France: neither one, nor the other!

Editorial of n°60 Revolution

 

Part 3 - The defeat of Mélenchon

 

We will make a detailed analysis of the causes and consequences of the defeat of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, whom Révolution gave critical support, at a later date. For now, we simply note that the causes of this defeat are not only to be sought in the role of the leadership of La France Insoumise and its policy over the past five years. We must also look at the role of the leaderships of the other left-wing parties. Each in their own way contributed to this defeat, including the candidatures of the PS, the Greens, the PCF, the NPA and Lutte Ouvrière. 

 

Finally, let us not forget the responsibility of the union leaders. In the name of “trade union independence” (this piece of notorious hypocrisy), they failed to lift a finger to mobilise the workers around the only candidate who could have beaten Macron and Le Pen, namely: Mélenchon.

If the right and the far right are very much in the majority at the polls today, it is not because the working class is eager for counter-reforms and reaction. It is because the official leaders of our class – all of them, without exception – have been unable to direct the growing anger and frustration of the masses towards an electoral victory of the left. The fundamental problem is located here, and nowhere else. It is this problem which must therefore be tackled, because it will arise again in the years to come – not only on the electoral plane, but also (and above all) on the plane of social struggles.

Whatever the composition of the next government – whether it is led by Le Pen or Macron – great struggles will be on the agenda. Young people and workers will not allow themselves to be robbed without saying a word. Whilst the professional sceptics and cynics lament the so-called “low level of consciousness” of the workers, the workers will respond, sooner or later, with powerful mobilisations. We don’t harbour the slightest doubt about this fact. 

 

But at the same time, we know that the working class cannot take power and put an end to the source of all its ills – the capitalist system – without having a revolutionary party, a party determined to initiate the socialist transformation of society. It is to the construction of such a party that the International Marxist Tendency is committed – in France and elsewhere. To help us in this urgent and essential task, join us!

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Source, links:

https://www.marxist.com/france-neither-one-nor-the-other.htm

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