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﻿<title﻿>﻿New Socialist Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 4 - Editorial﻿</title>﻿
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﻿<b﻿>﻿Editorial
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﻿<i﻿>﻿New Socialist Magazine, September - October 1999﻿</i>﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
﻿</center>﻿
It has taken the near-demise of a rightward-moving New Democratic Party and the squandered potential of the Ontario Days of Action, but a few voices in the English Canadian official Left have finally raised the question of strategy. 
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
In an article published in This Magazine at the end of 1998 and subsequent discussion in Canadian Dimension, Sam Gindin (a top staffer at the Canadian Auto Workers), has sparked a debate about the way forward with his proposal for a new "structured movement" of the Left. Its goal, he writes, "would be to develop our political capacity for understanding, our ability to win others over, the creation of new forums and structures for studying, working and fighting together." 
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
Gindin envisions a broadly based national body that links local actions with a broader political offensive, analysis and resources. It would not only raise immediate demands but, in fact, develop and advance an alternative politics. 
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
The very discussion of a "structured movement" is worth applauding. It signals recognition that we cannot look to the NDP to lead the fight against the neo-liberal agenda and we need a left alternative. The idea of assembling left activists to brainstorm about how such an alternative could be built is exciting in itself.
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
Moreover, were such a movement to get off the ground, people who support the kind of socialism from below politics that we at New Socialist promote could have a lot to gain from being involved, as well as much to offer. It could provide opportunities to work with radical and radicalizing activists over a sustained period of time. Because it could incorporate activists from a variety of backgrounds concerned with a broad range of issues, it could push socialists to develop a less abstract and more inclusive theory and practice based on the actual struggles and concerns of real people.
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
But socialists would also be able to offer a unique perspective, one that teases out the anti- capitalist implications of today's struggles. We could be a force within the movement pushing for strategies and tactics based on a clear analysis of the class exploitation and forms of oppression in this capitalist society and how to fight them most effectively.
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
As it stands, however, Gindin's proposal is overly general. Its political basis needs refining. While, for good reasons, he is not spelling out a specific program, something more substantial than saying that the participants would have "no shortage of local issues to mobilize aroundË and could run Ênational campaigns around the broad democratic themes of regaining control over our lives and direction over society" will be needed for this proposal to come to fruition. A genuinely democratic and pluralist organizational framework will also be needed. 
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
Gindin proposes a tour of "four or five prominent leaders (reflective of the diversity within the left)" to get the initiative going, followed by the organization of local and national structures. To avoid the exclusion of any political current that wants to get involved in a constructive way and to prevent the domination of the initiative by any tendency, we suggest that supporters of the idea begin by holding initial local gatherings in the near future so that common discussions can begin before any speaking tour happens. 
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
Even if the project gets off the ground, there is no guarantee that it will fly. Many problems could arise. An obvious one would be how to get participants coming from a variety of experiences and political positions to work together on joint projects and campaigns.
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
From New Socialist's perspective, two other challenges come to mind. One would be to convince the organization to help bring activists (both those who belong to the new movement and those who do not) together to form networks within unions and community groups that can push for winning strategies of mobilization and act independently of official leaderships when necessary. Doing this would provoke angry reactions from such leaders. A second would be to figure out how to relate to the NDP without either trying to change the party (Gindin speculates that the NDP might be transformed from outside; we believe this is impossible) or spurning people who still hold NDP cards.
﻿<br﻿>﻿<br﻿>﻿
But these challenges will arise only if the new organization becomes more than just an idea. We think it's worth trying to bring a left activist alliance into existence. If you agree and would like to help, please contact us: Box 167, 253 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R5 / (416) 969-3209 / newsoc@web.net
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