Weekly Worker 368 Thursday January 25 2001

The Socialist Alliance

[Principles of organisation] [The Socialist Alliance and trade unions]

The Socialist Alliance is the voluntary union of socialists and communists. It recognises the value of the theory first systematised by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels and then developed by Lenin, Luxemburg, Trotsky and many others.

The Socialist Alliance is part of the working class. It is formed and built by the self-selection of the most class conscious, most selfless and most far-sighted workers. The Socialist Alliance has no interest other than the working class as a whole. The Socialist Alliance differs from the rest of the working class only in that it has the advantage of a theory which enables it to understand the historical path and results of proletarian class struggle. Hence at every stage and turn of events it champions the general interests of the movement.

Consequently, as advanced workers and true partisans of the working class, we socialists and communists understand the necessity of coming together in the closest and highest possible unity.

Unity

The Socialist Alliance supports the organisation of the working class in the largest, most powerful and most centralised units. In the absence of objective conditions compelling separate organisation, the working class organises as a single party. This is an elementary requirement of internationalism.

As a general principle socialists strive for the organisation of the working class in a single party based on the existing borders of the capitalist state that is to be overthrown. Those who fail to fight for such organisational unity of the workers have embraced or succumbed to nationalism.

Objective conditions in Britain require the workers of all nationalities to organise together. The Socialist Alliance is therefore committed to creating the conditions whereby we join with comrades in Scotland and Wales in day-to-day action and eventually in an all-Britain party.

The Socialist Alliance is internationalist

The Socialist Alliance stands on the principles of working class internationalism. It is an internationalist duty to fight for socialism and make revolution in one’s own country. However, the struggle for socialism in Britain is subordinated to the struggle for world revolution. Working class internationalism renders it compulsory for the interests of the workers’ struggle in one country to be subordinated to the interests of that struggle on a world scale.

Understanding the unity of the interests and aims of the world working class does not arise spontaneously within the national workers’ movement. The Socialist Alliance has to consciously imbue the working class struggle with the ideas of internationalism and uncompromisingly fight against nationalism. The Socialist Alliance sees it as its duty to fight against any trend which harms the unity of the world’s working class. We are well aware of the connection between nationalism on the one hand and reformism and opportunism on the other.

The Socialist Alliance believes that the world proletariat needs a world strategy and world organisation. Without global organisation the working class is weakened and lacks coordination. The Socialist Alliance will do all in its power to rectify this situation.

6.1. Principles of organisation

Our foremost and unchanging task is to conduct systematic, all-sided and principled agitation and propaganda. In our conditions this means combating all manifestations of ruling class ideology and winning the masses to the ideas of revolutionary democracy and socialism.

A political paper

The Socialist Alliance requires a vehicle to conduct propaganda and agitation - a regular political paper. Such a paper is not only a collective propagandist and collective agitator. It is also a collective organiser.

Organisation around the distribution network of such a paper and education on the basis of its articles is the best basis for continuous action.

The basic unit

Our basic organisational unit is the local or workplace Socialist Alliance, which facilitates the closest and broadest relations with the working class. Such Socialist Alliances have complete autonomy within their sphere of responsibility and should be self-sustaining and constantly striving to take initiatives.

Criticism and self-criticism

Criticism and self-criticism on an individual and collective level are the first condition for the unity, development and growth of the Socialist Alliance. The aim is to continually strengthen our ability to serve the working class and thus humanity.

Criticism in no way implies the undermining of the individual or committee concerned, but improving their contribution to the Socialist Alliance. It shows the individual or committee being criticised why their attitude accords neither with the interests of the class nor the Socialist Alliance as a whole.

Bourgeois and middle class influences must constantly manifest themselves in our ranks. The Socialist Alliance lives in a world dominated by the spontaneously generated ideas of capitalism. Hence if the mistakes of individuals or committees are not corrected they can endanger or undermine the whole. Criticism and self-criticism is one of the most effective weapons against such a threat.

Men and women

There must be no discrimination between men and women in the Socialist Alliance. Male socialists must practice equality and female socialists must insist on it. However, given the male-dominated culture we operate in and the need to win women to follow the lead and join the ranks of the Socialist Alliance, every effort should be made to promote women comrades. In this way, the Socialist Alliance develops its culture and extends its strength for the struggle.

The Socialist Alliance strives for democracy and centralism

The Socialist Alliance is organised on the basis of democracy, and through democracy to achieve ever closer centralised actions and a common world outlook. The combination of democracy and centralism achieved through democracy is both a form of organisation and a political principle.

Democracy and centralism entail the acceptance by the minority of majority votes when it comes to actions. That does not mean that the minority should be gagged. Minorities must have the possibility of becoming the majority. As long as they accept in practice the decisions of the majority, groups of comrades have the right to support alternative platforms and form themselves into temporary or permanent factions.

Democracy and centralism therefore represent a dialectical unity entailing the fullest, most open and frank debate along with the most determined action.

Democracy and centralism allow the members of the Socialist Alliance to unitedly carry our actions, elect and be elected, and openly criticise what are seen as mistakes or shortcomings without fear or favour. In essence then, democracy and centralism form a united whole and are a process whereby socialists are united around correct aims and principles.

6.2. The Socialist Alliance and trade unions

Trade unions are basic organisations of working class defence. The Socialist Alliance is a political organisation of socialists and communists. The Socialist Alliance and the trade unions are therefore different organisations of the same class. We do not confuse the two and their different roles.

The Socialist Alliance seeks to extend the influence of socialist and revolutionary ideas in the trade unions. This can best be achieved by establishing Socialist Alliances in every major trade union, in every major industry and every major workplace. We fight to overcome all forms of trade union sectionalism and exclusiveness. In this way, we socialists show that we are the best fighters for the day-to-day interests of the proletariat, as well as the most far-sighted in looking after the interests of the future.

The Socialist Alliance is also committed to fight for internal democracy in the unions and against all forms of bureaucracy.

The Socialist Alliance will tirelessly work in the trade unions to fight bourgeois ideology. We explain that no trade union gain can be made permanent while wage slavery lasts. All economic, trade union and political demands must be connected with the task of putting society as a whole into the hands of the working class.