The crisis in Ukraine: a proletarian note - Hamid Moradei

A proletarian note!

The crisis in Ukraine

The first phase of geopolitical move of the US Imperialism in breaking the Russian and Ukrainian relation is completed, by removing the Russian oriented regime of Ukrainian state, from the hierarchy of state power structure. To achieve this goal, of course the U.S. with assistance of the EU has been very creative both in front of whiteboards and in socio- political engineering fields since the Ukrainian independence declaration in 1991.

For the U.S. any potential perspective of rise of Russian Imperialism and its alignment to German and French axis must be avoided at any price. A Russian, German and French axis can jeopardize the imperial role that US has been happily playing since the end of cold war in early 1990s.

Beside the geopolitical outlook of the U.S. to Russian and Ukraine situation, there is another determinant driving factor in the U.S.'s imperialist ambition in approaching the Russian and Ukrainian issue, which can be concerned as its ulterior motive to destabilize and get engaged in a military confrontation with Russia: access to the oil and gas resource. Moreover, the recent imperialist confrontation and rivalry between two military powers in Syria, has left no doubt for the U.S. to realize the treat that Russian imperialism imposes on hotspots such as Middle East, in connection with U.S.'s imperialist strategy.

The whole capitalist world is going through its most historically agonizing economic crisis since the financial meltdown in 2008, and challenging with its aftermath and the symptoms on global dimensions and implications.

Not only in the periphery, Arab revolt, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Cyprus… even the center of the capitalist world, e.g., the U.S. and EU, were not safe from the effect of economic crisis of 2008. The capitalist world, as a whole, is struggling to get wheels of economy to spin again, but achieving not much success: the GDP and unemployment measurements do not touch positive results, compare to measurements prior to the crisis year 2008. In this context, the signs and motives of mass discontent, protest and disputes accumulated among the majority of populations, up to the point of socio-political explosion and eventual collapse of the political apparatus, is unavoidable for the ruling class, particularly in the periphery.

Socio-economic and political configuration of Ukrainian capitalism, as a system in crisis, does not differ much from Spain, Greece, or any other periphery capitalist constellation in this regard:
- Practically bankrupt economy (negative GDP plus uncontrollable unemployment…)
- A deeply and openly corrupted (malfunctioning)
- State apparatus
- Political structure
Thus these are mainly embedded attributes in a given capitalist system; build upon principles of the class hierarchy, e.g. injustice and inequality reflected about barbaric competitions within or around the ruling class' power struggle for controlling the state apparatus. Of course these attributes are more measurable and highlighted when the system, as a whole, find itself in a state of crisis, as it has been the case globally since the start of financial crisis in 2008. The wave of corruption scandals, on worldwide level, runs parallel with internal conflicts inside the ruling class, where the quest for reaching and using the state power and its control seems to be the major creative activity of the dominant class and its elites in facing its socio-economic troubles: political constellations.

The crash of Ukrainian political structure: ruling elite
The roots of Ukrainian socio-economic crisis are traceable back to the capitalist system of production in general and its peripheral model in particular; the financial and economic crisis of capitalist system runs worldwide and it spares no particular area, such as national entity. In following core and the periphery of capitalist system entry to the economic downturn in 2008, the Ukrainian capital has shown uninterrupted falling tendency in the sphere of economic performance:

The country’s foreign-exchange reserves are down to $12 billion. Its current-account deficit stands at 9% of GDP. (3)
Moreover, as a peripheral state capitalist structure, where the state apparatus operation is directly depend on the fraction of the ruling class and its political elite taking the governmental power position. An open and extensive systematic corruption structure cutting through characterizes the social hierarchy from the top of pyramid to its base.
The Ukraine ruling class is openly divided to east and west pro fraction after the Russian- Block's break down in early 1990s. However, the pro Western fraction had to wait until the political processes started during so-called “orange revolution” in 2004. As we know pro western elite did not achieve much from their “orange revolution. The pro Russian fraction played the election card, Western's main Ideological weapon against its rivals, and took the position and power of the state.

Contrary to what both pro Russian or pro U.S. trying to deceive the masses with slogan independence and freedom, what they are searching for in siding with East or West is in the final analysis is subordination to one of supper powers, both for the military and political protection and access to the financial and economic accessories of the super power. Both sides of the ruling class, with economic and financial woven treads to their respective part of imperialist master, trying to deal with internal socio-economics problems, at home, while at the same time catching and using the political power for gaining more benefit.
Thus, the Ukrainian political crisis, which led to the crash of its political structure of the state, and consequently collapse of Viktor Yanukovych’s regime, on February 22end, began three months ago on November 21st; when Ukraine cancels talks on cooperation with the EU and chooses a closer economic cooperation with Russia.
This move of pro Russian and Yanukovych's line of politics against the EU, perhaps initially, upset the pro the U.S. /EU fraction of the Ukrainian capitalist class. Thus, the pro the U.S. /EU political elite grasped immediately this opportunity as blessing from the heaven and quickly organized its protest actions. With a bankrupt economy and deep and wide dissatisfaction among the populations, it was not difficult for the pro U.S. /EU, who have been preparing for this moment, to organize the first mass demonstration on November 24th: Protests demanding that Ukraine will continue to approach the EU begins in Kiev.

The confrontational period of three months, from November 21st to February 23rd, did not pave the way for democratization and mass protest movement, as that the case in Tahrir Square Egypt in 2011 and recently in Thailand four months of mass protests action. On the contrary the ruling class through its right wing oriented and total dominance, so-called right sector the neo-fascists from Svoboda and Pravy Sektor, and particularly with its Neo-Nazis well-organized,
determined and, it appears, well-armed” (1) section took not just control of three months long confrontations with police and security forces, it finally played key role in toppling the regime: Yanukovych had to escape Ukraine.

AS the U.S. assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Euroassia, Victoria Nuland said: "Since the declaration of Ukrainian independence in 1991, the United States supported the Ukrainians in the development of democratic institutions and skills in promoting civil society and a good form of government - all which is necessary to achieve the objectives of Ukraine's European. We have invested more than 5 billion dollars to help Ukraine to achieve these and other goals." Nuland said the United States will continue to "promote Ukraine to the future it deserves." (2)

The recent power take over by the pro U.S./EU in Kiev shows the U.S./EU did not build the institutions needed to protect its young democracy, but how to take by armed force when necessary.

From geopolitical and imperialist point of view losing Ukraine, as Russia's military buffer and activity zone, particularly Crimea and Odessa, against the western rival led at by the U.S., must be considered a daydream nightmare for the Russian ruling class. Russia's quick military reaction against the new Ukrainian pro U.S. /EU regime in Kiev, by securing Crimea’s future bandage to Russia, can be understood in this context.

As mentioned earlier, the U.S. has managed to engineer an installation of pro Western regime in Ukraine. However, risk of an ugly civil war perspective should worry us all, considering the boundaries of present-day Ukraine that includes an east-west cleavage that is linguistic, religious, economic, and cultural, each side being close to 50 percent of the total. Moreover, knowing that west Ukraine has regularly lost elections, have seized power instead by a kind of coup.

Historically, we remember how the U.S. imperialist adventurism and interest defeated the Soviet army in Afghan civil war through well armed Taliban forces in 1980s. The ideological and military plan of the U.S. for designing and implementing Talibanism/Islamism in Afghanistan worked fine to defeat the Russians. However, we know well the devastating consequences of the U.S.'s imperialist adventurism, particularly for the Meddle east region; The Rise of Islamism in the region.

The proletariat

In context of present situation in Ukraine, where one part the ruling class, has through political and military cannibalism taken power from the other family members, and above all this, the imperialist chess board is setup by and for the Russian and the U.S. military showdown. In the given circumstances is not much space left for the proletariat to appear in the political arena. Because it is not its space to involve neither in the power struggle inside the Ukrainian ruling class nor the imperialist struggle of the major powers: The U.S. and Russia.

The proletarian movement has been completely absent from very beginning of the protest or later EuroMeidan activities against the previous regime. This is partly due to location of the major part of the proletariat, industrial and service sector, mainly in the Eastern Ukraine and moreover because of capitalist ruling classes right wing aggressive and total dominance, particularly through Neo-Nazis organizations, Svoboda and Pravy Sektor... However the proletarian movement, even on trade union level, which was suppressed and controlled by the previous pro Russian regimes never, joined in the in three months of political violence and confrontation around the EuroMeidan unrest. This must be considered one of the main reasons behind the prolonged Median protest action; the ruling class, as a whole, was never threatening by the entry and engagement of the proletariat in the protest movement. Thus the ruling elite and its fraction had both time and space to settle the internal conflicts between themselves.

Now the U.S. with or without help of EU is keen to configure, at least the Western Ukraine, into the NATO's and IMF structure, which are financial and military hierarchies of the U.S., and Western capitalism in steering the capitalist world and at the same time collecting the necessary imperialist rent.

For the proletariat in Ukraine who is not organized or combative at the moment, which has left the capitalist class with an open space to settle their internal differences, even tearing each other apart by bear hands, it's vital not to join any side of the eventual ruling class confrontation, e.g. pro Russian or pro Western wings of the ruling elite. At the same time, following the capitalist preprogrammed mass media coverage of the events, we are witnessing the same old propaganda scenario in preparation of an eventual war, as we experienced prior to invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya …
As we have already learned, central to an understanding of war, is the media campaign which grants it legitimacy in the eyes of public opinion. A good versus evil dichotomy prevails. The perpetrators of war are presented as the victims. Public opinion is misled.
To avoid falling into “nationalist/fascist”, democratic ideological machinery trap orchestrated by the ruling class from both sides. It is also vital for the Russian and the proletariat in the west to firmly defend its class line, e.g. doesn't join the bourgeoisie class under any circumstances, in case of any military engagement between imperialist powers who are essential focused for collecting their part of the imperial rent.
However, the new pro Western, nationalist/fascist, regime in Kiev, has to deal with economics by following IMF's guideline, which is normally savage attack on the condition, cost and maintenance of the labour power. Of course the new regime expects some reward, e.g. unchecked and uncontrolled credits, access and take over of the previous pro Russian elite's assets/accounts ..., from the U.S./EU.

Thus, the story will be different for the proletariat, as a source of labour, surplus labour and eventual capitalist system's accumulation and profit. It will be heated directly by IMF's directive. The new regime is probably going relay on the forces of Svoboda and Pravy Sektor (4) in disciplining the proletariat in accepting sacrifices needed to keep the economy functioning and consequently maintaining the regime in power. This would mean pauperisation in the form of decline in living conditions for the proletariat, as a whole. Perhaps the wage labour deterioration , initiates a tendency to organise and combat against the capitalist attacks...

Hamid Moradei 2014-03-07

Foot notes:
1) http://www.israelnationalnews.com :First Publish: 2/5/2014
2) www.sott.ne
3) The Economist: March 6
4) “To be sure, members of the Right Sector -- the Ukrainian right-wing militant group -- have in fact anointed themselves the new keepers of order and are intimidating official, police officers and state attorneys.”
http://www.spiegel.de/international/ :March 5