October 1917...
In previous years, the Russian Revolution was "commemorated." In November 1997, however, Espace Marx (an intellectual network close to the French Communist Party) and the Ernest Mandel Study Centre in Amsterdam came together to reflect on and debate the Russian revolution in all its aspects. Francis Sitel
The seminar took place shortly after the publication, in France, of the 800 page anti-communist Black Book of Communism (Livre noir du communisme). This much-mediatised ideological tome boils down to one simple idea: Communism is criminal in its very nature. A macabre (and fallacious) body count leads to the claim that"Communism = 85 million deaths" No need to think, or discuss, any more.
Our own response to the 80th anniversary of the Russian revolution represented the opposite approach. For us, October 1917 is still worth studying, re-examining old and new questions from a variety of viewpoints. One of the most lively sessions was the evening workshop on "October 1917 viewed from France with presentations on the different ways those events were received and interpreted in the French workers' movement.
In the present context, saying that October 1917 did not disappear along with the Soviet Union, but remains an active part of our heritage, was a political act.
An event like this cannot "belong" to one political current, or theoretical tradition. It requires a spirit of pluralism. And such was the engagement of the organisers: Espace Marx, the Ernest Mandel Study Centre, the Paris VIII University's Doctoral programme in Culture and Society in the CIS and East-Central
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Europe, and the Institute for Contemporary History at the Université de Bourgogne. The revues Cahiers d'Histoire, Critique communiste (LCR), Recherche socialiste, Nouvelle Alternative, Notes de la Fondation Jean Jaurès, La Pensée, Politique La Revue, Recherches internationales and Regards were also invited to participate.
Unfortunately, the seminar did not create the media effect that it could have done. Partly because of the weak participation of those associated with the social democratic current of socialist thought, and partly because of an insufficiently vigorous commitment of the various political "families" which were present.
The other regret, perhaps, was the lack of time for debate between the participants. There were more than 100 written contributions, and participants from Australia, Britain, Canada, Cuba, France, Mexico Russia, Germany and the USA. The level of the contributions reflected the challenge that this seminar represented. So many questions called for deeper discussion and debate, but all too often we had to be satistied with a juxtaposition of presentations from the tribune.
The organisers intend to go beyond this three day meeting. The contributions will be published, and the possibilities of creating a network for exchange and research are being investigated. * Feminist Cuba Brigade
Fifty-two activists visited Cuba to witness the effect of the U.S blockade on women and children, writes Linda Averill. Organised by Trotskyist group Radical Women, the delegation was hosted by the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC).
Issues discussed with the Cuban partners included gay liberation, the nuclear family, Cuba's rise in prostitution, sectarianism in the solidarity movement, and the interconnections of race, sex and class.
Women have been hit particularly hard by the "Special Period," as Cubans call their economic crisis. Until their collapse in 1989, Eastern bloc states represented 80% of Cuba's trade. This, compounded by the U.S. blockade and Helms-Burton Act, which punishes countries that exchange with Cuba, has wreaked havoc. For example, the blockade delays shipments of imported goods and inflates prices. Moreover, women, who stil perform most domestic labours in addition to work outside the home, experience its effects as the ones who must hand wash precious school uniforms daily and ration
Cuban journalist Gladys Egües Cantero told the brigadistas that film shortages have forced Cuba to import Hollywood movies that stereotype indigenous people and women. Meanwhile, a paper shortage caused temporary suspension of the FMC's magazine, Mujeres.
Brigadistas visiting Cuba for the first time were impressed by the country's achievements. But those returning were struck by its increasing fracture. "The social fabric is unravelling under pressure from 'free market' measures, and the related ills it breeds - prostitution, disparity, crime," observed Debbie Brennan, a brigadista from Melbourne, Australia.
A larger International Encounter of Solidarity Among Women will be held in Havana in April 1998. * The brigade organising committee can be contacted at: 5018 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118 USA. Phone 206-722-2453, Fax 206-723-7691, E-mail: franrose@aol.com coming soon People's action against "free" trade
Over 500 representatives of peoples movements will meet in Geneva on 2325 February, to establish a platform for worldwide action against trade liberalisation: the Peoples' Global Action against "Free" Trade and the WTO. Contact: Play Fair Europe! e. V., Turmstr. 3, 52072 Aachen, Germany Tel: (+49-241) 803792 Fax: 8888394 email: playfair@asta.rwth-aachen.de http://www.agp.or Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference Sydney, Australia, April 1998
Organised by the Asia Pacific Institute for Democratisation and advertisement in September 1997 issue of this magazine.
The Institute also welcomes applications to present papers at the conference, and suggest specific themes for discussion under the general framework of supporting democratisation, self-determination and social justice and opposing the neo-liberal austerity Contact: Dr Helen Jarvis, School of Information, Library and Archive Studies, (SILAS) University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052 Australia. Or Email to: apiaustralia@peg.apc.org. Solidarity Summer School
The US socialist and feminist group will hold its annual summer school in Chicago on 3-6 August. The group's convention will run at the same venue from 7-9 August.
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