The Activist

Written by former YDS National Organizer, David Duhalde

23rd Socialist International Congress

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is the only US member of the Socialist International (SI), an over century old global association of over 150 left-wing and center-left political parties and organizations. I was fortunate be a member of the DSA delegation at the 23rd Socialist International congress in Athens, Greece, held June 30th to July 2nd, 2008. I was also invited to participate in the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) Mediterranean Committee Meeting on the Greek island of Skiathos on July 3rd to the 5th. IUSY is the largest youth political coalition in the world and YDS is IUSY’s only US member.

Participation in the Congress ranged from ruling parties such as the British Labour and South Africa’s African National Congress to national resistance movements such as Western Sahara’s Polesario and Cuba’s Socialist Democratic Current. The diversity of the event even brings opposing sides together. In the Congress, Israeli and Palestinian political parties had a rare opportunity to dialogue without pressure to meet an immediate resolution. Yossi Beilin of Israel’s Meretz Party recalled how much progress had been made over time at SI meetings. At previous SI gatherings, Arab parties would boycott Israeli speakers. Now, while tensions do remain, both sides are increasing collaborating and strongly committed to finding a democratic and secular peace strategy.

Any gathering of the Socialist International is a unique expression of historic and current geopolitics. The current political crisis in Zimbabwe found itself in Greece as an intense floor debate arose on whether to admit the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the SI. South Africa and Angola, both of which received assistance from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe during their national liberation struggles, opposed admitting MDC to the SI. Opposition to MDC centered on it not being a left-wing force and that admission to the SI in 2008 was too quick. Despite South Africa’s and Angola’s pleas, the rest of the body voted to admit MDC as a full member party in order to support democratic forces under serious oppression.

The Socialist International as a political body has a great potential for good. While not a body of radical politics, its members are often deeply connected to working class bases, trade unions, and other progressive institutions. The conference theme “Global Solidarity: the Courage to Make a Difference” reflects the concept that today it’s impossible to defend social programs and human rights in just one state alone; an international progressive movement must work together towards bettering all people’s living standards. Christoph Zopel of Germany pushed the idea that we must begin to build an international, not just European, welfare state to counterbalance corporate power and anti-democratic forces.

The diversity of the Socialist International, like that of our own Democratic Party at home, gives us a chance to observe the dialectical struggle between genuine social democratic politics and adherence to the Washington Consensus. A Romanian speaker said this could be the century for socialists and social democrats. This would be possible, not merely by softening capitalism, but promoting social programs and international policiesy to expand democracy and economic equality. Certainly this view was not shared by all, but was a healthy reminder that the blowback against corporate globalization was not limited to just those involved in radical politics and non-electoral social movements.

The absence of certain governing social-democratic parties from Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador did not go unnoticed. Even the Brazilian Workers’ Party, which sent delegates, has not yet joined the SI. It was clear to participants that the democratic socialist and social democratic community must work with partners across the left spectrum; only such communication can build a genuine progressive dialogue which has the potential to be a global actor for positive social change. It’s important for DSA to be part of that conversation, or else we leave the SI with the impression that the Democratic Party is at the front-line of opposition to the Right in the US. Especially on the issue of human rights for global migrants, both DSA/YDS and the SI are in agreement. DSA helped host a regional dialogue with the SI about immigrant rights in Los Angeles in June 2008, and we continued that conversation in Greece. Both here and abroad, we’ll continue to be a voice for the “left wing of the possible” and struggle alongside other comrades to advance social justice for all.

IUSY Mediterranean Meeting

The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) Mediterranean Committee Meeting was held on the small rural island of Skiathos. The event was hosted by Greece’s Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) youth at a local school. Representatives came from across the Mediterranean from places such as Malta, Italy, Israel, Lebanon, the Balkan States, and Cyprus. In a region with a history of conflict, building friendship between young activists is a vital way to foster better relations between their people in the future.

As the representative from the United States, I was one of three organizations not tied to the region in attendance. There was deep interest in the US presidential election and an incredible desire to see a Barack Obama victory. It was important for me to explain the ideological differences within the Democratic Party and the lack of serious social democratic, much less socialist, politics in America’s largest party. While I agreed that defeating McCain was an urgent political task, I did have to break down illusions about what an Obama presidency might bring. Especially in regards to Obama’s promise of a slow withdrawal from Iraq and the present weakness of US progressive social movements (particularly labor), I emphasized the need to put pressure on Obama after election day (assuming he wins).

While much of the discussion was regional, the topics of Israel/Palestine peace and student power were relevant to American progressive activists and YDS members. Sadly, the representative from Fatah Youth (the political wing of the Palestinian Liberation Organization) was unable to attend. The dialogue between Israel’s Meretz and Labour parties with Lebanon was marked with disagreement over issues pertaining to Iran and a proper response to Islamist Hezbollah (an organization opposed by all sides for markedly different reasons). The roundtable reflections on the conflict led me to joke that my country was more pro-Israel than Israel, a line that received laughs from nearly everyone. The discussion which offered divergent views about the peace process appeared more open and healthier than the same conversation would be in the US.

The heavily subsidized and accessible educational institutions of Europe and other states with strong social democratic movements have long been a model that American leftists could point to as an example to emulate in US higher education. Foreign universities, however, are not immune to neoliberal cutbacks and the growing power of corporate globalization. IUSY has now established a Students’ Working Group to deal with educational affordability and opportunity. With its student unions and progressive parties, the Group wants to create an international campaign to protect student rights. This is an excellent opportunity for YDS to both learn from and contribute to a student social movement. We face similar challenges (budget cuts, denied opportunities, inequality within/between institutions) and can introduce IUSY to our own unique problems (lack of student unions, federal vs. local funding, education viewed as privilege). 

A continued relationship with IUSY has the potential to be a great opportunity for YDS activists. YDS is in the unique position to connect our politics with international successes that can be duplicated in the US. However, the goal of YDS should always be to bring these politics home. While I enjoyed attending the meeting in Greece, we should be inviting our friends to our chapters and communities. Both IUSY and YDS have a great deal to offer the American left, and bringing the international conversation to the US can only help us advance our own progressive agenda.