Web Letters: The Revolution Has Already Occurred

This series is interesting. It seems that socialism, or at least the revolution, has been thrust upon the socialists, who are entirely unprepared. Capitalism collapses and suddenly puts socialism on the agenda. Very upfront.

What is more, at least here in Iceland there has been a popular revolt--against the government, against the police, against the media, and the whole establishment--leading to the fall of the neoliberal government and a total shift in ideological hegemony. This revolt occurred against all odds, without the benefit of big organized socialist or communist parties and without the active support of organized labor, but with a very active anarchist/communist element and because of a total ideological and political collapse of the neoliberal establishment--which was really all there was. There was nothing else. So when this entity failed, people had to invent something instead. There was a moment when the anarchists seemed really to have most of the population behind them. And the government fell.

But now the population has turned to the more traditional left in a big way. Socialist parties, who now have about 60 percent following, having usually had only about a third of the votes, are in the government and elections are coming up. The anarchists are weeping, they want total anarchy, not any leftist government.

This is, I think, much more closely related to the Sandinista revolution in 1979 than to any Zapatista movement, or small and partial revolutions here and there. We could experience a resurgence of revolution, the total failure of the capitalist hegemony, which is a bit scary when there is no one on the left to take advantage of the situation. But I am optimistic: People will find a way.

Árni Daníel Júlíusson

Reykjavík, Iceland