part in mobilisations against the evils of capitalism and the bureaucratic dictatorships. This reflects the fact that humanity faces widening dangers. Ecological, military, social and economic devastation faces millions of people.
Many more people recognise the barbaric nature of capitalism. In a situation where the inability of the social democratic and communist parties to provide socialist solutions is becoming clearer the task of creating new leaderships remains ahead.
Socialist Outlook is written and sold by socialists committed to this struggle. We are the British supporters of the world-wide marxist organisation, the Fourth International. We stand for the revolutionary transformation of society and a pluralist, socialist democracy world wide.
The overall goal which we pursue is the empancipation of all human beings from every form of exploitation, oppression, alienation and violence. Socialism must be under the control of ordinary people, democratic, pluarlist, multi-party, feminist, ecologist, anti-militarist and internationalist. It must abolish wage slavery and national oppression.
The working class is the backbone of unity among all the exploited and oppressed. The working class and its allies must uncompromisingly fight against capitalism and for a clear programme of action in order gradually to acquire the experience and consciousness needed to defeat capitalism at the decisive moment of crisis.
The movements of women, lesbians and gay men and black people to fight their particular forms of oppression make an essential contribution to the struggle for a different society. ganised around the principle "None so fit to break the chains as those who wear them".
The whole working class needs to fully commit itself to these struggles. Furthermore we fight for a strategic alliance between workers and these organisations which respects their legitimate autonomy.
By simultaenously building revolutionary organisations in each country and a revolutionary International we aim to guide and encompass the global interests of the workers and oppressed. By building a united struggle against exploitation and oppression we aim to ensure the survival of the human race. They are orSOMETHING was disturbing me, niggling away at the back of my mind last week. I felt uncomfortable, but I wasn't totally sure why.
Then, while reading a newspaper, the pieces of the jigsaw suddenly fell into place. Sorry I should explain. On Wednesday evening, I was at a rally to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act when heated row broke out.
Audrey Wise MP was speaking, talking about the pain of parents who have watched their young children dying of terminal, incurable, degenerative disease.
These particular parents had felt confident to go ahead with another pregnancy after seeing their first two children die in agony.
They knew that if screening indicated this foetus would have the same prognosis they could get an abortion because of the 1967 Act. On that basis they went ahead and had a child who lived and was free from this illness.
Audrey told her story in a somewhat clumsy way - she often does. She had irritated some in the audience earlier by talking of of International Viewpoint for only £30.
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Address Post Code the need for healthy, happy families. But it was when she talked of dying children that a young woman at the front became irate enough to interrupt her, accusing her among other things of promoting eugenics. After a great deal of to-ing and fro-ing the meeting continued. Audrey Wise became very defensive and patronising in her response - seeming to imply that no one had the right to comment until they had been as round as long as she! This was hardly calculated to pacify an audience predominantly composed of students. But at the core of her indignation, I felt there was something valid. While being cross many of the things she said I thought the attack was misplaced. I couldn't stay until the end of the meeting. I was cold, tired and hungry and had to be up early the next day so I don't know if there was a discussion about what had happened. A couple of days later, reading the papers I chanced upon the story of the woman - with an incurable degenerative disease -who had won the legal right to Subscribe now to Your marxist, internationalist view on a world of struggles and issues, 20 pages monthly. 12 issues for just £10. OVERSEAS SUBSCRIBERS: 12 issues for just £20.00. SPECIAL OFFER (UK only) One year of Socialist Outlook PLUS one year Please send me 12 issues of Socialist Outlook. I enclose a cheque/order : SEND JO: Socialist Outlook, PO Box 1109, London 114 2UU