Dilma Rousseff of the Workers Party (PT) won Brazil’s presidential election on October 26, meaning that when her term ends her party will have held the nation’s top office for a remarkable 16 years, longer than any party in Brazilian history. Rousseff began as part of an armed revolutionary guerrilla organization during the dictatorship from 1964-85, then helped found the Democratic Workers Party (PDT), and only joined the PT in 2001. The PT of the 1980s and 1990s represented the political expression of militant labor and social movements tending toward socialism, yet today the PT is the establishment. Now others are attempting to build a new revolutionary movement to its left.
The Left Unity project in Britain
5 February 2015, byThe origins of the Left Unity project came out of the common struggle across Europe against austerity. The specific moment was the first coordinated general strike across Europe on November 14, 2012. Many of us active on the left, already working with the anti-austerity movement across Europe, saw the need for British engagement too, and from that day onwards, Left Unity has been in development
Dutch Socialist Party from Sect to Mass Party
8 October 2014, byIn many Western countries, the far left remains dominated by groups rooted in the radicalization of the 1960s. Most never became more than propaganda outfits of a few hundred members. The Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands is an exception. What started as just another left splinter developed into a mass party that seems posed to become the largest left of center force in the country. The Dutch Socialist Party went from fringe force to national contender. But lost its soul along the way.
The significance of Left Unity
8 April 2014, byThis contribution was submitted to the February 2014 IC on behalf of the British section.
ANTARSYA and the anticapitalist project in Greece
8 April 2014, byThis contribution was submitted to the February 2014 IC meeting by Dimitris and Manos, the IC members for Greece, on behalf of the Greek section OKDE-Spartakos.
The significance of Syriza
8 April 2014, byThis discussion paper for the IC meeting in February 2014 was submitted by Alan Thornett from Socialist Resistance Britain.
Time to change direction
8 April 2014, byThis contribution was submitted to the IC meeting of February 2014 by Socialist Democracy, the sympathising group in Ireland.
Contribution for the International Committee, February 2014
8 April 2014This contribution was submitted to the February 2014 IC meeting by “Anticapitalism and Revolution” current of the NPA.
The Intervention of the FI in Greece
14 January 2014, byThis article is a slightly updated version of an introduction made in the context of the Conference for the 75th anniversary of the Fourth International. The Conference was held in Mannheim in November 2013.
The Fourth International in the 21st century
11 January 2014, byThis is a presentation Alan Thornett made at an event in Mannheim marking 75 years of the FI, organised by the FI’s German groups, in November 2013. Other speakers included Jan Malewski from the FI Bureau and Manos Skoufoglou from OKDE, the Greek section of the FI. At the end of the event he undertook to write up his speech so that the discussion that took place around it can continue. It is not a verbatim write up but it does follow the political line of his presentation and includes all the main points he made. A few points have been expanded for clarity.