jondwhite
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I'm not sure economic slumps benefit fascists nor socialists. Maybe they benefit the apathetic.Spirit of '45 screenings nationwide spring/summer 2013
http://internationalsocialismuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/rosa-luxemburg-and-revolutionary-party.htmlTim Nelson writes
Quote:The International Socialists, the forerunners of the SWP, set itself apart by rejecting such structures, attempting to build an open democratic organisation with a plurality of different ideas and an utter rejection of the dogmatism that was another trait which many Trotskyists had unfortunately inherited from Stalinism.We need freedom of criticism, communication and association. We need an end to the belief that ideas and theory is the sole province of the privileged few, that plans can only be formulated at the top.At every stage of this democracy, in every debate, the involvement of the wider movement should not just be allowed, but encouraged. On the other side of the debate is a top-down model of organisation, with the ideas and whims of the central committee decreed from above to the party faithful, who then deliver these preconceived plans to the class, without discussion or agreement.A party needs to be built from below, and this is done by revolutionaries responding to and encouraging the self-activity of the working class, encouraging the widest possible participation in the party, and the movement as a whole,To be clear, this meeting (like all of their meetings so far) is for registered supporters ONLY. This is private meeting. The general public will not be allowed.
Argh, sorry.It was listed publicly at http://www.independentsocialistnetwork.org/?p=1944I'm too used to all SPGB meetings being public. This is the socialist way and didn't think Independent Socialists would be that conspiratorial.I will try and make clear whether future meetings I post are secret.Sorry again!
A recording of the event in the relaunched AWL podcast The SWP crisis: socialism, democracy and feminism – a round-table discussion with Joan Smith and Cathy Nugent, 27th February 2013 We get a namecheck about 5:30 in.
There is a new forum for "IS network members only"http://internationalsocialismuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/is-network-new-forum-launched.html
This is an initial meeting for supporters of the IS Network. If you are interested in attending please contact us at mailto:internationalsocialistnetwork@gmail.com. Open meetings will be announced soon.
YES, I like the statement a lot, reminiscent of a proposal I made to last ADM (before all this controversy broke), but I can see it being controversial among SPGB members. Toying with proposing signing it to next EC.
To clarify, I don't think Lenin is that big a deal for many current SWPers (even the hardened cadre at district/NC level). Paper SWPers may just pay dues and some read their publications, whereas active members seem to follow the political line set out by the CC by parroting it or acting according to the line. Building the struggle in the now is always portrayed as urgent.Even for the more historically minded, if CC denounced Lenin as a renegade tomorrow, I don't think you'd see much of an exodus. Okay there'd be a problem with Tony Cliff's biography of Lenin. If the denunciation was in ISJ, hardly anyone would know the line had changed anyway.If anything, a case could be made that ex-SWPers are more likely to hold principled positions on Lenin (both for Lenin and perhaps against Lenin). What holds the SWP together is largely blind faith in the CC perspectives (it helps unity that critics are always portrayed as "attacks on the party"), some populism (which is why the CC take exceptional care to inflate the size of membership figures), friendship networks and not rigid ideological coherence among members at the bottom.
Report here, great picture at the tophttp://anticapitalists.org/2013/03/11/radical-activism-organisation-occupy-sussex-brighton/
I think it will take more understanding before Laurie understands why the SWP is not "Marxist-Leninist" (even on "Marxist-Leninist's" own terms) let alone why the SWP is not "Marxist" at all. The commenter is running before Laurie can walk. Funny thing is Weekly Worker reject the Marxist-Leninist label for their own group.
