Posted by John, February 1st, 2011 - under Islamophobia, Revolution.

Tags: Egypt

What an inspiring sight. To see Egyptian workers challenge the Egyptian dictator is one of the most exciting political events of my lifetime, similar to the events of 1989 t 1991 in Eastern Europe.

The Egyptian Revolution is a mass movement for democracy and decent dough. It destroys completely the argument that democracy is incompatible with Islam. This is a revolution for democracy.

The main supporter of dictatorship in the region has been the ‘democratic’ United States, precisely because those tyrants serve its interests in the region. It is global democracy which is incompatible with imperialism.

Those marching on the streets and striking against the regime are demanding freedom and food, justice and jobs. The political and economic demands have intertwined and reinforced each other.

The fragile alliance between different classes may well break at some stage. They have different fundamental interests.

The national bourgeoisie of Egypt fears a workers’ revolt much more than it fears dictatorship. An acceptable dictator – Omar Suleiman perhaps – would satisfy it, and its imperialist overlords.

But such an outcome will not win the support of the working class and peasantry or the middle class.

The end of Mubarak must herald the end of his henchmen and the regime. The indefinite general strike and the millions marching today are an irresistible force.

Without workers society grinds to a halt. This doesn’t mean Egypt is on the verge of socialist revolution.

It does mean however that class forces and class interests are asserting themselves. This is true not only of the overwhelmingly secular political and economic demands of the protesters but also in the Twitter reports of workers driving out their bosses and running their workplaces.

The neighbourhood committees enforcing security and safety are another example of a new form of government – direct rule of the oppressed and exploited.

Yet despite this clear class nature of the uprising there are voices who warn us about the revolution. The new regime might be worse. The Muslim Brotherhood is against democracy.

Let’s put this in context. After 30 years of Western dictatorship, a dictatorship which the masses of Egypt are in the process of overthrowing, some sniveling apologists for imperialism dare to criticise the oppressed for rising up?

This deep fear of Islam is the twin brother of the anti-indigenous racism on which states like the US, Australia and Israel are built and in the case of America the slave trade too.

The rise of Islamism over the last decades reflects both a response to the mainly US backed repression and killing of Muslims in their lands, and also the weakness of a left tied to nationalism and Stalinism.

The situation in Egypt is fluid. Importantly the revolution has given birth to a general strike. If as reports suggest it is being widely respected then the class nature of the struggle becomes clearer and clearer, to outside observers and to Egyptian workers themselves. This will be more so if Mubarak flees as a consequence.

Having tasted their own power will workers meekly hand back power to the bourgeoisie, or some middle class medievalist like the Brotherhood?

The task of the left must be to continue the leftward momentum, to lead the working class closer and closer to its own rule by encouraging and supporting factory occupations and a general strike. These forces may not yet exist in large numbers in Egypt but they can grow rapidly and massively in revolutionary upheavals.

People’s ideas change in struggles like this. There is or can be a revolutionary upheaval in workers’ consciousness.

This is a revolution for freedom and democracy. Those who fear the dark possibilities are siding with the class enemy and with imperialism.

Victory to Egyptian workers.