> "THE WORLD SOCIALIST MOVEMENT(via THE SOCIALIST PARTY of Great wrote:
>
> >I am much more used to debate on the basis of
> >scientific understanding rather than textual interpretation.
>
> Three questions. 1) What is the "World Socialist Movement"; 2) are
> you authorized to speak on its behalf; and 3) what "scientific
> understanding" do you have that's separate from "textual
> interpretation"?
I can't answer questions 2 and 3, but I can help people with question 1.
The WSM, for people who haven't come across them before, has a WWW site at http://www.worldsocialism.org. As far as I know, the founding organisation of this current was the Socialist Party of Great Britain - a group which pre-dates Lenin and Leninism. On their WWW site, you'll find their positions, lists of 'companion parties', analysis, and interesting quotes from socialists (basically Karl Marx, Fred Engels and past members of the SPGB), as well as quotes from non-socialists (Woodrow Wilson, Albert Einsten, etc).
One of their more interesting quirks is that they propose a road to socialism where the majority basically decides they want socialism, and a peaceful revolution then follows. Here's a bit from their FAQ:
"How will socialism be established?
Socialism can only be established by a vast majority of people deciding it wants to establish socialism. Therefore, the World Socialist Movement puts forward the socialist case so that people can decide for themselves.
Once the vast majority makes the decision in favour of socialism, then it will elect socialist representatives or delegates to prove its majority, and to serve as a temporary focal point to administer the elimination of capitalism and the creation of socialism. But it won't be, and could not be, the elected representatives or delegates who create socialism, it will be the people of the world as a whole.
The vast majority of the people of the world are working class, so socialism will be established by the working class. It also means that ordinary people will have to do all of the work required. The capitalist class isn't going to do it, and professional socialists (whatever they might be) aren't going to do it. The only way to establish socialism is for people to work for it."
To add to this absurdly mechanical position, we have the WSM's position on 'reformism':
"Why doesn't the World Socialist Movement get involved in social activism?
By "social activism" most people mean demonstrating, protesting, or otherwise attempting to influence immediate events in society, and still under capitalism. These attempts to reform capitalism have a very long history: as long as capitalism itself. We call these actions "reformism".
Organizations which claim to want socialism, and which also promote reforms, ignore socialism and spend their time working for reforms.
The Companion Parties of Socialism, in the World Socialist Movement, are socialist parties. They promote socialism because that is all a socialist party can promote.
If you find a "socialist" party promoting "social activism," you'll have found a non-socialist party."
Peter P.S. There it is, Yoshie - proof that I'm not polite to everyone all the time. -- Peter van Heusden : pvanheus at hgmp.mrc.ac.uk : PGP key available Criticism has torn up the imaginary flowers from the chain not so that man shall wear the unadorned, bleak chain but so that he will shake off the chain and pluck the living flower. - Karl Marx
NOTE: I do not speak for the HGMP or the MRC.