Capitalism means war. We are living in a world of rising militarism, with all the world’s ruling classes pouring money into beefing up their armed forces. They are pushing nationalist propaganda to prepare young people for future conflicts, while existing wars and genocides kill and displace growing numbers across the globe.
ISA has been active in the struggle to build an international movement against imperialism and war. In Germany, our members have helped organise the school strike movement against conscription and fought inside Die Linke for a clear stance against militarism. In Sweden, we have been part of the fight against the country joining NATO. In the US, our members have been active in building the fightback against the warmonger in the White House. And this year we held a “Socialists Against the Imperialist War Machine” speaking tour in Britain, Sweden, Brazil, Quebec and Canada.
For that reason, we wholeheartedly welcome the call for an international “youth strike” on 20 November. The need for a mass movement of young people to fight for our futures, not just in Europe but across the globe, is increasingly urgent. That’s why we will be supporting actions leading up to, and on 20 November itself.
We broadly support the manifesto that has been put out by the campaign, which raises important demands against military spending and austerity, against conscription, for spending on welfare, education, and for international solidarity against war and oppression.
However, we also think it is critical that the movement against militarism starts from the understanding that building international solidarity means standing in opposition to ALL imperialism. Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism, characterised by competing powers fighting for ‘the division and redivision of the world’ as Lenin said. The central axis of imperialist conflict today is the rivalry between the US and China, two deeply reactionary powers with which workers and youth of all countries have no shared interests.
The manifesto rightly criticises NATO powers, who have turned the Ukraine war into a proxy conflict for control of the territory. But it is unfortunate that it remains silent on Russia’s imperialist invasion, over which it has sent hundreds of thousands of young people and workers to die in the ‘meat grinder’. It is not enough to only criticise one side – the only way to put an end to imperialism is to build a movement that can draw together the working masses in all countries from Germany to China, from Iran to the US to Ukraine against their rulers. Clear opposition to the aims of all imperialist powers in such conflicts is an essential building block for a revolutionary struggle against war and militarism from the standpoint of workers and young people.
We are currently seeing massive youth protests in France, Spain and beyond. These movements are pointing a way forward for workers and young people all over the world. We must connect this struggle against militarism to the mass anger that exists against endless austerity and cost of living crises! The bold calls for action being made by young people must also be taken up inside of the workers’ movement with solidarity from teachers, parents, and workers in all industries standing up against the war machine.
This autumn’s youth strikes should be the start of such an international campaign: one that stands against attempts to reintroduce conscriptions and to pour money into militarism, and instead for mass funding for welfare not warfare, for green jobs not arms projects, for an end to attacks on education and a real future for young people. To do this, we need to build an international movement of workers and young people against all imperialism and war, as well as the capitalist system driving it.