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Brum meeting celebrates centenary of 1917
Birmingham Socialist Party's public meeting celebrating the centenary of the October revolution, photo by Birmingham Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)
Birmingham Socialist Party branches organised a public meeting at the end of October to mark the centenary of the Russian revolution. Peter Taaffe, general secretary of the Socialist Party, was the main speaker. Over 50 attended, including many young people.
Peter explained the tsunami effects around the world of the first workers' state to be established and the influence of socialist ideas led by the Bolshevik Party.
Against the hostility of world capitalism, it inspired workers in the advanced capitalist, as well as the colonial countries that they could throw off the yoke of exploitation to build a world free from war, inequality and starvation. At the same time, planning resources on a world scale could ensure the welfare of the planet.
Peter also spoke about the right to self-determination of countries that had been dominated by Russian imperialism. The Bolshevik Party raised this during the revolution, which in the majority of cases won over the populations of these nations to the revolution.
The Soviet government immediately granted full independence to Finland. Peter linked this to what is happening in Catalonia's struggle for independence today against the capitalist Spanish state and the repression being implemented.
Finally, Peter drew out the lesson that capitalism today can no longer develop science and the productive forces. Eight billionaires have as much wealth as the poorest 50% of the planet! Only workers can once and for all solve the crisis of world capitalism by building a socialist society.
Bill Murray, Birmingham South East Socialist Party
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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.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
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