The crisis of coronavirus has shown very well the weaknesses of global capitalist system. Such a small thing as a virus, started in a specific place, has spread all over the world through tourism and trade – two activities connected with capitalism. The world economy is falling; airlines are going towards the crisis; meetings of world leaders have been cancelled; borders have been closed…  Such a small virus in the global capitalist system is resulting in huge consequences. 

States and countries have developed different responses to the virus. Once again, we can take Rojava as an example. Rojava, which has been known in the whole world for its revolution, takes people’s lives as its basis: indeed, this revolution is made for life. The position taken by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, even if the coronavirus hasn’t reached Rojava and nobody has been infected, shows once again this reality. In order to protect people, the Semalka border crossing has been closed and schools, centres and institutions are being cleaned and closed too. Moreover, the aim to prevent the virus from reaching refugees camp has been taken. 

But the State, especially the Western, takes money and economy as its basis, assuming very dangerous stances over the issue. Many different examples could be taken, but I will choose and explain the case of the Spanish State, which is the one that I know best.

The situation in Spain has started just a week later than in Italy and is getting worse every day. Up until now, we have more than 21.000 people infected (tested) and more than 1000 people have died by the virus. According to health experts, the situation in Spain will be worse than in Italy. Based on the data, 7.165 people who have been infected and 628 of the deaths (more than the half) are all in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Hence, one could think that the first thing to be done should be putting Madrid into quarantine, in order to stop people from entering and exiting the city, as China did in Wuhan and Italy in the region of Lombardy. No? No. To this day the capital of Spain remains open.

On the 13th of March the president of Spain Pedro Sánchez declared a state of emergency but didn’t explain what it would consist of until some days later. Moreover, this state of emergency didn’t really start until the 16th, leaving people with three days of complete lack of information and fear that lead many to storm the supermarkets, others not to take it seriously, planning their holidays to other regions and spreading the virus even further.

The same day the decree was released, the 13th, the president of Catalunya Quim Torra made an announcement in which he talked about the urgent need to put all Catalunya in quarantine and close the borders. At the same time, he was asking the central government of the Spanish state to close the airport, the harbour and the railroad, since Catalunya has no competence in that area. One day later, the president of Spain gave a press conference in which he answered to the request. In short; all the autonomous regions are placed under the control of the central government of Spain (namely, under the control of Pedro Sánchez), meaning that the presidents of the regions no longer can take decisions on the basis of their reality and needs; all the police forces are placed under the control of the central Ministry of Interior; hospitals and health workers are placed under the control of the central Ministry for Health; all transports are placed under the control of the central Ministry of Transports of Spain.

In other words, everything has been centralized. They wanted to say: “Spain is a whole, no one can divide Spain”. The president of Spain Sánchez has even said that “the State will emerge strengthened after all this”. A crisis table has been set; two policemen, one soldier, one doctor. Just one doctor and three people armed. It’s crazy.

The military on the streets; policemen everywhere fining people who leave their home “without a reason”; people can leave their home just for basic needs such as food and medicine, and have to walk on the streets individually,  with a minimum distance of one meter/a meter and a half between one another; gloves are distributed in stores and supermarkets. But at the same time, some people whose job is not essential for life but for the economy of the State are forced to go to work; hundreds of workers are closing companies thanks to their strike; hundreds of workers are fired or companies announce “mandatory unpaid leave”. Policemen and military on the streets play loudly the nation anthem of Spain. Railroads, airport and harbour are still open. Hospitals are full, doctors and nurses get infected and are forced to quarantine since they work without safety equipment. At the same time, the police take all the equipment such as the masks and deliver it to Madrid. It looks like the Spanish State believes that the cure for the virus is centralization and militarization. The virus of nationalism is spreading. The State makes its moves according to political decisions and takes as its basis its own strengthening, while it endangers the health and life of people.

Nevertheless, outside of the State, humanity and creativity are developing in this situation. In each neighbourhood, groups of mutual support have been created in order to give help to people who most need it; alternative unions are working tirelessly to protect workers’ rights; life is passing through windows, balconies and neighbours who had never seen each other before and now talk and give moral support to one other; weaknesses and dangers of the state system are becoming evident and people are losing their trust towards it. Here, our revolutionary perspectives can take place. As Rêber Apo says, in situation of chaos the opportunities of freedom flourish. Can the State solve our problems? No, it can’t. Only solidarity among neighbours, that can be considered as the seed from which communes could be created, leads the way towards the solution. Moreover, people are starting to realize what is important in life and what is not.

On the other hand, people connected/inspired by the Kurdish Freedom Movement are trying to continue their work in different ways. This situation of quarantine can be taken as an opportunity of self-training. We could take some examples that are being carried out now in Catalunya; reading books of Rêber Apo collectively, sharing opinions and thoughts online in order to deepen together; lectures given in social networks or YouTube, telematic meetings…

If capitalism does not stop, we have to continue too; but we take life and people as our basis.