G8 Summit June 2007

Join the International Youth Camp

HUNDREDS OF thousands of people were on Edinburgh's streets in 2005 for the Make Poverty History demonstration organised around the G8 summit in Gleneagles. Millions more tuned in to the Live8 anti-poverty pop concert.

Greg Maughan

Two years on, what has changed? In Niger, for instance, only 5% of the rural population have access to clean drinking water. In Bangladesh 83% of the population are forced to live on less than two dollars a day.

The anti-poverty protests around Gleneagles showed the basic internationalist outlook that most workers and young people hold. It also, however, exposed the incapability of the leaders of the 'rich' world to do anything about the dire living conditions that a majority face around the globe every day.

This year the G8, a group of leaders of eight of the largest capitalist countries, will meet in Rostock, Germany. Thousands will descend on this city to protest against Bush, Blair, Merkel and the rest. But after the high-profile Make Poverty History campaign failed to do what it said on the tin, many more people will be looking for an alternative to the profit-mad system we live under.

Members of International Socialist Resistance (ISR) will be joining the Anti-G8 International Youth Camp on 2-7 June. Here we'll raise the red flag of socialism at the G8 and explain that to make poverty history we have to make capitalism history and make socialism our future!

If you are interested in attending, phone ISR on 020 8558 7947.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.