"War is Peace" ---- George Orwell ---- "This is a war against us - ---- The world
of exploitation» ---- Chicho Sanchez Ferlosio ---- The invasion of Russian troopsinto Ukraine came as a shock to everyone who is not sick with the disease ofpatriotism, at least in its last, fatal stage. But those who do not suffer fromideological amnesia remember well that wars in the so-called post-Soviet spacehave not stopped for more than 30 years. They began with a creeping and thenlegally secured division of the Union between rival factions and clans of theruling oligarchy, and since then there has hardly been a single year that, at oneend or another of this vast corner of the world, armed conflict did not blaze andblood flow. .Even then, three decades ago, it was clear that the ruling bandits, who dividedthe vast territories and resources of one sixth of the planet among themselves,would not rest on what they had captured, and a wild, fierce and mercilessstruggle would begin between them for the redistribution of the alreadydemarcated "hunting grounds" where they can freely torture, oppress and exploittheir subjects. As usual, having fenced off their possessions and formalized theminto states, the ruling circles began to design and build nations, that is, torally subject slaves, unify the ruled, train them in the spirit of unity withtheir own rulers and reverence for their masters, while simultaneouslypersecuting, cutting off and discriminating against all those who, for one reasonor another, did not fit into the new construct, including linguistic or culturalminorities, migrants, foreigners, etc.The states created and cut out the nation, using the national ideas suggested andhammered into the heads of people. Wild, brutal nationalism became a magnificentmeans of maintaining and legitimizing the domination of the ruling castes and auniversal way to mobilize the masses of people, preparing them to kill and diefor their overlords. This picture, typical of any state formation, at least inthe last 200 or 300 years, we could observe on the ruins of a divided Union inall successor countries, regardless of what form of government they were hidingbehind - democratic or openly authoritarian - and from the ideology they proclaimed.The internecine strife of rulers, like the wars of medieval feudal barons, isalways accompanied by instilling pride in their own slaves and serfs for the"right" to fight and die for the master - against the slaves and serfs of theneighboring ruler. In today's society, such "pride" takes the form of patriotism.The oppressed and exploited working people must think that it is not theirmasters who are fighting for the redistribution of possessions, power, propertyand resources, but a "national" or "ethnic" conflict is taking place, an"imperial seizure" or "national liberation resistance" is going on ...I repeat: the inhabitants of the notorious "one-sixth" planet have seen enough ofthese bloody fights of the bourgeois-nomenklatura oligarchic elites with alltheir vile effects: in Karabakh and Abkhazia, Ossetia and Transnistria,Tajikistan and Chechnya, Transcaucasia, Donbass, Crimea ... and in many otherplaces and "occasions". There was almost no post-Soviet state that has not beendrawn into one or another armed conflict over these decades. So, unfortunately,there is nothing new for us in this respect in the Russian-Ukrainian war. And,nevertheless, for the first time, two largest states entered into an open armedconflict - two most powerful parasitic apparatuses that grew like poisonousmushrooms on the ruins of the former Soviet Union. For the first time, a warbetween ruling factions has acquired such proportions and is accompanied by sucha large bloodshed.The state-juridical approach proclaims that the one who fired the first shot,that is, "attacked" and "committed aggression" is always to blame in a war. Butfor those who understand that law is just the interests of the ruling classesmolded into laws and treaties, the situation is much more complicated. Of course,there is no excuse for whoever caused the situation to escalate and pull thetrigger first. However, this does not mean that the other, "defensive" state sideis innocent. Any state is a parasitic growth that serves the interests of thosewho have political and economic power. Any state, by its very nature, is aimed atexpanding its power and control and strives for such an expansion, as far as itcan. Another question is that sometimes he does not have such forces - at the moment.In wars between states, there are no and cannot be "rightists" - there are onlyguilty parties: the ruling circles of all belligerent states, both "attacking"and "defending". It is their desire to expand or retain the lands, resources,property and power they control that gives rise to wars. And it is preciselythese benefits and privileges that they defend, forcing ordinary people to shedblood - their own and others. The oppressed and exploited working people, in thefinal analysis, really do not care what language their master, master or bossspeaks and in what capital he sits. So it was everywhere and always. This was thecase in the First and Second World Wars. This is how things stand, fundamentally,even now.Today's Russian-Ukrainian war - if we consider it at the regional level - is justa continuation of the struggle between the ruling castes of the post-Sovietstates for the redivision of the post-Soviet space. Contrary to popular myth, theSoviet Union collapsed not as a result of popular liberation movements, but as aresult of the actions of a part of the ruling nomenklatura, which dividedterritories and zones of influence among themselves, when the usual andestablished methods of its rule were in crisis. From the moment of that initialpartition, which was based on the then balance of power, an ongoing struggle forthe redistribution of territories and resources has unfolded, which leads toconstant wars throughout the post-Soviet region. At the same time, the rulingclasses of all post-Soviet states (all of them, to one degree or another, comefrom the Soviet nomenklatura or their successors) have adopted militantnationalism in ideology, neoliberalism in the economy, and authoritarian methodsof management in politics. And in their methods of forced construction of"nations", the introduction of unification and cutting off minorities, all thesestates seem to look at each other in a mirror: that the Kremlin, declaring the"Russian people" to be "state-forming" (and all the rest, respectively,second-class people), that Kyiv, conducting a violent "Ukrainization", that theBaltic states, depriving civil rights of up to a third or more of the population,the so-called. "Russian-speaking", etc. Some want to keep the captured and lootedfor today. Others - to multiply it, since the opportunity presented itself. Andhere everything does not come down to international legal norms, to who attackedwhom first or who provoked whom in the first place. The interests of those whomake decisions in any state and hierarchical society are always predatory intheir essence. There is a redistribution of what is stolen from us, what issqueezed out and pumped out of working people.However, the matter is not limited to this. Wars on the "periphery" of thecapitalist World-System are always intervened by the more powerful powers of thecapitalist "center". And today, a fierce struggle for hegemony in the post-Sovietspace has unfolded on "one-sixth". Russia, as the strongest state in the region,claims to be a regional power and considers all post-Soviet territories as a zoneof its hegemonic interests. Everything is used - from economic penetration anddiktat by manipulating prices for energy supplies to putting forward claims withcompletely delusional references to the conquests made centuries ago by theRussian Empire, which has long sunk into oblivion. The absurdity of such anargument is easy to understand when one imagines how modern Mongolia will demand,say, control over all of Asia, or modern Italy - over the entire Mediterraneanbasin. Once again, references to a misunderstood history are intended to cover upclaims based on bare power.But the powers of the world-system "center" are not at all inclined to recognizethe hegemonic claims of the Kremlin. The states of the Western bloc (although theinterests and aspirations of the United States and individual European states ofNATO and the EU may, in turn, not completely and not always coincide) believethat they won the confrontation with the Soviet Union and now wish, by the same"right of the winner, ", to control the post-Soviet lands themselves. This istheir trophy! As a result, both sides seek to establish their economic andpolitical control over the countries of the former Soviet Union. Hence the clashbetween NATO expansion to the East and the Kremlin's desire to secure thesecountries under its influence. In the political systems of these countries, whichare increasingly turning into satellites of "curators" from Moscow, Washington orEuropean capitals, there is a stubborn,However, this, alas, is not all. What is happening has to be considered in thecontext of a new stage in the world capitalist system, which is rolling over uslike an avalanche, right before our eyes, here and now. You can call it "latercapitalism" or whatever you like - the essence of this will not change in anyway. The systemic problems of capitalism, with all the external "well-being",sneezing economic growth and showcase abundance in the "center" of theWorld-System, are becoming more and more aggravated, and neither the Keynesiannor the neoliberal model can save. A monstrous concentration of wealth, giganticsocial inequality, artificial maintenance of demand by inflating financial, debtand credit "bubbles", a growing shortage of resources, catastrophic climatechange, tougher rivalry and competition between states, corporations,This search is still ongoing, and far from all the features and characteristicsof the "brave new world" are clear today. But some of its main contours arealready clearly visible in the fog of the present-future: the nightmarisholigarchic and caste system, the erosion and disintegration of society, theincreasingly "austerity" for working people, the precarization of labor relationsand employment, "green" energy, even greater fusion state and corporations, thetotality of control with the help of information technology (poor Orwell neverdreamed of this!), management with the help of intimidation and "sanitarydictatorship", the growing introduction of elements of emergency, the curtailmentof rights and freedoms ... This creeping fascisization of the modern world isquite summed up by a simple formula: control + "plague" + war. And it does nothappen due to the "evil will" of some cunning little group of "globalists", butin full accordance with the very logic of capitalist competition: the rulingcircles and classes of all states observe the actions of each other, diligentlyborrow those elements of the new order that seem to them effective and efficient,and develop them further, striving to outflank and outstrip competitors. So itwas with the "covid-dictatorship", it seems to be happening with the "socialrating" and electronic surveillance of society.It was against this background that the war broke out on the eastern outskirts ofEurope, as a reflection of the aggravated contradictions of the global transitionto a new model of capitalism. It is no coincidence that modern Russia is called"an appendage to the gas and oil pipeline." Today it plays in the world market,first of all, the role of a supplier of energy resources, gas and oil. Thepredatory and thoroughly corrupt ruling class, purely parasitic in its essence,did not invest in the diversification of the economic structure, being contentwith super profits from gas and oil supplies. Meanwhile, Western capital andstates are embarking on the path to a new energy structure, the so-called "greenenergy", heading towards reducing the consumption of gas and oil in the future.For Russian capital and its economy, this will mean the same strategic collapse,which was caused in due time for the Soviet economy by the fall in oil prices.Therefore, the Kremlin seeks to either prevent this energy turnaround, or slow itdown, or at least achieve more favorable conditions for itself in theredistribution of the energy market. For example, seeking long-term supplycontracts and better prices, pushing competitors aside, etc. If necessary, thisalso implies direct pressure on the West in various forms. It is no coincidencethat the aggravation of relations between the Kremlin and European states waspreceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However, having now decided togo for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, on the contrary,accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oil supplies in thefuture. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he does not drinkchampagne." Therefore, the Kremlin seeks to either prevent this energyturnaround, or slow it down, or at least achieve more favorable conditions foritself in the redistribution of the energy market. For example, seeking long-termsupply contracts and better prices, pushing competitors aside, etc. If necessary,this also implies direct pressure on the West in various forms. It is nocoincidence that the aggravation of relations between the Kremlin and Europeanstates was preceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However, having nowdecided to go for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, on thecontrary, accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oilsupplies in the future. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he doesnot drink champagne." Therefore, the Kremlin seeks to either prevent this energyturnaround, or slow it down, or at least achieve more favorable conditions foritself in the redistribution of the energy market. For example, seeking long-termsupply contracts and better prices, pushing competitors aside, etc. If necessary,this also implies direct pressure on the West in various forms. It is nocoincidence that the aggravation of relations between the Kremlin and Europeanstates was preceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However, having nowdecided to go for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, on thecontrary, accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oilsupplies in the future. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he doesnot drink champagne." achieve more favorable conditions for themselves in theredistribution of the energy market. For example, seeking long-term supplycontracts and better prices, pushing competitors aside, etc. If necessary, thisalso implies direct pressure on the West in various forms. It is no coincidencethat the aggravation of relations between the Kremlin and European states waspreceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However, having now decided togo for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, on the contrary,accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oil supplies in thefuture. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he does not drinkchampagne." achieve more favorable conditions for themselves in theredistribution of the energy market. For example, seeking long-term supplycontracts and better prices, pushing competitors aside, etc. If necessary, thisalso implies direct pressure on the West in various forms. It is no coincidencethat the aggravation of relations between the Kremlin and European states waspreceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However, having now decided togo for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, on the contrary,accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oil supplies in thefuture. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he does not drinkchampagne." this also implies direct pressure on the West in various forms. It isno coincidence that the aggravation of relations between the Kremlin and Europeanstates was preceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However, having nowdecided to go for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, on thecontrary, accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oilsupplies in the future. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he doesnot drink champagne." this also implies direct pressure on the West in variousforms. It is no coincidence that the aggravation of relations between the Kremlinand European states was preceded by energy problems in the fall of 2021. However,having now decided to go for broke, the Kremlin risks losing: its actions may, onthe contrary, accelerate the European Union's rejection of Russian gas and oilsupplies in the future. But here it is truly "who does not take risks - he doesnot drink champagne."It is very important not to lose sight of the main inter-imperialistcontradiction of today's world - between the leading capitalist superpowers, theretreating USA and the advancing China, around which blocs of allies, vassals andsatellites are being formed. Both countries are contesting global hegemony today.For China, with its "one belt, one road" strategy, gradual conquest of theeconomies of Asia, Africa, Latin America and penetration into Europe, Russia isan important junior partner. The response of the United States and its alliedWest is the expansion of NATO to the East, approaching through Ukraine andGeorgia to the Near and Middle East and its resources. This is also a kind of"belt" project. It meets the resistance of imperialist rivals - China and Russia,which is increasingly dependent on it. And in this respect, both Russia andUkraine are ultimately as suppliers of "cannon fodder" for the main players whoprefer not to engage in direct combat themselves. This has been happening sincethe 1960s, when the American and Soviet blocs fought each other through the handsof their vassals in the countries of the Third World. This is happening, in acertain sense, even now.However, both the Russian and Ukrainian ruling oligarchy, and even the rulingcircles of the West, have enough internal reasons and motives to organize andprolong a "limited" war in the backyards of the World-System. The so-called"COVID" crisis has revealed a deep internal instability of the political,economic and social structure in all countries of the world. This also applies toWestern countries, and Russia, and Ukraine. The deterioration of livingconditions, the growth of high prices and social inequality, the mass indignationof the population with coercive and dictatorial measures and prohibitions gaverise to widespread discontent in society. In some places, this has alreadyincreased political instability - or, with a very high probability, couldincrease in the very near future. And in such situations, the ruling classesalways resorted to tried and tested methods, allowing to restore the notorious"national unity" and the population's trust in the authorities: creating theimage of the enemy and whipping up military hysteria, up to a "small victoriouswar." Especially if, as in the NATO states, this is not accompanied by the riskof direct participation in hostilities, but it will also bring huge new profitsto manufacturers and suppliers of weapons, the flows of which only add fuel tothe fire of a military conflict. But the Kremlin and Bankovaya have diverged withmight and main ... streams of which only add fuel to the fire of the militaryconflict. But the Kremlin and Bankovaya have diverged with might and main ...streams of which only add fuel to the fire of the military conflict. But theKremlin and Bankovaya have diverged with might and main ...Given all this disgusting, foul-smelling intersection and interweaving of worldtrends and conflicts, and indeed the very oppressive nature of any state as such,there is not the slightest reason for social revolutionary activists to takesides in this war - except for the side of ordinary people. who always andeverywhere become victims of wars and conflicts between the ruling factions ofall countries. There is not a single reason to sympathize with either the ownerof the Kremlin and his administration, or the authorities of Ukraine. Theirneo-liberal policies have led to a real collapse of health systems, education,poverty of pensioners and public sector workers in the province. Wages in thecountries are monstrously low, the labor movement is virtually paralyzed ...Suffocating nationalism sows hatred and makes people struggle in paroxysms,losing human form. The victors of the war will receive even more power,privileges, money and control, will achieve the strengthening of their regimeand, of course, will hasten the implementation of the imperialist plans of theprotecting powers. But it doesn't matter to us who it is. Whoever wins, thelosers in this, like in any other war, are always us, ordinary people. And it isno coincidence that the oligarchic juntas of Moscow and Kyiv already now, whenthe conflict has acquired a long positional character, are using the situation to"tighten the screws", push through cannibalistic bills, for mass arrests andreprisals, crush any dissent and strangle civil liberties. Under the roar ofcannonade in both belligerent countries inflate prices. In Ukraine, draconiananti-worker legislation is also hastily approved; in Russia, it is likely thatthis is yet to come: at leastWe are not naive pacifists. We are well aware that wars will continue as long asthe very institution of the state and capitalism as an economic system arepreserved. Like all the major problems that shake the world today, conflicts,including their military "form", are precisely systemic. And the only way tosolve these problems is to destroy the social system that gives rise to them.What does this mean? This is how the internationalist anarchists answered thisquestion, who issued in 1915 the famous manifesto against the First World War.War, it said, is "the natural consequence and inevitable and fatal result of asociety based on the exploitation of the workers, a society based on wildstruggles between classes and forcing the workers to submit to the domination ofa parasitic minority that has seized political and economic power." It makes nosense to "put all responsibility on this or that government", because "none ofthe warring parties has the right to speak in the name of civilization or declareitself in a position of forced defense." The causes of the war "must be soughtsolely in the fact of the existence of the state, which is a political form ofprivilege." "The role of anarchists in the current tragedy, - the textemphasized, - in any situation, to come out with their propaganda, saying thatthere is only one kind of war for freedom: this is a war waged in all countriesby the oppressed against their oppressors. Our task is to call the slaves torevolt against their masters." Anarchist agitation is called upon "to strive forthe weakening and destruction of all states; it must cultivate the spirit ofresistance and cause discontent among the peoples and armies." War and itshardships will inevitably cause social upheavals: "We must take advantage of allrevolt movements, general discontent, provoke an uprising and organize arevolution that, we hope, will put an end to all social injustices" and destroystates, wars and militarism forever. It was about turning the imperialist warinto a social revolution. - in any situation, to come out with their propaganda,saying that there is only one kind of war for freedom: this is a war waged in allcountries by the oppressed against their oppressors. Our task is to call theslaves to revolt against their masters." Anarchist agitation is called upon "tostrive for the weakening and destruction of all states; it must cultivate thespirit of resistance and cause discontent among the peoples and armies." War andits hardships will inevitably cause social upheavals: "We must take advantage ofall revolt movements, general discontent, provoke an uprising and organize arevolution that, we hope, will put an end to all social injustices" and destroystates, wars and militarism forever. It was about turning the imperialist warinto a social revolution. - in any situation, to come out with their propaganda,saying that there is only one kind of war for freedom: this is a war waged in allcountries by the oppressed against their oppressors. Our task is to call theslaves to revolt against their masters." Anarchist agitation is called upon "tostrive for the weakening and destruction of all states; it must cultivate thespirit of resistance and cause discontent among the peoples and armies." War andits hardships will inevitably cause social upheavals: "We must take advantage ofall revolt movements, general discontent, provoke an uprising and organize arevolution that, we hope, will put an end to all social injustices" and destroystates, wars and militarism forever. It was about turning the imperialist warinto a social revolution. that there is only one kind of war for freedom: it isthe war waged in all countries by the oppressed against their oppressors. Ourtask is to call the slaves to revolt against their masters." Anarchist agitationis called upon "to strive for the weakening and destruction of all states; itmust cultivate the spirit of resistance and cause discontent among the peoplesand armies." War and its hardships will inevitably cause social upheavals: "Wemust take advantage of all revolt movements, general discontent, provoke anuprising and organize a revolution that, we hope, will put an end to all socialinjustices" and destroy states, wars and militarism forever. It was about turningthe imperialist war into a social revolution. that there is only one kind of warfor freedom: it is the war waged in all countries by the oppressed against theiroppressors. Our task is to call the slaves to revolt against their masters."Anarchist agitation is called upon "to strive for the weakening and destructionof all states; it must cultivate the spirit of resistance and cause discontentamong the peoples and armies." War and its hardships will inevitably cause socialupheavals: "We must take advantage of all revolt movements, general discontent,provoke an uprising and organize a revolution that, we hope, will put an end toall social injustices" and destroy states, wars and militarism forever. It wasabout turning the imperialist war into a social revolution. Our task is to callthe slaves to revolt against their masters." Anarchist agitation is called upon"to strive for the weakening and destruction of all states; it must cultivate thespirit of resistance and cause discontent among the peoples and armies." War andits hardships will inevitably cause social upheavals: "We must take advantage ofall revolt movements, general discontent, provoke an uprising and organize arevolution that, we hope, will put an end to all social injustices" and destroystates, wars and militarism forever. It was about turning the imperialist warinto a social revolution. Our task is to call the slaves to revolt against theirmasters." Anarchist agitation is called upon "to strive for the weakening anddestruction of all states; it must cultivate the spirit of resistance and causediscontent among the peoples and armies." War and its hardships will inevitablycause social upheavals: "We must take advantage of all revolt movements, generaldiscontent, provoke an uprising and organize a revolution that, we hope, will putan end to all social injustices" and destroy states, wars and militarism forever.It was about turning the imperialist war into a social revolution. War and itshardships will inevitably cause social upheavals: "We must take advantage of allrevolt movements, general discontent, provoke an uprising and organize arevolution that, we hope, will put an end to all social injustices" and destroystates, wars and militarism forever. It was about turning the imperialist warinto a social revolution. War and its hardships will inevitably cause socialupheavals: "We must take advantage of all revolt movements, general discontent,provoke an uprising and organize a revolution that, we hope, will put an end toall social injustices" and destroy states, wars and militarism forever. It wasabout turning the imperialist war into a social revolution.This was announced in 1915. After 2-3 years, mass dissatisfaction with the warand its hardships caused a social explosion in many countries, and it put an endto the world slaughter.Let's be realistic: today the new 1917 or 1918 is still far away. The conflicthas just flared up, and, unfortunately, there is no end in sight. But what socialrevolutionary activists on both sides of the front line can do right now is nothowl with the wolves. Not to support any of the belligerents, to expose theirpredatory, exploitative and oppressive plans, to demonstrate their inhumane,anti-human and cannibalistic nature. Do not fall into justifying the actions of"one's own country" (what is "one's own" country for an oppressed and exploitedworker in general!?) or "defensiveness" - not helping the heads of the prisons inwhich the System put us, prisons called states. Everywhere and always, where andas soon as possible to resist the poisonous wave of patriotism, nationalism andmilitarism. Explain, to whom and why this war is beneficial - and any wars ingeneral. Not assist or support any war effort. Do not go to war and persuade yourrelatives, friends and acquaintances not to do this. Provide assistance to thosewho refuse to fight, refugees and civilians. Spread the idea of a genuine, socialrevolutionary alternative to war. Not allow any "class peace" under the pretextof "national unity" and "mobilization of all forces for victory." Stand up foryour rights and interests. Strike. Not allow any "class peace" under the pretextof "national unity" and "mobilization of all forces for victory." Stand up foryour rights and interests. Strike. Not allow any "class peace" under the pretextof "national unity" and "mobilization of all forces for victory." Stand up foryour rights and interests. Strike.Let us remember: their (top) war is not our war, and their victory is not ourvictory. We have yet to win our victory in the struggle - and not in thetrenches, but in the streets and squares, in factories and in neighborhoods. Whentheir time is gone and our hour comes. Peace to huts - war to palaces!Oa KekkiJuly 2022https://aitrus.info/node/6003_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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