28.11.2013

1895 project

Robbie Rix, time traveller, on the Marxist left past, present and future

My attention has been drawn to a passage that appears in the blog published by Socialist Workers Party oppositionist Dave Renton (http://livesrunning. wordpress.com).

It reads: “On the existing British left there are, of course, many examples of Marxist groups which prosper on the basis of a similar idea [to that of Alex Callinicos] that the age of interpretation is over. One of the most effective of the Marxist websites (and the least effective of our parties) turns out on close inspection to be a project for the recreation of 1895-era Social Democracy: ie, the moment when Engels died, before Marxism suffered its first crises (imperialism, syndicalism, the first world war) and had for the first time to be rethought in order to make itself relevant again.”

Comrade Renton may be an oppositionist, but he follows the practice of the SWP leadership in refusing to utter the name of any other left group. But it’s pretty clear that he’s talking about … the Weekly Worker. Sorry, Dave, but you’ve got it wrong. Our project is not for the “recreation of 1895- era Social Democracy”. It is true that the parties of the Second International, not least that of German Social Democracy, had much to be admired, especially their deep implantation in the working class.

But our project is a very modern one: the creation of a single Marxist party fit for the 21st century - one based on genuine democratic centralism. A party in which you, Alex Callinicos and I could all unite in common action, while publicly raising our differences whenever necessary.

That’s the project the Weekly Worker campaigns for week after week. And why, by the way, we need to raise £1,500 each month. This week, as well as £147 in standing orders, we got a £50 cheque from RG and a £25 bank transfer from BB, “in appreciation of an excellent issue” last week. I hope you like this week’s too, comrade!

Although we had 11,838 online readers last week, none of them left a PayPal donation, but we are within touching distance of our target - the extra £222 takes our November total to £1,433.

We have two days left to not only break through the £1,500 barrier, but take us well beyond. Please follow BB’s example if you have an online bank account (make payments to sort code 30-99-64; account number 00744310); or else click on that PayPal link!

Even if you don’t want to go back to 1895.