Socialist Alternative (Australia)
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Socialist Alternative | |
---|---|
far-left | |
Website | |
sa redflag | |
Part of a series on |
Socialism in Australia |
---|
|
Socialist Alternative (SA or SAlt) is a
SA organises the annual Marxism Conference in Melbourne, a public event featuring discussions on radical history, revolutionary theory and anti-capitalist politics.[5]
In 2018, Socialist Alternative helped to establish the Victorian Socialists, an electoral project to win federal, state, and local council positions for socialist candidates in the state of Victoria.
History
Socialist Alternative was established in 1995
Socialist Alternative has links with several other groups previously part of the IST, such as the ISO in America, the
Until 2003, Socialist Alternative was based primarily in Melbourne, when the organisation began establishing branches in other Australian cities following a surge of growth out of the S11 protests against the 2000 World Economic Forum meeting in Melbourne.
Socialist Alternative was invited to join the
Elections
Socialist Alternative maintains that parliamentary elections are not the key to social change. However, it does not reject voting in elections outright and sees elections reflecting the state of mass political consciousness. Therefore, the organisation promotes whom it votes for and whom it believes the left should support during election periods, for example, calling for the left to unite around
From 2018 onwards, Socialist Alternative has been engaged in Victorian Socialists. Victorian Socialists started as an electoral alliance with Socialist Alliance and some independent socialists, but in 2020 Socialist Alliance withdrew.[14]
Campaigns
Socialist Alternative has been involved in organising within anti-war campaign groups such as the
Since 2004, the Socialist Alternative has participated in the
Since early 2009, Socialist Alternative has been involved in building Students for Palestine, and campus activity,
Socialist Alternative has been involved in the campaign for refugee rights, building campaigns to mobilise opposition to the policies of
Since the election of the Rudd-Gillard Labor government in 2007, they have continued to organise and campaign around the issue.Membership routine
Socialist Alternative has branches in
The group also hosts the annual Marxism Conference, a public event featuring discussions on radical history, revolutionary theory and anti-capitalist politics.[5] It is the largest event of its kind in Australia.[25]
Student activism
Socialist Alternative maintains student clubs at many universities around Australia, and their political work often emphasises student-based campaigns. The group is involved in organising student protest actions around several issues which often draw national attention, such as a stunt during a 2014 episode of Q&A demonstrating opposition to government plans for increased higher education fees,[26] the large nationwide protests in response to the 2019–20 Australian bushfire crisis,[27][28] or a protest against former Liberal Party Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.[29]
According to National Executive member
Socialist Alternative participates in campus student union elections and the
Socialist Alternative was deregistered as an official club by the
Trade unionism
Members of Socialist Alternative who are employed are politically active within the
Socialist Alternative rejects the practice of forming separate 'red unions', arguing that such projects isolate socialists from the organised working class and are premised on a top-down method of artificially substituting a radical union leadership for the rank and file, instead arguing for activists to rebuild rank and file organisation within existing unions irrespective of their conservative leadership. In 2010, Socialist Alternative member and Queensland Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association delegate Duncan Hart organised supporters of same-sex marriage within the union in a rank-and-file challenge against the socially conservative SDA leader Joe de Bruyn.[42][43]
Theory
Though one of Socialist Alternative's stated aims is to contribute towards building a
In 2012 the Police Federation of Australia demanded that the Victorian Trades Hall Council cancel a Socialist Alternative public forum on "police racism and violence", as Trades Hall was where the meeting was to take place.[44] The Council complied with the Police Federation's request; however, the meeting went ahead after several people turned up for the meeting and occupied the Trades Hall foyer, causing the Police Federation to split from the Council.[45]
Socialist Alternative sees
Australian parties
SA is hostile to the conservative
Socialist Alternative describes the
Publications
From 2009 to 2011, members of the organisation edited the annual online theoretical journal Marxist Interventions (MI).[49] The overall aim of MI was to make Australian Marxist writings more readily accessible to audiences.[50]
In 2010, the organisation launched a biannual theoretical journal, Marxist Left Review, edited by Sandra Bloodworth.[51] The journal aims to "engage with theoretical and political debates on the Australian and international left".[51]
See also
- Socialism in Australia
- Victorian Socialists – an electoral alliance formed by Socialist Alternative and others on the Melbourne left
- Equal Love
- Refugee Action Collective
- Stop the War Coalition
References
- ^ "Worth their SAlt: why the Socialist Alternative wants YOU". Crikey. 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Socialist Alternative - Institution - Reason in Revolt". Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2007.
- ^ "Socialist Alternative splits rally with misguided tactics for "fighting Fascism"". 6 September 2016. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "About Red Flag and Socialist Alternative | Red Flag". redflag.org.au. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Reporting from the Marxist front line". The Spectator Australia. 9 April 2023. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "What's left of the left soldiers on". The Age. 1 May 2002. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Marxist Left Review Issue No.26". Marxist Left Review. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Statement on Relations Between the SWP (GB) and the ISO (US): Socialist Workers Party Central committee Archived 13 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine, What Next? Marxist Discussion Journal, No. 19, 2001. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ^ "Listing of International Trotskyist Tendencies". www.marxists.org. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Socialist Voice: Marxist Perspectives for the 21st Century". Socialist Voice. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Australia’s biggest socialist groups begin unity talks Archived 19 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine Green Left Weekly. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
- ^ "Revolutionary Socialist Party". Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) launched Archived 4 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Revolutionary Socialist Party, 28 May 2008. Accessed: 6 March 2010.
- ^ "Socialist Alliance withdraws from Victorian Socialists". 14 May 2020. Archived from the original on 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Hurst, Daniel (26 August 2011). "Protesters target Max Brenner cafe". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Tomazin, Farrah (16 December 2016). "Safe Schools program to be overhauled and founder Roz Ward removed". The Age. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ "Pay docked over Palestinian support". The Age. 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ 19 arrested at anti-Israel protest Herald Sun, 3 July 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
- ^ Morton, Barney Zwartz and Adam (4 September 2006). "Jews in fear of hardline uni groups". The Age. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ a b c Morton, Barney Zwartz and Adam (4 September 2006). "An unholy alliance". The Age. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". www.abc.net.au. 11 November 2023. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Woomera protesters claim they're protecting escapee[permanent dead link] ABC News, 29 March 2002. Retrieved 2 March 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "About Red Flag and Socialist Alternative". redflag.org.au. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Leaflet – Explaining the History of a Racist Nation, Socialist Alternative, Aug 2002 Archived 21 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Museum Victoria. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Britain: We should feel bankers' pain | Green Left". www.greenleft.org.au. 23 January 2011. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Q&A hijacked by protesters, Anna Burke praises Christopher Pyne". Sydney Morning Herald. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Thousands protest against climate change policies amid bushfire emergency". ABC News. 10 January 2020. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^ "Australia: Thousands protest government inaction on bushfires and climate change". World Socialist Web Site. 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^ "Protesters Derail Former Prime Minster's Appearance at Sydney University". The Australian. 1 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ Liz Walsh Archived 11 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine George Negus Tonight (transcript), Episode 12 (2), Broadcast 25 September 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
- ^ Crook, Andrew (15 September 2009). "Young Liberals find their campus saviours: the ALP". Crikey. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Vex News | General Blog". www.vexnews.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Outlaw flag burning, Anderson urges". The Age. 5 November 2002. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Reckoning for a divided union". The Age. 26 July 2003. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Insiders". abc.net.au. 8 November 2023. Archived from the original on 18 May 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Jacks, Timna (5 September 2014). "Socialist Alternative student club deregistered". The Age. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ Levi, Joshua (8 September 2014). "Uni deregisters Socialist Alternative". The Australian Jewish News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ a b Taylor, Daniel. "Accusations of anti-Semitism against socialist students are lies". redflag.org.au. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Political witch-hunt against Socialist Alternative on Australian campuses". World Socialist Web Site. 13 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ Narunsky, Gareth. "Socialist Alternative row rumbles on". www.australianjewishnews.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ RMIT Branch Committee Archived 3 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine National Tertiary Education Union RMIT Branch. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
- ^ Union revolt on same-sex marriage ban Archived 7 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine The Australian, 9 February 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ "The System Has Failed Retail And Fast Food Workers, Says Coles Fair Work Winner". New Matilda. 18 September 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ Oakes, Dan (4 July 2012). "Brutal treatment: union split after speakers 'put the boot' into police". The Age. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Oakes, Dan (4 July 2012). "Trades Hall ties cut by police association". The Age. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Sandra Bloodworth, "How Workers Took Power: The 1917 Russian Revolution", Socialist Alternative, Melbourne, 2008.
- ^ "Marxist Left Review Issue No.26". Marxist Left Review. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Rosa Luxemburg: Reform or Revolution (Chap.8)". www.marxists.org. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Marxist Interventions". Socialist Alternative. 28 April 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ School, Head of; [email protected]. "Welcome to the School of Politics & International Relations". School of Politics & International Relations. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ a b "About". Marxist Left Review. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
External links
- Socialist Alternative official website
- Red Flag online newspaper by Socialist Alternative
- Marxist Left Review Biannual theoretical journal by Socialist Alternative
- Marxism Conference Socialist Alternative annual national conference
- Equal Love Campaign group for same-sex marriage rights in Australia
- Refugee Action Collective Campaign group for refugee advocacy in Australia
Further reading
- "Socialist Alternative Publications". Socialist Alternative. 17 June 2015. Publications written by Socialist Alternative.
- Mick, Armstrong (Spring 2010). "The origins of Socialist Alternative: summing up the debate". Marxist Left Review (1). Journal article summarising the group's origins up to 2010.
- "Socialist Alternative – Institution". Reason in Revolt.