Isai Marijerla, Socialist Party national treasurer
Socialism 2022 is taking place amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis faced by ordinary working-class and young people. A part of the event will be a financial appeal to raise funds to help build the Socialist Party.
The Socialist Party has consistently fought for the socialist transformation of society. Our members and supporters have been out on the street campaigning, and as part of the workers movement, raising socialist ideas that are needed to change the world.
This year, for example, in the face of numerous capitalist crises, we have consistently championed the building of working-class political representation. Others will bash the Tories and moan about Starmer – but we say what needs to be done!
Our trade union members have been battling within the unions for action for pay rises and better terms and conditions. And our party collectively offers ideas for the next steps forward for those strikes to win – starting with coordinating the action. Students and young members have been doing campaign stalls on the cost-of-living crisis, and the need for a mass movement to end it.
Our weekly newspaper is an antidote to the idea that nothing can be done, and helps all those who read it to see that a socialist alternative is possible – and necessary. We defend the Marxist methods of perspective and programme. Our workplace pages are full of action taken by workers – showing a glimpse of the huge potential power of the working class.
Our campaigns pages are full of fightbacks not seen in other newspapers. We are a party of the working class and our paper reflects that.
The international articles show the worldwide storm that’s developing. We take our international work seriously – we support the Committee for a Workers’ International, including financially. There isn’t a single country that has a strong capitalist government, free from crisis. Uprisings in Iran and Sri Lanka are the foretaste of the future. A third of the Socialism 2022 finance appeal will go towards helping build our international work.
The Socialist Party is confident that we have the ideas and a programme to fight for socialist ideas. Help us to also be financially prepared.
The cost-of-living crisis has hit everyone and we are not immune to it. As inflation reaches a record high, the cost of everything is going up – the cost of paper, tins, materials and electricity have doubled. But politically we cannot make cutbacks to our material, or the scale of our intervention in events – we must instead fight to increase the socialist voice in events. If you agree with us, please help us to ensure we have the financial means to point to how the working class can win the class struggles and end capitalism.
