09.05.2001

East London

Raising democracy

The Socialist Alliance general election campaign in Dagenham, east London, continues to gather pace and momentum. Last week ex-Labour NEC member Liz Davies and the constituency's parliamentary candidate, Berlyne (Bill) Hamilton, addressed a public meeting on the importance of voting socialist and building the SA as an alternative to the Labour Party.

Perhaps one of the most important issues that comrade Liz Davies raised concerned the question of democracy - both for a workers' organisation and for society. Whereas previously the Labour Party had had internal democratic structures in place, she said, the lack of democracy now was cited as one of the most fundamental reasons that convinced her it was correct to leave and join the SA, where "all ideas can be respected and deliberated". The best ideas can therefore "influence the policy of the organisation generally". In her summary at the end of the meeting, she cited "peaceful change through the ballot box" - to be achieved through annual elections - as a way for democracy to flourish.

It was refreshing to hear such questions being raised and responded to from the floor, although, given time restraints, the debate remained somewhat limited. For my part I connected the question of workers' democracy with the need for a party, stressing that this demanded respect for minority rights. I also spoke of the need for the SA to take up all issues and not simply the trade union-type questions affecting workers as wage slaves - important as they are. Not only annual elections to parliament, but the abolition of the monarchy and House of Lords, self-determination for Scotland, Wales and Ireland - in short the whole constitutional monarchy system, the way capitalist Britain is organised - needed to be addressed. A future ruling class must provide answers.

Bob Paul