Discussion paper 2 - Building a new Socialist
In this document SA officers are setting out the main political questions for the relaunch of the SA on
1. Politics and aims
The new Socialist Alliance is an alliance for republicanism, internationalism, socialism and the environment. [As identified in aims of the SA(p) clauses A4 – A7 - see note in appendix on Arise ]. The new Socialist Alliance is pro-party and will campaign for a “republican socialist party along the lines of the Scottish Socialist Party”. [As identified in aims of the SA(p) clause A3].
The new SA continues to stand on the 2001 SA programme “People Before Profit” until such time as it is updated and amended. If the new SA is successfully launched then it should begin a review of PBP for consideration at a future SA conference.
2. A campaigning alliance
The main focus of the old SA was electoral work. This should not be the defining characteristic of the new SA. We should build on the basis of campaigning activity. We should be able to exist as a campaigning organisation with or without electoral activity. There are sound reasons for retreating from electoral work. First we are now a much smaller organisation with a much narrower and more uneven base. Second we need to change our own attitude from the previous tendency to electoralism towards building a campaigning base. Electoral activity should be an extension of campaigning work not a substitute. The initiative for standing candidates should come from local SA branches. But we should keep the situation under review.
2.1 Local campaigns
Our main activity should be building branches with emphasis on socialist education and campaigning work. We should distinguish between national campaigns led by the national SA organisation and local campaigns initiated by SA branches and relating to local issues. A local SA is free to campaign on local issues as it decides for example around a local hospital, against housing policy or in support of a local strike etc.
2.2 National campaigns
Campaigns promoted and supported by the national alliance involve national events such as demonstrations, or national conferences. But they need to be supported in the localities and carried into the local labour and progressive movements. Our aim is to encourage local SA’s to incorporate SA national campaigns into their local work.
We have identified five political areas in which we want to develop national campaigning work – on the need for party, republicanism, internationalism, socialism and the environment. We have three convenors on Republicanism (Mike McNair), Internationalism (Nick Rogers) and the Environment (Tony Twine). This should be the starting point for establishing Standing Committees with the task of developing campaigning work in each area. In some cases we may seek to launch new campaigning initiatives. In other cases the SA may be able to build on activity already being done by SA members.
2.3 Campaigning for a new party
One of the central SA campaigns should be on the issue a new working class party. We need to produce national material making the case of a republican socialist party along the lines of the Scottish Socialist Party. This is a campaign that has to be carried into the socialist and trade union movement.
2.4 Campaigning on internationalism
We need to develop on work being done by SA members on Israel/Palestine and
2.5 Campaigning for republicanism
[to be added – campaigning for a democratic secular republic - reference to republican people’s Charter initiative]
2.6 Campaigning on the environment
[to be added]
2.7 Campaigning for socialism
[to be added]
[Our intention is to able to develop a perspective in these areas before the November conference but this is an ongoing perspective which will be further developed by the new SA ]
3. Relations with the socialist movement
At the present time the socialist movement is reorganising itself into four coalitions/alliances - Labour Representation Committee, RESPECT, the SGUC and the Socialist Alliance. These represent different policies and perspectives for the working class movement. The SA exists not only because we have the longest record (12 years) of fighting for socialist unity but also because we have something distinct to say about the direction the socialist and working class movement should take.
The SA is the only alliance or coalition campaigning for a new independent working class party. We are the only alliance campaigning for republicanism, internationalism, socialism and the environment. This is not to deny that both Respect (‘E’ for environment) and SGUC (‘G’ for Green) or that ‘S’ is for socialism in ‘Respect’ and ‘SGUC’. We are the only alliance campaigning for a republican socialist party along the lines of the SSP. The LRC is for rebuilding the Labour Party and neither Respect nor the SGUC campaign for a new working class party. The SA has a distinct message whilst not denying some areas of political overlap with the other alliances.
We have to explain to the working class movement the importance and significance of the political direction we are proposing. At the same time we have to ensure this does not degenerate into sectarian rivalries. Whilst we cannot account for the behaviour of the other alliances, we are accountable for our own actions.
Our general attitude to these rival alliances should be governed by the policy of the united front. First we are in favour of united action with all these organisations against capitalism and the Labour government. We do not place our differences with these organisations above the need for a united front against the common class enemy. This means we put the interests of the working class for unity above any special policies or interests we hold against other socialist coalitions.
The united front policy does not mean the suspension of criticism. On the contrary it means we act together whilst continuing to explain our policy differences. The purpose of the united front is also educative. It is to enable the working class to understand the policy differences and which ideas and policies best represent their interests. To hide our differences in the united front is to prevent or undermine the political development of the working class.
The
4. The Socialist
4.1 The SA and SGUC
Of the four alliances [Labour Representation Committee, RESPECT, the SGUC and the Socialist Alliance] it should be clear that the SGUC and the SA exist in the same political space outside the Labour Party and Respect (with exceptions). A merger of the SA and SGUC into a single alliance would be step forward. But this is unlikely to happen in the short term because they represent different campaigning priorities and perspectives.
The SGUC is an electoral alliance of affiliates. The SA is (planning to become) a campaigning alliance, based on individual membership with affiliates. The main issue behind this is the relationship between the SA and the Socialist Party.
4.2 The SA and Respect
The 2005 general election has established Respect as the main alliance of socialists outside the Labour Party and in opposition to it. The relative success of Respect in winning a parliamentary seat and the subsequent appearance of Galloway in
SA members have a range of views about Respect. Some are Respect members. Others have joined and left. Others have never been members. It should be remembered that the SA Democracy Platform made the major intervention at the founding conference of Respect when we proposed Respect adopt republicanism, no immigration controls, MP’s on a workers wage [check - ] All these policies were rejected. Current SA members were also prominent at the second Respect conference arguing for secularism.
It was not clear at this time whether Respect would survive the 2005 general election. That question has now been resolved. The SWP has now committed itself more firmly to the future of Respect. We can expect Respect to remain an important factor on the left until at least the next general election. We have to review our attitude and relationship to Respect in that light.
It would be easy and tempting to define ourselves primarily in the negative as the ‘anti-Respect’ alliance. This would be a serious and sectarian mistake. We are first and foremost against capitalism and the Labour government and Labourism as an ideology, which undermines the ability of the working class to defend itself. We must not loose sight that our main purpose to build working class opposition to the Labour government. In this we stand for specifically socialist unity. We are an alliance for republicanism, internationalism, socialism and the environment. We are fighting for a republican socialist party along the lines of the SSP.
Therefore in pursuing our aims we stand independently of Respect. Our relationship to them should be governed by the united front against Labour and capitalism. Whether this united front is ‘theoretical’ or ‘practical’ will depend on the size of the SA membership and the forces that coalesce around the SA (e.g. affiliates). It does mean that we should respond to proposals from Respect and be prepared to make proposals to Respect (open letters etc). At the same time we must continue to fight for our own independent aims.
The next question is whether we should intervene inside Respect as well as outside as an independent organisation. This is a tactical question. But given the relative size of Respect and the SA, and the expected growth of Respect, it would be a mistake not to intervene on inside in fighting for our policies and a new party. We already have SA members inside Respect, particularly our CPGB members and other comrades. But these have operated as CPGB members or independents. We should now take a decision to intervene inside Respect. Whether we do so in the name of the SA or not is a tactical question.
The relationship of SA members to Respect will depend on circumstances. SA members are autonomous. Joining or not joining Respect would remain a personal decision for individual members. In terms of the local situation both the SA and Respect are distributed unevenly in geographical terms. In some places Respect is dominant and in others it hardly exists. In some places for example in
Respect claims to be the alliance for the whole socialist left despite the lack of internal democratic structure and practice. [See Respect conference 2005]. It occasionally makes appeals to non-Respect socialists to join its ranks. It would be wrong to rule out such a possibility. However there would have to be negotiations over the terms and conditions. The SA should not officially ‘join’ without negotiations first.
To summarise our tactics in relation to Respect relate to our immediate aims of fighting for a republican socialist party along the lines of the SSP. We should adopt a united front approach, whilst recognising its limitations because of unevenness in the distribution of their members and ours. We should be tactically flexible with a range of possible tactics and activity, including open letters, joint action, negotiations, and “entry work”.
4.3 The SA and the Labour Representation Committee
We should take a similar united front approach to the LRC. We should organise some comrades to attend and intervene. We should make the case for a new workers party and criticise their economism and failure to take up the issue of democracy.
5. Structure and constitution
5.1 Federal structure
The SA is not a party. It is an alliance of socialists and socialist organisations. A federal structure can provide a structure for democratic decision-making, with a wide degree of openness and representation combined with autonomy for socialist affiliates, SA branches and SA national organisations. Federalism enables greater unity, whilst protecting minorities with the rights of autonomy.
5.2 SA members and branches
Individual members should be grouped in branches where possible. We have existing or potential branches in Bedfordshire,
There should be an annual conference open to all members and occasional aggregates where necessary. Conference should elect a national executive to oversee the work of the
5.3 SA Affiliates
We are seeking to win affiliation from a range of socialist organisations. These include the
We are proposing a Council of Socialist Organisations comprising of delegates from each affiliate to meet regularly, perhaps monthly or bi-monthly with representatives of the national committee/executive. The purpose of these meetings will be to share information and co-ordinate activities or develop initiatives as far as possible under the banner of the SA.
5.4 SA publications
Many SA members have long recognised the importance of a regular newspaper or publication. If the new SA is launched successfully we should make a priority of producing national leaflets, and an active website and put in place plans to produce a regular paper as soon as we have the resources to do so.
5.5 SA Standing Committees
We should set up standing committees of members to develop educational and campaigning work in particular areas. We have begun to make a start on this with three national convenors on Republicanism (Mike McNair), Internationalism (Nick Rogers) and the Environment (Tony Twine). In addition we need a Trade Union Committee. We have a number of active trade union members and we need to develop a perspective to guide SA intervention in the trade union movement.
APPENDIX
This is for further elaboration on issues within and around this document.
1. ARISE and the new “SOCIALIST
The SA(p) founding resolution (clauses A4-A7) identifies and clarifies the new organisation as an alliance for Republicanism, Internationalism, Socialism and the Environment. The official name of the new SA should continue be “Socialist Alliance”.
But occasionally for purposes of clarification it has been argued that the new SA should identify itself by the acronym “ARISE” standing for
The purpose of using “arise” in conjunction with Socialist Alliance is to get over a message to a wider audience about important aspects of our politics. In the current period when we are fighting the dissolution of the SA, we have to counter that by giving ourselves a sharper political identity. Arise is a short hand way of saying something about the identity of the new SA. The new SA can be seen in any case as a phoenix arising from the ashes of the old SA.
Discussion on the SA Democracy platform list showed that “Arise” is a word strongly connected with working class and radical politics.
The famous banner of the 1972 Dockers strike says "Arise ye workers". The International says "Arise ye starvelings from your slumbers". (James Connolly?? says something like the rich are only tall because we are on our knees – Arise – need to track down the actual quote ). Shelley's poem the “Masque of Anarchy” calls on the workers of
“Arise” has a connection with the working class which the acronym “Respect” does not have.