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[[Image:Anti howard rally feb 2007.jpg|right|thumb|Socialist Alternative's "red bloc" contingent at an anti-[[WorkChoices]] demonstration in Melbourne, shortly before the [[Australian federal election, 2007|federal election]] in 2007]]
[[Image:Anti howard rally feb 2007.jpg|right|thumb|Socialist Alternative's "red bloc" contingent at an anti-[[WorkChoices]] demonstration in Melbourne, shortly before the [[Australian federal election, 2007|federal election]] in 2007]]


SA is mainly composed of students active in their [[student union]]s, with emphasis on university-based political campaigns. Currently, SA hold on average two student union office bearer positions in every university in which they are active. On a national level, Socialist Alternative constitute the third largest faction within the National Union of Students, after [National_Labor_Students|Labor Left] and [Student_Unity|Labor Left.]
SA is mainly composed of students active in their [[student union]]s, with emphasis on university-based political campaigns. Currently, SA hold on average two student union office bearer positions in every university in which they are active. On a national level, Socialist Alternative constitute the third largest voting faction within the National Union of Students, after [[National_Labor_Students|Labor Left]] and [[Student_Unity|Labor Left.]] and currently hold the Queer Officer position.

Socialist Alternative played a leading role in the campaign against the Howard Government's [[Voluntary Student Unionism]](VSU) laws.


Its membership also includes non-students who, if employed, like employed student members, are also involved in their respective [[trade union]]s.
Its membership also includes non-students who, if employed, like employed student members, are also involved in their respective [[trade union]]s.

Revision as of 06:17, 2 March 2009

Socialist Alternative
LeaderCollective Leadership
Founded1995
HeadquartersMelbourne
IdeologyRevolutionary Socialism,
Marxism,
Trotskyism,
International Socialism,
Anti-Capitalism
Website
http://www.sa.org.au/


Socialist Alternative (SA) is a Trotskyist political group in Australia formed by a split from the International Socialist Organisation (ISO) in 1995.[1] They are characterised by a strong focus on recruitment on campuses and at demonstrations. As of 2008, Socialist Alternative are the numerically largest organisation on the far-left.

Activity

Socialist Alternative's "red bloc" contingent at an anti-WorkChoices demonstration in Melbourne, shortly before the federal election in 2007

SA is mainly composed of students active in their student unions, with emphasis on university-based political campaigns. Currently, SA hold on average two student union office bearer positions in every university in which they are active. On a national level, Socialist Alternative constitute the third largest voting faction within the National Union of Students, after Labor Left and Labor Left. and currently hold the Queer Officer position.

Socialist Alternative played a leading role in the campaign against the Howard Government's Voluntary Student Unionism(VSU) laws.

Its membership also includes non-students who, if employed, like employed student members, are also involved in their respective trade unions.

The organisation holds regular stalls and meetings to discuss current events and Marxist theory, usually employing an energetic postering campaign to advertise them, particularly on inner-city campuses and in the surrounding suburbs. These discussions double as recruitment opportunities for new members.

SA has been involved in several left-wing protests against Israel, the Iraq War,[2] campaigns for the rights of refugees,[3] the right of women to access free abortions on demand, the right of same-sex couples to marry,[4] in anti-capitalism and anti-globalisation demonstrations[5] and against the operation of the Jabiluka uranium mine[6]. Members are identifiable during protests with the red flags carried in their contingent or red bloc. This distinguishes them from other Marxist organisations in Australia who normally carry placards.

The group also holds a national educational conference called "Marxism" each Easter weekend (formerly known as "Marxism Today").[7]

History

Members of Socialist Alternative assisted in the construction of this effigy of Prime Minister John Howard, made by the Victorian College of the Arts Student Union. The building in the background is RMIT University which was occupied during an education demonstration.

SA began amongst a number of Melbourne ex-members of the ISO, after they were expelled from the ISO in 1995, following a lengthy debate about perspectives for building its membership. This was part of a broader debate in the International Socialist Tendency (IST) about the nature of the political situation and how socialists should respond, which resulted in splits in a number of countries, including New Zealand, Greece, Germany, Canada, South Africa and France, and the expulsion of the United States ISO from the IST.[8]

SA briefly joined the Socialist Alliance, which grouped together the Democratic Socialist Perspective (DSP), the ISO, and some smaller left groups and individuals. However SA dropped out primarily because it opposed the strong emphasis the Socialist Alliance put on running in parliamentary elections which they saw as counterposed to building activism on the ground.[9]

SA was a primarily Melbourne-based group up until around 2003, when it experienced a considerable growth in membership across Australia due to increased opposition to the Iraq War. SA is still larger in Melbourne than any other city but has also grown considerably in Sydney. A small group of ex-SA members in Sydney joined a socialist group named Solidarity, which was started by former members of the ISO. Overall Membership of the organisation numbers no more than 300 nationwide, however this ebbs and flows with influxes of members occurring around national and international political events.

SA publishes a range of books and pamphlets. Recently a number of members produced a book analysing Australian capitalism, Class and Struggle in Australia, edited by Rick Kuhn and in April 2007, The Labor Party: A Marxist Analysis was published by Mick Armstrong and Tom Bramble. In September 2007 SA published a new book by Mick Armstrong From Little Things Big Things Grow: Strategies for building revolutionary socialist organisations. SA also publish a monthly magazine called Socialist Alternative, which is sold on stalls at university campuses on city streets and at demonstrations.

Beliefs and ideology

File:Salogo.jpg
Socialist Alternative's logo is characterised by the Red Wedge, evoking the 1919 Russian Civil War propaganda poster by El Lissitzky

SA claim to be committed to avoiding the grand pretensions that they say characterise much of the left. While not a member of the IST, SA remains committed to the ideas and positions associated with the "International Socialism" tradition of Trotskyism which saw the Stalinist states of Russia, Eastern Europe, China, Vietnam, North Korea and Cuba as being in no sense socialist but forms of state capitalism, where workers were exploited by a bureaucratic ruling class. SA believes that the October 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia was a genuine socialist revolution. However the relentless imperialist attack on the young socialist republic and the failure of the revolution to spread to Western Europe lead to its ultimate defeat by Stalin's counter-revolution.[10]

SA has links with a number of other groups which were previously part of the IST, such as the US International Socialist Organization, the Internationalist Workers' Left in Greece, the International Socialist Organisation in New Zealand and, in France, Socialisme International.

SA analyses the world in terms of the political and economic ideas of Karl Marx, the 19th century philosopher. Consequently, members of SA believe that today's capitalist world economy needs to be overthrown by means of a socialist revolution, in which the workers or proletariat will unite to overthrow their employers, the bourgeoisie, who control the means of production. SA's activities are therefore attempts to mobilise workers and students in order to facilitate such a revolution, which they believe will result in an end to worker exploitation. SA also believe that as a result of a socialist revolution, phenomena such as racism, sexism and homophobia will eventually disappear. Critics of SA argue that capitalism cannot be reasonably blamed for sexism, racism or homophobia.

SA believe that capitalism can only be successfully overthrown if a mass revolutionary party is built to challenge the hold of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the trade union leaders over the working class. They see themselves as beginning to lay the basis for such a party by their political activities today. SA's strategy for building a socialist organisation is outlined in the book From Little Things Big Things Grow by one of its leaders Mick Armstrong.[9]

SA supports the right to self-determination of Australia's Aboriginal people and opposes the intervention by initially, the Howard Government and continued by the Rudd Government in the Northern Territory. [11] Another distinctive position of SA which separates them from much of the rest of the Australian left is their opposition to the Australian intervention in East Timor. [12]

SA is also known within Australian student politics for its hostility towards John Howard and his former conservative government.[13] Other targets of SA hostility are the "ruling class" of the United States and its President, and the ALP for its unwillingness to vehemently oppose business. In particular SA are highly critical of the Labor party's new industrial relations policy which they see as simply a watered down form of WorkChoices. SA also accuses the government of Australia and the United States of prommoting racist scapegoating against Muslims in general, as part of the "War on Terror" .[14]

Controversy

Allegations of "anti-Semitism"

File:SA mag 137.jpg
Front cover of Socialist Alternative magazine February, 2009, condemning Israel's 2008–2009 bombings of Gaza.

In an article published by The Age on September 4, 2006, members of SA were accused of engaging in "anti-Semitic" behavior and of "exploiting ethnic tensions" in order to recruit members [15]. They were accused of assaulting members of the Liberal Party with contrasting ideas who overturned SA stalls on campus, and propagating particular attitudes towards local Jewish communities. SA was likewise accused of being unsympathetic to Jewish groups during the highest period of anti-Semitism since the 1940s and demonstrating on university campuses where the majority of this was occurring[16]. A member of SA there wrote a controversial email referring to some Jewish students at University of Melbourne as "Zionists (who) felt the need to assert their racism and fetish for genocide and mass slaughter of Arab people"[17].

SA's members argue that they are anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic. According to many Jews, this is a way for anti-semitic groups to voice their views without being branded as racist[18]. SA claims that accusations of anti-Semitism are slander from apologists of "Israeli apartheid"[19] and maintain that such slander "just makes it more difficult to fight actual anti-semitism"[20]. SoA claims that its goal is to "demolish the lies upon which the racist state of Israel was built, and argue for the only real solution to the Middle East conflict - a single secular, democratic state in historic Palestine, one in which Palestinians and Jews can live in equality and peace". SA maintains that Israel does not represent Jews, but simply claims to do so. Moreover SA points out they have Jewish members, including Dr Rick Kuhn[21] and Patrick Weiniger[22]. Vashti Kenway (Students Against War and Racism and SA member), said that "We take a firm stand against all forms of racism"[16].

Controversy over campaigning tactics

The group has become renowned in many universities for its aggressive tactics, including the use of megaphones and leaflets and going into lectures to announce their campaigns. [citation needed] SA have been known to drown out political viewpoints that diverge from their own, in political forums, with loud repetitive chanting of slogans. An example of this tactic was on display during a visit of former Liberal Party Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott (who is well-known for his social conservatism) to the Australian National University. They argue that this is a valid political tactic, as the viewpoints they seek to silence already get heard excessively through the media.[23].

References

  1. ^ "What's left of the left soldiers on", The Age, May 1, 2002. Accessed: June 10, 2007.
  2. ^ "US anti war movement back on the march" by Mick Armstrong, Socialist Alternative, 96. Accessed: December 10, 2008.
  3. ^ "Refugees: new visa a cruel hoax; Baxter protest" by Louise O'Shea, Socialst Alternative, 90. Accessed: December 10, 2008.
  4. ^ "Protest for same-sex marriage rights" by James Vigus, Socialist Alternative, 134. Accessed: December 10, 2008.
  5. ^ "CHOGM and CBF: why we must protest" by Tony Hartin, Socialist Alternative, 53. Accessed: December 10, 2008.
  6. ^ "Jabiluka uranium mine stopped!", Socialist Alternative, 51. Accessed: December 10, 2008.
  7. ^ "Marxism 2009" Socialist Alternative website. Accessed: September 21, 2008.
  8. ^ "International Trotskyist Tendencies" Marxists Internet Archive. Accessed: November 27, 2008.
  9. ^ a b Mick Armstrong, "From Little Things Big Things Grow. Strategies for building revolutionary socialist organisations", Socialist Alternative, Melbourne, 2007.
  10. ^ Sandra Bloodworth, "How Workers Took Power: The 1917 Russian Revolution", Socialist Alternative, Melbourne, 2008.
  11. ^ "A long overdue apology. Now compensate the stolen generations and end the NT intervention" by Luke Wilson and Sandra Bloodworth, Socialist Alternative, 125. Accessed: September 21, 2008.
  12. ^ "In Depth: East Timor" by Chris Haan, Socialist Alternative, 79. Accessed: September 21, 2008.
  13. ^ "Liz Walsh" George Negus Tonight (transcript), Episode 12 (2), Broadcast September 25, 2003. Accessed: December 14, 2008.
  14. ^ "Editorial: why we oppose the “war on terror”" by Sandra Bloodworth, Socialist Alternative, 94. Accessed: November 9, 2008.
  15. ^ "Jews in fear of hardline uni groups" The Age, September 4 2006. Accessed: December 5, 2008.
  16. ^ a b "An unholy alliance" The Age, September 4 2006. Accessed: December 5, 2008.
  17. ^ "RMIT Palestinian and Lebanese solidarity work" by Chris Di Pasquale, July 25, 2006. Accessed: December 9, 2008.
  18. ^ "Report on antisemitism in Australia" The Australian Jewish News, November 27, 2006. Accessed: December 7, 2008.
  19. ^ "Opposing Israel is not anti-semitic" by Patrick Weiniger, Socialist Alternative, 79. Accessed: September 21, 2008.
  20. ^ "Critics of Israel are not racists" by Sandra Bloodworth, Socialist Alternative, 108. Accessed: September 21, 2008.
  21. ^ "Israel the hijack state" by Rick Kuhn Socialist Alternative, 106. Accessed: February 7, 2009.
  22. ^ "Why Jews should oppose Israel" by Patrick Weiniger Socialist Alternative, 136. Accessed: February 7, 2009.
  23. ^ "Hack Notes: Shouting Down Abbott" audio report on 2JJJ, February 16, 2006. Accessed: June 10, 2007.
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