Britain

An invitation to participate in the creation of a new Revolutionary Socialist Organisation

1. This is a proposal made by members of the International Socialist Group (ISG), Socialist Resistance (SR), a group of former members of the SWP and some independent Marxists not presently in any organisation. It is an invitation to everyone who would be interested in establishing a new revolutionary organisation based on an understanding of the need for Marxists to build a revolutionary organisation and to work for the widest unity of the working class on economic, social and political issues.

2. We propose a regroupment, based on our common traditions as active revolutionary socialists. This proposal emerges from practical collaboration over the recent period in building Respect. We also appeal to independent revolutionaries and new militants to join us.

3. We hope that a process of discussion throughout this year will culminate in a founding conference to be held towards the end of this year.

4. We have a shared analysis of the nature of class society and how it can be changed. Capitalism is an outmoded system which cannot satisfy even the most basic needs of billions of the world’s population. The further advance of humanity and the protection of the environment from catastrophe can only be achieved by the creation of a socialist society.

5. The capitalist state cannot be reformed but has to be overthrown and replaced by a workers’ state. This revolutionary act can only be carried out by the working class, the only agency that can transform society.

6. The emancipation of the working class is the task of the working class itself, acting as a class in its own interests. Socialism cannot be achieved from above by reformist politicians or trade union leaders. The struggle for socialism is international; the struggle of workers and the oppressed everywhere is one struggle.

7. We recognize that capitalism uses the oppression of certain social groups to divide the working class. The organisations of the working class must constantly strive to overcome any divisions by advancing the causes of these oppressed groups. We oppose all forms of oppression and defend the right of the oppressed to self-organization. We support, and will participate in, the struggles against national oppression, women’s oppression, racism and Islamophobia and against homophobia.

8. What existed in the “communist bloc” was not socialism. It was a Stalinist perversion of socialism; a dictatorship that brutally oppressed all political opposition, suppressed workers’ rights and trampled on workers’ democracy. Socialism cannot exist except with the extension of democracy so that the working class collectively takes the decisions about the future of its new society.

9. The dominant ideas of the present society are those of the capitalist class. For the revolution to succeed the most militant workers and their allies have to be organised into a revolutionary organisation which challenges and confronts that ideology with one in the interests of the new socialist society.

10. The revolutionary organisation must be part of the working class and take part in the life and struggles of the working class and the oppressed. It seeks to absorb the lessons of working-class struggles from the past and from today. It must give guidance and perspective to its members in their activity in the workplace, communities and campaigns. Theoretical study and discussion serve as a guide to the practical work of the organisation. In this way we can test our ideas in practice and learn from our experience.

11. Any revolutionary organization must be democratic, including the right to organize around minority viewpoints, but must aim to act in a unified manner. Socialist democracy is the only way to develop a genuine political leadership of the working class and its allies.

12. We believe that the decline of the Labour Party and the disintegration of its mass base present the best opportunity for many decades to build a viable alternative to the left of Labour. The signatories of this appeal have been working together as revolutionaries and with others to build such a party. We believe that the building of a united party of the working class is one of the overarching strategic tasks for revolutionary socialists in this period. The role of revolutionary Marxists in helping to build Respect over the next period will be an important one.

13. We state clearly our commitment to building a revolutionary socialist organisation, which will locate itself in working-class struggle – in the workplace, in the community, amongst the oppressed and in the broad party.

14. We are internationalists, against imperialism and war; we stand for mass action from below in the interests of the working class; we do not set ourselves apart from the working class and its organisations but seek the broadest agreement with others, using the methods of the united-front. Our aim is both to advance the interests of the class and the ideas of revolutionary socialism. To these ends we will explore the possibility of links with other revolutionaries internationally.

15. This document is intended only as a preliminary text. We invite all those who are interested in the ideas outlined above to join us in a process of discussion.

Revolutionary Regroupment

For more information or to become involved visit the Revolutionary Regroupment website or e-mail revolutionaryregroupment googlemail.com

Revolutionary Regroupment is a website established in June 2008 by Marxists in Respect, the class-struggle party in England and Wales.

Britain: Marxists in Respect discuss unification

Context for the invitation for regroupment

Marxists inside Respect Renewal have initiated a discussion on the possibility of revolutionary regroupment. The initiative has been taken by Respect members from different traditions, including former members of the Socialist Workers Party, and members of Socialist Resistance, and independent Marxists inside Respect.

The regroupment process is the result of a year-long realignment inside Respect, which resulted from the decision by the leadership of the Socialist Workers’ Party to split the electoral coalition. Dozens of SWP members who dissented from the split were either expelled or left the SWP as a result.

Since then, closer working relationships between Marxists in Respect led a more organised discussion both on the politics of building Respect and the wider political issues. These discussions showed that the common working perspectives established inside Respect reflected a wider politcal agreement, allowing a discussion to develop about revolutionary regroupment. At the heart of this will be how to help to build Respect into the most effective left alternative to the betrayals of new Labour.

A meeting on June 29^th of supporters of this regroupment process agreed to publish an appeal to others who share this perspective to join them in it and help shape the way it develops. The meeting elected a steering committee to plan this process including the many discussions which will be necessary in order to move towards the founding of a new revolutionary organisation possibly by the end of this year.

Chris Brooks, Alan Thornett

* Chris Brooks is part of the IV editorial team. He is a leader of the International Socialist Group, the British section of the Fourth International

* Alan Thornett is a leading member of the International Socialist Group, British Section of the Fourth International, and sits on the National Council of Respect.