This article touched on the 1990s challenges in building a "consistently class-struggle programme" for a new party. Simon Hannah's new article, "A new left party emerges?", offers a valuable complementary perspective on current developments: https://anticapitalistresistance.org/a-new-left-party-emerges/
Hannah's analysis is particularly insightful regarding the programmatic scope and, crucially, the ecosocialist dimensions required for a genuinely transformative party in the current climate. He argues that a party adopting policies similar to the 2017 Labour manifesto "falls far short of what is needed as late capitalism hurtles towards climate collapse". Hannah highlights the necessity of "maintaining a revolutionary ecosocialist organisation" that actively works to establish the new party on "the best possible basis" by "integrating the class struggle with the ecological one". He further suggests the new party should engage in "joint action with the Labour left and Green party activists locally and nationally" on ecological issues.
The combined insights from our analysis on democratic structures and Hannah's focus on programmatic depth, especially the ecosocialist imperative, offer a framework for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing a new left party in Britain today.
I agree with almost all your points, especially #1, a party must practice what it wishes to establish.
I disagree about point #2, look at the recent Canadian election. Our left party got obliterated to keep the cons out in the name of “pragmatism”. While a nice idea, the demand is always for the left to concede, never for the centrists/right. Further I believe it only cements the party in third place status.
The second bullet point is left parties should "prioritizing impact and avoiding actions that fragment the left vote". In the Canadian elections (as in Britain), the undemocratic electoral system encourages tactical voting, which slows the growth of new parties. That means voted when from the social democratic NDP, and to the Liberals, to prevent the Trump-style conservatives. In Britain, the example of the SLP was different. It refused to call for a Labour vote, with no alternative. In Canada, voting NDP rather than Liberal isn't splitting the left vote: the Liberals are not a left party.
This article touched on the 1990s challenges in building a "consistently class-struggle programme" for a new party. Simon Hannah's new article, "A new left party emerges?", offers a valuable complementary perspective on current developments: https://anticapitalistresistance.org/a-new-left-party-emerges/
Hannah's analysis is particularly insightful regarding the programmatic scope and, crucially, the ecosocialist dimensions required for a genuinely transformative party in the current climate. He argues that a party adopting policies similar to the 2017 Labour manifesto "falls far short of what is needed as late capitalism hurtles towards climate collapse". Hannah highlights the necessity of "maintaining a revolutionary ecosocialist organisation" that actively works to establish the new party on "the best possible basis" by "integrating the class struggle with the ecological one". He further suggests the new party should engage in "joint action with the Labour left and Green party activists locally and nationally" on ecological issues.
The combined insights from our analysis on democratic structures and Hannah's focus on programmatic depth, especially the ecosocialist imperative, offer a framework for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing a new left party in Britain today.
I agree with almost all your points, especially #1, a party must practice what it wishes to establish.
I disagree about point #2, look at the recent Canadian election. Our left party got obliterated to keep the cons out in the name of “pragmatism”. While a nice idea, the demand is always for the left to concede, never for the centrists/right. Further I believe it only cements the party in third place status.
The second bullet point is left parties should "prioritizing impact and avoiding actions that fragment the left vote". In the Canadian elections (as in Britain), the undemocratic electoral system encourages tactical voting, which slows the growth of new parties. That means voted when from the social democratic NDP, and to the Liberals, to prevent the Trump-style conservatives. In Britain, the example of the SLP was different. It refused to call for a Labour vote, with no alternative. In Canada, voting NDP rather than Liberal isn't splitting the left vote: the Liberals are not a left party.