Corona and capitalism A lot is being written on the economic effects of the corona virus and how it affects different branches of the economy. Governments in all affected countries has put billions upon billions to the disposal of capital, while they at the same time have carried out numerous measures that push back the conditions and wages of the working class. To the extent that the conditions are not directly rolled back, the individual companies shift the weight of the crisis onto the back of the collective capitalist: the state. The state pays the wages, compensates for defaulted incomes and carries out an active policy to further concentrate capital and knock out smaller companies. All this is portrayed as an effect of and reaction on the corona virus. The spread of the virus gives capital both the opportunity and possibility to hide the crisis of overproduction that was visible already before the virus. Every catastrophe also offers capital possibilities and the measures now carried out are not primarily carried out as a response to the effects of the corona virus, but to push back the crisis of overproduction. The capitalist crisis of overproduction is a crisis generated by the fact that production no longer corresponds to the ability of people to consume and the ability of markets to absorb all commodities produced – production has outrun the purchasing power. The crisis is cyclical, returns regularly, and is proceeded by an economic boom, only to be relieved by a downward phase. The beginning of the downward phase was possible to see already before the spread of the corona virus. Signs that point in this direction is the fact that flexible workers in manufacturing, the buffer of capital, was being phased out. When the corona virus spread, capitalism was already on its way into the next crisis of overproduction and the measures now carried out had either been planned before, as an answer to the expected crisis, or they have the character of opportunism – capital seizes the opportunity to rationalize. What we now see happening on the labor and financial markets is what always happens during a capitalist crisis: measures are carried out that lowers the wages, make the conditions of the workers’ more insecure and secures the profits of the companies. Simultaneously, the natural tendencies towards concentration and centralization of capital that exist under capitalism are enhanced. The smaller and less profitable companies are bankrupted and the monopolies grow even more. The capitalist crisis is an incredible opportunity for big capital and in short, it means a bloodletting of capitalism. Before the crisis, Swedish capital had prepared relatively well, even though not everything was in order and it had not counted on the corona virus. The right to strike was in practice abolished last year, negotiations between unions and capitalists are ongoing as to a severe reduction in employment security, rents have been raised and a number of other measures either have been carried out or are being planned. After the corona virus, the pace has been increased and the state has put hundreds of billions of crowns to the disposal of the companies, and it is carrying out a policy to benefit the large companies at the expense of the smaller ones: by offering practically interestfree loans to the banks but demand high rent from the smaller companies when they postpone their social security payments the state is contributing to increasing the concentration of capital. It is important to highlight that these measures had been carried out also without the corona virus and that these are not unusual measures to strengthen capital in competition with the capital of other countries. The crisis, regardless of whether it has been sped up by the corona virus or not, clearly shows the world such as it is. It shatters illusion after illusion and it becomes all the more difficult to hide the class contradictions. The propaganda that we sit in the same boat and that we can solve the crisis together is becoming increasingly hollow. Without hesitation, companies socializes their losses and let the whole of society compensate them, while the profits they have made remain private. Openly, the companies sacrifice the workers to strengthen its own competitiveness and profit while the state openly appear as the defender of monopoly capitalism, against both the working population and the petit bourgeoisie, which have been affected by the crisis, just as the working class has. The working class and the other exploited strata in society, such as those in the service sector and the petit bourgeoisie, have a common interest in a fight against capitalism, because, in the end, it crushes them all – the need for social alliances between the working class and the other exploited strata is the only way forward. Hand in hand with the attacks against the economic situation of the working people come the attacks against their political situation. In country after country, measures directed towards the possibility of political expression have either been carried out or prepared. In the trail of the corona virus, strikes and demonstrations are forbidden; the police and the military are awarded even more far-reaching capacities and are armed even heavier. Bolivia offer perhaps the most glaring example: to secure the coup-regime of the country, a complete lockdown is enforced, hindering all protests. The political tendency under monopoly capitalism is always in the direction of political reaction and the current situation offer great possibilities to capitalism to carry out reactionary political measures that they can hide behind the need to fight the spread of the virus. In addition to revealing the nature of both capital and state, the capitalist crisis of overproduction also punctures the myth that the nation-states are disappearing. The billions that in country after country have been made available for the strengthening of the companies show this. All the measures carried out in country after country are directed towards the working class and the petit bourgeoisie in favor of the monopolies show the continued importance of the nation state to the monopolies. The national state is not disintegrating and it has not lost its role. It is what it has always been: an integrated part of the capitalist system, whose purpose is to strengthen its own capital against capital in other countries. The Communist Party of Sweden have no interests separate from those of the working class. We struggle together with them and we do what we can to activate the working population and to show them the real conditions of the world. Therefore, we struggle for and demand that all the burdens of the capitalist crisis are put on the shoulders of capital; that all attacks directed against the working population are withdrawn and all attempts to enforce cuts are stopped. We demand that  No worker is to lose his or her job; no worker is to have his or her wage reduced or to see his or her conditions of life and work worsened.  The sackings that have been announced are withdrawn and the workers are compensated for the stress and insecurity they have been forced into.  All of those who will be forced to stay home if schools and pre-schools close receive full payment during the time they are forced to stay at home.  The national healthcare is upgraded to meet the needs of modern humanity. Mass employment, worthy conditions for both workers and patients, adequate equipment and a powerful increase in the capacity of the healthcare has to be carried out.  All the bottlenecks and insecure employments within healthcare and other industries are abolished.  Healthcare be centralized and carried out in unison so that an adequate and effective healthcare can be guaranteed for all the population.  The compensation for those who receive social benefits or other forms of social payments is increased to compensate the increased costs that will follow from for example a closing of the schools.  The hotels that are now empty should be opened to the homeless, so that their lives and health can be secured. The hotels should also be used to house healthcare facilities without any compensation to the owners.  All the positive measures for the working class that have been enacted be made permanent.  The losses of the companies not be socialized and made into a burton for the working people. If their profits are private, so are their losses.  All reactionary policies that have been enacted are abolished and the working people are guaranteed complete political freedom and that no attempts are made to limit the right to strike and to protest. Last, but not least, we want to direct our appreciation to the heroes, who with small resources and great courage are fighting the virus. It is a shame that the resources that you would have needed are not there, but it is an honor for us and the entire working population that you exist and that you do your outmost! Communist Party of Sweden