The Necessity of our Anti-Militarism

The state, the generals, the military, this profit system and the imperial blocs within it, are beating a march to generalised warfare and our possible extinction.  Are we listening?  Are we going to try to effectively respond?  We can but we need to organise as a conscious internationalist working class now.  We can start by communicating and coming together as revolutionary anti-militarists, regionally, nationally and beyond.  At the ACN, we are trying to do just this. 

Below is a reflective piece from a member of Tyne & Wear, No War But the Class War. We can see from the comrades there and as described in this piece, the necessity of organising directly as a class, by ourselves as workers and for ourselves as workers throughout the world, in a struggle against militarism and capital, and for emancipation.

We also see the hurdles facing us, not only from capitalism, the state and its militarism, but from the tragedy of the ongoing illusions and fantasy of leftists in continuing to support cross class alliances and nationalisms of varying stripes, in a never ending (not so) merry go round. 

Read below for more on all this:

In the middle part of last Saturday (20^th Jan), I took a stroll into the ‘Toon’ (Newcastle city centre).  There was supposedly a trade union bloc forming, as part of the latest “demonstration for Palestine”.  Thought I’d take a look and arm myself with some NWBCW literature and statements, and see if there were any parties there interested in our local and international endeavour, limited as it is at present.

At Monument, there were about 300 people in attendance, readying for the march through the streets to the Civic Centre.  Amongst this number, were a host of loud speakers, and it was loud (you could hear it right down the bottom of Grey Street, about half a mile away).  Amongst calls for a support of ‘Palestine Action’ and their efforts against Rafael, who produce weapons to the state in Israel, there was also a lot of hot air by the array of permanent leftist activist speakers and their close circle of followers.

Only one, maybe two, trade union banners were seen, whilst there were a few members of other similar organisations in attendance.  These being organisations involved in a few workplaces elsewhere, if not local ones.  This a bloc?!

Anyway, a few leaflets were given out to anyone who appeared they may seem interested in an internationalist working class NWBCW perspective.  Good to say that a younger person at least asked a number of relevant questions and said they would look into it and thanked me for the details.  But let’s face it, overall it was yet another disappointing reaction and event.

Whilst various members of the military and state officials have been banging the drums of war and warning us to be ready in anywhere from 20 to only 5 years time for possible global catastrophe, yet again we find a desperate need to see the beginnings of a necessary collective understanding that in order to stop this potential extinction event / world war, in all wars we need to see ourselves as workers and struggle together as workers!

We don’t doubt whether anyone is brave when they occupy the roof of a weapons manufacturer.  However, we need to see that any such actions should take place effectively on a class and internationalist basis with much practical solidarity.  There can be no alliances with a bourgeoisie racing to war, wherever they find themselves.  No support for nationalism of whatever stripe.  And an end to the shouting of, “How dare someone not support a state for so and so…?”  We should not be supporting the state anywhere, whatsoever!  Neither should anyone claim to be class conscious and then unquestioningly support this national project or that one, and go about bandwagon jumping.

There can be no doubt that the suffering in Gaza is horrendous and that an end to the shelling and missiles would help alleviate the immediate situation.  However, even with this and a pull out by the Israeli state, oppression and exploitation would still take place, both by capital and a proto state controlled by the brutal theocrats, murderers, rapists and torturers of Hamas (or anyone else heading up the local state for that matter). 

War would still reveal its ugly head again very soon.  It is an inherent part of this system and its craving for territory, resources and profit, via the formation of rival imperial blocs and their increasingly complex web of proxies.  This is rapidly putting our very survival in grave danger.

To end the threat of annihilation, we must organise as a class and realise our common interests throughout the world, in a struggle against militarism, oppression and exploitation, and for emancipation.  This really needs to start now.  As a conscious working class, it can be done but time is likely running out.  Anyone interested in this fight, please contact us.  We all need each other!

Contact us at:

email – nwbcwtyneandwear@proton.me

twitterX – twitter.com/NWBCWTyne_Wear

Mastodon – kolektiva.social/@NWBCWTyneandWear

By Bones