Since last summer we have been hearing the recovery of the economy; by inserting most of the population, the economy will suffer from historic growth. We have been told that this Engard crisis came as a surprise and that thanks to vaccines and the European mana will be magically overcome.

The fact that in capitalism crises are endemic is forgotten by governments and analysts that it is at the heart of the functioning of capitalism: fourteen major global setbacks have occurred in the last 150 years. The structural problems of capitalism were already there, and the Great Recession and the 2020 crisis have only exacerbated them. If we conduct a long-term analysis, the profit rates of the major imperialist economies have fallen, as economists Michael Roberts and Esteban Maito have analyzed. Despite the fact that several Governments want to find a solution, this downward path is consolidating and the pandemic has only accelerated the trend.

However, despite these delays, wealth has continued to be generated, something else is at the expense of who. Over the last 40 years, wealth in the Basque Country (with Gross Domestic Product) has doubled, despite the Great Recession of 2008. The other side of the coin is the wage earners, who have reduced their share of GDP from 2006 to the present day, and it is noteworthy that these statistics include both the mileurists and those who charge EUR 90,000 per year. Capital has conquered wealth at the expense of employees. We were in that situation before the pandemic exploded. In the short term, there may be technical cadres that will reduce their working conditions and wages: for the system it is not very sustainable to reduce wages by EUR 800, but there is still room to reduce higher level wages.

For the workers, the picture we have in front of us is nothing good. However, in this ongoing struggle between classes, it's not all hitting. In recent times, workers from conflicting companies, such as Tubacex, Petronor, IPT, are doing a great deal of work to join forces. With Pandemia, the libertarian concept of mutual assistance was revived, reflecting the proliferation of solidarity networks and housing unions. Because the struggle between classes covers all aspects of life, not just the world of work.

We have a decade ahead. Problems arising from the multi-system crisis will increase at an exponential rate. We cannot leave hope in the hands of post-pandemic economic growth, because it is clear that capital will assume that growth at the expense of all: The 2008 Great Recession is a clear example. The solution will not come from the hand of an elite, even if it is “knowing more”. The key is in key workers for economic mobilization and wealth creation. Of course, if we leave behind the fordist concept of the worker, underlining the broad definition of the worker that has always been more plural. Looking for the dots that unite us and fighting for that diversity.

Learning from the mistakes of the previous decade, understanding the evolution of the economy and identifying the great challenges we have, hard work allows us to achieve a better world for all. That's our challenge, that's our hope.