Let’s block the Immigration Law and racism!
Against oppression, exploitation, and the far-right:
- Let’s build local democratic resistance committees
- Let’s decide on an escalating action plan
In France, the 500 wealthiest families held 1 trillion euros in 2021. If we increased the salaries of the 26 million workers by 500 euros per month, it would amount to 13 billion. Barely 1.3% of the fortunes of the ultra-rich. That’s it. The rest is a distraction.
The immigration law represents the most racist attack in France in decades. It symbolizes a significant rightward shift in Macron’s regime, evident in his defense of Depardieu as a supposed victim of a “man hunt” (!) and in the composition of the new government. This law is straight out of the “divide and rule” playbook. On one hand, the Macron regime bans the wearing of the abaya at school, following a regressive and sexist interpretation of secularism (which promotes the separation of religion and the state, not meddling in what young girls wear), on the other hand, it celebrates Hanukkah at the Elysée.
In this way, the Macron regime stirs up both Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. Its Islamophobic crusade also includes cracking down on solidarity with Palestine and equating it with terrorism. Hate and discord are being sown at the base of society to weaken the working class and its resistance, which is only as strong as its active solidarity. The government wants to develop the deplorable racist reality of the “two Frances”, which was once again legitimately and powerfully exposed and fought during the anti-racist mobilizations last summer after the racist police murder of Nahel.
The law, already racist and despicable from the start, has been significantly hardened over the last 18 months of debate. Today, Le Pen and the far-right consider its passage a “ideological victory.” This development aligns with Macron’s increasing rightward trend and that of his governments. To overcome their parliamentary weakness, they rely on courting the right and the far-right. To try to consolidate even a limited social base, they adopt their rhetoric. The government’s policies, as well as the impunity of police violence, have bolstered the far-right’s confidence to take violent action.
But there is also a structural reason. The ruling class, in France and elsewhere, is losing its support base. It must resort to a mix of “divide and rule” politics and authoritarian measures to divert anger and distract from the multiple contradictions of a failing capitalist system.
Growing inter-imperialist tensions disrupt geostrategic certainties. Military spending increases. Inflation leads to record profits for multinational corporations, especially in the food sector, but it can also lead to social explosions. The same goes for the uncontrollable climate crisis. Governments have less room for maneuver in the competition for profits, markets, and power. To keep the champagne flowing and ensure profitability and competitiveness, they must intensify their attacks on the working class. The immigration law is yet another cynical attempt to exploit the fears and anxieties of ordinary people to protect the interests of those who are driving society into a wall.
Racism will not bring security, stability, or a decent life to anyone among the working class and youth. Just like sexism or queerphobia, it primarily aims to divide us. And anything that divides us weakens us! More anti-social offensives are being prepared, such as the upcoming law aimed at further undermining our current and future working conditions.
And then what? More budget cuts. Less healthcare. Less cheap energy. Less education. Less public transportation. Fewer social services. And even more suffering and difficulties. That’s the ideal cocktail for more insecurity and outbreaks of violence. And the scapegoats will be refugees and Muslims. That is the plan of Macron and the part of the French ruling class that is calling the shots in the current period.
Socioeconomic difficulties also increase gender-based violence and violence against oppressed people. Working women, black people and people of color are among the first victims of increasing precarity in households and society at large. Sexism, racism, and other forms of oppression are part of capitalism’s DNA and are used to maintain class society. For example, while the rich and powerful constantly excuse their blatant abuses (Depardieu, Gros Lardon, Darmanin, Zemmour, etc.), the right and far-right cynically exploit cases of sexist violence to promote their hateful and reactionary agenda.
Those who courageously fight against violence and injustice and the capitalist system behind it are then repressed and attacked by the armed forces and the class-based justice system (Saint-Soline, Robin Hood actions, solidarity with Palestine, and feminist activists against Depardieu) to protect the ruling class and maintain class society.
Turning anger into a fight back
Let’s build a united front of the working class, youth, and the oppressed, rooted in all working-class neighborhoods, banlieues, schools, universities, and workplaces! We must build a movement in the spirit of the fight against the pension reform, a movement that combines the considerable strength of the organized working class with the courageous and inspiring will to fight for fundamental change of the youth and oppressed, as expressed in anti-racist protests after Nahel’s murder.
Let’s draw inspiration from the struggles of undocumented immigrants who won initial victories through their courageous strikes for regularization and organized an assembly of over 100 people on January 3 in Paris to mobilize for the January 14 and 21 demonstrations.
Unions should follow this example and organize general assemblies in workplaces; the January 14 and 21 demonstrations should not be divided but constitute the first steps in an escalating action plan for a movement where oppressed people, youth, and the working class at large fight side by side.
It is worth noting that if union organizations had understood the real issue behind the racist ban on wearing the abaya at the beginning of the school year to build a fight against Education Minister Gabriel Attal, we would be stronger today in the struggle against the same individual who has become Prime Minister.
Let’s not leave anyone behind so that no one misplaces their anger! This is what must be on the agenda of the organized labor movement. There are plenty of inspiring examples: spontaneous protests against the racist immigration law in December; the 32 “left-wing” departments that have declared their refusal to implement national preference for the allocation of autonomy allowance (APA); antifascist committees like in Côtes-d’Armor involving La France Insoumise, unions, feminist and climate activists and groups; university Palestine solidarity committees, and protests against Depardieu that took place in over 35 cities across France on Thursday, January 11th.
Imagine what would be possible if these struggles came together in local resistance committees against oppression, exploitation, and the far-right, using protests, direct actions, and strikes. With such collective organization, we could also pressure the 32 “left-wing” departments to oppose the law in its entirety — to declare themselves sanctuary cities — and link it to a fight for a massive investment plan in public services.
We need a different kind of system: a democratic socialist society based on democratic planning and public ownership of key sectors of the economy. This way, the material conditions would be available to consider the needs and fulfillment of every individual. It is us, the majority, who must decide — and take control of society — not a handful of ultra-rich parasites and their political puppets who, to satisfy the greed of capitalists, will do all they can to prevent us from uniting against them. They know that in such a scenario, nothing would be impossible for us and it opens the path for a revolutionary socialist struggle.
