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‘Shouting fire’: judge Oliver n Letters and debate n Free Speech Campaign Wendell Holmes is no guide n Indian farmers survival fight for left on free speech n Debating the January 6 coup No 1335 February 18 2021 Towards a mass Communist Party £1/€1.10 LIVE AT LABOUR’S WITCH‑HUNT TRIAL weekly 2 February 18 2021 1335 worker LETTERS

members set about electing a and categorically emphasised that conditions. If I say capitalism is liberate Burma, but to steal it as Letters may have been new general secretary, if only as autism is not caused by vaccines really bad news for women, men a colony for itself, that the BNA shortened because of space. Some names a symbolic first blow in bringing - there is no cure for autism, just and children, I would be rightly flipped sides to fight the Japanese.  may have been changed democracy to the party?” as there is no cure for any form of derided as an absolute moron, I The Burma National Army, of Labour In Exile Network sexual orientation! Additionally, I think Julie Holland’s ‘Islam is bad majority Bamar ethnicity, became will be launched at its founding never dispute a person’s cause of news for women’ should be seen firm Bamar supremacists, learning Still members! conference on Saturday February autism, regardless of whether it is in the same light. from the racial supremacism of Labour Party members being 27 at 11am. It will be holding a brain injury or genetic factors. Of course, as a communist, I the Japanese and the British. ‘purged’ under Keir Starmer are briefing meeting on the ‘purge’ These people in Neurodivergent believe in the struggle against This would ripple into later refusing to leave the party - and in the party at 7pm on Saturday Labour are also autistic advocates, actually existing social conditions. organisations through leaders like they’re even considering printing February 20. For more details go and associated with some of However, for those outside the the Japanese-trained Ne Win, as their own membership cards as to www.labour-in-exile.org. the most potentially ableist main centres of imperialism that they formed a Bamar variant of an act of defiance. Since Keir Labour In Exile Network organisations - one organisation struggle is not just for internal fascist ideology, crystallised in the Starmer became leader, hundreds email justified making a mockery of emancipation, but requires a Burma Socialist Programme Party. of members have been suspended my lack of oxygen in the brain struggle against an imperialist Aung San Suu Kyi was not a or expelled. But now a fightback Ableism causing autism. In addition, this system of domination. You can critic of the genocide, but in fact is underway. While there have been so many organisation is not only hostile struggle all you like against your made up excuses for it, providing a Terry Deans, who was punitively suspensions in the Labour Party, to people of my diagnosis, but own immediate rulers, but that valuable, but ineffective, political suspended by the party last year we have yet to hear whether there those with Asperger Syndrome, doesn’t solve the fact that you cover. For being a ‘symbol of said: “People are being kicked are any based on ableism. On because only the word ‘autism’ consume much less than those democracy’ (and I use that phrase out because Starmer is creating a October 13 2019, I resigned from can be used. A number of people, living in the imperialist core, that tongue in cheek - a symbol new party in his own image. But Neurodivergent Labour by writing including myself, have suffered a higher proportion of your income promoted in the west), she did this is our party and we’re not a letter to John McDonnell, MP cyber-bullying, discrimination is spent on essentials like food - not not have much to say on minority going anywhere.” Following an and former shadow chancellor, and abuse from such autistic forgetting all the other indicators, rights or the right for suffrage for investigation by Labour’s national who gave huge support to this advocates that include members of like child mortality rates. This those minorities. executive committee, Falklands group. Neurodivergent Labour. is why ‘degenerate’ leadership Suu Kyi, with her Nobel Peace War veteran Deans was sentenced In order to provide more detail, The Labour leadership is well manifests itself continuously Prize, became a useful tool of the to a 12-month suspension - a I was born with lack of oxygen aware of these incidents. I have outside the imperialist core; it military as a toothless figurehead decision that has left him puzzled, at the brain and was diagnosed sent my personal medical file isn’t actually ‘degenerate’, but is - a puppet to lift US sanctions as he was denied a hearing. He is with autism by Dr Ken Soddy, to the Labour Party HQ in the a totally rational outcome. It just and ease domestic tension by still awaiting acknowledgement of who was consultant and physician strictest confidence. But is this seems irrational to those who are providing a legitimate face for his submission of appeal nearly in charge of the development of leadership taking action against too lazy to think deeper or too fascist rule. The entire time Suu five months after lodging it child and adolescent psychiatry such ableism? We are a socialist prejudiced to think otherwise. Kyi was ‘in power’ Myanmar had a within the two-week deadline of at University College Hospital. In organisation with the duty to tear Julie Holland appears to fit both constitution written by the military, the suspension date given to him addition, he was scientific director discrimination “out by the roots” these possibilities. in which the army controlled at by the party. Now, like growing of the World Federation for Mental - a phrase used by the Labour I am sure she believes that all least 25% of parliament by default numbers of members, he is Health, consultant to the World Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer. It that needs to happen is for someone through military appointments. planning to fight back. Health Organisation and a member is important that Labour fights like Bill Gates to wave his magic Many following reports of attacks He said: “As was reported of its expert panel on mental against all forms of discrimination! wand, teach the natives a few against ethnic minorities (Suu following last year’s Equality health, as well as consultant to Austin Harney tricks and suddenly the world is Kyi is Bamar) say the attacks and Human Rights Commission the home office. This diagnosis Hertsmere safe for women. I believe there are increased and it was reported looking into anti-Semitism in was confirmed more than 20 years serious structural barriers that will that her government attempted the Labour Party, the disputes before Hans Asperger’s paper Unhinged prevent this from happening and to install statues of her father (a and disciplinary process is on the mild forms of autism was Julie Holland’s response to what only a complete reorganisation Bamar) in the communities of dysfunctional and not fit for recognised in 1994. I previously wrote is completely of society along communist lines ethnic minorities being oppressed. purpose. All I want is a proper, At an early age, I was taken unhinged (Letters, February 11). I will ultimately solve these social Those ethnic minorities were fair justice system. So we are away from mainstream education have no idea how she arrives at the questions. prevented from voting. not leaving the party, nor are we and put in a ‘special school’ for conclusion that I am a “vile racist” Unfortunately, so long as we But despite the fact that Suu Kyi starting a new party. The Labour autistic children. These schools (this coming from someone who have a capitalist system based on was a paper tiger, she was looked Party is our party and we are in the 70s were appalling. My rants about equality and diversity western values, Islam will remain on by western imperialists as a staying put.” parents fought battles to ensure officers!), and maybe she could a rational outcome and response potential partner, posing with Bush It’s Starmer, Deans said, who that I was educated in mainstream point out the specific quotes which to social conditions. Yes, we can and Obama, while the military should be leaving Labour, not schooling and they succeeded, but lead her to believe this. support the struggles against was looked on as a loyal partner the members he’s trying to purge. the medical authorities were, still, I think she says this about me it, but we should not reinforce of China. With Chinese ambitions He said: “Starmer is trying to monitoring my progress. on completely unsubstantiated the illusion that this fix can be in Myanmar with Belt and Road - dismantle Labour and build a new, In 1978, I had an ECG test grounds, but has nothing to say achieved by engineering projects as well as the Covid-19 outbreak rightwing party in his own image. at the Whittington Hospital, about Ted Hankin’s openly racist in Niger, as useful as they may or that many experts said required a The majority of members don’t which is part of Jeremy Corbyn’s generalisations about Muslims may not be. military lockdown to control - it’s want to know. Why should we be constituency. At the age of 11, it (Letters, December 17). She Maren Clarke likely that Suu Kyi was seen as forced to leave our party because was painful and distressing to be seems a fanatical Islamophobe, email outliving her usefulness, resulting of Starmer?” told, shortly after my ECG test, which, I should point out, is very in her removal. Deans is one of the founding that I was “brain-damaged”. I was fashionable among all the fascist Myanmar The real power behind the members of a new group called finally assessed by Dr Dora Black, movements of the imperialist The recent arrest of Aung San throne, the military, needed to Labour In Exile Network which who was an NHS consultant child centre. They also complain a lot Suu Kyi has likely less to do with show China that they are a most will be meeting later this month and adolescent psychiatrist. She about equality and diversity. a coup against democracy and reliable partner for decades to to launch a campaign to change was also founder of the Traumatic I would also be very interested more to do with the semi-colonial come and that there’s nothing to the party. He says they may even Stress Clinic in London (the first to see where I said there is some relationship that Myanmar has worry about. print their own Labour Party of its kind for children in the sinister plot in relation to Bame with China. So far from what The idea that Myanmar was membership cards to prove their United Kingdom). people and their susceptibility I’ve read, Trotskyists completely ever on a road to bourgeois commitment to the party. But the Dr Black concluded that the to Covid. Has she been reading neglect to mention this. Fascist democracy was an illusion. A cards will bear the original clause lack of oxygen to my brain did another letter, or is she so Myanmar is the oldest regional bourgeois democracy requires four of the Labour constitution, cause my autism, but I showed intoxicated with Islamophobia ally of the People’s Republic of a serious crisis, a bourgeois calling for the common ownership signs of improvement. Therefore, that she is seeing things? I believe China: not only a military ally, democratic revolution, a mass of industry, which was later she confirmed that I could stay in in no such conspiracy and can’t but an economic one, where cheap uprising, or a war where the victor rewritten when Tony Blair was mainstream education. even imagine what that conspiracy raw materials such as jade can be installs it. It was a foolish lie that leader. Deans said: “The cards I would like to thank the could be. extracted, as well as cheap labour. it could democratise as a result of will show people that, whatever National Health Service for “The Weekly Worker was kind It has also become one of the a change of heart by the fascists. Starmer does, whether he suspends providing such great specialists. enough to print my letter pointing first steps in the Belt and Road So what next for Myanmar? or expels us, and whatever he does Today, I am contributing to out that Islam, to put it mildly, is Initiative. The manoeuvring of the military to the party, the original party the Labour Party and the trade very bad news for women,” she In recent years it has become seems designed to bring Myanmar remains and we remain members union movement. In my personal says. This is such a postmodernist known for the ethnic cleansing closer to China, but it is also of it.” opinion, it is to heroines like Dr statement - as if Islam is a new and genocide of the Rohingya an unpopular decision with the Another issue LIEN plans to Dora Black that the Labour Party fashion or something. The recent people - an ethnic minority of masses. Suu Kyi remains very take up is the controversial part and the trade union movement rise of Islam, if that is even the Muslims, some of whom seem to popular, and her supporters may played by the general secretary owe a debt of gratitude. case, can be linked directly to the have formed both nationalist and attempt to build a movement. But of the party. Deans said: “I stand Sadly, many members of murderous activities of western religious fundamentalist groups I cannot see a movement of just in solidarity with my chair and Neurodivergent Labour have imperialism, among other things. to resist the genocide. The ethnic the Bamar. At some point, if the secretary - comrades who have refused to recognise my autism If this is bad news for women, cleansing is deeply tied to fascist Myanmar people who are Bamar been suspended following an being caused by lack of oxygen look closer to home for the Japanese invasion and occupation, want to end military rule, they will unconstitutional directive by the to the brain and made nasty and solution. Islam is rooted in the and also to imperialist British likely need the help and support acting general secretary, David condescending criticisms of my conditions of society, is a rational colonialism. It was under the of ethnic minorities. They have to Evans, for doing the jobs they diagnosis on social media. They social organisation in the context three-year Japanese occupation demand an end to the persecution were elected by their members to even threatened to take action of where it developed. It simply that the Burmese National Army, of ethnic minorities to make that do - namely, facilitating members’ against me if I dared to make expresses a form of human social trained by the fascist Japanese happen. They will need more motions to their local parties. The the cause of my autism public. organisation, just as capitalism (and led by the father of Suu Kyi), allies. present general secretary was In addition, they accused me does. To frame it within the attacked ethnic minorities, as Otherwise, their fate is going appointed by Starmer and has of providing ammunition to the context of ‘bad for women’ or not Japan attempted to wrest control to be left up to the bigger regional played a disgraceful part in trying ‘anti-vaxxers’ and so called ‘cure- is a travesty of critical thinking from the British. powers of India and China. to restrict free speech in the party. mongers’ of autism. But I have and is actually an abdication of It was only after it became Art Francisco Why shouldn’t grassroots Labour campaigned against these groups the real struggle to change social clear that Japan didn’t seek to The Marxist Line BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07903 054393 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected] weekly worker 1335 February 18 2021 3 LABOUR Live at the witch trials Starmer’s ‘advisory board’ is part of a wider push to eliminate all opposition to Israel, says Paul Demarty o the complete lack of surprise on the old glamour, but barely keeping of everyone, the Labour Party’s the roof on our country pile. Brexit T new ‘advisory board’ on anti- has further reduced their strategic Semitism looks rather like it will only wriggle-room, and so termination of be giving out very particular sorts of current friendly relations with their ‘advice’. Israeli step-sibling would be to their Its membership, published last great disadvantage. The ideological week, reads like a who’s who of offensive against anti‑Zionism stems witch-hunting creeps: from the foreign office and British n Mike Katz of the Jewish Labour state interests; it takes the absurd, Movement, the British sister hysterical form it does simply organisation of the Israeli Labor because the conduct of the Israeli Party; state, in which the UK colludes, is n Marie van der Zyl of the Board transparently indefensible except in of Deputies of British Jews, whose the most warped moral universe. recent exploits include attempting to The Labour Party is not riddled get Ken Loach cancelled; with anti-Semitism, but it certainly is n Margaret Hodge MP, who will take riddled with anti‑Zionism, and that, in time out from demanding the internet the end, is the problem. This has to is banned to call some more people be stressed. There is, for comparison, “fucking anti-Semites”, we suppose; pervasive evidence of bigotry against n various other Jewish ‘community Muslims and majority‑Muslim ethnic leaders’ rigorously handpicked from groups in the ranks and hierarchy of those ‘community organisations’ the Tory Party, but the latter is not devoted to Zionism; generally considered unfit to govern n and Doreen Lawrence (mother of on account of it, or subject to relentless black teenager Stephen Lawrence, hostile campaigns in the press, who was murdered in 1993), or bullied into forming ‘advisory presumably to give the whole thing boards’ staffed by Islamist ideologues the skimpiest fig leaf of respectability disguised as humble ‘community in the mind of genuine anti-racists. representatives’. (Neither, for that What we have is a star chamber, matter, is the extensive presence of whose sole purpose will be to grind Hindutva ideologues in certain local what remains of fairness and natural Labour organisations apparently a justice in Labour’s internal politics to matter of any great concern.) The a gory paste, via the use of relentless reason is merely that there is no defamation and oceans of crocodile strategic imperative on the part of the tears. The only good thing about the British state that demands such action. composition of this committee is We need to see things on that wider that its purpose is so transparent: it canvas of geopolitics and strategy to demonstrates that the Labour right understand two pertinent political and other supporters of Zionism failures of the left. no longer attempt to conceal their Members of Neturei Karta protest against Israel The first - the belief in the need activities under the appearance of due to construct a left-centre alliance process and political debate. Hard as people in the lurch. It may very well ‘definition’ of anti‑Semitism, that Israel can - not even the Saudis, against the Labour right to compete it may be to see today, with the left be the case that their struggle will which openly conflates the latter whose genocidal intervention in the for government under the existing in such total disarray, this is in fact a be defeated, indeed that the Labour with anti‑Zionism. (With the usual Yemeni conflict is quite unsustainable constitutional arrangements - is sign of weakness - ideas that must be left has already lost due to the two‑facedness of Tory education without ongoing material support the essential failure of the Corbyn defended by bureaucratic force and aforementioned errors on the part of ministers, Gavin Williamson from outside the region. Why? movement: the prehistory to spurious hysteria are not ideas with its treacherous misleaders. If we want simultaneously proposes ‘free The reason is simple: all the Starmer’s star chamber. This failed much rigour or confidence behind that process to result in something speech’ measures that will allow aforementioned Arab regimes not because the left was not crafty them. other than generalised despair, then ‘controversial’ speakers the right to are unreliable, fundamentally enough in its tactics in relation to The left, still, is in a weak spot - we who call ourselves Marxists, and sue universities for ‘no‑platforming’ because their alliance with the US the centre, but because the centre which is not to say the fight is over: by implication claim the clearest view them, and therefore have a chilling is unpopular - a dirty matter that is is loyal to the state, and the state merely that it is a very difficult one. All of the line of march and so on, had effect on the right to protest.) politely brushed under the carpet. demands reliable imperialist its toeholds in the apparatus are gone. better dedicate some of our energy The position of Israel, however, is functionaries for its governments. After four years of capitulation after to fighting for the future allegiance Background unique. It is, as noted, a settler colony Starmer’s dalliance with Pabloites in capitulation to the very ghouls about of those politically activated or It seems an awful lot of fuss over - the telos of settler‑colonialism is the the 80s notwithstanding, he proved to start dispensing their ‘advice’, all reactivated by the Corbyn moment. what is, at the end of the day, a final displacement or extermination his loyalty long ago, not least by in the name of being elected into The other reason is simply that, settler‑colony of less than 10 million of the ‘natives’, but that has proven colluding in the securocracy’s dirty government, the leaders of the Labour unfortunately, the witch‑hunt against people, founded (if one looks too impossible. It thus needs permanent work as attorney general. Corbyn left either went over to the other side anti-Zionism is hardly limited to closely) on the sort of fin‑de‑siècle military superiority against the was not reliable, never mind the or were reduced to impotent silence. the Labour Party. Comrades will racial nationalism that has generally combined forces of its neighbours hundreds of thousands who backed After all, had they not endlessly encounter the same wrecking actions aged very badly in the years since - as demonstrated half a century him with firmly anti-imperialist and/ repeated the big lie that Labour was in the trade unions, especially if the World War II. Why should the great ago in the wars of 1967 and 1973. or pro‑Palestinian sympathies. riddled with anti-Semitism? If what right makes a serious effort to regain and the good strain reason well This makes it entirely dependent on The second failure is the tendency Ken Livingstone said in 2016 was so Unite and similar unions - are we to past breaking point in its defence? outside aid. It is a modern equivalent for the left to equivocate on the unacceptable, why not what Jeremy abandon ship there as well? Anti‑Semites - that is, real ones, who of the ‘crusader states’ set up by question of free speech. This is Corbyn said in 2020? Even if we did, we would not have by no means disappeared - have western Christian invaders in the dealt with elsewhere in this issue, Beyond the marquee names of escape. Wider civil society is an answer: it is the ‘world Jewish Middle Ages. If the tap is ever turned but we must highlight one question: Corbynism though (and the diseased increasingly terrorised by witch- conspiracy’. Marxists look elsewhere, off, Israel is toast. to oppose free speech for particular likes of the Alliance for Workers’ hunters. This week saw the firing and start, as always, with the question: The Israelis need the Americans; undesirables - usually fascists and Liberty), there has always been a of the American journalist, Nathan cui bono? America needs Israel, its unsinkable racists - is by definition to accept considerable mass of outrage at the J Robinson, from The Guardian, What role does Israel play aircraft carrier, to keep its strategic the state’s right to determine who is sheer cynicism of the ‘anti-Semitism’ on account of a sarcastic tweet in geopolitics? We must start opponents in the region bottled up. and is not a racist or a fascist, and defamation campaign. The Labour concerning the way the US Congress with its location: the ancient That is not to say there is never therefore subject to infringements Party doubled in size during and after managed to agree $500 million in strategic crossroads of the eastern friction (see prime minister Binyamin on their freedoms. The disastrous Corbyn’s leadership campaign, and military aid to Israel, at the same Mediterranean, close to the northern Netanyahu’s insubordination towards logic of this is most plain in the most of those who came in - so far as time as grinding to a halt over Covid end of the Red Sea (and occasionally Barack Obama and near‑open anti‑Semitism smear campaign. The they had a ‘line’ on Israel-Palestine - relief. Robinson is perhaps better on it, depending on the state of favouritism towards Donald Trump); left is full of racists! It is full of the were firmly in favour of the oppressed known as the ultra‑preppy editor relations with Egypt). but even Bibi will only ever go so same opinions that occasioned the Palestinian Arabs, and outraged by of Current Affairs - a more dapper The great powers of the world need far. The US, meanwhile, cannot very worst crimes of fascism! the crimes committed against them by Jacobin - and one rather suspects that friends in that region. Russia was do without Israel unless it finds a Since we shall be subjected to Israel. It is the task of Keir Starmer, the pressure to sack him came down drawn to prop up Bashar al‑Assad’s replacement that it can arm to the more and more intrusive policing on general secretary David Evans and from London. He is, of course, guilty regime in order to retain naval access teeth with jet‑fighters and nukes; these grounds in the near future, now their friends to get rid of all these of no crime other than opposition to to the Mediterranean. The foremost and the world hegemon’s obvious would be a good time to abandon these disreputable types; and many will the current pro-Israel sentiments of world power, the United States, is inability to construct order even in two, closely linked errors. We must, fight back, and indeed are fighting the establishment. no different, and indeed has many countries it occupies makes that look instead, delegitimise state loyalty, back. We mentioned van der Zyl’s friends in the region. Most of them rather unlikely. and denounce all restrictions on free That is one reason why those who attempt to knife Ken Loach, which are the reactionary Arab monarchies, Another state in hock to the US is, speech (including those dishonestly will take this latest intensification is only part of the severe pressure which barely need to be listed - Saudi of course, the UK. Its role in world cloaked as pro‑free speech measures, of the witch-hunts and purges as a being put on universities, along with Arabia, Jordan, the Emirates, and so affairs was once rather grand, but like Gavin Williamson’s universities pretext for abandoning work in the the campaign to sign institutions on. The Egyptian military regime is the glory days are gone, and British policy) l Labour Party, or for calling on others up to the notorious International another, of a different type. Yet none imperialists carry on like the last scion to do so, are misguided. It is to leave Holocaust Remembrance Association can boast the level of US military aid of an old aristocratic family - trading [email protected] weekly 4 February 18 2021 1335 worker FREE SPEECH End the contradiction James Harvey reports on a timely conference that produced a strange outcome he launch of the Labour Campaign free speech applied at this conference for Free Speech on Saturday and Esther Giles was given both a TFebruary 13 came at a time when platform and the chance to speak this issue has become central for both freely. But unless freedom of speech the Labour movement and wider is unrestricted - and proclaimed as British society. Not surprisingly, given such by our organisations - could we the circumstances, the turnout was guarantee that this will always be the pretty good, just over 300 at the height. case? Will there not be further Esther The campaign was initially Giles? Despite comrade Greenstein’s triggered in response to the ongoing correct and well-argued support for purge and attacks on political debate her, does not his own ‘no platforming’ and democracy in the Labour always leave the door open for the Party. Whilst for the Labour left exclusion and suppression of ideas?3 much of the focus has been on the The slanderous attempts to equate ways that the fake International anti‑Zionism with anti‑Semitism show Holocaust Remembrance Association how the Labour right can turn the ‘no ‘definition’ of anti-Semitism is platforming’ weapon against the left. being used to conflate anti-Zionism Surely the whole experience of the with anti-Semitism and ‘chill’ any current witch-hunt warns us that even discussion about Israel/Palestine, the smallest concession on free speech these attacks now go much further. paves the way for further attacks on the The witch-hunt has taken on a left and democratic rights in general. dynamic of its own. As the draft Unfortunately, it was not so clear- Charter for Free Speech presented cut to the majority of participants in to the conference reminded us, these Norman Finkelstein: no surprise - joined those arguing for unrestricted freedom of speech this conference. When it came to the attacks now extend into universities votes on the two amendments, both and schools, whilst state and corporate freedom of speech and publication - racial hatred or advocate the harm of comrade Greenstein’s amendment were passed, leaving the campaign secrecy undermine free journalism could not have come at a better time. of others because of their protected supposedly drew on Trotsky’s advice with two contradictory positions! As it and the exposure of corruption and Unfortunately, the conference failed characteristics (race, disability, sexual in the 1930s - “if you cannot convince stands, the Labour Campaign for Free wrongdoing. to offer such a clear rallying call. orientation, gender, etc).” a fascist, acquaint his head with the Speech is for both ‘unrestricted’ free Moreover, from the opposite point Instead we were presented with all These differences, ‘for’ and pavement” - much of their analysis speech and the ‘free speech, but …’ of view, the Conservatives have taken the contradictions and confusions that ‘against’, were brought out by the was actually rooted in Stalinist position! up the cry and are trying to make currently characterise the politics and very long list of ‘top table’ speakers justifications for popular frontism in This confusion will have to be the issue their own. For the Tories, demands of the left on this issue. From - Graham Bash, Chris Williamson, the 1930s, tinged with a dash of the addressed by the newly elected condemnation of ‘cancel culture’, the beginning the conference was Esther Giles, Ronnie Kasrils, David official anti-fascist mythology of the steering group, when it meets to chart opposition to ‘no-platforming’ in presented with two clearly distinct Miller, Norman Finkelstein, Sami post‑1945 social democratic British the way forward for the campaign. universities, and attacks on ‘woke and quite opposite positions on free Ramadani, etc - and in the very state. That steering group will have a lot of social justice warriors’ have become speech, in the form of amendments restricted ‘floor’ debate. work to do if it is to succeed in pushing an increasingly important part of their from Labour Party Marxists and Tony Moving the LPM amendment, Fundamental back against the current attempts to stock-in-trade. In standing up to a Greenstein. The LPM amendment John Bridge argued that unrestricted Supporters of the LPM amendment on close down free speech within the supposedly new wave of authoritarian argued: “We stand for unrestricted free speech and opposition to “unrestricted freedom of speech” took Labour movement and in society more leftism said to be sweeping the freedom of speech and publication”, censorship were integral to the DNA up these arguments, both on the general widely. campuses and suppressing public whilst comrade Greenstein proposed of the labour movement. While it is principle of free speech and the specific Many of the motions passed by the debate, Tory ministers such as a much more restrictive ‘free speech, wrong to deliberately cause panic by historical context of the fight against conference on campaigning activity and the hapless secretary of state for but …’ approach. His amendment falsely shouting ‘Fire!’ in a crowded fascism in the 1930s and after. LPM organisation offer a coherent outline education, Gavin Williamson, now argued that “Free Speech is not an theatre, that is a different matter. Free, supporters argued that free speech had of the campaign’s future direction. propose new legislation and pose as absolute right. It does not include democratic debate in all its forms was been a fundamental element in Marxist We need to step up our activity in the the defenders of ‘free speech’ and the right to ‘Shout fire in a crowded essential - both for the contemporary politics since the 19th century and Labour Party and the trade unions to democratic rights.1 theatre’ [Justice Oliver Wendell political health of our movement and for was an important democratic demand defend free speech and democratic Thus, a Labour Campaign for Holmes, Schenck v. United States the development of the working class for mass Marxist parties, such as the rights. Likewise, the Charter for Free Free Speech - standing up to these (1919)]. Free Speech doesn’t, for as the future ruling class. Furthermore, German Social Democratic Party and Speech adopted by the conference attacks and standing for unrestricted example include the right to incite if we supported limitations on free the Russian Social Democratic Labour has the correct demands and links to speech based on the categories of Party. Dismissing free speech as wider struggles for free speech: it is a ‘protected characteristics’, comrade simply a “liberal abstraction”, as some good basis for a militant, democratic Bridge argued, we were accepting comrades did, was a denial of these campaign. Organisationally, we Online Communist Forum the bourgeois liberal framework of democratic traditions and a repudiation need a membership campaign with identity politics, codified in law, and of the very oxygen that gives political committed supporters and accountable giving the state the right to police life to our movement. structures - not just a series of rallies discussion and debate. In dissecting Tony Greenstein’s with big-name speakers. Now is the In moving his amendment, Tony confusion of principles and tactics, time to get down to real work and fight Greenstein’s main focus was on ‘no LPM comrades stressed that Marxists back for free speech. platform for fascists and racists’ as are not pacifists and would organise But, before any of this can be the basis for limitations on freedom of to defend democratic rights of set in train, we need to be clear on speech. Drawing on what has become organisation and assembly in the face our aims and objectives - above all the common sense of too much of of a fascist threat. However, our focus we need to define ‘free speech’. the left, comrade Greenstein based must remain on politically combating The contradictions in our current his argument on a particular reading fascism and other reactionary position needs to be resolved urgently of the struggle against Nazism in the movements by convincing their and democratically, The steering 1930s and elevated ‘no platforming’ to supporters, to use Trotsky’s words, and group needs to convene a further a fundamental principle that justified winning them over to a real alternative membership-based conference to restrictions on free speech. to capitalist reaction. decide on whether the campaign stands This set the tone for the rest If this part of the discussion was for unrestricted free speech or ‘free of the discussion. Comrades who rooted in the concrete historical speech’ hedged around with caveats Sunday February 21, 5pm supported Tony’s amendment largely experience of the Labour movement, and limitations. Supporters of LPM drew on either a rather simplified other comrades in the discussion on the steering group will be making The misuses of Antonio Gramsci and somewhat distorted history of (and the ‘chat’ column in this online just such a case for a membership Speaker: David Broder pre-1939 anti-fascism or related meeting) showed how far the current conference and for a clear position, l Register in advance for this webinar: their involvement in anti-fascist ‘no extension of ‘no platforming’ into not a fudged compromise us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wO3Mk0lHRHyD0m2Ev_-32Q platforming’ from the 1970s onwards. debates about transphobia and radical In defining fascism as an ever-present, feminism has distorted democratic Sunday February 28, 5pm existential threat and thus elevating debate.2 Comrades raised the exclusion Notes ‘no platforming’ to a principle, fascism of Esther Giles from a recent meeting 1. telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/02/16/turning- A week in politics tide-cancel-culture-will-start-universities- Political report and discussion from and Nazism were de-historicised and of Labour left activists for alleged respecting. CPGB’s Provisional Central Committee de-contextualised. The result was that ‘transphobia’ and suggested that this 2. See, for example, the controversies over JK the real counterrevolutionary nature represents the ultimate reductio ad Rowling, Selina Todd and Germaine Greer: bbc. Sunday March 7, 5pm of fascism and its relationship with absurdum of ‘no platforming’. In co.uk/news/uk-53002557; bbc.co.uk/news/uk- england-oxfordshire-51737206; independent. NEP, the banning of factions and Kronstadt - capitalism are ignored. Thus, for these this, and other cases, a combination co.uk/news/people/germaine-greer-stirs- the turning point in the Russian Revolution? comrades, ‘no platforming’ becomes of the identity politics of protected controversy-her-latest-transgender-remarks-and- Speaker: Mike Macnair a moral stance directed against an characteristics and ‘safe spaces’, defends-real-women-comments-a6980166.html. eternal evil rather than a reactionary along with the faux militancy of 3. tonygreenstein.com/2021/02/you-couldnt-make- it-up-esther-giles-the-suspended-secretary-of- Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk and movement to be confronted and pseudo‑street politics, worked to stifle bristol-north-west-clp-is-banned-from-speaking- Labour Party Marxists: www.labourpartymarxists.org.uk defeated politically by the organised genuine political discussion. at-a-labour-party-meeting-called-to-defend- working class. Although supporters Thankfully, no such restrictions on freedom-of-speech. weekly worker 1335 February 18 2021 5 FREE SPEECH We light fires One half of the Labour Campaign for Free Speech does not believe in free speech. They want a ‘free speech, but ...’ campaign. Jack Conrad explains why the left should champion the unrestricted right to organise, strike, assemble and speak

ree speech is vital for the working and the other ‘pure’ sciences, that is Though a tiny minority, the pacifism and the official left. Even more class and socialism. Why? the case. Appearance and essence bourgeoisie begins with a great importantly, what passes itself off as FSocialism can only be the act of interpenetrate, but never correspond. Incendiary: Marxism advantage. The dominant ideas in Marxism, but is patently not Marxism, self-liberation for the great majority, by So moving, striving towards the spreads the flame of class capitalist society are the spontaneously must be ruthlessly hunted down - the great majority. Therefore it follows truth always takes considerable time generated ideas of the bourgeoisie. Stalinism, Maoism, Eurocommunism, that the working class cannot be treated and considerable intellectual effort. war, republican democracy Exploitation is uniquely concealed Healyism and Cliffism being obvious as a little child who has to be guarded Sometimes it is called genius. and socialism behind what Marxists call commodity examples. In short, Marxism can only from awkward, ugly, upsetting and Meanwhile, vested interests, those fetishism. Capitalists are often unite the working class by conducting dangerous ideas. No, the first condition with a reputation to lose, the naturally admiringly believed when they boast a protracted and aggressive struggle for self-liberation is self-knowledge, conservative, conduct a stubborn, that they are society’s wealth creators. to establish what is right and what is and self-knowledge is impossible rearguard action - do everything Wage-slavery, unemployment, money, wrong; what is truthful and what is without self-confidence. The working in their power to sideline, block or profit are all considered perfectly untruthful. class has to be treated with respect, silence bearers of new, revolutionary natural by wide swathes of the Question: what are the best treated as a class that can raise itself discoveries and insights. Nicolaus population. Marxism therefore has to conditions under which to conduct to the position where it is capable of Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, René hack through the thicket of ‘common a protracted and aggressive struggle ruling society. Descartes, William Harvey, Edward sense’. to establish what is right and what Great revolutions of the past - such Jenner, Johannes Kepler, William But there is more confronting us is wrong; what is truthful and what as England 1642, America 1776 and Paley and Charles Darwin all faced than that. Much more. Leave aside is untruthful? Answer: conditions France 1789 - were carried out in campaigns of disinformation, ridicule the police, army, GCHQ and MI5. where questioning is the norm, where the interests of a minority. But wider and non-publication, if not outright Marxism faces concerted opposition in serious study, thought and debate are sections of the population had to be persecution. the form of the many and various paid encouraged, and where there is the mobilised, had to be turned into a That being the case with the ‘pure’ persuaders of the bourgeoisie. Well unrestricted right to organise, strike, social battering ram, if success was to sciences, it is perfectly understandable rewarded academics, TV pundits, radio assemble and speak. be gained. That necessitated hiding real that campaigns of disinformation, hosts, lying newspaper journalists, aims, making extravagant promises ridicule and non-publication, if not think-tank experts and career Marx and rousing the most passionate outright persecution, are magnified politicians combine to manufacture Our opponents often seek to shield enthusiasms. a thousandfold when it comes to and disseminate a tide of half-truths, themselves by citing the ‘right’ not to be However, the workers’ revolution, Marxism. Why should that be so? The quarter-truths and outright untruths. offended. Needless to say, for Marxists, the communist revolution, is different. answer is not hard to fathom. Marxism Inevitably, this - together with the there exists no such democratic right. Being the act of the overwhelming is committed to superseding the market actuality and seeming naturalism of Democracy, if it is for real, if it is not majority, being the victory of and ending the ecological destruction capitalist society - ideologically affects, just for show, means the unhindered democracy, being popular control from wrought by capitalism. Marxism colours, distorts the views of many. exchange of all manner of different below, by definition it requires honesty, threatens monarchs, established Hence the struggle against capitalism is viewpoints, some of which will be clarity, the fullest access to information churches, the secret state and the necessarily predicated on winning the regarded as deeply insulting, offensive and free and open debate. In short, we military top brass. Marxism opposes battle of ideas within the working class and doubtless even threatening. need the truth. Without that we have no the confessional sects, quack reformers movement itself. Marxism itself immediately comes chance of success. and dead-end sectionalism. Marxism We must do more than fight overt to mind. Marxism causes offence, Of course, the truth can never be upholds principle and militantly rejects enemies - the Blairites, Fabians, Open Marxism is incendiary, Marxism is a established without a long struggle, soggy compromises. Marxism spreads Labour, Labour First, the Tribune group, threat - specifically to the bourgeoisie, often a bitter fight. Even with the flame of extreme democracy, class etc. There are false friends too: the reactionaries, nationalists, liberals, astronomy, biology, geology, physics war and socialism. champions of narrow trade unionism, reformists, etc - and in turn is subject to weekly 6 February 18 2021 1335 worker FREE SPEECH insult, offence and worse by those very the Christian faith from “frivolous” Debs found himself sentenced to 10 same forces and elements: ‘First they Marx claimed the right to treat the and “hostile” attack. Such little phrases years in prison and disenfranchisement came for the communists’. ludicrous seriously and the serious were nothing but gagging devices. for life.9 In 1920 he ran in the Nevertheless, neither under ludicrously. The truth can never Replying to the censors, Marx went presidential election from his prison capitalism nor under socialism would be what a government commands. to the heart of the matter: “Religion cell. we entertain any notion of calling for Ministerial bigwigs, puffed-up can only be attacked in a hostile or a Schenck vs United States, was a state measures to protect Marxism. bureaucrats, the securocracy have frivolous way: there is no third way”.8 landmark decision, it underwrote the In the immortal words of Rosa no interest in letting the public into Of course, he never thought that Espionage Act (1917). A unanimous Luxemburg, “Freedom is always and the truth - only in perpetuating and freedom of expression was a perfect Supreme Court, in an opinion written exclusively freedom for the one who increasing their powers: something thing in itself - some kind of be-all and by Wendell Holmes, concluded that thinks differently.”1 Not because we are which goes hand in hand with endemic end-all. Free speech is not the same as the first amendment, guaranteeing naive believers in fair play and live and suspicion, demands for silence and a general freedom. But it is surely one of freedom of speech, did not alter let live toleration. We are convinced pathological fear of exposure. Thought its preconditions. Free speech brings the “well-established law in cases that Marxism, because it is so solidly itself must be manacled, placed behind self-confidence, free speech brings where the attempt was made through founded and is always a work in high walls and put under the guard of self-knowledge. expressions that would be protected in progress, constantly being enriched and prison wardens. other circumstances”. Holmes said that renewed, is strong enough to withstand During those times - the early 1840s Free speech, but ... expressions which in the circumstances all the lies, slander and bullshit. - Marx took delight in showing how Against this background, what are we were intended to result in a crime, and Does that imply that Marxists are the servile deputies of the Prussian diet to make of the successful amendment posed a “clear and present danger” of loftily indifferent to what is being (parliament) sought to put a stop to the to the Labour Campaign for Free succeeding, could be punished.10 peddled on the internet, the press, radio regular reporting of their proceedings in Speech’s charter moved by Tony The facts of the case are clear enough and TV under the name of free speech? the press. Their debates were regarded Greenstein? It adds this very big ‘but’: and well known. Charles Schenck and Obviously not. Using all our strength, as a private matter and no business of Elizabeth Baer were members of the we actively engage in the battle of the mass of the population. Free speech is not an absolute executive committee of the Socialist ideas in order to win the mass of the When journalists daringly lifted the right. It does not include the right Party of America - Schenck was population. We oppose everything veil, they were accused of irresponsible to “Shout fire in a crowded theater” general secretary. The SPA’s executive which divides and therefore weakens behaviour and treated as spies, who [Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, committee agreed, and Schenck the working class: racism, religious had revealed vital secrets. Members of Schenck v United States (1919)]. oversaw, the printing and mailing out hatred, sexism, homophobia, national the diet could no longer uninhibitedly Free speech doesn’t, for example, of more than 15,000 leaflets. They were chauvinism, trade union sectionalism, express themselves. They felt include the right to incite racial sent to men selected for conscription. opportunism, etc. We fight to overcome constrained when they knew that hatred or advocate the harm of The leaflet urged defiance: “Do not all that divides, all that weakens some untrustworthy stranger would be others because of their protected submit to intimidation”, “Assert your the working class. But not by state publishing their words. Indeed that was characteristics (race, disability, rights”, “If you do not assert and support prohibitions. Not by codes of conduct. the case. sexual orientation, gender, etc). your rights, you are helping to deny or Not by censorship. Our weapon is Over the years, as parliamentary disparage rights which it is the solemn criticism. reporting has become the norm in most Let us unpick this attempt to duty of all citizens and residents of the Karl Marx himself, it can usefully countries, as the democratic space in equivocate, to narrow, to water down. United States to retain.” The leaflet be pointed out, was a lifelong opponent society has inch by inch been extended, We agree: no right is absolute: eg, the advised the men not to comply with of censorship. Even as a young man, in professional politicians have turned to right to national self-determination, the the draft on the grounds that military 1842, he was to be found passionately the art of lying, deception and double- right to organise, the right to practise conscription constituted involuntary arguing in favour of unrestricted talk. Marx’s glowing description of the one’s religion. When one right clashes servitude, which is prohibited by the freedom of the press against the Prussian Paris Commune serves as a criticism with another right, the general interest 13th amendment.11 state and its censors: “Whenever one of both 19th century parliaments and must prevail. The right to national After a jury trial Schenck and form of freedom is rejected, freedom in those on the left today who exhibit the self-determination does not mean the Baer were convicted of violating the general is rejected,” he defiantly wrote.2 exact same morbid fear of openness: right to provide a base for launching Espionage Act. Both then appealed Marx conducted an heroic struggle, a counterrevolutionary war. The right to the Supreme Court, arguing that first as one of the main contributors to ... the Commune did not pretend to to organise does not mean the right their conviction, and the statute which and subsequently editor of the Cologne- infallibility, the invariable attribute to unleash murderous assaults on purported to authorise it, were contrary based paper, Rheinische Zeitung - the of all governments of the old stamp. Muslims, black activists, leftwingers to the first amendment and that the Prussian state imposed double and It published its doings and sayings, and trade unionists. The right to practise Espionage Act had what today we then triple censorship; finally, in March it initiated the public into all its one’s religion does not mean the right would call a ‘chilling effect’ on free 1843 the authorities closed it down. shortcomings.6 to oppress women. But that does not discussion about the unjust nature of Magnanimously, the Prussian king stop us promoting, headlining, boldly the war.12 announced that censorship would Obviously, free speech comes with advocating the right to national self- However, the Supreme Court held “not prevent serious and modest some highly unpleasant consequences. determination, the right to organise, the that the conviction of Schenck and investigation of the truth”. Serious! Poison daily oozes from the pages of right to practise one’s religion ... or the Baer was constitutional. Even though Modest! the Daily Mail and The Sun into the right to freely speak and publish. the law stated that it was only an Such loaded words bring to minds of the most gullible sections The minor qualifications, the offence if there had been “successful mind the International Holocaust of the population. The same goes for exceptions, the caveats, the ifs and buts obstructions of the draft”, the court Remembrance Alliance’s seemingly Sky News, ‘Good Morning Britain’ can be left, to use a phrase, to the small ruled that “common-law precedents reasonable statement that “criticism and Fox News. Then we have Donald Oliver Wendell Holmes: print. That is surely the case, when it allowed prosecution for attempts that of Israel similar to that levelled Trump, Nigel Farage, the Covid- comes to the founding charter of the were dangerously close to success”. against any other country cannot be deniers, QAnon, David Ike, Britain his judgement about not Labour Campaign for Free Speech. Attempts made by speech, or writing, regarded as anti-Semitic.”3 But what First and the whole army of internet ‘shouting fire’ had nothing Upfront the main principles. Highlight could be punished like other attempted other country is engaged in a similar trolls. Free speech also allows talented the key principles and arguments. crimes. The first amendment did not ongoing colonial-settler project? What intellectuals to provide superficially to do with safety in crowded Leave everything else out. protect speech encouraging men to other country says it is “not the state convincing arguments for the foulest cinemas and theatres. What about comrade Greenstein resist the draft, because, “when a nation of all its people”. What other country ideas: Samuel P Huntington (Clash citing justice Oliver Wendell Holmes is at war, many things that might be said systematically discriminates against of civilisations), Charles Murray and The US administration as a guiding authority for the labour in time of peace are such a hindrance to half the population under its control? Richard J Herrestein (The bell curve), of Woodrow Wilson was movement and the approving reference its effort that their utterance will not be Allowing criticism on these terms is to David Irving (Hitler’s war). The latter to the 1919 case of Schenck vs United endured, so long as men fight, and that disallow criticism. used his training as a historian, his engaged in a full frontal States? An embarrassing mistake of the no court could regard them as protected In an extended reply to the Prussian access to archives and his considerable assault on the US Socialist first order. by any constitutional right”. In other authorities, Marx elegantly cut through language abilities to deny or belittle Comrade Greenstein has some words, the court held that wartime the cant: Hitler’s role in the Nazi holocaust. Party, free speech and the training in, some experience of, the circumstances allow for greater curbs But the last thing we should do is First Amendment law. He, therefore, surely knows the ins on free speech than would be allowed Is it not the first duty of the seeker call for censorship and bans. On the and outs of Schenck vs United States during peacetime. after truth to aim directly at the truth, contrary, there must be freedom, even (1919). Suffice to say, its significance The opinion’s most famous and without looking to the right or left? for sick, daft and crazy ideas. Marx has nothing to do with shouting most often quoted passage is this: Will I not forget the essence of the tellingly writes: ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre or cinema. matter, if I am obliged not to forget No, its significance lies squarely in The most stringent protection of to state it in the prescribed form.4 Keep in mind that you could the concerted attack on free speech free speech would not protect a man not enjoy the advantages of a launched by the Woodrow Wilson in falsely shouting fire in a theater No writer can discover the truth if free press without tolerating its administration after America broke and causing a panic ... The question placed in a bureaucratic straitjacket. inconveniences. You could not with non-interventionism and joined in every case is whether the words Nor did Marx want anyone telling him pluck the rose without its thorns! with the Anglo-French war against the used are used in such circumstances how and with what words to write: And what do you lose in losing Central Powers in April 1917. and are of such a nature as to create a free press? A free press is the The US entry into what was an inter- a clear and present danger that they You marvel at the delightful variety, omnipresent open eye of the imperialist war saw deep divisions. will bring about the substantive the inexhaustible riches of nature. popular spirit ... It is the merciless There was a not inconsiderable evils that Congress has a right to You do not ask the rose to smell like confessional that a people makes minority of the population which had prevent. It is a question of proximity violet, but must the richest of all, the to itself, and it is well known that both German origins and sympathies. and degree.13 spirit, exist in only one variety? I am confession has the power to redeem. But it was the socialist left which was audacious, but the law commands It is the intellectual mirror in which singled out. Thousands were arrested. Frankly, a labour movement campaign that my style be modest. Grey, all a people beholds itself, and self- Amongst them Eugene V Debs, the promoting free speech that approvingly grey, is the sole, the rightful colour examination is the first condition of five-times presidential candidate of the quotes what is an assault on free speech of freedom. Every drop of dew on wisdom.7 Socialist Party of America. In the 1912 in its founding charter is beyond parody. which the sun shines glistens with election he secured 913,693 We now come to this statement: an inexhaustible play of colours, but Then there was religion. In votes (6% of the total). “Free speech doesn’t, for example, the spiritual sun, however many the 1842 Marx fearlessly Having delivered an include the right to incite racial hatred persons and whatever the objects in campaigned against impassioned anti- or advocate the harm of others because which it is refracted, must produce the Prussian state’s war speech in of their protected characteristics (race, only the official colour!5 legal protection of Canton, Ohio, disability, sexual orientation, gender, weekly worker 1335 February 18 2021 7 FREE SPEECH etc).” Proudhon and Mikhail Bakunin? They Jones, Dave Hill, et al at the launch he is not only a famous actor: he is a when he saw one. Of course, he This is straight from the Equalities called for the extermination of the meeting of the Labour Campaign for committed socialist. So it is not the consulted his immediate household Act 2010, written by Polly Toynbee and Jews. Should their writings be banned? Free Speech was fascism. case that the only good fascist is a dead in Mexico, but he felt that such an steered through parliament by Harriet Should modern-day advocates of What fascism was in the 1920s and fascist. No, the only good fascist is an opportunity should not be lost. It Harman. Their list of characteristics the “socialism of fools” be denied a 30s is very much open to debate. Eg, ex-fascist ... and there are plenty of “must be utilised”, he insisted, writing which are legally protected from voice? What about the Zionists? Then should Franco Spain be categorised as them. to the SWP.18 discrimination, harassment and there is Arthur Griffith and The birth fascist? Despite the Falange, no. What The HUAC should be considered victimisation include age, disability, of a nation. Should we be allowed to about today? Is the Wigan-based British Trotsky as, firstly, a parliamentary gender reassignment, marriage and watch this early 20th century cinematic National Party fascist? Arguably. What Looking back at history, it is clear investigating committee; secondly, civil partnership, pregnancy and masterpiece? Its heroes are the Ku Klux about Ukip? Maybe. What about Nigel that Leon Trotsky’s approach is not as a kind of tribunal. Trotsky, asks, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex Klan, its villains black men. What about Farage’s Reform Party? Hardly. The a million miles removed from ours. rhetorically, should we boycott and sexual orientation. Mein Kampf? Should we be barred National Front? Probably. The English Leave aside the 1903 programme of parliament, should we boycott Needless to say, none of us wish to from reading it? After all, it is saturated Defence League? Probably too. the RSDLP, let us look at his attitude bourgeois courts? Obviously not. incite racial hatred or advocate harm with anti-Semitism, absurd claims of National Action? Definitely. towards state bans. He knew that the Dies Committee to anyone simply because of their age, a Jewish-Bolshevik conspiracy and But, whatever the difficulties In October 1939 Trotsky accepted was reactionary and “pursues disability, gender reassignment, etc. contempt for the Chinese, Negro and involved in categorising what is and an invitation to travel from his Mexican reactionary aims”. He wanted, But, as we all know, life is complex. Slav ‘races’. what is not fascist, we are told that the exile in order to testify before the however, to combat those reactionary The Old Testament is fundamentally But if we are going to understand only thing fascists want to do is kill, House Committee on Un-American aims. Even though a mere witness, he premised on the superiority of god’s history, if we are going to understand torture and exterminate. Therefore they Activities, chaired by Martin Dies. He confidently thought he could do that chosen people and the necessity where we have come from, we must cannot be allowed to speak or organise. wanted to denounce the Communist in spades. Simultaneously, he wanted of suppressing alien religious cults insist on being able to read, watch … and It is as if their sadistic message is so Party of the USA … and the US Nazi to use the committee as a tribune in amongst them. The Book of Joshua criticise everything. We could go on and powerful, so seductive, so impossible Party - but also denounce state moves order expose the history of Stalinism, is full of fanciful stories of the on. But, no, the point has been made. to resist that the left must abandon all to ban them. counter the attacks made upon him by Israelites annihilating the armies of And what about ourselves? The thought of free expression and hold to This committee of the House CPUSA leaders such as Earl Browder their enemies, razing their cities and reason we need organisations such as an absolute ‘bash the fash’ doctrine. I of Representatives should not be and tell the truth about the Moscow committing genocide down to the very Labour Against the Witchhunt and the am not sure about the exact origins confused with the Senate committee trials. Zinoviev, Kamenev, Bukharin, last man, women and child … there is Labour Campaign for Free Speech of this ‘principle’. But I think it dates later made famous - notorious - by etc, etc, etc were not fascists, saboteurs even god commanding that every “ox, is that we are under sustained attack. back to the late 1960s and France. It has Joseph McCarthy. Nonetheless, it too or counterrevolutionaries. They were sheep, camel and ass” be killed too.14 Thousands have been suspended or certainly been thoroughly internalised investigated, hounded, demonised innocent victims of Stalin’s killing Then we have the fearsome expelled from the Labour Party … by those who like to pass themselves and sought to outlaw the ‘subversive’ machine. denunciations of homosexuality found and the ‘Anti-Zionism equals anti- off as modern-day Trotskyites. activities of the Communist Party of To sacrifice such an “extraordinary in Leviticus 18 and 20, in the tales of Semitism’ smear campaign is spreading Labour Party Marxists sought the USA and its various fronts - New political possibility” because of the Sodom and Gomorrah, and David and further and further into workplaces, to underline our commitment York theatres and Hollywood being spinelessness of backward comrades Jonathan. Throughout, the oppression into schools, into universities. The to democracy by introducing an particular targets for the witch-hunters. “would be a crime”, Trotsky of women and the possession of slaves Tory government - that supposed amendment to the founding charter of Apparently, then, Trotsky was thundered.19 are taken for granted. champion of free speech - wants to Labour Campaign for Free Speech: prepared to assist an organ of the Trotsky had nothing in common Should the Old Testament be force universities to adopt the IHRA “We stand for unrestricted freedom of US bourgeois state in what was with the reactionary political aims of banned, should those who believe fake definition of anti-Semitism. speech and publication.” Somewhat quite clearly a nasty and thoroughly Dies. He intended to use the HUAC as it is the word of god, who publicly Another weapon in the hands of bizarrely, it too was successful. So the dangerous attack on an “organisation in a public platform to oppose repressive cite its particularly horrible passages the witch-hunters is the Equalities Labour Campaign for Free Speech the workers’ movement”. We too have measures and laws - and not only be silenced … because free speech and Human Rights Commission, stands for unrestricted freedom of been denounced in similar terms by those directed against the CPUSA. does not include the right to preach set up under the provisions of the speech and publication and restrictions pseudo-leftists such as Andy Newman He was against the suppression of racial hatred or discrimination? No, 2010 Equality Act. As we all know, on freedom of speech and publication. and Liam Mac Uaid for agreeing to any other “extremist” party, the no, no, not in our opinion. We can, it investigated the Labour Party The muddle can only be sorted out by appear on the BBC’s Newsnight.15 fascists included. The whole of the we want to, explain in historical and over baseless accusations of anti- serious debate and a well-informed Naturally, the CPUSA and the working class would suffer as a result materialist terms the contradictions, the Semitism. Its report duly found the vote. A diplomatic compromise will other affiliates of Comintern let forth of any narrowing of democracy - but falsehoods, the truths, the conflicting party guilty and specifically named two definitely not do. a barrage of protest in order to silence especially its advanced part. class interests that weave together to individuals, who it said were acting Anyway, in the name ‘bash the fash’ Trotsky. They hated what he had Trotsky was eager to denounce the make the Old Testament. The same on behalf of the Labour Party: Ken comrades Greenstein, Bash, Jones and already said. They dreaded what he tortuous zig-zagging of the CPUSA goes for the New Testament. The same Livingstone and Pam Bromley. And Hill accused us of being liberals with would say in front of the HUAC. and show that it brought persecution goes for the Koran. that is exactly the problem. Virtually our “unrestricted freedom of speech Obviously here was a testing down upon its own head. After all, Then there is the literature of more any criticism of Israel and the Zionist and publication” amendment. The moment. And under outside pressure it has been demanding that the US recent times. The works of William project of colonising Palestine - be it a historically well-informed will know, it was hardly surprising that weaker state deal severely with the fascists Shakespeare include The taming of thoroughgoing analysis, a few garbled however, that the phrase is directly elements in the wafer-thin ranks of and the Trotskyites. Trotsky promised the shrew, The merchant of Venice and remarks in front of a TV camera, a borrowed from the programme of the Trotsky’s organisation in America to tell the truth. The truth about the Othello - all very difficult nowadays, cartoon, or a social media ‘like’ - is RSDLP, agreed in 1903. The RSDLP wobbled and buckled. Had Trotsky Stalinites and the truth about US because of their treatment of women, now deemed as discriminating against, was, of course, not the Russian Social put his narrow factional interests above capitalism. That “was the reason why Jews and black Africans. Charles harassing and victimising Jews as Jews. Democratic Liberal Party: it was the those of the class? Was it right for him Mr Dies dropped his plan” to call him Dickens and a good slice of 19th That is why we insist on free speech. Russian Social Democratic Labour to use such a platform? Should he not as a witness, concludes Trotsky. century novelists could be found guilty Party - the party of Vladimir Lenin, think again? Was he about to cross Trotsky made these highly relevant on similar grounds. Should they be Fascism Jules Martov, Georgi Plekhanov, Vera class lines? and pointed set of remarks, writing to removed from library shelves? What However, the real obsession of Tony Zasulich and Leon Trotsky. That was the position of James the US SWP: about the writings of Pierre-Joseph Greenstein, Graham Bash, Matthew For our opponents the only way to Burnham - at the time a member of the deal with a fascist is through violence. US Socialist Workers Party’s political To avoid temptation and escape The only way to deal with a fascist is committee. A little later, as we all the risk of sin by abstaining, not to “introduce them to the pavement”. know, he switched over to become a appearing, not intervening, is a Fighting fund Not only silly posturing: it is politically vicious anti-communist ideologue. purely negative, passive and sterile stupid. Physical force, whether After World War II he advocated a radicalism. To appear if necessary defensive or offensive, is perfectly pre-emptive nuclear strike against the on the foe’s territory and to fight legitimate as a tactic. But so is debate. Soviet Union. him with his own weapons - that is The BNP’s Nick Griffin was shredded Anyway, in 1939, as a soft, but revolutionary radicalism.”20 Challenge by Bonnie Greer when he agreed to loyal Trotskyite, he introduced espite some very useful pipeline, although they won’t be appear on the BBC’s ‘Question time’ in a motion to the SWP’s political Yes, we need tactical flexibility. donations over the last anywhere near enough to get us October 2009. Immediately afterwards committee disapproving of Trotsky’s Elevating one tactic into a rigid, Dseven days, we are lagging over the line on their own. But the the BNP began to unravel and Griffin willingness to accept the invitation eternal, unchanging principle is well behind where we ought to be, main reason for my confidence is was humiliatingly given his marching to appear before HUAC. Burnham’s the exact opposite of revolutionary if we’re going to make that £2,000 the support and gratitude I know orders. Meantime, while ‘Question motion politely requested that Trotsky radicalism l fighting fund target for February. we enjoy from so many of our time’ was being broadcast, the SWP reconsider and refuse to testify. But Let’s start with the good readers - very rarely have they let was huddled outside Television Centre he urged the SWP to disassociate Notes news. First there was a fantastic us down over the last year or so. jumping up and down demanding ‘no itself from Trotsky - if he went ahead. 1. R Luxemburg Rosa Luxemburg speaks New £170 transferred to the Weekly A good part of those readers platform’ for those who incite hatred Burnham was defeated, however. York NY, 1997, p389. 2. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 1, London 1975, Worker account from KB - know they can count on the Weekly and advocate harm. The SWP approved of Trotsky’s plan p181. brilliant, comrade! Then there Worker for its coverage of what That slogan is now is being used by because of the “propagandistic value 3. holocaustremembrance.com/resources/ were monthly standing orders matters to them: the organisation Sir Keir Starmer in the Labour Party, of such testimony to our movement”.16 working-definitions-charters/working-definition- from MM (£75), PB (£60) and of the working class movement. used by Zionists against Ken Loach In actual fact, as things turned antisemitism. 4. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 1, London 1975, TR (£40), plus the regular PayPal Not all of them agree with our in Cambridge, used to silence radical out, the invitation to appear before p111. contributions from RL (£50) and call for Marxist unity in a single, feminists, etc, etc. By elevating what HUAC was first delayed by the US 5. Ibid p112. US comrade PM (£25). principled, democratic party - or, can be a serviceable tactic into an state department, then cancelled 6. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 22, Moscow All that comes to £420, which if they do, may think ‘now is not iron-fast principle, we helped fashion by Dies himself - the excuse being 1986, p340. 7. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 1, London 1975, is a little below the going rate for the time’, and so on. But they the very weapon that is now directed that he could obtain no “assurances pp164-65. a single week, but the running appreciate our commitment to against us. from Mexico that Trotsky would be 8. Ibid p117. total for the month stands at just openness, on telling it like it is. And the simple fact of the matter permitted to return”.17 A barefaced 9. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debs_v._United_States. £764. Added to which, this is the But now they need to put their is that the right, the far-right, the alt lie. Assurances had been provided 10. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenck_v._United_ States. shortest month of the year, which money where their mouth is! We right, the fascist right do not just to the US consul in Mexico by the 11. Ibid. means that we now have just 11 can do it, comrades l preach hatred: they also offer hope in secretaria de gobernación in Mexico 12. Ibid. days left, as I write, to raise the Robbie Rix a hopeless world, they offer a future City. Trotsky concluded that Dies 13. Ibid. £1,236 we still need. Quite a for a world that appears to have no acted out of political, not technical, 14. 1 Samuel xv,9. 15. See J Conrad, ‘Tell it as it is’ Weekly Worker challenge! future. So another perfectly legitimate considerations. Trotsky had been October 4 2007. Despite that, I think we can Fill in a standing order form tactic is persuasion. We should talk. My contacted first by phone and then 16. L Trotsky Writings 1939-40 New York NY do it! Partly that’s because I (back page), donate via our guess would be that this is how Ricky by telegram. He recounts that he 1977, p434n. know there are a few substantial website, or send cheques, Tomlinson - one of the Shrewsbury “immediately” accepted the invitation 17. Ibid p136. 18. Ibid p110. standing orders still in the payable to Weekly Worker pickets done for conspiracy in 1972 - from the Dies Committee. Trotsky 19. Ibid p111. broke from the National Front. Today recognised an “excellent opportunity” 20. Ibid p111. weekly 8 February 18 2021 1335 worker ECONOMY Problem is capitalism Michael Roberts asks what we should now expect: deflation, inflation or stagflation? uring the year of Covid, global of the maximum capacity of investment a record $58 billion into stock funds, to cope with any reversal in low interest consumer and producer price and spending that an economy could slashing their cash holdings, and also rates. Dinflation dropped. In some achieve with ‘full employment’ without piled $13.1 billion into global bond The problem is not inflationary manufacturing-based economies, inflation. The category is so full of funds, while pulling $10.6 billion from ‘overheating’: it is whether the US there was even a fall in price levels holes2 that economists come up with their cash piles. economy can ever recover sufficiently (deflation): eg, the euro area, Japan and different measures of ‘potential output’, So Fed and central bank money to get close to ‘full employment’. The China. which anyway seems to be a moveable has not caused inflation in the ‘real official US unemployment rate may ‘Effective demand’, as Keynesians feast depending on productivity economy’, which continued to crawl be ‘only’ 6.7%, but even the statistical like to call it, plummeted, with business and employment growth and likely along at 2% a year or lower in real GDP authorities and the Fed admit that it is investment and household consumption investment in new capacity. growth, while the ‘fictitious’ economy probably more like 11%‑12% - and dropping sharply. Savings rates rose Larry Summers reckons the Biden exploded. It is there that inflation has even worse if you include the 2% of to high levels (both corporate savings, relief package will inject around taken place. the labour force that has left the labour relative to investment, and household $150 billion per month, while the CBO market altogether. savings). Many companies went bust says the monthly gap between actual Austrian school The problem is the profitability of the and many lower-income households and potential gross domestic product This is where the ‘Austrian school’ capitalist sector of the US economy. If either lost their jobs or faced reductions is now around $50 billion and will of economics comes in. It sees this that does not rise back to pre-pandemic in wages. Higher-income households decline to $20 billion a month by year- wild expansion of credit leading to levels at least (and that was near an maintained their wage levels, but they end (because the CBO assumes the “malinvestment” in the real economy all-time low), then investment will not were unable to travel or spend on leisure Covid‑19 virus and all its variants will and eventually to a credit crunch that return sufficiently to restore jobs, wages and entertainment. be under control). hits the productive sectors of the ‘pure’ and spending levels. But now, as the rollout of vaccines Former New York Fed president ‘Printing presses’ still market economy. This view is expressed Last year, Guglielmo Carchedi and accelerates across the advanced Bill Dudley backed up Summers churning out money by that bastion of conservative I developed a new Marxist approach economies and governments, and in arguing that there are “four more economics, The Wall Street Journal. to inflation.8 We have yet to publish central banks continue to inject credit reasons to worry about US inflation”.3 level that seems dangerous. He So, while the Keynesians worry about our full analysis with evidence, but money and direct funding for business First, economic slumps brought on should puncture assumptions that overheating and inflation in true 1970s the gist of our theory is that inflation and households, the wide expectation by pandemics tend to end faster than cheap money is here indefinitely, style, the Austrians worry about a credit/ in modern capitalist economies has is that the major economies will make those caused by financial crises. This or that Fed policy is a one-way bet. debt implosion. a tendency to fall, because wages a fast recovery in investment, spending is Summers’ Cape Cod argument Otherwise his attempts to ward off In contrast, the exponents of Modern decline as a share of total value added; and employment - at least by the second revived. And, second, “thanks to rescue the ghosts of 2013 will eventually Monetary Theory are quite happy about and profits are squeezed by a rising half of 2021. packages and a strong stock market, unleash a new monster in the form the Fed injections and the government organic composition of capital (ie, Now the concern is that, instead of household finances are in far better of a bigger market tantrum, far more stimulus programs. MMT exponent more investment in machinery and a continued slump, there is a risk of shape now than they were after the damaging than last time - especially Stephanie Kelton, author of The deficit technology relative to employees). ‘overheating’ in the major economies, 2008 crisis.” You might ask whether if investors have been lulled into myth,5 when asked whether she was This tendency can be countered by the causing an inflation of prices generated a rocketing stock market benefits the thinking the Fed will never jump.4 worried about the stimulus bill causing monetary authorities boosting money by ‘too much’ government spending 93% of Americans who have no stock inflation, said: supply, so that the price of goods and and continued ‘loose’ monetary investments (or large pension funds). The FT itself went on: services rise, even though there is a policy. The Financial Times echoed And, while the better-paid may have Do I think the proposed $1.9 trillion tendency for the growth in the value of the voices of leading mainstream increased savings to spend, that is not The Fed’s pledge to leave policy puts us at risk of demand-pull goods and services to fall. American Keynesian economists the case for lower- to middle-income on hold until 2022, however, risks inflation? No. But at least we are During the year of Covid, corporate that “a strong recovery and sizeable earners. undermining its credibility: it cannot centering inflation risk and not profitability and profits fell sharply stimulus raise the possibility of the US Dudley also claimed that companies promise to be irresponsible … it talking about running out of money. (excluding government bailouts and ‘overheating’” (February 10). Former have “plenty of cash to spend and access must watch out for any sign that The terms of the debate have shifted.6 with the exception of big tech, big treasury secretary Larry Summers and to more at low interest rates”. Again, he inflation expectations are rising and finance and now big pharma). Wage former International Monetary Fund seems to concentrate on the large tech respond to the data rather than tie But neither the Keynesians, the bills also fell (or, to be more exact, chief economist Oliver Blanchard both and finance firms that are hoovering up itself to the mast. Austrians nor the MMT exponents wages paid to the many fell, while warned that the passing by the US government money and stock market have it right theoretically, in my view. some saw wages rise). These results Congress of the proposed $1.9 trillion gains. Meanwhile there are hundreds of Dudley echoed this view: “If the Fed Yes, the Austrians are right that the were deflationary. But the central banks spending package, on top of last year’s thousands of smaller companies, which does not tighten when inflation appears, expansions of credit money are driving pumped in the money. US M2 money $900 billion stimulus, risked inflation. are on their knees and in no position it might have to reverse course quickly up debt levels to proportions that supply was up 40% in 2020, so US Summers argued that the size of the to launch a big investment plan, even if it starts getting out of hand. That, in threaten disaster if they should collapse. inflation, after dropping nearly to zero spending package - about nine percent of if they can get loans at low rates. The turn, could set off market fireworks.” Yes, the MMT exponents are right that in the first half of 2020, moved back pre-pandemic national income - would number of these zombie companies is But are the inflationists’ warnings government spending per se, even if up to 1.5% by the year end. Now, if be much larger than the estimate of the growing by the day. valid? First, they are really based on financed by central bank ‘printing’ of we assume that both profits and wages shortfall in economic output from its a quick and significant ‘Cape Cod’ money will not cause inflation per se. will improve by 5%‑10% this year and ‘potential’ by the Congressional Budget Inflation economic recovery. But the pandemic But what both schools ignore is what Fed injections continue to rise, then our Office (CBO). That, combined with It is true, as Dudley says, that “inflation is not over yet and the vaccines have not is happening to the productive sectors model suggests that US inflation of loose monetary policy, the accumulated expectations” are rising and that can been rolled out to any level to suppress of the economy. If they do not recover, goods and services will rise, perhaps savings of consumers who have been be a good indicator of future inflation the virus sufficiently. What if the new then fiscal stimulus will not work and to about 3% by the end of 2021 - pretty unable to spend and already-falling - if households think prices are going variants that are beginning to circulate monetary stimulus will be ineffective much where consumer expectations are unemployment, could contribute to to rise, they tend to start spending in are resistant to existing vaccines, so too. going. mounting inflationary pressure. ‘Pent- advance and so stimulate price rises - that a new ‘wave’ emerges? A summer Take the proposed $1.9 trillion That is hardly “generation-high” up demand’ would explode, leading and vice versa. And it is also true that, recovery could be delayed indefinitely. stimulus package.7 Even assuming the inflation. And the view of Jay Powell to 1970s‑type inflation: “There is a given the sharp fall in price inflation at Moreover, these inflation forecasts whole package is passed by Congress and the new US treasury secretary, Janet chance that macroeconomic stimulus the start of the pandemic lockdowns last are based on two important theoretical (increasingly unlikely) and then Yellen, is: “I can tell you we have the on a scale closer to World War II levels year, any recovery in prices now will errors, in my view. The first is that the implemented, the stimulus is spread tools to deal with that [inflation] risk if than normal recession levels will set show up as a statistical year-on-year huge injections of credit money by the over years, not months. Moreover, the it materialises.” Well, the US monetary off inflationary pressures of a kind we rise. But expectations are hardly at a Fed and other central banks that we pay checks to households will more and fiscal authorities may think they can have not seen in a generation,” said level “of a kind we have not seen in a have seen since the global financial likely end up being used to pay down control inflation (although the evidence Summers. generation” (Summers). crash in 2008‑09 have not led to an debt, bump up savings and cover rent is clear that they did not in the 1970s Summers’ view must be taken with The other worry of the ‘inflationists’ inflation of consumer prices in any arrears and healthcare bills. There will and have not controlled ‘disinflation’ the proverbial pinch of salt, considering is that the US Fed will generate an major economy, even during the period not be much left to go travelling, eat in the last 10 years). But they can do that in April last year, he argued that inflationary spiral through its ‘lax’ of recovery from 2010 onwards. On the in restaurants and buy ‘discretionary’ little to get the US economy onto a the Covid pandemic would see merely monetary policies. The Federal Reserve contrary, US inflation rates have been items. sustained strong pace of growth in GDP, a short, sharp decline - somewhat like Board continues to plough humungous no more than 2% a year and they have Moreover, repeatedly, the Keynesian investment and employment. So the US tourist areas (Cape Cod in his case) amounts of credit money into the banks been even lower in the euro zone and view that government spending economy over the next few years is closing down for the winter - and the and corporations, and has weakened its Japan, where credit injections have also delivers a strong ‘multiplier’ effect on more likely to suffer from stagflation US economy would come roaring inflation target of 2% a year to a 2% been huge. economic growth and employment is than from inflationary ‘overheating’ l back in the summer.1 Two things blew average inflation over some undefined Instead, what has happened has just not borne out by the evidence. Sure, that forecast out of the Atlantic: first, period. Thus, the Fed will not hike been a surge in the prices of financial government handouts to households Michael Roberts blogs at the winter wave of Covid (actually interest rates or cut back on ‘quantitative assets. Banks and financial institutions and investment in infrastructure may thenextrecession.wordpress.com in the case of the US, because of lax easing’, even if the annual inflation rate - flooded with the generosity of the Fed generate a short boost to the economy. lockdowns, etc, the spring wave just heads over 2%. and other central banks - have not lent But raising government investment continued); and, second, hundreds of Fed chair Jay Powell made it clear these funds onwards (either because the from 3% of GDP to 4% over five years Notes 1. See thenextrecession.wordpress. thousands of small businesses (and in a recent speech to the Economic big companies did not need to borrow or so cannot be decisive, if business- com/2020/04/13/the-post-pandemic-slump. some larger ones) went bust and so Club of New York (business people or the small ones were too risky to lend sector investment (about 15%‑20% of 2. See oecd.org/economy/growth/23527966.pdf. capitalism was not able to return to and economists) that the Fed had no to). Instead, corporations and banks GDP) continues to stagnate. Indeed, as 3. bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-02-10/ normal after the ‘winter break’. intention of reining in its monetary have speculated in the stock and bond government debt grows to new highs inflation-is-a-risk-four-more-reasons-to-worry. 4. Financial Times February 11. Summers’ argument is also based on easing. Powell even gave a date - no markets, and even borrowed more (in the case of the US, to over 110% of 5. See thenextrecession.wordpress. some very dubious economic categories. tightening of policy before 2023. This (through corporate bond issuance), GDP), even if interest rates stay low, com/2020/06/16/the-deficit-myth. He measured the fiscal and monetary has upset the anti-inflation theorists. given low interest rates - paying out interest costs to GDP for governments 6. axios.com/newsletters/axios-capital-5dd57a8b- stimulus being applied by Congress Gillian Tett in the FT put it: increased shareholder dividends and will rise and eat into funds available 5790-4899-a1bf-2b925f94cf6c.html. 7. See thenextrecession.wordpress. and the Federal Reserve Board in 2021 buying back their own shares to boost for productive spending. And with com/2021/01/20/bidens-four-years. against the “potential output” of the the Fed has now taken this so- prices. And now, with the expectation corporate debt also at record highs, there 8. thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2020/08/21/a- economy. This is a supposed measure called “forward guidance” to a new of economic recovery, investors poured is no room for debt-heavy corporations marxist-theory-of-inflation. weekly worker 1335 February 18 2021 9 ITALY Mario Draghi? No, thanks! The political establishment has put differences aside to support a government that is committed to making workers, pensioners and the petty bourgeoisie pay for the Covid-19 crisis, reports Toby Abse

Wide range of political support, wide range of economic attack

he new Italian administration occasion, can be seen in his February Andreotti, via Giuliano Amato, to No sooner had Draghi left the government, demanding massive headed by prime minister Mario 23 2012 interview with the Wall Street Silvio Berlusconi and Massimo Italian treasury than he went to spending cuts and a programme TDraghi is a coalition consisting Journal - a truly chilling document, D’Alema. work for Goldman Sachs (2002-05), of austerity. The letter called for of all the major parties, including not which has not received the attention it In the summer of 1992, during the gaining the best-paid job of his life - “privatisations on a large scale” of only the rightwing Five Star Movement deserves. Draghi declared that “what crisis of the exchange rate mechanism, which, it has been alleged, involved local services and the replacement of (M5E) and Liga, but the former ‘official is being outlined in Greece is a new linked to the European monetary a considerable conflict of interests, national level wage settlements by communist’-dominated Democratic world that will abolish the old regime system, Draghi was aboard the Royal since this American merchant bank “agreements at the enterprise level Party (Partito Democratico), and the and free us from the whited sepulchres Yacht Britannia - in the company of had numerous dealings with the Italian in a manner that adapts wages and social democratic Liberi e Uguali. … the welfare state is dead”.3 In case Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who was then state, Draghi’s previous employer. working conditions to the specific Over the last couple of weeks anybody imagines that this was an head of the Bank of Italy, subsequently In 2005, he returned to Italy to head needs of the enterprise”. In addition, many mainstream commentators have off-the-cuff outburst (not that taciturn Italian prime minister and finally the Bank of Italy on Berlusconi’s the letter specifically called for further described Draghi as a Keynesian, as central bankers make the off-the-cuff president of the Italian Republic; recommendation. After six years cuts to Italian pensions. Whilst the an opponent of neoliberal austerity remarks more typical of garrulous and the renowned Italian economist, in this post, he went to Frankfurt to reckless Berlusconi chose to ignore and so forth.1 This is nonsense. The politicians), more than three years later, Beniamino Andreatta. As part of this become head of the ECB. these threats until the ‘spread’ (the gap fact that in July 2012 Draghi declared in July 2015, he put his theory into trio, Draghi helped devise the Italian Some have held him responsible between the interest rate on Italian and that he would do “whatever it takes” practice and delivered the killer blow privatisation programme, which in for the ignominious collapse of the German 10-year government bonds) to save the euro, and that as president to Alexis Tsipras’s already wounded the course of the 1990s saw the sale, centuries-old Monte dei Paschi di soared out of control in November of the European Central Bank he Greece by cutting off emergency loans at giveaway prices, of almost every Siena bank, through his endorsement 2011, these foul measures - particularly subsequently instituted a programme to its banks. Italian state-owned or predominantly of a very ill-advised merger with a the attack on pensions - were soon to of quantitative easing - which involved state-led enterprise. This fire-sale Venetian financial institution, which be implemented by Mario Monti’s the ECB purchasing government bonds Past was supposed to be a brilliant means his own Bank of Italy officials had technocratic government (2011-13). (issued by Italy and other European It is true that Draghi originally of reducing Italy’s large national already found to be in serious trouble. Draghi is also widely believed to states) worth a total of €3,000 billion studied economics in Rome with the debt, which had indeed ballooned Nonetheless, by and large his record have inspired Matteo Renzi’s Jobs Act between March 2015 and the end of Italian Keynesian, Federico Caffè, in the course of the 1980s, when the as a central banker has been a very (2014), which destroyed the protection 2018 - does not make him a friend before studying for a PhD under corrupt prime minister, Bettino Craxi, successful one, and gained him the against arbitrary dismissal, given to of the working class and the poor.2 the direction of another Keynesian, endorsed a bizarre clientelistic variant admiration of his peers in international workers by article 18 of the Workers’ These measures were needed to save Franco Modigliani. He may well have of Keynesianism.4 high finance. Statute of 1970. More recently, European capitalism as a whole, even expounded Keynesian theories as a The privatisations proved to be an However, it is worth pointing out to Draghi’s speech to a ‘Meeting’5 of the if narrow-minded, ultra-nationalistic young economics professor, but what utter failure in terms of their ostensible those who see him as a friend of Italy reactionary, fundamentalist Catholic German ordo-liberals opposed them concerns us, and will concern the objective, as Italian national debt and the Italian people that on August Comunione e Liberazione (CeL) and loathe Draghi for having pursued Italian masses in the coming year or tripled over the next 10 years. But 5 2011, soon after the confirmation movement in August 2020 drew an them. two, is the path he consistently pursued they provided a massive windfall for of his appointment at the ECB, but ominous distinction between “good Draghi’s real world-view, which from 1991 onwards in his 11 years as a large array of Italian and non-Italian while he was still head of the Bank debt” and “bad debt”, and argued for can in no sense be called that of director general of the Italian treasury capitalists - including the Benneton of Italy, he signed (together with the an end to “subsidies”. The language of a “liberal socialist” (!), as he has under nine different governments - family, who got their hands on many outgoing ECB head, Jean-Claude the speech was somewhat ambiguous, described himself on more than one led by figures ranging from Giulio motorways and airports. Trichet) a notorious letter to the Italian so it was impossible to be sure that weekly 10 February 18 2021 1335 worker

the subsidies Draghi referred to decisions and too keen on postponing masses by the time of the general representative of finance capital at were measures like the ‘Citizens’ them. In short, he was subjected to election, scheduled for early 2023. its most ruthless. Unsurprisingly, Income’ of the rightwing Five Star the kind of treatment reminiscent of The politician who had the despite the strong endorsement from Movement (M5S), the extended cassa British press campaigns against Ed clearest grasp of the underlying Beppe Grillo, Luigi Di Maio and integrazione (roughly equivalent to Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn.10 dynamics of the current situation M5S’s acting leader, Vito Crimi, ‘furlough pay’) scheme of the second I am not claiming that Conte was is unfortunately Giorgia Meloni, and despite an extremely leading Conte government, or its emergency particularly leftwing. After all, he the leader of the neo-fascist Fratelli question, the online referendum of grant to restaurant and bar owners was the same man who in his first d’Italia. The FdI is already growing members on whether M5S should and shopkeepers hit by Covid-related government (June 2018-August in the opinion polls, becoming the join a Draghi government produced restrictions, but Confindustria (the 2019) had colluded in many anti- third most popular party after the a large minority of 40.7% who Italian CBI) certainly interpreted the migrant measures originating with Lega and the PD (and narrowly were against. The 59.3% ‘yes’ to speech in the latter way. Matteo Salvini. However, Conte’s ahead of M5S). At the 2018 general Draghi was far less than the 94% Even more recently, the December response to the Covid emergency election, it scored a mere 4.4% - way approval in a similar referendum 2020 report of the Group of 30 (on was essentially a social democratic behind the Lega and Forza Italia. on governing with the Lega or even whose management committee Draghi one. By the European elections of June the 79.3% who supported governing sat) stated that it was necessary to Firstly, he considerably extended 2019, it had climbed to 6.5%, but with the PD. “permit market forces to guide, at least the use of the cassa integrazione - its growth over the last year and a Liberi e Uguali’s obvious deep partially, future economic support” traditionally a form of temporary half is quite astonishing - it scored unease at joining a government and to “reduce the extent and volume layoff pay, used by companies in 16.9% in a recent opinion poll.13 By along with the racist Lega was not of the support that has characterised difficulties to avoid immediate remaining the only major party to sufficient to pull back it from the economic policy in the first phase of redundancies. He transformed cassa refuse to back Draghi, the FdI will brink. The only coherent position on the pandemic”. At a presentation of integrazione into the equivalent of gain the support of a wide array of the Italian left is that epitomised by this report, it was suggested that, as a the UK ‘furlough pay’, and soon the discontented, once the current Rifondazione Comunista’s slogan: result of the pandemic, around 20% of shifted the burden of its financing honeymoon with Draghi - who is “Mario Draghi? No, thanks!” l Italy’s enterprises would no longer be from employers to the state. He also getting a 70% approval rating due viable, with the clear implication that extended its duration on a number to the hagiographic coverage in the Notes the state should let them go under. of occasions (currently it is due media and the complicity of most of 1. Sadly, this line has been swallowed by some to run out on March 31). These the political parties - wears off. who, one would have thought, had greater critical faculties and stronger anti-establishment instincts. Anti-Conte extensions were in part a response As far as the PD is concerned, This can be seen in the reaction of important In the light of all this, it is hard to to trade union pressure, including Gramsci’s pessimistic assertion that figures on what remains of Italy’s parliamentary disagree with sociologist Domenico strike threats by Maurizio Landini’s “History teaches, but she has no left - the social democratic Liberi e Uguali De Masi’s statement that “in February leftwing union confederation, pupils” certainly applies. Despite its (which at the time of the 2018 Italian general election expressed great enthusiasm for Jeremy 2021, the last implicitly social the CGIL, and were disliked by origins in the ‘official communist’ Corbyn). Maria Cecilia Guerra, under-secretary for democratic government gave way Confindustria (the Italian CBI) - movement, the PD (or its immediate economics in the second Conte government, in her to the first completely neoliberal whose new leader, Carlo Bonomi, predecessors, the PDS and the DS) interview with the Communist daily Il Manifesto one”.6 The fall of Giuseppe Conte’s is much more of an anti-union hawk has repeatedly backed technocratic or (February 5), dismisses a number of possible objections to Draghi raised by the interviewer. second government (September than his predecessor. semi-technocratic governments led 2. I am aware that there are technical economic 2019-January 2021) was no accident. Secondly, Conte imposed a block by bankers - Carlo Azeglio Ciampi arguments to the effect that QE is not the most It was brought about by that unpopular on sackings, which again runs out in 1993-94, Lamberto Dini in 1995- efficient method of avoiding a slump, but that is hireling of Mohammed bin Salman, on March 31. Inevitably, employers 96 and Mario Monti in 2011-13. All not my point here. 7 3. This was translated by myself from Italian, as I Matteo Renzi, leader of Italia Viva have found loopholes, and at least these governments have not only was unable to find the original English text. - a small rightwing split from the 400,000 people were sacked last attacked workers’ rights in terms of 4. This culminated in the hugely wasteful Partito Democratico. But Renzi’s year, but without the attempted wages, job security, living standards expenditure surrounding Italy’s hosting of the antics would never have received such block, which employers hate, it and pensions: they also reduced 1990 World Cup. 5. This annual event, given the English language indulgence in the mainstream media would have been millions. Thirdly, any residual propensity of manual name of ‘Meeting’, has for some years been if the Italian establishment had not he imposed a block on evictions workers to vote for the degenerate regarded as central to Italian political and long ago decided that Conte - the most of tenants unable to pay their rent heirs of the Italian Communist Party economic life, attracting famous speakers with popular of Italian politicians in every - once again this expires at the end - instead driving them into the arms no allegiance to Comunione e Liberazione’s particular dogmas. In recent years, CL has in opinion poll between the start of the of March. Fourthly, he allowed the of the racist demagogues of the any event been more interested in using ‘third Covid epidemic in early 2020 and his extension of the ‘citizen’s income’ Lega, M5S and FdI. A party like the sector’ front organisations to build up an empire resignation in January 2021 - had to be - devised by the rightwing M5S PD, which can only get support from in private healthcare in Lombardy and Lazio than overthrown. during his first government - to more liberal sections of the educated in combating progressive trends in the Catholic 11 Church. Its key role in weakening public health One of the key moments in the cover a wider range of claimants. middle class, is heading for electoral provision in Lombardy has, of course, played escalating campaign against Conte Fifthly, he created a new ‘emergency suicide. a large part in the region’s exceptionally high was the takeover of the relatively large- income’ to cover many who did not To be fair to PD leader Nicola Covid-19 death rate. circulation, ‘centre-left’, national daily qualify for the ‘citizen’s income’. Zingaretti, he has some awareness 6. Il Fatto Quotidiano February 5 2021. 7. In the middle of the political crisis that Renzi La Repubblica by the Elkann/Agnelli Sixthly, he gave grants (ristori) of this, and sought to take the party had precipitated, he flew off to Saudi Arabia to family at the end of April 2020. As to compensate restaurant and bar back towards social democracy give a so-called conference, which seemed in soon as John Elkann was in control owners, shopkeepers and other petty and some links with the trade practice to amount to a fawning ‘interview’ with of the paper, he sacked the editor and bourgeois for their massive loss of unions, whom former leader Matteo Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He compared the prince’s urban plans with the Florentine replaced him with a reliable stooge, income due to Covid restrictions. Renzi had alienated. However, the Renaissance, and expressed his envy at the low Maurizio Molinari, who had previously Whilst there were some groups overwhelming dominance of former cost of labour in Saudi Arabia - an apartheid state, edited the Agnellis’ Torinese daily, La who fell outside the safety net, as Renzians in the party’s parliamentary in which more than half the workforce is made up Stampa.8 The Repubblica journalists well as serious delays, especially in group means that its feeble attempts of 11 million migrant workers with no rights at all. Renzi was paid $80,000 and flown back to Italy held a brief protest strike in support the early months of the pandemic, in to argue that the PD should only give on the prince’s private plane, in order to meet the of the sacked editor, who was clearly processing the payments, and some “external support” to, rather than Italian president’s timetable for consultations with very popular with his staff, and a people who, rightly or wrongly, actually participate in, a Draghi- party leaders. number of long-standing contributors claimed that the compensation led government that includes the 8. There is no question of there being a financial or 12 economic motive behind the takeover. Newspaper quickly went elsewhere - most notably they received was inadequate, the reactionary and racist Lega, were circulation in Italy, always below UK levels, Gad Lerner, a Lebanese-born Jew, overall thrust of Conte’s policies was drowned out by neoliberals only too is declining, as internet use grows, and Elkann who detested Molinari’s enthusiastic social democratic, not neoliberal. Of keen on this disgraceful lash-up. quickly sold off a chain of local newspapers, such support for Binyamin Netanyahu. course, he tried to mediate between M5S, as a newer formation than as the Livornese Il Tirreno (which had previously been attached to the La Repubblica/L’Espresso Much more recently, the world- the classes and made concessions Its slogan: the PD, may well be heading for the newspaper group), since they were of no political famous anti-Mafia polemicist, to large employers too - notably rocks rather more rapidly. In the 2018 use to him. Roberto Saviano, has opted to write a massive, unnecessary and Mario Draghi? general election, M5S scored 32.7%. 9. Obviously, Repubblica’s anti-Berlusconi for the centre-right Corriere della unconditional loan to Fiat Chrysler By the European elections of 2019, stance was in part a product of a feud between its previous owner, Carlo De Benedetti, and Silvio Sera instead, and, given the sales Automobiles (for which FCA No thanks its vote had nearly halved to 17.1%. Berlusconi. This resulted from a court case in figures of his books and his income showed absolutely no gratitude, It now stands at 15.2% in the opinion which Berlusconi had successfully bribed the from film and television adaptations, as should be obvious from the polls, below the FdI - and it must be judges to get a verdict against his economic rival. it seems reasonable to suppose his company’s leading role in the vicious remembered that it has up till now Nonetheless, it marked Repubblica out from the pack of major newspapers and helped maintain a motive was not financial. In any event, press campaign against Conte). But benefitted from its association with committed readership. I suspect that many of its from April onwards La Repubblica the point is that even a mild social Giuseppe Conte, who was far more older readers have been nauseated by the depiction attacked Conte on a daily basis, and democratic response to the social popular than either Beppe Grillo of Berlusconi as a ‘loveable rogue’ in the days from early December seemed to carry and economic crisis caused by or Luigi Di Maio. In the course since he expressed willingness to join Draghi’s government. an obsequious interview with either a pandemic in a country that of this parliament, dozens 10. Even Conte’s understandable desire to keep Matteo Renzi or one of his Italia Viva never really recovered from of its deputies and senators the oversight of Italian intelligence in his own clique almost every day. the 2007-08 financial crisis have either been expelled or hands was twisted to give the impression that Of course, there were a lot of hostile is absolutely unacceptable deserted it for a variety of he was an agent of the Trump administration - given that Conte’s quarrel with Matteo Salvini in editorials and columns attacking Conte to capital. other parties. Its original August 2019 was partly due to Salvini’s refusal to in the Corriere della Sera too, but the electoral breakthrough give honest answers to parliament about alleged centre-right newspaper was rather Coalition in 2013 was because of Russian funding of the Lega, Conte could not be less strident than the one traditionally Draghi’s government its opposition to Mario branded as an agent of Putin - an accusation that a fanatical Atlanticist like Molinari would probably identified with the Partito Democratico will make workers, the Monti’s government. have preferred. (PD), and its immediate non- unemployed, the ruined It was born as an anti- 11. Whilst this scheme was originally closer to communist predecessors, the Partito sections of the petty establishment party that the jobseeker’s allowance or universal credit than Democratico della Sinistra and the bourgeoisie, pensioners opposed all the political to a universal basic income, since there are few new jobs for claimants to be pushed into, such Democratici di Sinistra, as well as with and private tenants pay for class (La Casta) as well as objections are currently irrelevant. 9 the anti-Berlusconism of 1994-2011. the crisis. Therefore, it is hard bankers and technocrats. 12. The Italian petty bourgeoisie is probably more For these journalists, Conte could to understand the willingness Draghi is a much purer inclined to dodge tax than its UK equivalent, never get it right - one moment, he of both the PD and M5S to example of what it once opposed and doubtless some have no compunction about swindling the state during the pandemic, but there was too dictatorial; the next, indecisive participate in this government, and than Monti was. The latter was can be no doubt that very many shops and small and lacking leadership skills. He was therefore to face the predictable arguably more of an academic businesses have gone bankrupt over the last year. simultaneously too prone to centralise anger and despair of the popular and/or bureaucrat than a lifelong 13. Published in La Repubblica (February 7). weekly worker 1335 February 18 2021 11 INDIA Revolution from above Small farmers are in revolt against the Modi government. Jeff Singh looks at the drive to replace peasants with capitalists itter winter protests are consolidate to survive, as opposed to becoming something of a habit thrive individually. Bamong Indians, who, under To illustrate this point, NN Sinha, the rule of Narendra Modi’s Hindu secretary for the department of rural nationalist government, are testing out development, argues that agricultural the claim that they are citizens of ‘the reforms will not be complete without world’s largest democracy’. the implementation of compulsory Three new farming laws are consolidation. Sinha attributes the proverbial bone of contention, farmer suicides and debt to an uneven intended to reform an agricultural distribution of landholdings and market system which was spawned suggests that smallholder farmers during the exploitative era of British lack the capacity to invest in modern rule.1 However, the national laws allow farming infrastructure, such as roads, little flexibility for individual states power lines and irrigation channels. and have been challenged by small Most pertinently his statements and large farmers alike, who feel there prove that the government is aware is little to no support provided for them that the private investment neoliberal to adapt to the sweeping changes they reforms bring will not benefit the impose. Pro-government corporate- smallholders who make up the vast media outlets have been lambasting majority of India’s farmers. the protestors for months, and backers Britain’s own agricultural of the reforms claim that the laws revolution began with legislation will affect only the richest farmers, that guillotined its way through accusing the protestors of ignorance. the country, enclosing what was Regardless, support for the agitation once commonly used land and continues to grow.2 consolidating it in the concentrated Over half of India’s working ownership of the landed gentry. Some population are employed in the historians argue that the purpose of agricultural sector, of which a the enclosures acts was not only to few hundred million are (mainly increase productivity of the land, smallholder) farmers.3 However, while distributing the proceeds to a agriculture only accounts for 16% of concentrated few, but also to force the country’s gross domestic product, Small farmers protesting against Modi’s new laws: but will they stop voting BJP? workers from the land into the cities implying that farming methods are to fuel the industrial revolution. extremely inefficient - particularly mandate the purchase of certain economics at Indira Gandhi Institute laws.8 The economists provide five India’s situation is more when compared with that of the notified agricultural commodities. It is of Development Research - points out, reasons why the laws should be complicated than that of 18th century USA, which requires just 2% of the claimed that the overarching intention “Cotton ginners and spinners, solvent repealed, including their concerns that England, because many of its farmers population to produce a yield sufficient is protecting the interests of farmers extractors, sugar, oil and dal mills have they will enable big agribusinesses have legal rights not only as citizens, to feed two billion people. While it is by providing them with an organised historically been procuring directly to dominate smallholders, and ruin but as landowners. However, if important to note that much of the market and guaranteeing a minimum from farmers in several states”.6 During the livelihoods of an unimaginable these new laws are not repealed, USA’s produce is intended for feeding price on certain produce. 2012‑13, only 25% of all transactions number of people. The letter also the phenomenon of smallholders’ livestock rather than people, a similar The three laws are best viewed were made within the AMPC markets, challenged some government land being consolidated is likely to contrast can also be observed when together as reforms that have while 55.9% were made with local justifications for the laws, which accelerate. As it stands, smallholders comparing Indian agriculture with that been anticipated since 1991 and private traders. Six states already the economists claim to be false.9 have not been offered schemes to of east Asian countries, many of which are all focused towards removing consider private warehouses to be These falsehoods have been repeated compensate their losses and retrain have just 10% of their workforce in regulations that prevent private-sector market places and permit warehouse- in inflammatory and misleading them for other professions. agriculture. participation. The first and most based sales, while Kerala, Behar and articles in some of the country’s The reforms have not Irrespective of employment figures, contentious of them is the APMC Mizoram have no APMC Act to speak biggest newspapers, including The promoted cooperatives in place India’s government claims that it is ‘bypass bill’, which seeks to limit of. For some farmers, this private trade Times of India. of consolidation. Rather, the committed to upgrading the current the jurisdiction of APMC acts to the has reduced costs by avoiding APMC Far too often has it been suggested laissez faire approach of the Modi agricultural sector, transforming it physical perimeters of its markets. licensing fees and, in some instances, that the farmers are simply unable government leaves smallholders into a much more sustainable and Any transactions made outside these the cost of transporting goods to to realise that the laws serve their defenceless in the face of effective system - one that protects markets will take place in the ‘trade APMC markets. However, according interests, and that they misunderstand monstrously wealthy competitors, the water table and ecosystem. This area’ and are not subject to the same to Narayanan, these cases are limited, the wider goals of the reforms. On who will be free to abuse their power enormous task requires not only regulations. The second, and less and such benefits are not likely to be the contrary, I would argue that in a deregulated environment. The the implementation of expensive controversial, reform is the Essential felt by smallholder farmers, who do it is the policy-makers who have irony here is that, had they been infrastructure in the form of roads, Commodities Bill, which replaces the not have the capacity to market their misunderstood them. Farmers compulsory, the farmers would power lines and irrigation, but also the existing stocking limits framework goods effectively outside the APMC are aware that deregulation of the have been slightly better off, as they creation of gainful employment for the with a mechanism triggered by the markets. agricultural sector will create an would have had to be compensated. vast numbers of Indians who will be pricing of commodities. The intention This added competition can lead to environment where both smallholders In response to the sounding of rendered unemployed, as mechanised of this bill is to remove restrictions further instability for smaller farmers, and agribusinesses will have to the death knell that the reforms farming machinery replaces their that have prevented big business from many of whom may be in debt and consolidate in order to survive, as represent, it is unsurprising that manual labour. And yet bizarrely, operating more freely in the agricultural stake everything on selling the crops has been the case in many western many farmers see this as their last in the face of these challenges, in sector. The third legal change is also they harvest. Farmers groups have countries. Indian smallholder farmers stand. Much like the tax reforms 2016 Modi promised India’s farmers known as the ‘Contract Farming Bill’ long been calling for an increase in are already struggling, and some enter which sparked the gilets jaunes that his party’s reforms will double - the main aim of which is to provide the number of accessible markets, a cycle of debt when they opt to take movement in France, the Indian their income - a promise that seems a framework for written agreements which would in turn reduce the costs loans to compensate for poor returns government has attempted to force impossible to keep. between farmers and ‘sponsors’. of transporting goods and improve from crops. As farmers receive fewer through neoliberal reforms under Neoliberal reforms began in With regard to the environment, due the assurance of sales. It appears returns with consecutive harvests, the guise of a desperately needed 1991, and by 2000 the agricultural to outdated irrigation techniques, water doubtful that freer trade will meet their debts mount. Unable to repay climate policy, while neglecting the sector was said to have begun its wastage is a big problem across India these demands - the apparent failure the debts they have accumulated, needs of the masses they supposedly ‘Rainbow Revolution’, intended that impacts heavily on the water table of the free market to take advantage many of them even resort to suicide. represent.11 l to encourage the private sector to - the current levels of extraction are just of the unrestricted areas, as Narayanan In 2013‑17, more than 10,000 farmers invest in and update rural life. These not sustainable. Additionally, the state points out, is partly because businesses per year took their own lives across 10 Notes new farm laws carry on in the same procures cereals in large quantities tend to be very selective of the India, often by drinking pesticides. 1. See indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ direction and intend to bring India’s from APMC markets to distribute to geographical locations in which they ‘Consolidation’ of smallholdings farmers-protest-agri-laws-apmc-mandis-msp- farming sector up to the more modern the bottom two thirds of the population choose to trade, often prioritising often implies a unifying and fruitful surjit-bhalla-7101406/lite. 4 2. youtu.be/xUSLi8DsMww. standards of some western countries. via ration shops. The largest suppliers areas with “less competition, better business venture, but the term fails 3. theindiaforum.in/article/india-s-biggest- Currently, agricultural markets are the of these cereals are big farmers from infrastructure, skilled farmers and to acknowledge the livelihoods that challenge-future-farming. responsibility of the state. They are the Punjab and Haryana states, but the higher productivity”.7 Another good are lost in this often untidy process. 4. theindiaforum.in/article/three-farm-bills. regulated by the Agricultural Produce complaint is that this 6% of Punjab and example of this is in the state of Behar, Following India’s independence, 5. m.timesofindia.com/india/what-are-new- farm-laws-and-and-why-farmers-are-protesting/ Marketing Committee (APMC) - a Haryana farmers will have a monopoly where there is a marked absence of consolidation of smallholdings was amp_articleshow/79609234.cms. remnant of British rule, originally set on state procurement of cereals. If this private traders or agribusinesses, changed to ‘voluntary’, but states 6. theindiaforum.in/article/three-farm-bills. up to extract agricultural goods from were true, it would require a very loose despite deregulation. It is assumed have been expected to meet targets 7. Ibid. the former colony. understanding of the term ‘monopoly’, that if the state were to invest in the in five-year plans. This programme 8. theprint.in/india/10-senior-economists-write- to-modi-govt-demand-repeal-of-fundamentally- Yet central government also has as AMPC markets are open to all who infrastructure, big business would be of consolidation is still ongoing and, harmful-farm-laws/569017/%3famp. a responsibility to ensure free trade hold a licence. more likely to take advantage of it. ironically, Punjab and Haryana are 9. indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ within the country. As a result, APMC Another unsubstantiated claim is amongst the few states reaching their rural-land-holdings-economy-rural-investment- markets have become a state-supported that reforms will benefit small and Harmful targets. But all this clearly contradicts farmers-agitation-6588473/lite. framework that facilitates procurement marginal farmers who are currently Ten senior economists have written the disingenuous government line 10. downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/more- 5 than-10-000-farmers-farm-hands-committed- from farmers by both the state and restricted to the APMC markets. a letter to the Modi government that the reforms are in the interests suicide-in-2017-68653. private sector. Individual states have But this is simply not true. As Sudha demanding a repeal of these of smallholder and marginal farmers, 11. jacobinmag.com/2018/12/gilets-jaunes-yellow- their own APMC regulations, which Narayanan - associate professor of “fundamentally harmful” new farm as it is expected that they will have to vest-macron-capitalism. weekly 12 February 18 2021 1335 worker USA Heading for self-destruction Impeachment and acquittal: but, says Daniel Lazare, Trump was guilty as charged n order to understand insurrection, various royal favourites of Charles I. impeachment and other recent When it became time to deal with IAmerican events, a comment about Charles himself, however, the House free markets in Marx’s Grundrisse, of Commons had no choice but to cast the notebooks he compiled in 1857- impeachment aside and try him on 58, may prove useful: treason charges, since it was clear that the Lords would never go along with Free competition is the relation of it. capital to itself as another capital: Indeed, the mechanism was ie, the real conduct of capital as experiencing its last gasp in Britain capital. The inner laws of capital - just as the founders gathered in which appear merely as tendencies Philadelphia in 1787 to draft a new in the preliminary historic states of constitution. This was the case of its development - are for the first Warren Hastings, a former governor- time posited as laws; production general of colonial India accused founded on capital for the first time of corruption and mismanagement. posits itself in the forms adequate to Although Raskin referred to Hastings it only in so far as and to the extent during the Trump impeachment trial as that free competition develops, “a corrupt guy”, it was another example for it is the free development of of the congressman’s penchant for the mode of production founded twisting the facts.6 Indeed, Hastings on capital; the free development would be acquitted in 1795 after a of its conditions and of itself as seven-year trial that all but ended the the process which constantly career of Edmund Burke, the enemy of reproduces these conditions. It is the French Revolution and Hastings’s not individuals who are set free chief tormenter. by free competition: it is, rather, Thereafter, parliament sought other capital which is set free.1 means of controlling the executive. But since America’s founders had The passage goes on for another specifically ruled all other means out, thousand words, as Marx describes they stayed with impeachment, even how industrial capitalism emerged though it would prove more and more out of the late-medieval guild system, ineffectual. cast aside old fetters and restraints, The upshot centuries later is a and then set about remaking society Hastings-style fiasco - only worse. in its own image in order to create the From security cameras in the Capitol: insurrectionists broke police lines Democrats felt they had no choice conditions for its self-development. but to go ahead with impeachment But what does the Grundrisse have to fight like hell, you’re not going to the invasion of Iraq in 2002 and over the integrity of elections” and even though they knew it would be do with events more than 160 years have a country any more” - clearly against the Iran nuclear accord in Bernie Sanders saying around the nearly impossible to win over 17 of later? amounted to incitement, the videos 2015, and whose fighting during same time that he “agree[s] with tens the Senate’s 50 Republican members The answer is that the means by showed Democrats using equally the course of his 22-year career on of millions of Americans who are needed under the constitution to which capitalism builds itself up are incendiary rhetoric with regard to Capitol Hill has mainly been on very worried when they cast the ballot convict. broadly similar to those by which Trump. There was House speaker behalf of Wall Street deregulation. on an electronic voting machine that But, now that impeachment has it tears itself down. The process is Nancy Pelosi saying, “You have to be He is a relentless fundraiser, who has there is no paper trail to record that ended in acquittal for the third time self-referential, self-reflexive and ready to throw a punch”; Democratic convinced countless hedge funds and vote” - precisely the same complaints in a row since the late 1990s, they self-generating - ‘autopoietic’, as Senator Jon Tester of Montana private-equity investors to contribute that Trump is making today. have wound up in an even worse systems analysts would say. While declaring, “I think we need to go hundreds of millions of dollars to But the crisis goes back even position than before. With only seven it may seem at various points that back and punch him in the face”; Democratic campaigns because, as farther - to the stolen election in Republicans voting to convict, the Republicans and Democrats are in Democratic Senator Cory Booker of one Wall Street lawyer said, “If you 2000; to the 1998 impeachment of constitution’s chief means of reining the driver’s seat, their actions merely New Jersey confessing, “I feel like can be responsive to a solicitation, Bill Clinton over a semen-stained in a runaway executive has turned into reflect “inner laws” that are just as punching him”; and president Joe you are really getting an extra bang blue dress; to Republican House the opposite. Trump can now brag that relevant in the 21st century as they Biden vowing that, “if we were in for your buck.”5 leader Newt Gingrich’s Contract with he is the only president who has been were in the 18th - inner laws not of high school, I’d take him behind the The portrait that this collection of America and the back-to-back federal acquitted twice by Congress, while capitalist production, that is, but gym and beat the hell out of him”. empty suits painted of Trump’s role shutdowns he engineered in 1995- the Bonapartism he represents has of capitalist decay. It is the larger There was even Madonna in a on January 6 is therefore incomplete, 96, and so on. The more Congress emerged strengthened from the ordeal. system that “constantly reproduces” knitted bourgeois-feminist ‘pussyhat’ because it fails to mentions their own erupted in vicious partisan warfare, Democrats may try impeachment again the conditions that contribute to its telling a cheering crowd in 2017, role in the debacle. As Michael van the more the ancient constitutional the next time a Republican president downward spiral. “I have thought an awful lot about der Veen, one of the ex-president’s machinery stiffened and froze. Both mounts an assault on Congress. But This is the only way to make blowing up the White House.”2 lawyers, observed, sides complained about a voting they will know that the effort will go sense of the charges hurtling back Liberal journalists snickered. system that is chaotic, opaque and nowhere before it even gets off the and forth in Washington. At the “What is this never-ending video of The entire Democratic Party and grossly overdue for an overhaul. But ground. They are sitting ducks - not outset of Donald Trump’s five-day Democrats saying ‘fight’ meant to national news media spent the last neither side did anything about it, despite the Trump impeachment, but impeachment trial, Democrats led by prove?” asked a reporter for the centre- four years repeating without any because nothing can be done, thanks because of it. Jamie Raskin - a constitutional law left website Vox. “Is it supposed to be evidence that the 2016 election an archaic, 233-year-old constitution Is this Jamie Raskin’s fault? professor turned suburban Maryland a form of torture?”3 had been hacked, and falsely and that is immune to reform. Perhaps. But it is really an example congressman - described the former No, it was supposed to show that absurdly claimed the president of Another thing it tells us is that the of an ancient political structure president’s role in the January 6 coup Trump is not the only one who’s out the United States was a Russian crisis is fully bipartisan. Republicans advancing toward one-man rule under attempt in terms so shocking that of control and that Democrats are spy. Speaker Pelosi herself said and Democrats may go at one its own steam. The US constitutional even Republicans were taken aback. just as hypocritical, if not more so. that the 2016 election was hijacked another hammer and tong, but both system serves as the politico-legal Raskin’s presentation began with a After all, senator Elizabeth Warren, and that Congress has a duty to are equally silent about the real basis for a capitalist system that now video of Trump urging followers to who appeared in one of the defence protect our democracy. She also elephant in the sitting room, which is straddles the world. But it is aware “fight like hell” and “stop the steal”, tapes, urging supporters to “fight called the president an impostor to say a plan of government that is as in some dim sense that checks and and then showed frenzied ultra- harder for the changes Americans and a traitor, and recently referred unchangeable as it is dysfunctional. balances, separation of powers and rightists, as they smashed windows, are demanding … you don’t get what to her colleagues in the House as Trump and Raskin may look like the like are increasingly untenable broke down doors, and overran you don’t fight for …”, is the same the enemy within. they are in charge. But they are no and that it therefore has no choice but Capitol Hill. It was the most naked erstwhile liberal standard-bearer who more than actors following a script to head off in a direction that is more anti-democratic display since 2014, first opposed the universal health- The people who tried to overturn the that the great unmentionable dictates and more illiberal. Individuals like when ultra-rightists chased out an insurance programme known as 2016 election, in other words, were at every turn. Trump, Raskin, Pelosi and Schumer elected president in the Ukraine - Medicare for All, then supported it, the same ones going after Trump for are momentary personalities that the with the enthusiastic backing of US and then opposed it again due to a trying to overturn the election in 2020. Impeachment capitalist political structure creates in Democrats, needless to say. shift in the political winds. Senator The Trump team even showed a clip of Impeachment is yet another stage the course of its own self-destruction l Still, the bottom line was clear: Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jamie Raskin seeking to decertify the in the process of constitutional self- Trump was guilty as charged. He had shown declaring, “I’m going to be Electoral College in 2016, because, as destruction. Derived from the Old Notes plainly incited the riot and Democrats fighting, fighting like hell”, is the he put it, “10 of the 29 electoral votes French empeechier (to prevent), 1. K Marx Grundrisse: foundations of the critique were not unjustified in pushing for same Democratic chickenhawk who cast by Florida were cast by electors it is a product of 14th‑century of political economy (rough draft) London 1973, his conviction and seeing to it that he told voters that he fought like hell in not lawfully certified”. The players Anglo‑Norman law, in which a p650 (emphasis in the original). never held office again. Vietnam and then was forced to admit had changed roles, but the game was bourgeois House of Commons would 2. youtube.com/watch?v=87uZ_atahP8. that he never got near the war, thanks otherwise the same. indict a royal official - but never the 3. twitter.com/atrupar/ 4 status/1360287313918627841. Both ways to a string of student draft deferments. So what does this tell us about the king himself - while leaving it to the 4. The New York Times May 17 2010: nytimes. But then Trump’s lawyers shot back As for Chuck Schumer, the New crisis? One is that it has been long in the upper house to conduct the actual trial, com/2010/05/18/nyregion/18blumenthal.html. three days later with another string York Democrat shown vowing to making. Other clips the ex-president’s on the grounds that only a peer can 5. jacobinmag.com/2016/11/chuck-schumer- bernie-sanders-financial-industry-fundraising. of videos that were no less effective. “keep fighting, fighting, fighting”, team showed were of Nancy Pelosi judge a fellow peer. But impeachment 6. Journalist Max Blumenthal’s 2017 interview Where Democrats said that Trump’s he is the self-described “angry complaining in January 2005 that fell into disarray in the mid-17th with Raskin about Russiagate is a classic example. words on January 6 - “If you don’t centrist”, who voted in favour of “there are still legitimate concerns century after parliament used it against See youtube.com/watch?v=Ce0X7_48vGY. weekly worker 1335 February 18 2021 13 DEBATE Drivers that led to January 6 There was far more involved in the storming of the Capitol than an antiquated constitution and corrupt political parties. Jim Creegan responds to Daniel Lazare

America’s founding fathers: is their constitution to blame? he differences among the apparatus and the courts tremble appear to have grasped Trotsky’s pledged before a meeting of the three writers Daniel Lazare in fear, equivocate and acquiesce. point. country’s leading industrialists Perplexing Tcriticises in ‘The meaning To whom, in this scenario, Trotsky viewed fascism that he had no intention of According to Lazare, the events of January 6’ (Weekly Worker are these major institutions, as a militarised movement of confiscating their property or of January 6, along with the February 4) over what to call the with millions of troops and the crisis-wracked, enraged interfering with their profits. His election of Trump, are not only events of that day - a farcical, sophisticated weapons at their petty bourgeoisie. It entered determination to leave in place the symptoms of decay, but signs of bungled coup attempt (Jack disposal - all of whose leaders the political arena of inter-war existing army and its general staff the impending collapse of the Conrad), or something in between pledged themselves to respect Europe as a mass force, mobilised was emphatically underscored by entire American polity and social a riot and a coup attempt (Bradley the election results - surrendering independently of traditional the ‘Night of the Long Knives’ in order. Yet it is difficult to glean Mayer and myself) - involve their might? To a ragtag mob of political parties and state 1934. Hitler then dissolved the SA from his articles any precise terminological nuances that need 5,000 without a central command institutions. This is why Trotsky (Sturmabteilung), the Nazi Party’s notion of what the causes of the not detain us. We three appear - some of whom appear to be argues that Primo de Rivera, who brown-shirted paramilitary force, coming breakdown are, or of to agree that the assault on the armed and determined, but was installed by a military clique and murdered its chief, Ernst the relation among the several Capitol was aimed at reversing more of whom seem to enjoy at the summits of power, should Röhm. Röhm took seriously Nazi elements of crisis he names. Trump’s electoral defeat and preening in front of TV cameras not be considered a fascist. Yet rhetoric about a social revolution Perhaps his fullest attempt to prolonging his presidency. We and taking selfies? Was the the fascist mass movements that that would upend the class order, explain the current situation is also seem to agree that it was a entire state apparatus about to did arise in Italy and Germany did and had ideas of replacing the to be found in his December 17 haphazard affair that, although bow before the inspirer of this not, as Lazare seems to believe, Reichswehr (German army) with Weekly Worker article, ‘A guide partly prepared for in advance, assault - a demagogue who had conquer power by overthrowing the Brownshirts. His brand of for the perplexed’ - the title of lacked a concerted tactical been repudiated by every major the ‘deep state’, but by gaining fascism was short-lived. which is taken from a work by the plan and had zero chance of centre of economic and political its acceptance. They could do Yet Lazare seems to regard 12th century Jewish-Aristotelian success, because it was opposed power in the country, apart so because powerful military hard-core Trump supporters as theologian, Moses Maimonides, by powerful state institutions, from his Republican loyalists? and bourgeois factions became Röhm-like fascists, who might and is, as we shall soon see … especially the armed forces. This scenario defies the most convinced that order could only succeed where the SA failed. perplexing. Because Daniel Lazare elementary calculus of power, be restored by annihilating the He argues that there is a fascist One theme of the article is disagrees with what I consider and greatly underestimates - unions and political parties of the danger every bit as great as that that, contrary to “bien pensant” the basically common assessment along with Trump - the legitimacy working class, which were too of inter-war Europe, even though liberal opinion, the Democrats of the above three, I think his elections confer upon capitalist big and powerful to be eliminated the working class is not “on and Republicans are equally arguments are the most important rule. by repressive laws or police the march”, and the American mendacious, and will continue ones to address. Lazare writes measures; they saw the fascists bourgeoisie has no need of fascists “grappling and clawing at one that “the attempted coup was Fascist as the only ones who could do to break its power. So, whereas another, as they tumble off a cliff”. all too real”, with “a significant Lazare, moreover, discounts the the job, precisely because their Hitler and Mussolini, with their Regular readers of this paper will chance” of accomplishing its aim importance of the military by mass character enabled them to millions of highly disciplined be aware that I am no apologist and plunging the country into arguing that fascist revolts are penetrate proletarian precincts paramilitary forces, could only for the Democratic Party, but “the depths of authoritarianism”. carried out in opposition to the and combat the workers at capture, but not destroy, the Lazare’s tendency to put an equals He goes on to imagine a scenario ‘deep state’, not in collaboration ground level. Fascists do not lead existing state apparatus, Lazare sign between the two parties tends in which the rioters hold the with it. He seeks support in rightwing revolutions against the would have us believe that a far to create the impression that - at Capitol, take hostages and perhaps Trotsky’s strictures against existing order, but come to the smaller and more fragmentary least until January 6 - there was murder Mike Pence and a few categorising Miguel Primo power as its defenders of last movement of the American nothing out of the ordinary about Democratic lawmakers. Congress de Rivera (not to be confused with resort. far right can confront and the Trump presidency, and that is prevented from certifying the his son, Antonio - a founder of Mussolini marched on Rome possibly prevail against the US Trump’s lies were an equal and election results and Trump rushes the Spanish Falange) as a fascist, in 1922 to be handed power by government - which is, despite opposite reaction to Democratic into the resulting power vacuum, because the coup that made him King Victor Emmanuel III, with growing dysfunction, still more fabrications. declaring a state of emergency and dictator in 1923 was initiated the support of the military. Barely powerful and cohesive by orders It is, of course, true, as Lazare himself president for another four from within the state apparatus two weeks after being appointed of magnitude than the regimes of emphasises, that the Democrats years. In the face of Trump’s fiat, rather than without, like fascist chancellor by German president post-World War I Italy or Weimar hugely exaggerated claims of the army, the ‘national security’ power-grabs. But Lazare does not Paul von Hindenburg, Hitler Germany. Russian interference in the 2016 weekly 14 February 18 2021 1335 worker What we DEBATE fight for election, and promoted bogus dishonest - American ‘politics the result of a long process of decay ever larger in the population, and n Without organisation the accusations of collusion between as usual’ are, Donald Trump and - if less advanced than he claims - to women and gays who do not working class is nothing; with the Trump campaign and Putin. Trumpism distinguished themselves made doubly acute by Covid-19. accept their former lot. The anger the highest form of organisation And, when a long and thorough from the Democrats in the extent to American global power has long is directed at those above - whether it is everything. investigation by special counsel which they were willing to exceed been on the wane, and western in government, academia or urban n Robert Mueller found no conclusive their normal bounds. countries are afflicted by outsourcing professional enclaves - to the extent There exists no real Communist evidence for this charge, the and automation. As a result, broad that they reject national chauvinism Party today. There are many Democrats impeached and tried to Terminal? swathes of a working population are and refuse to join - or act to undermine so-called ‘parties’ on the left. In remove Trump for withholding aid to In ‘A guide to the perplexed’, Lazare relegated to the margins. No longer - the defence of beleaguered white reality they are confessional sects. Ukraine in order to pressure its chief argues that, whatever the balance concentrated in industry, or organised status. And lashing out at the objects Members who disagree with the prosecutor to investigate the shady of baseness between Republicans into the unions that industrial of white male rage can - as we have prescribed ‘line’ are expected to business dealings of Biden’s son, and Democrats, it is not in the final concentration gave rise to, these just seen - have lethal consequences. gag themselves in public. Either Hunter, in that country. Trump had, analysis their misdeeds that are the declassed workers have no ready I have written several articles that or face expulsion. in fact, used foreign aid as a political problem: their actions merely reflect means for collective deliberation and in this paper critical of the identity n Communists operate according weapon in this instance. But in the “a structural crisis undermining action; they are more prone than in politics widespread on the American to the principles of democratic Russia/Ukraine scandals, Democrats society and everything in it”. the past to experience their plight as a left, because identitarians combat centralism. Through ongoing debate saw an easy way to discredit and Of what does this crisis consist? series of private misfortunes. the revanchist right by reversing the we seek to achieve unity in action perhaps get rid of Trump without Lazare goes on to list a series of Not only workers, but also the plus and minus signs: they divide the and a common world outlook. As promising anything of substance factors by now familiar to readers of small businesspeople integral to population into the same essential long as they support agreed actions, and branding him as unpatriotic. his articles: a rigid, 230-year-old US former industrial communities, feel race and gender categories as the members should have the right to Neoliberal Democrats are now taking constitution that is near impervious themselves to be social outsiders. For right, with the difference that they speak openly and form temporary a similar tack by trying to identify to change; a constitution-established its part, the socialist left - deprived defend and attempt to advance the or permanent factions. the Republicans with the absurd Senate, which, because it is by industrial decline of the easier purported interests of the groups n Communists oppose all impe- conspiracy theories of QAnon; this comprised of two senators from each interface it once had, at least in the right attacks. They all too often rialist wars and occupations but way, they can present themselves state, whether densely or sparsely Europe, with workers concentrated attack words and symbols instead constantly strive to bring to the fore as the alternative to insanity, while populated, gives the voters of smaller in factories and other worksites of of real conditions, and are inclined the fundamental question–ending war not encroaching upon ruling class states - who are usually whiter and scale - mainly inhabits globalised toward absurd extremes of ‘political is bound up with ending capitalism. interests. significantly further to the right than urban hubs, where its adherents take correctness’. Advocating, as I do, a n Communists are internationalists. Trump’s lies, however, were more those of bigger ones - an inordinate advantage of the career opportunities class outlook in opposition to identity Everywhere we strive for the closest numerous and blatant than those of advantage; an Electoral College (mostly in academia, journalism politics does not, however, mean unity and agreement of working class the Democrats - and all told in his that replicates this demographic and and high tech) on offer there. This denying the reality of extra-class and progressive parties of all countries. own personal interest rather than political imbalance; a Supreme Court combination of circumstances has left oppressions, or the necessity for the We oppose every manifestation for any policy objectives, however whose judges are appointed for life. the excluded layers more vulnerable working class movement to combat of national sectionalism. It is an reactionary. He told the public that In addition to these rigidities, there are to the rightwing populism of the them. Yet one finds no mention in internationalist duty to uphold the Covid-19 was no more serious than state laws that have over the decades Orbáns, Kaczyńskis, Le Pens and Lazare’s appraisal of the January 6 principle, ‘One state, one party’. the flu, when he knew it to be lethal made ballot access for smaller Trumps. events of the role of the one thing and highly contagious; that mail-in parties increasingly difficult, further Yet the downward drift of working that animated the rioters perhaps n The working class must be voting was inherently fraudulent, entrenching the two-party system and class life, though economically caused, more any other: their commitment to organised globally. Without a global when the evidence of fraud was leading to the “partisan gridlock” we is not always viewed by workers white supremacy. Communist Party, a Communist nil. Through his personal lawyers, witness in Washington today. and provincial petty bourgeois in In fact, the only instance I can International, the struggle against Rudolph Giuliani and Sidney Powell, All the above assertions are true, economic terms. For the older among recall where Lazare touches upon capital is weakened and lacks Trump spread the meme that voting but do they explain what Lazare them, the memory of the economic this subject at all is when, in a coordination. machines had been programmed by wants them to? As explanations, security of the prosperous post-war previous article, he counterposes to n Communists have no interest the Venezuelan government to change they tend to lead the logical, not to years is mingled with other memories: the slogan, ‘Black lives matter!’, the apart from the working class votes for him to votes for Biden, mention the Marxist, mind to a series of a country at or near the apex of slogan, ‘All lives matter!’ I think the as a whole. They differ only in and that hundreds of thousands of of overwhelming questions. Has nations; of neighbourhoods that were second slogan - which appeared at recognising the importance of “unlawful” paper ballots had been the constitution, being rigid as it is, mostly white, and minorities that anti-BLM counter-demonstrations Marxism as a guide to practice. discovered. changed substantially since Lazare were meeker and more minoritarian; - is premised upon a deliberate That theory is no dogma, but It is highly improbable that the wrote his book about it, The frozen of wives who took care of children misrepresentation - or perhaps in must be constantly added to and public found themselves caught in republic, nearly a quarter century and did the housework; of homes in Lazare’s case a misunderstanding - enriched. a crossfire of competing “big lies” ago, when the legal and social order which the father was the undisputed of the first. ‘Black lives matter!’ is n Capitalism in its ceaseless from both parties, and did not know was presumably more stable and less authority. It is those markers of not intended to imply that black lives search for profit puts the future whom to believe, as Lazare argues. exhausted? If not, what has led us status that have lost recognition in a are the only ones that matter, or that of humanity at risk. Capitalism is The reaction of ordinary Americans from this condition of relative stability society now more ethnically diverse, they should matter more than the synonymous with war, pollution, to accusations of Russian collusion to the near-terminal crisis conditions multicultural and sexually egalitarian. rest, but that they should matter just exploitation and crisis. As a global and self-dealing with Ukraine was Lazare claims are now upon us? And it is the longing to regain this lost as much as white lives. In the US - system capitalism can only be probably what it has usually been He surely would not argue that this status that rightwing populism feeds. now, as throughout its history - they superseded globally. to most foreign policy matters: transformation has come about as Status anxiety is the opposite of class- have counted for much less: most n indifference. On the other hand, many a result of tighter ballot restrictions consciousness: instead of solidarity recently in the instances of police The capitalist class will never who had voted for Trump did not or increased voter suppression. And with all the exploited and oppressed, brutality that gave rise to the BLM willingly allow their wealth and care that he lied or regularly tweeted why have the Republicans morphed it elevates pride of place in a hierarchy protests. power to be taken away by a outrageous personal insults and from the middle-of-the-road party of - in proximity to those above and I am sure that Lazare does not parliamentary vote. abuse. They were committed to him Dwight Eisenhower into the far-right superiority to those beneath. misconstrue the above slogan out of n We will use the most militant for other reasons, which we will say party of Donald Trump? The events of January 6 were any softness on racism. But it is one methods objective circumstances more about below. If Lazare wishes to argue that an outpouring of wounded status more example of his tendency to pay allow to achieve a federal republic Far more pernicious than Trump’s social contradictions have lately consciousness, raised to a fever scant attention to the elements of the of England, Scotland and Wales, casual prevarication was his open become too acute to be contained pitch. Economic demands and current conjuncture apart from the a united, federal Ireland and a appeal to xenophobia and white within the constitutional framework, slogans were completely absent. one to which he attaches transcendent United States of Europe. racism: his branding of immigrants the explanation must lie in the The rioters were nearly all white and importance: the US constitution and n Communists favour industrial as rapists and drug-smugglers; his contradictions, and not the static overwhelmingly male. The symbols, legal system. Economic trends, social unions. Bureaucracy and class remark that there were “fine people framework. Regardless of whether from copious American flags to struggles, political shifts do receive compromise must be fought and on both sides” in the confrontation one accepts Lazare’s assertions that crosses, to occasional Nazi regalia, an occasional mention in his articles, the trade unions transformed into between white supremacists and anti- we are on the verge of total meltdown, were those of nation, the Christian but usually by way of digression schools for communism. racists in Charlottesville, Virginia; logic would seem to suggest that we religion and the white ‘race’ - of from his singular constitutional n Communists are champions of his defence of Confederate statues must look to other variables as the those categories of people who were fixation. Even his latest piece, the oppressed. Women’s oppression, and monuments when Black Lives locus of explanation for a change once at the top of the heap, but now ‘The meaning of January 6’, ends combating racism and chauvinism, Matter demonstrations were hauling as dramatic as the one he claims see their ascendancy slipping away by stating that “[Bradley] Mayer and the struggle for peace and them down; his refusal to condemn we have experienced in the last and vanishing. The guns some is right to point to ‘the antiquity ecological sustainability are just the Klansman, David Duke; his several decades. This underscores rioters brought were brandished to of a state founded at the end of the as much working class questions suggestion that the four female why Marxists are more inclined to intimidate, and were perhaps intended 18th century - … and unchanged in as pay, trade union rights and Congress members who comprised look to such things as economic to be fired, but they played a symbolic its foundations to this day - as the demands for high-quality health, the so-called progressive squad - developments and the relation of role as well. Those who on the far prime cause’ of the current crisis”. housing and education. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna class forces, rather than laws and right have for years vowed to oppose The article then trails off into an Pressley, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan constitutions, when they seek to gun control laws and defend their arcane discussion of the separation n Socialism represents victory Omar - should “go back to where account for major developments in second amendment right to bear arms of powers under the Tudors, and the in the battle for democracy. It is they came from”, although three are society. do not - at least where most whites attachment of the pilgrim fathers the rule of the working class. American-born, and one - Omar of Such an orientation should never are concerned - need guns for self- - who landed in Massachusetts in Socialism is either democratic or, Minnesota - is a US citizen, who came descend into crude economic or class defence, and no-one is threatening 1620 - to Elizabethan state forms. as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it here as a Somali refugee at the age of reductionism; jurisprudence has its to confiscate their hunting rifles. The Far be it from me to deny the turns into its opposite. 13. Then there was Trump’s advice to own internal logic and history. But, gun is rather for them an emblem of importance of tracing historical n Socialism is the first stage the white supremacist Proud Boys to when all is said and done, laws and masculinity, and gun control an act roots, but I am sure many readers of the worldwide transition to “stand back and stand by”, as well as legal systems are an expression of of legal castration. The deep sense of will find bizarre and bewildering the communism - a system which his dispatch of plain-clothes federal prevailing social relations, or at grievance of the marauders (call them claim that a document that provided knows neither wars, exploitation, agents to Portland to accost and shove least a framework in which they rioters or attempted-coup-makers, as the legal basis for the American money, classes, states nor nations. BLM demonstrators into unmarked can comfortably exist, and not their you prefer) and the many who share government for 230 years, in addition Communism is general freedom cars and detain them without charges, defining element. it, is borne of a sense of dispossession to its even older provenance, can and the real beginning of human and the summary execution by US - that all the things that once set them be invoked instead of living social history. marshals in Washington State - which Two diagnoses above the rest of humanity are being forces to explain the eruption of The Weekly Worker is licensed by Trump publicly bragged about - of Finally, a word or two about the taken away. January 6 - or the terminal crisis that November Publications under a Creative Michael Reinoehl, an Antifa member diagnosis of the present state of Yet the threat is not primarily Lazare thinks we are now in l Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence: accused of having shot and killed a things - Lazare’s and mine. I share to those on top, but to those on the creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ rightist demonstrator in Portland. his view that the Trump years, and bottom - to all those with darker Jim Creegan can be reached at legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. However constricted - and their culmination on January 6, were skin and foreign accents who bulk [email protected]. No 1335 February 18 2021 Not the miracle technology that was promised Swords into ploughshares? Nuclear power is no answer to global warming, argues Eddie Ford - it is incredibly expensive and inherently dangerous t the weekend a 7.3‑magnitude meltdown of a reactor, and subsequent two cannot be disentangled. Indeed, “... the fact of the matter is that earthquake rocked large parts of radiation leak, was rated level five - an it was an open secret that in 1956 nuclear energy still presents the only ATokyo, with nearly one million “accident with wider consequences”. Calder Hall was designed primarily immediately available, reliable and homes losing power. This must have Clean-up started in August 1979 and for the production of weapons-grade cheap, low-carbon-energy source”. been a terrifying experience, even officially ended in December 1993, plutonium. Furthermore, the idea was The correspondent went on to argue if nobody was killed. Perhaps even with a total cost of around $1 billion. for Britain to become an ‘independent’ that the left “must consider the future more scarily, this is believed to be an Readers might recall the 1979 film nuclear power not reliant on the US and how we see our energy needs aftershock of the massive earthquake The China syndrome, staring Jane - which did not succeed. Making being met, as we become a planet that almost a decade ago, which triggered Fonda and Jack Lemmon, about safety the actual bomb was the easy bit, is increasing its energy consumption” a tsunami that left 18,000 dead. The cover-ups at a nuclear power plant - but developing an effective delivery (my emphasis) and argued, like many tsunami also went crashing into the 12 days after the film’s release Three system was an entirely different matter. others, that “the strongest candidate Fukushima nuclear plant, in the worst Mile Island happened. Mercifully, Eventually, for this or that reason, that we have to meet this need is such incident since the 1986 Chernobyl it appears, epidemiological studies the UK abandoned the V bombers nuclear fusion” (Letters, March 24 disaster. analysing the rate of cancer in and and the Blue Streak missiles - opting 2011). Thankfully there are no reports of around the area since the accident N-power: the future? instead to hide under the American Whilst I would not want to any further damage to the Fukushima show that there has not been any umbrella with Polaris, a theoretically categorically rule out nuclear fusion plant (now decommissioned) or the statistically significant increase - but admitted in a much later interview invulnerable submarine-based system as a possible contender for eternity, the neighbouring Onagawa plant - which the monitoring continues. that, having been brought up on the that cannot be detected by satellite or problems are legion. True, scientists actually was closer to the epicentre of Bible, “I liked the idea of swords into knocked out by aircraft. Polaris patrols writing seven year ago in the Nature the 9.0‑magnitude earthquake in 2011. Craziness ploughshares”. War and peace.) continued until May 1996, by which journal declared that for the first time That was the most powerful quake ever At the moment nuclear power is being What is sometimes forgotten is time there was a phased handover to ever they had “used 192 lasers to recorded in Japan and the fourth most heavily sold to us on the grounds that that Labour then had a programme the replacement Trident system. compress a pellet of fuel and generate powerful earthquake in the world since it is a clean technology - which is of closing down ‘unprofitable’ coal a reaction in which more energy modern record‑keeping began in 1900. nonsense of Orwellian proportions. mines - not to mention a nagging Delusional came out of the fuel core than went The town of Onagawa was almost Where do you store the nuclear concern that the balance of class It is important to counter those on into it”. But that is only half the story. totally destroyed by the tsunami. waste, sometimes with a ‘half-life’ of forces was tilting too much towards the left - the techno‑utopians - who The goal of “ignition” still remains a However, whilst the four reactors at the thousands of years? Clay‑lined landfill the working class movement, with the imagine nuclear power as some sort of distant dream - that is, when far more Daini plant in Fukushima automatically sites? Deep underground in repository miners acting as its Praetorian Guard. answer to global warming. This belief energy is yielded than was consumed shut down, as programmed, its sister sites? Inside mountains? Under the This process was speeded up under is utterly delusional, as nuclear power in the entire process. More broadly, it plant at Daiichi underwent a triple oceans? the Tories and Margaret Thatcher, of is incredibly expensive - vastly more is extremely doubtful whether nuclear meltdown - the radiation released into Some have talked of using high- course. As part of his general move to so than coal and gas, and, of course, fusion will ever be able to seriously the atmosphere forced the government powered lasers to blast capsules of the left during his maturement, Benn wind and solar power, both of which compete with the alternatives either to declare an evacuation zone with a waste into outer space - which seems became an opponent of nuclear power are steadily becoming more efficient economically or technologically. And 20km radius. like madness - or even blasting the - experience as a minister teaching him and inventive. Nuclear power is also there are plenty of energy options for In total, some 154,000 residents damned stuff into the heart of the Sun that it was not cheap, safe or peaceful. inherently dangerous, as we have seen the future that do not require nuclear from the surrounding communities - more craziness. Then what about Nowadays, nuclear power in the UK above. Just one accident can cause technology. were evacuated in 2011. Huge an equivalent of 9/11, with hijacked generates 20% of the country’s total incalculable damage - not something If you live in the UK and stare amounts of contaminated water Boeing aircraft being launched into a electricity - not the dizzying heights you can say about wind or solar. unhappily out of the window, it may were discharged into the Pacific power plant - which would surely have imagined in the 1950s. Britain has 15 Nevertheless, some sections of the seem dark or cloudy all the time. But Ocean during and after the disaster. horrendous consequences? operational nuclear reactors at seven left insist on promulgating nuclear potentially all sorts of remarkable Nightmarishly, like a bad science Of course, in 1950s Britain we locations - in 2010 the government technology as the solution - or at least, things can be done with solar power. fiction movie, it has been estimated that were told that not only was nuclear gave permission for private suppliers part of the solution. This attitude was Just look at how excess nuclear power 18 petabecquerel (PBq) of radioactive power the exciting new technology of to construct up to eight new nuclear reflected in a recent article on the in France is cabled to Britain - right caesium‑137 were released during the the future, but also that the electricity power plants. While two companies Corbynite Novara Media website - an now your lights or computer could accident, and 30 gigabecquerel (GBq) produced would be free. This was the have pulled out of developing them, “independent” outlet “driven to build be powered this way. Hence it seems of caesium‑137 were still flowing period when there was endless talk EDF Energy is still planning to build a new media for a different politics”. perfectly possible that solar power in into the ocean every day in 2013. The about how the only problem in the four new reactors at two sites, and In an article entitled ‘Is it time for the the Sahara Desert can be set up to power plant’s operator built new walls along future would be what to do with our Horizon Nuclear Power has plans for left to back nuclear energy?’, Craig the UK, or any other country. We on the coast and constructed a 1.5km‑long bountiful leisure time, thanks to the several new reactors. Gent writes that nuclear power “quite the Marxist left need to be questioning ‘ice wall’ of frozen earth to stop the blazing white heat of the technological There has also been a simply isn’t a threat to humanity in any growth for growth’s sake - production flow of contaminated water. revolution - some feared that we might proposed nuclear power station at way that is even comparable to fossil for the sake of production. Rather than The Fukushima disaster was become too decadent or degenerate. Bradwell‑on‑Sea in Essex using fuels”.2 He goes on to say that, “whilst imagining a future with increased classified as level 7 on the International In August 1956 Calder Hall, reactors built by the China General the uranium required for nuclear energy consumption, which seems Nuclear Event Scale (INES), joining Sellafield, was connected to the grid, Nuclear Power Group - construction of power does come ‘from the ground’, it perverse, we need to be planning for a Chernobyl as the only other accident becoming the world’s first nuclear the site is expected to take between nine is fairly abundant and far more evenly society of the future with dramatically to receive such a rating. Yes, there was power station to deliver electricity and 12 years. Inevitably, there have distributed across the globe than oil or reduced power usage. the 1957 Mayak disaster at the Soviet in commercial quantities. Then in been sharp criticisms of the project gas”. Nuclear is “unrivalled” in terms Production must be for the sake of Kyshtym site, which at the time was February 1966 it was announced that from both the US administration and of capacity, he claims, “because it need - not profit, which threatens to the worst nuclear accident in history.1 the first prototype fast breeder reactor sections of the Tory Party. Iain Duncan requires so little space to produce so destroy the natural environment on this During this catastrophe a poorly in the UK would be constructed Smith has compared the UK’s dealings much energy”. Gent concludes that precious planet, if not life itself l maintained storage tank exploded, in Dounreay, Scotland, at a cost of with Beijing to the 1930s appeasement the left “should stop being shy about releasing 20 million curies (740 PBq) £30 million. Around this time we had of Nazi Germany, claiming it would nuclear energy, because if we’re [email protected] in the form of 50‑100 tons of high-level a youngish Tony Benn - minister of mean that “our energy policy is in the serious about rapid decarbonisation, radioactive waste, and contaminating technology and then energy minister hands of the Chinese”. it’s a part of the equation”. Notes a large area in the eastern Urals. under successive Harold Wilson Of course, in terms of history, the In the same sort of vein, just after 1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyshtym_disaster. Naturally, in the best Stalinist tradition, governments - trying to sell us the real reason for nuclear power was the the Fukushima disaster the Weekly 2. novaramedia.com/2020/12/03/is-it-time-for-the- the Soviet bureaucracy kept the wonders of nuclear power. (Benn development of nuclear weapons - the Worker published a letter, saying: left-to-back-nuclear-energy. accident secret for 30 years. Maybe alarmingly, Mayak is still active and Subscribe Name:______Standing order serves as a reprocessing site for spent 6m 1yr Inst. To ______Bank plc ______nuclear fuel (another incident appears Address:______UK £30/€35 £60/€70 £200/€220 to have happened in September 2017). Branch address ______Europe £43/€50 £86/€100 £240/€264 ______While the Mayak explosion was the Rest of £65/€75 £130/€150 £480/€528 Post code ______Account name ______second ever worst accident measured world ______Sort code ______Account No ______by the quantity of radioactivity New UK subscribers offer: spewed out, the INES - for whatever 3 months for £10 ______Please pay to Weekly Worker, Lloyds A/C No 00744310 sort code 30-99-64, the sum of ______every month*/3 months* reason - classifies nuclear events by until further notice, commencing on ______This replaces any previous order from this account. (*delete) the immediate impact on the human UK subscribers: Pay by standing order and Tel:______save £12 a year. Minimum £12 every 3 Date ______population. So Chernobyl is the winner Email:______at 335,000 people evacuated. months... but please pay more if you can. Signed ______Name (PRINT) ______By comparison, the 1979 Three Send a cheque or postal order payable to ‘Weekly Worker’ at: Sub: £/€ ______Address ______Mile Island accident in the US almost Weekly Worker, BCM Box 928, ______seems like small beer. The partial London WC1N 3XX Donation: £/€ ______