European sections of the Fourth International, 3,500 delegates representing nineteen Western European revolutionary organisations met in Brussels to draw the balance sheet of three years of struggle and to discuss perspectives for coming interventions. The Brussels Conference ended with a call for an international demons tration in Paris in May 1971 for the 100th anniversary of the Commune.
Following on from this decision, an international demonstration of revolutionary youth will take place in the first fortnight of May From now on the perspective of a mass mobe lisation in Paris is being spread throughout most of Western Бигоре.
At its session on 13th February, the Central Committee of the Connunist Laague (French section of the Fourth International) decided to organise a mass mobilisation of revolutionary militants in Paris from the French provinces at the same time. Some thousands, or rather tens of thousands of revolutionary young people and workers from France and abroed will be gathered in Paris, probably on May 15th and 16th for a massive demonstration.
The centenary of the Commune must not become an excuse for a sentimental commemoration, but an occasion for a combative and militant mobilisation. For us, it will not be an revolt, or of paying homage to those "who made the assault on heaven", of praising their courage while preaching the Parliamentary road to socialism.
To commemorate the Commune is on the one hand to reaffirm the reality of the revoluBonary aspirations of the Communards, as they are expressed today through the struggles of the working class and youth. On the other hand it is to stand by the political lessons of the Commune (by retusing to mummify them).
That's why the organisations which signed the Brussels call have decided to call the inter: national demonstration on the following two themes:
Firstly, It must concretise the slogan-the Commune is not dead, it lives through the struggles of youth and the international work. ing class. The demonstration must not be simply a commemorative procession, remember ing the great deeds of the Communards. Its slogans must take up the principal aims of the struggle since May 68.
In the second place, as much during the prope ration period as during the demonstration itself, the political theme must be shurply pressed: the Commune, symbol of workers democracy, first organised expression of the workers' state, concrete embodiment of prolefore, to bring home the differences between the dictatorial bureaucratie regimes of the Bastern blog where a privileged bureaucracy substitutes itself for workers power, depriving them of their rights to organise and of political expres sion, and the Paris Conmune (forerunner of Soviet power) which was the realisation of an authentic workers" democracy.
We must use the commemoration of the Comme centenary to popularise our idea of socialist (to popularise the slogan of the Republic of Workers" Councils) and to pledge the solidarity of revolutionary youth and workers with the Po Kurer and Modzelewski), Czech (Pierr nd his coansades), Russian revolution. tants, ete. We must popularise thai: guinst bureaucratic power and for the introduction of genuine workers' democracy as it took form for lite fiest time in history in the Paris Commune.
In the present politicul situation (Polish, Czech events, ro-Stalinisation in the USSR), this aspect of the mobilisation is very important.
Whoever, group or individual, is in ugreement with this political conception of the commemo ration and in general sympathy with the Fourth International is invited to participate, Contact the Spartacus League at 182 Pestonville Road. London N. 1(01-278 2616) for further information.
V.S.C. BENEFIT NIGHT
THE FOUR POSTER FOLK GROUP and other groups and arrists SATURDAY APRIL 3rd at 8.00 p.m. The Roebuck puh, Tottenham Court Road (Warren St. tube)
Tickers 20p in adrance or 25p at the door. Buy from Red Books or VSC. 182 Penzonville Road. N. I.
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