SP Newsletter No.254
The Socialist Party will once again be holding its annual educational event - Socialism 2009. This year the event will take the form of a day school which will be held on Saturday March 21 at Trades Hall in Melbourne. The theme of the school will be ‘Capitalism in crisis: Understanding the economic crisis.

The day school will feature three main sessions. The first session will be an introduction to Marxist economics. This session will focus on the basic concepts within an economy, the division of labour within capitalism and the Marxist theory of value.

The second session will focus on evaluating the current crisis. We will look at the turn back to Keynesian economic policies, the role of China and the US and the current situation in Australia.

In the last session of the day we will look at what we can do about the economic crisis and put the case that now is the time to build a revolutionary party capable of challenging the entire capitalist system. This session will be of interest to anyone who wants know more about socialism or the Socialist Party.

This school should be of interest to all activists including trade unionists, students and young people. If you want to understand the economic crisis, Socialism 2009 will be the most useful event you will attend all year.

To book your place at Socialism 2009 contact the Socialist Party National Office on 0396399111. Costs are $5 unwaged, $10 waged or $20 solidarity price.

Session times

Introduction to Marxist economics

[11.00am - 12.30pm]
This session will look at basic concepts within an economy, the
division of labour within capitalism and the Marxist theory of value.

How the global downturn will affect Australia

[1.30pm - 3.00pm]
This session will look at the turn back to Keynesian economic
policies, the role of China and the US and the current situation in Australia.

Fighting back against capitalism

[3.30pm - 5.00pm]
This session will focus on what is required to ensure that ordinary
people are not forced to bear the brunt of capitalist crisis.

Upcoming SP meetings

The Melbourne Branch of SP meets every Wednesday at 7pm in Trades Hall on the corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets Carlton South. Upcoming meetings include:

25/3/09 – 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Comintern
1/4/09 – 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin
8/4/09 – The 1976 Iranian revolution

For more information or for details of meetings in other parts of Australia contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.

News links

Nigeria: Government plans the selling off of oil industry
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2009/03/1702.html

Germany: Stop the deportation of Kurdish refugees
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2009/03/1302.html

US: Obama’s Budget and stimulus policies
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2009/03/1301.html

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states.

We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to get rid of the capitalist system, the system that is at the root of all of these problems. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. To join SP contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a membership application form.

Subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ newspaper!

Support the Socialist Party by subscribing to our monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’. Subscription rates are only $10 per year or $20 solidarity price. You will receive 11 copies per year delivered to your door every month. You will also receive our email newsletter every week and you will know that you are supporting an organisation that is at the fore of fighting against the capitalist system. To subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a subscription form.

Socialist Party contact details

Melbourne: Phone Anthony on 0396399111.
Sydney: Phone Gary on 0297287727.
Newcastle: Phone Samantha on 0249681545.
Perth: Phone John on 0894020728.
Rest of Australia: Phone our National Office on 0396399111.
Rest of the world: Phone our International Office on ++ 44 20 8988 8760.

The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). The CWI is organised in over 40 countries across the world.

http://www.sp.org.au
http://www.socialistworld.net
http://www.myspace.com/socialistpartyaustralia
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20461960776