lutionary Marxist current as an accepted element within a broader whole.
We should not hide the difficulties which are in front of us. In particular, it should be noted that at this stage, it appears difficult to find partners on the existing left.
For the moment there is no broad current present within this left, neither in the timorous tendencies of the social democratic left, nor in the Communist Parties, whose crisis (with the partial exception of the Italian PRC) has not gener- movement for ated an anti-capitalist global justice nal relationship of project and a democratic functioning, nor in the big Green parties which have not developed a real political and social alternative, and some of whom have passed to the other side of the fence (in Germany for example.
That does not mean that, in these parties and the social movement, there is no interest in or openness to an anticapitalist recomposition. It can take various forms.
We don't conclude from this that we should be diverted from an orientation qu'a ce stade, il parait difficile de trouver des partenaires constitués dans la gauche existante.
Il n'y a pas de courant ample, pour le moment, qui se soit présenté au sein de cette gauche, ni dans les tendances de la gauche social-démocrate, timorées, ni dans les partis communistes, dont la crise n'a pas débouché sur un projet anticapitaliste conséquent et un fonctionnement démocratique (à l'exception, partiellement, du PRC italien), ni dans les grands partis verts qui ne une sont pas parvenus représentativité à incarner une véridans la société table alternative
qui brise le politique et sociale, et dont certains monopole sont désormais qu'exercent les
to these traditonal parties and their militants. On the contrary, it is essential to widen recomposition in this direction by a systematic policy of collaboration and convergence so as to create a very broad pole of attraction in order to defeat social neoliberalism. But the fundamental conclusion which results from New activist this, is that it will forces have depend, much emerged in more than in the
past, on the develrecent years,
opment of a strong within the
and autonomous pole and an exterand in its force to attract and
wake. organize these sympathies. It is urgent and necessary to take steps forward in the direction of broad, pluralist and representative parties, which are anticapitalist, internationalist, ecologist and feminist and which, deeply attached to the social question, defend to the end the demands of labour and oppose all forms of domination, while basing themselves on the self-organisation of those who fight. détourner de ces partis et de leurs militants. Au contraire, élargir la recomposition dans cette direction par une politique systématique de collaboration et de convergence est indispensable pour créer un pôle d'attraction très large afin de battre le social-néoliberalisme. Mais la conclusion fondamentale qui en découle, c'est qu'il dépendra, beaucoup plus que par le passé, du developpement d'un pôle fort et autonome et d'un rapport de Il s'agit d'obtenir force extérieur pour
attirer et organiser ces sympathies. Il est urgent et nécessaire de faire des pas en avant en direction de partis larges, pluralistes et partis adeptes du représentatifs, qui to help change British society Liam Mac Uaid A long time ago Labour governments in Britain used to do things like build council houses, establish a National Health Service and take major industries like rail, electricity and steel into public ownership.
Now they engage in imperialist wars, help to privatise essential industries in the developing world and brag about how few rights workers in Britain have compared to France or Germany.
When it comes to restricting civil liberties, demonising asylum seekers or adopting economic policies that favour the better off, you have to look hard to tell the difference between New Labour and the Conservative Party or Italy's Silvio Berlusconi.
That's why New Labour has lost half its members since it came to power in 1997. It helps explain why unions like the fire fighters and the rail workers no longer want to be part of it.
But people are still very Interested in politics. You just have to look at the European Social Forum or the enormous anti-war marches to see that.
So it was inevitable that sooner or later a new political organisation would be created
This special issue published in London Resistance, PO Box
1109, London N4
Printed by Web
Press International
Ltd, London E15. the voice of those who want to express working class disgust with the war, racism and neo-liberalism.
RESPECT - the Unity Coalition is becoming the voice of those who want to help change British society. It stands for:
R = respect
E = equality
S = socialism
E = environment
C = community
T = trade unionism
For an organisation that was only established in January it has had an incredible first few months.
By June it had a councillor elected in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, and soon made its mark in a number of other London and local elections.
But RESPECT is not just about contesting at the ballot box. The coalition brings together almost the entire socialist left, representatives from the muslim community, stop the war activists, leading trade union activists, antiracists and community campaigners, giving them the political representation they have been denied for so long under New Labour.
The campaion to build support for RESPECT within the unions has created huge debates in their ranks about the failures of New Labour and the need for a political voice for workers whose jobs are being restructured or sold off through privatisation. RESPECT members are about to vote to accept their first constitution. That says "We aim for a society where wealth is created to meet the needs of the people and not the profits of the corporations. "We aim to organise opposition to all forms of inequality and injustice, including the increasing abuse of human and democratic rights. We aim to oppose actively the destruction of the environment, inherent in the profit system, which threatens the future of the planet." SOCIALIST RESISTANCE is a monthly marxist paper. We are offering a special introductory subscription rate 1 year for £12 (UK), £15 (Europe) or E20 (other overseas. For more details fill in this coupon, ticking the appropriate box and send to us: PO Box 1109 London N4 2UU. Please make cheques payable to RESISTANCE • Please send me a year's subscription to the new paper.
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In local communities RESPECT is involved in the fight against government plans to introduce identity cards. It is also campaigning to defend the civil liberties of asylum seekers and of all prisoners detained without trial as part of the socalled 'war on terror'. The hallmark of RESPECT is its openness and democracy. Any member can attend its meetings to speak their mind or put forward resolutions knowing that there won't be any of the nasty backroom deals common with New Labour. Socialist Resistance supporters are enthusiastically working inside RESPECT to help it become the real voice for youth, working people and anticapitalists and to take forward socialist ideas and policies within its ranks. Marxism in the 2lst Century
A Day School Organised by International Socialist Group and Saturday November 27 Caxton House, St John's Way, London N19
(Archway Tube). More details: www.socialistresistance.net
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