Earlier this year our chapter’s Political Education and Policy Committee voted to create a standing panel series on Internationalism. Inspired by the success of the discussions at the end of 2020, some comrades saw an opportunity to help grow the political and organizing potential among members in the chapter with an emphasis on Internationalism.
The spirit of this educational series is to help expand the imagination, creativity, and political debate of anti-capitalist socialist work for this current iteration of the American leftist movement. We have much to learn from successful revolutionary movements around the world, from Cuba to China, Bolivia to Russia, Venezuela to Vietnam, and many others. The goal goes beyond just comparing these to the United States or seeing how it simply relates to us, but rather we hope attendees gain an appreciation for these movements in their own regions and how we in the imperial core have to consider our role in the fight against capitalism. We owe it to these movements to have a strong, disciplined, and serious mass leftist organization here in this country to help fight against the exploitation experienced by many overseas at the hands of capitalism and its most insidious form: imperialism. Along with that, we must remember to not project our entrenched and widespread American exceptionalism, which can be held even by the most well-meaning comrades. We have to grow solidarity, which can be a complex, living thing. It comes through listening, praxis, and reflection. Our series hopes to spark your interest in that endeavor.
The history of socialism is rich, engrossing, and international by nature. Socialism is best understood when one learns from the past and organizes for the future. There may be features of capitalism that are poorly understood by those that most likely benefit from them, the reality of living in the imperialist core. But when we learn from the fights against, for example, neocolonialism, from leaders such as Evo Morales or Kwame Nkrumah, we can better understand the best ways in which we can fight against capitalism. The better one understands its potential, the better one can organize to destroy it, and the resulting society can be built under the best possible circumstances and understandings. Decentering fights in small corners of the world helps to advance that, and a more internationally-engaged working class poses the largest threat to a ruling class that cares not of borders or sovereignty. Again, this all begins with education.
Internationalism is the poetry of the revolution. Once you engage in the fight you will experience the beauty of revolutionary solidarity which is a crucial tool socialists must develop. It is a fight accessible to all willing to engage with it and those who wish to see a better world. While Chicago plays a massive role in the neoliberal reality we live in today, dismantling the domination of the American empire everywhere is one of the most important goals for serious leftists in our current movement. We have countries that not only have organized small bands of rebellious left leaning groups, but parties that have actually come to power and defeated or subordinated the capitalists in their own country. It goes beyond our understanding of how power has looked in this country because they have successfully organized the people and have been victorious in many ways. We have much to learn from them, and even more support to offer them.
For this semester, we will be focusing on anti-imperialism, red scare tactics, revolutionary organizing, and much more.
Sign up here to come to our first education event on Wednesday Jul 21 2021, 7:00pm – 8:30pmCST. It will be set-up like a Socialist Night School event and all are welcome. Our reading materials are available here.
Workers and oppressed people of the world, unite!
