Ruby Healer
Do revolutions have the potential to create an entirely new kind of society, or do they merely replace one type of government with another? There have been countless revolutionary moments in which mass movements toppled dictators and smashed powerful empires, but left capitalism fundamentally intact – Germany 1918; Portugal 1976; Egypt 2011 and many more. No revolution begins with millions of people simultaneously deciding to destroy the existing system completely, yet struggles like these can raise issues and questions which point the way to a socialist solution. This session will discuss how political struggles can undermine the broader capitalist system and make possible the total transformation of our social reality, as well as the obstacles to be overcome for such a transformation to take place.