Mapping Socialist Strategies
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MAPPING SOCIALIST STRATEGIES Reporting Back and Moving Forward August 1-4, 2014 Edith Macy Conference Center 550 Chappaqua Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY Table of Contents Mapping Socialist Strategies Reporting Back and Moving Forward “Business is in Command”...........................................................................................................2 Neoliberalism vs. the Public / the Commons............................................................................4 Exposing Neoliberalism’s Weak Spots.......................................................................................7 Tar Sands and Pipeline Campaigns Along the Canada-U.S. Border........................7 Chicago Teacher’s Union and the Strike of 2012.......................................................7 Austerity, Collapse, and the Rise of the Radical Left in Greece................................8 Jackson, Mississippi: Before and After Chokwe Lumumba.......................................8 Overcoming Fragmentation and Rebuilding the Left..............................................................9 Socialism by Sector....................................................................................................................10 Where Do We Go From Here?..................................................................................................11 Published by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, New York Office, September 2014 Compiled by James P. Hare Editors: Stefanie Ehmsen and Albert Scharenberg Address: 275 Madison Avenue, Suite 2114, New York, NY 10016 Email: [email protected]; Phone: +1 (917) 409-1040 The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation is an internationally operating, progressive non-profit institution for civic education. In cooperation with many organizations around the globe, it works on democratic and social participation, empowerment of disadvantaged groups, alternatives for economic and social development, and peaceful conflict resolution. The New York Office serves two major tasks: to work around issues concerning the United Nations and to engage in dialogue with North American progressives in universities, unions, social movements, and politics. www.rosalux-nyc.org Mapping Socialist Strategies Reporting Back and Moving Forward In the first days of August, 2014, the Rosa Lux- to proudly reclaim the socialist label. Many of emburg Stiftung—New York Office brought the participants in this gathering are among together one hundred influential leftists and those already engaged in struggles of survival, progressives from across the United States, resistance, and progressive reform. How can Canada, and Europe for an “un-conference” on we support this necessary work while at the socialist strategies. same time linking it to broader strategies for societal transformation? Can our movements The retreat was held at the Edith Macy Center, add up to something greater than the sum of located in Westchester County about an hour their parts? In an electoral context that is struc- north of New York City. Shortly before we be- turally inhospitable to socialist challenges, how gan on Friday afternoon, a powerful storm can the left constitute itself politically and with had swept across the Lower Hudson Valley strategic effectiveness? region, knocking out power lines and leav- ing the Center reliant on generators. Off the Unlike many conferences, this meeting was not Harlem Line train and through the post-storm divided into experts on stage and an attentive drizzle, guests gradually began to trickle into audience. Rather, the weekend’s work primar- semi-darkness. The reduced electricity served ily took place in various breakout groups and, to emphasize the surrounding beauty—large perhaps even more importantly, the ample windows opened out to rugged oak forests, time reserved for informal discussion, debate, a simple pond below, gathering mountains and networking. Plenaries were kept brief and above. We’d like to think of it as the calm be- were intended to spark discussion, not to pro- fore the storm of socialist strategizing to come. vide definitive answers. This gathering provid- ed a space for new relationships to be formed While socialism has a long history in Europe, and old ones to be renewed. Without coming Canada, and even the United States, socialists together in a space of mutual respect and hos- on both sides of the Atlantic have found it dif- pitality, it is hard to imagine the left rebuilding ficult to fight the neoliberal tide of recent de- itself into an effective force in our societies. cades. Whether it is shifting class formations, the capitulation of center-left politicians to This conference was focused on political activ- neoliberal orthodoxy, or the rise of austeri- ism. As RLS–NYC co-director Albert Scharen- ty, the state of capitalism looks remarkably berg explained in his opening remarks, it was similar throughout the North Atlantic region. a space to discuss what we can do to rebuild Meanwhile, the term “socialist” has most often the left, especially in the U.S. but also in Can- been used as an epithet to denigrate any gov- ada and Europe. We aimed to learn from each ernment policy that benefits ordinary people other’s struggles and to build the networks we at the expense of the wealthy. need to move forward. This gathering brought together people from different geographical, RLS–NYC organized this meeting because we ideological, and social backgrounds in a spirit believe that it is time for those of us who op- of hospitality and friendship. It is only by com- pose capitalism and wish to transform society ing together in this spirit that we can create 1 MAPPING SOCIALIST STRATEGIES REPORTING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD the possibility of working together. Everyone together to figure out how the left can, in a po- present at the meeting plays a leading role in litical context, reconstitute itself with strategic various left struggles. This weekend, we came effectiveness. “Business is in Command” Through the afternoon, participants arrived from below. The party organizes ordinary from their various corners of the world, set- people by regularly and consistently going to tled into what would be their sleeping quarters neighborhoods and talking about the prob- for the next three nights, then either rested, lems in the neighborhood and what can be explored the beautiful retreat grounds, or be- done about them, working together. We on the gan to catch up with old comrades and meet left need to remove the obstacles that stand new ones. Following the first of many excellent between ourselves and the people. Some- meals to be shared in the Edith Macy dining times, left organizations use strange language area over the course of the weekend, the group and symbols, and this can make us seem like of one hundred moved next door, to the main we belong to a cult. In the Netherlands (and auditorium and beginning of “official” weekend in many other countries as well), most people programming. think their children’s lives will be worse than their own. When you think about the tremen- The meeting’s first plenary, moderated by dous possibilities unleashed by technology, RLS–NYC co-director Stefanie Ehmsen, ad- this lack of confidence is striking. So who is dressed the current state of power relations ruining everything? It’s the one percent who in Europe and the United States—and what we are serving their own narrow interests at the can do to change them. Hans van Heijningen, expense of everyone else. Van Heijningen is party secretary of the Socialist Party of the proud that this approach has helped his par- Netherlands, explained that in his country— ty to become a mirror of Dutch society. This is and throughout Europe—governments run not the case for other political parties in the by social democrats and liberals claim to have Netherlands. It takes effort. Ordinary people “solved” the present crisis—by letting the poor don’t like to sit in conferences. They like to do pay—even as unemployment remains high. something and to change things. It’s critical to The left has advanced in some parts of Europe, be respectful of trade unions and other inde- but we need to be modest about our position. pendent organizations. We need to show what In a context where social democrats have sold side we are on in a practical way: we need to out and people are in despair, the gains made live the life that we’re preaching. by the left, while real, are not enough. We need to build something new while learning from Van Heijningen asked us to consider what mo- history. It’s not enough to talk about beautiful tivates us to be part of a left organization. We things; we need to act. need to seek an alternative to the current or- der and then go out and do something. If we Van Heijningen discussed the experience of argue about the Russian Revolution, there will the Dutch Socialist Party over the last several be 100 different opinions, but we can easily decades. They grew—and continue to grow— form a consensus about the situation in the 2 MAPPING SOCIALIST STRATEGIES REPORTING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD Netherlands today and what’s needed to get The “activist, articulate, educated left”—that rid of the current government. It’s a question is to say the participants in gatherings like this of starting to work in a serious way. Nine out one—has dramatically overestimated its own of ten attempts may fail, but the tenth attempt importance, according to Piven. When the will be the start of something new. Second International got together, they talked about the masses and