Europe chasing a mirage

History tells us that making tall claims and huge promises is the hallmark of the elements on the left of the political spectrum. The Left has always failed in delivering on its promises. The political ideals and policies of the left-wing, or to be more precise the product of Marxist mindset, have always laid great emphasis on economy but in the times of crises their approach has never proven to be the answer to the problems of those they claim to represent. At the end of the day, people have always felt dejected.
The simple reason behind the miserable failure of the Left is the fact that the spirit of social equality that Marxism claims to strive for is neither practical nor natural. Thus, the end result has always been disappointment. On the surface, the very idea of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, eliminating socioeconomic inequality and establishment of a fair system, not only appears justified but also an attractive aim. Many, if not all, of those lured by these ideals eventually realized as to what Marxism really aimed at through social equality and lived to regret it.
It appears as if history is repeating itself. People, particularly, Europeans are once again looking toward the Left for the resolution of the ongoing economic crisis. Observers may recall that I have often pointed out that in the wake of economic stagnation in the Eurozone many weaker countries are being seen as a burden or liability on the union. Anti-migrant feelings were soon added to that discontent. They sought to make a few hundred wretched souls, who had sought refuge in these countries in despair, pay the price for the financial crisis in these countries.
Anti-migrant protests began erupting in some European countries so as to bring down unemployment levels from as high as around 40 percent. There was a huge explosion in the vote share of anti-immigration radical parties in the European Parliament elections in May 2014. Yet the level of unemployment in Turkey, which had admitted some two million refugees during that same period and which had a much lower GNP than Europe, was only around 9 percent. So people being unemployed or experiencing material difficulties in prosperous Europe had nothing to do with admitting a few hundred guests.
Some Europeans adopted a false strategy against the economic crisis. They believed that socialist and Marxist talk of social equality could be a savior in such times. The victory of Syriza in Greece, a country on the verge of economic collapse, was perhaps the clearest example of this. While there has been much discussion of the Marxist, atheist Tsipras, there are also other atheist leaders in Europe who have come to power with promises of social equality. These include Zoran Milanovic, president of Croatia, 90 percent of whose population is devout believers, French President Francois Hollande and the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. There are also indecisive ones including Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who does not belief in an eternal life or paradise and hell.
Anyway, everybody is entitled to his/her opinion and is free to follow any ideology. Our purpose here is not to judge people because of their beliefs, but to criticize the way the Europeans are looking for solutions to their economic woes through Marxist and atheism-based policies. The concept of social justice in Marxism is in fact based on a kind of exploitation. The system generally involves a minority, which seizes control of the state and a majority who gives its earnings and labor to the state. Of course, people must be rewarded for their own work. This means that the individual works all the time and under the most difficult conditions, while the elderly, sick and weak people who have no means of work cannot receive any recompense as they are unable to work. That is the main reason why the handicapped and elderly were regarded as burdens in Soviet Russia and Mao’s China.
While people enjoy equal status under this system, it is an equality of increasing poverty. The only group, which is not equal with the masses, is the minority that governs them. In countries running along Marxist lines, the masses are wretched while the minority lives in luxury. That is why the ideal of social equality in Marxism has always ended up in the people being exploited, impoverished and wretched.
It is difficult for this system to become settled in Europe as it stands, but on the basis of their similar mentality and the experience of the past it is clearly illogical to expect a solution to the European economy from Marxist parties. The reason why Europe is being increasingly led toward the scourge of division, why popular levels of dissatisfaction are increasing and why degeneration and protests are growing is not, contrary to what people think, an economic one. It is in fact the mistaken perspective of liberalism, in which European societies imagine that insults represent freedom of expression and that moral degeneration and irreligion are the height of modernity, which has led to this economic crisis, talk of division and unhappiness. In general terms, Europe’s problem is one of being influenced and even pressurized by a group of people who think that it can become even more modern by turning away from religion. It is utterly futile to expect a solution from Marxism to problems caused by the false liberal perspective.
Let me make this clear, Allah will never, ever allow systems that defy Him to flourish. That is why states founded on Marxist ideology have always collapsed. If Europe thinks that it can achieve peace and prosperity by turning away from religion, its essence and the reason for its existence, then it is sadly mistaken. Europe may have to pay a heavy price for the false fashion of modernity established by turning away from religion and moral values. Lovelessness may become extremely painful, and lack of conscience may become impossible to resolve. Defamation under the guise of freedom of expression and perversion under the guise of modernity may become more widespread. That will devastate Europe, which should be a role model for the world.
People acquire value the more they hold onto their moral values, and are thus able to establish a human society. The social equality that people seek is in fact set out in the Qur’an. Under that system of social equality there is no injustice, and everyone becomes wealthy together, through mutual aid, giving and self-sacrifice. If that is the concept of equality that is desired, then people need religion, not atheistic, Marxist systems. History shows us how expensive mistakes can be. Europe must not fall into that error again.

— The writer has authored more than 300 books translated into 73 languages on politics, religion and science. He tweets @harun_yahya.