The Global imperialist-capitalist economy is stricken with growing insolvable crisis bred by the system itself. More and more concentration of wealth is taking place in the hands of a few super-rich while myriads of toiling masses are getting pauperized in tandem. The world’s richest 1 percent, have more than twice the wealth of 690 crore people. Almost half of global population is living on less than Rs 400 a day. Almost half the world’s population-340 crores people—still struggles to meet basic needs, the World Bank said. The super-rich avoid as much as 30% of their tax liability. While the richest continue to enjoy booming fortunes, they are also enjoying some of the lowest levels of tax in decades—as are the corporations that they own. Instead, taxes are being disproportionately imposed on common working people. When the bourgeois governments undertax the rich, there’s less money in the public exchequer for meeting the expenses of food and drinking water as well as vital services like healthcare and education. Getting the richest one percent to pay just 0.5 percent extra tax on their wealth over the next 10 years would equal the investment needed to create 12 crore permanent jobs. Official figure of global unemployment is expected to be at 205 million (20.5 crore) in 2022. Some 285 million (28.5 crore) people worldwide are officially considered underemployed. The actual figures would be several times higher. 33 crore employed persons, are working under poor conditions that do not guarantee them a decent living. Worldwide, 61 percent of workforce are in informal employment with no guarantee of job security or wage. Global poverty and hunger are skyrocketing. 689 million people are officially reported to be living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 a day 811 million people regularly go to bed hungry, according to a report from the United Nations food agencies. 11 people are likely dying every minute from hunger outpacing Covid 19 fatalities. On the one hand, prices are soaring beyond the sky while on the other hand, avenues for even survival level income are getting extinguished at a rapid pace. Skyrocketing inflation has been aggravating inequalities and widen the gap between the rich and poor. This harrowing spectacle is obviously paving ground for social unrest and protest movements to surge forth.
In fact, there is massive outbreak of protests throughout the world. We had seen a few years back the Occupy World Street movement that had shaken not only US imperialism but the entire imperialist-capitalist camp. Then broke out the Yellow Vest movement first in France and then in other European countries. Also had surged forth the Arab Spring movement in Egypt. A historic peasant movement continued for more than one year in India. The last week of June alone saw protests by the political opposition in Pakistan, nurses in Zimbabwe, organized workers in Belgium, railway workers in Britain, aboriginal people in Ecuador, hundreds of US pilots and some European airline workers. Millions of aggrieved people of economically bankrupt Sri Lanka have stormed into the Presidential palace. ‘‘How many of the richest even know what a loaf of bread costs? They don’t really, they just absorb the prices.’’ ‘‘How much for my kidney?’’ is the question most asked of one of Kenya’s largest hospitals. Kenyatta National Hospital reminded people on Facebook this week that selling human organs is illegal. Even in India same thing is happening. Private notice is posted in the social-media: Want to sell my one kidney. Any customer? Recently a wretched man of Kolkata, who lost his job due to an accident, gave a call to the local police station claiming that he had strangled his elder brother to death. After investigation it was found that the man wasn’t a murderer. His brother, who was also a jobless person, died of illness and due to poverty, they couldn’t admit him in a hospital, neither collect even a grain of rice in last few weeks. It was a plan of the elder brother who knew that his death is coming, that after his death, the younger would pretend as a murderer and be arrested which would ensure his meals in the prison. Obviously, this deplorable condition is creating grievances. The inability to consume essential commodities, fuel, power, education, health facilities has triggered vehement protest throughout the world.
In June, thousands of truckers in South Korea ended an eight-day strike that caused shipment delays as they called for minimum wage guarantees amid soaring fuel prices. Months earlier, some 10,000 kms away, truckers in Spain went on strike to protest fuel prices. Peru’s government imposed a brief curfew after protests against fuel and food prices turned violent in April. Truckers and other transport workers also had gone on strike and blocked key highways. ‘‘Increase our salaries. Now!’’ chanted thousands of unionized workers in Brussels.
‘‘I came here to defend the purchasing power of citizens because demonstrating is the only way to make change,’’ protester Genevieve Cordier said. ‘‘We cannot cope anymore. Even with two salaries … both of us are working, and we cannot get our head above water.’’
Eddie Dempsey, a senior official with Britain’s Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, which brought UK train services to a near standstill with strikes this week, said there are going to be more demands for pay increases across other sectors. ‘‘It’s about time Britain had a pay rise. Wages have been falling for 30 years and corporate profits have been going through the roof,’’ Dempsey said.
The capitals and cities of the African countries are surged by the thunderous protests of the common multitude. Health care professionals in Zimbabwe went on strike this week after rejecting the government’s offer of a 100% pay rise. The nurses say the offer does not come close to skyrocketing inflation of 130%. Kenyans have protested in the streets and online as the price of food jumped by 12% in the past year. One of Tunisia’s most powerful labour unions staged a nationwide public sector strike last week of June. The North African country faces a deteriorating economic crisis. Hundreds of agitators protested the rising cost of living in Burkina Faso in the month of June.
As is obvious, objective condition for anti-capitalist revolution is ripened. But the subjective condition i.e., ideological and organizational sway of real communist parties on the suffering people is yet to mature. So, there is one after another waves of people’s movement sprouting with promise but rudderless. Hence those are either fizzling out after a while in absence of proper leadership to take them to logical culmination or ending up in a parliamentary battle enabling anti-incumbency forces to gain. This is a big tragedy. Once again, we call upon the oppressed millions to rally behind real revolutionary force if in existence. Otherwise, they must take initiative to build up such a party on their respective soils based on correct revolutionary ideology, base political line and culture. Let not the capitalist-imperialist wolves be on a prowl anymore.
People’s protests surge forth globally against growing economic oppression
