"Marxism 2006" in Dublin

national | anti-capitalism | opinion/analysis Friday March 10, 2006 17:29 by Workers Power Ireland wpireland at revolution dot se

A critical report of some of the meetings

The yearly SWP event “Marxism 2006” was held this weekend in Trinity College, Dublin. Two comrades from Workers Power attended on Saturday, participating in the debates, and selling and spreading our propaganda. We publish here an edited version of their report.

Attendance at the conference was around 150, but it was hard to say as people were constantly split up between different sessions on different rooms and floors.

The first discussion we attended was on Iraq, "A people’s history of Iraq", with Sami Ramadami, supporter of Iraqi Democrats against the Occupation as the main speaker. It was an informative meeting, and Ramadami shattered some of the propaganda lies around supposed clan and religious divisions in the country, amongst other pointing out that there have never been a civil war in Iraq, but also showing how the US occupiers do everything they can to strengthen sectarian tensions. Ramadami also talked strongly in support of the Iraqi resistance, however also stating that he believed that the resistance actually would be stronger without a coordinated, national body.

Of course there are pros with a resistance striking in small, clandestine groups, but the lack of a bigger structure is no goal in itself but rather a measure of where on the road to victory the resistance is today. The Iraqi population, and above all, the working class, needs to be drawn in to the struggle on a mass basis. This cannot be done if the resistance is as split and largely run by reactionary Islamists. Workers Power therefore not only support the resistance, but also call for a revolutionary, socialist resistance – the only way the Iraqi people can really become free from imperialism and capitalism.

The next meetings on the schedule was one about race and class in the US and one on Bolivia and Morales. The US meeting was chaired by Brian Kelly, university lecturer and socialist from the States. He basically laid out the facts on the situation of the day, unfortunately without giving any analysis on possible solutions for the oppressed minorities. The discussion then was largely around side topics, such as rap music. A Workers Power comrade made a contribution, talking about possible ways on how to fight the racist divisions, and also trying to steer the discussion in to the weak position of the unions and labor movement in US, but without any luck.

The Bolivia meeting was introduced by a representative of the SWP guy, who talked with passion about how socialists should support Morales, how his victory “warmed all of our hearts” and how the description of some of the events around the Gas War last year was like taken directly from the pages of Leon Trotsky’s writings on the Russian Revolution. Clips from an interesting, new documentary about the conflicts over the privatization of water were then showed, and one of its creators gave a short presentation.

But is Morales really a president for the masses? And did his election mean a revolution, in the actual, Marxist sense of the word? As revolutionary socialists, we don’t think so. In a contribution by a Workers Power comrade, a more critical approach to the events in Bolivia was put forward. It is obvious to anyone who’ve looked beyond the cheering pages of the left papers that Morales indeed intends to keep capitalism, albeit an “Andean” version, in Bolivia for at least a couple of decades more. Or so he says. He’s also assured the big bankers in the country to remain loyal to the sacred private property. So even if the landslide win of Morales did show something – that the masses of Bolivia are ready for change and open to socialist ideas – it isn’t necessarily something to cheer for, as it is more than obvious that Morales measures will not solve the real poverty and misery of the Bolivian people. Revolutionaries should not have voted for Morales. What Bolivia needs is not a “left” leader making deals with the capitalists while people cannot get access to water – the working class must not trust anyone else but themselves to move towards socialism.

The last meeting the Workers Power comrades attended was also the biggest one, on "Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran: Resisting the American Empire". Ramadami was there again, speaking positively of the Iraqi resistance. Also on the platform was an Iranian socialist, a US Vietnam war veteran working with Iraqi vets and Eamonn McCann from the SWP. The US Vietnam vet gave some interesting insights in the growing chances for a rebellion within the troops, and McCann, a great speaker, denounced peace activists with beliefs in that "international law or UN" somehow will be enough to stop the horrors of war and capitalism. When the floor was opened a couple of SWPers made interventions talking on the need of a "broad" movement. It sounds good, but from what we know of their sister party in Britain, this broadness actually means a movement bending backwards to please reactionary Muslim clergies and liberal pacifists.

A Workers Power comrade made a contribution, talking about how this was "Marxism 2006" and the Marxist analysis of law and wars - how whether wars are "legitimate" or not is not a question of international laws, but rather if they are progressive for the working class or not. Based on this, it is our duty as revolutionaries to stand on the side of Iraq and Iran in a conflict with imperialism, and also to call for a victory for the resistance in Iraq, as well as a socialist resistance.

It was an interesting day which showed that many debates will need to be taken in the near future, about the direction of the antiwar movement as well as the fight against capitalism and imperialism. Workers Power are prepared to do so, and to not leave it with discussions and theory but also move on, with real action.

Also discussed at several occasions during the day was the need for a powerful demonstration on March 18th, the international protest day against the occupation against Iraq. Workers Power Ireland will participate in the demonstrations, as will our sister groups in the League for the Fifth International globally. We will base our intervention on pointing out the real road to an end of oppression and imperialism in Iraq: support for the resistance, and the call for a socialist resistance. Are you interested in joining us then, do you want to find out more about our politics or discuss the ideas outlined here? Send us an email at iwg@iol.ie or leave a note at the website.