Why I joined Workers' Liberty

Submitted by Matthew on 25 October, 2013 - 6:21 Author: Andy Forse

Two years ago, on 15 October 2011, was the date when a certain plan went into action. About 45 of us, who had mostly never met before, and with varying degrees of experience, had come together to organise around an idea.

That idea was simple: “Occupy the London Stock Exchange”, and join in action that was occurring around the world. I don't think any of us could have predicted the impact it would have.

Before Occupy came along, I had mostly been an armchair activist, reading a lot of Chomsky, watching a lot of lectures, and going to the odd demonstration.

In many ways, Occupy was deeply inspiring, and in some ways also, quite frustrating. That Occupy never embraced a politically coherent agenda was a point of discontent for me; how could a movement that sat so deeply in the conscience of society, with so much good will, fall so far short in articulating a set of demands, and a basis on which to move forward?

One night at the encampment I saw AWL activist Ed Maltby demonstrating “The Great Money Trick” from The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Ed was on site with a few others who were fomenting vigorous debate around the camp about the stance of Occupy in relation to capitalism. Ed pursued his arguments with a fierce logic and genuine passion. Most of all, the politics that he espoused had a coherence that strongly resonated with me, especially in view of Occupy’s muffled voice on such significant matters.

At first I was apprehensive about the very concept of left or socialist organisations. I had an ingrained perception of them all being like the Socialist Workers Party, whose paper I had once picked up, only to be disappointed when I found it to be unpersuasive and sensationalist material that didn’t appeal.

My mental imagery of such groups conjured up boring images of bearded men bickering about anachronistic nuances of politics, but here was a group that challenged that picture: young and vibrant personalities armed with knowledge and strategies that were impressively well thought out.

Debate with Workers’ Liberty provided clarity about the nature of Occupy and similar social movements, and why they rise and fall, or dissipate into single-issue campaigns that don't seem to penetrate the bottom line. I remember quite suddenly all the loose strands of intrigue that I had been following for years came together to form a single thread, and I realised why socialists placed the labour movement at the centre of the struggle. Obvious though it seems now, you don’t learn these things in school.

The culture of the AWL places a tremendous weight on to the value of education and debate, and they pursue their tactics and targets with rationality and co-ordination that carries strength greater than their numbers would suggest. They have a constitution and a clear democratic structure within the organisation that means rights, accountability and elections, and their activists are inspiring individuals who are involved in struggles all over the country, and internationally as well.

Being with the AWL while they push forward campaigns like the one at Lewisham Hospital has steepened my learning curve and developed me as an activist. There is a lot to be gained from having a solid network of people who meet regularly, support each other and share their experience.

If you have come at politics from a similar angle to me, or if you roam the fringes of the activist movement waiting for the right moment to get involved, I would really recommend you get in touch with Workers’ Liberty or turn up at one of their meetings.

For me, doing so has allowed me to contribute in a more focused and powerful way to changing the world. That’s why I joined.

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