In the first quarter of the 21st century, the capitalist world system has entered a multi-layered process of collapse characterized not only by an economic crisis but also by the unraveling of the social fabric. This collapse involves the transformation of the relations of production, the contraction of the class structure, the historically unprecedented levels of social inequality, the authoritarianization of political regimes and the restructuring of the ideological apparatus by monopoly capital. Therefore, to understand the Third World War, it is necessary to look not only at geopolitical dynamics, but also at how capitalism transformed the social structure.
Küresel Eşitsizliğin Tarihsel Derinleşmesi: %20’nin %80’i Alması
Bugün dünya gelirinin %80’i, dünya nüfusunun %20’si tarafından paylaşılmaktadır. Bu %20’nin içinde ise yalnızca %7’lik bir kesim, Küresel sermayenin yerel işbirlikçi sınıflardan oluşmaktadır. Bu tablo, kapitalizmin tarihsel eğiliminin en keskin biçimde doğrulandığı noktadır, Sermaye birikimi hızlandıkça, sınıfsal yapı daralır, daraldıkça, Tekelci sermaye toplumsal üstyapıyı kendi çıkarlarına göre yeniden şekillendirir. Bu eşitsizlik, yalnızca ekonomik bir sorun değildir, aynı zamanda siyasal, kültürel ve ideolojik bir sorundur. Çünkü gelir dağılımındaki uçurum, siyasal iktidarın tekelci sermaye tarafından ele geçirilmesine yol açar. Bu nedenle bugün devletler, halkların değil, sermayenin çıkarlarını temsil eden araçlara dönüşmüştür.
The Collapse of the Middle Class: The Erosion of the Social Basis of Capitalism
The middle class, historically one of the most important stabilizers of capitalism, is rapidly collapsing in the 21st century. The main reasons for the collapse of the middle class are the following;
1. Falling wages in real terms
2. Increased borrowing
3. Digitalization and automation
4. The spread of precarious forms of work
5. Financialization sucking up social resources.
The collapse of the middle class weakened the social legitimacy of capitalism and led to the authoritarianization of political regimes. Because the absence of the middle class means the absence of social stability.
The Fragmentation of the Working Class: New Forms of Proletarianization
The digitalization of capitalism has radically changed the structure of the working class. The traditional industrial proletariat has shrunk and in its place a new proletariat has emerged that is precarious, flexible, fragmented and unorganized. This new proletariat can be categorized into three main groups:
1. Platform Proletariat
Workers on platforms such as Uber, Glovo, Deliveroo, Airbnb
Labor managed by algorithms
Precarious, uninsured, unorganized work
2. Digital Proletariat
Data workers
Content moderators
Artificial intelligence training workers
Low-wage digital labor
3. Debt Proletariat
Student loans
Consumer loans
Credit card debts
Housing loans. These new forms of proletarianization have reduced the visibility of the working class but deepened exploitation.
Transformation of the Social Superstructure: Media, Culture and Education Monopolies
Monopoly capital controls not only the economic sphere but also the social superstructure. This control is concentrated in three main areas.
1. Media Monopolies; Control of news flow, Perception management, Legitimization of wars, Unconsciousness of peoples
2. Mechanisms of Cultural Production; Hollywood, Netflix, digital platforms, cultural hegemony, dissemination of consumption ideology
3. Educational Institutions; Reproduction of capitalist ideology, Suppression of critical thinking, Commodification of knowledge.
This is why ideological hegemony is one of the most powerful weapons of capitalism today.
Social Dissolution: Alienation, Identity Politics and the Disintegration of Class Consciousness
Capitalism's unraveling of the social fabric takes place through three fundamental processes:
1. Alienation.
People become alienated from their labor, their society and themselves.
2. Identity Politics
Class contradictions are rendered invisible, replaced by ethnic, sectarian, cultural and sexual identities.
3. Disintegration of Class Consciousness.
The working class becomes unable to see its common interests and fragmented structures are formed. This process strengthens the social control of monopoly capital.
The Link between Social Inequality and Wars
As social inequality deepens, monopoly capital turns to wars to resolve its internal contradictions. Because war:
1. Ensures the reaccumulation of capital
2. Suppresses social opposition
3. Distracts peoples
4. Creates new markets
5. It makes it possible to control power lines.
The Third World War is therefore a military form of social inequality.
Social Collapse and the Rise of Revolutionary Potential
As social inequality deepens, the legitimacy of capitalism weakens. This weakening leads to a rise in revolutionary potential. Because the more the peoples see their living conditions deteriorating, the more clearly they realize that the system must change. Social inequality is therefore not only the crisis of capitalism, but also the historical ground for revolutionary struggle.