Vol. 77/No. 36      October 14, 2013

The Militant stands with workers and youth in Greece who have taken to the streets protesting fascist murder and thuggery in a series of mobilizations, several called by union federations. These actions point in the direction of the forces and methods needed to fight Golden Dawn, whose actions are aimed at recruiting initial cadre for future battles between capital and labor.

The fascists claim to have an answer to lead the masses out of the crisis created by capitalism, a crisis that is still in its initial stages but has hit hard in Greece. They pin the blame on immigrants and other scapegoats. Their aim is to lead a demoralized and disoriented middle class, segments of the working class, and de-classed lumpen elements to build a movement as the crisis and class struggle deepen that will be able to crush the organizations of the working class and perpetuate capitalist rule.

For some time, the leading capitalist parties in Greece have turned a blind eye to growing attacks by Golden Dawn goons against immigrants, fighting workers and unions.

The anti-fascist street demonstrations and growing outrage has brought enough social pressure to bear that the ruling powers feel pressed to act.

In their moves against Golden Dawn, however, the ruling politicians seek to impose new restrictions on political rights as part of a crusade against fascism and other forms of “extremism” that threaten “democracy.” The rulers have no solution to the economic and social crises rooted in a slowdown of capitalist production and trade on a world scale. They are sharpening their weapons in anticipation of class battles to come.

Under current conditions, Golden Dawn doesn’t comfortably fit for the capitalists within the “respectable” realm of bourgeois parliamentary politics. But the bosses will still use and nurture them outside it.

In a 1939 article, Leon Trotsky, a central leader of the Russian Revolution, explained why he opposed “laws against one or another extremist ‘party.’”

“Under the conditions of the bourgeois regime, all suppression of political rights and freedom, no matter whom they are directed against in the beginning, in the end inevitably bear down upon the working class, particularly its most advanced elements. … The workers must learn how to distinguish between their friends and their enemies according to their own judgment and not according to the hints of the police.”

At each stage, class-conscious workers must meet the rise of fascist forces by seeking to draw in the broadest possible layers of workers and their anti-fascist allies, while advancing the political understanding, confidence and combativity of working people along the line of march toward wresting political power from the capitalist exploiters.

We must not rely on the capitalist government, but look to countermobilize against fascists murderous terror through the organization of mass actions — and workers’ defense guards to defend the ranks of labor and all those targeted by the fascist goons.
 
 
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Demonstrations in Greece protest fascist thuggery
 
 
 
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