Category : Government & Politics
Type: Public Membership [help] [Report Abuse ] Founded: May 9, 2006 7:24 AM Location: Manchester Northwest-UK Member(s): 1699
An international forum for discussion for members or friends of the International Socialist Tendency, readers of Socialist Worker or members of the public generally who have an interest in democratic revolutionary socialism from below. FIGHTING TO END CAPITALISM AND WAR We live in a time where half the world's population live on less than $2 a day while 67% of the wealth is owned by just 2% of the population - the capitalist class. Under capitalism the overwhelming majority of the world's people live as virtual slaves. The conditions which capitalism breeds - poverty, hatred, unemployment, competition, despair, environmental devastation, war and fascism - continue to blight the lives of millions. But this is also a time of hope. Over recent years we have witnessed growing international protest movements fighting under the banner 'Another World is Possible.' We have seen millions across the world take to the streets in opposition to Bush and Blair's war and occupation of Iraq. The International Socialist Tendency has played a key role in all these movements. FOR SOCIALISM The present system cannot be patched up - it has to be completely transformed. The structures of the parliament, army, police and judiciary cannot be taken over and used by the working people; since their role is to defend the present system they must be smashed and workers' organisations must be built from the bottom up. Elections can be used to agitate for real improvements in people's lives and to expose the system we live under, but only the mass action of workers themselves on the streets and in their workplaces can overthrow the system. Workers create all the wealth under capitalism. A new society can only be constructed when they collectively seize control of that wealth and plan its production and distribution according to need not profit. FOR INTERNATIONALISM We live in a world economy dominated by huge corporations. Only by fighting together across national boundaries can we challenge the rich and powerful who dominate the globe. The struggle for socialism can only be successful if it is a worldwide struggle. This was demonstrated by the experience of Russia where an isolated socialist revolution was crushed by the power of the world market - a market it could only contend with by becoming state capitalist. In Eastern Europe and China similar states were later established. AGAINST RACISM, IMPERIALISM AND OPPRESSION We oppose everything which turns workers from one country against those from another. We oppose all immigration controls and campaign for solidarity with workers in other countries. We support the right of black people and other oppressed groups to organise their own defence and we support all genuine national liberation movements. We campaign for real social, political and economic equality for women and for an end to all forms of discrimination against lesbians and gays. FOR A REVOLUTIONARY PARTY Those who rule our society are powerful because they are organised - they control the wealth, media, courts and the military. They use their power to limit and contain opposition. They will stop at nothing to achieve their ends. To combat that power, working people have to be organised as well. The International Socialist Tendency aims to bring together activists from the movement and working class. A revolutionary party is necessary to strengthen the movement, organise people within it and aid them in developing the ideas and strategies that can overthrow capitalism entirely. It has been done before and it can be done again... We live in hope.
Below is a list of other socialist and left organisations which comrades might find useful: