Left Front (Russia)
Encyclopedia
The Left Front is a revolutionary
anti-capitalist
united front
encompassing a range of far-left and ultra-left political organisations in Russia
, as well as other countries of the former Soviet Union
. It is part of the illegal Russian United Labour Front and Garry Kasparov
's The Other Russia coalition.
, Victor Shapinov, Heydar Jemal, Alexei Sakhnin and others. That summer was the first conference of the movement, and in October - the founding conference of the Moscow regional organization. However, the wave of mass protests caused by the monetization of social benefits to the fall of 2005 came to naught, which caused a crisis in the Left Front.
This was the cause of the decline of activity of the organization. Nevertheless, the Left Front has become one of the leading forces were preparing for a second Russian Social Forum in St. Petersburg in the summer of 2006, coincided with the same time, the summit "Big Eight" . Activists of the Left Front took part in workshops at the forum, and in protests against the heads of government "Big Eight».
Since 2007, there has been a new rise of the Left Front. In many ways he was connected with cooperation with the Vanguard of Red Youth
, activists and leaders who played a major role in reviving the idea of combining the radical left. However, the preparatory period before the first congress of the organization took almost a year since the bid was made to work on the development of new regional offices, which would include both the old activists of the Left Front, and Vanguard of Red Youth
, and members of other organizations or just people leftist. In total, over one and a half years (summer 2008 - autumn 2009) has been more than 40 regional conferences, established under the areas of the country offices of the front.
An important event in the development of the Left Front was the first congress, held October 18, 2008. The main direction of work after the Congress was using Social movements, unions, labor collectives. The second focus of activists has become a so-called "propaganda of action" in which ideas and demands of leftist activists came to the society in the form of direct action
, thus attempting to overcome the difficulties of access to media. In addition, the Left Front was the organizer of the annual summer youth camps, schools, political activists, conferences, study groups for the study of socialist thought and practice, film clubs and other activities.
Revolutionary movement
Revolutionary movement is a specific type of social movement dedicated to carrying out a revolution. Charles Tilly defines it as a social movement advancing exclusive competing claims to control of the state, or some segment of it. An example of a revolutionary movement is the Armenian...
anti-capitalist
Anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism describes a wide variety of movements, ideas, and attitudes which oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists, in the strict sense of the word, are those who wish to completely replace capitalism with another system....
united front
United front
The united front is a form of struggle that may be pursued by revolutionaries. The basic theory of the united front tactic was first developed by the Comintern, an international communist organisation created by revolutionaries in the wake of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.According to the theses of...
encompassing a range of far-left and ultra-left political organisations in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, as well as other countries of the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. It is part of the illegal Russian United Labour Front and Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
's The Other Russia coalition.
Goals and objectives
The main purpose of the Platform of the Left Front declared the building of socialism in Russia. The task of the Left Front declares ensure unity among all who stand for socialism, democracy and internationalism, and coordination of left-wing opposition forces. Left Front unites now more left-wing organizations, with membership in the Left Front does not oblige its members to leave their own organization.History
The idea of creating the Left Front was born in the spring of 2005 among some activists who participated in the preparation of the first Russian Social Forum. Among them were Ilya Budraytskis, Karin Clement, Boris Kagarlitsky, Ilya PonomarevIlya Ponomarev
Ilya Vladimirovich Ponomarev is a Russian left-wing politician, entrepreneur and an author.Ponomarev holds BSc from Moscow State University and MSc from Russian State Social University in Public Administration....
, Victor Shapinov, Heydar Jemal, Alexei Sakhnin and others. That summer was the first conference of the movement, and in October - the founding conference of the Moscow regional organization. However, the wave of mass protests caused by the monetization of social benefits to the fall of 2005 came to naught, which caused a crisis in the Left Front.
This was the cause of the decline of activity of the organization. Nevertheless, the Left Front has become one of the leading forces were preparing for a second Russian Social Forum in St. Petersburg in the summer of 2006, coincided with the same time, the summit "Big Eight" . Activists of the Left Front took part in workshops at the forum, and in protests against the heads of government "Big Eight».
Since 2007, there has been a new rise of the Left Front. In many ways he was connected with cooperation with the Vanguard of Red Youth
Vanguard of Red Youth
Vanguard of Red Youth ), is a radical Russian communist youth group. Its website describes it as an "independent youth organization, entering the all-Russian public political motion." Its "territory of action" is Russia, which it insists is still the heart and soul of "the republic of the USSR."...
, activists and leaders who played a major role in reviving the idea of combining the radical left. However, the preparatory period before the first congress of the organization took almost a year since the bid was made to work on the development of new regional offices, which would include both the old activists of the Left Front, and Vanguard of Red Youth
Vanguard of Red Youth
Vanguard of Red Youth ), is a radical Russian communist youth group. Its website describes it as an "independent youth organization, entering the all-Russian public political motion." Its "territory of action" is Russia, which it insists is still the heart and soul of "the republic of the USSR."...
, and members of other organizations or just people leftist. In total, over one and a half years (summer 2008 - autumn 2009) has been more than 40 regional conferences, established under the areas of the country offices of the front.
An important event in the development of the Left Front was the first congress, held October 18, 2008. The main direction of work after the Congress was using Social movements, unions, labor collectives. The second focus of activists has become a so-called "propaganda of action" in which ideas and demands of leftist activists came to the society in the form of direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
, thus attempting to overcome the difficulties of access to media. In addition, the Left Front was the organizer of the annual summer youth camps, schools, political activists, conferences, study groups for the study of socialist thought and practice, film clubs and other activities.
Actions
Left Front holds a variety of authorized and unauthorized actions, rallies, marches. The most famous of the promotions are meetings under the title "Day of Wrath", the host organization in Moscow and in other regions of the country. In addition, the Left Front, together with its allies conducting (despite the ban on government) action "anti-capitalism", which aims, according to organizers, to show the public presence of political forces, anti-capitalist orientation.Structure
The highest governing body of the Left Front is the Congress. Tip of the Left Front carries out the current leadership of the movement, and the Board is an operational working body of the organization.Member Organizations
- Vanguard of Red YouthVanguard of Red YouthVanguard of Red Youth ), is a radical Russian communist youth group. Its website describes it as an "independent youth organization, entering the all-Russian public political motion." Its "territory of action" is Russia, which it insists is still the heart and soul of "the republic of the USSR."...
- RCYL(b) - Revolutionary Communist Youth League (Bolshevik)
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- Russian Socialist Movement
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