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We are now part of Socialist ResistanceThe ISG has merged into Socialist Resistance: a revolutionary and ecosocialist organisation committed to overthrowing the barbaric capitalist system. Active across England, Scotland and Wales - fighting attacks on working people. The British Section of the Fourth International, working with our comrades across the world in resisting the neoliberal offensive of which New Labour is such a champion. Our DiaryJoin in action and debate with the Fourth International. Socialist OutlookBack issues of the ISG’s magazine, looking in depth at issues being raised in the anti-capitalist, anti-war, labour and trade union movements. Euro-election campaigns need grass-roots democracy, say SR and ISGThe RMT transport union is backing a national alternative in June’s European elections. ‘No2EU - Yes to Democracy‘ aims to provide a working class alternative in the elections, and has been able to gather the support of the Communist Party of Britain, the Socialist Party and the tiny Liberal Party as well as the Indian Workers’ Association. The Nature of the Crisis: theory, strategies & prospectsThese notes start from Alan Thornett’s characterisation of the crisis in his document, Capitalism’s Crisis and Our Response. What this note hopes to do is to go into a bit more detail about the way the crisis is likely to develop and to look at some of the possible strategies that capital might adopt to try to resolve the crisis. This can then lead into our later discussions about the position of the working class and a socialist response. Building Respect in the new political landscapeSince the rise of new Labour the building of an effective broad
alternative to its left has been a central task for revolutionary
socialists. Far-left organisations in their existing form were not,
and are not, adequate to address the opportunities this situation
opens up — although they potentially have a crucial role to play in
building a broad alternative capable of tackling the crisis of working
class representation. Socialist ResistanceSocialist Resistance was launched as a Marxist periodical produced in October 2002. In July 2009 it was refounded as a section of the Fourth International, uniting ISG supporters and other individual activists from the environmental, global justice, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist and anti-war movements as well as Respect. SR: Supporting ‘no2eu-yes to democracy’ in the European electionsIn our national aggregate of March 21st and our statement on March 31st we welcomed the launching of no2eu-yes to democracy campaign. We repeat that here. The scale of the economic and environmental crisis, and the need for a working class response at both the industrial and the political level, makes tackling the crisis of working class representation ever more urgent. Protest Goes GlobalThe period of weeks from the end of 2008 to February 2009 has seen the fall of the Icelandic and Latvian governments at the hands of daily mass protests, a one-day general strike and millions demonstrating in France, a general strike in Martinique and Guadeloupe, mass protests in eastern Russia, the strikes against social dumping in Britain, a factory occupation in Chicago (!), a semi-insurrectional uprising in Greece and almost daily localised protests in Bulgaria, Chile, India and China. Celtic Tiger faces extinctionAfter Iceland, it is the Irish economy that has seen the most dramatic collapse in Europe at this point in the global downturn. This collapse has left the public finances in chaos, seen the beginnings of a new wave of working class militancy, and put Brian Cowen’s government under severe pressure. International ViewpointNews and analysis from the Fourth International - International Viewpoint, a monthly english-language on-line magazine opening a window to radical alternatives world-wide. The latest 3 articles from the site: Youth camp: La rivoluzione sarà mondiale !The Fourth International organised the international youth camp for the 27th time. From the 24th to 31st of July almost 500 youth met in Perugia to discuss experiences from activities and struggles, educate themselves and to party together! - IV428 - September 2010 / Italy, Youth camp, Fourth (...) The green banner of Mohamed and the expansion of world trade“A century after the date when Muhammad, an obscure camel driver, had begun to gather around him in his house a few poor Meccans, his successors dominated the approaches of the Loire and the lands beyond the Indus, from Poitiers to Samarkand”. ... from now on, Islam – which was then the ideology (...) Conclat, a setback that cannot be hiddenThe call for a congress for the formation of a new Brazilian trade union federation - the Congress of the Working Class (Conclat) - aroused enthusiasm. The Conclat proposed to unify, in a new class-conscious federation, trade union, popular and student currents resisting the offensive of the (...) SR BooksInternational distributor of "It’s never too late to love or rebel", Celia Hart’s only book in English, and other progressive books. Socialist Resistance Books
New books defend MarxismThree titles from Resistance
Three new paperbacks from Socialist Resistance address some of the major questions facing the progressive movement today. Middle East
Middle East: war, imperialism, and ecologySixty years of resistance - Edited by Roland Rance and Terry Conway
How was Palestine destroyed? Did the great powers create Israel? Why has Lebanon sufferd war after war? What role has religion played in the Middle East? When did the region become the hub of the world’s ecological crisis? If you want answers to any of these questions, then you need this book. Environment
Ecosocialism or BarbarismEdited by Jane Kelly and Sheila Malone
Ecosocialism or Barbarism explains that the twenty-first century has opened on a catastrophic note, with an unprecedented degree of ecological breakdown and a chaotic world order beset with terror and warfare. What we thinkWhy does the Fourth International support RESPECT? What do we think about the attacks on young Muslim women wearing the hijab (headscarf)? What is going on in Brazil? Get a clearer idea of what we think on issues that affect us all Respect
RESPECT AT THE CROSSROADS"...it has become clear over the last two months, and the last two weeks in particular, that the actions of the SWP leadership imperil the very existence of Respect as a broad, pluralistic and democratic left alternative to New Labour... We are appealing to members of Respect to support us in defending the coalition’s plurality. We can no longer allow Respect to be jeopardised by one section." - The following document has been sent today (24 October) by National Chair of Respect, Linda Smith, to the Respect office in order for it to be circulated to all Respect National Council members. It has been widely circulated on left blogs and in the light of the editorial printed in Socialist Worker attacking George Galloway and others this week we believe that it is important that all Respect members understand what is at currently at stake for the future of Respect. Respect
A new crisis or a new opportunity?Report on the Respect NC meetings - September 2007
Alan Thornett reports from the latest Respect National Council meetings:
"The jury is out on whether enough has been done to re-launch Respect on a broader and more inclusive basis. It is also out on whether the political will exists in the SWP leadership to positively implement the decisions adopted which could take the organisation forward. ...both in terms of tasks and priorities and in terms of opening up Respect to the broader movement. In fact if fully implemented (what we proposed and was agreed) could re-launch Respect on a more open and attractive basis." Respect
George Galloway’s letter, where we standSeptember 2007
George Galloway has initiated a debate inside Respect on how to stengthen its organisation and prepare for a general election. Preparing for a Respect National Council discussion Alan Thornett and John Lister, after consultling with the "Respect Party Platform", have submitted this statement. Basic MarxismIn order to change the world it is necessary first to understand it. Basic marxism
IntroductionThis short study guide to Marxism is based on a guide published by the International Marxist Group in 1977 and has been reissued in response to the growing demand for Marxist educational material. Basic marxism
Four InternationalsFrom the earliest days of modern industry the working class has been compelled to seek unity on an international level or suffer defeat in its elementary struggles with the capitalist class. Basic marxism
Session 1: Social Inequality and Class StruggleClasses emerge at a distinct point in the evolution of human society on a particular economic foundation. ArchiveIn this part of our site we have brought together historic texts from our collective past. Financial appeal
Help us spread the word!This is the second issue of Socialist Outlook to be reduced in size from our normal 20 pages as we wrestle with financial problems. We only make this cut reluctantly, but to produce and distribute the paper each month costs far more than the 50p cover charge, and the demands on our organisation have for the moment outrun our resources. The world economy in crisis
Could "it" happen again?Analysis of the 1998 collapse of Long Term Capital Management
Newspapers and political pundits have begun to talk about the worst economic situation since the 1930s. Kosova: eight decades of repression which spawned the KLAAt the end of the Balkan wars and the First World War the Albanian nation was divided between a number of different states: Albania, Greece and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929). Kosova was allocated to Yugoslavia. Fourth InternationalFor the Fourth International, "the emancipation of the workers will be the work of the workers themselves" and "socialism will be international or it will not exist." On the Brazilian situationFebruary 2005
The experience of two years of the Lula government clearly demonstrates this government’s orientation and the policies it is carrying out. This is a coalition government with representatives of capital, dependent on the parliamentary right. These two years also show that the internal dynamic of its policies cannot be changed. February 2004 - The present moment of the movement in EuropeThe main fact to be noted in the current phase in imperialist Europe is the wave of self-activity in society over the last two years (since the outburst in Genoa in July 2001) in opposition to war and neoliberal policies. February 2004 - Report on the international situationThis report lies within the framework of the Resolutions and Reports of the 15th World Congress. It results from the discussions and the activity of the principal sections of the International, from our strong points but also from our limitations and our weaknesses. LinksAn eclectic list of useful political and campaign organisations. Fourth International comrades work in many of these organisations. But this is by no means an exhaustive or definitive list - if you know of other useful websites you think we could promote let us know. Fourth International LinksAcross the world, on every continent, country by country, the Fourth International organises thousands of socialist militants in its sections. Find out more about the Fourth International and its sections direct from their websites. Contact usFeedback - We want you to get in touch - so let us know what you think of this website and our organisation. |
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