Lei Xiaohuan: Foreign Left-Wing Critiques of Capitalism Under the COVID-19 Pandemic
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its spread across the globe, countries worldwide began to adopt various measures for epidemic prevention and control. In the face of this global pandemic, the approaches taken by the United States and several European nations have triggered sustained reflection and criticism from the foreign Left [1] regarding the capitalist system and neoliberalism. How the foreign Left views the global pandemic and the capitalist system under its strain can, to a certain extent, reflect the ideological trends in Western society. Observing and understanding the global pandemic and its response from the perspective of the foreign Left holds enlightenment value for revealing the essence of the capitalist system and the development trends of world socialism.
I. The Capitalist Mode of Production Triggered the Spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic
In the eyes of many Western leftists, the sudden COVID-19 pandemic has been a heavy blow to the global capitalist system. In the face of this public health crisis, capitalist countries failed to formulate policies swiftly and effectively to respond to the outbreak. The fundamental reason for this outcome lies in the fact that the capitalist system is an obstacle to safeguarding the health and living conditions of the people, while the intertwining of neoliberalism and globalization further exacerbated the spread of this epidemic. The renowned American philosopher and social critic Noam Chomsky pointed out: "A massive market failure led to the emergence of the coronavirus. Generally speaking, massive market failure is at the core of capitalist logic, and over the past 40 years, the heavy blow dealt to economy and society by neoliberalism has intensified this failure." [1] Joseph Choonara, editor of International Socialism, argued: "The nature of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be understood without considering the current form of capitalism... [the Left] must expose the limitations of capitalism as a system for organizing production. Capitalism is both the generator of pandemics and lacks the capacity to adequately respond to them." [2]
1. The logic of capital determines that capitalist states prioritize the defense of profit over saving people's lives
Under the dominance of the logic of capital, the aim of capitalist production is to acquire more surplus value, rather than the comprehensive and free development of the human being. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, capitalist countries prioritized the interests of capitalists over the people's most basic rights to life and health. To some capitalists, the pandemic even represented new business opportunities; disease is profitable. Andrea Catone, editor-in-chief of the Italian journal Marx Ventuno (21st Century Marx), argued that the COVID-19 pandemic tragically revealed the limitations of the capitalist system, which puts interests ahead of people’s lives and health. [3] An article published in People’s World [2] pointed out that a profit-oriented system simply cannot serve people in times of extreme crisis and difficulty, nor can it even provide services in daily life. [4]
The profit-seeking nature of capital dictates that capitalism takes interest as its highest goal throughout its ongoing development; neoliberalism has further exacerbated inequality in capitalist society, prominently manifested in the privatization of public health undertakings and the cutting of public health resources. Chomsky argued that, generally speaking, basic scientific research in all fields is conducted in the public sphere by government-funded institutions, university research centers, and other bodies, yet capitalist states have not participated in this. Taking the United States as an example, the Trump administration canceled annual funding for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and government funding for other health-related aspects because it was unprofitable for the wealthy and the powerful; public health undertakings in capitalist countries were simultaneously neglected and monetized. [5] Capitalist states rush toward profit; by comparison, the health and survival of the people are negligible.
A joint statement initiated by the Communist Party of Greece and signed by various Communist and Workers' Parties, titled "Immediate Measures to Protect the Health and Rights of the People," pointed out that prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, health systems in all capitalist countries generally suffered from severe shortages. This was the result of anti-people policies pursued by bourgeois governments in the service of big capital, aimed at realizing the profitability of monopoly groups and the commercialization and privatization of the health sector. [6] Regarding this, Joseph Choonara pointed out: "The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangerous state of the National Health Service (NHS) after a decade of austerity and decades of privatization and marketization. The number of beds in the UK is dreadfully low, at 2.8 per thousand people. By contrast, South Korea has 11.5, Germany 8.3, and Italy 3.4." [7]
The prominent leftist website Socialist Alternative also published an article stating: "Decades of capitalist policy, aimed at maximizing profit without regard for consequences to society or workers, has led to our current state of vulnerability. Long supply chains and cuts to public hospitals left us completely unprepared to handle this crisis. What the U.S. and Europe have truly exposed is the devastating consequence of combining cuts to public health resources with privatization. Neoliberalism has greatly exacerbated social inequality, and it will now pay an even greater price. Although the novel coronavirus was the fuse for the economic crisis, it exposed the massive vulnerability of the world economy, which was already wobbling on the brink of recession, as the fundamental problems leading to the 2008–2009 crisis remained unresolved. Now, Trump and the capitalists are forced to pump hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy, including directly into the pockets of the working class. This is not out of concern for the nation’s fate, but to avoid the total collapse of the capitalist system. Their measures can only slow the crisis, not solve it." In the face of the pandemic, the state should protect the people, not profit. However, "in past decades, neoliberal policies pushed by capitalist politicians have undermined public education and public services. As Bernie Sanders pointed out, due to the lack of a universal health insurance system, the public is left unprotected in this pandemic." [8]
2. Neoliberalism exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic, and globalization objectively accelerated its spread
In recent decades, globalization has developed rapidly under the guidance of neoliberal economic policies, but a massive hidden peril lurks behind seemingly prosperous capitalism. On one hand, neoliberalism pursues total privatization, absolute liberalization, and complete marketization, which determines that neoliberalism cannot fundamentally eliminate the contradiction between the socialized nature of production and the private ownership of the means of production, and thus cannot stop capital from pursuing maximum profit. Against the background of long-term and resolute implementation of neoliberal policies, the public spheres of capitalist countries—such as medical and health systems—have been almost entirely marketized and operate completely according to market laws; medical supply, which should be a public good, has become heavily dependent on the market. Furthermore, neoliberalism has led to a widening gap between the rich and the poor in capitalist countries and the increasing scope of injustice. Therefore, when the pandemic arrived, neoliberalism immediately exposed long-hidden problems, as capital-oriented public health systems and policies were simply overwhelmed.
Analyzing the Italian healthcare system, Catone pointed out that through the struggles of workers, trade unions, the Italian Communist Party, the Italian Socialist Party, and democratic progressive forces, Italy established a National Health Service in 1978. However, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the socialist camp allowed Western capitalist and imperialist political forces to expand aggressively, leading to the progressive destruction of Italy’s National Health Service. Under these circumstances, the state of public health in Italy deteriorated year by year; hundreds of public hospitals closed, and the number of beds, doctors, nurses, and health workers in public hospitals was drastically reduced, while private healthcare was favored. This was especially true in Lombardy—Italy's wealthiest and most populous region—and its capital, Milan. These places were also the regions with the highest number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. [9]
Abel Prieto, former Minister of Culture of Cuba, argued that under the impact of the coronavirus, the inhuman nature of capitalism and the flaws of neoliberalism have been fully exposed. Capitalism and neoliberalism are leading the entire world toward genocide. Aside from the spokespersons for imperialism and far-right forces, many experts and scholars agree that the coronavirus has crually torn away the veil of so-called neoliberal prosperity, exposing its abyss of barbarism, injustice, and inequality. For example, the wealthy in the United States can pay for 24-hour medical care; even without any symptoms, they can obtain virus testing, oxygen concentrators, artificial ventilators, and so on. [10] Conversely, workers infected with the novel coronavirus must undergo testing and then pay the medical bills themselves. While the pandemic was raging, President Trump even canceled 2021 funding for the CDC and other health-related government funding, while increasing subsidies for the fossil fuel industry and military spending. [11]
On the other hand, the logic of capital promoted the generation and development of globalization. The development and transformation of various countries in economic, political, social, cultural, and military fields have become intertwined; the world has increasingly become an interconnected whole, which has objectively accelerated the spread of the pandemic in time and space. The coronavirus can spread rapidly from one place to another, utilizing the chains of human contact and globalization, with human hosts moving from one part of the planet to another in days or even hours. Professor Prabhat Patnaik, an expert at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, argued that contemporary globalization has developed under the shackles of capitalism. On one hand, capitalism promotes the global flow of capital, commodities, and finance, but this pandemic has made people soberly realize that globalization is not limited to these aspects; globalization also means the rapid global flow of viruses, thus leading to a global pandemic. In short, capitalism has reached a stage where its specific institutional structures cannot solve the problems it has created for itself. [12] Although globalization has objectively accelerated the spread of the pandemic, the crux of the problem lies not in globalization itself, but in the economic and political system of global capitalism. It is not difficult to see that whether it is an economic crisis, a climate crisis, or a public health crisis, these disasters are rooted in the capitalist logic of competition and the pursuit of maximum profit.
II. Capitalism Cannot Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Series of Crises it Produced
1. In the struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, the capitalist system has exposed its anti-social and parasitic nature
Many leftists abroad, comparing the COVID-19 pandemic with the 2003 SARS outbreak, have pointed out that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had a more direct and profound impact on people's daily lives. As the pandemic escalated, Western countries successively declared states of emergency. Public gatherings were canceled, production and air transport were forced to a halt, and one-third of the world's population was under quarantine. These events are unprecedented in human history. With the outbreak of the pandemic, unemployment rates in Western countries have continued to climb. According to survey data released by the U.S. Department of Labor, the number of unemployed persons in the U.S. increased to 7.1 million in March, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%. [13] Some Western economists predicted that the U.S. unemployment rate would reach levels seen during the Great Depression or even higher. They believed that the unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2020 would reach 32%, exceeding the 25% seen during the Great Depression. [14] According to a forecast by the World Trade Organization on April 8, the decline in world merchandise trade volume in 2020 could exceed the trade slump caused by the 2008 global financial crisis, with a drop ranging from 13% to 32%. [15] Clearly, both the short-term and long-term impacts of this crisis are more severe than the 2003 SARS outbreak. In the process of Western countries responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the anti-social and parasitic nature of the capitalist system has been fully exposed.
Tommy McKearney argued that, on a global scale...
The COVID-19 crisis not only threatens human health but also poses a fundamental challenge to free-market capitalism and its political systems. The social systems provided by free-market capitalism have proven themselves powerless to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a massive systemic failure that cannot be easily covered up. [18] Radhika Desai, a professor at the University of Manitoba in Canada, holds the same view. In her eyes, regardless of the origin of the coronavirus, its transmission routes, or its dangers, it will test Western capitalism and its adjustment mechanisms, and likely expose its weaknesses. The neoliberal path chosen by Western capitalism since the 1970s has produced many crises and problems; capitalist states eroded by neoliberalism are unable to respond to the current crisis. The slow response of Western countries to the COVID-19 pandemic is the most obvious evidence of this powerlessness. Capitalist countries spent months criticizing China’s epidemic prevention measures, while their own response measures were far less effective than China's. [19]
2. The stark contrast between China’s success in fighting the epidemic and the ineffective response of capitalist countries
The continuous spread of the epidemic has plunged the entire world into the struggle against COVID-19, with countries carrying out epidemic prevention, control, and governance according to their own conditions. Relying on the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the advantages of the socialist system, China was the first to achieve success in fighting the epidemic. However, judging from the performance of European and American capitalist countries in responding to the epidemic, the capitalist system is unable to respond effectively to the crisis and even fell into a governance crisis at one point. Radhika Desai pointed out: "China initially formulated a national strategy, encouraging widespread temperature checks, mask-wearing, and frequent hand washing. As the epidemic developed and knowledge of the coronavirus deepened, China relied on scientific risk analysis methods to improve its measures. Consequently, China formulated specific methods to adapt to the conditions of various provinces, counties, and even communities, as well as the nature of the local spread of the coronavirus." [20]
However, faced with China’s effective epidemic prevention measures, some Western countries displayed disregard or even slander. "Most Western governments and media are unwilling to learn from China’s efficiency, or even talk about any progress China has made in effective treatment, let alone discuss or adopt any solutions that might come from China." [21] Regarding this attitude of Western countries, Desai believes that China's success in fighting the epidemic precisely proves the effectiveness and correctness of these measures, forming a sharp contrast with the anti-epidemic efforts of Western countries. "Taking the United States and the United Kingdom as examples, neoliberalism has weakened the response capacity of capitalist states, destroyed key institutions, and caused them to lose their best personnel. In both cases, politicians have lost all credibility, and the political system has become chaotic. A system so exhausted cannot cultivate the political will and public capacity to deal with the current crisis." [22]
3. The economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 epidemic is both a cyclical recession of capitalism and a reflection of a long-term structural crisis
Compared with the 2008 financial crisis, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the world economy is more violent and far-reaching. By the end of March 2020, the U.S. stock market had already triggered four "circuit breakers," and the European Union, Japan, and emerging economies were also affected to varying degrees. In the view of the foreign Left, the economic recession triggered by the COVID-19 epidemic is essentially a crisis of the capitalist system. Professor Prabhat Patnaik believes that this pandemic is only an individual case, and other crises caused by the COVID-19 epidemic also need attention. First is the global economic crisis that the capitalist system cannot solve. This requires, at the very least, several countries to jointly adopt taxation measures and coordinate and stimulate demand at the global level. The fact that the United States, as the major capitalist country, only considers protecting its own economy to overcome the crisis clearly shows that people still have a long way to go to reach such global coordination. Second is climate change. Capitalism has created another crisis that it cannot solve within the prescribed limits. Third is the refugee crisis, namely the global movement of people destroyed by capitalism in war and peace. [19] In Patnaik's view, these crises do not exist in isolation but are closely linked to each other. The long-term structural crisis of the capitalist system fully indicates that the capitalist system has reached its end.
III. The COVID-19 epidemic crisis shows the urgent need for socialism in Western countries
Catone believes that the coronavirus may be able to trigger public criticism of capitalism and a yearning for socialism. The COVID-19 pandemic is a turning point in world history; people's lifestyles have undergone temporary but fundamental changes, which in turn may lead to profound and rapid changes in public consciousness. [24] In the eyes of the famous American Leftist scholar Judith Butler, the outbreak and prevalence of the COVID-19 epidemic in Western society "reinvigorated a socialist imagination," and people still have a "collective longing for radical equality." [25]
On the one hand, socialist countries represented by China have successfully responded to the COVID-19 epidemic, demonstrating the superiority of the socialist system; on the other hand, the COVID-19 epidemic has caused multiple crises, exposing many flaws of the capitalist system. Regarding major issues involving human health and the living environment, the countries dominated by the two systems have formed a sharp contrast in governance capacity, governance modes, and governance measures. Many foreign Leftists generally conclude from the coronavirus crisis that the epidemic may become the fuse for social transformation in the West. Considering human health, the future of society, and the global climate, the capitalist system must be radically changed. Currently, Western society is on the cusp of a moment of great change that may permanently change the world and accelerate the demise of the global capitalist system. The post-pandemic world situation is a "huge challenge" for "all anti-capitalist forces on earth," "a unique and unexpected opportunity that must not be missed. We must raise our consciousness, organize, and fight to the end." [26]
1. Socialist countries represented by China have successfully responded to the COVID-19 epidemic
"China's powerful public health measures against this novel coronavirus may be the most ambitious, flexible, and active disease control effort in history." "China's success depends to a large extent on a strong administrative system... coupled with the willingness of the Chinese people to comply with strict public health procedures." [27] In Whitney's view, this worldwide epidemic has once again proved: "When a country can plan ahead, clearly use national resources for the public good, use science to serve the people, and practice international solidarity, people will do better. These are the characteristics of a socialist society." [28] China's ability to build two new hospitals in ten days, quickly organize production, regulate the sales prices of medical supplies, provide free universal medical care, and mobilize national medical workers on a large scale has shown the world the political and economic face of Chinese socialism. [29]
The World Health Organization (WHO) praised the Chinese government's rapid response to the crisis. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that China is taking "very strong measures... and making a full commitment, the scale of which is now expanding in a massive way, showing the ability of socialist countries to mobilize resources quickly and effectively in public health services." [30] Catone believes that socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Communist Party of China have demonstrated a strong ability to control and quarantine the epidemic. China's ability to successfully handle the epidemic is also due to the fully active, disciplined, and conscious compliance of 1.4 billion Chinese people with the Chinese government's instructions. To curb the spread of the epidemic, the Chinese people endured huge personal, social, and economic sacrifices. Without this very strong bond of thought and heart, reason and passion, between the leaders and the people, and between the Communist Party of China and the masses [N1], it would have been impossible to contain the virus. [31]
The WHO's praise for China is, in effect, an affirmation of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the effectiveness of its national governance. "China's ability to respond to the public health crisis proves that although socialism with Chinese characteristics possesses a mixed market economy, the Communist Party of China controls key industries, unlike capitalist countries such as the United States which remain independent of the interests of privatized capital. China's ability to respond to this massive public health crisis is a testament to the reality of socialism with Chinese characteristics: the Party is responsible to the people, not to private capital interests." [32]
2. Capitalist countries are in an era of crisis, and multiple crises are nurturing socialism
This COVID-19 epidemic has reminded many foreign Leftists of the Great Depression of the 1930s. After the shock of World War II, the ruling classes of capitalist countries had to make major concessions to contain the rise of communism, the direct result of which was the establishment of social security systems in Belgium and many other European countries. Therefore, in the eyes of some foreign Leftists, in the past, people could win many benefits through continuous struggle, including social security and unemployment insurance. Today's COVID-19 crisis will equally and inevitably bring about far-reaching reforms; "the viral crisis may become the driving force for constructive upheaval in American capitalist society." [33] Currently, capitalist countries face not only a health crisis; "it is also an economic crisis. Furthermore, it is a political, social, and environmental crisis. These crises are interlocking, interrelated, and interact in unpredictable ways." [34]
Some foreign Leftist scholars point out that this crisis has already highlighted the advantages of the socialist system. The COVID-19 epidemic has profoundly revealed the serious inequalities of the capitalist system, revealing how privatization, austerity, spending cuts, and profiteering have seriously affected the working class. Socialism appears precisely in the areas where capitalism begins to fail. [35] In fact, the capitalist world system may be entering a new period, namely a period of profound climate, health, and economic disasters. Prabhat Patnaik believes that in times of crisis, everyone may become a socialist, and the free market is temporarily put on the back burner. In the context of the raging COVID-19 epidemic, healthcare and the production of certain basic goods in capitalist countries have gradually become socialized, explicitly deviating from capitalist standards; the more severe the crisis, the higher the degree of socialization. For example, Spain, as the second most affected European country after Italy, has nationalized all its private hospitals to cope with this crisis, with all private hospitals under state control. Even Trump ordered private companies to produce emergency items needed for the pandemic. At present, the United States and some European countries have also had to temporarily change their political strategies. [36]
3. Socialism is the way out of the crisis
By reflecting on the COVID-19 epidemic, many foreign Leftist scholars have stated that "to eliminate class divisions, racism, imperialist conflicts, and catastrophic climate change in the world, the need to break the entire logic of capitalism is becoming increasingly obvious." [37] Joe Cottenier pointed out: "In the future, humanity will suffer from crises more frequently. To enable humanity to withstand these challenges, the capitalist system is completely incapable of responding. On the contrary, we must move toward a socialist system." He also emphasized: "Socialism must be put back on the agenda, just as Bernie Sanders has done in the United States, the main capitalist country, especially among young people. What young people deserve is not just a future full of known disasters, but also a systemic change that can avoid the aforementioned disasters. This different system is Socialism Version 2.0." [38] This envisioned socialism "must prioritize collective investment, collective ownership, and collective passion. ... This is not just to eliminate poverty..."
...and it is done to satisfy social needs and respond to economic crises and ecological challenges. Our goal is to establish a society that is no longer centered on profit and competition, but rather on planning and collective ownership (particulary in the energy sector and banking) as the guarantee for social progress and sustainability." [40] Canadian leftist scholar Sam Gindin believes that an important prerequisite for achieving social change at present is for socialists to be fully prepared. In his view, socialists must, in the spirit of internationalism, fundamentally reconsider the political agenda and shift from global competition toward a country’s internal development. He posits three reasons for focusing on domestic development: first, any organization is ultimately local or national; second, any policy must be implemented through the state, especially if the power of mobile capital is to be restricted; and third, it cultivates a specific maximized democracy for managing all aspects of people’s lives. [41]
IV. How the realization of socialism is possible under the pandemic
Although many foreign leftist scholars believe the moment for a revolutionary transformation is rapidly approaching, they also point out that there can be no revolutionary practice without a revolutionary situation. Not every revolutionary situation produces a revolution. While the objective conditions for revolution are certainly important, subjective conditions—revolutionary consciousness—must exist for a revolution to occur. These subjective conditions depend on the actions of the vanguard. They agree that only by formulating a people’s plan and a people’s initiative can we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic collapse. Leftist historian Albert Bender argues: "We need working-class methods to handle this political, health, and economic crisis. This crisis should not be wasted. When the upheaval ends, this country should not go back to pre-pandemic days. We cannot go back to capitalist 'normalcy'." [42] Clearly, in his view, the force for revolution must be sought within the working class.
For a long time, the survival space of low-income families in Western societies has been increasingly squeezed, with work and life remaining in a state of poverty; the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated their working and living conditions. "Many impoverished people living in dire straits [4]—with overdue bills, cramped and precarious housing, poor health, and piecemeal employment—living day-to-day, found their lives intolerably worsened by this crisis. The poor suffer more." [43] Chomsky noted that "the unemployment caused by COVID-19 has exposed the hidden class struggle." [44] The pandemic triggered unemployment in major Western countries, which in turn sparked radical protests and strikes among the broad masses of workers; a surge in labor movements and strikes appeared in the United States. Jo Cottenier, a member of the Political Bureau of the Workers' Party of Belgium, pointed out that in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, a "shock from the left" is necessary. Extreme crisis situations open up prospects for fundamental changes in capitalist societies. During the Second World War, when the United States and Britain urgently needed to rationalize military production, all state forces were mobilized. Strictly speaking, capitalist nations adopted Soviet methods to plan production under state control, and key industries eventually fell into the hands of the government. Capitalists’ wealth was utilized for public investment, the entire banking industry began to operate under government orders, and the government even owned portions of the banking sector. Currently, capitalist countries are facing a similar moment. [45]
Despite the possibility of social change, many foreign leftist scholars still maintain that unless social and political forces participate, capitalism will not collapse and socialism will not be realized immediately. The fact that capitalism survived the Spanish Flu and the Great Depression indicates it possesses extraordinary resilience, enabling it to weather crises and even display greater resilience at their conclusion. At present, social and political forces are not strong enough in either the United States or Europe; therefore, the argument that the capitalist system is on the verge of collapse appears unrealistic.
Taken as a whole, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted foreign leftists to launch an unprecedented holistic examination and critique of the capitalist system and the path of capitalist modernization. In their view, the emergence of the coronavirus emphasizes the interconnectedness between capitalism and the ecological problems, epidemics, and economic vulnerabilities it creates. Foreign leftists have returned to Marx’s original political-economic critique of the specific characteristics of capitalism, using the logic of capital as an entry point to reveal the essence of capitalism under the pandemic. This helps us to re-recognize capitalism under new historical conditions and rediscover the importance of class forces and class struggle for the world socialist movement.
Fourth, the pandemic has fueled the counter-trend of "de-globalization," which may lead to the disintegration of the imperialist world system. Radhika Desai points out that capitalism and the pandemic have triggered a "moment of reckoning"; after forty years of neoliberal globalization, the COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the crisis of the Western world. Under the impact of the pandemic, the world is moving toward a post-globalization era [5]. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the world economy has been in a state of stagnation, and the pandemic will cause "the greatest economic contraction in history," perhaps even exceeding the Great Depression of the 1930s. At the same time, the unilateralist actions taken by the Trump administration during the pandemic have accelerated the decline of U.S. hegemony.
Fifth, international left-wing scholars believe that the pandemic has fully demonstrated the institutional advantages of socialism. Some scholars have compared the anti-pandemic models of different countries and found that socialist countries like China, Vietnam, and Cuba have performed exceptionally well, proving that only socialism can put "people first" [6]. Many scholars have praised China's institutional advantages. They believe that China's success in controlling the epidemic stems from its socialist system, particularly its ability to mobilize the entire nation's resources, the centralized leadership of the Communist Party, and the strong execution capabilities of the state. This contrasts sharply with the "fragmented" and "market-oriented" responses of Western capitalist countries.
Sixth, the pandemic has stimulated the left's imagination and exploration of a post-capitalist society. Many scholars believe that the pandemic has exposed the inherent contradictions of capitalism in a "concentrated" manner, making people realize that an alternative to capitalism is not only necessary but possible. Left-wing forces should seize this historical opportunity to strengthen the struggle for the "Right to Health" and "Right to Life," promoting the expansion of public services and the realization of social justice. Some scholars have even proposed that the pandemic could become the "midwife" [7] of a new society, urging the left to unite and transform the crisis into a revolutionary opportunity to advance the cause of world socialism.
In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic has become a "mirror" that profoundly reflects the malaise of the contemporary capitalist system. International left-wing discourse not only provides a powerful critique of capitalism's failure in the face of the public health crisis but also reaffirms the historical necessity and contemporary relevance of the socialist path. For Chinese scholars of Marxism, these international perspectives provide valuable reference points for understanding the profound changes in the global landscape and for better telling the story of "Chinese-path modernization" and the institutional superiority of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.
(The author’s affiliation: Institute of Marxism Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences) Online Editor: Zhang Jian Source: World Socialism Studies, Issue 7, 2020