News and Views from the People's Struggle
Madison, WI – In a show of student power, nearly 50 protesters marched into the UW board of regents meeting Thursday, December 5, to put Palestine and divestment on the Finance Committee agenda.
This latest militant action comes after a large-scale administration failure to uphold the Madison and Milwaukee encampment agreements on disclosure and divestment from apartheid Israel.
Comrades and friends:
On behalf of the Central Committee, and indeed the entire membership of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, we thank the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and its member organizations for organizing this important conference. We salute all of you who are gathered here. Having a developed understanding of imperialism and national oppression, as well as the fights for national liberation, is vital for understanding the world as it is and what one needs to do to change it. This conference will no doubt further this end.
Trump and the decline of U.S. imperialism
The election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the U.S. is symptomatic of a monopoly capitalist power in decline. His return to power reflects a failure of the other party of monopoly capitalism (the Democratic Party of Biden/Harris) and its inability to address the needs and aspirations of the working class. Drawing from a toxic brew of national chauvinism and reactionary currents of all kinds, Trump’s return to the White House will signal the sharpening of a host of contradictions domestically and internationally.
Trump has referred to himself as “Tariff Man,” promising to slap 20% tariffs on all imports and substantially more – 100 or 200% – on things like electric vehicles from China. The people around him, like some of the Biden crowd, look towards “delinking” the U.S. economy from the People’s Republic of China.
In his outstanding work, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, Lenin made the point that one of the features of imperialism, of decaying monopoly capitalism, was that big capital finds it increasingly difficult to utilize science and holds back advances in the productive forces. This phenomenon is on full display in the U.S., where someone like “vaccine skeptic” RFK Jr will be put in charge of public health, and where industrial policy is turning against technologies that cause less harm to the environment, such as electric vehicles.
The role of the U.S. in the world economy is shrinking. In 1960 the U.S. had about 40% of the world GDP. Today it is about half that. There was a day when U.S. imperialism championed free trade. For the past decade-plus, Washington DC has moved away from the neoliberal trade model, erecting a growing tariff blockade. The abandonment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and paralysis of the World Trade Organization are signs of things to come.
After World War II, the United States constructed a web of economic intuitions where Wall Street and Washington DC occupied center place. That world is gone, and it has been replaced by a fragmenting world economy, where the decline of U.S. imperialism is picking up speed. Trump will accelerate the process.
One of the symptoms will be a sharpening of inter-imperialist contradictions, which will have political and military dimensions. For example, Trump’s view of the Ukraine is that it is mainly a concern of Europe and that too much U.S. time and treasure has been wasted on it. If implemented as policy, this shift on the Ukraine will force the European imperialist powers, especially Germany, to carry out a military buildup while putting new stress on NATO.
What we are seeing is clearer definition in the developing spheres of influence and domination – where the U.S. has a smaller role to play. Also worth noting is that the two other monopoly centers of monopoly capitalism, i.e. Japan and the European Union, are also producing a smaller share of the world GDP.
People vs. imperialism
The principal contradiction in the world today is between the peoples, nations and countries of the developing world versus imperialism. The U.S. is presently the principal imperialist power, and as such, it is the main danger to the world’s peoples. From Puerto Rico to the Philippines and Palestine, people are rising up and fighting for liberation.
The battle taking place in the Middle East is vital to the world revolutionary process in the current period. On one side you have Western imperialism, Zionism and Arab reaction. On the other, we have the heroic resistance of Palestine and Lebanon, and a whole axis of resistance, which encompasses Yemen, Syria and the popular forces of Iraq and Iran. This is a battle of world historic importance.
The U.S. cannot continue to exist as a world empire without dominance of the Middle East, and this fact explains why the bond between imperialism and Zionism is so strong. The broad masses of people throughout the Middle East hate foreign domination and want it to end. Israel is the cop on the beat for Western imperialism, a reliable nightstick that can be used against those who want freedom and independence. This means that Trump will double down on the Gaza genocide facilitated by Biden/Harris.
It is also worth noting that things can turn into their opposite, that Israel can move from being an asset to a liability: if the genocide and carnage in Palestine and Lebanon provoke uprisings in the Arab world, the position of imperialism will be impacted.
The fact that many of the forces fighting imperialism and Zionism are not led by the working class does not change the revolutionary, anti-imperialist nature of the struggle that is taking place. Stalin, an outstanding Marxist-Leninist and pathbreaking theorist on national question, wrote in the great work, The Foundations of Leninism:
“The struggle that the Emir of Afghanistan is waging for the independence of Afghanistan is objectively a revolutionary struggle, despite the monarchist views of the Emir and his associates, for it weakens, disintegrates and undermines imperialism; whereas the struggle waged by such ‘desperate’ democrats and ‘Socialists,’ ‘revolutionaries’ and republicans as, for example, Kerensky and Tsereteli, Renaudel and Scheidemann, Chernov and Dan, Henderson and Clynes, during the imperialist war was a reactionary struggle, for its results was the embellishment, the strengthening, the victory, of imperialism.”
That said, the struggle for working class leadership in the movements for national liberation is important, and as communists we have the responsibility to support other communists who are contending for leadership in the national movements – be it in Palestine or anywhere else.
Marxism-Leninism and the fight for national liberation
In an environment of declining imperialism, there are some important things to keep in mind.
First, there needs to be a strategic alliance, a “union” as Lenin put it, between the working class in the advanced capitalist countries, and the broad masses of the oppressed in the developing countries. There are hundreds of millions of people in rural areas locked in semi-feudal property relations, which in part provides the material conditions for people’s war.
Second, while there has been a resurgence of the communist and national liberation movements, party building and the construction of revolutionary, communist organizations is a vital task in the present period. Ending, or breaking free of imperialism is not easy, and to successfully do so over the long run requires organizations that embody the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism. Building a new communist party should be the central task of revolutionaries in the U.S., and great progress is being made on this front.
Third, national liberation movements which weaken imperialism are objectively progressive and will hasten imperialism’s end. Self-determination of oppressed nations is a democratic demand, and, to the extent and degree that the fight for self-determination weakens imperialism, those fights should be supported. This has an application in multinational states, including the U.S.
Fourth, monopoly capitalism is a law-governed system where the drive to seek the highest rate of profit is basic. While capitalism is always incapable of genuine long-range planning, imperialism in decline is animated by the shortest of short-term gain and contingency. One of the things that makes the Trump administration dangerous is precisely a reactionary pragmatism that is reshaping the U.S. empire. It is a recipe for more wars and intervention, particularly in Latin America and the Pacific.
Finally, we need to be proletarian internationalists who are serious about uniting the working and oppressed people of the world. Looking around this room, that is exactly who we are. Mao made the point that imperialism is strategically a paper tiger. He was right – in the short term imperialism is an “iron tiger,” it is dangerous. In the long run it will certainly be defeated.
Long live proletarian internationalism!
Long live the unity of the people of the world!
Long live the unity of working and oppressed people – we have nothing to lose but our chains!
#RevolutionaryTheory #FRSO #Statement #Imperialism #Trump #NDFP #OppressedNationalities
Garland, TX – Organizers and activists held a large teach-in and town hall meeting, December 1, just outside the gates of General Dynamics, one of the largest ordnance suppliers to the Israeli genocide in the United States. The facility and surrounding neighborhood are no stranger to controversy, with others having held protests, disruptions and rallies outside its gates before.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). Freedom Road Socialist Organization was one of the conference participants.
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has successfully convened its third international theoretical conference from November 29-30 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on the topic of National Liberation from Imperialism.
San Jose, CA – On the evening of Saturday, November 23, around 30 community members gathered at Saint James Park to honor members of the trans community who are no longer with us, as well as the Palestinians who have been martyred over the past year. The action was organized by the San Jose People’s Pride coalition.
Oakland, CA – Oakland has long been a cornerstone of the country’s revolutionary people’s movements, from the founding of the Black Panther Party to the enduring fight for justice against systemic racism and police violence. On the evening of November 19, at the 510 Firehouse Projects, this legacy was revisited as Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) Oakland, in collaboration with East Side Cultural Center’s Community Archival Resource Project (CARP), hosted a film screening centered around some of these historical moments.
Roughly 25 community members came together to watch two films that spotlight the city’s pivotal role in the fight for liberation: Agnès Varda’s Black Panthers 1968 and Shola Lynch’s Free Angela Davis and All Political Prisoners. The films offered not only a window into the past but a mirror reflecting the struggles and solidarity still needed in Oakland today.
Agnès Varda’s Black Panthers 1968 is an on-the-ground documentary capturing the resiliency of the Black Panther Party as they rallied to free Huey Newton, co-founder of the movement. Filmed in Oakland at the height of the Panthers’ activism, the film is a testament to their ability to unite working-class people and oppressed communities against police violence and systemic injustice. Varda’s work doesn’t just document history; it brings to life the defiant hope of the movement and its roots in the city’s streets.
The second film, Free Angela Davis and All Political Prisoners, is an account of Angela Davis’s trial and the international movement to secure her release. Davis, a scholar, communist and activist, was charged with crimes related to a 1970 courthouse shootout. Lynch’s documentary recounts the global solidarity campaign that demanded her freedom, framing it as both a personal and collective story of resistance. It’s a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when movements cross borders and people stand united against oppression.
FRSO Oakland members led the program, situating these stories in Oakland’s broader revolutionary history. They reminded attendees of the Black Panther Party’s core mission – building unity between oppressed nationalities and working-class people to fight systemic inequality. They also illuminated the government’s counterattacks, particularly through COINTELPRO, the FBI’s covert program that sought to dismantle revolutionary movements.
The discussion didn’t stop with history. Participants connected the lessons of the films to ongoing struggles in Oakland, particularly the work of the newly formed Oakland Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (OAARPR). This group, a local chapter of the national NAARPR which emerged from the fight to free Angela Davis, works alongside families of police violence victims and pushes for community control of the police.
In this context, the group also critiqued the failures of Oakland’s Community Police Review Agency, highlighting its ineffectiveness as a key example of the city's ongoing systemic issues with police corruption and violence. This discussion tied the historical and contemporary struggles together, underscoring the urgent need for real change.
Adding a tangible connection to the past, CARP displayed a collection of artifacts that captured the spirit of the Black Panthers and the Free Angela Davis campaigns. Old political pins reading “Free Angela Davis and all political prisoners” and “Black Panther Party: All power to the people” sat alongside the Panthers’ iconic “Ten-Point Program”, photo books, and pamphlets from the 1980s. These materials bridged generations, underscoring the enduring relevance of these struggles.
The films and discussions drove home a powerful message: the fight for justice is as urgent today as ever. In a city shaped by revolutionary victories and ongoing battles, the event called on everyone to organize, educate and resist with renewed purpose.
Oakland's legacy as a beacon for liberation movements lives on – not just in history books but in the work unfolding right now. From the Black Panther Party’s bold defiance to today’s campaigns for police accountability, the message resonated loud and clear, the struggle continues, and our commitment must match its urgency.
#OaklandCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #BlackPanthers #NAARPR #FRSO #CARP
On November 27, Lebanon and the U.S.-backed apartheid government of Israel enacted a ceasefire. Hezbollah, a powerful army in the Middle East fighting to free Palestine, fought Israel to a standstill. The Lebanese Army is already reporting that Israeli occupation forces have breached the terms of the ceasefire multiple times in the last two days.
Tampa, FL – On Friday, November 22, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally to say no to Trump as part of National SDS’s Day of Action on November 19 against Trump’s agenda.
Seattle, WA – On Saturday afternoon, November 9, the people of Seattle rallied on the grounds of the Space Needle, seeking to build the people’s movement and fight war, repression and genocide in the wake of the Trump election.
Students, immigrants, activists and concerned locals wearing keffiyehs and holding anti-Trump and anti-war banners gathered despite the rain, chanting, “The people united will never be defeated! ¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!”
Jacksonville, FL – On November 7, Jacksonville community organizers gathered at the courthouse to denounce the recent election of Donald Trump as the 47th resident, following his victory.
Dallas, TX – After the election outcome, November 6, Freedom Road Socialist Organization here held a 50-person rally in front of the Dallas City Hall.
Entonces, sucedió. El tonto racista y reaccionario Donald Trump regresa a la Casa Blanca, y los republicanos dominarán el Congreso. La polarización de la vida política estadounidense se está agudizando y profundizando. Los revolucionarios y los progresistas tenemos una tarea difícil por delante.
Habrá mucho tiempo para analizar lo que sucedió en las elecciones, pero a la mañana siguiente algunas cosas quedaron claras. El liderazgo y los poderosos patrocinadores del Partido Demócrata son los únicos culpables del resultado. La campaña de Harris/Walz fue completamente insensible a las necesidades y aspiraciones de la clase trabajadora. De hecho, las dos palabras que no parecieron ser capaces de incluir en ninguno de sus discursos fueron “clase trabajadora.” En cambio, ofrecieron una triste mezcla de genocidio en Palestina, combinada con un llamado a los republicanos con educación universitaria, los “nunca Trump”. Y fracasaron.
Esta elección no se trató de buenas opciones. Desde el punto de vista de la OSCL y el movimiento anti-guerra, fue un referéndum sobre el genocidio en Palestina y una guerra más amplia en el Medio Oriente. Para muchos, la economía fue el tema principal. Al final del día, las malas opciones que se nos presentaron son una crítica al sistema capitalista.
Necesitamos entender que vienen grandes ataques. El movimiento obrero estará bajo fuego y habrá intentos de erosionar nuestro nivel de vida. Los intolerantes en Washington, D.C. harán lo que puedan para promover la desigualdad y habrá ataques contra las nacionalidades oprimidas, incluyendo a las personas negras, los chicanos y latinos, los asiático-americanos, los árabe-americanos y otros. Los derechos de los inmigrantes serán un objetivo especial. Existe una cruda misoginia que odia a las mujeres en el mundo de Trump, y podemos esperar más medidas para restringir nuestros derechos reproductivos. Del mismo modo, podemos esperar ataques contra las personas LGBTQ. Y el genocidio en Palestina continuará bajo Trump.
La buena noticia es que esta guerra contra el pueblo no va a ser unilateral. Es completamente posible y necesario construir movimientos populares fuertes que sean capaces de una resistencia seria. Este no es el momento para agachar la cabeza. Es momento de unir a todos los que puedan unirse para derrotar la agenda reaccionaria de Trump. La prueba no es cuántas cosas malas podemos decir sobre él—es un pedazo de basura reaccionaria, así que diremos muchas. Pero el verdadero desafío que tenemos por delante es cuánta gente podemos sacar a la calle. A quienes se sienten un poco desanimados o desmoralizados, podemos ofrecerles la esperanza de la resistencia. Tenemos la capacidad para luchar y ganar.
El imperio estadounidense está en decadencia y Trump es un síntoma. Vamos a construir la lucha. Vamos a fortalecer las organizaciones del pueblo y mostrar algo de coraje en los sindicatos. No vamos a retroceder. Vamos hacia adelante, y lo vamos a hacer con la mayor cantidad de gente posible. ¡Juntos podemos hacer que este país sea ingobernable!
The re-election of Donald Trump and the dominance of Republicans in Congress sends a loud and painful message: the system is broken, and those at the helm don’t care about working people, oppressed nationalities, or the marginalized. We in the Freedom Road Socialist Organization understand that the time is now to channel our rage, dissatisfaction and hope for a different future into something revolutionary.
So, it happened. The racist, reactionary fool Donald Trump is returning to the White House, and Republicans will dominate Congress. The polarization of American political life is sharpening and deepening. Revolutionaries and progressives have some heavy lifting ahead of us.
There is going to be plenty of time to analyze what happened in the election, but on the morning after, some things are clear. The leadership and wealthy backers of the Democratic Party have only themselves to blame for the outcome. The Harris/Walz campaign was tone-deaf to the needs and aspirations of working people. In fact, the two words that they seemed unable to work into any of their speeches were “working class.” Instead, they offered a sad mixture of genocide in Palestine, combined with an appeal to college-educated, “never Trump” Republicans. And they failed.
Chicago, IL – On Tuesday, October 29, over 50 student and community activists gathered in the quad at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to demand an end to the illegal U.S. blockade of Cuba. This solidarity action was prompted because on October 30, the United Nations was set to vote on a resolution submitted by Cuba calling for an end to the brutal blockade imposed by the United States government.
La OSCL urge a nuestros miembros y simpatizantes a que salgan a las calles y organicen las protestas más amplias posibles el día después de las elecciones del 5 de noviembre. Sin importar el resultado, debemos seguir apoyando a Palestina y oponernos a la guerra cada vez más amplia de los Estados Unidos/Israel en el Medio Oriente. Y debemos avanzar una agenda progresista que defienda los derechos de los inmigrantes, los trabajadores, las personas LGBTQ, las mujeres y los derechos reproductivos.
FRSO urges our members and supporters to take to the streets and organize the broadest possible protests the day after the November 5 elections. No matter what the outcome, we must continue to stand with Palestine and oppose the ever-widening U.S./Israel war in the Middle East. And we must advance a progressive agenda that defends the rights of immigrants, workers, LGBTQ people, women’s and reproductive rights.
Las próximas elecciones presidenciales son un referéndum sobre el genocidio patrocinado por los Estados Unidos en Palestina y la guerra más amplia que los Estados Unidos e Israel están librando en el Medio Oriente. La administración Biden/Harris está coordinando el ataque a Irán, y los Estados Unidos ha enviado tropas y misiles a Israel. Hay un mínimo de 44.000 muertos en Gaza, e Israel está lanzando bombas de 2.000 libras sobre las ciudades del Líbano. Aunque debería ser obvio que un reaccionario racista como Trump no merece un voto, Kamala Harris tampoco lo merece.
Por Mick Kelly, Secretario Político, Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad (OSCL).
Este documento, escrito por Mick Kelly, Secretario Político de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad (OSCL), fue presentado en la conferencia internacional titulada “Stalin: Las enseñanzas para la lucha de los comunistas de hoy”. La conferencia del 15 de octubre se celebró en Milán, Italia y fue organizada por el Partito dei CARC (Partido CARC), la Resistenza Popolare Milano (Resistencia Popular de Milán) y la Associazione Stalin (Asociación Stalin). También participaron el Partido Comunista de Cuba y el Partido Comunista de Filipinas. El documento fue presentado en la conferencia por el organizador nacional de la OSCL, Andy Koch.
The upcoming presidential election is referendum on the U.S.-sponsored genocide in Palestine and the broader war that the U.S. and Israel are waging in the Middle East. The Biden/Harris administration is coordinating the attack on Iran, and the U.S. has dispatched troops and missiles to Israel. There is a minimum of 44,000 dead in Gaza, and Israel is raining 2000-pound bombs down on the cities of Lebanon. While it should go without saying that a reactionary racist like Trump does not deserve a vote, Kamala Harris doesn’t either.