In a text published on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) website, Duran Kalkan from the PKK Executive Committee comments on the global political situation and perspectives for the revolutionary movements.

"Capitalism in the imperialist phase means war"

Kalkan writes that there has been an ongoing state of war since the beginning of the First World War. The form of expression of capitalism in its imperialistic phase is war with the conflicts in the Middle East at its center: “Capitalism wants to swallow the Middle East. The Middle East is still resisting and this war is mainly due to the stubbornness of the resistance.” Kalkan underscores the importance of the clashes between the capitalist powers, but that this clash is primarily being waged as a war to conquer the Middle East.

"World War III will be fought in the Middle East"

Kalkan looks back at history: “The First World War started in this context, but the October Revolution took some of the momentum out of it. Fascism, which erupted in the Second World War, was defeated by many revolutionary movements. In the era of real socialism, this war was called the 'Cold War'. The existence of real socialism triggered the Cold War. When real socialism dissolved, the Third World War came onto the agenda. This is a war in the Middle East. This war is really a war to conquer the Middle East and to destroy Middle Eastern society, its past and present. In Kurdistan it is waged as a genocidal war. The hegemonic capitalist world system that emerged with World War I divided Kurdistan, disregarded the Kurds and forced them under genocidal regimes. The Kurds resisted and are still resisting. Arabia was divided into 22 parts, which are still fighting back a little. This ongoing war is a war aimed at destroying the existence of a Kurdish and Arab society.”

Acting in the system leads to dictatorship

Kalkan takes a look at the prospects for the region and the world: "It doesn't look like things are going to continue like this. The forces waging the war have no solution to offer. This also applies to the global capital system. By sticking to the national status quo with its power structure, it is also not possible to find a solution. No matter how much such forces define themselves as revolutionary, moderate and solution-oriented: in the end they create an anti-Kurdish, fascist dictatorship. The development of the AKP/MHP regime is exemplary in this regard. The system no longer has the power to produce solutions, to change and innovate. It is difficult for the forces of the system to bring about a change in mentality and politics. For this reason, there is no sign of overcoming the crisis and chaos of the global system of capitalist modernity. The war caused by the crisis and chaos continues to spread across the region.

World revolution is the way out

The only thing that remains is the revolution. Just as the October Revolution was able to temporarily end the war, so now the only alternative that will offer a way out of this war is a democratic revolution in the Middle East, even a world revolution. If the October Revolution could have become a world revolution, humanity would have been liberated from capitalism and imperialism. The October Revolution could not become a world revolution, it failed. Because it failed, humanity and nature have suffered so much damage that we are now almost facing an apocalypse.”

“Capitalism is a regime of permanent crisis”

Kalkan calls for a thorough understanding of capitalism: “Capitalism means crisis and chaos. It is certain that these consequences deepen day by day. Capitalism consumes nature, society and the individual. It's not about development, but about the complete consumption of all the basics of life. The situation poses a serious threat and danger to humanity, to the entire globe, indeed to every life. Because capitalism does not mean the organization of work and production in terms of social life, but in terms of exploitation, plunder and robbery. Capitalism is a form of exploitation. The goal is maximum profit. State and private monopoly has reached this point. There can be no capitalism without crises, chaos, contradictions and conflicts.

“There is no solution in capitalism”

It's not very realistic to look back from today and ask: 'Will capitalism renew itself, will it find solutions within itself? Will a solution come from Europe or America? If not, will Africa or Asia lead the way? Will a solution come from Germany or France?' That is the wrong approach. Capitalism is a form of exploitation. It is the organization of all life and work for exploitation and maximum profit. It is a regime of total destruction. So it is a system of plunder, robbery, consumption, dissent and conflict.

"Revolutions have alleviated the crisis of capitalism"

Historically, crises have been periodically analyzed as 'First Depression Period, Second Depression Period, Third Depression Period'. The continuity of the third period has been emphasized. These reviews were incorrect. In fact, capitalism is not a periodic but a continuous regime of depression and crisis. From time to time, revolutions exacerbated or weakened crises. The 19th century had the revolutions in Europe, the revolutions in France from 1830 onwards, the European revolutions of 1848, the Paris Commune effort of 1871, the October Revolution, and the revolutionary movements that grew out of the October Revolution in the 20th century. In fact, the revolutionary front has temporarily alleviated the crisis and depression of capitalism. If there hadn't been a revolution, there wouldn't have been this relief.