21ST CENTURY
Clerkenwell Green, London EC1
26th - 27th July 2014
MARXISM
politics, ideas, discussion, debate, culture, learning
A political festival of ideas, discussion, debate, learning, music, poetry and more
Austerity is working for the bankers and bureaucrats who run Britain! Now is the time for us to fight back! Austerity isn't working for workers. Adjusted for inflation, the real value of pay has fallen by 7% since the start of 2008 costing the average worker £7000. But super rich incomes have soared. Since the 1980s, top bosses have seen pay rises as high as 4,000%. The average chief executive now earns 145 times more than the average worker's wage. At the end of 2012, the real value of wages was more than £50 billion a year lower than in 2008. The ConDem government is using the crisis of their system to enforce permanent austerity, slash public services, break with the welfare state and roll back
every advance made by workers since 1945. At the same time we face a crisis of political representation with Miliband's attack on the working class character of the Labour Party and the failure to offer a real policy alternative to attacks on working class livings standards. But the fightback is growing. The People's Assembly is gathering wide support. Four thousand delegates from trade unions and community campaigns attended the assembly last June. Local groups are springing up in every town and city across the country. Unions are taking action for jobs and pay and to defend the NHS, education and public services.
21st Century Marxism 2014 [!1]
21st Century Marxism provides a forum for debate across the labour and progressive movement. Make sure you don’t miss out on a vibrant and exciting weekend!
What is 21st Century Marxism? It’s a vibrant weekend of politics, debates & culture organised by the Communist Party and the Marx Memorial Library and supported by the Morning Star,Young Communists.
THE VENUES THE CROWN TAVERN
ST JAMES CHURCH
This years 21st Century Marxism will be taking place in multiple venues in and around Clerkenwell Green. The focal point will undoubtedly be the historic Marx Memorial Library and there could not be a more fitting venue for a political festival celebrating the role and ideas of Marxism. The MML was originally established In 1933 on the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Karl Marx. by a delegate meeting of trade unionists, socialists, communists and others to set up a permanent memorial to the life and ideas of Karl Marx. Whilst the Nazis were busy burning books by Marx and others, communists and socialists in Britain were establishing a library to celebrate his work.
THE CITY PRIDE
Whilst the pubs in and around Clerkenwell will no doubt play host to some of the ‘unofficial’ debates, the City Pride and the Crown Tavern will host some of the programmed sessions during C21 Marxism with the Crypt on the Green in St James Church also hosting the International Rally
Marx Library is the focal point for C21 Marxism
21st Century Marxism 2014 [!2]
The Marx Memorial Library and Workers School was established at 37a Clerkenwell Green holding study classes for workers in science, history and political economy. Since its establishment the Marx Memorial Library has been the intellectual home of generations of scholars interested in studying Marx and Marxism The Library is home to an impressive number and variety of archives and collections including the full run of the Daily Worker and Morning Star, The International Brigade Archive, Bernal Peace Library, Klugnmann Collection and an extensive Photograph Library.
The Library has some 40,000 volumes in the lending section covering a range of subjects including Marx, Engels, Lenin, the Spanish Civil War and the History of Socialism and the British Labour Movement. It relies on the support of socialists, communists and progressives to continue its work as one of the foremost institutions serving the British Labour Movement and working people - to celebrate our past and provide practical education for the future. The aim of the MML is to: provide a focal point of education; study and learning for workers; promote the
science of Marxism; popularise and promote working class and labour movement history.
EDUCATION DEBATE & CULTURE RALLIES Sit back and listen to leading speakers from the labour & progressive movement in Britain and special guest speakers from overseas
LEARN ONLINE WITH THE MARX MEMORIAL LIBRARY The MML is in the process of finalising the inaugural course in its new series of online Marxist education courses. If you are interested in participating please email:Â admin@marxmemorial-library.org.ukÂ
Clerkenwell Green also plays host to the annual London May Day march
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ROUND TABLES Panel discussion and Q&A contributions from attendees
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WORKSHOPS Attendees get involved in smaller, detailed, collective debate
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BRIEFING Detailed presentations from leading experts in their field
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CULTURE Hear, see, participated in politics through music poetry & film
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PLUS This year C21 Marxism breaks out of London and hits the road with cultural and political in towns and cities across Britain throughout July;. Check website for full listings
21st Century Marxism 2014 [!3]
LOUISE RAW
MANUEL CORTES
JEREMY CORBYN
HANS MODROW
ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER is a American studies at Middlesex renowned left-wing comedic punk University and is the secretary of poet Venezuela Solidarity Campaign SALAM ALI is a member of the central ROGER FLETCHER is convenor of the committee of the Iraqi CP CP’s Science, Technology and Environment Commission JEREMY ANDERSON is the head of strategic research for the JOHN ELLISON is a solicitor and International Transport the author of the latest in the Workers Federation new series of Our History on FROM EVERY the causes and opposition NASRI BARGHOUTI is CORNER to the First World War the representative of No other event in Britain thePalestinian Peoples JOHN FOSTER is brings speakers from so Party in the UK international secretary of many different corners of the CP and secretary of BEN CHACKO is the globe -not just from the Marx Memorial deputy editor of the Western Europe & Library. He is the author of Morning Star and a the US Class Struggle and the member of the Communist Industrial Revolution (1974) Party Executive Committee and The Politics of the Upper Clyde MANUEL CORTES is general Shipbuilders Work-In (jointly with secretary of the Transport union TSSA Charles Woolfson 1986) and more recently pamphlets on the European JEREMY CORBYN MP is the Labour Union, the National Question and the member of parliament for Islington Crisis of the British Economy. North MEGAN DOBNEY is secretary of the South East Region TUC FRANCISCO DOMINGUEZ is the head of the centre for Brazilian and Latin
JEAN GELDART is a former NEC member of public sector UNISON and is from Hope not Hate
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ALEX GORDON is chair of the Marx Memorial Library and is a past president of the Rail & Maritime Transport workers’ union (RMT) BILL GREENSHIELDS is chair of the Communist Party and a past president of the National Union of Teachers ROBERT GRIFFITHS is general secretary of the CP, chair of Searchlight Cymru and the author of SO Davies - a socialist faith, Driven by Ideals - a history of ASLEF and Granite & Honey - the Phi Piratin Story. ANITA HALPIN is the CP’s trade union co-ordinator member of its Political and Executive Committees. She is also a former member of the General Council of the TUC. JOHN HENDY QC is the leading advocate for trade unions and chairs the International Centre for Trade Union Rights JOHN HUNTER is a shop worker and YCL Scotland Organiser JERRY JONES is is a member of the CP’s economic commission and the author of Land Value for Public Benefit BERNADETTE KEAVENEY is circulation manager of the Morning Star ROSE KEEPING is an executive member of the National Assembly of Women JON LANSMAN is the editor of Left Futures and works in parliament for Michael Meacher MP MARTIN LEVY is editor of Communist Review and a member of the executive committee’s of education union UCU and Northern Region TUC HANS MODROW is honorary chair of the German Left Party (Die Linke) and the last communist premier of the German Democratic Republic
LIZ PAYNE is women’s organiser and ordinating Committee of Communist vice-chair of the Communist Party Parties in Britain. LOUISE RAW is the author JONATHAN STEELE is a the author of Striking a Guardian columnist, and Light-The Bryant & May author of several books NO EMPTY SUITS Matchwomen and their on foreign affairs All of our speakers are place in History including Socialism with steeped in the traditions a German Face (1977), BERNARD REGAN is and experience of struggle Andropov in Power national secretary of through the labour and (1983) and Defeat: Why Cuba Solidarity progressive movement Britain and America lost Campaign in their country Iraq (2008) SIMON RENTON is a past BEN STEVENSON is president of the education national secretary of the CP union UCU and a member of its Executive NAVID SHOMALI is of the Committee international department of the Tudeh Party of Iran and secretary of the Co-
C21 MARXISM SOCIAL
SATURDAY 26TH JULY 7.30PM-LATE
GRAHAM STEVENSON is convenor of the CP History Group, a member of the CP Political and Executive Committees and formerly Unite national organiser & president of the European Transport Workers Federation JOANNE STEVENSON is a member of the Communist Party Executive Committee and the National Assembly of Women Executive IRAKLIS TSAVDARIDIS is the executive secretary of the World Peace Council KIRI TUNKS is the co-founder of the NUT London Women’s Network, a secondary school teacher and a local parent activist
SPEAKERS
CITY PRIDE, 28 FARRINGDON LN EC1R 3AU
MEGAN DOBNEY
Attila the Stockbroker’s Barnstormer and Robb Johnson & the Irregulars will take the stage at 7:30pm Saturday night at this year’s 21st Century Marxism in the City Pride pub. Morning Star columnist and performance poet/songwriter Attila’s band, Barnstormer, combines his acerbic lyrics with an energetic mix of medieval music and melodic punk – he calls it ‘renaissancecore’. Fiddle, mandola, recorders, guitar, bass and drums. Centrepiece of the set is the ‘Levellers’ trilogy, a 17th century dance piece based around Leon Rosselson’s wonderful song ‘The World Turned Upside Down’. If the Clash had been around 400 years ago they might have sounded like this..... Robb Johnson is one of the country’s finest and most prolific political songwriters and it is a privilege to welcome him and his band to 21st Century Marxism 2014. His songs have been covered by many of the most revered folk performers of the modern age. Dance your socks off folk rock with a sharp, intelligent, angry edge. Entry is free but there will be a collection to cover the musicians’ expenses and we hope comrades will give generously. http://www.attilathestockbroker.com http://www.robbjohnson.co.uk
21st Century Marxism 2014 [!5]
ALEX GORDON BREADTH OF IDEAS The Communist Party is one of the main organisers of C21 Marxism but most of our speakers from Britain are progressives from other parties and traditions
Saturday 26th July - Sessions & Venues Timetable 11.15AM-12.15PM
PERESTROIKA & GERMANY: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MYTHS Hans Modrow, Jonathan Steele. Alex Gordon (Chair) Book launch MARX MEMORIAL LIBRARY (MML) MAIN HALL
12.15-1.15PM
PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY SPOTLIGHT Bill Greenshields Activist Forum MML - MAIN HALL
1.15-1.45PM
LUNCH BREAK
1.45-2.45PM
WHO OWN’S BRITAIN? Jerry Jones Workshop THE CROWN
WHO THE F**K ARE THE ENGLISH? Ben Stevenson Workshop MML - LIBRARY
BREAKING THROUGH THE VEIL ROUNDTABLE Ben Chacko, Morning Star Media Roundtable MML- MAIN HALL
THE 1980S, WHY DON’T WE JUST GET OVER IT? Graham Stevenson Chair: Liz Payne Workshop THE CROWN
INTRO2ECON: CLASS 1 Labour & Value Marxist Education MML - UPSTAIRS
3-4PM
UKIP: BLIP OR THREAT? Bill Greenshields, Jean Geldart, Roundtable MML- MAIN HALL
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP - BACK TO THE FUTURE? Manuel Cortes Workshop THE CROWN
INTRO2ECON: CLASS 1 Labour & Value Marxist Education MML - UPSTAIRS
4.15-5.15PM
RECLAIMING THE WORKING CLASS Simon Renton, Manuel Cortes, Jon Lansman Roundtable MML- MAIN HALL
WW1: BLOOD, GUTS & GLORY? John Ellison Workshop THE CROWN
ZERO HOURS, ZERO HOPE? John Hunter Workshop MML- LIBRARY
5.30-7PM
MARXISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY Hans Modrow, Navid Shomali, Nasri Barghouti, Iraklis Tsavdaridis Chair: Liz Payne International Rally ST JAMES CHURCH - THE CRYPT ON THE GREEN
7.30PM-LATE
C21 MARXISM SOCIAL Attilla the Stockbroker’s Barnstormer Robb Johnson & the Irregulars CITY PRIDE
21st Century Marxism 2014 [!6]
Sunday 27th July - Sessions & Venues Timetable 10.30AM-11.30AM
UNIONS @ WORK & IN COMMUNITIES Megan Dobney, Martin Levy, Kiri Tunks Chair: Anita Halpin Roundtable MML - MAIN HALL
DEMOCRACY, WHAT’S THE POINT? Jeremy Corbyn, Rob Griffiths Marxist Education MML - LIBRARY
INTRO2ECON: CLASS 2 Labour Power, Political Power & Exploitation Marxist Education MML - UPSTAIRS
11.45AM-12.45PM
LATIN AMERICA - PATHS TO PROGRESS Francisco Dominguez, Bernard Regan, Chilean CP Roundtable MML - MAIN HALL
SOCIALISM OR BARBARISM? Hans Modrow Chair: John Foster Workshop THE CROWN
ASK NOT WHAT THE STAR CAN DO FOR YOU Bernadette Keaveney Workshop MML - LIBRARY
12.45-1.15PM
LUNCH BREAK
1.15-2.15PM
JUST IN TIME SOCIETY Jeremy Anderson Chair: Graham Stevenson Workshop MML- MAIN HALL
REVOLUTIONARY PARTY/THEORY Rob Griffiths Workshop MML - LIBRARY
INTRO2ECON: CLASS 2 Labour Power, Political Power & Exploitation Marxist Education MML - UPSTAIRS
2.30-3.30PM
21ST CENTURY FEMINISM? Rose Keeping, Bernadette Keaveney, Joanne Stevenson, Louise Raw Chair: Liz Payne Roundtable MML- MAIN HALL
UKRAINE: THE INVISIBLE HAND OF IMPERIALISM? Iraklis Tsavdaridis Workshop THE CROWN
MARXISM & SCIENCE Roger Fletcher Chair: Martin Levy JD Bernal Lecture MML - LIBRARY
3.30-4PM
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE Roundtable Round-up MML- MAIN HALL
IRAQ: TODAY & TOMORROW Salam Ali, Chair: Navid Shomali Briefing THE CROWN
INTRODUCTION 2 MARX’S ECONOMICS Participants at 21st Century Marxism will be the first to benefit from the new series of online education courses being developed by the MML. Sign up to participate on the Saturday or Sunday at the registration desk. Limited spaces available!
WANT THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFO ON SESSIONS AND SPEAKERS? The digital version of this brochure is being updated on a daily basis so get online to find out the latest info available goo.gl/HeV1xc
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