Faced with a developing fascist threat in Malta, it is important to be thorough and draw once more the political demarcation lines, since the traditional left-right divide seems to be insufficient to contain this fierce and destructive attack.

We have to identify the source and underlying factors which have brought about this situation.

In my opinion one aspect of this political conjuncture is that the United States has assumed undisputed global political power and is discrediting all theoretical alternatives to its hegemony.

In the theoretical field this has brought about the waning of the influence of the transcendentalists and the increase of the influence of the immanentists.

The former accept a class structure in society and therefore may be said to favour liberalism, human rights and peaceful resolution of disputes.

They assert individualism.

Religionists who accept modernism congregate in this area.

Socialist and communist parties inspired by the heritage of the enlightenment also assemble in this area

The post-World War II settlement, the creation of the United Nations, decolonisation and the ecumenical movement in the Catholic Church – all these were inspired by the transcendentalist position.

However, since a couple of decades ago a different force is gaining momentum – the force of immanentism.

This force belittles the transcendentalist rival and exalts the use of power – ergo, its added influence after the dismantling of the Soviet Union and the socialist block.

To confuse the issues this trend is being called neoliberalism when in fact it is nothing but super-imperialism.

The immanentist position vaunts solutions brought about by the use of force and war since it propagates a holistic, unipolar world.

In the field of religion its influence is felt in the rise to prominence of fundamentalism.

Islamic fundamentalism is now pre-eminent in many countries with a Muslim majority.

However fundamentalism is not limited to Islamism, it is to be found also in the Jewish and Christian religions.

One brand of Christian fundamentalism is that propagated by the Catholic organisation Opus Dei.

We cannot be bystanders in this ideological battle and must take a position.

There is no third way.

We should join forces and form a national Peace Movement.

Mario Mifsud

VALLETTA