Friday, November 21, 2008
Lenin on Obama's Victory
According to Lenin, as Obama was elected to the presidency of a capitalist state, the proletariat’s reality will not change, since exploitation and oppression will remain in place. However, I argue that some improvements in society will occur, as Obama is committed to a more regulated capitalism. Nonetheless, more in depth changes can only come about if an organized movement develops from Obama’s support base.
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According to Lenin, regardless of who is in power, in a capitalist democracy the interest of the proletariat will never be represented. Through the election, Obama becomes the head of a capitalist state. As every state, its role is to mediate “irreconcilable” class interests. It is an organ of class rule: in a capitalist society, the bourgeoisie, the “economically dominant class,” uses the state to dominate in the realm of politics. Through the state, the bourgeoisie has access to a repressive apparatus (standing army, police and jails) that facilitates the working class exploitation and oppression (315-316, 318).
Additionally, Lenin points out that there is a close relationship between the state and the capitalist class: politicians come in many instances from this class, or are rewarded with well-paid positions afterwards (330, 319). However, the electoral process obscures these threads. Following Marx, Lenin affirms that through electoral politics the “oppressed are allowed…to decide which particular representative of the oppressing class shall represent and repress them…”(373). This gives the illusion to the proletariat that it has power, since they contributed to his election. However, the capitalist system, the exploitation and oppression inherent to it will remain in place. Regardless of Obama’s intentions, he becomes part of a structure that limits the action of individuals. The only way that the interests of the working class would be represented through the state is if a proletarian revolution destroys the capitalist state, and supplants it with the D of P. The state will become then the representative of the interest of the majority (working class) over the minority (bourgeoisie), and would end exploitation (327).
I think that many of Lenin’s ideas are true. Obama’s government will represent the interest of the capitalist class and maintain the system as it is. I believe that any politician nominated to the presidency, has to be pretty entangled in the “thousand threads.” That being said, Obama is taking office in the midst of a financial crisis, thus there is the potential for improvement of society. During his campaign, Obama discussed re-establishing organized capitalism (increasing market regulation, fewer tax breaks for big corporations, among others), which will also facilitate the continuation of the capitalist system.
I also think that it is essential to develop Obama’s massive number of supporters, who got involved because of the hope that Obama created, into an actual movement that holds him accountable in order to bring about real change. As discussed in class, FDR introduced major reforms because there was a well-organized movement that had the power to destabilize the system. The potential exists already, but the movement is not developed yet. However, as Obama said in his acceptance speech: "[achieving]Victory…is the chance for us to make… change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.” It is clear that the ultimate responsibility still lies with us.
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