While Americans will be celebrating freedom for their upcoming Fourth of July weekend, socialists in Australia will be hosting a conference with lessons in “Marxism 101.”
“Socialism 2015," described as a "A Weekend of Radical Ideas and Politics,” will be hosted on July 4 and July 5 at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. According to the Facebook event for the conference, the "Socialism" conference will emphasize "racism and resistance in Australia today."
The conference promises to be discussion-based, with approximately twenty events for individuals to attend to learn more about how to support the socialist mission.
A “Marxism 101: Historical Materialism” talk teaches individuals how to defend socialism against capitalist detractors and fight for the socialist revolution:
There are a million and one anti-Marxist catchphrases that get thrown around by those with no real knowledge of Marx or his ideas. "Marx said socialism was inevitable and he was wrong", "it can't happen because of human nature", "revolutions can't happen in the west", "Marx reduces everything to class"... and the cliches go on.
Come to this session to learn what socialists actually think about the relationship between the economy and society, and how revolutions can happen, and the role of human agency in bringing about the fundamental social change we sorely need.
Another “Marxism 101” segment dedicated to “gender and sexuality” highlights how to fight back against the sexism, homophobia, and transphobia in addition to the “distorted and repressive” “construction of gender and sexuality under capitalism:”
Despite the ravings of the fedora-wearing community, women continue to suffer from sexism in all aspects of their lives. The gender pay gap, lack of secure employment, sexist advertising and industries are just some of the many ways that society discriminate against and oppress women.
Society also remains deeply homophobic; LBGTI people suffer discrimination in the law, at work, at school, and in the broader community.
Apart from these specific forms of oppression, the whole construction of gender and sexuality under capitalism is distorted and repressive.
This forum will explore why this is the case and how the fight against sexism and sexual oppression can be organised.
Although Marx famously described religion as the “opiate” of the masses, an event about “Marxism, religion, and Islamophobia” assures socialists will not tolerate Islamophobia:
"Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."
This quote from Marx makes it obvious that socialists are not hostile to religion as such. In fact, today it is largely the oppressed who turn to religion as a way to ameliorate misery and as a framework within which to fight back.
This session will analyse how class and religion intersect to produce the complexities of religion we see around us, and argue that solidarity with the oppressed necessitates rejecting the militant and racist atheism that is often uncritically accepted on the left.
Despite Marx making his opposition to the use of money clear throughout his writing, prospective attendees must purchase tickets to attend “Socialism.” People who are unemployed can buy tickets to “Socialism” at a reduced fare, implementing what is often considered by Marxists to be the dirty capitalist trick of price discrimination.
For a one-day ticket, prices are 20 AUD (approximately $15.36 as of June 4) for an individual who is employed, 10 AUD (approximately $7.68) for someone who is unemployed. To attend the full two days of the conference, tickets are 40 AUD (approximately $30.73) for workers, and 20 AUD (approximately $15.37) for the unemployed.
At checkout, the socialists advertise their own newspaper, “Red Flag," and offer individuals the opportunity to purchase a subscription to the paper at an additional cost: a four-month subscription trial for 10 AUD (approximately $7.68), a six-month subscription for 40 AUD (approximately $30.73) and a one-year subscription for 75 AUD (approximately $57.62).
In case those are not enough opportunities to pledge one’s hard-earned money to the socialist cause, don't worry: a “solidarity” ticket to the conference can be purchased at a premium of 60 AUD (approximately $46.11).
If that still is not enough Marx, Australia also hosts a larger annual "Marxism" conference that traditionally takes place Easter weekend. This year's "Marxism" conference focused on "ideas to challenge the system:"