International Socialist Resistance (ISR/IR) Founding Statement
Build the international anti-capitalist movement - People before profit!
End war
and global capitalism!
Struggle for a new world!
This conference to set up a new international campaigning youth organisation takes place at a time of military conflict in Afghanistan, and deep political and economic crisis around the world. For a long time, the whole of humanity will be affected by the course of Bush's 'war' and its results.
The terror attacks on the World Trade Centre/Pentagon on September 11, and the US-led war, brings home to our generation what an insecure future we face. The planet is now a much more dangerous place. We believe the rule of big business and the profit system means never ending exploitation, poverty, and oppression, creating the conditions for wars and civil wars, and widespread oppression.
Our generation has grown up in a world more divided and unjust than ever before. Over the last few years, this has moved young people in North America, Europe and Australasia to take to the streets in large-scale anti-globalisation and anti-capitalist protests. We have seen huge anti-capitalist demonstrations outside summits of the IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organisation (WTO), the European Union (EU) and other organisations of global capitalism. Seattle, Prague, Nice, Gothenburg, and Genoa - these cities have become symbols for a new movement from below. Millions of young people, students, workers, and the unemployed, have taken to the streets to challenge global capitalism and to loudly say, "We've had enough!"
These events, dominated and lead by young people, have played an important role in exposing the system. The policies of the Western governments and the big corporations are now firmly under the spotlight. But youth and working people have also been involved in mass struggles in their own countries, against the effects of neo-liberalism (the policy of attacks on working and living conditions and wages, huge cuts in public spending and widespread privatisation of the state sector) and globalisation. In the poorer countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa, huge protests and struggles have taken place against terrible working and living conditions.
The anti-capitalist
movement
links up with anti-war protests
Faced with a growing movement against their rule, the rich and powerful are attempting to strike back. The police and armed forces of the state have already been used against our movement. Earlier this year, they used live ammunition during anti-capitalist protests in Gothenburg and Genoa. They shot dead Carlo Giuliani, during the Italian protests. People were also brutally tortured in Genoa's police cells. And as if this was not bad enough, the EU states are now discussing setting up a joint "police force", to try to severely limit and control public protests. A number of countries have also used the terror attacks in the US as an excuse to rush in harsh legislation against civil and democratic rights. We can be sure that these "emergency anti-terrorist measures" will also be used against the anti-globalisation and anti-capitalist movement.
The big business media campaign against anyone who stands up against the system has been put into high gear. They try to criminalise any opposition to their rule. By making an outrageous 'link' between terrorism and the anti-capitalist movement, sections of the press and media, and some capitalist politicians, have tried to claim that one of the consequences of September 11 and the US-led war has been to "halt in its tracks" the mass movement against globalisation. This attempt will fail.
September 11 did initially cause widespread shock, outrage and confusion. But a new world situation of military conflict and mass terror has convinced tens and hundreds of thousands of onto to the streets in anti-war protests. Many are taking part in demonstrations for the first time in their lives, including young people who have previously watched the developing anti-capitalist movement with interest and sympathy. 'Seasoned' anti-capitalist activists are also playing an important role in building the anti-war movement. They bring to it their own experiences and ideas. This has helped many in the anti-war movement to make the link between capitalism, war, terror, and oppression.
We demand an end to this unjust world! We need to struggle for a different type of society. We have to step up the magnificent international movement against globalisation, capitalism, and war. That is why we are proposing to set up a new international campaigning youth organisation.
We think this campaigning organisation will allow young people in the anti-globalisation and anti-war movement to take the next step, from opposition to capitalism, and war, to struggling for a new society. Never has there been a more urgent need to build an international socialist alternative for young people.
Why a new international organisation?
This initiative has been launched as an international, anti-capitalist, and socialist youth movement by a number of international youth organisations: Elevkampanjen/Youth Against Racism in Europe (Sweden), International Verzet/Résistance Internationale (Belgium), International Verzet (Netherlands), Socialist Youth (Ireland), International Socialist Resistance (Britain), and International Resistance (Greece).
We hope to bring together young people from all over the world to struggle against global capitalism. We are a broad, inclusive, and democratic socialist youth movement. We appeal to all those who want to see an alternative to capitalism to join us. Whether you already consider yourself a socialist or you are interested to hear more about our ideas, this new campaigning organisation is the place for you.
We will participate in building the anti-capitalist movement, together with other organisations and campaigns, such as ATTAC, PGA and the radical youth. While building for international demonstrations against capitalist institutions like the IMF, World Bank, WTO or EU, we will also link-up with the day to day struggles in communities, schools and workplaces - against cuts, job losses, and privatisations etc.
But we are not just "against" globalisation, neo-liberalism and capitalism. We are in favour of a socialist society based on the needs of humanity, not profits: a democratic socialist society. We will put forward the vision of a socialist future as part of the important debates and discussions on the alternative to global capitalism that are taking place in the anti-capitalist movement.
Capitalism has failed
Along with the old and sick, young people, as always, suffer the most under the system of global capitalism. In the West, growing numbers of us are forced into low paid, dead-end 'McJobs'. Education is being privatised and increasingly made only available for the rich. Unemployment rates are highest amongst youth. And now we can expect our prospects to worsen as the world slides into deep economic recession.
In Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the so-called 'Third World', the situation for the whole of society, and especially for young people, is unbearable. Joblessness, little or no education, widespread poverty and starvation, the chains of enormous national debts, the rule of dictatorships and authoritarian regimes, bloody ethnic, religious, and national conflicts - this is the reality of life for the great majority of humanity.
The media, the politicians, and the education system like to tell us different. The market economy - so we are told - 'creates' freedom, opportunities, democracy and wealth. ISR/IR rejects this claim. Capitalism can only provide 'freedom', opportunities and wealth for the small minority of the rich and super-rich.
A small group owns or controls the bulk of the world's resources. More than 50 of the world's 100 leading economies are multinational companies. The gap between the rich and the poor is obscene. The assets of the three richest people in the world are more than the combined income of all the least developed countries and their 600 million people.
Capitalism means profits are put before human life. The G8 summit in Okinawa, in 2000, cost $500 million, while the total worldwide budget for research on the malaria vaccine is about $20 million (and still one million people die of malaria every year). An estimated 1.4 billion people live without clean drinking water, and a further 2.3 billion do not have access to proper sanitation.
Capitalism is wasteful and destructive. Officially there are more than 15 million unemployed in the European Union. There are over 800 million who are unemployed or underemployed in the countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Capitalism means violence, conflicts, and huge spending on arms. War is 'normal' life for many people on the planet. In the last century, over 200 million people perished in wars that were essentially about profits, markets and the prestige of the big powers. Three million people died in Africa alone in the 1990s. In the same decade, 50 million people were forced to flee their homes as refugees. The cost of one B2 aeroplane bomber is $2.6 billion. Yet, in Ethiopia, children die because there are no needles (that cost a mere 30 cents) to provide them with life-saving injections.
The effects of the market economy have resulted in an environmental and human disaster. Deforestation has lead to the growth of deserts. Industrial pollution and global warming will mean that the majority of the coral reefs will be destroyed by the year 2050. More than eight million people die each year because of polluted air.
We have no future under the rule of the profit system. Young people today feel they will be far worse off than their parents' generation. Globally, 60 million young people are unemployed or underemployed. Capitalism condemns every third child in the world to suffer malnutrition.
No to war!
On 7 October 2001, a huge military attack was launched by the US-led 'coalition' against Afghanistan. We are completely opposed to this war. The conflict has already resulted in the deaths of many innocent civilians in Afghanistan. Worldwide, people were shocked and horrified by the terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September, which resulted in around 7,000 deaths. However, there is widespread opposition to the bloody military policies of the US government and its allies.
We are completely opposed to terrorism. The September 11 attacks killed many office workers and helped drive many people in the US into the hands of the right-wing Bush administration. Many governments have used this atrocity as a pretext to introduce new repressive measures. The media and politicians have whipped up anti-Muslim feelings, which has led to an increase in racist abuse and attacks.
Terror methods will never succeed in ending the military, political and economic domination of the big powers over the rest of the world, nor of changing society in the West. Only an international movement of young and working people, in the 'Third World' and the West, can achieve this.
Bombing raids on Afghanistan or any other country will not stop terrorist attacks, but, in fact, will only create huge anger in the Middle East and the 'Third World'. Leaders of major capitalist countries, such as Bush, Blair, Schroeder, and Jospin, practice policies that create the conditions for terrorism. Iraq is still regularly bombed by the US and British airforces. Sanctions have led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children in that impoverished country. The US government gives $2 billion each year in military aid to Israel, much of which is used by the ruling elite to carry out the brutal repression of Palestinians in the Gaza and West Bank.
There is widespread hatred against the economic and military policies of the US amongst oppressed people in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This follows years of super-exploitation of the people and the resources of the poorer countries. The attacks against Afghanistan and other 'war' measures will only increase hatred of the US and other big capitalist powers. Unless a movement involving the majority of young and working people, and the poor can be built to end capitalism new terrorist acts will happen again.
The war on Afghanistan is clearly not being fought in the interests of youth and working people. The war is all about showing the world that the US ruling class is boss. It is also about the US ruling class and big corporations securing their vital economic, military, and political interests in the Middle East and Central Asia.
The IMF, World Bank, and WTO are strangling the 'Third World'
The West European and North American powers have used their domination of the world economy to super-exploit the countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. On top of this, the people of the 'Third World' live under the rule of corrupt governments, and these are often brutal dictatorships.
The IMF, World Bank, and WTO are strangling the 'Third World'. In 1999, the poorest countries owed $2.5 trillion in debts to the industrialised world.
We stand for the abolition of the IMF, World Bank and WTO. These institutions cannot be reformed. They are under the control of the governments of the rich countries and represent the interests of the multinational banks and corporations.
We fight for the cancellation of the obscene debt burden suffered by the poorest countries.
We also oppose the bosses' big trading blocks, such as the European Union. Despite attempting to dress the EU in 'democratic' clothing, this institution represents the interests of big business, and not the working people of Europe.
To decide how the wealth of the world is used, we must first have control of it. The major corporations, the big finance houses and banks, and our basic utilities (railways, electricity etc) need to taken out of the hands of the profiteers, and put into public ownership.
We demand free education!
Internationally, attacks continue against the educational system. These include school and university fees, the privatisation of education, and cuts in spending. Access to free education is a basic right. ISR/IR fights all attempts by capitalist governments to create an educational system that drives working class youth out of colleges and universities, and increasingly is only open to the children of the rich elite.
Stop discrimination against women!
Women, who make up half of the world's population, are still the most exploited section of society. To give just one example; two-thirds of all the world's work is done by women and yet they receive just one tenth of the world's income.
Due to decades of mass struggles, women have won some important reforms in the West. However, they still bear the main responsibility for childcare and housework. More women than ever before are now in the workplace, but they are doubly exploited, as workers and as women.
Women in the 'Third World' face the most deplorable conditions. For a great many, their situation has not improved for hundreds of years.
Capitalism is a system that is based upon power relations and exploitation. Many women face violence and abuse within the family. Furthermore, the domination of the market economy results in everything being turned into a commodity for sale. This is most graphically seen in the treatment of women. The billion-dollar pornography industry, and the so-called 'sex trade', symbolises the extreme sickness of a society based on profit
This situation will continue as long as the big corporations rule. But women are not just accepting it. In fact, in all the anti-capitalist and anti-war protests, as well as community, workplace, and rural struggles internationally, young women have taken a leading role.
We campaign against sexism, and stand for real equality between men and women.
Fight Racism, Fascism and Homophobia!
Discrimination against people because of the colour of their skin, their gender, their nationality, their religion, or their sexual orientation is deeply rooted in the society we live in. The ruling elites use 'divide and rule' tactics to maintain their power.
We stand for the maximum unity of youth and working people. We will play an active part in the struggle against all forms of discrimination.
End the environmental disaster!
The last 25 years, according to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has been the most environmentally destructive in the last 65 million years. The market system is based on the ruthless exploitation of both human and natural resources. Global warming, air and water pollution, forest destruction, land degradation, and a possible nuclear catastrophe, have put a question mark over the future of planet earth.
We certainly cannot entrust the environment to the politicians. Under pressure from growing public anger at looming environmental catastrophe, the world's governments came up with the Kyoto Accord, which aimed to cut carbon dioxide emissions (but only by a small amount). However, Bush, in one of his first acts as president, declared that the US government was withdrawing from the agreement. This is despite the fact that the US produces the most CO2 emissions in the world!
We campaign for an ecologically responsible and sustainable economy as a priority, and will be part of the campaigns for immediate reforms to improve the environment. The struggle for a clean environment is linked to the struggle against global capitalism and the need to fundamentally change society.
You can't have
capitalism
with a human face
Capitalism is not only an unjust system that denies the majority of people the wealth of the planet; it is also produces regular crises. We see regular economic swings, from 'boom' to bust. This brings rising unemployment, mass poverty, and attacks on what is left of the welfare state.
We believe that we should fight for every possible reform or concession from the capitalists and the ruling class - and we will be involved in these struggles. However, as long as capitalism remains, reforms that are won today will be attacked later on. The bosses and the politicians will try to make us pay for the crisis of their system, through, for example, increases in taxes or cuts in public spending.
We do not believe that a better, more 'humane', form of capitalism exists. The capitalist system will always be based on greed and profit, and the dictatorship of the market. The exploitation of the majority of people by a minority will continue under this system. To solve the world's problems, capitalism has to be abolished!
The power strikes back
The rich and powerful resist the growing opposition to their rule. They control the mass media and the main political parties, and through them they try to control "public opinion". Since the September 11 bombings in the US, and the 'war' against Afghanistan, they have stepped up attempts to demonise any anti-establishment protests. They try to portray the anti-capitalist movement as "violent".
It is the big capitalist powers that are responsible for violence. They are perfectly prepared to use violent methods when it suits their interests. They control the armed forces of the state, and have already used them against our movement. In Genoa, they even used fascist provocateurs in an attempt to disrupt and to discredit the anti-capitalist protests.
A number of governments are rushing in harsh and undemocratic legislation, which can be targeted against the anti-capitalist opposition.
We will be part of the struggle to defend all our hard won civil and human rights. We are opposed to all attempts to increase the powers of the state. We will defend every victim of police and state violence and oppression.
Alongside attempted repression, the Western governments and the establishment are attempting to appeal to some parts of the anti-capitalist and anti-globalisation movement to join them in "normal" politics. Of course, the 'only' requirement for membership of this exclusive club is acceptance of the continuation of capitalism!
We are not afraid of open debate with the supporters of capitalism - after all we have an overwhelming case! But we are opposed to the anti-globalisation movement going down the road of calling only for reforms of the profit system. This policy would mean accepting capitalism, while merely campaigning for some small changes. Working within the framework of the system cannot fundamentally alter our lives.
For the mobilisation of millions
The only way to seriously challenge the rule of big business is by mobilising young people, the unemployed, and working people. Millions are stronger than millionaires.
We call for the broadest possible campaigns, protests, demonstrations, and so on, involving the youth, the unemployed and the poor. We will also actively try to involve working people and their organisations, the trade unions. We call on the trade unions to start an anti-capitalist offensive and to start to support and mobilise for the anti-capitalist protests.
It is youth and working people that will change society. It is people in work, the wage earners, who create all the goods and provide the services, such as electricity and health. Collectively, the working class is potentially the most powerful force in society. Through mass actions, including strikes and general strikes, they can hit capitalism where it really hurts - in the pockets!
How do we build the movement?
We support direct action, based on mass mobilisations and democratic decision making within the movement. We call for mass blockades of capitalist summits and gatherings. These protests should be based on democratic decision-making by the organisations and people involved. We also call for the organising of broad conferences that decide on the policies and tactics used during demonstrations. Co-ordinating organisations and stewarding organisations, created for these demonstrations, need to be elected and accountable.
Alongside the broad anti-capitalist protests, we support in principle the idea of a local general strike in every city that hosts a capitalist summit. Strikes and general strikes are potentially the most successful forms of 'direct action', and alongside large-scale protests of the youth, they can stop any IMF, World Bank or WTO summit.
We call for organised mass stewarding to ensure the defence of demonstrations against police brutality and repression.
Some young people involved in the anti-capitalist movement vent their anger and frustration by attacking and destroying shops and property, and by looting goods. We oppose these actions. They only hand the ruling classes a propaganda victory on a plate, and are used as an excuse for police repression. Such actions are counter-productive and will only discredit our movement in the eyes of the wider population.
Do we need politics?
Many young people are disgusted by the ruling political parties and say they reject politics altogether. We understand the reasons for these feelings, but to ignore the political arena would mean the anti-capitalist movement trying to fight with one arm tied behind its back.
We think there is a need for politics, in the sense that there is a need for a political answer to the crisis of capitalism. Therefore, we call for the beginning of an organised political debate about the objectives of the anti-capitalist movement. We will bring to the anti-capitalist movement our socialist ideas and the need to build a socialist alternative to the corrupt political parties and the elites they represent.
Replace capitalism
with
socialist democracy!
A banner on the Mayday demonstration in London in 2001 said, "Abolish capitalism and replace it with something nicer!"
This is the central question. Capitalism is a discredited and unfair system, but what do we replace it with? We struggle for socialist democracy. By this we mean a society which functions to satisfy the needs of human beings and the environment.
Socialism means the world's population owning and controlling the wealth they produce, and deciding how society should be run on a day-to-day basis. This is genuine democracy!
Join us in this struggle to end wars, poverty, and injustice once and for all!
The main demands of the ISR/IR includes the following:
- No to
Bush's war
- Down with the IMF, World Bank, and WTOO
- For mass mobilisations by the anti-cappitalist movement and
working people to stop the bosses' summits
- Stop the exploitation of the world by multinational banks and
corporations
- Immediate cancellation of 'Third Worldd' debts
- Stop all forms of discrimination; equaal rights for all
- Defend the right to asylum
- For free, quality education for all
- No to all forms of social cuts, job loosses, redundancies,
deregulation, and privatisation
- For a decent minimum wage
- For a massive increase in public spendding on education, the
environment, health, housing etc.
- For progressive taxation on profits annd wealth.
- For a society worldwide based on the nneeds of people and the
environment - a socialist democracy