Solidarity 137, 21 August 2008

Where is the SWP going?

Something about the SWP’s recent behaviour smacks of more than the usual sectarianism. Desperation might be closer to the mark Over the last year ‘the Revolutionary Party’ has experienced one setback after another. The split with George Galloway, the collapse of Respect, the more than dismal showing for the “Left List” in the London elections and a raft of resignations must have hit them hard. Further resignations and disputes may well follow. At this year’s ‘Marxism’ event, one SWP member was heard to say “John Rees is doing a session on ‘Strategy and Tactics’ — they must be having a laugh”...

Before Hitler came to power (part 2)

Part 1 was in Solidarity 3/136 . In this second part, the author traces the history of the German workers’ movement in the decade before Hitler consolidated power. It was published in the US Marxist journal Fourth International in February 1943. Sherry Mangan (writing under the name Terence Phelan) was a well-known US journalist and secretly, using his journalistic assignments as cover, a key organiser of the international Trotskyist movement of the time. Unlike classic police reaction, fascism builds on a mass base. To obtain this, it offers the disoriented and desperate petty bourgeoisie and...

Before Hitler came to power

The author traces the history of the German workers’ movement in the decade before Hitler consolidated power. It was published in the US Marxist journal Fourth International in February 1943. Sherry Mangan (writing under the name Terence Phelan) was a well-known US journalist and secretly, using his journalistic assignments as cover, a key organiser of the international Trotskyist movement of the time. Part 1 here . Unlike classic police reaction, fascism builds on a mass base. To obtain this, it offers the disoriented and desperate petty bourgeoisie and lumpenproletariat a violently demagogic...

Workers' Climate Action makes new links

The Workers’ Climate Action network was launched in January 2008. Working within the camp, and with activists within the labour movement, WCA has helped this summer’s Climate Camp move on a long way. At the opening night plenary, on capitalism and climate change, Daniel Randall, a young GMB organiser, spoke about the role of the labour movement in fighting climate change and how the labour movement might mobilise around unifying demands such as the shorter working week, longer annual holidays and public ownership of transport. Here the current aims of the labour movement coincide with a need...

From a little utopia to a bigger struggle?

The mixed bag of the anti-capitalist movement is a bewildering place for your average Trotskyist — but beyond all the political arguments it was an incredibly impressive, inclusive and participative exercise in collective living, self-organisation and fighting the state. The organisation of the camp is based around consensus decision making and self-organisation, operating on a formal and informal level and at every level of the camp. The camp is split into geographical areas for ease of pre-camp organisation, and each neighbourhood or barrio is based around a communal kitchen and living space...

The Olympics: Excellence or exploitation?

Who could not be impressed by the sight of the Jamaican Usain Bolt running faster than any human being in history? Or other awe-inspiring performances on the track, in the pool, in the veladrome or countless other venues? All that training, the coaching, the commitment, the dedication, the sacrifice, to go “citius altius fortius” — faster, higher, stronger. The humanity of the Olympics, the taking part, pushing yourself to the limits, the striving — and above all the apparent equality of competition, has an undeniable appeal. The veneer of internationalism, the prominence of women and black...

A boost for Chinese Stalinists

As an excellent article in the French revolutionary weekly Rouge (31 July) documents, the Olympics have been a major political self-boosting operation for the Chinese regime. The Associated Press report for the opening day, 8 August, sums up the line: "China comes of age in stunning style... China commandeered the world stage on Friday, celebrating its first-time role as Olympic host with a stunning display of pageantry and pyrotechnics... Now ascendant as a global power, China welcomed scores of world leaders to an opening ceremony..." Repression in Tibet? Denial of all democratic and workers...

Standing up for freedom: the black power salute at the 1968 Olympics

This fascinating programme told the full story about the “black power” protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at a medal ceremony during the 1968 Mexico Olympics. Although the story is well known (and the image even more famous), especially in America, it was worth telling again, in this film, by the athletes themselves. Smith and Carlos were involved in the Olympic Project for Human Rights, itself an offshoot of civil rights activism at San Jose State University in California. In the years before 1968 a unique group of black track and field athletes, at the University on sport’s scholarships...

Armenia: "Ethnic cleansing" in World War One

The Ottoman Empire existed from 1299 until its abolition by Mustafa Kemal’s Turkish nationalists in 1923. At the height of its power, during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Empire spread from the Atlantic coast of Morocco to the Persian Gulf and from southeastern Europe down to the Red Sea. A long period of decline followed, characterised by the loss of territories, fragmenting centralised authority and attempts at reform from above. In the 19th century the backward, stagnant Empire faced the rise of nationalisms inside its European boundaries as the constituent peoples rose to national...

Letter: why the left should back Obama

The latest issue of Solidarity contains two articles about the American presidential elections, offering two different perspectives with the aim of stimulating debate. That’s certainly positive, except for one thing. I can’t tell the difference between the two points of view. In one corner, Malik Miah argues for not voting for Obama and possibly backing Nader or the Greens. In the opposite corner, Sacha Ismail urges socialists to ... not vote for Obama. I think the only difference between the two articles was that Miah calls on socialists to mingle with Obama supporters, to try to woo them to...

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