On January 20th, Joseph Biden was sworn in as the new president of the United States; a man whose platform appealed to the status-quo, and whose personal record is one of jingoism and support for imperialist interventions.
For Europe, this will mean pressure to reassert Atlanticist ties, on the basis of closer collaboration between the US ruling class and the institutions of the European Union. Recall that Barack Obama had historically pursued this position, going so far as to publicly campaign against Brexit. With a Biden administration, US corporations will push for a resumption of that relationship.
It is likely the new administration will renew its political support for aggression against Russia, and intensify regime-change efforts under the rubric of ‘democracy promotion’. The Democrats have made no secret of their enthusiasm for the expansion and further militarisation of NATO, even if this threatens to provoke further conflict along the lines of what happened in Ukraine. While the Belarussian government has failed to resolve the internal contradictions which prompted unrest in summer of last year, Belarus could find itself once again the unlucky target of liberals on the warpath.
For the Middle East and North Africa, recall that the previous Obama-Biden administration had a policy to arm and fund the most reactionary obscurantist paramilitaries. Biden has already picked Antony Blinken for Secretary of Defence, a man who counts the wrecking of Libya among his past career accomplishments. For all his talk of peace, Biden has made no suggestion he would roll back the movement of the US embassy to Jerusalem.
For Latin America, the new administration set the tone in advance by pre-announcing tighter sanctions on Venezuela. Notably Carlos Veccio was present at Biden’s inauguration ceremony, as a diplomatic representative of the illegitimate Venezuelan government-in-exile.
For Asia, Biden remains happy to echo Trump’s anti-Chinese rhetoric, although in a language which is more acceptable to readers of the Wall Street Journal. He indicated no desire to resume negotiations on the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, despite an open invitation for dialogue with the DPRK.
For all peoples around the world struggling for freedom, the notion that “America is back!” can be clearly understood as a threat. In this respect, a new face in the White House does not represent a significant change in the pursuit of class power by US multinational corporations.
Finally, the YCL reaffirms its solidarity with the labour and progressive movement in the United States. Donald Trump’s attempt to dismiss the electoral process, with all its contradictions, represented a potentially dangerous situation. The defeat of this putschist tendency is therefore a welcome and positive development. Above all, our sister organisation – the Young Communist League USA – remained militant in the defence of democratic rights. To these comrades we express admiration for the progress made so far, and best of luck in the struggles to come.
- YCL USA statement – “To find Capitol perpetrators, US ruling class should look in the mirror”
- Communist Party USA statement – “Rising tide of struggle and unity”
Beware Biden, criticise imperialism!
International Commission
Young Communist League
21 January 2021
London, Britain
