A CALL TO ACTION!

The Way Forward for the Left in the 21st Century

The Management Committee, Australian Options

WHY? Because-

1. The world is dominated by global capital which is (amongst other things) doing immense damage to the world's ecology, making the rich richer and the poor poorer in the developed countries, ruthlessly exploiting the underdeveloped countries, and, under the domination of the United States, threatening world peace by undermining the authority of the United Nations by invading Iraq in defiance of UN decisions and supporting Israel's occupation of Palestine against specific UN resolutions, and


2. While the Left is active in fighting capitalist domination, both in the international scene and locally, it has lost the way forward. What is a better, fairer, more democratic society and how to get it? This is not just the position in Australia. It is pretty much the world situation.

WHY? Because-

1. The collapse of socialism in the Soviet Union, etc, led to a loss of confidence, and


2. The technological advances over the recent past have brought about tremendous changes in the global economy. And, amongst other things, in the processes of production and distribution, in the power of capital to influence thinking by way of media and information technologies, and the power of employers to organise jobs to their advantage (casual, part-time, overtime, etc.).

THE RESULT

has been that the Left opposes the domination of global capital but, in our view, fails to strive to reach some agreement on the way forward. This journal acknowledges its error in this respect. We have published many fine articles criticising the Right but we have not put the emphasis on the way forward for the Left.

Internationally, we can report that there are some changes. Last January, there was a conference of 19 Left parties, 11 of which founded "The European Party of the Left" with a program. The other eight were not hostile to the idea; some thought it a bit premature; some wanted to refer it back to their party members. In Canada, hundreds of Leftists, after long debates, have launched "The Socialist Project". They think it premature to launch a party, but they will carry on the debate and have published a lengthy statement.

OUR PLAN-

Have these leaders express their views in the next four issues. Then analyse their proposals, find the points in common and the main points of disagreement. Then formulate some new questions to try to deepen the agreement and try to solve some of the disagreements. And then carry on the debate.

WE HOPE-

That our readers will write letters expressing their views about these great issues. We undertake to publish your letters (try to keep to about 300 words as we expect quite a lot). What we need (this includes Options) are open minds and great determination.