Socialism 2005

Socialism 2005 is an opportunity for anyone who is angry at the poverty and inequality in society to come together to debate socialist ideas. We will be looking at past and present struggles of the working class and the lessons we can learn from them.

Visit our Socialism 2005 pages

We live in a society where a tiny minority of fat-cat billionaires own and control almost everything from factories to TV stations and football teams. In such a world, it would be naive to imagine there is freedom of information and ideas.

Newspapers, TV, colleges and schools all claim to be neutral givers of information. In fact, we are given an overwhelmingly one-sided view - that poverty and deprivation are inevitable and that capitalism is the only way of organising society. We are told nothing of the millions who are fighting back against privatisation and neo-liberalism across the globe.

Hosted by the Socialist Party, Socialism 2005 will discuss ideas to guide the struggle for change. Our members are campaigning against NHS cuts, for free education, against privatisation, and on many other issues.

We are fighting for an end to the rule of profit, for a democratic socialist society and economy run to meet everyone's needs. You don't have to be a socialist, or agree with everything we say, to take part and enjoy Socialism 2005. If you want to hear a different side of the story - come along.

Seminars and meeting will include:

Where now for the campaign to 'make poverty history'?
Women in struggle around the world.
Sport's winners and losers - and we don't mean the final score!
The music industry - do we only hear the master's voice?
Socialism in the 21st century

Can the working class change the world?

How could a planned economy work today?

Britain

Will the unions lead a fight back?

Time for a new workers' party.

Will we ever see a revolution in Britain?

Racism

Institutional racism - six years after the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry has anything changed?

Bullet Boy - film.

Latin America

Venezuela - can Chavez continue to defy imperialism?

Cuba - is it socialist?

Socialist anniversaries

1905 - one hundred years since the first Russian Revolution.

E=mc2 - How socialist physicist Einstein changed the world.

1945 - when Britain's workers and soldiers demanded a 'land fit for heroes'.

The Middle East

The history of workers' struggle in the Middle East.

Iraq - how can imperialism be defeated?

Can imperialism bring democracy to the Middle East?

Our environment

Nuclear power - clean energy or lethal danger?

Can we feed the world without destroying the planet?

Are we poisoned? - why profits are jeopardising food safety.

Economy in crisis

Job losses - is protectionism a solution?

Is China going to replace the US as the world's superpower?

6-9 pm Saturday 12 November

Friends Meeting House - 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ (nearest tube and mainline station Euston)

Speakers include:

Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS (civil servants union)

Joe Higgins, Socialist Party MP in Ireland, recently in prison for defying an unjust law

Dave Nellist, Coventry City Councillor and ex-Labour MP for Coventry South East

International anti-war and anti-capitalist activists

Venue for all other sessions and workshops University of London Union (ULU), Malet St, London WC1. Sessions will be between 2 - 5 pm on Saturday and between 10 am and 4.30 pm on Sunday.

Socialism 2005

6-9 pm Saturday 12 November

Friends Meeting House - 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ (nearest tube and mainline station Euston)

Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary

Ticket costs: For waged: £10 for rally and £20 for weekend. For unwaged and minimum wage: £5 for rally and £10 for weekend. Make cheques payable to 'Socialism' and send to PO Box 24697, London, E11 1YD.