50 Years Ago: Prophecies on the Outcome of the War (1992)

The 50 Years Ago Column from the January 1992 issue of the Socialist Standard

The facts are inescapable. What does "an Imperialist war" mean if not that the outcome determines which group of powers will possess the world's most fruitful imperial possessions? The chief concern of the British and American capitalists in the Far East is the defence of Imperial interests. The loss of strategic positions and the loss of political influence and control of key trading centres would destroy or considerably restrict the freedom to trade in the markets of the teeming millions in China, Asia and India. The chief concern of the British. American and Dutch capitalist class is to maintain and defend its existing privileges: the chief concern of the German, Italian and Japanese capitalist class is to wrest these privileges from them for themselves. Upon the outcome rests the power to derive profit and exploit the workers to the advantage of one group or to the disadvantage of the other. That is the simple position. This war is an Imperialist war.

[From Socialist Standard, January 1942.]