Help Conter Grow
Conter needs support to expand its activities
Philosophers have only interpreted the world, the point, however, is to change it…
The 21st Century has been defined by conflict, economic crisis and political instability. As well as the rise of the far-right, we have seen the mass movements of the left span the globe. From the anti-war movement, to the Egyptian revolution. From the development of Syriza, Corbyn and Sanders to the independence movement of 2014. The last two decades have opened up the eyes of millions to the failings of capitalism.
Now, in an era of pandemic, and with the climate emergency drawing ever closer, the system cannot resolve the challenges humanity faces. Yet, all of the major projects of the left have also been defeated. While it is true that the old world is dying, the new is not yet born. But there are indications of where it might come from, as the protests against racism and injustice that have rocked America have shown.
Conter seeks to provide a much needed, anti-capitalist analysis of these times to address these issues.
As democracy declines – this could not be more urgent. Nor could it be more pressing that the stories of resistance and struggle are given a platform. One that contests the failure of liberalism, towards a serious analysis that can aid the vital strategic discussion the left internationally must now undertake.
None of this, for Conter, is an abstract exercise. To expand our reach, our output and our capacity, we require funding. Below you will find an overview of what we have done in recent months, and what we plan to do – with your help…
During lockdown we:
• Ran weekly online forums, with internationally renowned left-wing thinkers, activists and academics. Over 2000 people attended these. From hearing directly from campaigners in Minneapolis, to the history of colonialism, to the global capitalist crisis, we created a space to discuss and debate the key political, economic and social faultlines, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. All of these have been made freely available as Podcasts.
• Hosted a much needed platform for the reflections and experiences of workers and the effects of the virus and the lockdown on their daily lives. The Workers Stories Project, covered in the Scottish press, gave an insight into the ordinary peoples lives that was missing from the mainstream media.
• Carried vital analysis of Scottish and international situation. We looked in detail at the challenges ahead for the economy, at socialist strategy, and interviewed activists from Palestine and from campaigns for asylum seekers rights as well as looking at the struggle of Romanian workers organisations in Germany. We also published what has been widely regarded as the most important analysis of the modern SNP.
• Continued to expand Contercast covering a range of Scottish and international affairs
We are now looking to expand our operation further. Having a site of anti-capitalist analysis and intervention in Scotland is not an additional extra, but a necessity in the development of left-wing ideas and in understanding how best to intervene to challenge the present social order.
To develop and grow – we need financial support. With your support we will:
• Upgrade our website, so that it will present analysis and articles in the most accessible and attractive way possible, helping us grow our audience.
• Commission new and young writers to contribute to Conter. We have an ambitious plan to bring on a raft of talented socialist writers, and will open this up to people on a monthly basis.
• Create educational events for the movement. As an example, see our upcoming series, Marxism 101 where through meetings over 10 weeks, the course explores the building blocks of Marxism. This is just a flavour of the kind of events we will run, covering history, strategy, and more. We believe that we can play a crucial role in addressing the lack of political education on the left and in the working class movement today.
• Host forums, conferences and in real life events on the major issues of the day once the virus is resolved. These will provide much needed space for us to debate how best to meet the challenges we face, as we move into a period of further volatility and economic devastation.
• Develop networks of readers among students, trade unionists, communities and activists. We believe that all struggles are made stronger when they are connected. Just like we brought the story of a bus driver in Minneapolis refusing to transport jailed protesters to community organisers in Glasgow, or the story of a Palestinian activist resisting annexation to Scottish anti-poverty campaigners, we seek to make the links, and build confidence.
• Continue to employ a part-time Editor, ensuring that we have new content daily, that writers have support, and that you are able to put your own pitches forward. With further funding, we can pay for graphics designers, video producers, studio equipment, and promotional materials.
• Expand our multi-media output with videos, graphics and new podcasts.
This – and much more – can be achieved with your generous support. We will make sure that you are kept up-to-date each week with a newsletter on all of our events, and upcoming plans.
Our Editorial Board will consult donors with polls on what issues and ideas you would like to see more coverage of, or what events you would like to see Conter host.
And, we will endeavour to bring the highest quality, interactive, online events while we prepare for meeting once again in person to navigate the best way forward.