Democracy

Socialism and Democracy: the AWL debates Michael Foot

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Was advocating extra-parliamentary direct action to bring down the elected Thatcher government anti-democratic? Are 'by democratic means' and 'by parliamentary means' identical concepts?

Former Labour leader Michael Foot, who we debated in this pamphlet in 1982, and on the same issues at a public meeting in 1993, has just died. While sending sympathy and condolences to his family, friends and comrades, we draw the attention of socialists and labour movement activists to this debate as part of the discussion on Foot's political legacy.

Socialism and Democracy: Workers' Liberty special issue (no.17), January 1994
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Download the pamphlet as a PDF:

  • Debate from 1982 between Michael Foot, then Labour Party leader, and John O'Mahony (Sean Matgamna), with a 1994 introduction
  • Appendices, including texts on socialism and democracy by James P Cannon, Max Shachtman, V I Lenin, and Hal Draper.

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Read it online:
Introduction: Democracy, direct action, and the class struggle
Michael Foot: My kind of democracy (part 1)
Michael Foot: My kind of democracy (part 2)
John O'Mahony: Introduction
Chapter 1: Is Direct Action Against Thatcher Undemocratic?
Chapter 2: The Appeal to History
Chapter 3: The Scarecrow of Stalinism
Chapter 4: Superstition or Struggle?
Appendix 1. Labour Party: the sham of "one member, one vote" - John Bloxam and John O'Mahony
Appendix 2. PR, democracy, and socialism - John O'Mahony
Appendix 3. Marxism and democracy - James P Cannon
Appendix 4. The movement of the majority - James P Cannon
Appendix 5. 1917 was a democratic revolution - Max Shachtman
Appendix 6. Lenin on Democracy and Dictatorship
Appendix 7. Democracy in the Russian Revolution - Leon Trotsky (1918)
Appendix 8. An Eyewitness Account of the Russian Revolution - Hal Draper

Appendix 7 and appendix 8, included here, were not in the printed version of January 1994.

Emergency demonstration against state repression in Tunisia

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Date: 
13 May, 2011 - 19:30 - 22:00
Location: 

Tunisian national tourist office, London 77A Wigmore Street, London W1U 1QF

Description: 
See facebook event here.

There is an emergency for the revolutionary movement in Tunisia - the government is carrying out massive police repression! Demonstrate against Tunisian state brutality and support demonstrators in Tunisia!

Since Thursday 5 May, the Tunisian police have been carrying out a campaign of repression against demonstrators, on a scale not seen since the overthrow of Ben Ali on January 14. The Tunisian police, who are still commanded by... old-regime loyalists, charged and beat demonstrators, including children. Police in black balaclavas shot huge quantities of tear-gas into crowds. As far as we know, no activists were arrested – just beaten. Leftwing activists and journalists were targeted in particular, and publishing houses were raided by the police following the disturbances. The government has now declared a state of emergency and a curfew.

Tell all your friends that this is a crucial moment for the revolution in Tunisia. We need to make the biggest show of support possible on Friday.

For more information call 07775 763 750

AWL forum: "A republic - yes, but what sort of republic?"

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Date: 
20 April, 2011 - 21:30
Location: 

Lucas Arms, 245a Grays Inn Road, Kings Cross, London WC1X 8QZ

Description: 

The abolition of the monarchy and the creation of a republic is a long-standing socialist demand. But why does it matter what form the government takes, if it's still capitalist? If we want a socialist republic, does that mean fighting for a republic under capitalism is just a waste of time? Do we have any interest in common with ruling-class opponents of the monarchy? What do Marxists say about the fight for democracy, before and after the overthrow of capitalism?

In the run up to the royal wedding, Workers' Liberty has invited the campaign group Republic to debate why we need a republic and what kind of republic.

Facebook event here.

Will the Iraqi elections bring 'democracy' to Iraq?

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Date: 
24 January, 2005 - 19:30
Location: 

Peacock Hotel, Mansfield Road, Nottingham

Description: 

Public meeting

Nottingham AWL

If Socialists oppose the coming elections in Iraq on the grounds that they have been imposed by American imperialism should we support a boycott of the elections? Current estimates suggest that about 75% of Iraqis intend to participate in the election process.

Osama Bin Laden has apparently issued a tape which calls for a boycott. He describes those who intend to participate as ‘infidels’. Does participation in the election process make us cheerleaders for Imperialism? Or can we question the legitimacy of an imperialist imposed democracy whilst at the same time use the elections to make propaganda and help build progressive forces in Iraq? These are important questions for Socialists and Workers Liberty will be discussing them at our next public meeting.

Speaker: Pete Radcliff

Public meeting

Nottingham AWL

If Socialists oppose the coming elections in Iraq on the grounds that they have been imposed by American imperialism should we support a boycott of the elections? Current estimates suggest that about 75% of Iraqis intend to participate in the election process.

Daily Mail-style democracy

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Author: 
Matthew Thompson

The return of the death penalty, leaving the EU, anonymity for rape defendants and restricting prisoners to bread and water. A list of Daily Mail editorials? No, the top e-petitions submitted by members of the public according to the Government.