Forget intellectual saviours: the masses are class conscious

In a short piece from the opinion section, asking “where are Labour’s political intellectuals”, Desmond Zammit Marmarà concluded rather optimistically that it is indeed possible “for a Maltese version of Gramsci or Freire to emerge from within the upper ranks of the Labour Party itself”.

While I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that the Labour Party, and the Nationalist Party, completely lack intellectual politicians who are the least versed in the intellectual and socio-political histories of the ideologies they seem to hold dear, I certainly disagree with the false hope put towards the idea of an enlightened figure that can somehow save the party and everyone else from the current capitalist logic prevalent in all spheres of politics and everyday life.

If, by some divine miracle, this becomes reality and a socialist-reformist party full of Gramscis emerges, what sort of masses will it enlighten and empower? Many would outrightly assume the ‘oppressed working class’ but, really and truly, who is this ‘class’ composed of in Malta nowadays? And what are the current aspirations of this class, if we can indeed call it such? The answers to these questions are complex. However, I will put forward some brief preliminary thoughts.

If a socialist-reformist party full of Gramscis emerges, what sort of masses will it empower? Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

It is somewhat cliché to point out that, presently, third-country national migrant workers, many of whom notably hold precarious jobs and live crammed in less than desirable accommodations, predominantly represent a large chunk of the group in question. These individuals possess no political say and, therefore, no Maltese saviour will ever come concretely to their rescue.

What about the Maltese working class? Are they possibly the qualified masses that someday will become conscious enough of the need to put their faith in a saviour who will carry necessary social and environmental reforms? This has already happened, to an extent.

The faux saviour was elected in 2013 and he did indeed reform his party and enlighten many. More specifically, he versed the people well in life- changing, neoliberal values. So much so that, till then, many from the traditionally ‘oppressed’ masses live relatively comfortable lives, or so they think. On the other hand, those who did not ‘make it’ yet only fault themselves for not taking one of the ample ‘opportunities’ to thrive and prosper. Needless to add, their life goals are centred towards seizing one or more of those profitable chances.

Becoming ‘class conscious’ only serves this purpose further. Make no mistake, this is no ‘false consciousness’, which, in theory, is traditionally characterised by the inability to acknowledge exploitation, inequality and oppression more broadly.

This is modern-day class-consciousness at its best, with the difference that the ultimate goal is not change. The goal is to ‘wake up’ and play the game as hard as possible. Maybe, who knows, this life becomes worth living.

Karl Baldacchino, doctoral researcher in the department of sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London