Left Turn
27th March 2008, 08:02
Greetings from BC's left coast. I'm from Burnaby, BC, an inner suburb immediately east of Vancouver.
I would broadly define my politics as (eco)socialist. I believe that capitalist society is leading us towards an impending mass extinction, and that only the abolishment of capitalism, and the implementation of socialism, can save us from impending disaster. Part and parcel of socialism must be a dramatic reduction in our collective environmental footprint, with by far the largest burden resting with those of us in the developed nations.
I believe in full social equality of all people as expressed in Marx's phrase "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs". I also believe that the socialist system we strive to create MUST be democratic. Thus, I agree with Bakhunin's statement that "Liberty without socialism is privilege and injustice; socialism without liberty is slavery and brutality". I am also strongly committed to anti-opression politics, and believe that this has a significant role to play in our lives as activists on the left.
I am a member of the Vancouver Socialist Forum, a new group in Vancouver that organizes monthly forums on various issues pertaining to the struggle for socialism, the struggle against imperialism, and working class struggles in general. We do not at this point have a statement of untiy/principles, although we hope to develop one in the near future. We are a non-sectarian group, in that we allow dissenting opinions within the group, and do not force members to adopt the majority stand of the group.
I conisder myself a Marxist, and believe this is compatible with my (eco)socialist views. I also agree with Trotsky's view that we need to strive for worldwide socialist revolution, and that so long as capitalism exists, any state that has freed itself from capitalism is in danger of reverting to capitalism. However, I oppose any sectarian organizations that require members to adopt the positions/tactis of the organization.
I would broadly define my politics as (eco)socialist. I believe that capitalist society is leading us towards an impending mass extinction, and that only the abolishment of capitalism, and the implementation of socialism, can save us from impending disaster. Part and parcel of socialism must be a dramatic reduction in our collective environmental footprint, with by far the largest burden resting with those of us in the developed nations.
I believe in full social equality of all people as expressed in Marx's phrase "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs". I also believe that the socialist system we strive to create MUST be democratic. Thus, I agree with Bakhunin's statement that "Liberty without socialism is privilege and injustice; socialism without liberty is slavery and brutality". I am also strongly committed to anti-opression politics, and believe that this has a significant role to play in our lives as activists on the left.
I am a member of the Vancouver Socialist Forum, a new group in Vancouver that organizes monthly forums on various issues pertaining to the struggle for socialism, the struggle against imperialism, and working class struggles in general. We do not at this point have a statement of untiy/principles, although we hope to develop one in the near future. We are a non-sectarian group, in that we allow dissenting opinions within the group, and do not force members to adopt the majority stand of the group.
I conisder myself a Marxist, and believe this is compatible with my (eco)socialist views. I also agree with Trotsky's view that we need to strive for worldwide socialist revolution, and that so long as capitalism exists, any state that has freed itself from capitalism is in danger of reverting to capitalism. However, I oppose any sectarian organizations that require members to adopt the positions/tactis of the organization.