The Center for Socialist Studies in Giza is an institution which aims to raise the voice of radical socialism in Egypt and the Arab World, and to support grass-root struggles that we regard as the only means to achieve social justice, political freedom and national liberation. The Center depends on a network of volunteers, who believe in its goals and whose sole source of funding is the money we receive from selling our literature as well as donations from members, supporters and friends of the Center.
The Center does not regard itself as the only socialist voice in either Egypt or the Arab World, yet we believe the Center’s contribution, with the help of others, is currently crucial in raising the banner of socialist politics in the region.
The Center’s members are keen on linking their efforts to those of others, and involving the biggest number of campaigners in the Center’s activities, even if they do not fully share the Center’s political vision. An unchanged principle we uphold is welcoming progressives and leftists. The Center will always remain an open home for them, as it is not a platform for one socialist voice only. The Center looks forward to becoming a place for open, free dialogue between socialists, leftists and all those who want to fight for justice and liberty.
The events held by the Center vary widely from: debates, lectures, film screenings, music shows, discussion and research circles, conferences, in addition to publishing books, magazines, pamphlets, and more importantly participating actively in all struggles against dictatorship, exploitation and imperialism in Egypt. The diversity in the Center’s activities do not negate the fact that they are complementary, on the path to achieve our goals. Engaging in daily struggles and forming fronts is the practical translation of our theoretical publications. Socialism is a theory and practice, we firmly believe.
Our principles:
The socialism envisioned by the Center for Socialist Studies must be based on few clear foundations that could be summarized as follows:
1- Capitalism works for the benefit of the privileged elite and against the interests’ of the majority of working masses: Capitalism is based on exploitation. The source of the huge wealth of the rich is the working poor. In our world, this wealth accumulates on one side, while starvation and hunger pile up on the other. The Neoliberalism endorsed today by the ruling class is the most barbaric form of capitalism, with a conscious attempt to blame the crisis in profits on the poor.
2- Capitalism cannot be reformed from within: The market for reformist ideas is still big, but the age of reforms is over. The word “reform” itself has been hijacked by the staunchest capitalists, and became to mean nothing but free market barbarity. Those who adopt reformism as a strategy end up cosmetically changing the existing regime.
3-A people’s revolution is necessary and a must: The real change cannot happen on the hands of the few, military coups, or an enlightened despot in power. The mass social democratic struggle is the only way forward to bring about change. If capitalists have the state agencies which monopolize the means of repression, the toilers have their ability to struggle as a majority with common interest, to end the system of exploitation.
4-The working class is the leading class for revolutionary struggle: Among all the oppressed, there is only one class which has the ability to lead the others to victory—the working class. The latter does not only include factory workers, but also all those wage laborers who toil under the control of capital in any production or service institution. This class is the biggest in our modern world, the most organized, and the most able to take the fight till the end to achieve victory over the system.
5-The workers’ and toilers’ state is the goal: The revolution will never be victorious if one capitalist ruler is replaced by another. Victory means ending all forms of exploitation, oppression and tyranny. Thus, the goal of the revolution should be replacing the capitalist state institutions with a workers’ state, run by direct democracy, where the toilers, through elected councils manage the society.
6-The revolution must liberate all the oppressed: The working class movement must adopt all the causes of the oppressed in society. Gender, racial and religious divisions among workers must be confronted. The way forward is a revolutionary movement for the liberation of women, blacks, religious minorities and occupied nations. The true socialist is the servant of the oppressed. True socialism is the one that liberates all the oppressed.
7-A fighting workers’ party is a necessity for successful political change: The ruling class is unified and organized in the state structure. Therefore, the toiling masses need its own organization, a revolutionary party deeply rooted in factories, slums, universities, to provide leadership and a collective striking force against the power of the state.
Interested in taking part in the fight? Have more questions?
Links:
[1] mailto:info@e-socialists.org
[2] http://www.e-socialists.org
[3] http://www.twitter.com/eSocialists