First of all I would like, on behalf of the editorial board and all those
involved in the production of Socialist Appeal, to wish all our readers
and sellers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to thank
you for all your support during 2008.
What a year this has been! This time last December we were warning that
the crisis which had hit Northern Rock and the US sub-prime lenders was
just the start of something far more serious. Since then we have seen
that warning confirmed beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. The global
crisis of capitalism has become the defining event of 2008.
Side Effect
One side effect to all this has been a resurgence in the ideas of
Marxism. People have noted that Karl Marx was able to predict and
explain the nature of the crisis 150 years ago whereas high paid
economists, with their computers and state of the art economic models,
were unable to predict this 150 seconds before it happened. More to the
point, these ‘experts’ employed at great expense by capitalism can
provide no explanation and no way forward. No wonder it has been
reported that sales of Marx’s classic work on the subject, ‘Das
Kapital’ have been steadily rising over the last few months.
The job of Marxism – and Socialist Appeal therefore – is to explain
what is happening and why but also to arm the masses and its activists
with a programme that provides the means to work towards an
alternative. For us, another world is not only possible but also
necessary.
Marxism’s Job
However, to achieve all this, to get our ideas out to workers,
students, homeworkers, unemployed and all those who find capitalism to
be lacking, we need your support. At this festive (although not so
festive for the thousands now facing losing their job or having a cut
in salary) it is traditional to make a special appeal for donations to
help build our resources.
Go for £6,000
Our target is £6,000 – a modest one compared say to what big business
wastes at this time of year, but an important one. To achieve this
figure we will need the support of all our readers and sellers. The
cash needs to be in by the end of January 2009. One thing we are
particularly after, should we hit the target, is a proper guillotine.
Why? Well this will enable us to cut the paper we use to print the
journal you are now holding ourselves, saving time and money. We can
also cut leaflets and posters quickly without having to do it by hand –
a very slow process indeed at present.
Raise cash
Some comrades have already started on looking at ways to raise cash.
Leeds supporters have bought a badge-making machine. Sellers in East
London organised ‘The Party Of The Century’ in November to raise
fighting fund – and have a drink or two. We are asking all our readers
and sellers to consider what they can personally donate. Even a small
amount can soon build up if others add to it. Please consider given
what you can.
How to give
Donations can be made in a number of ways:
- By cheque to us at PO Box 50525, Poplar, London E14 6WG (made payable to Socialist Appeal SC).
- Cheques and cash can also be paid in over the
counter at any branch of Abbey National quoting account number
K2018479SOC and the account name as above.
- Online using credit card by going to
www.wellred.marxist.com and clicking on the special Xmas Appeal icon or
by just entering the donations section of the site and following the
links from there. You can also order your Xmas reading at the same
time.
We thank you in advance. Forward to Socialism.
