Pathfinder was present at this year's fair, bringing the history and lessons of the international working-class movement and the fight for socialism today. These books met an enthusiastic response by many who attended and were searching for clear political answers from a working-class point of view.

Following the book fair, the Young Socialists and the Communist Leagues in Stockholm, Sweden; London and Manchester in the United Kingdom; and Reykjavik, Iceland, organized Militant Labor Forums to present a report on the book fair and what it says about politics today.

The speakers discussed the gains made by Iranian working people through their revolution, which overthrew the U.S.-backed monarchy, as well as the current political situation in Iran and the experiences and political discussions at the Tehran Book Fair this year.

In Sweden, the Young Socialists organized a meeting with political activists among the Sami, a nomadic people who live by herding reindeer. The Sami people have lived in areas in northern Sweden for more than 1,000 years, yet the government claims they have no land rights because they lack state-authorized documents that indicate private property rights.

During my stay in Stockholm, the Sami had occupied a small section of the Parliament gardens in protest. They said they had learned how to occupy the land from the real thieves, the Swedish government. Sweden's rulers have framed up two Sami leaders on false charges of slaughtering bears and bombing a power grid.

The Young Socialists in Stockholm also took part in a protest against police brutality. In addition, they organized teams to a local high school, where we were able to have a Pathfinder book table right outside the cafeteria during lunch hours. Here we met a few youth who were interested in Che Guevara and Malcolm X. One of them explained that he had just given a classroom presentation on Malcolm X and had found the book Malcolm X Talks to Young People, which he bought at the last book table, very useful.

In London, the Young Socialists hosted a "Meet the YS" meeting where two youth interested in joining the revolutionary youth group had a chance to discuss the aims, principles, policies, and the current political campaigns of the organization. We also discussed going to the July 27-29 Active Workers Conference in Oberlin, Ohio, participating in summer school classes currently under way in the United States, and starting up a class series in London on the basics of socialism.

We were able to get out on teams to two local colleges where we sold the Militant and invited interested people to come to the forum titled "The Iranian Revolution Today."

In Manchester, we carried out a plant-gate sale at Electrium, an electronics plant. Waiting outside the plant with the Militant as people came in to work, we discovered that workers there are on a rotating strike and each day one section of the workforce does not report to work. Many of the workers stopped to talk with members of the Communist League about the strike and two bought the Militant.

The forum on the Iranian revolution held in Reykjavik was attended by 18 people, 11 of them youth. The ensuing discussion included a number of questions about U.S. politics, especially on the YS summer perspective of conducting classes and campaigning for the socialist candidates.

Two youths expressed interest in attending the Active Workers Conference in late July after discussing how it is an opportunity to link up with communist fighters from around the world and help concretize a world perspective of working-class politics.

Class in Reykjavik draws youth

The next day there was a class on a section in Capitalism's World Disorder titled "Lifetime education for all" followed by a dinner and social organized by the YS and supporters of the communist movement, which was attended by some 15 people. After the meal, the YS had a raffle that kicked off a fund drive to raise money to cover travel expenses for youth interested in attending summer school classes in the United States and the Active Workers Conference in Ohio. We raised around $100.

In every country visited, the Young Socialists is working to reach out to fighters by orienting to the working-class resistance, from getting industrial jobs for the summer to going on teams to distribute the Militant and Pathfinder literature where struggles are breaking out. They are also working to get themselves and other interested youth to the Active Workers Conference, and to participate in one of the summer school centers, which are located in New York City, Chicago, and the Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Jason Alessio is a member of the Young Socialists National Executive Committee.  
 
 
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