Some sections of the progressive liberal bourgeoisie say they want an independent Australia. For example, this includes many writers of John Menadue’s ‘Pearls and Irritations’ publication, and the likes of former Labor luminaries Paul Keating, Bob Carr, Gareth Evans. But what does this ‘independence’ mean? Is it true independence and how will it be achieved?
Writer after writer of this section of the progressive ruling class proclaims the need for Australia to stand on its own feet. For example Menadue has said: ‘Fearful of our region, Australia has clung to remote imperial powers, the UK and the US.’ (Pearls and Irritations 19/4/24). He advocates a more independent Australia breaking the hold of these imperial powers over Australia. But how is this to be accomplished?
When we drill down into their position then it is apparent: By reform. In essence by reform of the parliament, the electoral system, big business, the media, defence and foreign policy etc and of codes of conduct, rules to reign in the power of the multinationals and the monopoly capitalists. There is a romantic vision of how these reforms will happen. There is no indication how the iron grip of those ‘remote imperial powers’ over Australia is to be broken.
It is not dealing with the reality of the economic, political and military dictatorship of the imperialist powers headed by the US and that they must be forcibly removed from Australia.
In truth they say, with this idealistic reformism, we’ll just reform Murdoch and Rinehart for example, or reform the multinationals. By their thoughts and actions all roads lead to making Labor and the Parliament change their position. This is not a resolute solution. It actually becomes their reason for being and does not get to the heart of the matter, that is the overthrow of imperialism headed by the US and their Australian accomplices.
We need a frank and sober assessment of Australia’s situation. Look at history: Anytime there is a mild challenge to US/UK dominance, witness the coup of 1975 and the bringing down of the reformist Whitlam Labor Government. We have to stop running scared of the waning power of the US and UK. We need to mobilise the people, we need to mobilise the workers in defence of hard-won rights and in the struggle to make Australia a truly independent and sovereign nation.
The opposition of Menadue, Keating Carr, Evans and others to AUKUS and the use of the NT and WA as bases for US nuclear bombers and troops is very good. It does an important job alerting the Australian people to the dangers of this and the gross interference with Australian sovereignty.
But Menadue has also written we need the US in the Asia Pacific region as a counter balance to China. This is also Keating, Carr and Evans’ position. Is this independence? Is this freeing ourselves from ‘remote imperial powers’? We need to shake off all attachment to a so-called ‘great’ power. The Australian political elite, even the more progressive liberal bourgeoisie, were born into big empire politics. We need to shake off this subordinate mentality. WE NEED TO STAND COMPLETELY ON OUR OWN FEET. We need true independence, true sovereignty, true nationhood, true sustainable development for the people. We need a true Democratic, Anti Imperialist Republic.
An example of the mindset of the progressive liberal bourgeoisie world-wide and in Australia is instructive, especially in relation to Gaza and the Palestinians: In the face of Israeli aggression in Gaza there is a terrible wringing of hands. Yes it is terrible and should be condemned but there is one factor rarely mentioned and why is that? We should hail the inspiring and relentless resistance of the Palestinian fighters and people for we are witnessing the birth of a nation with intense struggle, heroism and sacrifice. That is how nations, independence and sovereignty are won.
We want a United Front with the patriotic liberal bourgeoisie but not solely on their terms. For us the working class is the core of the people. The mindset and ideology of the progressive liberal bourgeoisie in Australia still has a degree of dependence on imperialism and local monopoly capitalists. They can’t truly stand on their own feet. They hesitate and vacillate.
We need a class that leads the people out of dependency to a thorough-going, complete independence. That is the working class and their allies with the ideology, politics and organisation to consummate complete independence, sovereignty and nationhood. That can only truly come from this leadership, for the working class is the most revolutionary, disciplined and organised class.
Otherwise the struggle will fall short, be defeated and US imperialism and allied local monopoly capitalism will still dominate and Australia remain a puppet state.
The real situation is the US billionaires and their European allies want to rule the world. They scour the world for resources, profits, exploitation and strategic advantage. There is a ruthless expansion of US/European military might. There are greedy eyes on the resources of Russia, China and rest of the world where the multinationals are shut out. And they put all their chips in. The billionaires want it all. The contradiction between the US and its allies on the one hand and the rest of world on the other hand intensifies. In short between US imperialism and the world’s people.
The US imperialists must be stopped and their power broken. In Australia that means revolution by stages. A first stage of the Democratic, Anti Imperialist People’s Republic, with thorough-going independence, sovereignty, nationhood and sustainable development for the people. Then a later historical second stage of socialism and finally the stage of communism.
