Karen O'Toole from the editorial board rounded off the day Socialist Resistance has brought together at this conference the best experiences of the worldwide socialist movement.
Our debate has had three elements; the importance of the anti-war and anti-capitalist movements, the necessity of - building a broad political alternative to the imperialist and neo-liberal policies of social democratic parties, and thirdly the role of revolutionary socialists in this process.
The most significant and exciting political development in the past few years has been the rise of an international mass social movement against neo liberalism, which had already begun a sophisticated analysis of the world.
It placed capitalist institutions at the centre of responsibility for starvation and poverty on the one hand, and the enrichment of a minority on the other.
It was the beginning of a systematic approach to resistance which recognised the limitations of taking on capitalism on a single-issue basis.
It recognised that the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organisation were fusing together the interests of governments and multinational corporations to exploit and oppress the majority.
Then came September 11 2001, the rise of the new imperialism, and the anti-war movement.
But out of all the radicalisation came the question; Who is going to capture the radical
Getting rid of capitalism needs political organisation, and mass movements. The history of the 20th century was the history of wars and revolutions. In only one country was workers' power briefly achieved; Russia in 1917 before the grip of Stalinism destroyed it.
The legacy of Stalinism, as well as the other type of socialism in Britain, that of the Labour Party, means that for a younger generation, the message is neither stalinism nor Blairism.
Young people want to know, what is the alternative to capitalism, and, if Russia was a socialist state with its labour camps and repression, then is that where we want to go? We'll be judged by the new generation on two things; what we do and what we say, by whether we move society towards socialism or barbarism. This is where the question of a political alternative comes in, and we have to operate on different levels. Our task is one of uniting the left. In Brazil, where the process is already more advanced, the election of Lula was a beacon of hope in a continent of misery.
But it is not the final word in socialism or democracy. Lula attacks workers pensions and wants to expel those who disagree with where he is going.
Builidng broad socialist anticapitalist parties is a political necessity because of the failure of the traditional social democratic parties, and the vacuum they have left. But broad parties are only useful if they produce reforms.
As revolutionaries, we don't believe capitalism can be reformed. 100 years of reformist parties has not made the world more equal, and we can't go through another 100 years of barbarism.
Our goal has got to be the revolutionary transformation of society. These two things are not counterposed; we have to be the best fighters for reform. This means keeping our feet on the ground and our heads in the clouds - relating to the day to day struggles, whilst at the same time fighting for a vision of a classless society free of war and hunger. Get the Viewpoint! A monthly review of news and analysis from the Fourth * 10 issues by airmail for only £30 from Viewpoint, PO Box 112, Manchester MI2 5DW. THE NEXT issue will be a special, focusing on the European Social Forum in Paris in November. JULY'S - still available -was a special double issue with documents from 15th World Congress of the
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