Growing ties between Marxism and Islam against imperialism
Jan. 19 – The three day conference of the Beirut International Forum for Resistance, Anti-Imperialism, People’s Solidarity and Alternative, organized by Hezbollah’s Center for Consultative Studies and Documentation, demonstrated the growing alliance between various parties, organizations and groups dedicated to resisting American imperialism and Zionist aggression.
The conference included representatives and organizations from countries all over the world. The trend towards a growing coalition and alliance amongst Islam, nationalists and Marxists has the ruling elites particularly nervous about their future.
While Marxism and Islam seem almost diametrically opposed, the two camps have grown closer in their hostility towards imperialism and Zionism. A new form of popular front is emerging, distinct from its predecessors. Whereas in the past Marxism-Leninism sought to unite with social democrats and other petty-bourgeois ideologies to combat the menace of fascism; many Marxist-Leninists contend that revolutionary scientific socialism has a partner in the struggle against imperialism in Islamic resistance movements.
The proclaimed objectives is to weaken American imperialism across the globe in general, and Zionist-imperialism in the Middle East in particular. Opponents to the growing ties between Islam and Marxism are guilty of dogmatic revisionism hostile towards any cooperation between Marxism and organized religion.
But such critics, while claiming to uphold a materialist analysis, fail to take into consideration the need for a global popular front capable of adequately opposing imperialism and Zionism, which is already greatly weakened.
Any movement or force that seeks to weaken the yolk of imperialism and global capitalism deserves the critical support of genuine Marxist-Leninists. That does not constitute an abandonment of the principles and theory of revolutionary scientific socialism. Rather, it is the natural conclusion deriving from a materialist understanding of the global situation as it exists today.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Again, approaching this from a pragmatic view, and not claiming to represent the line of Marx, it is increasingly obvious to me that those who oppose the militant spread of liberal Democracy must unite for self defense. It is also obvious to me that any Jewish state in the middle east needs to be substantially restructured, so that it is no longer aligned with the West and it reconciles with its neighbors.
January 20th, 2009 at 6:09 am
The current situation in the middle east dictates the elimination of Israel as a political entity. There is no Jewish nation – only an illegitimate and artificially propped state that has served only as a proxy for Western imperialism.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
One of the key points to my ideology is that I ask the question “can’t we all get along” and answer it with “no.” That is to quote Jared Taylor. If Israel, the current Jewish state we know, is destroyed, it doesn’t mean Muslims are going to start welcoming Jews with open arms (or vice versa) and then all of a sudden everyone is going to want to get along. Geopolitical issues, and issues of religion, race, and ethnicity are not going to just disappear when Israel disappears. Frankly put, Jews will still be Jews, and Muslims will still be Muslims. We must remember that Israel is not the only “Jewish State” in history if we consider that Jews lived isolated on the Pale settlement in Russia, and in Ghettos in Europe. Likewise there have been multiple German Regimes, multiple French regimes, etc.
Whatever solution is implemented, “religious realism” must be considered. It isn’t feasible for Jews and Hardcore Muslims to live together. Muslims and Jews will still dislike each other, just because of religion, and not only because of material conditions, or because of any perceived moral highground that one group believes it has over the other. This isn’t exclusive to the two groups; obviously Shias dislike Sunnis, and secular Jews dislike religious Jews. Muslims and Jews dislike each other not only because one group is oppressing another, but also because of philosophy. Even if you blame material conditions, then what happens when Islam has the upper hand on that? It isn’t realistic that there will be a giant conversion away from Islam into any secular ideology that would tolerate Judaism. Remember that we are not talking about Saddam Hussein here, or secular Arabs, but true committed and hardcore Muslims who are loyal to that rather than anything else. So it is unavoidable that Jews will still have a strategy of some kind to maintain themselves independently of Islamic rule, perhaps in another geographic location, perhaps even not inside the middle east, and certainly not under the current leadership Israel has. But certainly not under the Sharia law; that would just be a geopolitical disaster waiting to happen.
January 20th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Bourgeois nationalism, imperialism and global manipulation of resources and populations at the hands of the ruling elite are as responsible for the current problems.
The problems of race, ethnicity and religion are exacerbated by the flow of capital to imperialist countries who rely on disturbances and disunity amongst oppressed peoples. The Jews in Israel are a bourgeois entity, and their bourgeois nationalism and state ought to smashed. Likewise, Israeli Arabs are a bourgeoisified group that must choose sides – either with the oppressed Arabs or the ruling class of Jews.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Communists and progressive Islamic organizations are natural allies in the struggle against monopoly capital. A hostile attitude towards Islam is unacceptable, for it plays right into the hands of imperialism and zionism. Communists and progressive left-wing forces, as Lenin suggested, must do everything to demonstrate sympathy for Muslims.
Anti-imperialism as one form of the active struggle of the peoples of the East against neocolonialism is progressive in its very essence. If the struggle takes place under slogans with a religious coloring, the anti-imperialist essence of the struggle does not change. The struggle against neocolonialism is in the vital interests of all free nations and it deserves the utmost support.
January 21st, 2009 at 11:35 pm
There is a difference between opposing bigotry against Muslims and working with individual Muslims, and trusting organized religion. Likewise Lenin argued against antisemitism or bigotry against Jews but never argued for Zionism. Not being bigoted against Muslims doesn’t mean one has to ignore any real danger that some organized religion may present. A hostile attitude towards Arabs just because they are Arabs is irrational. A distrust towards hardcore Islam (as well as any other fundamentalist movement) is 100% rational if you aren’t a Muslim. Even so, I don’t have a problem with Muslims weakening imperialism. I also don’t have a problem with intelligent leaders using religion as a tool to fight imperialism, but at the same time, I’d never let my guard down towards what hardcore religion is capable of doing. Always consider that in the world we live in, your comrade one day could be slitting your throat the next day. It’s true with Zionists too or any group.
May 16th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
The more I think about it, the more I am supportive of this alliance so long as Marxists and Nationalists do not alter their platforms in an attempt to come off as “open-minded.” Given that that doesn’t happen, Muslims who reach out their hand should be recognized and commended, not looked down upon. After all, how can one build anything constructive if one continues to thumb his/her nose at those who reach out their hands?
The only fear I have is that Marxists and Nationalists will alter their platforms in an attempt to capitalize on this, and thus compromise some of their principles in the process. But if Muslims know that this will never happen, then by all means we should welcome their support.
May 16th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I don’t think you’d have to worry too much about either nationalists or Marxist altering their views; considering that either side is only going to attract a particular strand of the nationalist and Marxist camp.
Of course, it would necessarily be a short-term alliance…one that would likely end in sectarian violence (if not an all-out civil war) once capitalism had been overthrown.
May 16th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
You’re probably right but even if the Marxists won the war, I’d probably be happier than under neo-conservatism. Of course I’d want the Nationalists to win but either are preferable to what we have now.