Ruling fraction is pushing capitalists’ interests: Activist Shivani Kaul

Visakhapatnam: Shivani Kaul, a political activist and president of the Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union, highlighted the importance of a full understanding of fascism in determining effective anti-fascist resistance strategies.

Speaking at a public talk titled "Fascism—Republic," hosted by New Socialist Praxis (NSP), a local social outfit, on Saturday, Shivani argued that there is a tendency within the Indian Left to classify all forms of authoritarian governance as fascist, which she characterised as misleading.

She explained that fascism represents a specific manifestation of capitalistic class reaction that can ascend to power during particular economic crises, leveraging the fears and insecurities of the middle and lower-middle classes. Once in power, fascism serves the interests of big capitalist entities.

Shivani said that the ruling fraction's aspirations do not focus on establishing a Hindu Rashtra, as the RSS and BJP advocated. Instead, their primary goal is advancing the capitalist class's interests.

Consequently, she noted that the attention of the middle and lower-middle classes, who are experiencing instability due to the capitalist crisis, is systematically diverted through the lens of religious discourse.

She posited that the complete eradication of fascism cannot be accomplished solely through electoral processes. According to her, fascist ideologies are likely to persist within contemporary capitalist societies, asserting that the ultimate defeat of fascism can only be actualised with the abolition of capitalism itself.

Shivani emphasised the necessity of accurately understanding fascism through the framework of revolutionary scientific theory to formulate effective resistance strategies. She elaborated on the distinctions between 20th-century and 21st-century fascism and delineated several roles the working class should undertake in the fight against fascism.