International Socialist Archives
International Socialist was the journal produced by our tendency until January 2001, when we left the Committee for a Workers International. We now produce the journal Frontline.
International Socialist was the journal produced by our tendency until January 2001, when we left the Committee for a Workers International. We now produce the journal Frontline.
THE AUSTRALIAN SECTION of the CWI, Militant Socialist Organisation (MSO) won 12.05% of the vote in the Richmond Constituency (Melbourne), as part of the Victoria State-wide elections.
Comrades easily got their deposit back (4% required) and beat their target vote of 5%. Our result was overwhelmingly a working class youth vote, with also support from a layer of older ex-CP supporters.
Across Victoria State (5 million people) there was a huge swing to the Australian Labour Party (ALP)
However in Richmond, where we offered a real socialist alternative, the ALP vote actually dropped by 6.5%. Our vote represents one the largest “independent socialist” votes since World War Two.
During the last Victoria State elections in 1996 the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) stood as the “Left alternative” in Richmond. Where they polled 4.5%
This time around the DSP stood in another part of Melbourne and polled 5,75%, while in the Northcote area the Progressive Labour Party polled 8%.
Clearly we have shown revolutionary socialists can make spectacular gains at the polls with a fighting record and skilful programme.
THE Richmond seat is a traditional working class and labour stronghold. Other areas of the constituency have a big south Vietnamese population, who according to the pundits should be hostile to all socialist parties. Yet in some of the most densely populated Vietnamese areas we received an excellent 9.63% and 6.1% at the polling booths.
Over 45 comrades and supporters worked at the polling booths on polling day. During the campaign we distributed over 23,000 manifestos (in English, and part in Turkish, Vietnamese and Greek), and many voting cards and posters. Many people commended comrades for being “the only party that bothered to give out leaflets”.
The other parties had to pay people to do their canvassing work.
Comrades have deep roots in Richmond. Our candidate Steve Jolly helped lead the famous Richmond School struggle a few years ago. We also have a high profile and much respect for our on-going Heroin campaign.
MSO comrades plan now to quickly build on this huge success. For example, public meetings will be held to help recruit contacts already made and from the new layers that will become interested in us following our spectacular results.
In Aachen the SAV won 752 falling only 20 votes short of getting on the council but trebling our vote on the general election last year
In Cologne we stood as part of a PDS list. While in Berlin the SAV stood in Prenzlauer Berg in East Berlin 429 votes. Target was to get 300.
Following the assassination of our comrade and four other students at Ife Ife university the CWI in Nigeria has gone on the offensive. The DSM is now the third biggest section of the CWI. And has undergone rapid growth. In September in Akure in Ondo State 1,000 people attended a DSM rally Despite the persecution and repression of the comrades the DSM is building a real fortress for Marxism in Nigeria.
DSM member Lanre Arogundade who had been framed for murder and imprisoned by the government has had all charges dropped against him by the Nigerian authorities.