Workers Unity Homepage

For Workers’ Unity

Platform of the Workers’ Unity Tendency of the Scottish Socialist Party

We are committed to building a British socialist party which fights for the overthrow of capitalism and against the pro-capitalist policies of New Labour and the other parties of big business.

We believe that socialism is only possible through the use of the organised strength of the working class and its organisation in the largest possible units. It is clear that the working class organises itself and fights its major battles with the ruling class at a British level. It is essential that any political organisation that wishes to lead the working class has to organise and fight the ruling class at a British level with a clear perspective of organising at an international level in so far as possible. The capitalist class clearly organises production on an international basis and is co-ordinating its efforts to control and attack the working class in international institutions such as the EU, the WTO and World Bank/IMF.

We do not believe that Scotland is an oppressed nation. It is clear that the rise of Scottish nationalism is the product of the decline of capitalism in Britain and its inability to continue social democratic concessions to the working class. Nationalism in this context is basically an attempt to get further concessions from the working class without challenging the power of the capitalist class. We do support the right of self-determination of the Scottish people, but oppose the demand for Independence.

 We reject the dead end of Scottish nationalism and any attempt to divide the British working class along national lines. The political collapse of the leadership of the SSP into outright nationalism with the call for “even a capitalist independent Scotland” demonstrates the logic of nationalism as a means of controlling the working class and promoting the dominance of the ruling class.The SSP should use its strength to promote the creation of a British Socialist organisation by two routes:

Firstly that the SSP should organise a conference of the left on a British level with the aim of establishing an alliance and subsequently a Party.

Secondly by co-operating with socialists in the rest of Britain by working to agree common election platforms for British and European elections.

Discussion forum on the Scottish National Question

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/workersunity/

Recommended books :

Industrial Nation -1800 to the present -Bill Knox  :Edinburgh University press

A Lost Left-David Howell