The NATO-led, imperialist-imposed ongoing Russian war on Ukraine is not only creating a daily human catastrophe but also reshaping the present and future of Western Europe through American shock therapy. This unjust war has led to deaths, destitutions, significant civilian sufferings, with countless lives disrupted, communities devastated, and families ruined. This completely avoidable war is pushing the entire European continent into a state of nuclear war and turmoil. The everyday escalation has resulted in widespread instability, economic hardship, political unrest, and human tragedy. The ripple effects of this war are being felt in countries far removed from the front lines, exacerbating existing tensions and creating new challenges for safety and security of European people and their livelihoods.
Who cares about human lives and families when war is a profitable business? The grim reality is that the war economy benefits a select few, with European and America defence contractors, arms manufacturers, and other industries profiting immensely from this war. This profit-driven aspect of war often overshadows the human cost, with policymakers and corporations prioritising financial gains over the well-being of individuals and families caught in the crossfires and wars in the name of national sovereignty, for which the most courageous, idealist young and working-class people sacrifice with their lives.
The war in Ukraine is more than just a profitable war; it aims to fundamentally transform the nature of the welfare state, society, and social democracy in Western Europe. Despite the capitalist framework, Western Europe remains a relatively prosperous society that offers health care, education, unemployment, housing and childcare benefits, old age care, and other welfare benefits to its population, extending beyond the profit-driven logic of the market. This war led strategic transformation is not merely about economic gain but about reshaping the very fabric of society.
Western European countries have long been characterised by their robust welfare systems, which provide a safety net for all citizens and ensure a higher quality of life. These systems are designed to mitigate the harsher aspects of capitalism, ensuring that even the most vulnerable members of society are cared for. The Russian war in Ukraine disrupts this balance. The redirection of resources towards military efforts and defence spending leads to austerity measures, which weakens these social safety nets. Additionally, the influx of refugees and the broader geopolitical instability strains public services and social cohesion. So, the implications of the war in Ukraine extend far beyond its borders, potentially impacting the welfare states and social democracies of Western Europe. It is a pivotal moment that may redefine the relationship between the state, the market, and the individual in Europe.
The welfare states and policies in Western Europe present significant challenges for American health, pharmaceutical, and insurance corporations seeking to expand their profitable businesses in the region. These robust welfare systems provide comprehensive health care, education, and social security benefits, reducing the market potential for private American companies in these sectors. The extensive public provision of services means there is less demand for the private, profit-driven health and educational alternatives that dominate the American market.
Similarly, the availability of relatively cheaper Russian oil and natural gas has been instrumental in maintaining the high quality of life in Western Europe. This affordability in energy costs is a key factor in sustaining the economic stability and prosperity of the region. Such a situation create problem for American oil and gas companies, as it limits their ability to penetrate and profit from European markets. The reliance on Russian energy sources reduces the demand for more expensive American alternatives. The geopolitical and economic dynamics surrounding the war in Ukraine could potentially alter these circumstances.
As Western Europe has reduced its dependence on Russian energy, American oil and gas companies find new opportunities to enter the market and profiting hugely. However, this shift led to rising cost of living due to the cost of higher energy prices and economic strain for European consumers and industries, potentially impacting the overall quality of life. In this way, the Russian war in Ukraine has transformed the welfare policies and energy dependencies in Western Europe and removed significant barriers for American corporations to expand their market presence in the region with the help of war shock.
American imperialism has effectively employed its doctrine of shock therapy across various regions including post-communist eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and even within its own borders over its own people, all in the pursuit of corporate profit. Yankee imperialism led by USA, supported by its European allies, continues to fund the Ukrainian war, driven by strategic corporate objectives of making super profits at the cost of their people. Meanwhile, the Russian government persists in its aggressive actions, prolonging a senseless war that brings suffering to countless people.
For American imperialism, wars and conflicts serve as long terms tools of shock therapy, rapidly and drastically transforming societies, states, and governments in defence of its corporate interests. This prioritisation of war-inflicted crisis management over addressing the welfare needs of the people is evident, particularly in Europe today. The ongoing imperialist war in Ukraine, coupled with tensions with Russia, serves as an American shock therapy intended to reshape the nature of welfare states, governments, and social democracies in Western Europe. The underlying aim is to advance corporate interests and consolidate power, even at the expense of human lives and stability in the region.
The challenge facing the European people is clear: to unequivocally oppose warfare both within and beyond Europe’s borders, and to dismantle the imperialist and military apparatus known as NATO to cultivate enduring peace and stability in the region. The pursuit of a world free from conflict cannot entertain the racist notions of European and American exceptionalism and supremacy. The struggle against war, capitalism, and imperialism is a shared endeavour, transcending borders, and ideologies. Peace and prosperity are not mere aspirations but essential and inherent rights for all humanity, irrespective of nationality or creed. This vision of peace is universal and indivisible, requiring collective action and solidarity to confront the forces that perpetuate the shock therapy of war, violence, and injustice.
Bhabani Shankar Nayak, University of Glasgow, UK
