14.07.2004

Marxism 2004: Fringe success

Ted Fraser reports on the CPGB's four fringe meetings during this year's Marxism

For the past three years, the CPGB has helped organise 'Marxism - the fringe', a series of meetings and debates held during the week of the SWP's school. The fringe is where comrades can really explore some of the more contentious themes, controversies and theoretical problems of the left.

Our aim is to encourage the expression of different viewpoints and bring clarity. That educates all concerned and certainly does not confuse so-called ordinary folk, as is sometimes patronisingly suggested. It also makes for interesting meetings, in fact.

This year's fringe was the best so far, both in terms of attendance and the range of topics. At the session on the demise of the Socialist Alliance we had five main speakers - one each from CPGB, Alliance for Workers' Liberty and Workers Power; and Steve Godward, former SA vice-chair and militant firefighter, and Sue Blackwell from the Socialist Alliance Democracy Platform. The packed audience, some which had to be accommodated on the stairs and landings, consisted of some 70 comrades. Not surprisingly there was a wide-ranging and in general very thoughtful debate.

Hillel Ticktin spoke powerfully and convincingly about the need for a Marxist party and the inevitable changes in mass consciousness - a session attended by 40 people, including members of both the SWP and the Socialist Party in England and Wales. Even the weekday meetings - on islam and the left; and how revolutionaries should respond to the re-emergence of the Labour left - got a fair turnout of people.

The fringe is now an established part of Marxism. We look forward to next year and a much bigger and more ambitious event.