Ideas for FIGHTING CAPITALISM: Socialist Alternative's Conference
Friday 17 August & Saturday 18 August:
Two days of discussion and debate about the way forward for the
anti-capitalist movement.
Friday 17 August 7.30PM:
FIGHTING BACK IN THE USA
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
American socialist KATHERINE DWYER'S eyewitness account of the new
radicalism:
*Mass mobilisations in Seattle and Quebec
*Cincinnati riots
*Pro-choice movement
*Campaign against the death penalty
and SANDRA BLOODWORTH on S11 to M1 to the Commonwealth Business Forum:
building the anti-capitalist movement in Australia.
at Trades Hall,
cnr Victoria & Lygon Sts,
Melbourne.
Entry: $2 unwaged, $6 waged, $10 high waged
Starting with the mass demonstrations that shutdown the World Trade
Organisation's meeting in Seattle a new anti-capitalist movement has
exploded onto the streets all around the world. But how are we going to
build on the
inspiring successes of S11 and M1? How are we going to reach out to the
mass of workers?
This conference will focus on the political debates, the strategy and
tactics needed to take the anti-capitalist movement forward. Because this
is far
from being the first anti-capitalist movement in history we can learn important
lessons for today by looking at the successes and failures of previous
revolutionary movements. That's why one of the themes of this conference
will be a series of talks on the politics of previous
anti-capitalist movements.
Rest of Program is as follows:
Saturday 18th August @ Trades Hall, Melbourne.
10:30-11:45
-The two souls of socialism (Katherine Dwyer)
-Panel: fighting for queer liberation (Darren Kane, Drew Pettifer, Lian
Jenvey)
12noon-1:30pm
-The first anti-capitalist movement (John Minns)
-The first international revolutionary movement (David Brophy)
-What kind of organisation is SA building? (Corey Oakley)
2:30-4pm
-Australia on the brink of revolution (Jeff Sparrow)
-How do revolutions spread (Marc Newman)
-Why we support the Palestinians (Sophie Singh)
4:15-5:30pm
-Can we change the world without violence? (TBA)
-The sixties revolt (Diane Fieldes)
-Everything you ever wanted to know about socialism* (Everybody)
Read below for more info on Saturday talks.
Cost for whole conference: $5 (unwaged), $14 (low wage), $20 (high wage)
cost for Saturday only: $4, $10, $15 .
For more info or to register, reply via email to [EMAIL PROTECTED], or ring
94214439, or send name & address & phone with money to PO Box 4202, Richmond
East, VIC 3121.
www.sa.org.au
More Information on Saturday's Talks:
The two souls of socialism (Kathrine Dwyer- USA)
Some say (or used to) that socialism could be introduced by parliament or
looked to Russia, China, Vietnam and Cuba as socialist. We don't - we stand
with
those who say socialism can only be won by mass struggles led by the working
class.
fighting for queer liberation (Darren Kane, Drew Pettifer, Lian Jenvey-
Melbourne) Looks at the origins of queer oppression and the history of the
gay and
lesbian liberation movement. With a growing radicalism around sexuality
concerns in
australia, how should revolutionaries orient towards this and bring
queers into the struggle against capitalism.
The first anti-capitalist movement (John Minns- Wollongong).
The Chartists, active in Britain in the 1840s, were the world's first mass
radical working class movement. They debated out many of the issues
familiar to us today - the use of "force" vs "moral persuasion", and the
centrality
of mass, centralised mobilisations.
Many of the aspects of today's movement that are touted as "new" were
features of this very first anti-capitalist movement eg street theatre,
colourful
displays etc - the point being that any movement involving the mass of
people will bring to the surface creative ideas about how to get
its message across.
The first international revolutionary movement (David Brophy- Melbourne)
This talk will look at the history of the First International - the first
international working class movement of which Karl Marx was a key leader. It
will focus on the experience of the first workers' revolution: the Paris
Commune of 1871 from which Marx drew the conclusion that workers had to
smash the
capitalist state.
Australia on the brink of revolution (Jeff Sparrow- Melbourne)
The Federation celebrations have painted a depressingly one-sided picture
of a century of mindless flag-waving. But there is also a history of revolt
and this talk focuses on the mass upheavals, many lead and organised by
socialists, in Australia in the 1890s. The similarities with today will be
surprising and
inspirational, and point to lessons we can learn today.
How do revolutions spread? (Marc Newman- Sydney) This session will look at
the international nature of revolutions focusing on
the revolutionary upheaval that swept Europe and much of the rest of the
world in the aftermath of World War I.
The Sixties Revolt (Diane Fieldes- Sydney)
For years we've seen the activism of the sixties trivialised as a lot of
posturing and dope smoking to a commercially available sound track. We'll
look in this talk at the true diversity of the movement: the fantastic role
students played in the rebellion in France, Italy, Mexico=85 And at the
historically forgotten sheer scale of working class action from Paris May
68 to Australia as a pointer to the possibilities this time around.
--
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