robbo203
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That’s excellent Neil. Maybe this should become a standard feature of this site. Of course, the actual distribution of membership is wider than this but in some parts of the world it is probably unwise to be too public about your socialist affiliations
Family violence is a political crisis. More women are killed in family violence than in acts of domestic terrorism
Yes this is true. Here in Spain there s a constant stream of news items about women being murdered or horribly raped somewhere in Spain. In the latter case there was a huge publicity over a recent rape that occurred during the famous (or infamous) Pamplona bull run which, I think, highlight a certain connection with a macho streak in contemporary Spain as elsewhere (although in some respects Spain is more advanced and progressive than in most other countries, including in Europe). There is also the drip effect of the sexualisation of advertising and the like that occurs everywhere.
I am not quite sure what we socialists can do about this other than give voice to our strong opposition to these things. We are not in the business of advising capitalist governments on how they should spend their state budgets but we emphatically are in the business of changing values and changing ideas.
One encouraging sign, at least in Spain, is that protests against violence against women do not just involve women. A great many of the protestors are men. Sexism is a scourge like racism or national chauvinism. It separates workers from workers and needs to be combatted with all the might at our disposal
So, it sounds like as a Party we should continue to publish and print propaganda, not much else, with the aim of educating the working class, but not persuading them of anything.
And is this working? How do we measure our success? Member numbers? Voters?Neil, I think it is a mistake to think that the future of the socialist movement is entirely in our hands. It is not. There are external factors beyond our control that have a profound influence on that. Why for example did the SPGB grow to a membership of over 1000 shortly after the war? It was because of the wider cultural shift in society at the time that made workers more amenable to socialist ideas.
More than anything else – and I keep on and on and on about this – what keep us small is, above all, the MERE FACT that we are small. Its what I call the “small party syndrome”. This can only be overcome if and when we reach a tipping point and a tipping point is certainly reachable.
There are certain things we need to do to put out own house in order to reach that tipping point sooner rather than later but, as I say, it is NOT entirely down to us. The future is not written in stone. It is entirely possible that developments taking shape in the world today could come together and give this movement a leg-up the likes of which we have never seen before in our entire history.
Never give up hope. Its not the awesome task of turning millions of workers into socialists that we should concern ourselves with from our standpoint as a small organisation; that will of its own accord as a matter of momentum. What should concern us now is clawing our way up to that tipping point when the “small party syndrome” that has impeded our growth for so long will start to vanish and the very growth of our movement will invite more growth. Its called a positive feedback loop and that’s what we should be aiming for in the short term
There is a new tendency trying to indicate that Donald trump is a socialist , and that he is more socialist than the others socialists, which is totally absurd,
Could you possibly give some examples of this tendency? What or who is behind it? Anarcho-capitalists
Also what is the Economic Update you refer to? Is this Richard Wolff’s work?
Marcos whatever your dealings with WSPUS or SPC the past is the past . Lets move on and look to the future without rancour – that can only demoralise comrades. There is a new set of circumstances we are dealing with. Lets embrace the opportunity this presents
Thanks Marcos – this is all very useful information you have provided . Do you have the names and email address of the publications you refer to?
Also , are you in touch with the members in Vegas? I have just been messaging Dan (Mullin) who has indicated they will be looking around for some office space in Vegas which could serve as literature distribution hub for the western part of the US (with presumably Boston servicing the East), They are also going to introduce themselves to the members in Chicago where there have been some promising developments…
The only progressive media would be Radio Pacifica. Podcast. Democracy now and economic update
That’s useful to know Marcos, Do you think there is a possibility we could get a look-in as far as these organisations are concerned?
Also, and very importantly, can you possibly compile a list of journals and publications in the US that are likely to allow us to place an advert in them. I know one or two myself like the Jacobin magazine although it would probably not allow advertising by political parties but there must be loads of other magazines that would
I hope this is where the Party can make a positive contribution and offer supportive financial assistance to subsidize this school, not just with the accommodation and meal costs but equally important also towards the travel expenses to get there.
Yes indeed Alan, The SPGB could also offer one or two speakers to contribute to the series of talks along with local comrades or indeed even ex members (one has already offered to give a talk!) and maybe also some big names like Andrew Kliman or Paresh Chattopadhyay who are based in the US and Canada respectively.
I have suggested that Chicago could be the location of the first of these annual weekend schools (with perhaps Toronto in the following year) since this is one of the main hubs of potential socialist activity and there are active members there. The event could be widely advertised in the alternative press throughout the US and Canada and could include, along with talks, film shows, workshops, a social event (I have already located two members there who are musicians!) and a time for generally networking and developing bonds of solidarity
This could be a fantastic opportunity to really get things moving both in the US and Canada. You have really to THINK BIG if you want to make any real progress and be prepared to take risks, The alternative is to just limp along in the same old way we have tended to do for far too long, not really getting anywhere except smaller and weaker.
The good news is that I an beginning to sense a change in mood at least in the US. I hope this is the start of a cultural revolution than will take the movement, not just in the US but elsewhere too, much further than we have hitherto dared to hope was possible.
Being positive and optimistic brings its own results and we beginning to see the truth of this.
Following discussion of Motion 5 from South Wales Branch at the 2018 Conference a floor resolution was carried recommending the EC creates a ‘buddy’ system.
The minutes for the May 2018 EC meeting (item 2e viii) refers:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SPINTCOM/conversations/messages/18571
I’m not aware there has been any follow-up to this.Thanks for this information, Dave
Its now becoming quite urgent that the Buddy System be implemented without further delay particularly with the situation in the US in mind, The implementation of a Buddy System is one of key proposals I will be putting forward since it directly addresses the enormous problem of isolation that confronts comrades in the US even more than in the UK
I had hoped the system would have been up and running by now so that it could be extended to include US comrades. Would it be possible to ask the EC to look into this as a matter of urgency. Perhaps the original proposers of the Motion 5 – South Wales Branch – could assume responsibility for managing this project if they are willing….
But I think what Marcos was getting at is that any re-launched, re-branded WSPUS cannot be a clone of the SPGB. There are just too many differences in the environment where the WSPUS operates.
Yes that is quite true, Alan, and I wasn’t proposing the WSPUS adopt the same branch based model as the SPGB. There simply aren’t the numbers to make that possible anyway – more so given the huge size of the US compared to the UK
What I am saying, though, is that the SPGB must fully commit itself to supporting the WSPUS in its efforts to revive itself – financially, logistically and in other ways – otherwise this is just not going to work. They need our help at the present time. Things will change once they achieve real growth
In my conversations with comrades in the US I am not only making suggestions to them but also trying to get an idea of what they themselves want. There are a number of promising ideas being discussed and I will endeavour to bring these all together in my report which will serve as a contribution to a developing an overall strategy for growth.
I have also contacted the SPC to see if there are ways and means by which the two parties could collaborate to their mutual benefit. One possible idea which is being explored is to hold an annual residential weekend school alternating between the US and Canada, somewhat along the lines of the SPGB’s summer school
The main thrust of any approach to reviving the WSPUS has to focus on significantly increasing the level of connectivity and internal communication within the Party and steps are already being taken to do something about this I can happily report.
On the question of new applicants in the US, my own opinion is that the SPGB membership committee should continue to process these applications for the time being until an administrative apparatus capable of doing this emerges within the WSPUS. Information packs sent out to new members should include material specifically related to the WSPUS in the case of new members based in America.
The WSPUS has a big task to perform.
Yes indeed Marcos and it is absolutely critical that the SPGB gives the WSPUS every support. We cannot afford to blow this opportunity to turn around the fortunes of WSPUS. There is a very real prospect of reviving WSPUS if we do the right thing and there is a number of promising developments pointing in this direction. I will be reporting on these and making a list of recommendations when I draw up my report for the EC at the end of this exercise next month
In regards to internet isolation, I think one tool that needs to be emphasized is actually this very forum to involve and engage members and sympathisers in discussion and debate but also as a medium for drawing attention to news items to stimulate talking points that can be linked to on various US progressive websites. It features many American focused topics such as the 2020 presidential election, the US intervention in Venezuela, as well as general themes of interest universally.
Another much underrated tool is our blog, SOYMB, which carries many international items and in particular a preponderance of American articles and events. If its blog stats are to be trusted the vast majority of visitors are already from the USA. With more input from US comrades this audience can be cultivated more.Very good points Alan and I shall certainly want to mention these in my report.
Talking of isolation, I am rather concerned to have learnt just today that nothing has become of the proposal to implement a Buddy System which I thought was overwhelmingly agreed at Conference. I say this because the situation in the US desperately calls for such a measure to be adopted there given the extremely scattered distribution of the membership, I had hoped it would be up and running in the UK by now
Can anyone enlighten me on what is happening about this proposal?
I have been in conversation with several ex members of the WSPUS. Hopefully one or two might re-join in the light of current developments.
On a slightly different subject one of these has asked if anyone knows the whereabouts of an SPGB member called BARRY SINCLAIR. The name rings a bell but I cannot quite place him.
Can anyone enlighten me as to where Barry is. Is he still a member or did he pass away as I seem to think
I basically go along with what you say Dave but with two qualifications in the case of WSPUS
- That the SPGB should continue for the time being to take on the responsibility of processing new application for membership from the US because of the absence of an adequate means of doing this in the US at the moment
- That the SPGB should play a key role in assisting the US with a significant advertising campaign in the US in the near future once the necessary support infrastructure has been put in place (see my earlier post) which we are working on right now
The problems that the SPGB faces, which you rightly touched on, such as falling branch attendances etc are of course greatly magnified in the case of the US because of the large size of the country and the small numbers of socialists. But in both cases I suggest the key variable to focus on is the level of connectivity in the organisaton.
I am more and more convinced that the only way we can begin to effectively tackle this problem is to significantly diversify and expand the different ways in which members (and sympathisers) connect with each other. Frankly, we need to adopt a much more holistic approach to this whole issue.
I repeat: isolation is THE great killer of socialist activity. Find new and imaginative ways of overcoming this problem and we WILL see progress. Of that I am certain. Maybe foolishly so but certain I am….
Hi Alan
Yes exploring the possibility of closer collaboration with the SPC is definitely on my checklist of things to do in relation to this project. At the moment I am still at the stage of ascertaining the whereabouts of the members and their potential contribution to a revitalised WSPUS. I am also engaging in discussion with some ex members to see if they might be interesting in re-joining given the new circumstances.
We have to remember that there has been very little in the way of internal communication within WSPUS because of the breakdown of the central administration. The degree of connectivity has been very low and comrades dont know what is happening elsewhere in the country. They feel isolated and this leads to demoralisation and apathy. Key to a potentially resurgent WSPUS is restructuring the Party organisation to facilitate much closer collaboration and communication over vast distances. Video conferencing, resurrection of the internal party forum (I believe there is a little used google based forum which may need to be changed) and, most particularly, implementation of a buddy system (what has happened to the SPGB’s decision to adopt this) will be amongst the various measures that will need to be adopted, in my view.
It cannot be emphasised enough that isolation is the great killer of socialist activity. This applies to the WSPUS as much as it does to any of the other parties of the WSM. Everything we do has to be designed to overcome the isolation that goes with having small memberships. Only then do you stand a chance of breaking the vicious circle that keeps us small as a movement.
It is absolutely clear that for the WSPUS to start growing again it is going to need significant support from the SPGB. In particular, its is going to need significant financing of a comprehensive advertising campaign in various selected journals in the US. But for that to happen what we first need to put in place is a network of local contacts and distribution centres. In other words, the basic infrastructure to convert responses to an advertising campaign into real contacts and potential members.
Its early days yet but I have identified several possible hubs of activity – in Vegas, Chicago and one or two other places. One of the new members in Vegas has talked about the possibility of acquiring office space. If this is possible this could turn out to be very useful indeed. Other distribution centres could be set up elsewhere.
At any rate, the picture that is emerging is by no means as bleak as I thought it might be when I began this project. There is hope and there is enthusiasm. Given current political developments in the US and the huge surge of interest in “socialism” – albeit Bernie Sanders’ type of milk-and-water welfare capitalism – the potential for growth in the US is obvious . We would be foolish not to seize the opportunity with both hands now
