Global capitalism is grappling with a vast and decisive crisis. War and destruction have engulfed a large portion of the world. For three years now, the world has witnessed genocide and regional devastation carried out by Israel and the United States, with the full backing of the West. From Palestine to Lebanon and Syria and ultimately the catastrophic war against Iran, the region has been transformed into a living nightmare.
Nearly five years have passed since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, with NATO’s intervention; hundreds of thousands have been killed, and the future remains bleak. The United States, the West, and Israel, spearheaded by the UAE have plunged Sudan into a dark, nightmarish scenario. Mass slaughter, starvation, sexual violence, and torture have brought the lives of the people to the brink of total annihilation.
In Latin America, the United States is deeply engaged in "regime change"—interfering with and manipulating elections in Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia; deploying forces and engaging in blatant theft in Venezuela; and imposing starvation on the people of Cuba.
In Bangladesh and Nepal, riding the wave of “GenZ” protests, the U.S. orchestrated two further regime changes.
Fascism is rapidly seizing power. Repression, police violence, and censorship have reached staggering proportions within the very heart of Western democracy. As of January, communism has been banned in the Czech Republic. The British government is arresting and imprisoning—on charges of terrorism—elderly and, in some cases, disabled protesters who support Palestine and call for a ban on arms shipments to Israel. The detention and beating of children by the police have become a commonplace occurrence at demonstrations in European cities.
In response to this onslaught, a broad protest movement has emerged in Europe, engaging in an open struggle against the police and the state. The bourgeoisie has heard the outcry of the dispossessed against the brutal enslavement imposed by capital. These protests are stirring. When “The Internationale” is sung by thousands in the streets, it strikes a chord in the hearts of all who retain a sense of humanity and compassion. One cannot help but think: "Let the ruling classes tremble at the prospect of a communist revolution. The proletariat has nothing to lose but its chains; it has a world to win. Workers of all countries, unite!"
Genocide in Palestine and the Awakening Movement
As the world witnesses Israel’s ruthless slaughter in Gaza day after day, the truth has come to light. The narrative that imperialism had force-fed the world for decades has vanished into thin air. The world had been told that Israel was constantly facing threats and attacks from the "monster" of Islamic terrorism—in the form of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Republic (the "Axis of Evil")—and that, therefore, "Israel has the right to defend itself."
Over the past three years, this slogan has turned into a bitter joke. The brainwashing is beginning to fade. Over the past three years, millions of people have taken to the streets to condemn Israel, the United States, and the West, and to stand in defense of the Palestinian people. Despite widespread police violence, these protests have not subsided; rather, they have expanded. For many, the Palestinian flag has now become a symbol of freedom, justice, and humanity—which is why it has been seen flying everywhere during the mass protests all over Europe in recent months.
According to the opinion polls, Israel is currently the most reviled country in the world.
A wave of protest and street-level uprisings has now reached Western nations. A deep economic crisis, coupled with a prevailing atmosphere of war, has made living conditions extremely difficult—indeed, unbearable—for the general population. Poverty and homelessness have driven hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets in the very heart of the West —a region that prides itself on its welfare systems, democracy, and human rights. Teenagers, young adults, workers, and the working people of Europe have taken to the streets to fight against poverty, the collapse of educational systems, and the soaring costs of living.
Albania
Over the past year, a broad protest movement has emerged, directed primarily against the government and its rampant corruption. This movement intensified and grew more furious following reports that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump had acquired two protected areas along the Adriatic coast in southern Albania with the intention of developing a luxury tourist resort. The public rose up against the widespread government corruption, demanding the fall of the prime minister and the government. Every day, thousands of people take to the streets to protest against the government and call for change. This protest movement has come to be known as the "Flamingo Revolution."
Following student protests in France, young people in Albania have voiced similar demands. In recent weeks, the protests have been met with widespread police violence. Over the past year, despite extensive protests, the government has repeatedly resisted people’s demands, resorted to police violence, and sought to maintain its grip on power.
Spain
Thousands of people in Spain have taken to the streets, calling for a more equitable system. The right to housing stands at the forefront of their demands. The protests have been particularly widespread in Madrid and Barcelona. In Madrid, demonstrators have staged a sit-in in the middle of a major city square. The suicide of a woman who had been evicted from her home in early September—followed by the eviction of 87-year-old Mari Carmen Abascal from the apartment where she had lived for 71 years—sparked a massive, nationwide protest movement across Spain.
Under pressure from this broad-based movement, the government initially rescinded the eviction order against the elderly woman, though she passed away in the Under hospital shortly thereafter.
Subsequently, the government was compelled to enact temporary legislation prohibiting the eviction of tenants and to call for early elections. Mari Carmen Abascal became the face and symbol of this widespread protest, and thousands have honored her memory.
France
For about a month, thousands of people in France have taken to the streets to protest the dire state of the education system, poverty, the high cost of living, and the threat of war. Paris, Lyon, and other major French cities have effectively turned into battlegrounds where the public—including children—clash with the police. The level of police violence has shocked the world, shattering the country’s carefully cultivated image of democracy, social welfare, and human rights. Hundreds have been injured by the police; one teenager lost a hand, and another lost an eye. According to government reports, at least 1,300 people—including dozens of children—have been arrested and are being held in detention under appalling conditions.
On the Saturdays of October 17, 24 and 31 approximately one million people took to the streets. France is witnessing street warfare between protesters and the police; an open and acute form of class struggle is unfolding. The movement, which began primarily with student protests, has drawn in a broad cross-section of the society, including teachers, parents, university students, and workers. Labour unions have thrown their support behind the movement and have called for a general strike on November 5.
Mainstream media outlets and the state apparatus are attempting to propagate a false and inflammatory narrative. They claim that immigrants and Muslims are responsible for the violence, the clashes, and the arson attacks on buildings and shops. However, the existence of social media—despite the extensive censorship imposed on it—along with the heightened awareness of the public, has exposed these fabrications.
Videos circulating on social media show masked men throwing explosives in the presence of police, only to leave the scene without any police intervention. Some have actually joined the police rank after throwing the explosives.
In recent years, the phenomenon of "false flag" operations has been exposed to many. Just this past year, Israel attempted—by orchestrating terrorist operations—to frame Muslims, Palestinians, immigrants, or the Islamic Republic as the perpetrators; such operations have been observed in countries ranging from Australia to the United Kingdom and France. However, most of these terrorist incidents were quickly exposed and subsequently scrubbed entirely from media coverage.
Italy
Shortly after the widespread unrest in France, people in Italy also took to the streets. Protests by youth and workers are unfolding across Italy, where participants are facing police violence. Large-scale demonstrations have emerged in cities such as Milan, Rome, Turin, and Bologna. Labour unions have played a prominent role in these protests. Over the past three years, dockers have repeatedly blocked the loading or departure of ships carrying weapons destined for Israel.
On Friday 30 October over one million people came to the streets of many cities in Italy to protest for better living conditions, better wages, education system, against high cost of living and against war. This was an amazing show of force against fascism and the government.
Greece
Like France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium, Greece has been the scene of extensive protests against the government, poverty, and the high cost of living, with demands for wage increases and improvements to the education system. Young people and workers have taken to the streets, and worker’s strikes have been organised.
Furthermore, for the past three years, a broad protest movement has been active—opposing Israel’s genocide and supporting the Palestinian people, while also resisting Israel’s attempts to seize Greek territory. A way of seizing land that has involved setting forests ablaze and subsequently purchasing the scorched land—a process carried out in close collaboration with the staunchly pro-Israel Greek government.
Protest movements with similar demands which have also met violent police crackdowns have also spread to Belgium and Portugal. In Serbia, widespread protests against a right-wing government succeeded, after two years, in bringing about a change in the administration. Now, Germany has also entered the fray.
International strike by dockworkers against the war
On October 30, dockworkers and port employees staged a coordinated international day of action under the slogan “Dockers do not work for war,” halting operations across 113 ports in 22 countries and regions. This is very significant. The power of workers and the Left is being demonstrated against fascist and warmonger states. Against the backdrop of mass protest movements sweeping across Europe, this international day of solidarity with Palestine and other war-stricken countries represents a growing challenge to bourgeois rule and imperialist power.
Brazil—A Five-Day Working week
Recent elections in Brazil triggered a wave of protests. One million people took to the streets in support of Lula—a reformist, left-wing president—opposing Bolsonaro, an unadulterated fascist. In several major cities in northern Brazil—home to predominantly Black and impoverished populations—mayors halted bus services to obstruct mass participation in the election; however, the opposition succeeded in extending the voting period by two hours. Vast numbers of the impoverished and marginalized travelled to the cities by boat to cast their votes.
A massive mobilization effort was organised in remote, impoverished areas to ensure that as many people as possible could participate. Consequently, Lula—who had trailed in the first round—was elected; immediately following the announcement of the results, Bolsonaro fled Brazil via Argentina, escaping to the United States.
Given the extensive interference by the United States and Israel in Latin American elections—which effectively led to regime change in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia—as well as the occupation of Venezuela and the imposition of starvation upon the people of Cuba, this election has rekindled a sense of hope. Not because Lula is a radical who intends—or is even capable of—overthrowing capitalism or bringing about significant improvements in the conditions of the Brazilian working class and the general population, but rather because the prospect of overt fascist rule represents a dark nightmare.
Furthermore, this struggle yielded a remarkable and historic achievement for the Brazilian working class: the establishment of a five-day working week, secured after years of struggle. This accomplishment is highly significant, both in practical and symbolic terms. Reducing working hours and instituting a five-day working week have long been key demands of the international labour movement. At a time when fascism is acquiring grounds globally—and the gains made by the labour movement and the Left in recent decades are being systematically dismantled—this achievement holds great importance for the labour movement and the Left in the ongoing struggle to push back the bourgeoisie and fascism.
The situation is extremely sensitive and critical. The broad, radical protest movement currently sweeping across Europe and parts of the rest of the world offers a glimmer of hope — for change, for pushing back fascism, and for building a better world. However, it must be acknowledged that despite the profound radicalism, extensive organization, and the people's firm resolve to continue the protests, this movement lacks a radical leadership with a clear program for change and for sustaining the struggle against the ruling establishment and capitalism.
A revolution against capitalism requires a strong organisation with a clear program, effective leadership, and the capacity for broad-based organisation. At present, it does not appear that such organisations exist.
Radical slogans reverberate through the streets, people resist with remarkable courage, the labour movement has joined the struggle, The “Internationale” is sung by thousands, and red flags fly high. Yet the uprising remains vulnerable to repression, suppression and the possibility of being driven into retreat.
This historic passage from the "Communist Manifesto" remains valid and relevant:
The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild-master and journeyman—in a word, oppressor and oppressed—stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight that each time ended, either in a revolutionary reconstitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes.
⏩ Asar Majed is the Chairperson of Organisation for Women’s Liberation.
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