Statement by the Egyptian Revolutionary Socialists

You shall not pass your constitution  
The Revolutionary Socialists 4 December 2012

Continuing with policies of ignorance and stubbornness, Mohamed Morsi announced that the Constitutional Referendum will be held in less than ten days. This response to the million-strong marches which have filled the squares recalls the policies of the deposed dictator Mubarak towards the political and social movement. It appears that Morsi, who scraped an electoral victory by a mere 1 percent, is counting on the power of his organisation and the mobilisation of the Islamist forces who demonstrated in Nahdet Misr Square last Saturday. But the lessons of history show that no ruler can withstand the movement of the masses, so long as they have decided to continue to defend the gains of their revolution, and have not yet lost hope in completing more of its goals.

It seems that the severe economic crisis which the capitalist class is experiencing, combined with the efforts of Morsi and his group to win a large majority in the forthcoming parliamentary elections through the votes of the Salafists (who are behind his recent brinksmanship), has led to a polarization along a secular/religious axis, rather than pitting the poor and oppressed against the bosses, whether they are Islamists on the one hand, or liberals and old regime elements on the other.

We swear on the lives of the martyrs who shed their blood in the revolutionary squares that you will not be able to pass this constitution, which was cooked up overnight in order to antagonise the popular classes. A constitution which doesn’t specify social and economic rights, defends the detention of journalists, reopens the door to military trials of civilians, protects the interests of the military establishment, and is dedicated to the marginalization of Egypt’s oppressed women and Christians.

It is certain that the masses will not be fooled by the claims that this constitution must be passed quickly in order to restore “stability”, particularly since the document coincides with the decision of Hisham Qandil’s government to raise electricity prices as part of a plan to liberalize the price of services, complying with the demands of the International Monetary Fund. All of this takes place with the blessing of the USA and confirms the treacherous role Qandil played in securing the truce in Gaza.

However, our rejection of Morsi’s policies will never lead us to agree with the sleight of hand now being accomplished with the formation of the National Salvation Front, which has seen Hamdeen Sabahi standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Amr Moussa, and Mohamed elBaradei alongside Sayyed el-Badawi, who did not hesitate to meet the American Ambassador in Cairo. In spite of all this, the meetings of the Front are continuing as if nothing had happened.

We call for the formation of a revolutionary front, free of the remnants of the old regime, to continue the struggle to complete the aims of the revolution to win bread, freedom and social justice.

We pledge to fight for:
the rejection of the draft constitution and the re-election of a constituent assembly which is representative of society, the minorities and the oppressed.
 the overthrow of the dictatorial Constitutional Declaration
the overthrow of Hisham Qandil’s government and the formation of a revolutionary government
a minimum wage of at least 1500 pounds a month, the imposition of a maximum wage, permanent contracts for temporary workers, an end to privatisation and the nationalisation of the monopolistic companies
complete withdrawal from the agreement with the International Monetary Fund

Glory to the martyrs – power and wealth to the people

Was Theodor Adorno an Ipswich Town fan?

'Football implies the desire to suffer', wrote the Marxist Theodor Adorno, with all the characteristic pessimism one would expect from a thinker of the Frankfurt School, something noticed by the good people over at Philosophy Football, who have made a T-shirt in his honour. I think it highly unlikely Adorno was a fan of Ipswich Town Football Club - (unlike say George Orwell, who evidence notwithstanding I have always insisted was a quiet admirer of the currently low-flying Suffolk team*), but anyone who has followed the fortunes of Ipswich (or indeed any underperforming football team) the last few seasons will I think identify with the essential truth underpinning Adorno's statement here... * NB. The recent performances of ITFC have given some cause for optimism - it is to be hoped we might stay in the Championship this season at least...