left solidarity

[thevan]

OK, here's my idea

I think we would all agree that one of the biggest problems we face is we aren't united. The left needs to start an international political party, not under one brand of left-wing politics, but a coalition of Marxists, Anarchists ect, who all agree that we need to establish a classless society. This politcal party should do its best to gain as much power as possible in the current political systems around the world, not to try and change things, but to bring the left into public view. This party should also try to get as much money as possible through donations ect. to open things like community centre's whose purpose is to help the working class people and make information on the left available without preaching. These community centre's would offer free or very cheap services such as day-cares, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, needle exchanges and other harm reduction services, left-wing newspapers and provide access to social workers and counselors. This political party will inevitably fail, but hopefully by bringing ourselves into the public view the people will see this failure and realize the injustice of it. My idea is that when the people see that we are about humanity and equality that a mass movement can grow from there.

[The Feral Underclass]

I think we would all agree that one of the biggest problems we face is we aren't united.

I agree, we are not united at all.

The left needs to start an international political party, not under one brand of left-wing politics, but a coalition of Marxists, Anarchists ect, who all agree that we need to establish a classless society.

I agree in principle. i do not agree that it should be a party but a movement. A Workers Solidarity Movement. This will take along time. The first step is to get evreyone talking. There should be a new International, with del;egates from every revolutionary left organization attending to decide how to move forward. It should have huge media attention and should be a regular thing. A movement will grow out of this.

This politcal party should do its best to gain as much power as possible in the current political systems around the world

you said that "...a coalition of Marxists, Anarchists ect, who all agree that we need to establish a classless society." How can you achieve a classless society through the "current political system". These systems are designed to protect capitalism, which creates these classes. We have to smash capitalism and the bourgeoisie and create a new society.

This party should also try to get as much money as possible through donations ect. to open things like community centre's whose purpose is to help the working class people and make information on the left available without preaching. These community centre's would offer free or very cheap services such as day-cares, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, needle exchanges and other harm reduction services, left-wing newspapers and provide access to social workers and counselors.

This is a good idea, and one I have thought about myself. But it is not something that will change society. I do not understand why you say we should give away left wing literature without preaching. People will not simply pick up 'Das Kapital' and read it. You have to agitate and argue. Not preach, but at least try and convince.

This political party will inevitably fail...

The only way it would fail is if it attempted to change anything through the "current political system". Capitalism will not allow you to try and change it through the political systems we have now. If you threatened it, it would smash you. You could never change anything through parliment because capitalists and the bourgeois will undermine you at every corner. That is why you have to get rid of it (it isnt the only reason). Once the movement had grown and the workers had become conscious they would go on the streets and fight.

This political party will inevitably fail, but hopefully by bringing ourselves into the public view the people will see this failure and realize the injustice of it.

This dosnt make any sense. Why would it fail? And what do you mean by they would realise how injust it was. How can you say that people would feel injust about a failure if you havent explained why it failed. In my oppinion if the movement had grown that big and involved that many workers and then it failed it would be due to incompetence in the organization, which would be the peoples fault. It's like saying "i just wasted all my food money playing roulette...oh the injustice". We dont want the people to stand around feeling sorry for themselves, we want them to change society.

My idea is that when the people see that we are about humanity and equality that a mass movement can grow from there.

But you just said it would fail...are you saying that because it failed suddenly people would start a mass movement...... :blink: hold on a minute....wasn't there already a mass movement in existance. didnt it just fail. What your saying is...a mass movement would grow, then fail and then because people felt injust because it failed, they would start a new movement.... :huh:

It dosnt make any sense........

[thevan]

I never meant for this to be a way of establishing a classless society and I agree with your reasons of why we would inevitably fail, that is one of the principles of the idea. The true purpose is to put us on the political road map while fighting for as much change as possible. I think we would agree that one of the keys to the mass movement is education, my idea was that if the working class sees a political party fighting for them they will no doubt become interested, so they could wander down to the local left-wing community centre and pick up information on our views. Not necessarily whole books on the subject (though those would also be available) but things like pamphlets summing up the injustices of the current system and the principles of left-wing politics. A left wing party like this would no doubt attract media attention, and when the masses see us running things like those community centre's and fighting for workers rights they can see that communists and anarchists are not the monsters we're made out to be. This process will hopefully attract more people to our cause and eventually lead to the mass movement we all want that is not linked to any political party, but a solidarity movemnt like you said. I hope this makes more sense.

[Marxist in Nebraska]

I think the ideas being discussed here are promising. I have felt for some time that leftists need to act practically to make life better for the working class. I do not think that by declaring yourself a communist or anarchist and calling for total revolution is going to draw many people into the cause. Here in the United States, in particular, anti-communist propaganda has a lot of people confused as to what a communist is or wants. Hell, I was a communist for months before I would identify myself by that word. I think leftists have to act--to set up mutual aid-type organizations to prove our devotion to making life better for the people who actually do the work. I think that would salvage our good name, and get more people into revolutionary organizations.