Greetings on the formation of the Socialist Alliance in Australia - 19 March 2001

 

It is my great personal pleasure to send heartfelt, warmest and comradely greetings and best wishes on this occasion of the formation of the Socialist Alliance in Australia.  A common platform for all those who seek social justice, freedom and dignity against the forces of social injustice, slavery and indignity has been a long felt necessity and an essential condition in working towards a genuine but fundamental social, political and cultural change.

As the documentation relating to the formation of the Socialist Alliance indicates social change has to be driven by the clear majority of people.  It is not a putsch by a group of any kind imposed on the majority of people.  So-called development of the capitalist world based on economic rationalism has not provided solutions to the growing socio-economic problems of the downtrodden majority of the world.  In the developing world many millions are becoming unemployed.  The gap between the rich and the poor is widening locally and globally.  Needs of the majority of people are ignored in favour of the needs of multinational corporations.  Indebtedness of many developing countries has turned out to be a vicious cycle destroying their social fabric.  Developing countries that do not obey ‘free trade’ and ‘economic liberalization’ are subjected to dire consequences.  Vast majority of people faces job insecurity, homelessness, racism, and destruction of their environment.

Formation of the Socialist Alliance is a clear indication to the people of Australia that there is an alternate path to development that will not put profits before the needs of the people.  Importantly it differentiates between the short-term and long-term objectives in the political horizon.  Vision of the Alliance is based on anti economic rationalist approach and outcomes.  It’s commitment to ‘an anti-sectarian, co-operative way of working, looking to build unity rather than discord, seeking to work positively, encouraging the notion of alliances and ensuring that any debates are conducted in a positive manner without personal attacks’ provides the basis for a sustainable socialist future.  I wish that this will set an example to many social justice oriented organizations and groups around the world to unite around their positives rather than to be eternally fragmented while harping only on their negatives.

My sincere congratulations to the organizations and members who have and will become part and parcel of the Socialist Alliance, which is committed to genuine democracy based on the will of the majority of the people of Australia.