Dave
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I thought the article was really well done and does not give any false hopes that socialism is around the corner in Syria. It's certainly a lot better than most of what I've read. I don't know if I'm nit picking when I argued that any form of liberal democracy is impossible in Syria at the moment due to the the current climate of a global capitalist crisis which creates such levels of instability that makes the functioning of a capitalist democracy almost impossible especially in countries which have been dominated by various imperialist powers, both west as well as east.
Whats happening in Syria is truly a tragedy for the working class both urban as well as rural. I like what Alanjjohnstone writes regarding the stance that socialists should take in the conflict and the importance of recognising that the end result of the barbarity will not see the introduction of even a capitalist democracy never mind socialism. Unlike Steve Clayton I don't think there's any chance of a capitalist liberal democracy rather I see the outcome being one of ongoing barbarism of a failed capitalist state where it's increasingly splinters into warring factions which act as a brutal form of mafia state. Pessimistic I know but socialists need to tell the truth no matter how difficult it is to accept.
ALB when you talk about campaigning for socialism I wondered what you means by this. Is it the same as the reformists or even the so called revolutionary left when they become involved in say campaigns to defend the NHS without mentioning that a true NHS which will deliver quality health care to all is impossible under capitalism and that it's only with a global socialist society that such a service can be provided. In fact when poverty, poor housing, wages etc are abolished then health issues will also be significantly reduced. In the case of LU and PA one flaw out of many is that they do not even mention that socialism is the abolishment of capitalist conditions.I've been reading the package I received regarding the SPGB and agree with a lot I have read and do see the need for a socialist organisation that focuses on the self emancipation of the working class as the only road to a global socialist society. After all both previously tried paths in the UK and even globally, be it through the LP or through vanguardism has failed miserably. the former have completely capitulated to capitalism while the latter have never had any significant support withing the working class of any country. Maybe the time has come for the growth of the SPGB.
Seems to me that one of the problems with Left Unity is that it's a beaureacratic response to a perceived lack of unity within the working class in the fight against the current austerity attacks rather than a development from within the working class itself. As such it will inevitably fall into either small splinter groups arguing amongst themselves and poisening the atmosphere for those new to left politics or it will become the fiefdom of a small unrepresentative clique.The solution to such disunity seems to me to partially arise out of the fact that the capitalist class has suceeded in marginalising any idea that there can be an alternative way of organising society than of capitalism. While I agree that the previous descriptions of socialism was state capitalism for the majority of the working class the reality was that either the Labour Party or the old CPGB were regarded as being socialist. It seems to me that what is needed is to start again in some ways and present to workers the idea that socialism is essentially democratic and that the wealth that is collectively produced should also be used to solve social problems rather than going into capitalist speculation. This seems to me to be a potentially better solution rather than looking to some sort of organisational fix.One last thing I am new here and have enjoyed reading the recent pack that has been sent. Look forward to reading more about the SPGB.
