From: Max B. Sawicky
>To me the term "internationalism" connotes an
>overarching, radical vision of worker solidarity.
>
>Organizing in concert or in some kind of coordination
>with unions in other countries is a less high-
>falutin idea to my way of thinking. An important
>one because it has practical value. Much of the
>'internationalism' I see on this list is just
>posturing. It has little or no correlative in
>the here and now. Maybe in the here and later.
Surely Max has the high-falutin notion of what internationalism means - what might be termed abstract internationalism?
The old Trotskyist left used to believe that declaring an international and building sections in different countries was what was meant by internationalism. But to me it's what you do on your own home ground which really determines the internationalist content of your approach. Taking a stand "at home" against all the artificial divisions imposed on working people by the system [in particular national boundaries] is what really counts, not ensuring fraternal relations between trade union structures in different countries (I'm not of course opposed to these).
So what you do in practice to fight racism where you work or live, including practical opposition to immigration controls, determines the worth of your approach. Working people don't necessarily need the left to tell them how to organise a union (though every little bit helps). An independent class outlook on key issues like race, women's rights, foreign policy etc, does not however just come naturally to workplace organisations.
Russell