Fisher_Gate said:
Any subplots are in your fantasies
Yeah right - just seen this in Scottish Socialist Voice -
"Seeing ourselves as others see us
by James Nesbitt
The Umbrian hills in Italy recently hosted Scottish Socialist Youth (SSY) and hundreds of others for the USFI’s 27th annual international youth summer camp, attended by over 550 young revolutionaries, hailing from all across Europe, and as far afield as the Philippines.
Designed to help build links between socialists from different nations and varying situations, the camp was successful in terms of each delegation enriching its understanding of the international struggle against capitalism.
Many levels of success and optimism were expressed.
It was particularly heartening to learn from the Greek and French sections, who both have recent experiences of mass movements of young people entering into conflict with the current system.
We were saddened, yet inspired, after speaking with the Filipino comrades, who shared their experiences of state repression, armed resistance movements and comrades being brutally murdered by Maoist guerrillas.
Each of the delegations we met with expressed keen interest in the progress of the SSP - our project is looked to internationally as a massive step forward for Left regroupment and the fight for socialism.
To this end we deemed it crucial to engage with the other major regroupment ‘projects’, particularly the Portuguese Left Bloc, the Danish Red-Green Alliance and Rifondazione Comunista of Italy.
Each of our situations presents important lessons for the anti-capitalist Left. Meeting with the delegation from Portugal impressed us and reinvigorated our hopes for building a united left - they have managed to build a popular base and a national profile on a radical socialist programme, despite many internal contradictions.
The Danes told us of their continued development and growth, but expressed some concerns at a perceived stagnation and feelings of frustration amongst much of the membership.
Rifondazione seems to hold the bleakest prospects (the party is being torn apart in a civil war over its participation in the centre-left government), with some comrades speaking of Rifondazione as “dead” or “a thing of the past”.
The international socialist movement must learn from all of these parties.
We felt that we managed to make a positive intervention, in giving an insight into the situation in Scotland and pioneering our distinctive political methods.
At the camp commission’s closing ‘balance sheet’, we were praised by both the Danish and Belgian sections for our commitment to revolutionising educational methods on the Left, particularly through participatory meeting techniques and the use of popular education.
This came as a refreshing break from the slightly stale and at times alienating practice at some of the larger meetings of long lectures by perceived ‘experts’.
This is intended as a constructive criticism - I personally felt that much of the political content was more developed and advanced than the current level in the SSP.
The USFI seem to have worked to recognise the crucial nature of class issues such as LGBT liberation, internationalism, women’s liberation and Marxist ecology. In particular, they make no bones about their commitment to feminism, something which would undoubtedly be contentious in the SSP.
Our delegation came home satisfied, having learned a lot, had fun and made important new contacts.
The USFI are not the only show in town on the international far-left, but SSY were glad to have been involved and grateful to the organisers and delegations for their friendliness, hospitality and solidarity. I would strongly recommend young members attend next year and to learn more about the USFI, their history and their current perspectives.
* For more info, see: internationalviewpoint.org
Not even a hint of a fishing trip there eh
