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Socialist Resistance the magazine – coming soon

The first issue of the new quarterly Socialist Resistance magazine will be out later this month. The picture shows the first draft of the cover. We’ll be featuring articles on: What kind of party do we want? (That’s the political type of party, not the getting drunk and having a good time sort) Abortion Sixty…

Liam
1–2 minutes

Mag The first issue of the new quarterly Socialist Resistance magazine will be out later this month. The picture shows the first draft of the cover. We’ll be featuring articles on:

  • What kind of party do we want? (That’s the political type of party, not the getting drunk and having a good time sort)
  • Abortion
  • Sixty years of the NHS
  • New Labour’s poverty reduction strategy
  • Trade unions and climate change
  • Socialism and the countryside
  • Class and climate
  • Ken Livingstone
  • The US Green Party
  • The LCR and its plan for a broad party

    We’ll be selling it for £2.50. Subscriptions in Britain will cost £10 for 5 issues and we are still working out what to charge for overseas subs for individuals. For institutions it will be £25 / US$50 / €40.

    You can send cheques (made out to Socialist Resistance) to Socialist Resistance Magazine, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. We want to raise £5000 a year to cover costs. If you want to support this project of building an ecosocialist, Marxist current which is dedicated to building a class struggle mass party in Britain you can send your donation to the same address.

    21 responses to “Socialist Resistance the magazine – coming soon”

    1. jj Avatar
      jj

      something strange is happening in RR. Liam says there is no position on the ken livingstone issue but Phil on SUN says its to back the greens. Please can we have an answer what is the RR position in relation to KL and the mayor.. is there a RR position or not???
      will there be an article in the RR newspaper carrying an arguement of why socialists should vote German in the election since GG had his article on why “Red Ken” is the bees knees.. seems only fair and democratic?

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    2. Phil Avatar
      Phil

      a) No, I didn’t – read it again.

      b) I’m not even a member of RESPECT, let alone a spokesman for RR.

      c) Several people (Liam included) have already made the point that there isn’t a single RR position on this one, so I’m not sure why you’re still puzzled.

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    3. tonyc Avatar
      tonyc

      “Please can we have an answer what is the RR position in relation to KL and the mayor.. is there a RR position or not???”

      Tell you what, “jj”, you spend lots of time asking questions, how about telling us what you’ll be arguing when you next see Lindsey German, bearing in mind that she wants Livingstone to win?

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    4. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      It will be interesting to read the, “What kind of party do we want?”, article. I’ve been reading the archives on Socialist Renewel site and looking back in hindsight it now strikes me even more than ever how the left around Galloway have been pulled to the right.
      Their support for Livingstone and their attacks on socialists who argue for left candidates in elections is just one example of an attempt to deform a left alliance and pull it away from class politics in order to chase votes.
      Unless there is an attempt by socialists in RR to open up the debate and distance themselves from sectarian attacks on the SWP they will miss some important opportunities to build among workers. I believe that certain socialists in RR are already distancing themselves from the interminable attacks on the SWP by concentrating on how to build a left alliance.

      At the moment the demonisation of the SWP by a clique in RR appears to be a convenient smokescreen behind which the left in RR have abstained from challenging the poor class analysis of a number of leading members in RR. An uneasy stale mate has occured where certain socialists in RR no longer engage in SWP bashing but argue that those who do attack socialists are entitled to because they are engaging in pluralistic debate within RR.
      This is a dangerous arguement for any socialist because todays comrade may become tomorrows pariah as the SWP have unfortunately experienced.

      This may have serious implications for the possibility of building a left alliance in the future as the movement splits into smaller and smaller factions compromised by their willingness to abstain from arguing socialist politics within the movement. The honeymoon period in RR will end if socialists in RR attempt to argue their politics. The Socialist Renewel site is undoubtedly a sign that this realisation is dawning upon them.

      So congrats for the Socialist Renewel site. I commend it for allowing visitors to read both sides of the debate. This helps to confirm that the SWP’s analysis is correct. I very much look forward to reading a class analysis in, “What kind of party do we want?”, rather than a rehash of the SWP witchhunt.

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    5. Chris Brooks Avatar
      Chris Brooks

      Ray, you write that “the left around Galloway have been pulled to the right. Their support for Livingstone and their attacks on socialists who argue for left candidates in elections is just one example of an attempt to deform a left alliance.”

      Who has been pulled to the right? Galloway and the SWP both want Livingstone to be mayor, as they did before. Others, including Resistance, are against a vote to Livingstone, as they were before. The SWP remains opposed to pluralist debate, in Respect and in the SWP, as it was before.

      I think you’re the person erecting a smokescreen. No-one is Renewal, as far as I can see, is engaged in a witchunt on the SWP. Unless you think the SWP should be free from criticism.

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    6. Liam Avatar
      Liam

      Ray – it’s Socialist Resistance, not “Socialist Renewel” (sic). I’m a bit nonplussed by your assertion that our decision to produce a magazine “helps to confirm that the SWP’s analysis is correct”.

      Just for the record here is a chunk of the document we voted on in January. This was always part of the plan:

      MAGAZINE

      Even though we are central to Respect Renewal and will be a key part of the group which produces its paper we do have our own distinct views on a number of questions.

      Support for Ken Livingstone’s candidacy is already emerging as a source of disagreement between us and George Galloway. This is not a problem. It’s one of the unavoidable consequences of working with people from different political backgrounds.

      We know that some individuals in RR are more likely to be willing to make political concessions to union bureaucrats than we are. On a range of international questions from Latin America to Ireland we may wish to differentiate ourselves from some prominent activists in RR.

      The only type of regular publication which our present resources will permit us is a quarterly journal. This is not a major additional commitment. Many of the articles that used to appear to appear in SR were of a length more appropriate to a journal and we have a relatively sizeable pool of people who are experienced in writing more in depth articles….

      It is not likely to be a source of controversy if statements or articles expressing the distinct line of the ISG and the Fourth International were a regular feature of the new publication. Socialist Resistance as a journal would build on the relative success of its predecessor paper as an instrument of regroupment on the British left.

      TASKS FOR VOTING

      1. Establish a website working group and our have site updated by the end of February. This group reports to the Steering Committee.
      2. Establish a monthly newsletter to be produced on behalf of the Steering Committee.
      3. Elect a coordinator and set up a page on a social networking site. The coordinator reports to the Steering Committee.

      4.Elect an interim editorial board to establish a quarterly journal called Socialist Resistance. This will be an ecosocialist, feminist, anti-imperialist, internationalist, Marxist magazine. The interim editorial board actively seek advisory editors who have a record of activity in the areas of class struggle covered in the publication. Additional members of the EB must be ratified by the Steering Committee.

      26 December 2007

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    7. jj Avatar
      jj

      Liam
      why has RR no position on who to vote for in the mayoral election? It can only be because a bust up with Thornett at this stage is not very clever for GG and co.. but it will come later on or the ISG will keep ducking a political fight. Are there any genuine reasons not to take any position on this crucial election. Also if RR doesn’t have a position then what do u thinkl of Salma signing that letter in her RR capacity? don’t u think its a bit unaccountable?

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    8. jj Avatar
      jj

      “It is not likely to be a source of controversy if statements or articles expressing the distinct line of the ISG and the Fourth International were a regular feature of the new publication.”

      Get real
      only if its on non key questions and doesn’t step oin GG toes.. really the absence of an article on the KL fiasco in your newspaper under the incrediable reason someone failed to have time to write it lol!!! is the beginning of a nasty trend with the ISG.. Perhaps future timing difficulties may appear.

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    9. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      Apologies for the confusion Liam, I’m not referring to this blog but another site that I’ve just discovered.

      http://www.socialistrenewal.org.uk/home.htm

      I think it’s an attempt to draw socialists in Renewal around a common pole of attraction. Which is a positive move for socialists as far as I can see. I hope that clarifies my post.

      Chris, the SWP is supporting Lindsey German who is standing for Respect. Livingstone is 2nd preference. When you claim that the SWP are against pluralistic debate I wonder how you would explain the SWP’s ability to work well alongside other individuals and organisations in StWC, SA, ANL and a variety of other alliances over the years. It would appear to be a unique occurance that Respect has split due to the inability of others to get on with the SWP.
      I don’t believe the split was caused by the SWP. It was caused by a disagreement over political strategy. And until socialists in RR recognise this they will remain hostage to this occuring again. While these debates remain academic then the peace will be held but when strategy has to be put into practice that’s when the cracks will develop.
      Political criticism of the SWP is one thing but a campaign to vilify one of its members has nothing to do with constructive political criticism. It’s no different from the witch hunting of Galloway, Scargill and Sheriden by the state. The arguement that this behaviour is acceptable on the left or a valid part of puralistic debate is the smokescreen all socialists should blow aside at any cost.

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    10. andyinswindon Avatar
      andyinswindon

      Sorry Ray, I nearly fell of my chair when you quoted the Socialist Alliance as a good example of the SWP being able to work well alongside other organisations and individuals.

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    11. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      That’s your opinion, Andy, but despite the difficulties trying to build a socialist alliance I think we did rather well while it lasted. It wasn’t exactly easy dealing with the demands of the various individuals and organisations in the alliance. A myth is being perpetuated that everyone apart from the SWP behaves impecibly but this is self-serving cant used to justify all manner of sectarian attacks.

      There are some in SA who still believe that when the SWP moved on to build Respect this was a betrayal and an incorrect strategy. While I don’t agree with this opinion this is an issue of political differences and not the SWP’s inability to co-operate in alliances.

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    12. Liam Avatar
      Liam

      jj- have you actually looked at the list of articles that will be in the magazine?
      In any case we have a slightly better record of being critical in Respect when in a tiny minority than some who bent over backwards for 3 years to pretend there were no problems.

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    13. Chris Brooks Avatar
      Chris Brooks

      Ray,

      If you’re convinced by the SWP’s pluralism, then I suggest you attend meeting of the StWC’s steering committee. These meetings are caucused and carved up in the same style as the CP in the AEU or GMB did in the 80s. You could propose that grass is green and you’d be voted down if you didn’t have prior ‘informal discussion’ with the SWP and CP (who is teaching whom?).

      Bureaucratic machine politics is also a way to work together, but it’s not pluralism.

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    14. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      Chris it would be interesting to read about the evidence you have of caucuses carving up the decisions pre-steering committee.

      If you are referring to the SWP having a political arguement that it brings to the meeting then I would agree with you. It would be quite remiss of the SWP to blindly enter a steering meeting without first thinking out its position on issues to be discussed.

      In my experience I never attend a meeting without first looking at the agenda and then thinking about what I want to discuss. I hold positions on many differnt issues and make my opinion known. This is standard practice and is part of the puralistic process of debateat a meeting.

      Perhaps you would like other alliance members to have no agenda so that you can assert your own? Perhaps you would like minority views to take precedent over a majority decision but I would not define that as puralistic or democratic.

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    15. Mike Calvert Avatar
      Mike Calvert

      Liam,

      A serious question while young danny plays with his musical toy–if I hear the farmers in his den once more I will….aaggghhh
      Back to my question:

      how will the new Socialist resistance fit into your system of press alongside Respect, the paper, and the magazine Socialist Outlook?

      Mikey

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    16. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      Getting back to the issue what kind of party do we want is this to be located in any of the organisations that currently exist or in a new organisation?

      On the one hand there is antipathy towards Respect which is now characterised as an SWP front by those socialists who have split from it while on the other hand leading socialists in RR are argueing for Eurocommunism and faith based dogma to be given parity with science in schools.
      If there is going to be a unity of intention among the left then it appears that we need to be very clear about having a common program and a consistant focus on what we are trying to achieve.

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    17. You couldn't make it up! Avatar
      You couldn’t make it up!

      Eurocommunism to be given parity with science in schools…perish the thought!

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    18. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      It’s true! Schoolkids forced to read Gramsci with all the socialism taken out instead of searching for earth type planets around distant suns.

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    19. Liam Avatar
      Liam

      Mike – it’ll be a two tier paper system. We will sell the Respect paper and our own magazine. There will be additional content on an upgraded website that we will be launching in the next couple of weeks.

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    20. Chris Brooks Avatar
      Chris Brooks

      >>Chris it would be interesting to read about the evidence you have of caucuses carving up the decisions pre-steering committee.

      Hi Ray,

      What ‘evidence’ could there possibly be? We’re not spys.

      However, the impression I have is this: at the steering committee there are two sorts of discussions: things where the SWP and CPB agree on every point, and give the impression of having co-ordinated their reactions, and uncaucused proposals, which are often introduced by non-SWP or non-CPB people. Those proposals are habitually and strongly opposed regardless of their content, and are either recommended to be tabled to allow ‘informal discussion’, or be opposed.

      This sucks the life out of the committee, and means that the real discussion happens elsewhere. That prevents the committee from having the full range of information and options available to it, and limited the ability of participants to optimize the campaign’s work.

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    21. Ray Avatar
      Ray

      Chris if we found people guilty based on impressions then I would be very worried about the left. The SWP has been outvoted in SA and Respect on numerous occassions. Most significantly over slates for candidates in elections so your impression does not tally with reality.

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