alanjjohnstone
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SocialistPunk wrote:Concentrate on building local support by being a force for socialist democracy in as many local communities as possible. Show people what real socialist democracy is. It will take time and a lot of hard work, but has a better chance of paying off in the long run than the odd big election here and there.
I think what you would like to see, SP, is an example of local activism which would be the Independent Working Class Association centred around Oxford who successfully managed to build up a local power base and gained council seats. The project fizzled out due to the fact that reformists cannot run capitalism in the interests of our class. I can do no better than quote their last remaining councillor’s Stuart Craft’s resignation statement.“I couldn’t stand on people’s doorsteps any more, telling them we were going to change things when that wasn’t going to happen.” “We’ve been banging our heads against a brick wall for 10 years now. We’ve been trying to push the agenda for working class people, but nothing seems to get done in the council chambers. We’ve gone as far in the council as we can.” He added: “All the hours I spend in the chambers would be much better spent on the estate doing something valuable for people living there.” But he was not totally negative. “Our biggest success was getting elected in the first place. “We got into the Labour strongholds of Wood Farm and the Leys. And we demystified politics, showing that working class people can get elected.” The IWCA now aims to concentrate on pushing its message through political comment, campaigning and other means. The association also runs an athletics club and is working on other priorities, including a working class history week later this year. Mr Craft added: “We are in no way giving up. If we continued to stand in the council and achieving nothing, all the hard work would be forgotten.” http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/2012/02/10/Oxford+news+%28om_oxfordnews%29/9523106.___Class_hero____councillor_to_quit/
We will take many of the current practices and norms into socialism with us. But once we have socialism, how relationships, personal and social, pan out is I think anybody's question. Similarly with the structure of the family. We know from history and anthropology that the world is very variable depending on conditions and circumstances. Who knows what will transpire for future generation of those born and brought up in a socialist society.We should however leave the speculation up to the sci-fi writers.In present society marriage still remains primarily a legal contract. What has changed substantially is what is classed as a marriage which has in many ways widened. But the purpose still basically the same, property rights, that requires a court to amend when separation arises.BTW, try bringing in a foreign partner through immigration without marriage papers. It is now hard enough even with the documentation. Certain aspects may be relaxed but others are most definitely aren't.
The purpose of standing in either Scotland or Wales if I understand it correctly will be on the party list principle and not individuals standing in one particular constituency. This will entitle us to party political broadcasts in these countries which i think is the main object. I'm sure Adam or Bill of the election committee will explain the strategy better once conference business is out of the way.Standing a candidate simply in the NE constituency would not bring that tv/radio propaganda benefit.Steve, I suggest you contact Keith Scholey who is in charge of the party archives and come to some sort of arrangement with him about your collection of party news-clipping and lit.
The plan is to stand in either Scotland or Wales for the Euro-elections. EU constituences are bigger and fewer there.This will permit the Party to have political party broadcast in those countries. Its an easier route than the Westminster way of getting an airing. As always the purpose in standing at this juncture in time is not to get elected but use the election for propaganda purposes. It will means the party creating a video and a radio message which obviously will be put on you tube and every where else we can for a wider audience dissemination so everyone with internet can participate in that side of it. It will still be a costly project…lost election deposits, leaflet costs and of course the money needed for a professional looking election broadcast. Personally i think it is worth it while we have the funds available. In recent exchanges on discussion lists, i have been challenged with criticism of the party that while we promote the use of parliament we are reluctant to stand. This may well put us on the map again but certinly on the ballot paper. In Scotland the voting is done by a manner of first second and third choices, so it be interesting to see from those on the left how we fare in their options.I'm sure Adam will add to the technical advantages of standing in EU election when he has time from conference.
ALB wrote:I'm sure you will be able to think of something, eg PROFITS NOT PEOPLE CANDIDATEOuch, Adam, has Steve switched sides?But, Steve any statements or letters you make , SOYMB blog being less strict on guidelines than the Standard can publish them so pass any on to us.
By coincidence i have a draft of a blog post on the German Peasant war based on extracts from Belfort Bax articlehttp://www.marxists.org/archive/bax/1899/peasants-war/index.htmA missed opportunity for SOYMB of linking the two events. I'll try to do it retrospectively
welcome aboard. I hope you find the forum worthwhile.You have already provided me with a few hour of interesting reading. It makes it a plasant alternative to the usual anglo/americanphile reading
The fall out spreads far and wide.http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/27/message-swp-delhi-rape-inquiryCallinicos told he is no longer welcome at the South Asian Historical Materialism Conference taking place in Delhi, itself the focus of a rape scandal.
Not to mention how Mosley's fascists arose in the 30s out of the left ILP via New Party to the BUF. Wasn't he an advocate of Keynesian economic soutions same s Strachey?The left can become right. National Bolshevism.
It is interesting that once you begin to look a lot of things start appearing. This interview with Paresh is of interest because it touches on how we tackle what is called uneven development of consciousness. http://www.frontierweekly.com/pdf-files/vol-44-39/self-governing%20-44-39.pdf “In backward countries the numbers of workers—male and female—comprise an insignificant portion of total population. Like the remaining sections, they too are considerably illiterate and deprived of access to education. Moreover, a mammoth part of the country is superstitious, lacking faith in self-power with belief in Guruism, Avtarism and Destinyism. In such case, workers' revolution is meaningless. There the struggle is to be against pre-capitalist relations and for setting up an order of democracy encompassing the society. There the principal task of an intellectual or intellectuals is to spread education and campaign for scientific outlook among the people and convince them clearly that Destinyism and Avtarism stood on their lack of faith in their self-power….The pre-capitalist garbage is huge and this overburden is to be removed through long term educational relations. Extensive Education, expansion of scientific outlook and struggle against superstitions have to be organized, through many small initiatives. The role of progressive intellectuals is crucial in it. To be victorious in this struggle, examples in developed countries in the past have to be cited in the campaign.Mankind's distresses are not due to sin of previous life, distresses are not scripted on the forehead. The answer to your question lies in proper arousing of faith in the self-power of mankind.” Got to walk before you run, and for many in the world, religious chains still shackle them and for many, basic political liberties don’t exist, regardless of supposed nominal constitutional rights. This is also worth a read concentrating on the Marxist concept of free association of individualshttp://www.frontierweekly.com/pdf-files/vol-44-38/socialism-44-38.pdf In this following article he describes his political evolution beginning with Bettelheim and then on to the “great ‘Marx’ scholar, Maximilien Rubel—arguably the greatest since David Riazanov.” i have to take his word since i haven’t read Riazanov. He makes the point we often do that ‘‘Calling a party, communist or claiming to be one does not mean that the party is communist.”http://www.frontierweekly.com/pdf-files/vol-44-35/marx-44-35.pdf
Another Paresh Chattopadhyay article which makes good reading when he explains russia being state capitalisthttp://www.frontierweekly.com/articles/vol-45/45-22/45-22-Rethinking%20Revolution.htmlAlso scroll down here to an exchange with some Leninist and Paresh http://www.frontierweekly.com/index.htmlIf i was in the Socialist Party of Canada i be inviting him to give a talk.It is not really a surprise that India is a centre of debate on Lenin and Marx since it has had two states controlled by a supposed Communist Party, Bengal and Kerala. There is as well a not very publicised but wide-spread rural guerrilla war being conducted by diverse Maoist Naxalites.It is sad our Indian comrades and ex-comrades cannot make their presence more known on the internet.
http://mainstreamweekly.net/article3190.htmlAnother article in the same magazine by Paresh Chattopadhyay supporting our position on the definitions of socialism/communism
Will the election committee be responding in its official capacity to the report? I suggest that they do.
Steve C writes “Those who do not learn the lessons of history, are condemned to repeat it…Knowledge is power and strength” What should our strategy be? Alexander Reiswich said on another thread on another topic but it is appropriate to quote “… it “won't get us anywhere to simply say "I'm right, you're wrong"… ” It is clear that not only Ken Loach and many others including the new SWP breakaway International Socialist Network are intent upon using the film as a spring-board to organise a new political party.Steve66 suggests the socialist alternative is ourselves the Socialist Party but so far we have to realistically acknowledge that we have been rejected by the the working class and also by many who consider themselves to be some sort of socialist. How do we change that attitude and image of ourselves? Do we simply consider it a failure of our propaganda that we are not able to make films like Loach can do to project a political message that relates and resonates with its audience? How do we actually respond to the Spirit of 45 without being accused of sour grapes when we criticise it? We could simply compile facts and stats to challenge the premise of it all as our Beveridge and Family Allowance and nationalisation pamphlets endeavoured to do but with equally little effect.Should we instead concentrate on any particular aspect of 45 that was positive. Perhaps the confidence of the working class in demanding and expecting change and willing to dispatch war-time leaders like Churchill to the opposition. NHS Free Access. Homes for heroes. The power of the vote. I have little doubt that the film will galvanise the Left to some degree. Screenings turned into organising events. Should we have a leaflet prepared to distribute at these showings? A movie review special issue of the Standard? …4 pages…Is it all just a passing fad anyways , doomed to stay on the fringes as most things the Left get involved in does? Perhaps a film award for Loach and little else of substance from it?Suggestions as always welcomed.
