This winter thousands of young people from all over the land have took to the streets in protest. If you said to anyone in July that in a few short months they would be witnessing British students mobilising against government policy you would have been laughed at.
But this is what has taken place right across the country. It seems the time has come for British youths to join their continental comrades fighting ideological cuts in their respective nations. One Dutch online user even exclaimed on a Facebook group I use “Our students are not as militant as you but we are getting there!” As Central London and the political establishment looked on at the mobilisation of British youths so it appears has Europe.
A Security box in flames infront of the House of Parliament.
It is in my opinion however that the Scottish youth struggle should not be tied exclusive to education policy. It should be part of the wider anti-cuts movement and come to the aid of workers on picket lines and strikes. Imagine what we could do if workers, students and the unemployed united. No government could cope with a sustained campaign between such large and powerful groups within society. That startling fact surely would put any possible attack by whoever is in charge in Edinburgh or London into a cold sweat.
Political commentators are classing this as a little moment where students just merely want to grab the headlines but I really do believe that this is just beginning. The wheels are in motion for one hell of a struggle. We need to however push ‘Socialism’ and make that the buzzword around schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace. SSY should be the new Militant for a new Scotland pushing our ideas and thoughts around Scotland.
The stereotypical 21st Century apathetic youth has now been transformed into a militant young person passionate about politics.
Militant was an entrist group within Labour.
What the nation has witnessed was not a mere riot but the foundations for the politicalization of a generation and they’re crying out for a radical alternative for this rotten capitalist system. As the movement against the ‘demolition coalition’ thunders on through the streets only time will tell if it leaves a lasting legacy on the minds and political of this generation. In the past Militant led a generation to Socialist principles but is this possible again? At one point Militant was described as the ‘fifth biggest party in Britain (after Labour, Conservative, Liberal and the SDP). In very recent times the Scottish Socialist Party was the fifth biggest party in Scottish politics showing there is a real appetite for Socialism.
Barely being able to get a cigarette paper between New Labour and the Tories now allows socialist parties to scream out as the alternative to the working class. For the Scottish youth movement the next months will be crucial. The country will learn the plans on how to fund education and any plans for tuition fees or a graduate tax will need to be opposed. Already we have seen a solid base to build on with protests and occupations in several cities. This should hopefully strike fear into anyone who plans to impose such measures on the Scottish people.
Scottish youths should and hopefully will be on the picket lines backing workers in their fight. What could be created from this education struggle is a broad gathering of all members of society opposing attacks on the public sector.
The Times Are A-Changin’
And so it begins.
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I like the post, there’s a couple of really important points in there: 1) The need for unity between different sectors of the population mobilising to oppose cuts rather than allow ourselves to be defeated by ‘divide and rule’ tactics as the state tries to play one group off against another, and organisations such as the NUS try to organise purely sectional campaigns and oppose unity from below, and 2) The importance of developing and advancing a socialist alternative as part of building a mass movement against cuts. I aso think it’s important to draw attention to the effect that these mobilisations are having on young people’s political consciousness, which will become clearer over time. As you say, “the wheels are in motion for once hell of a struggle”.