War, terror, poverty... there is an alternative

Come to Socialism 2004

Forget Glastonbury! Readers of the socialist should keep the weekend of 26 and 27 June free in their diaries, in order not to miss Socialism 2004.

This is an event packed with discussion and debate of left ideas, hosted by the Socialist Party, but open to anyone interested in how we might challenge the capitalist system and build a better society.

Speakers in previous years have included leading national trade union figures, dissenting Labour MPs, anti-war campaigners, environmentalists and prominent activists from around the world.

But this is not an event about left-wing 'celebrities'. The most important contributions are often from workers reporting on disputes that they have been involved in, or from community groups fighting local cuts in services.

Whatever your age and experience, you can make a valuable contribution to Socialism 2004. It is not a series of lectures - everyone stands to learn from each other.

Coming on the 20th anniversary of two epic class struggles - the miners' strike and Liverpool city council's fight against Thatcher's cuts - this year's weekend school will offer us a vital opportunity to discuss the lessons of these events for the battles which workers will face in the twenty-first century.

Other urgent topics under discussion will include the resistance to the occupation of Iraq (and its possible consequences for Bush and Blair); the politics of Islamic beliefs and practices; how to fight the rise of racist and fascist ideas, and the need to build a new electoral alternative to Blair that genuinely represents millions of workers and their families.

A more detailed agenda will be posted on our web-site when it becomes available.

For us, socialism is not a fixed set of radical slogans. Since the world we live in is always developing in complex and uneven ways then, if we are to act effectively, we must constantly try to deepen our understanding of the real circumstances we are facing.

What separates Socialism 2004 from the empty 'debates' held in the media and elsewhere, is both the level of serious discussion and the fact that it is not just an abstract talking-shop: it actually relates to how we act.

If you want both to understand more about the world we live in but also, crucially, to go about changing it, then Socialism 2004 is an absolute must!

For more details about the venue and prices/how to book visit click here to go to our socialism2004 pages

For updates on the agenda/speakers, e-mail us at: socialism@socialistparty.org.uk

Topics will include:

• What kind of Iraq will emerge from the occupation?

• How can we build a party that would represent working class people?

• Fighting the growth of racism and fascism

• How "awkward" are the awkward squad?

• The Miner's Strike, twenty years on

• Socialism and the politics of Islam

Cost for weekend - £25 waged, £10 unwaged/low waged.

For single day - £15 waged, £6 unwaged/low waged.