By Vivek Pattanayak in Bhubaneswar, February 15, 2025: In the 19th century, Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto wrote in the opening sentence famously quoted for decades and for more than a century and half, “A specter is haunting Europe, it is the specter of Communism”.

His philosophy based on historical materialism came after the rise of Napoleon who had destroyed the feudal structure in Europe, a logical aftermath of the French Revolution. Societal vacuum had been filled by the class of bourgeoisie creating foundation of capitalism. Exploitation of labour for profits propelling imperial expansion spawned revolutionary ideas of Proudhon, Bakunin, and Marx who gave the idea of proletarian revolution for communism.

How prophetic he was! The whole Europe including Russia was swept by the ideology of Communism for almost a century and half. It went beyond the confines of Europe and spread its wings to Asia covering China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and North Korea in Asia and even touching shores of Latin America covering Cuba, Chile, Nicaragua. Surprisingly, the sub-continent of India known for the teachings of Buddha and Gandhi did not escape the tide when the Communists came to power in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura by democratic constitutional process.

Foot prints of Che Guevara were not only seen in the Bolivian jungles where he was treacherously eliminated but could be felt many decades after his death when Laurence Kabila triumphantly marched into Kinshasa known earlier as Leopoldville to oust the US backed Mobutu from the seat of power in Zaire ,called the Democratic Republic of Congo known in the past as the Belgian Congo.

Lenin, while taking forward the philosophy of Marx, described imperialism as the highest manifestation of capitalism. He postulated this theory keeping in view the picture of the 19th century when the European business enterprises known then as the joint stock companies were in collusion with regimes for expansion of frontiers of empires.

Over the years the world has witnessed collapse of imperial powers after the World War One starting from the dissolution of the Ottoman empire to the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian empire, from the collapse of Kaiser’s Germany to the fall of the Czarist Russia.

During the inter-war period rise of Hitler in Germany, Mussolini in Italy, and Tojo in Japan both Europe and Asia experienced aggressive expansionism mirror image of imperialism based on ideology of Nazism, Fascism and Militarism until their collapse after the World War Two.

Aftermath of this terrible Armageddon brought both the British Empire and the French colonialism to their demise. History had also witnessed the decline of the Iberian colonial power in Latin America from the time Bolivar gave the clarion call in South America. Needless to say, that the recorded history has shown the “rise and fall of the Roman empire,” decline of the Persian empire and Alexander’s eastern adventure reaching India and then his pathetic retreat at the peak of the Greek civilization.

The collapse of the communist Soviet Union and communist regimes in Eastern Europe was a cataclysmic event of history. Many called it the end of the Communist empire.

With the end of Cold War, the West led by US declared victory of capitalism, liberal democracy describing the phenomena as the “end of history and last man” heralding borderless world calling the phenomenon as globalization accompanied by privatization and liberalization subordinating the role of public sector and the State in the economic domain.

History once again demonstrated how unpredictable the future can be. The first traumatic event was subprime crisis of US infecting the whole of the so-called “free world” with collapse of banks and insurance companies and reputed financial institutions known for their strength shaking the foundation of neo-liberalism. The second was the rise of China preceded by the sparkle of the Asian tigers reminding us of the words of William Blake “tiger tiger burning bright.”

In 19th century “Cutting of the Chinese melon” was a derogatory expression of disdain towards China, then a decaying power, in the eyes of the Western imperialist world. Origin of Opium War could be traced to the avaricious greed of private business entrepreneurship, backed by the State power of imperial nations which explained theory of capitalism and growth of imperialism.

Now, with the results of the US election described as trifecta, the world is hearing of the words like Make America Great Again (Even Greater). Interestingly there is also suggestion of making Canada the 51st State of US. Denmark is being asked to hand over Greenland to US. Demand is there for restoration of ownership of the Panama Canal to US. It does not stop there. Use of military aircraft to deport undocumented immigrants shackled and manacled is a new practice unabashedly trampling over the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

After the total devastation of Gaza with death of more than forty-seven thousand hapless Palestinians caused by bombing, drone, and missile attacks there is suggestion to send the displaced Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. Gaza would be taken over by the US to convert it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” for the benefit of the rest of the world. After abnegating WHO, there is a threat given to sanction the International Criminal Court. This has been preceded by declaring UN Secretary General as a persona non grata by Israel. Tariff increase has begun with gusto, left, right and center.

As if that is not enough, the threats are also being given to the countries associated with BRICS if they think of alternative global currencies to the dollar.

These words are reminiscent of the time of Hitler to restore Germany’s primacy of the Bismark era .It was followed by annexation of Alsace Lorain, invasion of Czechoslovakia in the name the Sudeten Germans, occupation of Schleswig Holstein of Denmark and finally entering Poland and Soviet Russia for the sake of Polish and Volga Germans to establish Greater Germany of Rhineland. Similarly, Mussolini reminded the Italians about their ancient glorious Roman empire and annexed Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

The defeat of the European Russia in the Russo Japanese war of 1905 had resuscitated the Samurai spirit in Japan. The Japanese militarism commenced with invasion of Manchuria, annexation of Korea and Formosa(now called Taiwan) and encouraged by these successes in the name of “Asia for Asians” Japan swept over Philippines, Hongkong, Indo-China(Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) ,the Dutch East Indies(now called Indonesia) Burma, Malay, and Singapore after inflicting devastating attack on Pearl Harbor.

Meanwhile, China claims plainly its supremacy over the South China Sea after losing the dispute in the international court. Considering Taiwan as a breakaway province China is demonstrating its sea and air power to intimidate the newly elected President. Its claim over the Senkaku Islands and Arunachal Pradesh continues. Border Road Initiative of President XI spreads far and wide.

Russia’s intervention in Georgia dismantling its territory to form Abkhazia and South Ossetia as two independent countries, annexation of Crimea and its military operation in Ukraine indicate the pride of glory of Soviet days has not waned in Russia. All these developments give a wake up call. Is a specter haunting the world, the specter of imperialism?