Contribution of Communist Party of Sweden

Dear comrades,

The position of the Communist Party of Sweden in its relation to the European Union is clear. Our analysis is not based on subjective idealism or petty bourgeoisie morality. We don’t divide the world into religious abstractions in the form of good versus evil. Our analysis is based on the Marxist concept socio-economic formation. It explains that capitalism is a social relationship that exists independent of human will, in other words it is a system and like all systems it has its own particularities that makes up the whole. These particularities cannot be bartered or cajoled with. Thus they are nonnegotiable. Therefore our analysis is always systemic in nature.

The European Union’s member states comprise a capitalistic system, a system based on the private ownership of the means of production which exploits humans through wage labor. An alliance based in the aforementioned system can only be exploitative and work in the interests of its rulers, the capitalist class. Just as we do not harbor the illusion that it is possible to somehow alter the objective laws that governs the Swedish capitalistic system into the creation of a more humane capitalism, a capitalism without crisis, we do not harbor the illusion that this is possible with the EU.

With this rudimentary fundamental explanation we can state with clear conscience that the EU cannot be reformed to work in the interests of the working class, nor is it a counterweight to the US or other imperialistic countries. Therefore it is imperative that we, as in the collective of communists, drag the EU’s systemic character into the light so that false consciousness can be dispersed andreplaced with a correct understanding. The examples that can be used are legion. During the crisis of 2008 and the following pandemic of 2019 the EU and its politicians showed little regard for the workers but had no issue with showering the monopolies with billions of Euros, socializing the debts and privatizing the profits. As result the inflation skyrocketed and workers were asked to tighten their belts. The EU’s class character was never clearer.

Development can never be uniform across the board and all throughout the world development is uneven. Capitalism is no exception to this;what was once on top cannot remain so forever. Conflicts will arise as market shares start to dwindle and new players emerge. The Russo-Ukrainian war is a part of this trend. The conflict dates back to the early 2000s when Russia started to export capital to Latin-America. The relationship with the US deteriorated very quickly and soon it would be the same with the EU. The old powers tried to contain the situation but were unable to do so. Russia’s imperialistic ambitions could not be denied and the conflict has now spread to different parts of the world. Several countries which were once colonies have sided with Russia. This not on account of Russia being in the right, but because they have their own ambitions. Countries like India and Brazil seek the most advantageous position for their capital and they see opportunity in siding with Russia. This sharpens the conflict and makes the interests involved in the current Russo-Ukranian war global and so also the very real risk of escalation.

President Macron’s seemingly erratic behavior lately is very logical if one uses the tools that Marx and Lenin provided us with. France is at this moment being ousted from the Sahel in Africa, with Russia seeking to becoming the power to be reckoned with in the region. The military juntas are forming a so-called patriotic front withthe purpose of developing their owncountries that have for decades been existing in a dependent state, in particularly to France. They are taking control over their national resources, and trying to create their own monetary system, free from French influence. If they are successful France will face an economic crisis of gigantic proportions. Here lies the reason why Macron takes such an aggressive and escalatory line towards NATO involvement in the Russo-Ukranian war. To French capital Ukraine is merely one more front where Russian capital can be weakened or beaten to protect French capital’s interests. Its purpose is to crush Russia as a rival in the Sahel and restore the current imperialist order. Such adventurism can lead us to yet again to a great war.

Interestingly Russia is not the only rival. Germany, the engine of the EU´s economy, is now running on fumes due to the sanctions imposed on Russia.Being one of the harshest critics of the juntas in Africa, stating in the past that as a country Germany would never have any relations with them, the tune has now changed.The critical rhetoric remains, but business comes first.

Understanding all of this the Communist Party of Sweden has made the decision to participate in the upcoming EU-elections. Not because of any ridiculous notion that the EU can be reformed, but for using the elections as a platform to reveal the EU’s class nature and for raising the profile of our party and our revolutionary class politics among the people.

The Communist Party of Sweden