South Asian Socialism: Crucible of Crisis

In his May Day 2025 address, the speaker analyzes the deepening political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka and its broader regional implications. He asserts that the Rajapakse regime's ouster in 2022 did not resolve the fundamental issues plaguing the country, namely the economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the government's austerity measures dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The speaker highlights the continued suppression of democratic rights, the exploitation of the working class, and the rise of Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism under the current Wickremesinghe government. He emphasizes that all bourgeois parties in Sri Lanka are complicit in implementing the IMF's agenda, leading to increased poverty and social unrest. He criticizes the trade unions for collaborating with the government and suppressing workers' struggles. The speaker argues that a genuine socialist perspective is needed to unite the working class across ethnic and religious lines, and to challenge the capitalist system responsible for the crisis. Furthermore, the address connects the situation in Sri Lanka to the broader geopolitical context in South Asia, pointing to the escalating tensions between India, Pakistan, and China, as well as the growing influence of US imperialism in the region. He sees the events in Sri Lanka as part of a global crisis of capitalism, necessitating a socialist revolution to address the root causes of inequality, war, and oppression. The speech concludes with a call for the building of a socialist movement to overthrow the capitalist system. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/05/12/bjzy-m12.html