Fascism: Last Refuge of Finance Capital
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
"Fascism is a most ferocious attack by capital on the mass of the working people;
"Fascism is unbridled chauvinism and predatory war;
"Fascism is rabid reaction and counter-revolution;
"Fascism is the most vicious enemy of the working class and of all working people."
(Dimitrov in his address to the 7th Congress of the Communist International)
Below we reproduce an article published in the People's Democracy on the occasion of the 50 years of the Victory over Fascism. The article appeared in the issue dated May 7, 1995
A SCENE still fresh in memory is the photograph of two soldiers of the Red Army atop the Reichstag in Berlin on May 9, 1945. Hoisting the hammer and sickle flag above this citadel of the Third Reich that had come to symbolise the most barbaric and hated system ever to have existed on earth, they were signalling the crushing of the Nazi war machine. The whole world joined the Red Army division that had led the march to Berlin, in rejoicing and celebrating the triumph over Hitler's jackboots.
The war had cost 23 million dead soldiers and 35 million wounded. The USSR which bore the brunt of the Nazi stormtroopers alone had 20,300,000 dead, while Poland had six million dead and Yugoslavia 1.7 million. France had 600,000, USA about 405,000 and Britain 375,000. The Germans themselves lost six million people. Last but not least eight million people of various nationalities were most atrociously and savagely killed in the concentration camps during this period. This perversion and barbarity that had come to mark Hitler's regime bares the real nature of fascism. The world therefore had reason enough to rejoice and indulge in festivities.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF FASCISM
The question that is often asked is whether the world could have avoided such a catastrophe and whether the coming to power of fascism was a necessary historical outcome, given the fact that fascism represented the rule of the most reactionary sections of monopoly capital. The answer to this question lies in the historical context in which fascism rose in Germany and Italy.
Imperialism was never reconciled to the existence of the socialist Soviet Union. Its attempts at direct intervention and fuelling civil strife having failed, newer methods to annihilate the infant state of the working class had to be attempted.
The emergence of the Soviet Union and the socialist system had brought about a radical change in the world. The national liberation struggles, the struggles against imperialism and of the working class to put an end to the system of exploitation, saw in the Soviet Union a reliable ally and source of inspiration. On the other hand, as anti-communism is an essential ingredient of the ideological base of fascism, the imperialist powers saw in fascism an effective weapon for liquidating the Soviet Union. Imperialism therefore, avoided countering the rising fascist menace. It was the Communist International which was the first to point out its danger at its Sixth Congress in 1928. It noted out that "in a more or less developed form, fascist tendencies and the germs of a fascist movement are to be found almost everywhere".
In the thirties, it will be recalled, the capitalist world was faced with a deep economic crisis. As the working people were getting revolutionised, the bourgeoisie was turning towards fascism to counter this. As the 7th Congress of the Communist International noted:
"The imperialist circles are trying to shift the whole burden of the crisis on to the shoulders of the working people. That is why they need fascism.
“They are trying to solve the problem of markets by enslaving the weak nations, , by intensifying colonial oppression and repartitioning the world anew by means of war."
The report further noted,
"In a number of countries, Germany in particular, these imperialist circles have succeeded, before the masses had decisively turned towards revolution, in inflicting defeat on the proletariat, and establishing a fascist dictatorship.”
The Thirteenth Plenum of the Executive Committee of the Communist International had earlier characterised fascism as:
" the open terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinistic and most imperialist elements of finance capital."
In his report to the 7th Congress, analysing fascism, its growth and the necessity, Dimitrov stated:
"Fascism is the power of finance capital itself. It is the organisation of terrorist vengeance against the working class and the revolutionary section of the peasantry and intelligentsia. In foreign policy, fascism is jingoism in its most brutal form, fomenting beastial hatred of other nations."
And he gave the slogan of a united front of the working class against fascism, and the formation of a united front against fascism.
Tracing the reasons for fascism's influence over the masses, Dimitrov pointed out that, "Fascism is able to attract the masses because it demagogically appeals to their most urgent needs and demands”, while at the same time depicting fascism as revolutionary, exploiting the faith the masses have in revolution, and the urge towards socialism.
"Fascism comes to power as a party of attack on the revolutionary movement of the proletariat, on the mass of the people who are in a state of unrest; yet it stages its accession to power as a ‘revolutionary’ movement against the bourgeoisie, on behalf of whole nations". It attracted the workers because of its promise of fair wages, the peasantry because it pledged to put an end to debt bondage, abolish rent, etc.
REASONS FOR
FASCIST VICTORY
Was the victory of fascism inevitable? Vis-a-vis Germany, Dimitrov answers with an emphatic no. But this could only have happened if the social democrats had accepted the repeated proposals of the Communists for united action against fascism.
"Fascism also attained power for the reason that the proletariat found itself isolated from its natural allies. Fascism attained power because it was able to win over large masses of the peasantry, owing to the fact that the social democrats, in the name of the working class, pursued what was in fact an anti-peasant policy."
In guiding the communist movement both in terms of fighting against the fascist danger, as well as with regard to becoming part of the national liberation struggles, getting rid of the sectarian approach of underestimating the role of the peasantry as well as the bourgeoisie in the colonial countries, the 7th Congress of the Communist International gave it a new orientation.
The Indian communist movement, in fact, received a big fillip after the 7th Congress as it began playing an important role in the national movement by uniting with the other anti-imperialist forces.
After the 7th Congress, Communist Parties the world over carried on a consistent struggle in exposing fascism. The Soviet Union came forward with proposal after proposal appealing to the imperialist countries to unite to fight the fascist menace. But given their class nature and hatred for the Soviet Union, they were more interested in seeing an end to the socialist state, and thought they could make use of the fascist forces for this purpose.
In the meantime, Germany under Hitler had amassed a huge army, gearing up for battle and ultimately world domination. Hitler first tested his army against his much weaker neighbours. The governments of these countries having failed to rouse their people against fascism, were unable to withstand the march of the Nazi stormtroopers. It was only after his war machine had shown its efficacy and Hitler tasted success that he turned his army against the Soviet Union.
STIFF
RESISTANCE
His troops could march up to Moscow, no further. It was Stalingrad that changed the course and outcome of the war. It was at Stalingrad that Hitler's troops had to face the fiercest of opposition. The people of the Soviet Union were fighting a life and death battle, not only for saving their land but for saving humanity from the danger of fascism. Therefore they fought for every street, every building and indeed for each inch of land.
This rare bravery and courage that the soldiers of the Red Army displayed could not have come without inspiration. The inspiration in turn would not have been manifested without commitment to a cause – Socialism. It was Socialism that provided that inspiration that propelled the people, in uniform and out, to sacrifice and fight for victory. The important role played by Stalin in leading the Soviet people and the Red Army is indisputable.
Victory came on 9th May, 1945. Having driven out the Hitlerite army from Moscow, the Red Army followed them to Berlin and crushed the Nazi war machine. Enroute to Berlin, the Red Army liberated all those territories that had been captured by the Nazi army.
MOMENTOUS
TRANSFORMATION
This victory over fascism acquired greater significance because it resulted in giving a big momentum to the national liberation movements and the establishment of socialist states in Eastern Europe.
Communist parties had realised even earlier that the defeat of fascism would have a cascading effect on the national liberation movements and the working class movement the world over. The events that unfolded in the post-war period bear ample testimony to this. The success in the war contributed to the success of the Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean revolutions.
These developments radically altered the world balance of class forces with the socialist system becoming a countervailing force to imperialist efforts at world hegemony.
The communist movement also grew rapidly following the defeat of fascism bringing into its fold even small countries. The organised communist movement spread to more than 100 countries.
Though fascism was dealt a shattering defeat fifty years ago, we cannot afford to slacken our guard. In various countries, fascism has started re-emerging and neo-fascist parties, and parties with fascist tendencies have started making it to the political scene. This is so particularly after the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the setback to socialism, and in the background of the deepening of the capitalist crisis and the intensification of contradictions. The ruling classes in various countries are resorting to rousing chauvinistic feelings. Neo-fascist parties and groups have re-emerged in Germany, Japan, Italy and various other European countries. The forces of religious fundamentalism are gaining ground in the Middle East, India and elsewhere. The threat that emanates from these forces can be ignored only at our peril.
While commemorating the 50th anniversary of the victory over fascism, we have therefore, to rededicate ourselves to pooling our energies to fight an unflinching battle against these forces that are out to destroy what human civilisation has achieved over the years.
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