Curious about him because he got a mention in an economics article relating to Venezuela.
Described as 'one of the leading members of 'International Marxist Tendencies' (IMT).
Wikipedia:
So that is:The International Marxist Tendency adheres to orthodox Trotskyism, emphasising the education of cadres of workers and youth.
The IMT manifesto makes demands such as "the end to privatisation and the abandonment of market economics", "the nationalisation of privatised companies without compensation" and "the reintroduction of the state monopoly of foreign trade".The IMT has spread to parts of Latin America, where it now has groups in Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil and El Salvador. At the end of 2002 it promoted the launching of the solidarity campaign at Hands Off Venezuela, which is now active in 30 countries and has had resolutions passed within the trade union movements in Britain, Canada, Italy and other countries.
- education and training of labour force.
- end to privatisation.
- abandonment of 'market economics' - supply and demand market / prices determined in free price system (contrast fixed price system - govt set price).
- nationalisation of privatised companies without compensation.
- reintroduction of state monopoly of foreign trade.
2009 dispute IMT leadership and leaderships of it's groups in:
- Spain
- Venezuela
- Mexico
In 2010 these (or portions) broke with IMT and established new international body, 'Corriente Marxista Revolucionaria':
- Spain
- Venezuela
- Mexico (part)
- Columbia
Thereafter break aways form 'Towards a New International Tendency' in:
- Sweden
- Poland
- Britain
Sounds like keeping everyone happy and united ain't easy.
Not really sure what this is all about. Suppose it is some kind of interest/lobby group of supporters of 'orthodox Trotskyism'.
What is 'Trotskyism'?
Marxist theory:
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky identified as an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, and supported founding a vanguard party of the working-class, proletarian internationalism, and a dictatorship of the proletariat based on working-class self-emancipation and mass democracy. Trotskyists are critical of Stalinism, as they oppose the idea of Socialism in One Country. ... [wikipedia]
So they don't just want socialism in one nation; it's a worldwide effort?
International revolution
According to classical Marxism, revolution in peasant-based countries, such as Russia, prepares the ground ultimately only for a development of capitalism since the liberated peasants become small owners, producers and traders which leads to the growth of commodity markets, from which a new capitalist class emerges. Only fully developed capitalist conditions prepare the basis for socialism.
Trotsky agreed that a new socialist state and economy in a country like Russia would not be able to hold out against the pressures of a hostile capitalist world, as well as the internal pressures of its backward economy. The revolution, Trotsky argued, must quickly spread to capitalist countries, bringing about a socialist revolution which must spread worldwide. In this way the revolution is "permanent", moving out of necessity first, from the bourgeois revolution to the workers’ revolution, and from there uninterruptedly to European and worldwide revolutions.
I'm getting lost now. Don't know enough to grasp this stuff.
Worldwide anything doesn't seem a realistic goal.
Also, nothing is 'permanent'. All empires crumble.
Really surprised to see Iran get a mention.
I don't associate the Middle East with socialism, although Latin America and socialism compute because of all those cool pics of Che Guevara. LOL
Wondering what happens to revolutionaries when they attain their goals and no longer have the fun of the chase.
Are they content? Or is there always some other chase to be had?
Is everyone chasing their own idea of nirvana?
