State Terror or Capitalist Terror, Military Coup or Capitalist Coup
Democratic critics of military seizures of power commonly refer to them as military coups. They adopt a very narrow and misleading conception of what is taking place.
Likewise, human rights activists and progressive analysts who conceptualize the reign of violence which follows, a ‘coup’ as state terror fail to take account of the systemic forces
– the capitalist social order and class relations – which determine the
classes which wield state power. They ignore the specific classes and
groups which are targeted and which classes direct and benefit from terror.
– the capitalist social order and class relations – which determine the
classes which wield state power. They ignore the specific classes and
groups which are targeted and which classes direct and benefit from terror.
Concepts like ‘state terror’ and ‘military coup’ obscure as much as enlighten. Moreover, the narrow focus on the military
limits the political changes in the class structure required to avoid
the repetition of the violent overthrow of democratic governments.
limits the political changes in the class structure required to avoid
the repetition of the violent overthrow of democratic governments.
In this essay we will focus on the case of Argentina, where the Central Bank
has opened its archives to judicial investigators looking into the
relationship between the military dictatorship (1976-83) and major
capitalist enterprises.
has opened its archives to judicial investigators looking into the
relationship between the military dictatorship (1976-83) and major
capitalist enterprises.
We
will also cite the empirical research of Professor Juan Carlos “Lito”
Marin ,one of Argentina’s leading scholars on the violent overthrow of
the elected government. His specialty was on the social relations and
class context of the killing of 30,000 Argentines during the military
dictatorship.
will also cite the empirical research of Professor Juan Carlos “Lito”
Marin ,one of Argentina’s leading scholars on the violent overthrow of
the elected government. His specialty was on the social relations and
class context of the killing of 30,000 Argentines during the military
dictatorship.
We will especially draw on his statistical analysis of the victims found in his book (“Lucha de calles, lucha de clase’ – Street struggles, class struggle).
