our Greek comrades. It is high time to reject and to once and for all break out of the nationalist straitjacket, the state, democratic left parties and unions impose upon us.

Active solidarity with the workers in Greece, Turkey and everywhere else!
Everywhere, all of us must unite in the struggle against capitalist attacks!
For an International generalization of the struggle of the working class!
One perspective: away with capitalism!
The one and only way: widespread and united international struggle against capital!

On June 12, 2013
Communist Internationalists-Klasbatalo
Fraction of the International Communist Left