11

Apr

Decisive Time for Left Forces in Indian Politics

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Dharmendra Azad

New Delhi | Friday | 11 April 2025

With the imposition of unilateral and harsh tariffs by US President Donald Trump on imported goods from several countries, including China, India, the European Union, and Mexico, the global capitalist-imperialist system—already crumbling under its internal contradictions—has now entered a phase of open confrontation. This is not just a routine trade policy; rather, it is an intense manifestation of the deepening crisis within the capitalist-imperialist system, which can neither sustain its rate of profit nor provide stability, employment, or hope to the public.

Trump’s tariff policy is the latest expression of an imperialist mindset that hides every crisis behind the veil of nationalism, protectionism, and militarization while, in reality, safeguarding the interests of capital.

In response to this tariff war, China imposed tariffs up to 34% and banned the export of rare minerals to the US, delivering a significant blow to the American tech and defense industry’s supply chain. The European Union complained to the WTO, and Russia even called Trump a “global trade hijacker.” On April 7, 2025, stock markets in the US, Europe, and Asia saw declines ranging from 4% to 7%. The IMF and World Bank have assessed the likelihood of a recession at 64%, signaling the decayed foundations of this system.

However, this crisis has become more than just an economic one—it has led to social unrest and ideological explosions. In the US, a movement called “Hands Off!” has emerged, consisting of labor unions, the LGBTQIA+ community, racial justice organizations, environmental activists, senior rights groups, and revolutionary leftist forces. This movement has become a popular resistance against Trump’s social security cuts, the grip of billionaires like Elon Musk on power, militarization, and the erosion of capitalist democracy.

 

Article at a Glance
The article discusses the escalating global economic crisis triggered by US President Donald Trump's imposition of harsh tariffs on imports from various countries, including China and India. This move reflects a deeper crisis within the capitalist-imperialist system, which struggles to maintain profitability and stability.
In retaliation, China has imposed tariffs and restricted exports, while the European Union and Russia have criticized Trump's actions. The resulting economic turmoil has led to significant stock market declines and increased recession risks, alongside social unrest in the US, where a movement called “Hands Off!” has emerged, uniting various social groups against Trump’s policies.
In India, the economy is further weakened by the tariff war, affecting key sectors and exacerbating unemployment. The article argues for a shift towards class struggle and socialist principles, emphasizing the need for organized movements to address systemic issues and prevent the rise of fascism amid growing public discontent.

 

Although this movement does not yet demand a direct change of the system or socialism, its emerging class consciousness and direction of protest indicate that public dissatisfaction is now moving beyond the limits of reformism. Massive protests in cities like Paris, Berlin, London, and Toronto have transformed it into a global consciousness—a renaissance in which the pain of system change is being nurtured.

In India, the crisis is also very deep. The economy, already weakened by demonetization, GST, the pandemic, and corporate-friendly policies, is now being further battered by the adverse effects of the tariff war. With the US imposing tariffs on pharmaceuticals, textiles, and IT sectors, India's exports are faltering. The MSME sector, which accounts for 30% of India’s total employment and 45% of its exports, is now facing a double assault: one from the global tariff war and the other from the anti-labor policies of the central government.

The fall in the Sensex, stagnation in consumer demand, historic decline in the rupee, and unemployment rate crossing 9% are all signs that India’s capitalist system is now crumbling under its weight. Despite this, the government is weakening labor rights under the guise of “Ease of Doing Business,” handing over public institutions to private capital, and pushing welfare sectors like education and healthcare into the profit-driven market.

This is the very historical period when capitalism begins to devour itself due to its internal contradictions, and fascism turns public discontent into nationalist and communal violence. This is the moment when movements must no longer be limited to economic and legal struggles but must be organized in the direction of class struggle.

For India’s revolutionary left movements, this is a decisive time. It is now essential to organize class consciousness in villages, slums, industrial areas, and universities. Every popular movement—whether against inflation, unemployment, privatization, gender discrimination, caste-based oppression, or religious polarization—must be connected to a socialist direction and strategy.

What is now needed is the realization of the idea of socialist relations of production—where production is not for profit, but to meet human needs; where resources are justly redistributed; and where the reins of power are held by a workers' democratic party that has emerged from the struggle for system change.

If we fail to recognize this historic opportunity, this crisis could lead to the outbreak of a third world war. Capitalist democracy may shed its disguise, and fascism could emerge in its naked form.

History is knocking on the door. Time is limited. Either we change this system, or this system will erase us from history.

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