July, 2023. The final obstacle to a Swedish NATO-membership has been set aside and the process can now be lead to its conclusion. The world’s strongest imperialist alliance will thus gain another member and our country has made itself into a distinct target.
The initiation of the membership process was no bolt from the blue. The Swedish bourgeoisie has a long tradition of cooperation with Euro-Atlantic imperialism, and there is no question of ”neutrality” in the real sense.The close collaboration with American and British military and intelligence operations refutes all such illusions.Therefore, we have never demanded a return to an illusory neutrality, as this would hide the reality of the matter from the people.What has happened in recent years is the formalization of this cooperation, bringing to the surface what had been concealed.
The Swedish opposition to NATO has been characterized by mistakes; above all, the question of capitalism and imperialism has not been raised, except by the communists. Well-meaning activists have tried to insult Erdogan and have said that they refuse an alliance with a fascist, as if that is why one must fight against NATO; as if membership would have been acceptable if Erdogan had not won the elections in Turkey. Our opposition is grounded in principleand we fight against NATO not because a fascist is a member of the organization, but because it is the military front of Euro-Atlantic imperialism, and its purpose is to implement the will of Euro-Atlantic capital. This purposenecessarily stands in opposition to the interests of the peoples.
The future we see before us will be characterized by even greater contradictions. The imperialist war that was initiated in Ukraine is rooted in the contradictions between the major imperialist blocs; it is a constant struggle for raw materials, transportations routes, markets and geopolitical advantages. These contradictions will not diminish, but are instead intensifying, as in accordance with a natural law of capitalism, and will in the future lead to even greater clashes. Every market matters, every commodity is important in the struggle for profits. Therefore, opposition to NATO must also be anti-capitalist and cannot allude to abstract slogans of peace and neutrality. Peace is an illusion under capitalism and becomes a possibility only with socialism.
With the last obstacle to formal membership removed, Sweden has fallen in line. Little yet hungry Sweden, with great interests abroad but lacking the means to defend them in times of crisis, is eager to join the fight against its competitors. This is a struggle in which young men and women are sent to their deaths, sacrificing their lives for the sake of Swedish capital’s profits. We refuse to accept this and continue our struggle against NATO and against capitalism. We reiterate, as loudly as we can, that we are, as always, faced with a fateful choice: socialism or barbarism!
Communist Party of Sweden
Communist Youth of Sweden
