A-Infos (en) May Day 98 in Bradford

[Rhonda Kimberley <rkim1@students.latrobe.edu.au>]

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This document is on the web at
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/inter/mayday98.html

                MAYDAY 98 
           1-4 May 1998 Bradford

struggles for social change new ideas, new approaches

Don't believe the hype: capitalism has not gone away. 
We might live in an increasingly fragmented world, 
but everywhere it is the same social system trying to 
subject us to its laws of money, profit and power. 
And everywhere, from South Korea to South Yorkshire, 
people are pissed off - fighting back and struggling 
to regain control of their lives.

With these huge social battles looming on the 
horizon, the old softly-softly approach of reformism 
is dead in the water - the reality of the Blair 
government offers daily proof. Meanwhile for the 
orthodox Left it's business as usual - paper-sales, 
recruitment drives and one dead-end campaign after 
another. As the revolutionary movement marches in 
ever-decreasing circles, it's about time we stopped 
and asked ourselves one basic question: if our ideas 
are so great, why is our number so small?

Mayday 98 is a four day conference open to anyone and 
everyone who is serious about changing this world. 
The aim is to bring people together to share ideas 
and experiences. It will be totally different from 
anything you've been to before. The potential now 
exists for something to emerge that will go way 
beyond the crap that traditionally passes for 
politics and start to seriously threaten the social 
order. A new sort of movement unfettered by the past 
and ready for the battles of the 21st century.

We think it's time to move on and try new approaches 
- we need to get away from the sterile old debates 
that have paralysed us for years. That's why MayDay 
98 will be organised around four major themes - Land, 
Ecology and the Environment; All Worked Up; Dream 
Time; Away from the Margins. People will be breaking 
into smaller, diverse groups with each group 
discussing each of the themes throughout the weekend. 
We're not saying that these themes are the only 
things that matter, but they should help us to 
approach many of the old problems from a different 
angle. A fifth theme - Practicalities - will dominate 
events on the Monday morning and will allow us to 
start putting ideas into practice. The idea of themes 
has been lifted from the =91encuentros' - the 
international meetings of 3-4,000 revolutionaries in 
Mexico in July/August 1996 and Spain in July/August 
1997. We'd like to think that MayDay 98 will be held 
in the same spirit of genuine co-operation and open 
debate, and that it can play a part in a parallel re-
alignment of the revolutionary movement here in the 
UK.

MayDay 98 is all about encouraging new, non-sectarian 
ways of working and thinking. Like thousands of 
others we're tired of the obsessive bickering and 
point-scoring that has made the Left into a running 
joke. If our movement is to grow and succeed, it 
needs to encourage diversity, not stifle it. MayDay 
98 will only be a success if we are open and honest 
with each other and brave enough to confront new 
ideas. We all have things to learn, we all have 
knowledge to pass on.

All individuals - anarchist, communist, eco-warrior 
or whatever you choose to call yourself - are welcome 
at MayDay 98, but party lines, rigid political 
positions and hidden agendas are not. At least one of 
the discussion groups will be women-only, if women 
demand it. While MayDay 98 will be open and dynamic, 
it will not be a free-for- all: there will be no room 
for back-biting, finger-wagging and all the other 
baggage usually associated with =91politics'. The 
test of our strength is our ability to respect 
different approaches and different emphases without 
falling back into hippy-dippy liberal bullshit. We 
don't pretend that MayDay 98 will have all the 
answers: in any case the aim is not to reach some 
party line or throw up a ready-made political 
programme. It would be brilliant if other political 
projects spring out of MayDay 98, but for now our 
priority is to increase communication, understanding 
and mutual support among those actively involve d in 
struggles. Anything else is a bonus. 

*Land, ecology and the environment* ownership and 
exploitation;   anti-roads;  destruction;  from 
single issues to broader demands;   British beef;  
housing;  animal rights;  mass trespass;  Reclaim the  
Streets;  squatting.

*All worked up* out of work;  Liverpool dockers;  
flexploitation;  home work;   struggles and 
resistance;  international economy in crisis;  
Project  work;  the changing face of capitalism;  
workfare;  no more welfare;   shit work;  unpaid 
work;  house work.

*Dream Time* selling the dream;  putting practice 
into theory;  organisations and  movements;  what do 
we want (when do we want it?);  putting theory  into 
practice;  from insurrection to revolution;  post-
revolutionary  society.

*Away from the margins* resistance and empowerment;  
isolation;  individualism;  ghetto  politics;   
building a culture of resistance;  a woman's place;   
underclass;  immigration;  divide and rule;  race;   
self-organisation;   common sense in a mad world.

Timetable Friday 1 May All day Welcome and 
registration at the 1 in 12 Club 1.00    MayDay 
parade followed by MayDay gathering in Centenary 
Square

Saturday 2 May 10.00
Registration at the conference venue 
11.00   Opening session 
12.00-4.00      Themed discussion in groups

Sunday 3 May 10.00-4.00
Themed discussion in groups

Monday 4 May 10.00-1.00      
Themed discussion in groups, focusing on 
practicalities  
2.00-5.00       Reports back and closing session 

MayDay'98 has been organised to coincide with the 
annual Reclaiming  MayDay events being organised 
throughout Bradford by the 1 in 12  Club. The 
conference itself will take up less than six hours a 
day  but we expect the debates and chats to continue 
into the small hours  in the pubs, clubs and social 
centres of the city. If groups or  individuals want 
to put on their own meetings or workshops in the  
evenings, they are more than welcome; they should get 
in touch with  the MayDay Collective, c/o 1 in 12 
Club who will help them sort out  venues. Reclaim 
MayDay kicks off with a MayDay parade which assembles  
at Infirmary Fields, Westgate, at 1pm on Friday 1 
May. Other events  already organised include a 
Libertarian Film Festival at the  Pictureville 
cinema; a play entitled =91The Durruti Story'; an  
anarchist bookfair; a football tournament; gigs; and 
numerous socials  and meetings. A separate programme 
will be produced by the 1 in 12  Club closer to the 
time, or you can check out their website:  
http://www.legend.org.uk/~1in12.

MayDay 98 is being hosted by Bradford's 1 in 12 Club, 
although the actual conference will take place 
elsewhere in the city centre. The venue has good 
facilities for disabled people. The cost of the three 
day conference will be STR-15 (waged); STR-10 (low-
waged); STR-5 (unwaged). This does not include food, 
but Bradford has stacks of cheap and tasty eat ing 
places. We are hoping to provide a limited amount of 
basic =91crash' accommodation, but we expect that 
most people coming to MayDay 98 will make their own 
arrangements. We are compiling a list of cheap bed & 
breakfasts, hostels, campsites etc., which will be 
sent out with other written material, so please 
register now. There will be a creche s taffed by 
qualified child-care workers - we need to know in 
advance if you need this facility.

Name:    

Address:         

Phone: 
E-mail:          
Conference fee: STR-15 (waged) STR-10 (low-waged) 
STR-5 (unwaged) 

Yep, I've got loads of money, so here's an extra 
donation of STR- 

Creche facilities required? Yes No  
No. of children: 
Age:        
Special needs:  
I am interested in being in a women-only discussion 
group Yes No Return to MayDay 98, PO Box HH57, Leeds 
LS8 5XG. Please make all cheques/POs payable to 
MayDay 98. 

This document is on the web at
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/inter/mayday98.html
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