Translated "Avante!" article by Albano Nunes, Member of the Secretariat of the CC
When the PCP used the word “re-colonization” for the first time, on characterising the imperialism policy, many considered such term excessive. Upon the national liberation movement powerful taking place, which practically swept away colonialism from earth, “neo-colonialism was the used word to signify that the building of formal independent states did not represent after all, a /the real achievement of sovereignty. And owing to colonial ex-powers, together with the IMF and the World Bank support, hastily created “aid” and “cooperation” mechanisms which stood still the new independent countries and sabotaged courageous attempts of progressive and independent development. Socialism disappearance, as a world-wide system, opened up the path towards a counter-offensive, which represents a huge draw back within the oppressed peoples’ liberation and configured an authentic return to colonialism’s dark times.
Incidentally, on France’s military interference in Mali, and taking it into consideration once again, not only considering its serious social, political and military implications within the country and the region, but also to measure its deepest significance, regarding the French dominant class strategy.
A first lookout is due: the continuity, on what is fundamental, of both Sarkosy’s “right” wing and Hollande’s “social-democrat” government policies, confirming, along with the inevitable “nuances”, that both serve the French great capital and currently ,social-democracy has, in fact, changed into an imperialism pillar. And what France is undergoing, with Hollande, within Mali , comes in the continuity, and holds the very same class sign, of what was undergone by Sarkosy, in Libya. A second perception, to call the attention upon the insert of the Mali intervention, within France’s ambitious projects throughout Africa. The political and economic influence, of “neo-colonial” nature, in countries like Morocco or Senegal, recall the open interference, with the shameless support towards coups d’état and dictatorships which, as in Chad or the Central African Republic, has turned them in to interference and aggression platforms, which to not only regard “ Francophone Africa”, but also took place in Angola, with the UNITA ’s support. Currently French military bases and troops are stationed throughout a vast region, from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, covering most of the Sahel. France’s decolonization interventionism, particularly visible in Africa, does not circumscribe to this continent, as demonstrated by its action in Lebanon, the support to Israel’s Zionists, hostility towards Iran, the insistence of Hollande’s government ,inciting the aggression against Syria and demanding the regime’s overturn.
On analysing the international situation evolution perspectives, one ought not to underestimate French imperialism and its temptation to respond to the capitalism’s crisis using an aggressive forge rush forward. France, being the birthplace of great revolutions, workers’ movement achievements and great civilization advances, is also the bourgeoisie ‘s origin, deeply reactionary and inclined for the worst of crimes, as during the Commune de Paris fierce repression, Petain’s fascist treason, or during the terror against the Algerian revolution. This historical reality must not be forgotten. France is a huge economic, political and military power, and with Germany, shares the imperialist block hegemony: the European Union, a UN Security Counsel’s permanent member, having regained the NATO military structure command and disposing a powerful nuclear arsenal.