Pro Global

Providing a Marxist critique of
the anti-globalization movement

Picture nicked from Socialist Standard May 2000

Marxists have a very different position on the development of capitalism to that expressed by the opponents of 'corporate globalization'. Our position is premised on the view that the changes that capitalism has unleashed and continues to unleash are an improvement over all earlier arrangements and provide the conditions for an even more advanced society, socialism.

The stark difference can be brought out best by listing our views on some major questions:

• Protecting the natural environment does not require the halting or slowing down of capitalist economic development, and scientific and technological progress provides the basis for sustainable growth.
• Workers in developed countries do not engage in 'excessive consumption'. In fact, their consumption should be higher.
• The economic and social backwardness in developing countries is fundamentally due to internal conditions within those countries and reflects the lack of capitalism rather than its excessive presence. The role of external influences such as international capital, the World Bank and the IMF is of secondary importance and just as likely to have a salutary as a negative effect on development.
• There is no 'third way' forward for developing countries. There is only one way and that is through capitalism. Socialism will become a 'second way' in these countries but only after capitalist development has prepared the ground.
• In the developed countries of North America, Europe, East Asia and Australasia, there can only be one item on the political agenda - socialist revolution. Such a revolution would collectivise the means of production, eliminate economic insecurity and transform labor into an activity fit for humans.
• The slogan 'oppose corporate power' seems beyond redemption and unable to convey anything radical. It can mean nothing else than more power to nation states, smaller local capitalists and the petty bourgeoisie. On this issue we are either indifferent or actually support increased corporate power. Big global business bring faster economic development and technological change. And, a small group of large capitalists are easier to expropriate than a large group of smaller ones.
• Even 'anti-capitalist' loses much of its radical content given that it is as often as not used by elements best described as anti-modern, neo-feudal or primitivist. Their opposition to capitalism is reactionary rather than revolutionary. They want something worse than capitalism rather than something better.

While taking on so many sacred cows would seem to be a recipe for isolating oneself, it should be possible to unite (or at least engage) with others on a common opposition to capitalist exploitation and the society it creates and a common desire for something fundamentally better. If the differences are dealt with in the process of thrashing out views on the nature of the radical change we seek, Marxists should be able to place themselves at the centre of political discussion and debate and not simply be left snearing from the sidelines.

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Dispelling 'Frankenfear' The neo-feudalists have benefited considerably from whipping up 'Frankenfear'. However, in the long run it could become a liability if genetic engineering starts proving to be a major success. This article argues that GE has an important role to play in improving food security and protecting the environment and that public funding of it should be greatly increased.

Some of the other subjects we aim to cover in the near future include:

• A critique of anarchism and defence of socialism;
• The global bogeymen: WTO, World Bank and IMF;
• Critiquing 'left' theories on why Third World countries are backward; and
• Defending industrial society and affluence from neo-feudalism.

Links critical of anti-globalization

• De Fabel van de illegaal
• The Sucker Punch of Right/Left Coalitions
• Antiglobalization
• Pressbüro Savanne, Right-Left - A Dangerous Flirt

Anti-globalization links

• S11 Shut down the W.E.F.
• S11 AWOL
• Anarchist News Service

For an introduction to socialism

• The Socialism Web Site

The writings of Marx and Engels

• The Karl Marx and Frederick Engels Internet Archive
• Communist Manifesto
• Marx's support for 'corporate globalization'

What you can do to help developing countries:

• Call for the removal of trade restrictions on developing country products;
• Start a campaign to encourage people to buy developing country products in preference to those made locally or from other developed countries;
• Support a new WTO round of negotiations aimed at reducing trade barriers on agricultural products from developing countries;
• Call for increased assistance for their agricultural research and development efforts, including genetic engineering; and
• Call for greater funding of research into the treatment of serious, but commercially unrewarding, illnesses such as malaria that are prevalent in developing countries.

Suggested slogans

Having a few good slogans for posters etc can make a difference. Here are some tentative suggestions.

• High-tech socialism not low-tech barbarism
• No trade barriers on Third World products
• Help the Third World - buy their products
• "Organic" farming won't feed 10 billion people. GMO way to go.
• No "debt relief " for war-lords
• Capitalism sucks - big or small, global or local
• Yes to globalization. No to nationalism
• No god, no country, no master

Established 20 May 2000. Last modified 17 July 2000.

http://www.oocities.org/socialism_2000