The election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States marks a historic turning point in American and world politics. His administration’s program of “America First” nationalism, its threats to launch a full-blown trade war and its plans for direct confrontation with China are transforming the political situation in every corner of the globe, including the Asia-Pacific, and heightening the dangers of a catastrophic nuclear world war.

Stephen Bannon, Trump’s fascistic chief advisor, said last year that he was “certain” there would be a war between the US and China in the next “five to ten years.” There is no question that Washington would demand that Australia be on the frontlines of such a conflict.

Trump’s administration represents the true face of the capitalist oligarchy. It is composed of billionaires and military generals. Far from being an aberration in an otherwise peaceful and democratic society, it is the outcome of decades of social counter-revolution, growing inequality and unending war, under both Democrats and Republicans. His victory was not a product of a turn to the right among ordinary people, but of a collapse in support for the Democratic Party, which is widely reviled as an organisation of the Wall Street banks and the military intelligence agencies.

The same processes that led to Trump’s victory, including vast social inequality, the disaffection of millions of ordinary workers from the entire political establishment and the breakdown of democratic forms of rule, are underway in every country, including Australia. Likewise, the anti-capitalist and socialist sentiments that drove mass support for Democratic Party candidate Bernie Sanders, who falsely claimed to be a socialist, are developing among wide layers of workers and young people here.

These meetings of the Socialist Equality Party will explain the political origins of the Trump administration, review its personnel and extreme-right, fascistic tendencies and elaborate the revolutionary socialist and internationalist perspective required by the working class to avert the danger of a new world war.

Details:

Sydney

Sunday, February 26, 3pm
Civic Theatre
Hurstville Entertainment Centre
16 Mcmahon Street, Hurstville
$7/$5 concession

Melbourne

Sunday, February 26, 2.30pm
Meat Market Conference Centre
5 Blackwood Street
North Melbourne
$5/$3 concession

Brisbane

Sunday, February 26, 3pm
Woolloongabba Senior Citizens Centre,
22 Qualtrough Street
Woolloongabba
$5/$3 concession

Wellington, New Zealand

Saturday March 4, 4.30pm
Russell Keown House,
Meeting Room 1
Corner of Laings Road and Queens Drive
Lower Hutt
Tickets $4/$2 concession