By JAMES FORTIN
Socialist Action announced today the launch of a new member educational series. The bi-weekly educational program is a response by the Party to educate and integrate a growing wave of new recruits drawn to the ideas of revolutionary socialism.
“Now that we have recruited larger numbers of members across the country, we have the obligation to forge an educated cadre that is well versed in the history, theory and practice of revolutionary socialism,” states Jeff Mackler, Socialist Action’s National Secretary. “Our new member educational series is intended to help in that process. Classes will be offered by our movement’s own accomplished activists and educators.”
The class series will commence via Zoom on Monday nights, beginning August 10, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 Central, 6:00 Mountain and 5:00 Pacific times. The format will consist of a 30-40-minute presentation on a wide range of topics of importance to revolutionary Marxists followed by open Q&A dialogue.
Eight classes are scheduled for the first round of the program running from mid-August to mid-November. Provisional members are strongly encouraged to participate in all 8 sessions. The series is open to all North American comrades (U.S. and Canada) regardless of longevity in the socialist movement. Older members are requested to defer to the questions and discussion of newer members, however, as the program is geared to them.
An initial schedule of classes will be published in the August issue of Socialist Action and can be found below.
To kick off the series, U.S. National Secretary Jeff Mackler and Socialist Action-Canada Federal Secretary Barry Weisleder will present the first two classes in the schedule.
Jeff Mackler’s talk on Monday, Aug. 10 is “Building the Revolutionary Socialist Party Today: Lessons of the 1917 Russian Revolution.”
Led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, the 1917 Russian Revolution ended capitalist rule in the largest nation in the world. Mackler will present a Marxist analysis of that revolution. Points covered will include the program of Lenin’s Bolshevik Party, how that party and its leadership functioned, the conditions in Russia that made a revolutionary transformation possible, and why the revolution degenerated and succumbed to the subsequent Stalinist dictatorship.
On Aug. 24, Barry Weisleder will follow suit with “The United Front: What It Is and How It Can Change the World.”
Weisleder will analyze the characteristics of the United Front. What is the history of the United Front, particularly in its formative years in the 20th century? How does it differ from the Popular Front? How does Socialist Action apply the United Front tactic, at least in Canada? These are some of the questions to be covered in this presentation of an essential mobilization tool used by the revolutionary Left.
Provisional and recently-joined members are asked to block out class times on their personal calendars. The educational series is one that will shape the political development of Party newcomers and assist them in becoming well-informed and effective revolutionary activists and leaders.
New Member Educational Series
All classes start at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time
Mon., Aug. 10
“Building the Revolutionary Socialist Party Today: Lessons of the 1917 Russian Revolution” – with Jeff Mackler
Mon., Aug. 24
“The United Front — What It Is, and How It Can Change the World.”– with Barry Weisleder
Mon., Sept. 7
“Class Struggle Feminism” – with Ann Montague & Lisa Luinenberg
Mon., Sept. 21
“Leninism: Understanding Imperialism, the State and the Revolutionary Party.” – with Gary Porter
Mon., Oct. 5
“How Haiti’s Slave Revolution Changed the World” – With Marty Goodman
Mon., Oct. 19
“Marxism and Freedom” – with Gary Bills
Mon., Nov. 2
“Introduction to Marxist Economics” – with Nick Baker
Mon., Nov. 16
“Racism: Its Origins and How It Will End: A Marxist Understanding” – with Ed Jurenas
