,LEFT UNITY1 LEFT COOP]ATION1 OR A WORK+ CLASS FRONT8 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,W>R5 ,MC,GREGOR 

,TEXT 3 

,A CALL = SOCIALI/ ,LEFT UNITY IS HE>D WIDELY TODAY 9 ,S\? ,AFRICA1 BUT IS USUALLY TAK5 AS A CALL = UNITY ( PRAXIS 7UNITY 9 !ORETICAL PROGRAM & ACTION74 ,?IS IS SOMETIMES FRAM$ AS TRANSC5D+ OLD DIVIDES 7!SE SE5 AS \TDAT$1 DIVISIVE OR DISMISS$ AS DOGMATIC71 & SOMETIMES AS UNITY 9 ORD] TO HAVE ACTION 7RHETORICALLY SET UP AS ! OPPOSITE ( 0>M *AIR0 !ORY74 

,:AT DO WE AS REVOLUTION>Y AN>*I/S ?9K8 ,WE ?9K ?IS APPROA* IS FAIR 9 9T5TION1 ASKS IMPORTANT QUE/IONS & AIMS AT ADDRESS+ ! CRISIS ( ! LEFT & WORK+ CLASS MOVEM5TS4 

,H[EV]1 ! IDEA ?AT DIVISIONS >E \TDAT$1 DIVISIVE OR DOGMATIC IS 9CORRECT4 ,! 0LEFT0 -- TAK5 H]E TO MEAN SOCIALI/1 & NOT :I* SIDE ( ! ,P>LIAM5T>Y AISLE Y\ SIT ON -- IS A SPECTRUM 9 :I* A WIDE V>IETY ( ANTI- & NON-CAPITALI/ IDEOLOGIES & TRADITIONS RE/1 FROM ! MORE RE=MI/ SOCIAL-DEMOCRACY ON ONE 5D1 TO ! REVOLUTION>Y AN>*I/ & ,M>XI/ SETS1 ON ! O!R4 

,HAV+ !SE V]Y DIFF]5T APPROA*ES IS NOT :AT WEAK5S ! LEFT4 ,A CALL = LEFT UNITY AS A UNITY ( PRAXIS MISUND]/&S 7OR IGNORES7 ! VALUE ( DIFF]5CE & PROGRESSIVE DEBATE TO !ORETICAL DEVELOPM5T & /RATEGIC 9NOVATION4 ,?IS DEVELOPM5T & 9NOVATION /R5G!NS ! LEFT & IS BE/ ANTIDOTE TO BE+ DOGMATIC -- SO LONG AS IT 9VOLVES HONE/ & OP5 7BUT RESPECTFUL & CON/RUCTIVE7 DEBATE & DISAGREEM5T4 ,9 O!R WORDS IT CONTRIBUTES TO SOCIAL *ANGE4 

,?IS PROCESS REQUIRES REAL 5GAGEM5T & ?US ALSO REQUIRES AVOID+ A POLITICS ( LABEL+ OPPON5TS 9 A D]OGATORY WAY OR ) C>ICATURES 9 ORD] TO DISMISS 9/EAD ( 5GAGE !M4 ,DISMISS+ :OLE SETS ( IDEAS & EXP]I5CES BY LABEL+ !M DOGMATIC1 DIVISIVE OR \TDAT$ 7OR ULTRA-LEFT OR REACTION>Y ETC47 IS ITSELF DOGMATIC4 

,! T]M 0LEFT01 & ! T]M SOCIALISM1 >E NOT & CANNOT BE R$UCIBLE TO ANY ONE ( !SE IDEOLOGIES1 & 9 P>TICUL>1 >E NOT R$UCIBLE TO ,M>XISM4 

,IF LEFT UNITY MEANS REAL UNITY ( PRAXIS IT W\LD MEAN A SYN!SIS4 ,H[EV]1 A SYN!SIS IS NOT TRULY POSSIBLE1 GIV5 H[ RADICALLY DIFF]5T LEFT TRADITIONS >E4 ,EI!R IT WILL CREATE SOME?+ 9COH]5T OR EXTREMELY VAGUE 7H[ CAN Y\1 = EXAMPLE1 REALLY BL5D ,L59I/ VANGU>DISM ) AN>*O-SYNDICALI/ C\NT]-P[]87 OR IT WILL BE A UNITY 9 NAME ONLY1 BUT :]E ONE PREEXI/+ \TLOOK IS IMPOS$4 

,IF IT'S ! =M]1 IT WILL NOT DO ANY?+ TO TAKE ! LEFT =W>D BUT REMOVE CL>ITY4 ,IF ! LATT]1 IT 9VOLVES PRESCRIB+1 SOME:AT >ROGANTLY1 ONE SPECIFIC !ORETICAL APPROA* :ILE LABEL+ O!R VIEWS AS \TDAT$1 DOGMATIC1 DIVISIVE ETC4 

,?IS LATT] APPROA*1 UN=TUNATELY1 HAS BECOME COMMON PRACTICE 9 MANY CONTEXTS1 9CLUD+ 9 ,S\? ,AFRICA4 ,IT USUALLY MEANS DISMISS+ O!R VIEWS1 !N PRESCRIB+ A PROGRAM ?AT IS BASICALLY A BR& ( ,L59ISM OR A LEFT V]SION ( SOCIAL-DEMOCRACY1 (T5 UND] LABELS LIKE 0#b#a/ C5TURY SOCIALISM10 0DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM0 OR SOCIALI/ R5EWAL4 

,DISA/R\S PA/ FAILURES >E SKIPP$ OR EXCUS$ OR PRES5T$ 9 ! BE/ POSSIBLE LI<T4 ,IT IS NOT EXPLA9$ H[1 = EXAMPLE1 ,L59ISM WILL NOT 7YET AGA97 5D 9 A DICTATOR%IP1 AFT] IT HAS HAD OV] #c DICTATOR%IPS & NOT ONE EXAMPLE ( ANY?+ LIKE A WORK]S DEMOCRACY4 ,IT IS NOT EXPLA9$ H[1 AFT] EV]Y S+LE ,KEYNESIAN GOV]NM5T FAIL$ 9 ! FACE ( CAPITALI/ GLOBALIZATION1 SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC S*EMES WILL SUDD5LY WORK N[1 UND] GLOBAL CAPITALISM4 

,A LOT ( :AT IS PRES5T$ AS NEW OR AS 9NOVATIVE IS OLD W9E 9 NEW BOTTLES4 ,IDEAS GET PUT 9 NEW BOTTLES4 ,= EXAMPLE1 ! IDEA ( BUILD+ A SOLID>ITY ECONOMY ( COOP]ATIVES TO 5D OR EXIT CAPITALISM IS V]Y OLD1 GO+ BACK TO ,P4,J4 ,PR\DHON 9 ! #a#h#dS2 ! IDEA ( /ATE-FUND$ WORK]-RUN F>MS GOES BACK TO ,L\IS ,BLANC 9 ! SAME P]IOD4 ,BO? APPROA*ES HAVE FAIL$ TO CREATE ANY?+ ABLE TO 5D CAPITALISM = OV] #ae YE>S & IT'S NOT CLE> :Y !Y %\LD BE TRI$ YET AGA94 

,A DIFF]5T CALL = LEFT UNITY CALLS = A ,MASS ,WORK]S ,P>TY4 ,BUT ?IS IDEA IS ROOT$ 9 ! ,M>XI/ TRADITION4 ,! CALL SKIPS V]Y S]I\S DEBATES1 P>TICUL>LY OV] /ATE P[]1 ! ROLE ( UNIONS1 ELECTORALISM1 REPRES5TATIVE V]SUS P>TICIPATORY DEMOCRACY1 VANGU>DISM ETC4 ,IT DOES NOT 5GAGE ) :E!R AN APPROA* BAS$ ON CAPTUR+ 9DIVIDUAL /ATES CAN A*IEVE ANY?+ UND] NEO-LIB]AL GLOBALIZATION4 

,:ILE BO? ,M>XI/S1 SOCIAL DEMOCRATS & NATIONALI/S >E AGRE$ ON A PROJECT ( POLITICAL P>TIES CAPTUR+ /ATE P[]1 AN>*ISM >ISES AS A WORK+ CLASS SOCIALI/ IDEOLOGICAL MOVEM5T ?AT REJECTS EXACTLY ?IS APPROA*4 ,IT IS A CRITIQUE ( ! /&>D ,M>XI/ POLITICAL PROGRAM BUT TI$ TO A DI/9CTIVE AN>*I/ ANALYSIS ( ! /ATE ITSELF AS A FUNDAM5TAL SITE ( M9ORITY CLASS RULE4 

,N[1 !RE MAY BE MANY IDEAS COMMON TO BO? ,M>XI/ & AN>*I/ BRAN*ES ( ! SOCIALI/ FAMILY1 SU* AS ! NECESSITY ( MASS WORK+ CLASS /RUGGLE1 ANTI-CAPITALISM1 ETC4 ,BUT !RE >E DEEP DIFF]5CES ( PHILOSOPHY4 

,!SE 9CLUDE1 BUT >E NOT LIMIT$ TO1 ON ONE H& !ORY1 SU* AS AN>*ISM'S V]Y DIFF]5T ANALYSIS ( :AT ! /ATE IS & H[ IT WORKS1 :AT CLASS IS1 :E!R CAPITALISM CAN BE PROGRESSIVE1 ETC4 ,?IS APPROA* LEADS TO ! AN>*I/ VIEW ?AT /ATES & P>TIES AIM+ AT /ATE P[] CANNOT BE US$ TO CREATE A FREE1 NON-CAPITALI/ SOCIAL ORD]4 ,ON ! O!R H&1 AS REG>DS APPLICATION1 SEE ALSO AN>*ISM'S VEHEM5T 9SI/5CE ON DEMOCRATIC1 COLLECTIVE SELF-RELIANCE & 9DIVIDUAL FRE$OM )9 A COOP]ATIVE COMMUNAL SOCIETY2 V]SUS ! /ATE & P>TY-C5T]$ APPROA* ?AT HAS OV]:ELM+LY DOM9AT$ 9 ,M>XISM4 ,AN APPROA*1 LOCAT$ 9 ITS [N HI/ORICAL CANON1 :I* AN>*I/S >GUE1 AMONG O!R CLAIMS ATTRIBUT$ TO IT1 GIVES ,M>XISM ITS FUNDAM5TALLY AU?ORIT>IAN & ANTI-DEMOCRATIC NATURE4 

,!SE DIFF]5CES >E NOT A MATT] ( DOGMATISM OR SECT>IANISM4 ,!Y %\LD ALSO NOT BE ]AS$ 9 ! NAME ( 0LEFT UNITY01 :I* EFFECTIVELY PUTS ! ,S\? ,AFRICAN LEFT BACK ON ! /ATI/ TRACK4 

,OBVI\SLY !RE >E & WILL BE MANY >EAS ( COOP]ATION & CAMPAIGN+ -- W\LD !RE REALLY BE ANY S]I\S DIVISION OV]1 = EXAMPLE1 OPPOS+ G5D]-BAS$ VIOL5CE1 CLIMATE *ANGE1 ORGANIZ+ WORKPLACES1 FI<T+ = L& RE=M8 

,!RE WILL ALWAYS1 H[EV]1 BE A P>T+ ( WAYS OV] H[ TO PURSUE !SE AIMS1 OV] LONG-T]M VISION & SO ON1 AS P] ! DICTATES ( IDEOLOGICAL DIFF]5CE4 

,SIL5C+ ! DEBATE 9 ! NAME ( UNITY MI<T BE WELL-9T5TION$1 BUT IT %UTS D[N USEFUL DEBATES & DEMOCRATIC SPACE4 ,ADDITIONALLY1 IT PREFIGURES A POLITICS ?AT VIEWS DIFF]5CE AS DANG]\S4 ,HI/ORICALLY ?IS1 :5 TAK5 TO EXTREMES1 SAW ,M>XI/S 9 /ATE P[] L9+ UP LEFT OPPON5TS = JAIL1 EXILE &_/OR EXECUTION1 & SOCIAL DEMOCRAT-L$ GOV]NM5TS CRU%+ REVOLUTIONS4 

,:AT IS ( GREAT] IMPORTANCE IS A UNITY ?R\< ORGANIZATION >\ND & 9 WORK+ CLASS /RUGGLE4 ,IT ALSO MEANS REALIZ+ ! 9EVITABILITY ( CONFLICT1 BUT UTILIZ+ IT AS A MEANS ( REVOLUTION>Y 9/ITUTIONAL & !ORETICAL DEVELOPM5T4 ,MO/ SURELY1 A PROGRAM ( ACTION IS NE$$ IF !SE1 \R ORGANIZATIONS SEEK TRANS=MATION ( SOCIETY1 & IF WE AIM TO CREATE UNITY ACROSS ! MANY SITES ( WORK+ CLASS ORGANIZATION & /RUGGLE4 

,H[EV]1 ?IS PROGRAM1 ITS PHILOSOPHY1 KEY CONCEPTS & IDEAS = *ANGE & RECON/RUCTION MU/ BE TE/$ & RE=MULAT$ 9 /RUGGLE4 ,H]E1 /RUGGLE IS NOT ONLY MEANT ! FI<T = BETT] DAY-TO-DAY WORK+ & LIV+ CONDITIONS1 GREAT] POLITICAL FRE$OMS1 & SO ON4 ,IT ALSO 9VOLVES ! CON/ANT & CONSI/5T DEVELOPM5T ( IDEAS & ACTION4 ,?IS REQUIRES 5GAG+ IDEAS 9 AN OP51 HONE/1 CRITICAL & SELF-REFLECTIVE WAY1 CONTRIBUT+ TO ! DEVELOPM5T ( ! 9/RUM5TS ( REVOLUTION>Y1 SOCIALI/ CLASS /RUGGLE3 ! WORK]S' ORGANIZATIONS 7LIKE UNIONS & COMMUNITY-BAS$ ORGANIZATIONS7 TO BUILD ! P[] = ?OR\<-GO+ SOCIO-ECONOMIC RECON/RUCTION 7! REVOLUTION74 

,?IS 9T]NAL DEVELOPM5TAL /RUGGLE 9 MOVEM5TS %\LD BE WAG$ AS A BATTLE ( IDEAS BETWE51 YES1 COMPET+ IDEOLOGICAL SETS = 9FLU5CE 91 BUT NEV] IMPOS$ ONTO ! MASS MOVEM5T4 ,TO CLAIM ?AT Y\R !ORY NOT ONLY UND]/&S ! PA? ( HI/ORY1 BUT ! EV5TUALITY ( ! DE/9ATION & ?US ITS [N !ORETICAL PURITY1 IS PURE DELUSION4 ,WE CAN SAFELY PR$ICT P>TICUL> PATT]NS BAS$ ON HI/ORICAL PREC$5T1 BUT SU* DEF9ITE ASS]TIONS & TELEOLOGIES >E UNSCI5TIFIC1 UNCRITICAL & EFFECTIVELY IMPOSE A CLAIM ON & /RUCTURE ( LEAD]%IP4 ,!SE LEAD]%IP =MS DEVELOP & ASS]T IMMOVABLE CONTROL OV] MOVEM5TS1 SUCK ! CREATIVE LIFE \T ( MOVEM5TS & >E FUNDAM5TALLY AU?ORIT>IAN1 NO MATT] ! 9ITIAL 9DIVIDUAL *>ACT]I/ICS ( ?OSE MAK+ !M4 

,IT IS DEEPLY MISLEAD+ TO PRES5T !ORY AS A PO9TLESS DI/RACTION FROM /RUGGLE AS IT IS %AP$ BY & BUILDS IT4 ,ANTI-!ORETICAL APPROA*ES PRES5T DIFF]5CE AS A PROBLEM ( DOGMA OR SECT>IANISM -- & !RE=E CANNOT SEE ?AT DIFF]5CES >E USEFUL -- OR PRES5T !ORY AS A LAZY 0>M*AIR0 9DULG5CE ?AT PREV5TS US 0DO+0 ?+S4 ,BUT !ORY IS BO? A PROCESS & AN 9/RUM5T ( HUMAN ACTION & SOCIALI/ !ORY CANNOT1 !RE=E1 BE DIVORC$ FROM PROGRESSIVE SOCIALI/ ACTION4 

,?US ANY CALL = LEFT UNITY1 NO MATT] H[ WELL-9T5TION$1 FAILS TO ADDRESS ! FACT ?AT MANY LEFT IDEOLOGIES EXI/1 & MISSES ! PO9T ALTOGE!R AS TO :AT %\LD DRIVE ! SOCIALI/ SOCIAL TRANS=MATION MANY ( US >E WORK+ T[>DS4 

,:AT WE %\LD ?9K (1 RA!R1 IS BUILD+ & /R5G!N+ A WORK+ CLASS FRONT1 BAS$ ON UNIONS1 COMMUNITY-BAS$ MOVEM5TS1 LEFT GR\PS1 COOP]ATIVES1 ETC41 :I* CAN COOP]ATE >\ND SPECIFIC CAMPAIGNS & DEM&S4 ,!SE MOVEM5TS %\LD BE 9T]NALLY DEMOCRATIC1 POLITICALLY PLURALI/ 9 :I* DIFF]5T LEFT GR\PS CAN COOP]ATE ) ONE ANO!R -- & FRANKLY1 MU* MORE IMPORTANTLY -- 5GAGE ! MASS MOVEM5TS4 ,MOVEM5TS 9 :I* DIFF]5T P]SPECTIVES >E 5C\RAG$1 DEVELOP$ & TE/$4 ,NO GR\P SURR5D]S POLITICAL 9DEP5D5CE -- ! RI<T TO HAVE1 EXPRESS & CAMPAIGN = !IR VIEWS -- 9 ! NAME ( UNITY1 BUT ALL CAN COOP]ATE ON SPECIFIC ISSUES4 

,! IDEA IS NOT TO WI% AWAY DIFF]5CE1 & TO CREATE A P>TY = ! WORK+ CLASS1 BUT TO UNITE BIG & SMALL WORK+ CLASS =MATIONS2 ! IDEA IS NOT TO PRET5D DIFF]5CE DOESN'T EXI/1 OR TO CONFLATE ! WORK+ CLASS MOVEM5T ) ONE IDEOLOGY2 ! IDEA IS ?AT DIFF]5CE & DEBATE >E ESS5TIAL1 NOT \TDAT$1 DOGMATIC1 PO9TLESS4 ,IT IS DE/RUCTIVE ONLY ( C5TRALIZ$ AU?ORITY1 ( DICTATOR%IP4 

,?IS DOES NOT MEAN A CONF]5CE OR SYMPOSIUM ( ! LEFT IS 9 & ( ITSELF USELESS1 BUT PREVI\S ATTEMPTS HAVE ALMO/ C]TA9LY DESC5D$ 9TO DIFF]5T GR\PS & 9DIVIDUALS GIV+ !IR POSITIONS1 )\T A USEFUL DISCUSSION ( CONV]G5CE OR DIV]G5CE4 ,MORE IMPORTANT IS TO HAVE DEBATES & DISCUSSIONS )9 ! L>G] WORK+ CLASS & ITS MOVEM5TS BEYOND ! LEFT1 :]E !RE IS WORK+ CLASS 5GAGEM5T ) DIFF]5T IDEAS1 ! TE/ ( PRACTICE1 US+ AN ONGO+ S]IES ( WORK%OPS1 MEET+S1 LOCALS1 M$IA & CAMPAIGNS4 ,9 SU* A SITUATION !RE IS A BATTLE ( IDEAS & A BATTLE = ! LEAD]%IP ( IDEAS1 MO/ SURELY1 :ILE GU>D+ AGA9/ A MANIPULATION ( PROCESSES1 CLOS+ DEBATES BY LABELS1 OR A 0BIG MAN0 POLITICS ( DEMAGOGY4 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #b#c1 #bba 3 ,LEFT UNITY1 LEFT COOP]ATION1 OR A WORK+ CLASS FRONT8 -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #f1 #bbb 3 ,LEFT UNITY1 LEFT COOP]ATION1 OR A WORK+ CLASS FRONT8 -- ,UPDAT$4 

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