The Socialism event on 6-7 November is a must for every trade unionist, socialist and campaigner. It is a brilliant opportunity to discuss socialist ideas in a great atmosphere. There are sessions to interest everyone and two inspiring rallies. Accommodation is available and there’s a party on Saturday evening. Book your tickets now at www.socialism2010.net or ring 020 8988 8777. Tickets cost £25 for the weekend (£12 concessions) and one day costs £15 (£7).


Rally for Socialism

6.30pm Saturday 6 November, Friends Meeting House, 173 Euston Road, NW1 2BJ
Speakers include: Cindy Sheehan, US anti-war activist, Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, Alex Gordon, RMT president, Andros Payiatsos, general secretary, CWI Greece, Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary.
Rally tickets cost £5.

Party for Socialism

Saturday 6 November.
Doors open 9pm Camden Centre, Judd Street, WC1H 9JE.
Live music, licensed bar, great venue. £2 on door / £1 concession.

Socialism 2010 closing rally: Workers of the world united

3pm Sunday 7 November, Friends Meeting House.
Speakers include: Joe Higgins MEP, Socialist Party Ireland, Yessenbek Ukteshbayev, Kazakhstan 2012 movement, Hannah Sell, Socialist Party, deputy general secretary.
The discussion sessions will be at ULU, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY. Topics include:

Discussion sessions

The discussion sessions will be at ULU, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY.

Socialism 2010 Programme

Socialism 2010 Programme   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Topics include:

  • What is socialism?
  • Marxist philosophy – a different way of viewing the world
  • Can the cuts be stopped? What strategy do we need?
  • Women and the struggle for socialism. Do we need a new ‘new feminism’?
  • The universities – stronghold for right-wing theories – can this be changed?
  • Greece, Spain, Italy. Them or us? Markets vs. Workers – who will win?
  • Human nature: too selfish for socialism?
  • Are cuts necessary? What would a socialist budget look like?
  • Can we build a new workers’ party whilst Labour is in opposition?
  • Made in Dagenham. Forty years since the equal pay act – have women won equality in the workplace?
  • We will not be a lost generation – youth fight for a future!
  • Cuba and the world economy. Where next for the Cuban revolution?
  • Can we have socialism and democracy?
  • How can we build fighting trade unions?
  • How can we defeat the far right?
  • How we beat the Tories last time round. Lessons of the poll tax
  • Afghanistan and the anti-war movement
  • The politics of the environmental movement

We are appealing to all members and supporters of the Socialist Party and to all readers of The Socialist for a donation to the Socialism 2010 finance appeal.

Ken Douglas Socialist Party national treasurer

As we make this appeal, this Con-Dem government of millionaires is preparing to announce the biggest attacks on public services since the 1920s.

Mass protests have broken out across Europe where cuts have already been implemented, with general strikes in Greece and Spain. In the next few months Greece will come to Britain as the cuts make their impact here and workers begin to resist.

These cuts can be resisted. Thatcher, the so-called Iron Lady, suffered two defeats in the 1980s – against Liverpool City council in 1983-84 and the poll tax mass non-payment campaign which ultimately brought her down.

In the forefront of both these battles were supporters of Militant, the forerunner of the Socialist Party. These campaigns are rich in lessons for today, particularly of building from the ground up, with anti-cuts unions in every area acting as a fulcrum for trade union and community action, building into a democratic and nationally coordinated network.

Fight the cuts

Socialist Party members are playing a vitally important role. We are active in protests and demonstrations in every area and in helping to establish and build the anti-cuts unions.

In the trade unions and the National Shop Stewards Network we helped ensure the success of the lobby of the TUC on 12 September, to put pressure on it to call a national demo against the cuts this year. The TUC has reluctantly announced a demo for March 2011 but that isn’t soon enough and we have to keep up the pressure – national action can drive the Tories back.

Our ideas and experience can be a vital resource. We must reach as wide an audience as possible with them.

Many people, particularly young people, are looking for an explanation for this capitalist crisis and are eager to discuss the socialist alternative.

We need your donations to help maximise our opportunities to build support for socialist ideas – to produce the leaflets, posters and other material which are indispensable to our work. We have begun to produce more books and pamphlets, including reproducing some of the classic works of Marxism which are either out of print or need to be in a more affordable format. If you like the look of The Socialist’s colour pages then we also need to ensure that we can have colour on every page as quickly as possible.

International

Part of your donation will go towards assisting our international work. The Socialist Party is part of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI), which has affiliated parties and organisations in more than 35 countries. Throughout the world members of the CWI are carrying out pioneering work, often in very difficult conditions.

In Pakistan, members of the CWI have been instrumental in building the Progressive Workers’ Federation which now has over half a million members. They are currently engaged in raising funds from trade unions around the world and setting up workers’ relief committees to provide support for workers and their families whose lives have been devastated by the recent floods.

In Russia CWI members have been brutally attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries for successfully demonstrating to prevent the destruction of greenbelt forests around Moscow; in Kazakhstan CWI members daily risk imprisonment and torture protesting against the brutal regime.

A CWI world congress will be held this year and your donation will help delegates from every section across the world attend the congress, as well as increasing assistance with travel and other costs so they can take part in meetings, protests and demonstrations in their own countries and put forward a socialist alternative.

The Socialist Party depends entirely on donations from ordinary people – your donation, whether it is a few pounds or £50 or £100 or more, is essential to enabling us to put forward a socialist alternative to the future of increasing poverty and misery that capitalism offers.

To donate online click here

Phone 020 8988 8762 or send to: Socialism 2010 appeal, PO Box 24697, London Ell 1YD (cheques payable to the Socialist Party)