For over forty years, Jeremy Corbyn and the left wing of the British Labour Party (BLP) strongly opposed the European Union (E.U.). They opposed joining it. They opposed remaining in it. Was that stance a concession to racism? Not at all. Not any more than opposing imperialist war is a concession to isolationism, or a sellout to capitalists who profit from building homes, instead of bombs. The European Union is a monstrous machine of corporate rule, not a humanitarian refuge. Opposition to it was, and continues to be an essential basis for popular sovereignty and a Workers’ Agenda. The retreat by Corbyn and the BLP into the pro-EU swamp largely explains Labour’s devestating electoral setback on October 21, 2019. (Voters in 53 of the 59 seats that Labour lost had earlier voted to Leave the E.U.)
Why discuss this now? Because reversing that stance will be key to resisting the Tory agenda, towards mobilizing the working class in mass action for a socialist alternative.
The Federal Council of the New Democratic Party of Canada decided in December to postpone the Federal Convention, possibly to the end of 2021, or beyond. In effect, it is cancelling the convention. Federal Council has no constitutional authority to scrap the biennial meeting of the highest body of the party. The Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada, Feb 2018, states:
“Article V, Conventions
General description: There are two kinds of conventions: Biennial Convention and Special Conventions.
Timing and location of conventions
a) Biennial conventions shall take place at least once every other year at a time and place determined by council.”
There are no exceptions in the constitution. Under the section on the duties of Council, there are no powers to delay the biennial convention specifically, and no residual general powers given to council, period. The action by Council constitutes an apparent unconstitutional and anti-democratic coup against the party membership initiated by the Jagmeet Singh-Ann McGrath leadership. Why?
693 Bloor Street West, just one block east of the Christie subway station on Bloor St. line 2 in Toronto.
Will Jeremy Corbyn lead the British Labour Party to government on the basis of its most left wing platform in generations? What are the political implications for labour unions and the NDP in Canada? What should the working class and allies around the world do to defend a left-Labour U.K. government and to advance the interests of the vast majority against capitalist austerity? Join us for drinks, food, fun, conversation and quick election analysis.
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presentation by Barry Weisleder on Working Class Politics at the Education for Activists conference in Toronto, November 2019.
I taught high school for 35 years, but let me assure you this is not a civics class. Feel free to take notes. The only test will be life itself. I will talk about the federal election. First, let’s consider what is working class politics.
It begins with the fact that society is class divided. There are two main classes:
1. The working class is at least 85% of society. We sell our labour power to survive. Workers and nature are the source of all wealth, but we possess nearly zero economic and political power.
The capitalist class, the less than 1% of society, produce almost nothing and have nearly total control of economic and political decision making, exercised through their state apparatus. The self-employed and managerial petty bourgeoisie, the intermediary 10 to 14% of the population, cling to the coat-tails of the capitalist class. They do its bidding. In a deep crisis the petty bourgeoisie will split between the main classes. Most will go over to the working class if there is a mass revolutionary party.
After decades of struggle by indigenous peoples world-wide, the United Nations adopted in 2007 a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). It was adopted by 144 countries, with 11 abstentions and 4 countries voting against it — Canada, the USA, New Zealand, and Australia. Since 2009 Australia and New Zealand reversed their positions and now support the Declaration. In 2010, the United States and Canada did likewise, however lukewarm that endorsement may be. It remains the world’s most comprehensive official statement of the rights of aboriginal peoples.
After decades of struggle by indigenous peoples world-wide, the United Nations adopted in 2007 a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). It was adopted by 144 countries, with 11 abstentions and 4 countries voting against it — Canada, the USA, New Zealand, and Australia. Since 2009 Australia and New Zealand reversed their positions and now support the Declaration. In 2010, the United States and Canada did likewise, however lukewarm that endorsement may be. It remains the world’s most comprehensive official statement of the rights of aboriginal peoples.