Organised to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Left Opposition, this year’s World Cadre School saw over 220 people from over 25 countries gather in Leuven, Belgium — joined by hundreds more on zoom — to develop the analysis, ideas, programme and fight to build revolutionary parties that make “Trotskyism — A movement for the 2020s”.
This was a genuinely World School with delegations from Brazil and Mexico, the US, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Germany, England/Wales and Scotland, Sweden, Israel/Palestine, China/Hong Kong/Taiwan, Russia, South Africa, Canada, Quebec, Belgium, Italy, Tunisia, Spanish state, Nigeria, Netherlands and Australia. Particularly welcome were delegates from countries where ISA is starting to build its forces, such as India, Colombia, Romania and Portugal. Many of those who participated online, included those who fell foul of the EU’s racist visa rules from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as those caught up in military conflicts which made travel impossible from Russia, Ukraine, Myanmar.
The lively discussions lasting over six days covered current events, theoretical and historical lessons and practical tasks related to the intervention in, and building of movements as well as the revolutionary methods used to build ISA itself. The first plenary session opening the School was devoted to “Crisis, Conflict and Struggle — the New Phase in the Age of Disorder”. Discussions around this topic continued in a series of commissions devoted to the world economy, the developing New Cold War, the return of the Working Class, the rise of reaction and new left formations. liamm526.sg-host.com/ will publish separate reports of some of these sessions in coming days and weeks.
With 50 commissions held, it is impossible to report on every one. Some dealt with how we intervene and develop our programme in protests around climate change, womens’ rights, LGBTQ+ issues including those around trans’ rights. Others dealt with the situation in different regions of the world — Africa, China, US, Eastern Europe. There was particular interest in the commissions discussing the work of ROSA international, and the campaign to unionise Amazon. Also lively discussions were held in different commissions devoted to the national question and language rights.
The central theme of the School marking 100 years of the Left Opposition was addressed with a number of commissions on the theoretical positions of Trotskyism — on the permanent revolution, the transitional programme, the rise of Stalinism and how to fight fascism. Other discussions looked at the history of the Left Opposition and then Fourth International up to the founding of ISA, as well as the history of Trotskyism in Sri Lanka and Latin America.
In the past couple of years there have been lively discussions within ISA over some issues. These were dealt with at the School in a democratic way with debates to hear the different points of view. The first of these was over the war in Ukraine, how we characterise it and what should be our programme. We, as socialist feminists, also debated our analysis of, and approach to ideas such as intersectionality.
Central to the approach of the ISA in all its campaigning is the need for a strong, politically organised working class, the only force that can actually end capitalism, and replace it with a democratic and internationalist socialist society. For that reason there were important commissions addressing this need — from the lessons of recent battles against the cost of living crisis, how to organise in workplaces and trade unions, and how marxists should act in the workplace.
As the week drew to an end, several sessions were devoted to how we build the ISA, from a plenary session to exchange experiences in different countries to more in depth commissions on recruitment, consolidation, developing cadres, how to use banners and campaigns, how to raise money, produce papers and start work in new countries.
The highlight of the week was the public rally on the Wednesday evening. Hundreds of people tuned in on the different platforms kicked off by an inspiring speech by Stephane Delcros fresh from intervening in the French strike movement. We also heard brilliant speeches from Myriam Poizat-Marouki, on how ROSA International is working in Ireland, by indigenous environment activist Ana Vitoria from Brazil, from Kshama Sawant on building the “Workers Strike Back” campaign. Susan Fitzgerald, ISA member and Ireland’s leading trade unionist set the rally alight with her fiery contribution.
In case you missed it, or want to watch it again, you can view the rally here.
Participants grew in confidence during the week, gained new understanding and insights and returned home more determined to fight to build ISA, and fight to change the world. Commitment was demonstrated by the fund raising, now well on the way to meet the 75,000 target.
