This Saturday will see student activists come together for a conference called ‘Another Education is possible’ (for some background and analysis see the article ‘Another politics is possible’. Here are the proposals we in Communist Students sent off this morning:

Amendment: No war on Iran (223 words)

The global economic crisis has made world imperialism more belligerent, not less. The danger of an attack on Iran grows day by day. ‘Another Education is Possible’ is part of the international movement to stop another disastrous war in the Middle East. The ongoing nightmare of Iraq underlines that US-led imperialist forces can only introduce social meltdown and chaos.

Democracy cannot be delivered from on high – neither through bombs, US-financed coups or economic sanctions, which are just another form of war. Democracy must be won from below, by the peoples themselves. That’s why we support the Stop the War Coalition and Hands Off the People of Iran, which is in active solidarity with the workers’, women’s and in particular the radical student organisations in Iran who are fighting both against an imperialist attack on their country as well as their own repressive regime.

Hopi organises meetings, press conferences, fundraising events, conferences, video links to Iran and other activities, particularly on university campuses. Hopi supporters include the Green Party, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), ASLEF, Tony Benn, John McDonnell MP, Diane Abbott MP, Workers Left Unity-Iran, Naomi Klein, Ken Loach, Michael Mansfield QC, John Pilger, Noam Chomsky, Bill Bailey, the Scottish Socialist Party, the Communist Party of Great Britain, Iran Bulletin and hundreds more individuals and organisations.

Amendment: For the unity of Marxists as Marxists (246 words)

The decrepid system of capitalism produces a drive to imperialist war, the destruction of human culture and the environment. Marxists must fight this system tooth and nail. We must unite around a programmatic vision for a higher, socialist form of society and patiently argue for this. Marxism must become hegemonic on campuses, in workplaces and in society at large. Socialism is the victory of democracy and self-emancipation of the majority of society – the working class and its allies – and as such must be a conscious act.

It is time for these politics – the politics of Marxism – to become the basis of our political activity and campaigns. Other forms of politics – left reformism, populism, etc – are not staging posts on the way to Marxism. They are reactionary alternatives to it and Marxists should never propagate them for the sake of quick popularity.

We need Marxism as the basis of our unity and we need it now – not at some undefined point in the future.

Unity means that we must allow for the fullest public expression of minority views, for groups of comrades to form tendencies and factions, and for the development of lively, active branches where discussions are held and actions co-ordinated. At a time when the systemic failures and irrationalities of capitalism lie so clearly exposed, the Marxist left have big responsibilities. Principled politics, not ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes, are what is required.

Chris Strafford (Manchester Metropolitan University) – Block of 10 Manifesto

Undermined by careerists and Labour bureaucrats, the NUS was never the campaigning student movement that is necessary to fight for the democratic and self-liberating education system we need. As a Marxist, member of Communist Students and Hands Off the People of Iran, I fight for:

• Free Education: for the introduction of a living grant

• A total overhaul of NUS structures: more accountability, transparency and democratic elections on every level

• International solidarity and anti-imperialism: Troops out now. No war, no sanctions on Iran

• Women’s liberation: free contraception, abortion on demand and 24 hour childcare

• LGBT and sexual liberation