So what is Resistance?

November 11, 1998
Issue 

The founders of Resistance were part of the youth rebellion of the '60s. Inspired by the Cuban and Vietnamese people's fight for freedom, Australian activists formed a revolutionary youth organisation in 1967.

From a small group of determined activists in Sydney, we have grown to be the largest, fastest growing socialist youth organisation in the country.

Throughout our 30-year history, Resistance has fought against every form of injustice: from the Franklin Dam to the destruction of Kakadu, campaigning against privatising education, for women's rights in International Women's Day and Reclaim the Night collectives, campaigning in solidarity with people's freedom struggles from Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua to Indonesia and East Timor, just to name a few.

This past year has continued that rich tradition. Resistance has been in the forefront of struggles against racism: organising against the Jabiluka uranium mine, protesting John Howard's 10-point plan against native title and, most famously, organising the two massive high school walkouts against Pauline Hanson's One Nation. We've become the ones that Pauline, and the right-wing media hacks, love to hate (and proud of it!).

And let's face it. Being part of an organisation that resists the status quo is the most independent and radical stand you can take.

Instead of feeling angry but helpless, by working alongside hundreds of others you can make a difference. And seeing thousands of young people getting organised and taking a stand inspires others to do the same.

But we don't resist just these injustices, and we're not after band-aid solutions.

You have to question the whole structure of the society, how it's run and for whose benefit. Under the present system, capitalism, decisions are taken purely on the basis of what's profitable for the Packers and Murdochs of the world. Damn the environment, damn workers' rights, forget about sanity — this is business!

That has to change. And that's what we're all about. Rather than private profit, we're organising for a society based on democratic decision-making, people's power and the best interests of everybody — that's what socialism is.

Resistance is composed of high school students, university and TAFE students, workers and those without work — all under the age of 26.

We organise democratically, everybody deciding on our perspectives and how we use our resources. An organisation which is financed, run and directed by young people means that we are free to form our own views and carry out campaigns the way we decide to.

All Resistance branches have regular meetings. Once a year Resistance holds its national conference, our highest decision-making body. All members can have their say on particular issues and campaigns at branch meetings and at the national conference. We decide on campaign priorities and elect an accountable national leadership to make decisions between national conferences.

That, in a nutshell, is what we're about — a collective, wholesale and organised rebellion against injustice.

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