International - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Communist University: Politics, Economics, Anthropology. August 13 - 20.

international | anti-capitalism | event notice

Friday June 17, 2011 20:07

by John Cornford - Communist Party of Great Britain

Our annual school – the Communist University – takes place in a world in flux. The near hysterical euphoria that surrounded the election of Barack Obama in 2008 has evaporated as US foreign policy is characterised by aggressive continuity – for all the flatulent talk of “change”. Change has come to the Arab world – from below. Millions have risen in defiance of batons and bullets in a revolutionary fight for democracy and freedom.

In the UK, we have see the first stirrings of revolt from the trade union movement against austerity and cuts with the gargantuan March 26 demo and talk of coordinated strike action. The movement across the rest of Europe is further advanced. We have seen huge mobilisations in Ireland, Greece and Spain. The battle lines are drawn.

Given its explanatory power and practical programme, Marxism has huge potential in this period – a potential that is irresponsibly squandered by the sectarian in-fighting and opportunism of the Marxist groups. Communist University points a way out of this mess. Over eight days of intense and open discussion, comrades from a variety of left political backgrounds teach and learn from each other. Differences between comrades are debated in fiercely partisan ways – but without the fear of excommunication that characterises the confessional sects of much of the rest of the left. The aim is clarity and fight to show the relevance of contemporary Marxism to the huge battles the workers’ movement will soon be squaring up to.

Come and join us this year and make your contribution to the job of politically tooling our side up for war.

CU 2011 takes place from August 13-20
Raymont Hall, 63 Wickham Road, New Cross, London SE4

20 min walk from New Cross tube station (East London line), 5 min walk from Brockley railway station – there are trains leaving London Bridge Station every 10-15 minutes.
Map: http://www.multimap.com/maps/?zoom=16&countryCode=GB&qs...E41LX

Speakers include:

Moshe Machover (Israeli socialist) and Mohammed Reza Shalgouni (Organisation of Revolutionary Workers in Iran) will open our school with a session on ‘The Arab Revolution’.

Anne McShane (Irish socialist) will be speaking on ‘The economic crisis and the growth of the left in Ireland.

Chris Knight on ‘The first communist revolution: the origin of cosmetics, abundance, language, morality and being human’

Yassamine Mather (chair, Hands Off the People of Iran) will be speaking on ‘Explaining the longevity of the Iranian theocratic regime’

Hillel Tickin – Editor of Critique, on the ‘credit crunch.

Camilla Power is addressing the issue: ‘Our Neanderthal cousins and the human revolution’

Owen Jones (author of ‘Chavs: The demonisation of the working class’ is speaking on ‘The Trade Union and Socialist Coalition’: seeds of a new workers’ party or a useless halfway house.

Details will be updated at: http://cpgb.wordpress.com/speakers-and-sessions/

Videos and resources

Vids from last years Communist University: http://cpgb.wordpress.com/resources/

How to book your place

full week, incl. self-catering accommodation in single ensuite rooms – £170 normal price; £200 solidarity; £110 unwaged
first weekend, incl. one night’s accommodation – £35 (£20);
day – £10 (£5);
session – £5 (£3);
whole week, no accommodation: £60 (£30).

Please note that you can also turn up on the day and pay for your ticket then (unless you want to stay over, in which case you need to let us know as soon as possible). Some comrades on low wages have taken up standing orders to pay for CU – let us know if you’d like to do that and we’ll send you the details

Send a cheque or postal order for a minimum of £30 to BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX (please mark the back with ‘CU 2011′). Alternatively, you can use your debit or credit card to pay via PayPal; go to: http://cpgb.wordpress.com/details/

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Communist University: Politics, Economics, Anthropology. August 13 - 20.