A Response to the Solidarity Halifax Conference (November 2010)
On Sunday November 14th, I attended the Solidarity Halifax conference because it was described as an event aimed at building a “vibrant, anti-capitalist left.” Unfortunately, the way the discussions were framed was not conducive to a conversation about capitalism and how we might overthrow it.
Although I did not stay for the conclusion of conference, I was there for the entirety of the group discussions and the introductory panel. Despite the fact that the conference was described as being “anti-capitalist” there was very little critical discussion of capitalism during the event. To be frank it seems that the conference was organized in such a way as to avoid discussions around what capitalism is and how to contest it. With all of this in mind I can only conclude that the organizers of Solidarity Halifax's definition or understanding of the term anti-capitalist is this: we organized an anti-capitalist conference, thus anyone and everyone who attends is an anti-capitalist. In my eyes this empties the concept of anti-capitalist of all meaning.
I am not alone in thinking that;
If capitalism is wage-labour and the production of value, then to be worthy of the name anti-capitalism must be a strategy or strategies which lead to the abolition of these things. Yet, the ever-marginal left bestows the magic label "anti- capitalist" on any movement which passes in front of its eyes. Much of what is called anti-capitalism is in fact only opposition to aspects of capitalism. Many unions oppose aspects of globalization, such as tightening or relaxing of trade polices, because they fear it will have a negative impact on their members' jobs (save "our" jobs?), or their nation states. This is not anti- capitalism, but defence of national capitalism...Anti- capitalism has become a catch-all phrase taken to means any aspect of opposition to a particular capitalist policy. (All the worlds a rage, Red and Black Notes #12, 2000.)
During the conference we were asked to attend two different working groups out of a possible four. None of them directly addressed capitalism, however, I attended the two groups that I thought would be the most productive. The two questions which my break-out groups dealt with were;
1. What can we do to make the anti-capitalist movement one that people want to be...
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