The Militant (logo)  
Vol.63/No.35       October 11, 1999  
 
 
'People have been asking for this book'  
{Campaigning with 'Capitalism's World Disorder' column}  
 
 
BY PATRICK O'NEILL 
"We set out to revisit the picket lines at Introforest in Durham, Ontario, where Local 500 of the International Woodworkers of America was organizing a charity BBQ and lawn sale," writes Sylvie Charbin in one of a number of reports from teams promoting Capitalism's World Disorder: Working-Class Politics at the Millennium.

"On the way," she continues, "we stopped at a bookstore in Owen Sound that one of the strikers had told us about. When we arrived at the picket line we described the visit to Chrystelle, a striker, and showed her our briefcase of sample books. Her husband is a beef farmer. She immediately bought a copy of Capitalism's World Disorder. She also bought Women's Evolution, by Evelyn Reed."

Capitalism's World Disorder is Path-finder's newest book. The speeches by Socialist Workers Party leader Jack Barnes printed in the book address the key political developments of the last decade and more, helping orient all those fighting capitalist injustice.

That's why supporters of Pathfinder are organizing a campaign to sell the book to workers, farmers, and young people across the United States and in a number of other countries, and to place it in bookstores and libraries where many more working people can get the chance to see it.

From New Zealand, Janet Roth writes, "Three socialist workers from Auckland took part in a sales trip to Palmerston North and the Hawkes Bay, visiting bookstores and selling outside plant gates and to university students.

"First stop was the house of a student who had bought Capitalism's World Disorder and a subscription to the Militant the last time we called. We spent two and a half hours with him and six of his friends. After a presentation by a Young Socialists member there was discussion on the intervention by imperialist troops in East Timor.

"None of those present agreed with the team members' view that this is a setback for the struggle by East Timorese for their independence. They also weren't backing the intervention, however, with a couple expressing concern that it would just lead to more bloodshed. At the end, the host bought two pamphlets, the Communist Manifesto and Abortion is a Woman's Right."

Roth reports that the team also set up outside "a meatpacking plant and food processing factory, where we sold five Militants apiece. That was in the Hawkes Bay; in Palmerston North, we sold outside a clothing factory of 80–100 workers, where one woman bought a copy after seeing the paper's coverage of union struggles. A four-hour sale at Massey University netted sales of 15 Militants and a copy of Malcolm X Talks to Young People."

Naomi Craine reports from a three-person, three-day team in the Newport News, Virginia, area that built on the work of previous teams. Thirty-one workers bought copies of the Militant at sales outside the giant Newport News and Norshipco shipyards, and at two meatpacking plants.

"Our biggest success among visits to bookstores," she recalls, "was to a small store with a lot of titles on the Black struggle that a Newport News worker had suggested. The store also carries other items, such as food and clothing.

"After a couple of visits the buyer ordered 10 titles, including a copy of Capitalism's World Disorder and a range of books and pamphlets on struggles against national oppression and imperialism.

"They organize some political events at the store, including a seminar on the fight against slavery in November, and bus trips to the site of Nat Turner's slave rebellion," adds Craine.

Another special team is currently on the road in the western coal fields; next week's column will report on their experiences.

Capitalism's World Disorder was among the top sellers at Pathfinder bookstore stalls at bookfairs in Baltimore and New York. "'People have actually been asking for the book' said the owner of a Baltimore bookstore as he ordered three copies of Capitalism's World Disorder," writes Barbara Greenway.

The visit to his store followed up on the work of the six volunteers who staffed a stall at the September 24–25 "Baltimore Reads Bookfair." Participants at the fair bought $675 worth of Pathfinder literature, including four copies of Capitalism's World Disorder, as well as 30 Militants and two subscriptions to the paper, Greenway reports. "The number one topic of discussion was Cuba, and we sold 16 different books on this subject."

At the "New York is Book Country" Festival in Manhattan on September 25, nine people bought Capitalism's World Disorder, with total sales going over $900. As in Baltimore, many people wanted to talk about the fight to free the Puerto Rican political prisoners, and were drawn to the Pathfinder pamphlet Independence is a Necessity by Puerto Rican independence fighter Rafael Cancel Miranda.  
 
 
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