Socialism From Below

The International Socialist Tendency (IST) is a current of revolutionary socialist organisations, based in different countries, which share a political outlook and seek to help each other by exchanging experience and practical support.

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IST statement on Alain Krivine

Wednesday 16th March 2022

The organisations of the International Socialist Tendency were saddened to learn of the death at the age of 80 of the French revolutionary leader Alain Krivine. For us he always represented the indomitable spirit of the great revolt by French workers and students in May-June 1968. See the tribute from the British Socialist Workers Party here

Despite disagreements between the IST and the Fourth International, we had the opportunity to work together on many occasions. Alain was in London in 1968 actively supporting the LSE occupation and building the movement against the Vietnam war alongside IS comrades. Many decades later, we marched together in the streets of Genoa building the new anticapitalist movement.

But above all we are in debt to Alain and his comrades in the Jeunesse Communiste Révolutionnaire – the starting point of the LCR and now the NPA – for leading the way in reviving revolutionary ...

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IST statement on the war in Ukraine

Tuesday 15th March 2022

1. The Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February was an act of imperialist aggression and a violation of the Ukrainian people’s right to self-determination. For Ukrainians it is a war of national self-defence. At the same time from the side of Western imperialist powers led by the United States and organised through NATO it is a proxy war against Russia. The war is both an imperialist invasion of a former colony and part of an inter-imperialist conflict between the US and Russia with their allies. We are against both imperial powers. We express our solidarity with the Ukrainian people, supporting their right to resist the invasion. While doing so, we also oppose NATO and its expansion to the East.

2. The inter-imperialist character of this conflict is confirmed by the policy of the Kyiv government, which is to draw the West into the shooting war. This is, ...

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