May Day is now over, on which local elections took place in England
and Wales (which I prefered not to affect). The following text is
from
the international edition of a newsletter of my Foundation for PR-
based Socialism (where PR stands for pro****tional representation):
Foundation for PR-based Socialism
Website: www.PRsocialism.org Forum:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PRsociali=
sm
Newsletter 3 (1/5/2008), international edition
Workers of the world unite
- with the middle class!
May Day is the international workers' day, when there are many events
around the world celebrating struggles of the working class. This
year, it's the 40th anniversary of working class people challenging
for power in France.
Capitalist economies throughout the world are in crisis - with the
"credit crunch" resulting from sub-prime mortgages sold to people
with
poor credit records in the USA, escalating levels of government debts
and massive increases in food and fuel prices. In the so-called third
world, food inflation is so high that millions of poor people are
literally starving to death once more.
In recent years, parties calling themselves "socialist" have taken
power in many countries in Latin America. However, in the West,
prospects for workers taking power seem more remote now than ever
before in the history of capitalism! Most left-wing activists,
including supposed revolutionaries, concentrate on putting forward
reformist demands. In Britain, for example, they demand more money
for
public services and oppose cuts, at a time when the government is
already borrowing about =A340 billion a year!
It is im****tant, particularly at a time of economic crisis, for
revolutionary socialists to talk about the need for revolution and
say
how we would organise society better than capitalists do. But what
sort of socialist society do we advocate? Marxist parties like the
British Socialist Workers Party (SWP) stand for a form of socialism
sometimes called "the dictator****p of the proletariat" in which only
the working class is in control - via hierarchies of committees based
on workplaces, with a "workers' militia" to try to prevent such a
society from being overthrown. Hierarchical structures, including
those in the SWP itself, make it easy for infiltrators from hostile
organisations to reach positions of power and stay there, because it
is generally only those on such committees who know who the dodgy
people are and what they are up to. Furthermore, in these days of a
burgeoning middle class, when there is overwhelming sup****t for some
sort of pro****tional electoral system, such forms of socialism are
outdated and stand no chance of receiving popular sup****t.
In contrast, the Foundation for PR-based Socialism stands for a form
of socialism based on pro****tional representation (PR) by single
transferable vote (STV). Under STV, voters can specify preferences
for
different candidates so that votes are transferred to second and
later
preferences, if the first choice is eliminated or gets more votes
than
necessary. It is the fairest form of PR because it removes the need
for tactical voting and allows voters to choose between candidates of
the same party.
What sort of party/network do we need? Join the debate
There has been a tendency in recent years to form broad socialist
parties, uniting revolutionary socialists and reformists around
mainly
reformist programmes. This strategy has sometimes resulted in such
parties joining ruling coalitions (such as Rifondazione Communista in
Italy and Die Linke on the Berlin council) and losing sup****t when
those coalitions implemented cuts. In some countries, particularly
Britain, there have been splits on peripheral issues after the
parties
lost momentum - the Tommy Sheridan defamation trial in Scotland and a
change of tack by the SWP in Respect in England and Wales (away from
encouraging Muslim businessmen to stand as candidates and limiting
the
programme to avoid alienating them). It is a good time for a
realignment of the left in many countries. But what sort of party (or
"network" if the term "party" seems off-putting or too hierarchical)
can best lead to socialism?
=B7 A broad socialist party, but better reflecting the views of
revolutionaries within it?
=B7 An openly revolutionary socialist party?
=B7 A revolutionary anti-capitalist party, uniting
revolutionary
socialists with others opposed to capitalism, like the party being
launched by the French LCR? Anarchists could join and ignore its
electoral activities if they so wish.
=B7 An ethical capitalist party, which forces rich people and
companies to pay their fair share of tax?
=B7 A libertarian party? The UK Libertarian Party, which was
formed this year, wants a very free capitalist society under which a
voluntary socialist mini-state could be created. It currently has a
right-wing programme, on many issues apart from civil liberties and
the STV voting system, but if it adopts a position of redistributing
wealth at the start of a libertarian society or increasing the
minimum
wage, both of which Foundation founder Steve Wallis suggested on
their
forum, their policy of aboli****ng income tax could be both good and
popular.
We may also need to consider setting up some sort of grouping of
like-
minded people, officially recognised or otherwise, within such a
party. Our enemies are organised so we need to be too.
You can debate these issues on the Foundation's internet forum at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PRsocialism.
You may go to the
Libertarian Party forum at www.lpuk.org/forum (request access to the
main boards - you don't need to join the party).
For more information, including details of a Glasgow meeting on
Thursday the 8th of May at which you can discuss such issues, or to
print off copies of the newsletter, go to the Foundation for PR-based
Socialism home page at www.PRsocialism.org.
--
Steve Wallis (Glasgow, Scotland)
For im****tant/urgent communications, please email:
warcrysteve@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steve-wallis-socialist-blog,
http://blog.myspace.com/galaxiasteve
My socialist website: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk
My socialist musical poetry: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/poetry.htm
(and at my MySpace and Multiply pages)
My pages at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/galaxiasteve,
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=3D731729407
and Multiply:
http://socialiststeve.multiply.com
Founder, Good Intentions Network: http//www.goodintentionsnetwork.org
Founder, Ethical Capitalism Network: http://www.ethicalcapitalism.net
Founder, Foundation for PR-based Socialism: http://www.PRsocialism.org
Founder, Revolutionary Platform Network:
http://www.revolutionaryplatform.ne=
t
My socialist band, Red Day: http://www.red-day.net
Author, "Revolution Destroyed? Have I ensured that a world socialist
revolution will never happen?": http://www.revolutiondestroyed.net
For discussion of the credit crunch, go to
http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=3D156
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