First edition of gleichheit. published

German Trotskyists Launch New Magazine

The magazine utilised full colour and all the latest advances in computer-aided layout and design.

The editorial in the first edition explains that, "The new magazine is directed towards all those who do not want to accept mass unemployment and growing poverty, and who are searching for an alternative to present social developments. It is especially directed towards the younger generation in the factories, public sector, schools and universities."

"The name has been deliberately chosen to identify the magazine with the Socialist Equality Party and the central tenets of its programme: without social equality there can be no social progress, social equality is the fundamental principle of socialism."

The magazine covers a broad spectrum of topics -- political and economic analyses, on-the-spot reports on social questions, industrial news, statements by the SEP, editorials, book reviews and articles on culture and science. A special feature of the magazine will be its international coverage, produced in collaboration with the other sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International.

As the editorial explains, "Whilst the public and private media compete in trivialising political questions and reduce them to the level of talk-show chatter, gleichheit. seeks to create a new political culture amongst workers and young people. Through conscientious research, precise analysis and piercing editorials, the magazine will bring fundamental political questions into sharp relief and assist the working class in reaching its own conclusions in opposition to the 'opinion makers' of the capitalist media."

With the publication of gleichheit., the PSG is ceasing production of its newspaper Neue Arbeiterpresse. The editorial explains that the change in both the format and frequency of publication is based on political considerations.

"Previous party publications were founded in a time in which both the German Social Democratic Party and the unions predominated over the working class. In East Germany, the Stalinist SED were firmly in control. The most important task of the newspaper at that time was to fight the influence of the bureaucratic apparatus, expose its role and propagate a socialist perspective.

"Since then, the situation has fundamentally changed. The rapid intensification of the crisis is bringing new layers of young workers and apprentices into action who are experiencing these drastic social attacks first hand. The political struggle against the old bureaucratic apparatus is directly bound up with the building of a new political alternative which will take on responsibility for leading the working class."

The magazine will enable the SEP in Germany to address workers and youth who are brought into action by the social crisis and provide them with a political orientation; explain fundamental concepts of Marxist theory and the programme of socialist internationalism in a popular way, without vulgarisation or adaptation to the current low level of political consciousness.

A European subscription costs 45DM (£20) for one year and can be ordered from:

gleichheit. Postfach 100 105, 45001 Essen, Germany.

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