Fred Goldstein’s analysis of capitalism, imperialism, and China resonates today

Fred Goldstein, a prominent Marxist thinker, revolutionary socialist, and author who contributed significantly to the international communist movement, died a year ago on April 11, 2023. His enduring legacy lies in his significant contributions to the international communist movement, notably his unwavering defense of socialist China.

As the Palestinian people in Gaza face the brutality of the U.S.-armed Zionist entity, Palestinian liberation leader Leila Khaled recently emphasized the imperialist forces’ preparations to attack China. “We know that they speak about terrorism, but they are the heroes of terrorism. The imperialist force everywhere in the world, in Iraq, in Syria, in different countries. Now they are preparing to attack China,” Khaled said

In his work “The New Cold War Against China,” Goldstein wrote:

“The conflict between imperialist capitalism, headed by Washington, Wall Street and the Pentagon, and the Chinese socialist economic system, with state-owned industry at its core and planned economic guidance, is becoming much sharper, and imperialism is growing more openly hostile.”

Goldstein’s steadfast belief in the importance of revolutionary Marxism shines through in his document, “Reviving Marx and Lenin.” He argued that understanding the struggle for socialism, including the achievements and challenges faced by the USSR, is crucial for contemporary struggles. This document serves as essential reading for revolutionary socialists, particularly in the United States, given the U.S. role as the primary instigator of war and oppression as the bulwark of world capitalism.

Goldstein authored two influential books, “Low-Wage Capitalism: Colossus with Feet of Clay” (2008) and “Capitalism at a Dead End: Job destruction, overproduction, and crisis in the high-tech era” (2012), which analyzed the impact of technology on the global working class and the restructuring of capitalism in the post-Soviet era.

To explore Goldstein’s extensive work, visit the Marxists Internet Archive.