Socialist Alternative Victoria University | Political organisation
Socialist Alternative Victoria University
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25.01.2022 In Greece, a decade of protests and street battles by anti-fascists and a legal trial that lasted five years have finally smashed Golden Dawn, a neo-nazi organisation. The efforts of determined protestors and activists in response to murders committed by members of Golden Dawn, have forced the judges to declare the neo-nazi group a criminal organisation. This is a huge victory for the left, and a serious blow to fascists in Greece, who for decades have been given legitimacy by the parliamentary presence of Golden Dawn. Join the Campaign Against Racism & Fascism on Wednesday evening to hear from Greek antifascist Panos Petrou, and to debate questions of anti-fascist strategy and tactics. All anti-fascists welcome! See the event for details and to register: https://fb.me/e/3OauKKGQS
25.01.2022 When Scott Morrison declared a coronavirus pandemic, for once it seemed that the Australian government was taking decisive, health-minded action. Six months down the track that feeling of hope has well and truly been squandered. The reluctance to close schools and the haste in which they were reopened was one of the many things in the past few months that demonstrated the complete lack of regard the Australian government had for the lives of working-class people. Schools were... reopened knowing the risk that it posed to students and teachers. The decision on whether or not to take that risk was made with no input from students or teachers who all knew that the small number of regulations accompanying reopening would do nothing to reduce the spread. It was made by a government attempting to revive the economy, no matter the cost. Since the initial declaration of the coronavirus pandemic, it has become more clear than ever that decisions aren’t being made in the interest of public health but on the grounds of protecting the economy and corporations. The working class and students need to fight that. Read more: https://redflag.org.au/node/7372 Subscribe here for an unapologetically anti-capitalist take on the news: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
23.01.2022 Covid-19 has exposed two things about our society. The first is that by and large ordinary people, in times of crisis, will stand in solidarity with each other. Most people during the pandemic have shown they are willing to endure potentially severe economic hardship and social isolation to protect the health and wellbeing of the more vulnerable. A poll published by Roy Morgan on September 10th showed more than 70% of people generally support the current lockdown measures and... over 60% think shops, cafes and restaurants should remain closed. And as Louise O’Shea argues, the mass acceptance of health as the overriding priority of society illustrates the long-term support for the public health system and its proper funding, despite generations of politicians systematically undermining social services and promoting instead the neoliberal ‘logic’ of a user pays system. The second thing that this pandemic has exposed, however, is that despite the masses of workers going to at times extraordinary lengths to protect the health and wellbeing of our society, the people that run this country- i.e. the state and the bosses- are willing to do no such thing. Bosses have used their considerable economic and political weight to lobby against the important health measures that are keeping us safe. They are arguing that we should all be returning to work, flying across the country, and going back to the classroom, even after lockdown methods were proven to be effective and it was shown the vast majority of Covid transmission occurred in workplaces. Meanwhile, both federal and state governments have handed out billions of dollars to the corporate world to make sure CEOs haven’t had to miss out on their Christmas bonuses or take a cut to their million- dollar salaries. Increasingly as well we see states and the police use the Covid pandemic to crackdown on our democratic rights, maligning anti-Racist, pro-refugee and pro-democracy rallies as dangerous, despite no outbreaks being linked to these events. This has happened most hypocritically in NSW where protesters have been arrested and fined, despite maintaining safe social distances, while thousands are allowed to attend sporting matches to keep those profits flowing. The working class can build a society based on the needs of humanity. The capitalists are running the society for profit, no matter the human cost. There has never been a clearer answer to the question of 'which class should run society?'. https://redflag.org.au/node/7379
22.01.2022 The latest edition of Red Flag is now available. Featuring: - 'The politics of the pandemic' by Louise O'Shea - 'Australia's history of fighting for civil libe...rties' by Sandra Bloodworth - 'Restore the right to protest in NSW' by Josh Lees https://redflag.org.au/node/7359 Subscribe today to access the full digital edition and support Australia's leading anti-capitalist publication: https://subscribe.redflag.org.au
17.01.2022 The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 remains one of the most important and inspiring uprisings in recent history. The rebellion showed the world the incredible power workers have to collectively rise up against the horrors of capitalism and create a new and better world. In doing so it helped to shatter the dangerous, but pervasive idea that the brutal and authoritarian Stalinist regime has anything to do with genuine socialism. In this week's Red Flag Reading Group we will be looking back at Hungary in 1956 and discussing what revolutionaries today can learn from the heroic struggle of the Hungarian workers. Join us on Thursday at 3pm to share your ideas and insights. https://www.facebook.com/events/1257553007924554
16.01.2022 Join Socialist Alternative at 6pm tonight via Zoom for our public event ‘War crimes exposed! Australian imperialism in Afghanistan’ The recently released Brereton report into war crimes committed in Afghanistan by Australian SAS soldiers has corroborated allegations of systematic torture and the murder of Afghani civilians. 39 homicides have been confirmed and 25 soldiers have been implicated. While the second half of the report, which details the specific crimes, has not yet... been released, many stories have already made it into the public sphere. Yet it’s remarkable really that these crimes have ever seen the light of day. The SAS is a highly secretive organisation. They are on the frontline of Australia’s war machine, often operating autonomously and killing targets with little oversight. However, the crimes were certainly no secret amongst the special forces, with one soldier who was interviewed by Samantha Crompvoets reportedly stating [I]f they didn’t do it, they saw it. And if they didn’t see it, they knew about it. If they knew about it, they were probably involved in covering it up and not letting it get back to Canberra. Now that the heinous crimes have been exposed the government is going on the defensive, trying to downplay the findings and suggesting they are the fault of a few ‘bad apples’. But testimonies of current and former SAS soldiers suggest that the problem runs much deeper than the individuals singled out for war crimes, with many others working to cover them up and protect the perpetrators. The political elites, who organised the invasion and benefit from its imperialist aims can hardly be genuinely surprised. As Eleanor Morley recently wrote in Red Flag The special forces were created to be the sharpest weapon in Australia’s imperialist arsenal; their entire history is one of invasion and murder. The invasion and occupation of Afghanistan should be seen as the biggest war crime. As imperialist tensions rise around the world its crucial to discuss and understand the nature of Australian imperialism. Join Socialist Alternative via Zoom tonight at 6pm to begin this important discussion! https://www.facebook.com/events/366699107917799
16.01.2022 *** From Wed 4 Nov until Thurs 12 Nov, use the code RESIST2020 to get 15% off any new subscription to Red Flag! Get yours now at https://subscribe.redflag.org.a...u *** In 2020, we've seen the devastation capitalism generates in the pursuit of profit, as well as numerous inspiring examples of ordinary people's capacity for resistance. Now more than ever, there's a need for radical media that champions the struggles of the oppressed and unapologetically promotes revolutionary ideas to help us understand the capitalist system and how to fight it. Red Flag relies on our subscribers to continue our work producing some of the highest-quality socialist content in the English-speaking world - we're funded by our supporters, not corporate sponsors. Subscribe today and get the next print edition delivered to your doorstep (or a digital copy in your inbox).
14.01.2022 The United States in the Great Depression was a time not unlike our own. The horror and brutality of capitalism’s boom and bust cycle was laid bare, exposing the exploitation and systematic oppression it relied on. As peoples’ anger and despair at the rottenness of the system peaked, the Communist Party of the United States began organising heroic, working class resistance. The Communist Party was the first organisation on the US left to see fighting racism as a central task,... one that is inextricably linked to the fight against capitalism and the possibility of building a better world. And yet in its adherence to the Stalinist distortion of revolutionary politics, it threw away the possibility of a Black American communist worker’s movement. In this week’s Red Flag reading group, we will discuss the contradictory but often inspiring relationship between Black workers and the Communist Party of the United States, and the lessons revolutionaries can learn today. Join us at 3pm on Thursday to share your questions and insights! https://www.facebook.com/events/318893505837434
14.01.2022 The far-right seems to be growing in size and confidence. The inspiring Black Lives Matter movement has repeatedly been met with horrific displays of fascist violence, from the American-flag-wielding Trump supporters who drove cars into a demonstration to the 17-year-old wannabe cop who killed two protestors. And the racist policies, practices and rhetoric of Trump and the police force have not only encouraged, but openly supported these acts of terror. This was made painful...ly clear when the two lawyers who pointed guns at protesters became key speakers at the Republican National Conference. The situation is no different in Australia. No police have ever been convicted for any of the 430+ deaths in custody since 1991. Meanwhile, they consistently facilitate right-wing protests whilst crushing left-wing movements. Join us on Sunday for an in-depth discussion about the ties of the far-right to governing powers and a revolutionary perspective on how to fight them. ***REGISTER HERE*** https://uni-sydney.zoom.us//tJwude6spj0rEtwp2Vzur66l7isZHW Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/372300043771037
12.01.2022 PANEL: Rebellion and revolution in the era of the pandemic Capitalism is in crisis. The coronavirus pandemic is killing the poor, the economic crisis leaves millions unemployed and at risk of starvation, and the climate catastrophe still looms over our future. The response of the ruling class - which has been willing to sacrifice lives for the profits of the rich - has made working class resistance urgent and necessary, and rebellions have emerged to challenge the system all ...over the globe - from Iran, to Belarus, to the US. Those of us who can't be in Perth can still attend via Zoom and hear inspiring stories of resistance from these featured speakers: Katya Slepneva, a student activist in Belarus; Khury Petersen-Smith, an African-American socialist, writer and Black Lives Matter activist; and Omar Hassan, a Lebanese-Australian socialist. View the event here: https://fb.me/e/18LLNIH17
12.01.2022 The 1917 Russian revolution remains one of the most important events in rank and file history. In a matter of months the revolution, led by the Bolshevik Party, achieved immeasurable gains for the working class including universal suffrage, the 8-hour workday and women’s emancipation. In this week’s Red Flag reading group we’re discussing the importance of a revolutionary party in struggle and the lessons that activists today can learn from the Bolsheviks and the Russian rev...olution. Join us tomorrow at 3pm for an in-depth discussion on this topic and to share your thoughts! Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/633356814034690 Read more about the Bolshevik revolution before the discussion here: https://redflag.org.au/node/7378
09.01.2022 This year has seen a wave of struggle break out around the world - from the struggles against repression in Hong Kong and Thailand, to the fight against police ...brutality in Nigeria and the defiant Black Lives Matter movement that swept the United States. Red Flag is a voice of resistance, reporting from the front lines of struggle in Australia and around the world. Subscribe using the code GIFT before November 30 and you'll receive this mug celebrating these struggles designed by Melbourne artist and activist Maddie Hah. Subscribe at https://subscribe.redflag.org.au/
07.01.2022 The inspiring resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement has bought global attention to the fight against oppression and the very openly racist practices of the police and the ruling class everywhere. It has reached every corner of the US and over 60 other countries have held protests in solidarity, making it the largest social justice movement in decades. These protests have been met with extreme violence from police, right-wing militias and governments everywhere. This ...has included many protestors being killed by people who are now held up as figures of freedom by the right and further police brutality. Despite this violence and the media often portraying protesters as dangerous, BLM has done more in terms of justice than any amount of grovelling to politicians or watered-down policy change ever has. The size, power and longevity of this movement have forced many areas to heed the demands of the movement, such as defunding police certain police departments and removing abhorrent police tactics. The past four months have made it more clear than ever that a movement of the people will always be the most powerful tool against oppressors.
05.01.2022 Unprecedented fires are raging in California, coastlines are disappearing underwater, and politicians want a "gas lead recovery" for the economy. It's more important than ever to organise and fight back against the climate criminals who are destroying the planet for profit. Join the digital climate strike this Friday to hear some amazing speakers, and to talk to other climate activists about the way forward for the climate movement. https://facebook.com/events/s/vic-digital-climate-strike/238739667555735/?ti=as
03.01.2022 Red Flag Books is a left wing book shop run by Socialist Alternative, and it now produces these stunning new editions of classic Marxist texts such as The Communist Manifesto and The State and Revolution. There's a wide range of political books available to order online for some lockdown reading, and if you're new to socialist ideas the introductory books section is a great place to start: https://shop.redflag.org.au/collections/introductory-books
02.01.2022 Workers are the majority class of society. Whether they’re a miner, a factory worker, or a fast food cook - a person who has to work for a wage, yet has no control over the productive process, is a member of the working class. For workers to successfully pursue their common interests in improving their conditions, they must unite. This means overcoming social and personal divisions and fighting for the liberation of all the oppressed. The reason workers are able to fight thes...e battles? The wealth of capitalists is stolen from workers. If workers stop working (i.e. go on strike), then the bosses can't make any profits, because workers are the ones who actually create value and make everything in society run. If workers seized control of production, they could organise a fair society run by and for the majority, abolishing the rule of a minority class from above. The working class’ economic importance, its productive skill, its diverse nature, its ingenuity, and its collective power make it uniquely able to create a truly democratic society run not for profit, but for human need. We have a world to win, workers of all countries unite! See more
