July 4, 2026
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
July 4 marks the 250th anniversary of American Independence Day. The United States, the world’s largest capitalist nation, is home to much of the global wealth. However, the wealth gap has now widened to an unprecedented extent.
This massive inequality and the contradictions of capitalism are giving rise to a new movement to counter them. The growth of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which is gaining support mainly among young people, and the growing public sentiment that views “socialism” positively are symbols of this movement. The search for solutions to the contradictions of capitalism is steadily progressing within American society.
This democratic and progressive movement did not emerge overnight. Back in 1864, upon President Lincoln’s reelection during the Civil War, Karl Marx wrote a congratulatory message on behalf of the International Working Men’s Association (the First International), expressing his hope for the development of democratic socialism in the United States. Since then, a democratic tradition has been carried forward through the labor movement, the socialist movement, the civil rights movement, and the anti-war movement.
This tradition is now mobilizing not only leftists but also many ordinary citizens, creating a massive wave of resistance against the U.S. Trump administration’s anti-democratic politics, as seen in the “No Kings” protests.
The Japanese Communist Party has consistently prioritized friendship with the American people and solidarity with progressive forces, while firmly opposing U.S. hegemonic policies and actions at the same time. The stirrings of change toward a better future currently taking place within U.S. society also give hope to Japan’s democratic forces. It is now crucial for this trend to develop further and become a driving force that paves the way for a peaceful and just world.
July 4 marks the 250th anniversary of American Independence Day. The United States, the world’s largest capitalist nation, is home to much of the global wealth. However, the wealth gap has now widened to an unprecedented extent.
This massive inequality and the contradictions of capitalism are giving rise to a new movement to counter them. The growth of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which is gaining support mainly among young people, and the growing public sentiment that views “socialism” positively are symbols of this movement. The search for solutions to the contradictions of capitalism is steadily progressing within American society.
This democratic and progressive movement did not emerge overnight. Back in 1864, upon President Lincoln’s reelection during the Civil War, Karl Marx wrote a congratulatory message on behalf of the International Working Men’s Association (the First International), expressing his hope for the development of democratic socialism in the United States. Since then, a democratic tradition has been carried forward through the labor movement, the socialist movement, the civil rights movement, and the anti-war movement.
This tradition is now mobilizing not only leftists but also many ordinary citizens, creating a massive wave of resistance against the U.S. Trump administration’s anti-democratic politics, as seen in the “No Kings” protests.
The Japanese Communist Party has consistently prioritized friendship with the American people and solidarity with progressive forces, while firmly opposing U.S. hegemonic policies and actions at the same time. The stirrings of change toward a better future currently taking place within U.S. society also give hope to Japan’s democratic forces. It is now crucial for this trend to develop further and become a driving force that paves the way for a peaceful and just world.
