Nick Kelly on Marxists and Student Unions
Some "sensible" Marxism-Leninism from 2006 Vitoria Uni Students Association president and Workers Party member, Nick Kelly.
From the latest Spark
Spark Is is correct for socialists to stand for these sorts of positions in Students’ associations or Trade Unions?
Kelly The pro-Moscow Socialist Unity Party used to put all their energy and effort into gaining and maintaining control of trade unions to the neglect of other vital party work. Other parties did the same with student work. By contrast various other socialist organisations have and do take the attitude that it’s pointless to get involved with student or trade union politics because they are too bureaucratic and prefer to avoid them. Both of these extremes are roads to failure.
It is important for Marxists to stand and if possible take on leadership roles within student associations and trade unions. What the last four years involvement with VUWSA have shown that pretty significant things can be achieved by members of what is a fairly small revolutionary organisation. However this cannot come at the expense of building a strong revolutionary organisation.
From the latest Spark
Spark Is is correct for socialists to stand for these sorts of positions in Students’ associations or Trade Unions?
Kelly The pro-Moscow Socialist Unity Party used to put all their energy and effort into gaining and maintaining control of trade unions to the neglect of other vital party work. Other parties did the same with student work. By contrast various other socialist organisations have and do take the attitude that it’s pointless to get involved with student or trade union politics because they are too bureaucratic and prefer to avoid them. Both of these extremes are roads to failure.
It is important for Marxists to stand and if possible take on leadership roles within student associations and trade unions. What the last four years involvement with VUWSA have shown that pretty significant things can be achieved by members of what is a fairly small revolutionary organisation. However this cannot come at the expense of building a strong revolutionary organisation.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
2/12/2007 09:15:00 AM
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