Constituency issue

On Monday, November 15, 1999 1:37 AM, cem somel [SMTP:somel@metu.edu.tr] 
wrote:
> I am a Turk following the discussion on forming a World Party among core
> countries' intellectuals on this network, and I think Mr. Kohler's 
suggestion
> one of the most useful so far.
>     Socialists in Turkey (and this probably holds true for many in the 
Third
> World) are facing an uphill struggle because of the (1) capitalist 
ideological
> hegemony (globalization rhetoric and propaganda holding sway over 
workers,
> intellectuals, bureaucrats etc.) (2) the adverse psychological impact of 
the
> demise of the Soviet system - due to a superficial understanding of 
socialism,
> (3) ethnic and religious conflict fueled by the center countries (the US 
 is a
> haven for and the supporter of very pernicious "peaceful" Turkish 
Islamist
> movements such as Fethullah Gulen, who rubs elbows with the Pope and the 
Moon
> movement) (4) the defeatism arising from the  psychological impact of 
center
> countries' show of military force in the Third World (recurrent bombing 
of Iraq
> etc.).
>     Yet the soft part of the world system -its weakest part-  is the 
Third
> World. It is crucial that socialists in the center countries and in the
> periphery should seek new modes of cooperation and solidarity in a World 
Party
> or some other form of organization.
> Respectfully,
> C. Somel
> Dep of Economics
> Middle East Technical University
> 06531 Ankara Turkey

I simply wish to clarify to all that this discussion is not, at least in 
principle, a "discussion on forming a World Party among core
countries' intellectuals."  One of the questions under discussion,  # 3 
below, asks "Who would be the constituency of  a World Party?"  For 
people's convenience, I've re-posted the questions below.

I add that Dr. Somel's comments, in particular that "It is crucial that 
socialists in the center countries and in the periphery should seek new 
modes of cooperation and solidarity in a World Party or some other form of 
organization" -- seems right on target.


-------------------------
1. Is the idea of organizing a World Party in the near future wrong,
premature, anachronistic, too Stalinist, to Napoleonic, destined to
failure, overly compulsive, eschatological, a cabal of intellectuals
mesmerized by their own ideas,  etc.?

2.What should the long run, medium run and short run goals of the World
Party be?:
      a.  is a democratic and collectively rational global commonwealth
a desirable and feasible goal for the next century?  How  might such an
entity be organized?
       b.  should the World Party support or oppose the emergence of  a
global state?
       c.  should the WP make an effort to prevent catastrophes such as
warfare among core powers or global ecological collapse, or should we
rather concentrate on being ready to pick up the pieces after such
catastrophes happen (as in the scenario in Wagar's Short History).
        d.  what kinds of immediate struggles should the World Party
take on?

3 Who would be the constituency of  a World Party?

4. Who would be the activists?

5. How would a World Party be organized?

6. How can we create a powerful coalition of counter-hegemonic
movements: women, workers, environmentalists, Third World and indigenous
peoples. Who should be in this, and who should not be in it?

8. Where are the persuadibles. What kinds of people will not need much
persuasion? Which kinds will never be persuaded?

9. How can we help to turn the reaction against capitalist globalization
into a movement for globalization from below?