Last revised 19 June 2021.
1. Principles of the Republican Socialist Platform (RSP)
1.1. The RSP argues that we need a Scottish Workers’ Republic. This can only be sustained by working with others internationally to develop a global commune which places humankind in a planned sustainable relationship with nature, to end capitalist exploitation, oppression, alienation and environmental degradation. This would bring about full human emancipation, liberation and self-determination (in its widest sense).
1.2. This means that in addition to upholding the sovereignty of the people, RSP promotes the fullest democratisation of all the organisations involved in struggle (e.g. in trade unions, the sovereignty of the members in the workplace over the sovereignty of officials in the union HQ). Only when we are in full control of our own organisations of struggle can we begin a transition to a new society.
2. Aims of the RSP
2.1. The RSP seeks to unite Republican Socialists in the Radical Independence Campaign.
2.2. The RSP upholds republican values of liberty, equality, solidarity and the principle of democracy based on the sovereignty of the Scottish people as organised in a self-governing democratic, secular and social republic. Citizenship should be based, not on exclusive state drawn-up criteria but on voluntary, inclusive, individual self-determination after six months residence.
2.3. The RSP therefore stands for the end of the United Kingdom and opposes the present constitution based the sovereignty of the Crown-in-Parliament and the Union of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and Protestant supremacy and privilege. We oppose the democratic limitations of the SNP leadership’s constitutional nationalism, which accepts the present constitution as the way of achieving self-government.
2.4. The RSP recognises the centrality of the working class, united in its diversity, in creating a fully democratic Scotland. The working class is the majority of the Scottish people and the only class whose power and influence depends on democratic self-organisation not on the power of wealth and property. However, we do not view the Scottish working class in isolation but as part of an international class in the rest of the UK, Europe and the world with common democratic, economic and social interests.
2.5. The RSP promotes an ‘internationalism from below’ alliance of the exploited and oppressed as the best means to counter the UK/US imperial alliance of the British ruling class and its allies, and the EU’s bureaucratic ‘internationalism’ based on the ruling classes of its existing member states. We recognise the rights of national self-determination for non-state nations, e.g. Scotland, Wales, an as yet to be reunited Ireland, the suppressed Catalan Republic and Euskadi.
2.6. The RSP fully supports women’s, BME, LGBT+ and disability rights and their struggles against oppression. As part of its opposition to LBGT+ oppression, the RSP opposes patriarchal and colonial notions of gender and sexuality, seeking to dismantle patriarchy in all its forms. The RSP opposes all attempts to divide the exploited and oppressed. The RSP defends migrant and asylum seeker rights, and fully supports the free movement of people.
3. Aims of the RSP in the wider campaign for Scottish independence, e.g. RIC
3.1. The RSP does not want to impose these Republican Socialist principles or aims on those it works with in the wider campaign for Scottish independence, e.g. RIC. However, the RSP is prepared to debate possible futures with others at meetings, hustings or online.
3.2. The RSP seeks to develop a revived RIC as a coalition of Republican Socialists, other Socialists, Left SNP, Left Greens, Anarchists, independence supporting Left Labour and non-party individuals. The aim is to organise effective action to bring about a Democratic, Secular, Scottish Republic, which is Inclusive and Environmentally Sustainable.
3.3. To achieve its aims, RSP members believe a revived RIC needs to have a national dues-paying membership, affiliated organisations and local groups. These should promote a democratic and participatory culture. The main purpose of discussion and debate amongst those from different political backgrounds is not to put down other viewpoints but to develop a new higher synthesis for more effective action. Where this is not possible, differences are acknowledged and respected. Today’s minority can become tomorrow’s majority.
4. Membership of RSP
4.1. Membership is open to those who:
a) Support RSP Principles and Aims in 1, 2 and 3
b) Accept the Comradely Conduct and Care policy
c) Pay membership dues:
i) £1 monthly for those with no regular income
ii) £2 a month for those with regular low-paid income
iii) £5 a month for those on high incomes
d) Affiliated organisations pay £25 annually
4.2. Membership Rights
a) Individual members
- can attend all business and discussion (including online) meetings (until there are 50 paid up members when the constitution may be revised)
- Have the right to submit a motion to business meetings
- Are entitled to receive minutes of meetings
- Can make contributions on the RSP List (subject to the Comradely Conduct and Care policy)
- Can submit articles on the RSP Blog (subject to the Comradely Conduct and Care policy)
b) Affiliated groups
- Have the right to submit a motion to business meetings
- Are entitled to receive minutes of meetings
- Are entitled to have a link to their website/blog on the RSP blog
5. Office Bearers
5.1. There shall be:
- an elected Secretary
- a Discussion Forum organiser, who shall be responsible for maintaining and moderating the organisation’s internal discussion forum in line with the Comradely Conduct and Care policy
- an elected Minutes Secretary
- an Accessibility Officer who shall be responsible for ensuring that the accessibility of the organisation is maintained, and who shall be empowered to advise the other Office Bearers as necessary
- an Education Officer who shall be responsible for convening the Political Education Working Group
- the Secretary and Minutes Secretary can ask for a substitute for 1 meeting
5.2. There shall be an elected Media Organiser who will maintain outward social media between meetings.
5.3. There shall be:
- an elected Treasurer
- the Treasurer will open an RSP account, with any withdrawals to be approved by 2 other Office Bearers
- the Treasurer can ask for a substitute for 1 meeting
5.4. Elections shall be annual but if Office Bearers are unable to fulfil their tasks, they can be replaced at a later meeting.
6. Meetings
6.1. There shall be monthly meetings held online until members decide otherwise at a meeting.
6.2. The date/s for meetings will be decided at the first meeting and can be modified by future meetings.
6.3. There will be an annual general meeting at which the Secretary and Treasurer will present reports. One person, decided at the previous meeting, will act as Chair/Facilitator for each meeting.
6.4. Meetings will be minuted by the Minutes Secretary.
6.5. Meetings can have topics for discussion with speaker/s decided at the previous meeting.
6.6. Members and affiliated organisations can submit motions to the Secretary 7 days in advance of a meeting. Their order will be decided at the beginning of a meeting.
6.7. Emergency motions can be proposed at the beginning of a meeting and their moving accepted by a majority vote.
6.8. Where matters arise between meetings that must be dealt with urgently, the Secretary may decide to bring forward the date of the next meeting. However, the Secretary must provide a reasonable amount of notice for the new meeting date and must be satisfied that changing the date will not exclude a high proportion of members from participating.
6.9. The Secretary may arrange for an email ballot of members in order to take decisions on various matters in circumstances where the decisions must be made urgently and the date of the next meeting cannot be brought forward, or where a previous meeting has agreed to an email ballot. Decisions by email ballot will be binding in the same way as those taken at meetings.
7. Communications
7.1. There will be an online website and blog.
7.2. There will be an RSP social media presence on a variety of platforms.
7.3. There will be an RSP discussion forum (with threads), to which all members and affiliated organisations can contribute, providing they abide by the Comradely Conduct and Care policy.
7.4. The website and social media will be the responsibility of the Media Organiser who will be accountable to the membership.
7.5. The Media Organiser will be supported by volunteers from the membership.
7.6. Accepting, reviewing and editing submissions to the blog shall be the responsibility of the Editorial Board, which shall comprise 7 editors, elected from the membership.
7.7. All official communications from office bearers to the membership should be presented in an accessible manner.