Youth School 2012

Program

Arrivals, introduction
Monday 20/08

1. Introduction to our critical Marxism – Alex Merlo
Tuesday 21/08

• Historical presentation of Marx and historical materialism
• Basic concepts: labour value theory, surplus value, exploitation, profit…
• The revolutionary Marxist currents. Mass strike and self-emancipation.

2. The global economic crisis – Catherine Samary
Wednesday 22/08

• Historical origin of the crisis: the neoliberal era
• Marxist analysis of the crisis : falling rate of profit, over accumulation, etc.
• Nature and possible outcomes of the current crisis

3. The global ecological crisis – Marijke Colle
Thursday 23/08

• Climate crisis, biodiversity crisis, energy crisis and link with the capitalist mode of production.
• The notion of progress put into question, struggle of indigenous peoples, land grabbing etc.
• Our ecosocialist answers

4. Women’s oppression, autonomous women’s movement – Marijke Colle
Friday 24/08

• A Marxist-feminist analysis of women’s oppression and exploitation under capitalism
• Gender, sexuality, intersectionality: the question of oppression in a broader framework
• The economic and ecological crisis and their specific consequences for women
• Strategic necessity of an autonomous women’s movement; feminism and ecosocialism

Day off
Saturday 25/08

5. Imperialism and permanent revolution in the 21st Century – Peter Drucker
Sunday 26/08

• Classic theory on imperialism, imperialism today
• Uneven and combined development
• The example of the Arab region revolutions and the dynamics of “permanent revolution”

6. The crisis in Europe, far right movements – Alex de Jong
Monday 27/08

• The Marxist analysis of fascism
• Economic and political crisis in Europe
• Racism and the extreme right in Europe, how to fight it.

7. New movements of resistance, USA - Michael Marchmann
Tuesday 28/08

• The crisis in the USA
• Indignados/Occupy : a new type of movement and its impact
• Their relationship with the workers movement

8. The crisis in Asia
Wednesday 29/08

• The economic changes in the region
• National and religious conflicts
• Party building experiences and the relations to social movements

9. Building broad parties and the Fourth International – Penny Duggan
Thursday 30/08

• What is our strategic project as revolutionary Marxists today?
• The building of broad parties today
• The current orientation and forces of the Fourth International

Evaluation and general cleaning
Friday 31/08

Structure of the day

• 9.00-9.40: Lecture part 1

• 9.40-9.50: Break

• 9.50-10.30: Lecture Part 2

• 10.30-10.40: Break

• 10.40-11:20: Lecture Part 3

• 11.20-11.30: Break

• 11.30-12.00: Questions and answers

• 12.00-15.00: Lunch and time for individual reading

• 15.00-16.30: Discussion in language groups

• 16.30-18.00: Final discussion starting with reports from the group

• 18.00-20.30: Reading time

• 20.30: Evening meal