Contribution of New Communist Party of the Netherlands

The communists fight for peace and socialism, against the EU/NATO and the war economy!

Dear comrades,

War looms over Europe and the world, with all nations gearing up for the inevitable conflict driven by the capitalist system. The imperialist EU, representing the interests of large European monopolies which plunder the workers throughout the entire world, worries that its long-time prominent position within the imperialist system is downgraded. The so-called “Green and digital transition”, meant to strengthen the position of EU capital, has stalled because the EU has been overtaken by China.

The transition to a 'war economy', a term increasingly used in EU circles, is the only option European capital has left to stimulate domestic capital and secure its conditions for realizing profits. President of the European Commission Von der Leyen stated that the EU must find funds for a 'huge' increase in defense spending over the next five years, under the guise of improving 'security' and reducing dependencies.

EU propagandists have long claimed that the EU is a project of peace. The beating of the war drums, the enormous increase in military spending at the costs of the lives of the people – all these have unmasked the EU as an imperialist union which only cares for peace so long as it can continue to exploit the peoples of Europe.

Developments in the Netherlands

The international policy of the reactionary Dutch government – which builds on the policies of its predecessors – poses great threats for the Dutch people. The Netherlands is becoming increasingly entangled in international conflicts, amongst others the war in Ukraine and the slaughter of the Palestinian people by Israel. Depots, transport routes and other infrastructure are being made available on a large scale to the army and NATO, as are tens of billions of tax euros – while cuts are being made to facilities such as education and healthcare. A major NATO summit is planned for The Hague at the end of June 2025.

Meanwhile, the Dutch bourgeoisie is waging a “hearts and minds” campaign to convince the Dutch people that they must sacrifice their livelihoods for war. New laws are being drafted that would increase state intervention in the economy for renewed war efforts. Well-orchestrated campaigns targeted at young people attempt to convince them to join the military.

It is important to note that these developments happen in a context of increased profits for the bosses and lower wages for the workers.In the Netherlands, since 1982, cumulative labor productivity growth has surpassed the growth of average, collective, and minimum wages. If wage growth had kept pace with labor productivity, modal income would currently be over 1,300 euros higher per year. Furthermore, collective and minimum wages have lagged behind labor productivity growth even more than average wages. These numbers show the exploitative nature of capitalism, which sacrifices all for profit.

The struggle of the communists

The communists must point out to the workers that they are not powerless in the face of all these developments. Despite all the automation and robotization, in the end it is the working people who produce the weapons, transport them and use them. It is working people who keep the entire (war) economy going. Therefore, working people have the power to put a stop to the imperialists' plans.

Hopeful signs of the struggle against imperialism are emerging,such as the solidarity movements for Palestine worldwide, which also takes place in the Netherlands. Port workers refusing to load weapons destined for Israel. Students at educational institutions demanding to end ties with Israeli institutions involved in the occupation. Strikes in a range of sectors which recently are steadily regaining a mass character.

In the struggle for peace, the communist party is indispensable. Where the bourgeois parties left or right condone NATO and EU and their imperialist interventions, our parties take a clear stand against imperialism, for peace.

Only the communistsreveal the economic laws that lie beneath international and domestic political developments, unmasking the root cause. Not the "right-wing parties" or "bad presidents," those are merely symptoms of the underlying problem, which is the capitalist system. The system that profits as its highest goal. To secure their profits, the monopolies do not hesitate to sacrifice the standard of living and even the lives of people. The struggle for peace goes hand in hand with the struggle against capitalist exploitation that demolishes our incomes and rights.

Struggle is the only path for peace; for a world without exploitation, poverty and war; for socialism!