SWP Pre-conference Bulletins 2012

[ALB]

jondwhite wrote:

The Prof asks Is Leninism finished http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=12210

Here's what the same Callinicos wrote in an article in the same magazine in January 1993 when answering questions on "What will socialism be like?":

Quote:

But what would this socialist democracy be like? How would it differ from liberal democracy as it exists today under capitalism?The most important difference is that democratic decision making would spread throughout the whole of the social body. Prevailing capitalist democracy separates political power, which is formally subjected to democratic rules (even though they're often ignored or twisted in practice), and economic power, which is exercised by a small number of unelected bosses. This separation would go. The workplace would provide the basic unit of the new socialist democracy, electing delegates to local, regional, national and (as the revolution spread) international congresses.Representative democracy, first developed by the emerging capitalist class when it was still revolutionary, would thus be extended beyond the sphere of politics narrowly understood, as decisions about what and how to produce passed into the hands of elected delegates. It would also be strengthened, since these representatives would be subject to regular re-election and liable to instant recall, thus making them accountable in a way that MPs never are.Democracy also requires open discussion and choices between genuine alternatives. Both are limited by the power of capital in contemporary society. Here again socialism would represent an extension of democracy. Access to the media would not be restricted to those with the wealth to buy newspapers and television networks.Freedom of debate, however, isn't effective without the ability to choose between political parties offering different programmes. A workers' state would, like any other state, have the right to defend itself against counter-revolutionary forces seeking its overthrow. But any party willing to work peacefully within the framework of the new state would be free to compete for influence in the workers' councils and would be guaranteed access to the media.

Electing delegates subject to regular re-election and liable to instant recall, open discussion and choices between genuine alternatives, these are essential features of democracy  — though not of the SWP's top-down decision-making process.

[imposs1904]

The latest of the goings on within the SWP:http://www.cpgb.org.uk/assets/files/swpinternalbulletins/In_Defence_of_Our_Party.pdfA new faction formed – separate from Seymour and Mieville – that is critical of the decisions taken by the CC around this matter. Some big, big names within the SWP listed: Ian Birchall, Mike Gonzalez, Pat Stack, Colin Barker.This matter isn't going away, and the SWP's CC's hope they could just purge and move on is not an option at this point.

[jondwhite]

And Seymour Mieville have just joined the faction (http://socialistunity.com/swp-new-faction-declared/) and started a platform within the factionhttp://internationalsocialismuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/statement-of-democratic-renewal-platform.htmlCallinicos is facing a mexican standoff; my money's on a purge. Callinicos et al will bring the SWP down with them if necessary.

[Anonymous]

I see that Rosa Lichtenstein, of anti-dialectics fame. has had something to say over at Lenin's tomb:-http://www.leninology.com/2013/02/statement-of-democratic-renewal-faction.htmlScroll down to comments.

[jondwhite]

A special conference (showdown) has been called on 10th March.http://theredneedle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/swp-crisis-central-committee-calls.html

[jondwhite]

And now the reports of the bullying have started

Quote:

Comrades across the party have been heckled, shouted down and intimidated at aggregates and branch meetings.

This is nothing new to anyone making political criticisms at SWP meetings.http://internationalsocialismuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/stop-bullying.html

Quote:

The bullying has to be addressed. Comrades involved in bringing the dispute have been experiencing this for months. Malicious aspersions have been cast on their character and political background and they have been shouted at and intimidated. Little action seems to have been taken. Comrades across the party have been heckled, shouted down and intimidated at aggregates and branch meetings. When they have complained about this they have been heckled, shouted down and intimidated. Young comrades have received nasty messages from those much older than them. They have been threatened with violence. Why is this happening? Because the leadership is presiding over and at times taking part in the slander of oppositional comrades. There have been disturbing reports of threatening behaviour by leading members. A district organiser has threatened one of the expelled comrades with violence. If the rhetoric and slander does not stop we could be very close to an assault taking place. Raising, as Alex Callinicos has done, the spectre of 'lynch mobs' of angry members if the debate continues after the special conference – even if this is a metaphor used at a particular moment – is irresponsible. Alex has refused to acknowledge anything wrong in what he said when spoken to by comrades. This kind of inflammatory rhetoric will filter down through the organisation and is likely to encourage the culture of intimidation and bullying we’ve described. Both sides feel that the other is risking the hard work we have all put into this organisation. But this article should be taken as an appeal as well as an analysis. Take a step back comrades, it is getting out of hand. Stop the bullying.

[jondwhite]

IDOOP documents have been published since the meeting at ULU yesterdayhttp://cpgb.org.uk/home/weekly-worker/online-only/idoop-faction-caucus-agenda-and-documentsI think IDOOP is a faction consisting of members of former faction Democratic Opposition (and possibly members of former faction Democratic Centralism) and excludes the CC and NC loyalists.

[jondwhite]

Socialist Action have stated the SWP crisis is a result of its position on imperialismhttp://tendancecoatesy.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/socialist-action-a-response-to-the-swp-crisis/err what?

[jondwhite]

Andy Newman replies to Pat Stack comment about non-SWP bloggers as filthhttp://socialistunity.com/what-is-filth/

[jondwhite]

Not entirely accurate but interesting nonethelesshttp://sovietgoonboy.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/lord-acton-and-the-guillotine-our-tendency-after-cliff/

[jondwhite]

108 pages of the pre-conference internal bulletin March 2013 just posted herehttp://socialistunity.com/swp-special-conference-internal-pre-conference-documents/

[Anonymous]

 Nicked From Phils site: Tottenham Proposal‘Taking the long viewThanx!!! Nice moniker too!But don’t these people make you sick? This crisis has just given them – & everyone else – the chance to see as plain as day who these people really are: the pits, nasty little power-crazy controllers, mean-spirited gossips, . . . I’ll get an ulcer if I carry on too much . . . Their sanctimonious bleating just riles me.And then to cap it all Queen Mum Chanie has a piece on the teaching course Crazy Toni had devised to make Marxists out of the chunks of meat (pp.42-3). Jesus. It just gets worse. Donny Osmond Gluckstein co-authors a hatchet piece too: stop the witch-hunt – of Basher.  Seems to be a lot less censorship on the SWP site!  Plenty of acrimony too!  

[ALB]

jondwhite wrote:

Andy Newman replies to Pat Stack comment about non-SWP bloggers as filth http://socialistunity.com/what-is-filth/

Andy Newman rejoined the Labour Party in 2010 and is set to become a Labour councillor next year. Which doesn't make him much better than the SWP. But it looks as if some trots are practising "re-entryism".He stood as a "Socialist Unity" candidate in Swindon North at the 2005 general election and got 208 votes. He was opposed by an Independent candidate, Ernie Reynolds, who stood on an "abolish money" platform, who got 195 votes. No doubt Newman has realised if you want reforms you may as well join a party that has some chance of trying to implement some.

[jondwhite]

The results of the SWP special conference are a CC victoryCC-1IDOP-0Could this be the end for IDOP? Could this precipitate a big decline in the SWP?See report hereSWP: ORDER PREVAILS IN VAUXHALL

[ALB]

Why the reference to Vauxhall? Is that where the SWP conference took place?

[Author]

Posts