Anti-Fascism

BY Vicki Morris FRESH from his PR appearance on the BBC, President Vladimir Putin of Russia is preparing to host the leaders of the new free world at the G8 summit at St Petersburg (15-17 July). A counter-summit and the second Russian Social Forum have been organised, but, as was feared, they are meeting with sinister repression. A report from French journalist Carine Clément was sent to the email lists of the European Social Forum. Here is a translated extract: For several weeks now the secret services and the police have been taking a close look at Russian militants linked to...

Document passed at AWL conference 29-30 April 2006. §1. The anti-capitalist or global justice movement has been an important milieu for the AWL to intervene in for many years. As participants, we continuously evaluate the nature of the movement, its tendencies, its composition, the role of the revolutionary left within it - and try to shape its direction. §2. Our conference in 2000 noted the fact that large numbers of youth were becoming politicised by demonstrations, meetings, direct action and other protests. We registered the opportunities to discuss ideas such as the nature of capitalism...

The Zanon factory in Neuquén province in Argentina has operated under workers’ control for four years. It is a great example of the creativity of working class people. Julian Pununuri from Zanon spoke to Paul Hampton during his recent UK tour, organised by No Sweat and the Argentina Solidarity Campaign. PH: Zanon is an inspiration to socialists and activists across the globe. What’s going on there now? JP: The struggle continues, supported by the local community, the unemployed organisations (MTD), the left and of course the workers in the factory. The factory’s former owners decided to shut...

What follows is a summary of the political and ideological traditions on which Workers’ Liberty and Solidarity base ourselves. Isaac Newton famously summed up the importance of studying, learning, and building on forerunners. “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”, he wrote, referring to René Descartes, his contemporary Robert Hooke, and presumably also to his direct predecessor Isaac Barrow. In science few people think they can neglect the “tradition” and rely on improvisation. In politics, alas, too many. The summary here, written in 1995, starts as...

Gordon Brown claimed that the European countries should stop apologising for their role as colonial powers in past. Colin Foster explains why to “forgiving and forgetting” the past stop us from understanding the problems African and other "Third World" countries face in a post-colonial present. When Africa was not “backward” In the Middle Ages, Ethiopia was not underdeveloped. Walter Rodney — a black Marxist historian assassinated in 1980 as he tried to build a working-class party in his native Guyana — wrote: “The kings distinguished themselves by building several churches cut out of solid...

By Vicki Morris Mayday in Europe, in addition to the traditional marches, witnessed a number of “Euromayday” events. The organisers are more or less anarchistic activists involved in struggles of the unemployed and insecurely employed and are generally scornful of the “organised” labour movement. In general, that attitude isn’t helpful. However, the aims of the movement — to organise the unorganised, to foster rank and file control of struggles, to link struggles — are good aims. In France Euromayday was organised by Stop Précarité, a network for various struggles against “précarité” (the...

On Worker-communist Circles WPI Briefing Interview with Siyaves Azeri Maryam Namazie: The Worker-communist Party of Iran’s International Relations Committee has recently been subdivided into three sections given the large numbers of people and groups that are turning towards worker-communism. You are now in charge of one of these divisions, which aims to establish and support worker-communist circles. What are worker-communist circles and why is there a need for them now? Siyaves Azeri: Worker-communist circles are basically associations of worker-communist activists and sympathisers all...

Fundamental developments in the labour movement in Iran Asqar Karimi Important developments are taking place in the labour movement in Iran, including a new wave of strikes and solidarity actions with a more radical and assertive working class coming to the fore of the political scene in Iran in the past year. This powerful movement deserves recognition and support. Increase in labour protests Labour strikes have increased in an unprecedented manner; in government-affiliated papers alone, there are daily reports of several small and large strikes. In recent weeks, strikes have permeated in...

Why are the G8 bothered about Africa? A report by the Council on Foreign Relations (a right-wing US think-tank) published last year sheds light on the real issues involved. The report, Freedom, Prosperity and Security, aptly sums up the interests of G8 governments and their business supporters. It says: “Africa’s poverty, marginalisation and security all impinge on the well being and security of the G8 countries”. Security is a primary motive. The report says: “Security concerns are becoming especially important in Africa”. It points to terrorist attacks in 1998 on US embassies in Nairobi and...