Remain and Rebel

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A Socialist Manifesto for Europe

Pamphlet Cover "Remain and Rebel" on a blue background above multi-coloured butterflies over the torn down barbed wire fences of "Fortress Europe"
by
Ben Tausz
2019
Pamphlet
-
38 pages
ISBN
978-1-909639-47-8

This pamphlet summarises our arguments on Brexit, Europe, international solidarity, free movement, immigration, and building socialist politics cross-borders. It takes on “Lexiteers”, “left nationalists”, advocates of “progressive immigration controls”. It puts forward alternative, revolutionary socialist, internationalist politics.

Blurb

Against the “Lexiteers”, supporters of a hoped-for “left-wing” Brexit, this pamphlet argues that Brexit is inherently and irredeemably reactionary.

Against those who argue for “progressive immigration controls”, we argue that the left must be unapologetic and uncompromising in its defence of migrants and advocacy for free movement.

Against those attempting to harness nationalism for the left, we argue that doing so is an impossible and dangerous project.

And against those who believe exit from the EU is necessary to remove the obstacles to socialism in the UK, we argue that socialism cannot be won by attempting to wind back the clock on capitalism's work to integrate our countries, and cannot be established on one small island in isolation.

Even in their bureaucratic and capitalist form, the incremental lowering of borders, economic integration, and social levelling-up across borders which have come with the EU have been steps forward. The erosion of he border partitioning Ireland has especially been an advance.

Economically, socially, culturally and politically, a move back towards a Europe of walled-off states, each vying with the others for advantage and for the favour of global capital, is regressive.

This pamphlet sets out Workers' Liberty's reasons for supporting a "remain" position in the EU referendum.

It does not argue for support of the European Union as an institution, but rather puts forward a case for fighting for socialist politics from within through internationalism and solidarity with our European comrades. It argues that the left must be unapologetic in its defense of migrants rights and advocacy for free movement and that a left that tries to harness nationalism for its own gains is playing a dangerous game and doomed to fail.

The answer to Fortress Europe and the EU's capitalist nature cannot, and must not, be a retreat into our own borders, but is instead socialist internationalism!

Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Ch. 1 Defend and Extend Free Movement
  • Ch. 2 The Irish Border Question
  • Ch. 3 Fighting Nationalism: the Working Class has No Country
  • Ch. 4 Globalisation and Integration
  • Ch. 5 Remain is Not Enough
  • Ch. 6 A Manifesto for Europe
  • Ch. 7 We Can Win a Socialist Europe: Remain and Rebel
  • Take Up the Fight!

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