As the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on society, Fred Weston, editor of www.marxist.com, discusses the covid-19 crisis, and how this is the product of a sick system.

Only a bold socialist response can provide the cure.

Join the International Marxist Tendency and help us fight for a revolutionary alternative.

https://www.marxist.com/join-us.htm

And donate through Socialist Appeal – the British section of the IMT – to help us continue producing Marxist analysis through these difficult times on the latest dramatic events internationally.

https://www.socialist.net/socialist-appeal-supporters-club.htm
Video Rating: / 5

The coronavirus pandemic and the crisis of capitalism

| Green Roofs | 20 Comments
About The Author
-

20 Comments

  • Atlanta Bill

    There's not sufficient epidemiological evidence at this point that the SARS-CoV-2 virus had its origin in nature and not in an act of genetic manipulation, for instance to create a bioweapon. It makes no logical sense that Chinese virologists would have unleashed it as a bioweapon in the middle of their own country, but it might have leaked from the lab in Wuhan, possibly where researchers were looking from a countermeasure for a coronavirus weapon that Chinese agents stole from the lab in Winnipeg. But the speculation that it might have been launched on China by the U.S. team at the World Military Games in late October and November, supposedly in order to cripple the Chinese economy, has some current evidence to back it up. As a bioweapon, it could also have been taken to Wuhan by the ShinCheonji religious cult, who were doing extensive missionary work in Central China at the time of the Games and whose leaders forbade them to use face masks but encouraged them to share food with outsiders. Public knowledge purveyed by accredited epidemiologists, if enough of them come forward, that SARS-CoV-2 was indeed a bioweapon could potentially decide the continued existence of capitalism as much as a global depression. The world's billions are tired of poverty, but they're also tired of the horrific wars that capitalism spawns.
    The doctor who was the first Chinese medical professional in Hubei Province to raise the alarm was a woman, Dr Zhang Jixian https://tinyurl.com/y6w7ulhc The Chinese authorities didn't dither: isolating the virus and identifying its genetics took more than two weeks and it took another two weeks before the report to the WHO was readied and approved by higher authorities. This was not an unusual amount of time for the process to take. China's government shouldn't be slandered by calling it a "regime", as there are enough capitalist apologists doing so already.

  • Randy James

    I would argue the corona virus proofs our elite are marxist as they have destroyed most industry and making people dependent on the government.

    Forced government closures of business and hyprotical standards for other businesses are tools of elite driven marxist policy.

    Trump is an actor and part of this elite system that is destroying freedom of rights and private investment

  • j

    Coronavirus, a symptom of our system?

    The coronavirus is a result of the capitalist system that puts profit over anything. The animal market in china is advertised and supported by the government even after the first pandemic of SARS. An economic system which is based on consuming cant be sustainable. Even after this, the market continued. When a chinese doctor found out about the virus, the government tried to hide it as long as they could so they could go on like were until now.

    Because the capitalist market was left alone, and because profit is weighed above life, the coronavirus spread. Due to poverty and weak social nets, the poor class is pressured to go to work, and thus, have a high chance of catching the virus. What does an infected mother of three who works in a grocery store without any insured sick days do? She goes to work. The global capitalist economy has shown to be extremely fragile, and one that does not work for most of us.

    Due to the Coronavirus, society has come to a halt. Most productivity is stopped, which has various effects on our way of life. Our economy is starting to collapse, what strongly correlates with less environmental damage. Our economic system is based on growing in a sense that the GDP gets bigger every year, what about a system that doesn't focus on the growing of the GDP but the growing of the welfare? A system which is based on offering value for others not only for yourself. A system, which takes us out of self centered survival mode, a system in which one builds a business to help the world, not to earn money. Humans are a social species. Its their natural instinct to help others, don't let this get suppressed by a system in which…. In such situations, we see how important it is that we act as a whole, big problems like this can only be solved by big solutions. Its not the problem of the individual people that this disaster had happened, its the system that makes people behave like this because making profit is what is considered successful in our society.

    Our mass media makes us panic. People live in fear and worry which makes them easy to manipulate and they want to have an authority figure in such situations.Fear brings us into mode that serves us when we hunted animals, our problems now cant be solved with fight or flight, but with strategy and clear thinking, the government wants you to panic so they can easily make you follow them.Capitalism made sense the world wasn't as connected as now, when you looked after your family and your actions didn't have such a big influence on the whole world as now. With power comes responsibility.

    The corona virus is only one symptom of a much bigger problem, if we keep trying to fight the symptoms that occur, it is an unending fight. Let's think for ourselves and get to understand the root causes of today's problems. Should we trust the system and the people which brought us into this to fix the problems for us? After this crisis, no one can look at capitalism the same as before.

    Coronavirus is a wake up call, listen to it, chasing profit can be detrimental for the whole planet. Learn from it, see how you were made to believe that in external things lie happiness when its all inside.

  • Amuskodi Gajendran

    Very informative.
    we in India are ruled by selfish, unethical, bourgeois, rightist politicians. Our people are intoxicated with religious fundamentalism, jingoism and parochialism. I have lost confidence in the Marxist ideology. I have come to the conclusion that Working class revolution is not possible in our country. But after whatching you speak in this video I have regained confidence. Thank you very much.

  • Martin Arnold

    Could have happened at any time?

    As Paul Mason correctly points out, it happened because of the capitalist appraoch of China. Creating the breeding ground, through these market stalls, quite literally for this and other viruses

Leave a Reply to Mickey Roche Cancel reply