Who says Marxism is dead - they don't!

Hurry, hurry, limited seats and standing room. GC.Ed.

Socialist Alliance, Green Left endorse, to take part in Marxism 2013

Thursday, December 20, 2012

The joint statement below was released by Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative.

The National Executives of the Socialist Alliance and Socialist Alternative agreed on December 13 to terms under which Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly will endorse and take part in the Marxism 2013 conference to be held in Melbourne, from March 28 to April 1.

This first significant national co-operation between our two organisations is a product of discussions that began between the two organisations on November 4 to explore the possibility of closer collaboration and unity.

Socialist Alliance and Green Left Weekly will be promoting Marxism 2013 as an important opportunity for all socialists and other progressive activists and thinkers to discuss how we can advance our common cause.

Socialist Alliance National co-convener Susan Price will speak alongside leading Socialist Alternative member Diane Fieldes on a panel on Australian politics today; Socialist Alliance's local councillors Sue Bolton and Sam Wainwright will share their experiences and make a case for a socialist intervention in elections for parliaments and local councils; and former Green Left Weekly co-editor and Socialist Alliance national executive member Simon Butler will present a session on Marxism and Ecology.

Both organisations share a commitment to fighting for a socialist system in which society is democratically controlled by the working class, and its resources are used to abolish class divisions and address the ecological and social crises that society faces.

As the two largest socialist organisations in Australia today, we recognise that we have a serious responsibility to grasp this opportunity to build a bigger and stronger socialist left in Australia. Both groups commit to continue to discuss points of political agreement and differences in a constructive and comradely manner and seek a way to progress the unity process.

Comments

[Grumpyoldman2]

1.

I wonder if our leading socialist fabianist, the PM, will open this lot and add her wholehearted support to the movement?
"a socialist system in which society is democratically controlled by the working class",: it is this type of discrimination that the Australian Government of any flavour should be stamping out. All my life I considered myself to be a worker but I never felt that gave me any special rights over the unemployed.
Also wonder at the choice of the use of "ecology" over the more common "environment".

[oldskool]

2.

Communism hides behind the face of Environmentalism and social reforms such as homosexualization

History shows very clearly that Communism has two hates
1. family
2. faith based religion

[John Mc]

3.

This is a powerful step forward for the left. By having a conference and thought-session about the politics of the left, they arm themselves to drag the whole spectrum a couple of steps in that direction.

Notice that there's nothing like it on the right? There's no 'Liberty 2013' or conservative program for thinkers of the right to group toward?

Cory Bernardi had a go at starting up a program like this with CanDo and Menzies House. The result: the Liberal Party has done their best to shut him down. (Although, to be fair, much of the hard left would consider the Labor Party a sellout with the welfare reform, immigration 'hardline' (to them), opposition to gay marriage, not getting in bed with the Greens etc).

We need a movement on the right side of politics in this country. We can see from Red Ted Baillieu and Fatty O'Barrell's state governments that the LIbs are happy to drop all principle, sellout their supporters from the election and move to the centre when they think they're safe; settle in for the long haul and fatten out their pensions. They only adopt positions of principle, or advance classical liberal or conservative causes, when they're forced to.

Australians just don't have anywhere to make a right hand turn. A popular right-wing movement would drag the whole spectrum a few steps back in that direction.

[Anton]

4.

It will be interesting to see how many of our "moderate" labor governement MPs attend.

You are right - Ted and Fatty should be enough to turn anybody off voting Liberal - at least Labor are open about hating freedom and prosperity

[oldskool]

5.

these other so called liberal state governments need a few pointers and lessons from Colin Barnett

[John Mc]

6.

I kind of rate Campbell Newman as well. He makes me proud to be up here again.

[Luke Weyland]

7.

Rubbish
There is nothing in Communism that hates the family. Both Marx and Engels got married. Marx had a family. Families have existed in every Communist country.

Marx and Engels were not anti-religion. Both had been brought up as Christians. They understood both the positive and negative aspects that relgion may present. Their works both were influenced by Christian socialists of their day, and from the 1960s strongly influenced Christian Churches in Latin America, Africa and Philippines.

Communism has a number of hates - racism, extremes of wealth and poverty , extreme nationalism, privatisation of national infrastructure and resources in fewer hands.

[luke weyland]

8.

Ms Gillard a socialist?
If only that were true!

[oldskool]

9.

are you serious? or just stupid?

What pro communist propaganda have you been reading?

try researching the facts before talking such stupidity

[bicheno trenny]

10.

The trouble with Communism/Socialism is the leaders of the party always find a way to Capitalize on their power.These people are not benign, caring leaders but are driven by the need to have power over what they see as lesser mortals who need guidance.

[Allan]

11.

oldskool, Colin Barnett gets a bit weird sometimes but generally he manages to put Gillard and that idiot Swan back in their boxes pretty successfully.

John Mc. They are not giving Newman a fair go. The whingers who wanted to get rid of Bligh are now whinging because Newman is getting the state back on the track. I think the state will be a better place for his hard line. Some errors but everyone makes the odd error or two.