Hälsningar till Socialistiska Partiets kongress: Communia Network

Communia Network är den ena av Socialistiska Partiets två italienska syskonorganisationer. I det politiska läge Italien befinner sig i ser Communia det som socialisters uppgift att reorganisera arbetarrörelsen från grunden. Den här hälsningen presenterar deras politiska perspektiv.

Dear swedish comrades, we want to greet your national conference, not only with a formal regard, but rather proposing you a brief intervention that can be related with your discussion.

Communia Network is a political project in Italy very much connected to a profound reflection about the crisis of the class struggle left and also what has been defined, somewhat provocatively, as “the end of the workers’ movement”.
When we speak of the end of the workers’ movement it does not mean that we deny the existence of class struggle or ignore actual struggles and resistance that can be harsh and significant.
As we discussed in internazional commitee, the world situation is still in a very chaotic dimension – both regard to class relationship and world economic powers and about resistances and struggles.
But it is obvious to anybody that the political and strategic perspectives of this resistance is directionless, people fight with their heads down, in the here and now (hic and nunc) without looking ahead – apart from those that invoke the catastrophic visions promoted by religious, conservative or reactionary forces.

For istance, significant evidence of this change of historical period is seen in the “Arab Spring” which did not get much support on the left. This was mainly because of the progressive demolition of the forces making up the old workers’ movement and the inability of the radical left groups to recognise the originality of mobilisations which did not fit into their social and geopolitical schema. So, even if the revolution is not ended, indeed none European left tries to give its support to the movements from below.

The defeat of the workers’ movement has been devastating, worse than people think or want to admit. It is made worse by another big crisis – that of representative and parliamentary democracy. It is caused by the logic of an economy, which in the name of productivity, competition and the drive for the maximum profit, needs to streamline decision-making and lessen debate.

For this we think it is a question of beginning again and therefore taking up the methods that led to the formation of the old workers’ movement. We need to rebuild solidarity, starting from mutual aid or assistance, not as a surrogate for a welfare system in crisis but as a thread that can stitch together the social fractures. Something can rebuild the struggle, not as a ‘represented’ or media-focussed conflict but as a series of small, accumulated victories. We need to restore an international dimension adequate to today’s globalisation.

Of course we are also need to take account that the archetype of the wage worker, who at one time was defined as proletarian, has not only numerically increased but has fragmented in many different forms. The old archetype is no longer easily identified because today’s production process and the present configuration of capital prevents any assimilation between a worker on a short term contract, a contract for a particular project or even less a permanent one.
Consequently one’s identity as a worker splits into two or even three according to the context.

So we are in a period of rebuilding a “class” movement by:
– building a network of mutual aid;
– developing elementary forms of trade unionism;
– organising emblematic and/or symbolic experiences of self-management;
– finding ways of supporting political and social self-organisation;
– conducting political experiments which are not at all the same as the ‘miraculous’ birth of new parties.

Parties (of course we can speak about Italy) have lost their old functions and roles – at least in terms of representing those left behind. This is not because the party form has become definitively redundant – it is something that will always emerge – but because they are still orbiting around the light of a burnt out star. It is not just due to the defeats on the field of battle but also derives from the deep heart of its own credibility.
For this we think it is more effective to base ourselves on exemplary experiences, which through their material reality, enables a new narrative to become credible.

We participate in the IV international really to compare our different situations, to exchange experiences, to try to define a general analysis that will not be “a guide for action” for every coutry, despite different situations, but a common way to undarstand what is happening in the world and how to try to resiste and build alternatives.
Fourth international could be very useful, for one side to create one experiences of dialog among organizations that have common values, shared political long-term projects, an idea of general alternative.
We do not think that nowadays it is the place to elaborate a ” program of transition ” (though in some areas could be useful to prepare an alternative program to defy the neoliberal governments).
It might be useful to develop a common investigation on the reality of class worldwide, with regard to the interrelationship among the different economies, the possibilities of mutual support in social and political struggles – sometimes with joint campaigns.
A place of processing of a new form of internationalism – capable of supporting some situations
In general, a place also capable of gathering some signs of innovation, in the resistances and the politicization, even worldwide.
To conclude, some words on about political issues that we think we will have to deal with in all the European countries. also in the differerent national contexts.

1. Migrations. It would be necessary to build an European right so that all the countries will country will welcome refugees and immigrants, with same rights and mutual solidarity among the various countries.
Knowing well that this solidarity won’t be possible from above, from the governments – without a strong solidarity from below, from european networks which say and develop the policy of “welcome immigrant” and “no borders”

2. Woman and gender. After the great mobilizations of March 8, we must support the growth of women movement – a strong, indipendent one, capable to write in the political agenda the issues of the end of the violences against woman and Lgbtq persons and to build new social and civil rights for women (so could we have a better society for everybody).

3. Defense of workers and resistance against politics of austerity. The discussion cannot simply be ”inside or out of Euro”: we need to build new trade unions where all the workers could be welcomed and to politicize young workers (and unemployed people) – in particular more weak and fragmented sectors who are today forced to precariuos contracts and even to jobs without wage.
We could define general proposal (refuse to pay the illegitimate debt, universal citizenship income, new charta of workers’ rights of the workers – immigrant and native), together with deal with the daily defense and organization of the young workers inside and outside “traditional” factories.

Of course we know that these are only suggestions, but it seemed there could be a way to address your conference and really greet it.

A brotherly and sisterly regard from Communia Network comrades