FRFI 177 February / March 2004
FRFI events
London
Every Thursday Picket of M&S Oxford St (Marble Arch end) 6-8pm.
Picket of M&S Brixton, Saturday 21 February, 12-2pm (opposite Brixton tube).
Meeting on the Nepalese Revolution, Wednesday 18 February, 7pm in Room S78,
St Clement’s Building, London School of Economics, Houghton St, WC2 (Nearest tube Holborn).
VTI meeting, Wednesday
25 February 7pm in Room D402,
Clement House, London School of Economics, Aldwych, WC2 (Nearest tube Holborn).
Contact: [email protected] or 020 7837 1688
Manchester
Every Saturday Picket of M&S Market St, Manchester City Centre
at 12 noon.
Contact: victory_intifada@ hotmail.com or 07816 547066
Anti-Imperialist Forum:
Fighting Racism in Britain
Sunday, 8 February, 2pm, Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, City Centre, Manchester. For more information, contact [email protected]
To contact Salford University FRFI Society, email [email protected]
Midlands
For further details contact:
07949 256 477
Durham
For information and venue details contact 07813 073 846
Every Saturday picket of M&S
Silver St, 11.30-2.30pm.
Second Silver St Intifada: Day of Action against corporate sponsors of Israel Saturday 6 March together with Revolution Socialist Youth. Meet 12 noon outside M&S, Silver St.
FRFI Readers and Supporters Group Sunday 8 February, 2pm
Palestine Educationals: Sundays
15 February, 7 March, 14 March, all 2pm
Anti-Imperialist Forum: Building an anti-racist movement today
Sunday 22 February, 1-5pm
Night of Rebel Music: ska, punk and drum & bass club night – DJs and live music. Mid-late February at Cafe Rock, Durham City.
Pre-booked tickets only
Glasgow
Pickets of Marks & Spencer.
Saturday 7 February and Saturday
6 March.
All at M&S Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow between 12-2pm
FRFI meetings:
All meetings held at Woodside Halls, Glenfarg Street, Glasgow, just off Great Western Road near St Georges Cross Underground. All meetings start at 7.15pm
Thursday 4 March
What is Imperialism?
This recent period of wars has given rise to discussion of a “New Imperialism”. Imperialism is nothing new. During the slaughter of the First World War the Russian revolutionary, Lenin, characterised imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism. This meeting will discuss the characteristics of imperialism and how we define it and it will demonstrate how it is the crisis of imperialism, which is the driving force behind the present cycle of wars. Such crisis of profitability is creating the basis of renewed inter imperialist rivalry on a scale not seen since the First Imperialist War.
Wednesday 17 March
Palestine: The struggle for Justice and Freedom
Today the people of Palestine confront the fourth largest army on the planet as Israel continues to forcefully occupy their land. Israel was created by British imperialism and financed and armed by US imperialism as a means to secure their interests in the Middle East. What is the root of the violence and conflict in the Middle East? What is Zionism? Why do the British and US governments support Israel? How can we support the struggle for justice and peace in Palestine?
Wednesday 24 March
What is Socialism?
Millions of people in the world oppose war and oppose capitalism, many recognise that the system creates wars in order to survive. The recent huge anti capitalist demonstrations from Seattle to Prague and Genoa, have made opposition to capitalism popular once again. Based upon the writings of Karl Marx and the experiences of the anti imperialist struggle, this meeting will look at what capitalism must be replaced with: socialism. That is, a system based upon people’s needs not profit and greed, a system based on human value as opposed to capitalist exploitation. So then if capitalism is wrong what do we replace it with? And how do we get there?
Wednesday 31 March
Cuba: anti imperialism in Latin America
Revolutionary Cuba leads the ideological fight back, the “Battle of Ideas”, against imperialism in the world today. Since the Cuban Revolution 45 years ago the Cuban people have struggled to build socialism. A society based on free education and universal health care. This meeting will give history of the Cuban Revolution: its origins and its role in the history of the world. Activists who have been to Cuba as part of solidarity brigades will discuss their experiences and give an update on Cuba today. Throughout Latin America Cuba is an inspiration to those who struggle for a better world from the shantytowns of Argentina to the jungles of Columbia.
Wednesday 7 April
The Politics and Economics of Globalisation
Globalisation is presented to us as an expression of economic, social and political progress. The media, politicians and the academic world discuss globalisation in a dishonest way. This meeting will examine the debate about what globalisation represents. It will look at the reality of globalisation from the perspective of the oppressed people in Britain and throughout the world who are enduring increased poverty and hardship. Far from being something new globalisation is an expression of capitalism in crisis creating the basis of today’s wars and injustice in the world.
Wednesday 14 April
Racism and Imperialism
Imperialist oppression, violence and exploitation have led to racist explanations of why the world is the way it is today. The vast disparities of wealth between the privileged few and the majority of humanity are explained by the idea of racial cultural superiority. Divisions between people are created and encouraged by divisions of the world’s resources between the imperialist multinationals.
Attacks on refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants flow from this barbaric carving up of the world.
Wednesday 21 April
The ‘New World Order’
When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, imperialism declared a ‘New World Order’ of ‘prosperity and peace’. The reality for the mass of humanity has been deadly different: wars, economic plunder; debilitating poverty, racism and injustice have all risen. Increasing competition between the world’s richest nations over the world’s resources has created wars of imperialist conquest. This meeting will examine the basis of such so-called ‘order’ and the starting point of building opposition to it.
Wednesday 28 April
Imperialism and National Liberation
The poverty which imperialism creates amongst people and countries around the world gives rise inevitably to resistance. The people resist and organise to challenge those who control their resources, their land and labour. As globalisation pushes more of the poor into destitution, from Mexico to Nepal, political organisations are forming to challenge imperialism. We must decide whose side we are on and organise with the movements for liberation- against imperialism.
Wednesday 5 May
The Labour Aristocracy and Opportunism
That the Labour Party has spawned a racist, imperialist government of a thoroughly reactionary and dishonest character is a proven fact. As a party it has thousands of councillors, hundreds of MP’s and receives votes in the millions, so who does it represent? Should socialists work with Labour, join Labour, urge votes for Labour or organise against Labour? We will analyse and discuss the political character of the new alliance of the Labour left and of the so-called new movement.
Wednesday 12 May
Organisation is Necessary
This meeting will examine the urgent need for political organisation. As well as building support for struggles for freedom and justice around the world we will have to fight for our democratic rights here in Britain. We need to organise against poverty and injustice here and internationally to challenge the powerful organisations of imperialism. What sort of organisation and ideas are necessary?
Glasgow Boycott Marks & Spencers Pickets
All at M&S Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow between 12-2pm
Saturday 6 March
Saturday 3 April
Strathclyde University FRFI society meetings
All at Arbuthnott Room, Level 8, Strathclyde University Union, John Street, Glasgow
Tuesdays at 2pm
9 March
6 April
All Scotland FRFI Anti Imperialist Forum
Saturday 3 April 11am-3pm
‘Imperialism, War and Occupation’
Partick Burgh Halls Glasgow
Burgh Hall Street of Dumbarton Road near Partick Underground
Contact us!
To contact FRFI in Scotland or to find out more about our events and activities
Call: 07779 785 529
Write to: Unit 111, 36 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 1DA
Email: [email protected]
