Best Left News of 2012

[The Idler]

Please read any replies to this thread then vote for the best news event in 2012 for the left-wing movement and working-class or vote "other" and suggest others in replies below. This is a follow-on from the thread posted last year about last year

[aty]

Spanish miners, it reignited the struggle in Spain after the indignados and I now see Spain as the most hopeful country too build a strong workers movement and starting a socialist revolution.

[bcbm]

there was good news for the working class this year?

[l'Enfermé]

Obama. Obviously.

[Die Neue Zeit]

My vote went to the situation in Greece.

[cynicles]

That list of events really sucks in retrospect.

[ed miliband]

lol, why is barry getting re-elected even an option?

[Slavoj Zizek's Balls]

My vote went to Occupy Sandy because it is a living example of how mutual aid that is organised by volunteers can do some good.

[Die Neue Zeit]

My vote went to Occupy Sandy because it is a living example of how mutual aid that is organised by volunteers can do some good.

That's commendable, but how much political content did it have? In Greece, by contrast, the mutual aid and solidarity networks have heavy political content.

[The Idler]

lol, why is barry getting re-elected even an option?
I wanted to see if any revlefters would even pick it. But yeah, the list wasn't as good as previous years. Cobbled together quite quickly and may have neglected struggles in South Asia and South America.

[Geiseric]

Not sure, Syriza is a pretty big deal, as is the egyptians and tunisian working class's revolutions in the making. However the international working class has lost much more in the past decade than we can hope to retake, in the immediate future, given how much of a mess working class politics are atm.

[xvzc]

Out of what was listed, I'd have to choose the Spanish miners struggle which was a very welcome relief for European proletarian militancy, and secondly the Quebec student strike which gave Maoists in the state some room to spread their politics.

I vote for the on-going People's Wars in India and the Philippines, though, so it's "other" :)

[CallmeKoba]

The Syrian uprising has taken the lives of many innocent citizens. I don't understand why it would be on this list.

I say the Student Protests.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

That's commendable, but how much political content did it have? In Greece, by contrast, the mutual aid and solidarity networks have heavy political content.

The existence of aid does not represent something for the working class to celebrate. Rather, it points to a desperate situation.

Still, the sectarians celebrate.:rolleyes:

If there was anything that 'warmed my heart' this year it was the brave Spanish miners, but again this was about their plight, not something to celebrate.

[Le Socialiste]

I voted the Ongoing Arab Spring. A lot's been going on in countries like Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria that have served as motivation(s) for movements around the world, illustrating how these events feed into each other and overlap. Notable mention goes to the South African miners, textile and transportation workers who initiated an intense strike wave that shut down major sectors of the national economy.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Can we purge those who voted for Obama's re-election?

[l'Enfermé]

The existence of aid does not represent something for the working class to celebrate. Rather, it points to a desperate situation.

Still, the sectarians celebrate.:rolleyes:

This post actually made me wince in pain. Really, Boss?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I voted the Ongoing Arab Spring. A lot's been going on in countries like Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria that have served as motivation(s) for movements around the world, illustrating how these events feed into each other and overlap. Notable mention goes to the South African miners, textile and transportation workers who initiated an intense strike wave that shut down major sectors of the national economy.

I was going to bring up the South African miners, seems there's a good degree of militancy in the area.

[Manic Impressive]

lol, why is barry getting re-elected even an option?
Remember this thread?
http://www.revleft.com/vb/should-we-do-t173363/index.html

[Killer Enigma]

No Chavez? No Chicago Teachers Strike? This list sucks.

[Goblin]

Occupy. Though i probably should have voted Greece.

[Ostrinski]

I think the best thing for the left is the continued existence of revleft.

[Leftsolidarity]

This list sucks

[Os Cangaceiros]

I voted for Obama's re-election. I'm sure now that since comrade Obama doesn't have to worry about re-election he'll lead us all to a glorious communist future in his 2nd term!

But on a serious note, I'd say that the bitter struggle of the miners in Africa is number 1. Especially after the horrible massacre, which only led to a much more intensified & broadened struggle which seemed to cripple industry in South Africa for a while.

After that I'd say the struggle in Quebec, the Spanish miner's struggle and the continuing situation in Egypt.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Actually none of those struggles really led to "victory", did they, so none of them were really "good news" I guess. But the struggles were inspiring anyway.

[bcbm]

Actually none of those struggles really led to "victory", did they

this is the proletarian condition

[Green Girl]

I voted for Obama's re-election. I'm sure now that since comrade Obama doesn't have to worry about re-election he'll lead us all to a glorious communist future in his 2nd term!
I really wish Obama was a communist as the Republicans claim, however it just isn't so. In his 2008 election bid he promised to raise the minimum wage to $9.50 per hour with yearly cost of living increases. Even that was a compromise as the minimum wage should now be $10.47 if it had kept up with inflation. The minimum wage is stuck at $7.25 per hour. Instead of Obamacare we should have gotten single-payer universal health care like most of the rest of the developed world.

Political Compass of the USA Presidential Candidates
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dS_DJQvEDTk/UJOg9Cc8IgI/AAAAAAAAAf8/A3I8VCpFvvo/s320/us2012.png

My Political Compass
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AqeGSb7WENw/UJOhTDcLFrI/AAAAAAAAAgE/w0ojk0Ju1kY/s320/pcgraph.png

Notice how Right/Authoritarian both Obama and Romney are. This shows why (so far) that what Obama says and what Obama does are two very different things.

If you want to test yourself go here (http://www.politicalcompass.org/index)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Obama really is a communist and in 2015:


He gives us single-payer universal heath care.
He turns all workplaces over to the workers, and gives the former owners the choice to become a worker or spend the rest of their life in prison.
He says screw the 16 Trillion dollar national debt and declares USA paper currency worthless and no longer needed.
He then sets up distribution centers when all citizens can get all the food, personal items and luxuries they desire at no exchange of money.


I would love the Republicans to claim in 2016, "We were right, Obama is a communist." But I'm not holding my breath.

In this poll I voted the Occupy movement as I could see a communist revolution coming out of the USA protests. The stupid dimwits at Tea Party Television have been filming interviews with Marxists and other communists at Occupy demonstrations, with anti-communist commentary added either at the ending or beginning in their attempt to discredit the Occupy Movement. If you watch these videos and listen just to the people interviewed and ignore to stupid Tea Party pro-capitalist commentary they are very good at getting most of our points across. I hope Americans listen to the Marxists either live at the events or on these videos and take to heart the communists suggestions for improving our economy for the working class.

The Socialist OWS mob invades Oakland, California: "Occupy Oakland" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuFQuEwJ5xI)

Help, how can I post a YouTube? I tried the link, I tried Embedded both new and old codes and I gave up and put a link above instead. Please help.

[Delenda Carthago]

As we can see, not many positive things happened for the working class in 2012. I vote for the working class pride, the powerfull Mineros! I would also like to mention the strike in Greek Steelworks, even if it started in 2011.





PS.Syrian uprising? Really?

[Philosophos]

basically none...

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

This post actually made me wince in pain. Really, Boss?

Erm, yes.

That the living standards have been so depressed that aid is necessary is pretty fucking sad and certainly nothing to celebrate. I know some here love this sectarian-motivated idea of an alternative culture that embraces aid on political terms or whatever, but for me aid only exists when workers cannot meet a subsistence standard of living without this NGO/other organisation giving aid. I find this sad and certainly won't be popping open the champers at any increase in aid.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Erm, yes.

That the living standards have been so depressed that aid is necessary is pretty fucking sad and certainly nothing to celebrate. I know some here love this sectarian-motivated idea of an alternative culture that embraces aid on political terms or whatever, but for me aid only exists when workers cannot meet a subsistence standard of living without this NGO/other organisation giving aid. I find this sad and certainly won't be popping open the champers at any increase in aid.

Go tell that to the "communization theory" folks. I mean, something like this but without the ever-"bourgeois" or "petit-bourgeois" scourge of Politics would be "the real movement which abolishes the present state of things" (Marx, whether right or wrong) right?

I am glad there's an Alternative Culture in Greece, with appropriate politics (organized by and support for SYRIZA), but don't like the fact this is occurring in the midst of assaults on living standards. I'd prefer this occur in the midst of more normal living conditions.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I am glad there's an Alternative Culture, with appropriate politics, but don't like the fact this is occurring in the midst of assaults on living standards.

That is my whole point. You don't have to post anything more to prove you're on some higher intellectual level than the rest of us mere mortal proletarians. Just leave it at that - aid is never good if it is necessary as it points to a probably vicious attack on the living standards and welfare of workers, something that only the most desperate of sectarians would see as a cause for celebration.

[l'Enfermé]

If I were to say "we should celebrate that at least some European Jews escaped the Holocaust, the einsatzgruppen, the gas chambers, the extermination camps, the pogroms, etc, etc", would you jump in and cry out "you sectarian!"?

Yes, yes, I know, godwin's law and all that, but I'm serious.

A comrade says that we should celebrate that some Greek workers have finally had enough of being fucked by capital and are now building aid and solidarity networks and you jump in and cry about sectarianism. Yeah, captain obvious, there's obviously nothing to celebrate about the fact that our class is so miserable. But there's clearly a reason to celebrate when we see signs that there's a chance that this misery might not necessarily last for the rest of our species' existence.

Let's apply your way of thinking to revolution: Social revolution is not something to celebrate, because conditions existed before it that made it possible(exploitation of labour by capital, and so on).

Do you understand how ridiculous what you said sounds now?

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

If I were to say "we should celebrate that at least some European Jews escaped the Holocaust, the einsatzgruppen, the gas chambers, the extermination camps, the pogroms, etc, etc", would you jump in and cry out "you sectarian!"?

Yes, yes, I know, godwin's law and all that, but I'm serious.

A comrade says that we should celebrate that some Greek workers have finally had enough of being fucked by capital and are now building aid and solidarity networks and you jump in and cry about sectarianism. Yeah, captain obvious, there's obviously nothing to celebrate about the fact that our class is so miserable. But there's clearly a reason to celebrate when we see signs that there's a chance that this misery might not necessarily last for the rest of our species' existence.

Let's apply your way of thinking to revolution: Social revolution is not something to celebrate, because conditions existed before it that made it possible(exploitation of labour by capital, and so on).

Do you understand how ridiculous what you said sounds now?

I'm really not a fan of Godwin's Law usage as comparison. It's pointless and, as a jew myself, I just look to avoid such discussion, so I will.

Secondly, the different between social revolution and aid is....aid is not revolutionary. Social revolution leads to a total upheaval in the social relationships in society in one way or another. Aid merely looks to clarify the previous status quo. In that sense, aid is highly limited, highly defensive and nothing to celebrate.

Besides, aid networks are not really a manifestation of class consciousness but a defensive reaction to abhorrent living standards - it says a lot that even the fash have established the aid networks that are being so celebrated here.

[Die Neue Zeit]

it says a lot that even the fash have established the aid networks that are being so celebrated here

And it says a lot more that said aid networks lead to political support. If we don't organize this, someone else will, and that someone else will get political support.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

And it says a lot more that said aid networks lead to political support. If we don't organize this, someone else will, and that someone else will get political support.

Do you have any proof of this, though? I'm not sure there is any causal relationship, here. Don't people tend to support the fash and sometimes the left more, the worse the economic situation becomes?

[Ravachol]

Go tell that to the "communization theory" folks.


Tell me about communization theory :laugh:



I am glad there's an Alternative Culture in Greece, with appropriate politics (organized by and support for SYRIZA), but don't like the fact this is occurring in the midst of assaults on living standards. I'd prefer this occur in the midst of more normal living conditions.

List some examples of this 'alternative culture' of SYRIZA (a party that draws its support mainly from leftish middle class academics) and how any of this is even remotely related to 'the real movement that abolishes the present state of things'. Tangible examples please.

[Die Neue Zeit]

List some examples of this 'alternative culture' of SYRIZA

http://www.redpepper.org.uk/greece-syriza-shines-a-light/


In its work outside parliament, Syriza gives a high priority to supporting and spreading networks that in effect systematise the customs of informal mutual support that are deeply rooted in Greek society. Some begin with neighbours coming together to help others with greater need. Others involve solidarity kitchens linking with food producers; doctors and nurses responding to the crisis in the health system by creating medical social centres; support for actions against electricity cut-offs; legal help in courts to cut mortgage payments. Syriza’s involvement in this work follows in part from its members’ high alert to the threat posed by Golden Dawn. Andreas Karitzis stresses that if the left does not ‘build the new social connections, someone else will’.


(a party that draws its support mainly from leftish middle class academics)

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_24/12/2012_475796


SYRIZA is also the dominant force among civil servants, private sector workers and the unemployed, where support for the leftists reaches 22.6, 25.1 and 27.5 percent respectively.

[Regicollis]

I voted for Syriza. It is the first time I can remember a socialist party gaining so huge support in a western industrialised country. I think this is pretty significant.

As for the Spanish miners' strike I don't know much about it.

[China studen]

The Syrian terrorists against the government is a bad break.

[Futility Personified]

African Miners strikes, the militant stance they have against the ANC and it's dead end "socialism" is something to kickstart an attempt at organising a legitimate socialist society.

EDIT: I'm aware there were deaths and obviously that's not good, but hopefully through that it will antagonise the movement, enhance legitimate demands and build disenfranchisement against the ANC.

[blake 3:17]

Folks looking at this might be interested in An Ascending Trajectory?: Ten of the Most Important Social Conflicts in the US in 2012 by Dan La Botz.

Link here: http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/3784

[Comrade Samuel]

The fact that Obama's re-election received 9 votes makes me think either that this poll has no legitimacy whatsoever or that there is no hope for our cause.

Arab spring gets my vote- I doubt any major change will result from it but it's the best thing of all the options (seriously no Chicago teacher strike?)