I'm republishing another article I wrote back in 2003, this one on how Marxists should operate in regards to the European Union.
It has been quite shocking and disappointing for myself with regards to the position of some so called 'Marxist' groups in respect to their policy on the European Union. Seemingly unable to spot how they're falling straight into the hands of the more extreme reactionary elements of the bourgeoisie.
Who on the left can argue against the European Union being progressive, the unification of the old nations of Europe? Do we pretend that the bourgeoisie are doing this because they are nice, and that they somehow wish to unite the workers of Europe? No of course not, we know they're doing this so they can better compete with the colossal imperialism of the US ruling class and to help in their other parasitic desires.
Do we take the same opinion when we consider the bourgeoisie smashing the old feudal customs, dethroning the church, opening up science to humanity? Yes they were doing it for their own class interests, but who can deny it was progressive?
May be we should consider what the position of Marxists would be if they lived in the 17th and 18th centuries. Would they of stood shoulder to shoulder with the church, hurling anti-science slogans, while the bourgeois-scientists proved all of the religious nonsense wrong? Would they of stood shoulder to shoulder with the old feudal lords, while the bourgeoisie pressed ahead with their revolution? No they would be marching forwards with the bourgeoisie, leaving the feudalists and the church in the rubbish bin of history. Onward bourgeois-fool, forward we go to the creation of your grave diggers!
How does this translate to today? The proletariat, have no need for nation states, just as we have no need for feudalistic nonsense, if the bourgeoisie find the old nation states of Europe to be a hindrance to their parasitic desires, so be it! Surely we can't stand shoulder to shoulder with the chauvinists and others on the hard-reactionary bourgeois wing while their progressive elements march up along the road ahead and leave us behind!
The proletariat must march forward along that road with the bourgeoisie, all the while striking them and trying to trip them, so they fall and get left behind with only the proletariat remaining to march forwards! We must be battling them up close, not far away from within the history bin with the forces of chauvinist-reaction, while shouting "No to the EU!", hanging on to old nation states is nothing but dated chauvinistic reaction.
The EU is here and it's here to stay, we need to face up to that. How can we challenge the policy of the money-bags with an 'anti-EU' and 'let's pretend it doesn't exist' mentality? We can't, we need to become part of the EU and fight for democracy, better living conditions for the workers and finally for our revolution all from within it.
FOR A EUROPEAN FEDERATIVE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC!
Paul A. Smith
Yeovil, UK
26th of May 2003.