A paper of Marxist polemic and Marxist unity

David Broder: active ruling class n Letters and debate n Glasgow migrants freed collaboration was central to the rise n Il Manifesto: 50 years and triumph of Mussolini fascism n Ulster unionism in crisis No 1348 May 20 2021 Towards a mass Communist Party £1/€1.10 TRUMP’S PERSONALITY CULT TAKES ON BONAPARTIST TRAITS weekly 2 May 20 2021 1348 worker LETTERS

pronged counterrevolution in for people than under the most you earn’. The other 5% are those stronghold of Fenland, if only Letters may have been Syria! advanced capitalist society, this people who are paid, say, more Labour would campaign for shortened because of space. Some names For the sake of accuracy it is does not mean that communists than £50,000 per year, such as them!  may have been changed also important to be a bit more should have avoided power in MPs, senior state employees and John Smithee fine-grained about political 1917 Russia, or China in 1949. company directors. The Marxist Cambridgeshire Islam than Lazare, who paints Communists can take power in definition of the middle class can No evidence movements from the Muslim backward countries, providing be summed as the five-million Intangible Daniel Lazare’s article, ‘Syria Brotherhood to Daesh (Islamic they realise that the transition self-employed, including builders, Last week’s article from Moshé and the usual suspects’ (May 13), State) with the same broad to full-blown socialism cannot plumbers, electricians, etc, along Machover (‘Stench of Zionist is a good illustration of the kind brush. As I write these lines, I am be an immediate goal. Indeed, with self-employed doctors (GPs), colonisation’) and the letter from of “anti-imperialism of fools” hearing the news from Palestine/ as pointed out above, this is the accountants, solicitors, etc. Andrew Northall (‘Electability’) that the Syrian intellectuals Israel, where Israel is once conclusion Lenin and Trotsky The other definition is that - to my mind both of exceptional and others criticise in their again killing Palestinians and came to by 1921. Thus the used by the Office for National pertinence and thus value - statement that Lazare purports to destroying property by pounding course of the Russian Revolution Statistics (ONS) and the polling led me to knock up an email savage. Lazare writes that “the Gaza - a small besieged enclave was actually a repudiation of organisations. This defines the communication to contacts of my evidence concerning America’s of two million people, governed Trotsky’s permanent revolution working class as social groups own, including close family. central role in the destruction by Hamas. What is Hamas? It is theory. And the repudiation came C2, D and E (skilled manual, Despite voices in my head of Syria has mushroomed” (my a movement that was founded in the palpable form of NEP. semi-skilled, and unskilled that whisper it all goes way emphasis). as the Palestinian branch of the What is being taught here manual workers, respectively). At beyond what will be considered There is no such mushrooming Muslim Brothers. Would that be is that, when communists take the same time, the middle class appropriate, I’d like to share those of evidence. The quotes Lazare an argument for the left to be power in backward countries, is defined as social groups A, B thoughts of mine with readers of provides show that the US silent about massacres and ethnic in a world where capitalism still and C1 (managerial, professional, the Weekly Worker. Triggered created a jihadist Frankenstein cleansing by Israel? predominates, their economic and white-collar workers, by the newest horror stories to in Afghanistan in pursuing Recall also in this connection strategy should be one of a respectively). emanate from Palestine/the Gaza its geopolitical, imperialist that Syria and Palestine are very mixed economy: that is to say, Why are these different Strip (aka Israel), these thoughts interests in late 1970s. As to close neighbours, who were a strong state sector plus small- definitions so important? The represent identical messages and the intelligence report and the separated only by the imperialist business private enterprise. This answer can be seen in the collapse analysis to the mainstream of speech by Joe Biden in 2014, powers after World War I. The combination of the state sector, of the ‘red wall’ in the north- the Weekly Worker/CPGB, but they show that the US was wary most advanced radical, leftwing or the commanding heights of east and the Midlands. At the are proffered in a different style, in committing itself to support group in the area - the socialist the economy, as Lenin put it, same time, we are witnessing as well as with somewhat more potentially dangerous forces in organisation in Israel, Matzpen with a petty bourgeois small- the collapse of the ‘blue wall’ intangible motivations. Syria. There is no contradiction - stressed the unity of the whole business sector is the first stage outside London. As Ben Page of The email concerned simply between these two ‘revelations’. Arab east already in the 1960s in the transition to communism polling organisation Ipsos-Mori asked: “Are the courtrooms Trying to rule the world is not and based its internationalist in backward countries. Trotsky has accurately pointed out, age at Nuremberg still in working easy. socialist programme on it. himself made allowances for this and home-ownership is now the order? The same going for its Until the Iranian and Lazare calls “usual suspects” in his semi-ultra-left transitional predictor of how people vote, not hanging-scaffolds!” Here and especially Russian intervention some of the signers of the programme in 1938. This strategy social class. now I wonder whether modern- of 2015, the fate of the Assad statement he tries to savage. The may even apply to advanced Using the ONS definition of times communism would have regime really hung in the expression comes from the end capitalist countries, where a social class, we can see that Labour the guts to promote this specific balance. It would have been very scene of the film Casablanca, state sector can be combined is now the party of the middle take on things, albeit in its plainly strange if the US as the strongest where one of the main characters with a small-business sector in class, whereas the Tories are now irony-soaked nature, with its imperialist power in the world - a police chief in Vichy-governed the transition to communism. the party of the working class. I am provocatively educational/brutally had not been interested in the French Morocco - gives an order Downing is also wrong about reminded of the famous Spitting enlightening intentions. nature of a prospective post- to “round up the usual suspects”: Mao’s bloc of four classes. image sketch, which followed the But once again other voices Assad Syria. So the Americans that is, people suspected of anti- Class alliances are based on the unexpected Tory general election bounce around inside my gave arms and material support fascist activity. Well, not a bad political goals for the revolution. victory of 1992. This showed head, bringing an expectation to the rebels, some of it through epithet! As an ultra-left approach to Norman Lamont and John Major of disappointment, thankfully Saudi Arabia. Turkey and Qatar Hannu Reime revolution, Trotskyism opposes knocking on the door of a thick accompanied by a dash of hope also aided anti-Assadists. Helsinki alliances between classes, working class Tory voter. When he - hope that the very best of But no evidence supports regardless of what such alliances opened the door, Lamont and Major everything will dominate, will the contention that the US has Mixed economy are supposed to achieve, and started jeering at him: “Stupid, arise supreme: as it were (indeed, actively sought to overthrow I was sorry to hear about the so we have the condemnation stupid, stupid!” This accurately somewhat supernaturally?) that Assad, as it did to Saddam passing of Cliff Slaughter on of Dimitrov. Those who share sums up the new Tory voters in the Marxist ‘validity’ will remain Hussein in neighbouring Iraq May 3 and would like to defend Trotsky’s ultra-left position that former ‘red wall’. sufficiently virile, potent, in 2003. The strongest US him against the arguments put socialist revolutions in backward As I mentioned earlier, we are sufficiently filled with vibrancy commitment in Syria has been forward by Gerry Downing countries should be attempted starting to see the collapse of and red-hot dynamism to its air campaign, in which it (Letters, May 13). as the immediate goal - an idea the ‘blue wall’ outside London. determine both humankind’s and destroyed the Isis ‘caliphate’ in Firstly, it is necessary to point which even seduced Lenin and Labour won five out of the 10 planet Earth’s ultimate destiny. the north and north-east of Syria. out that Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin later Mao - will no doubt oppose seats up for election on Worthing Nothing presented here stems The Americans made an alliance and Mao are all individuals who, Mao’s bloc. But the bloc of four council on the south coast. It from any misplaced belief in with the Kurdish forces and their although they had a positive classes was correct. The problem also won a couple of seats in ‘sage-like’ prophecy, let alone Arab and Assyrian allies. This side, nevertheless, to one is that Mao did not stick to its Chipping Norton, home of David from any special genius. In has enraged Turkey, an important degree or another, damaged the economic underpinnings - ie, the Cameron. At the same time, fact it’s quite the opposite - it’s Nato ally, whose nightmare is image of socialism to a certain strategy of mixed economy in the closer to home, Labour won the identical to a sort of secret-world permanent Kurdish autonomy extent, which gave the enemies transition to communism - and metro mayor for Cambridgeshire undercurrent to life. A veritable across its border to the south. of communism ammunition to later went instead for the Great and Peterborough. This, together host of folk share closely similar So Syria has been torn fight us with. This begins with Leap Forward, which was really with the Tories losing control of ideas and aspirations, all of which apart by geopolitical gangster Marx raising dictatorship into a leap backwards, if the truth be Cambridgeshire county council to is pretty much untapped and wars, where various - partly a principle of socialism, and told. a coalition of Labour, Lib Dems certainly nowhere reflected in antagonistic, partly parallel - ends with Trotsky advocating Failure forced him on to the and independents, has sent shock capitalism’s assorted systems for interests criss-cross with Iran, socialist revolution in backward back benches, until his comeback waves through the Tory Party in running society - nor even on our Russia and Turkey as the main countries, which were not ready via the Cultural Revolution from Cambridgeshire. Marxist left wing. In any event, it players, not the US this time. The for it, based on his ‘permanent 1966. As Ben Page says, age and is immeasurably preferable to that overwhelming majority of the revolution’ theory. In this sense, Tony Clark home-ownership are the predictor essentially counterrevolutionary, hundreds of thousands of civilian Trotsky is responsible for most Campaign for Democratic of how people vote, not social anti-working class stuff, as is deaths have been caused by the of the things which went wrong Socialism class. This explains the results often reinforced in the Weekly government side. How could in the Russian Revolution and in Cambridgeshire. Rents and Worker, such as by comrade stating this factual history cover the Chinese revolutions. Also, Class ‘defined’ house prices here are higher than Paul Demarty. In one of his up the crimes of imperialism? without Trotsky there would have Eddie Ford mistakenly includes most parts of London. No wonder recent pieces an endless string The statement by Syrians been no Pol Pot - Trotskyism Socialist Appeal in his line-up more than 28,000 citizens of of honourable thinkers, decent- and others criticised individuals is the intellectual basis for all of Brexit-supporting leftwing Cambridge voted Labour. Using minded experimenters and as and websites which, in their attempts to go immediately for organisations (‘The politics of the ONS definition of social such would-be liberators of geopolitical campism, have socialism in backward countries. denial’, May 13). SA, just like class, the middle class Labour working people are dismissed tried to erase Syrians and Cliff Slaughter was right the Socialist Equality Party, took voters of Cambridge and South as intellectually inadequate, their democratic aspirations to arrive at the position that a neutral position when it came Cambridgeshire outnumbered foolish, idiotic or even dangerous altogether, and began to support socialism was not on the agenda to the 2016 European Union the working class Tory voters of “dilettantes” - anyway incapable the murderous tyranny of the in 1917, and history bears him referendum. Eddie was confusing Fenland. of “class-rooted” analysis. Assad dynasty. It is easy to out. Both Lenin and Trotsky were SA with the Socialist Party in One policy that costs nothing Oh really, is that so? Just go write that the “Syrian revolution forced to recognise this later, and England and Wales, which did (which even Sir Keir Starmer tell that to those wonderful local failed because activists sought the failed attempt to introduce take a left-Brexit position in could support) and is a sure- folk who last week blocked the to make common cause with communism was relabelled ‘war regard of the referendum. fire winner of votes amongst deportation thugs of the UK state in ultra-reactionary elements”. communism’, and abandoned Putting a little error aside, ‘generation rent’ is rent controls. Glasgow! How toxic, indeed how This is both a lazy and at the for the New Economic Policy in I must clear up any confusion Of course, rent controls mainly downright dangerous that posture same time callous and arrogant 1921 - which Stalin prematurely Eddie’s fellow comrade, Jack benefit existing tenants. So it is and those so-called historically view for anybody who purports put an end to in 1928, after Conrad, has in regard of my necessary to link a policy for rent substantiated messages are to belong in the left. How many adopting Trotsky-type ultra- use of the term ‘working class’. controls with one to build one in themselves. All of this is a revolutionaries have perished leftism in the economic sphere. There are two definitions of the million council houses per year. reiteration of comrade Northall’s either in Assad’s jails and torture Although Russia was not ready working class. One is the Marxist Rent controls and building new letter, but in raw language. chambers or by the medieval for socialism in 1917, which definition, which can be summed council houses would go down Bruno Kretzschmar barbarity of jihadists, in the two- means a higher standard of living up as 95% of those on ‘pay as a treat in the working class Tory email BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07379 532160 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected] weekly worker 1348 May 20 2021 3 SCOTLAND Protest halts deportation Alastair Thomas celebrates the thwarting of the home office’s Immigration Enforcement goons in Glasgow here were incredible scenes on May 13 in Glasgow’s south Tside, when an impromptu act of defiance against the home office’s Immigration Enforcement (IE) eventually resulted in two detained men being allowed back into their community. At approximately 9.40am IE raided the home of Sumit Sehdev and Lakhvir Singh in Pollokshields. The chef and mechanic have been described by the press as Indian nationals living in the UK for over a decade, allegedly without leave to remain (‘conditional right of residence’). As chance would have it, the van - emblazoned with the words “Immigration Enforcement” - was spotted in time by a local resident and member of Glasgow’s No Evictions campaign. No Evictions is a grassroots, direct-action network that grew over the summer of 2020 in response to inhumane housing practices by the home office’s corporate partners (Serco and Mears), who are responsible for accommodating asylum-seekers in the Glasgow area. By 9.50 a member of the network had the courage to slide under the van and wound his limbs around the axel. The van, with Singh and Police were forced to order the release of the two men Sehdev inside it, could not move. Before much longer, a crowd being called in to “support” their their ground. A mosque on the younger than the broader Glasgow Sehdev and Singh have since of local residents had assembled IE colleagues. Three people were street threw open its doors and population, protestors did appear been served notice by their private chanting “Let them go”, and “No arrested early on, before the action started helping distribute food and to represent most sections of landlord, who apparently does not justice, no peace”. The appeal was had attracted more folk than police water, as did activists at a bus stop Glasgow’s south side: from young want anything to do with all that no doubt broadened by a stand-up really knew how to handle. - the goods being supplied by local girls in hijabs bearing homemade immigration malarkey. Hopefully comic (who presumably lives in the Despite the later portrayal by shops. signs saying, “Home office, this is locals will rise in their support area) tweeting about the action, and larger media outlets, there was Nicola Sturgeon, who happens our home”, to the English-accented again. within an hour resistance to the raid indeed a gradual escalation by to be the constituency MSP for the students and graduates, to lifelong Sturgeon, Yousaf and local was ‘trending’ and national media police of increasingly aggressive area - and, of course, was recently Glaswegians, who were obviously MP Alison Thewliss (apparently began to take an interest. tactics toward protestors, including re-elected as first minister, following taken aback by the day’s unforetold present during the protests) won As the crowd swelled, so did the donning riot gear and a mounted the Scottish National Party’s victory events. Someone flew a Palestinian the most political capital on the ranks of Police Scotland. Initially unit assembling nearby. Protestors in the May 6 parliamentary elections flag, kids pulled faces at the crowd day. The SNP’s particular brand of they were honest enough to admit were able to remain calm and hold - was soon voicing her opposition from their tenements, and a Scottish ‘anti-politics’3 allows it to claim to the IE tactics via social media. Socialist Party banner was held up. credit for wanting to do things How terrible, she thought, that they From the mosque’s front steps, “differently” without, years on, could do something like this on the Anwar railed against the “racists in the ever giving any programmatic Online Communist Forum holy day of Eid al-Fitr, in the middle home office and the fucking Tories”; explanation as to how. of Glasgow’s Muslim community, he and Mohammad Asif of the It took barely 48 hours for the during a pandemic. She would rather Afghan Human Rights Foundation Labour Party to find these events as Scotland had its own immigration promised the 1,000-strong crowd another excuse to cannibalise itself. policy! that things would be different in an Unite’s man on the party’s national After an apparent diplomatic independent Scotland. The crowd executive committee, Howard stand-off between Humza Yousaf, erupted - having only minutes Beckett, was formally suspended Scottish justice secretary (and beforehand chanted “No borders, no for tweeting that it should be the MSP for a neighbouring Glasgow nations, stop deportations”! home secretary, Priti Patel, who constituency), and home office The two men were finally heard gets deported instead of refugees. ministers - none of whom could and gave sincere thanks to everyone Only Keir Starmer’s Labour could deign to make themselves available present. turn a momentous anti-racist to speak to a rebellious Scot like success into an accusation of Yousaf - release of the men was Political opposition racism! (The semantics of ‘racism’, eventually secured, perhaps by the No doubt the usual suspects will ‘chauvinism’ and the politics of direct intervention of the Scottish be quick to valorise the inherent Twitter need not be discussed here.) government. beauty of the “spontaneous” Communists would abolish the IE is an executive body of the street protest. The “van man” home office and all immigration ‘reserved’ home office, whereas who successfully prevented the controls. We want a society in Sunday May 23 5pm Police Scotland is controlled by IE vehicle from getting away has which ‘freedom of movement of the Scottish government. Though himself said it was only “because people’ is a tenet so inviolable that Israel-Palestine aflame: formally separated from the political our neighbourhoods already put the words take on the meaning of a the Marxist response will of Scottish ministers, it would in the work to organise and share mere descriptive phrase, as though take an especially stupid and daring information” that the detention was one of Newton’s laws. Speakers: chief constable to ignore their wishes. reversed.2 Indeed. Without the No Communists, too, are for a Moshé Machover and Yassamine Mather This compares favourably with Evictions campaign’s presence on system of ‘law’ that is democratic, Register in advance for this webinar: similar actions that have taken place Glasgow south side’s streets, who fair and professes no power of us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ve14N_wIRFGwuQK2jepsRA over the years in London, but with knows what could have happened? arbitrary detention. We fight broadly less success1: where the Met Other commentators parroted vehemently against laws that are Sunday May 30 5pm and IE alike answer only to the home their “pride” in being Glaswegian arbitrary by their very nature.4 Perspectives for the World Economy secretary, political accountability is or even Scottish. It has been easily Communists also know that Speaker: Hillel Ticktin monopolised. overlooked that, sadly, another to get this society we need to I have probably never witnessed man was in fact detained by IE proactively agitate to defend Previous OCFs can be viewed or heard at these places: a moment as powerful as when elsewhere in Glasgow that day - our class, but we also need to YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/communistpartyofgreatbritain the van’s back doors were finally without community resistance, not build an organisation capable Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/cpgb-pcc flung open at 5.30pm, and Singh to mention Scotland’s longer history of beginning that revolutionary Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/412z90d6iSHN3bqwxAaP8h and Sehdev were released into the of brutalising migrants. transformation l Apple Podcasts: custody of famous human rights During the height of the Black podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/marxist-report/id1494068795 lawyer Aamer Anwar. They were Lives Matter movement last Notes walked under a police cordon to summer, Pollokshields was an area 1. See lrb.co.uk/blog/2015/june/in-walworth. Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk and another nearby mosque for safety. of the city with some of the most 2. glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19303180.kenmure- Labour Party Marxists: www.labourpartymarxists.org.uk As both men are apparently Sikh, visible banners of solidarity hung streets-van-man-speaks-protest-pollokshields. 3. conter.co.uk/blog/2021/5/6/holyrood-2021-what- For further information, email Stan Keable at this does resonate a level of local from residents’ locked-down homes. comes-after-scottish-anti-politics. [email protected] community ‘cohesion’. Perhaps pride in ‘the Shields’ would 4. freemovement.org.uk/the-glasgow-immigration- Though disproportionately be more reasonable. raid-was-arbitrary-as-are-all-such-raids. weekly 4 May 20 2021 1348 worker USA Assault on democracy Trump’s cult of the personality is taking on Bonapartist traits. Rather than a fellow member, he plainly sees himself as a monarch, lording over the GOP while in temporary exile. Daniel Lazare reports epublicans have expelled Liz silence rather than incur any more of Cheney - daughter of former the royal wrath. Rvice-president Dick Cheney Does this sound like a lion at and an ultra-hawk in her own right bay or a rightwing strongman - from her party leadership position preparing another bid for power? in the House of Representatives. The latter is what keeps Democrats Since Cheney was one of the few up at night, especially now that the Republican members of Congress Biden honeymoon is fading and with the guts to oppose Donald the administration is beginning to Trump’s attempted power grab on encounter turbulence. January 6, her purge last week is The trouble started on Friday evidence that the party is continuing May 7, when the Bureau of Labor to double down on its claim that the Statistics announced that the 2020 presidential election was stolen economy created only 266,000 and that Joe Biden is an illegitimate new jobs the previous month, 75% usurper. As a result, the party’s less than what pro-administration anti-democratic crusade can only economists had predicted. intensify. Conditions worsened a day later, Indeed, the crusade already when a car bomb went off in Kabul, has a slogan - ‘A republic, not a killing 85 people and injuring 147 democracy’ - and a theoretician others - most of them schoolgirls in the form of Mike Lee, an arch- who belong to the oppressed Shi’ite conservative senator from Utah. Lee Hazara minority. It was a sign that wrote last October that “democracy extricating the US from Afghanistan is not the goal”, and continued: will not be easy and painless, as the Biden administration had wished. The goal is freedom, prosperity and Monday May 10 then saw a human flourishing. Democratic ransomware attack that led to the principles have proven essential shutdown of a major interstate to those goals, but only as part of gasoline pipeline, resulting in a system of checks and balances price hikes, panic buying, and among the executive, legislative political consternation in general and judicial branches of the Making of an emperor? throughout the south-east. (As far federal government, as well as as most Americans are concerned, between the federal government on the slightest pretext. In Florida, the ultranationalist Vlaams Belang one’s home turf is bound to be nil. ultra-low fuel prices are as much a and the states.1 it could mean going after officials party is currently polling at 26.3% - This is why senators Amy constitutional right as free speech guilty of such technical infractions six points ahead of its nearest rival. Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren did and guns.) The same day, 124 retired There is no doubt that Lee is correct as failing to insure that drop boxes As disturbing as all this is, none so poorly in last year’s Democratic generals and admirals issued a in a strictly formal sense, which is one in which voters placed sealed ballots are mounting a direct assault on primaries: few people outside their Seven days in May-style open letter, reason why conditions are proving so are under continuous supervision. In electoral democracy the way that home states of Minnesota and warning that the nation is “in deep favourable for the Republicans’ anti- both Texas and Iowa, it could mean America’s ‘Grand Old Party’ is. Yet Massachusetts respectively had the peril” due to the administration’s democratic campaign. Americans tough penalties for election workers not only are Republicans suffering no slightest idea who they were. By “full-blown assault on our vote every four years in presidential who send out absentee ballots to harm at the polls as a consequence: the same token, it is why Trump constitutional rights”. On May 12, elections - but only for special voters who have not specifically they have actually seen a four-point continues riding high. If there is Republican congressional leaders electors, who then choose a president requested them.2 jump in political support to 44%, one thing he enjoys, it is name made it clear at a White House in a roundabout process designed to The aim is not only to make it which puts them well within striking recognition - which is why pundits meeting that the outlook is grim for benefit states that are white, rural and more difficult to vote, but more range of the Democrats’ 47%.4 pull out their laptops whenever he Biden’s much-touted $2.3 trillion intensely conservative. They vote difficult to hold elections at all - A growing portion of the public issues a statement out of Mar-a-Lago infrastructure plan, while the labor directly for senators, but as members especially those that will survive seems to agree with Mike Lee that and why CNN and MSNBC can be department announced that inflation of a legislative body that is one of the a legal challenge. Where one pro- democracy is only one aspect of the counted on to assemble the usual had kicked up to a disturbing 4.2%. most lopsided on earth by virtue of Trump court challenge after another American political process - and one talking heads to explain why he is Finally, Thursday May 13 saw a giving the same weight to a multi- flopped in 2020, the idea is to give that is destined to grow even smaller, wrong. The larger he looms over the series of impassioned speeches by racial urban giant like California that Republicans more to work with in as stresses and strains mount. Republican political landscape, the members of the Democratic Party’s it does to a vast and under-populated 2024. The longer they can use such What does it all mean? Liberals more the Lilliputians on Capitol Hill left wing, accusing the administration state like Montana or Wyoming. infractions to tie the election process had hoped that Republicans would fade into insignificance. of “taking the side of the occupation” Once the voting stops, moreover, up, the greater the chance that see the error of their ways after the He is therefore unchallengeable, with regard to the lopsided war Americans then find themselves Congress will miss its constitutional January 6 insurrection. But it soon which is why Republicans have no between Israel and Palestine. “Do prisoners of a Supreme Court whose deadline for certifying the results became clear that the party had no choice but to follow him into battle Palestinians have a right to survive?” members are appointed for life by the following January. If so, it is choice but to rally round Trump, against the electoral system. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked on the White House and then confirmed anyone’s guess as to what happens once the shock wore off. Various the House floor. “Do we believe that? by the same woefully racist and next. aspects of American political Constitutional wars And if so, we have a responsibility to unrepresentative body. The goal is the sort of induced mechanics are at work in this While America has not yet crossed that as well.” So Lee is right. America is every chaos that will allow Trump to stride respect, although one stands out in over into fascist territory, properly AOC may be a leftwing outlier bit as ‘counter-democratic’ as he says through the rubble and lay claim particular: ie, the requirement in defined, there is no doubt that it is as far as most Democrats are it is. But now it is growing even more to the White House once again. article 1 of the US constitution that heading there and that the Trumpian concerned, but her words made it so, as the anti-voter drive intensifies. The more Republicans get away members of Congress must live in cult of the personality is taking on clear that Biden cannot ignore the Indeed, by late March, with it, the more the constitutional their home districts, so they can cater fascist traits. Rather than a fellow Palestinian-Israeli conflict forever. Republicans had introduced 361 structure’s democratic components to their constituents’ needs first and member, he plainly sees himself as All told, it was a week from hell that bills in 47 out of America’s 50 will fade, while authoritarian foremost. a monarch lording over the GOP, made it eminently clear that trouble states aimed at rolling back voter elements advance to the fore. This is a requirement that England while in temporary exile. He treats is brewing on the economic front, rights. Some aim to rein in absentee had abandoned nearly a century his fellow Republicans with disdain, that tensions in the Middle East are voting, some prohibit passing out Ultra-right earlier. Hence, Edmund Burke allowing them to kiss his ring when as explosive as ever, and that, despite water to people waiting for hours It is worth pausing to consider how was able to inform the electors of they venture down to Florida, but a brief lull, trench warfare is once in the hot sun to cast ballots, while extraordinary all this is. Elsewhere Bristol in 1774 that “Parliament otherwise dismissing them with again resuming on Capitol Hill. others encourage election officials in the so-called advanced democratic is not a congress of ambassadors a wave of the hand. He recently Biden can only weaken, as such to purge the rolls of non-voters - a world, ultra-right parties continue from different and hostile interests”. blasted former vice-president Mike problems grow. The more he does, bureaucratic manoeuvre designed to make progress, however fitful. In Rather, it was a single body, whose Pence as cowardly for not standing the more Republicans will take heart to cause problems when supposedly Italy, the two big guns on the far right primary loyalty was to the kingdom up for him on January 6, while and intensify their anti-democratic inactive voters show up at the - Matteo Salvini’s Lega and Giorgia as a whole. But a congress of denouncing Senate Republican war drive. Americans might have polls. In a novel legal twist, they Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia, the latest ambassadors is precisely how US leader Mitch McConnell as “weak thought that the constitutional wars are seeking criminal penalties for incarnation of Italian neo-fascism - congressmen see themselves, which and pathetic”. If McConnell had not were over once Trump left office. election officials who violate rules together command a stunning 40% of is to say as representatives from wavered, his statement said, “we But they have only just begun l and regulations that Republicans the vote, according to the latest polls, the boondocks engaging in lonely would right now have a Republican are seeking to render ever more which is more than Mussolini did combat against all and sundry on president who would be vetoing 3 Notes complicated. In Texas, this could prior to his 1922 March on Rome. In behalf of the people back home. the horrific socialistic bills that are 1. lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/10/of- mean prosecuting election workers France, Marine Le Pen is polling at It is a form of institutionalised rapidly going through Congress, course-we-re-not-a-democracy. who do anything that “would 26%, one point ahead of Emmanuel parochialism that all but invites including open borders, high taxes, 2. nytimes.com/2021/05/15/us/politics/republican- make observation not reasonably Macron, while Portugal’s Chega them to behave as narrowly as they massive regulations, and so much voting-bills-poll-workers.html. 3. statista.com/statistics/1041559/voting-intention- effective” for hostile Republican (‘Enough!’) Party is surging in the wish. But, while it may win them re- else!” in-italy. observers notorious for crying foul wake of recent presidential elections. election, there is a downside - which Pence’s and McConnell’s 4. news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation. and shutting down the vote count The same is true in Belgium, where is that name recognition beyond response was to maintain a discreet aspx. weekly worker 1348 May 20 2021 5 ITALY Marking 50 years Founded by expelled PCI members, Il Manifesto has successfully outlived its rivals. Toby Abse praises the consistent anti-capitalism and pans the Maoist absurdities pril 28 2021 marked the been willing to read a copy of Lotta half-century of the paper that these 50th anniversary of the first Continua (or, around 2000, a copy of two remarkable women both helped Apublication of the daily the PRC daily Liberazione). to found l newspaper Il Manifesto, whose The issue on which the group and name was intended as a conscious its newspaper went completely astray Notes reference to the Communist reflected not a tendency towards 1. For a relatively short period between 1976 manifesto of 1848, and which for excessive intellectual rigour, but a and 1978, it replaced this with the words ‘Unità most of its existence has proudly total lack of it. Their major blind spot proletaria per il comunismo’ (‘Proletarian unity for communism’), thus formally aligning itself with displayed the subtitle, ‘Quotidiano was a totally uncritical coverage of the Partito di Unità Proletaria per il Comunismo comunista’ (‘Communist daily’) on Mao’s China. Given their rejection (PdUP), a party whose leadership was drawn from its front page.1 of the autocratic Soviet model and amongst the founders of Il Manifesto. After a split Il Manifesto’s survival for half a their sympathy towards Alexander in the PdUP, the newspaper’s editorial collective, dominated by Rossana Rossanda, broke its formal century is an amazing achievement Dubcek and other subsequent eastern links, and reverted to using the original subtitle. in itself, given that it has never European heretics or dissidents, it is 2. It should be obvious that the Soviet Union would relied on external funding from amazing that they completely refused not have given a single kopek to a newspaper which either a foreign government2 or trade to look Chinese reality in the face. denounced the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia in such strong terms, even if Brezhnev were prepared union bureaucrats, in the manner of Probably the most nauseating to subsidise the PCI until 1980, despite the latter’s the Communist Party of Britain’s issue the Il Manifesto collective ever (initially milder) criticisms of the Soviet leadership. Morning Star, which surpasses Il produced was that of September 10 However, it needs to be stressed that Il Manifesto’s Manifesto in its longevity. It is also 1976, whose seven-line front-page 1970s enthusiasm for Maoist China was not a product of Chinese financial assistance. worth noting that Il Manifesto is run banner headline began: “Comrade 3. Because of its status as a cooperative, it has as a workers’ cooperative in order to Mao Tse-Tung is dead. He taught us received a fairly minimal amount in subsidies from preserve its independence, even if its that communism is the radical reversal the Italian state - a subsidy which in recent years precarious finances have often meant of the history based on egoism and the rightwing Five Star Movement (M5S) has persistently sought to abolish. that its journalists were either unpaid exploitation ...” Rossanda’s lead 4. Whilst the paper quite consciously, and very 3 or received their wages in arrears. article in that issue argued that Mao correctly, promotes debate on the left, and often Whilst some might argue that Il was greater than Lenin, and that carries articles which do not reflect the views of Manifesto’s subtitle is no longer his intellectual contribution could its editorial collective, it is noticeable that many recent contributions seem to argue in favour of strictly accurate, there is no doubt only be compared to Marx himself. forming what would in effect be a strong left social that it is by far the most leftwing Whilst the group’s misreading of the democratic/ecological component within a centre- of the Italian dailies - persistently Rossana Rossanda: one of the founders Chinese Cultural Revolution as a left electoral coalition: ie, a coalition led by the criticising capitalism’s very essence, spontaneous, anti-authoritarian, anti- Partito Democratico (PD), even though the current editor, Norma Rangeri, often describes the PD as a not just its more unpleasant neoliberal The Ingrao left was more attentive Castellina were always central to bureaucratic, positively libertarian “centrist” rather than ‘left’ party. 4 manifestations. Moreover, to changes in Italian society than the group, and over Il Manifesto’s upsurge, comparable to May 1968, 5. Enrico Berlinguer tried to maintain some sort Manifesto has outlived L’Unità - the either Giorgio Amendola’s right 50-year existence made more of was widely shared on the Italian of dialogue with the dissidents, and even got daily founded by Antonio Gramsci wing or Enrico Berlinguer’s centre an impact that even their main and indeed western European and the group to keep the first issue of the monthly hidden in a warehouse for some weeks, in order and originally associated with the current, and this made Rossanda’s male comrades, Luigi Pintor and North American far left at the end to avoid worsening his negotiating position at the ‘official’ Italian Communist Party grouping more open to both the Lucio Magri. Indeed, the group as of the 1960s, some among their forthcoming meeting with the Soviet leadership, in (PCI) - by some years: something student movement of 1967-68 a whole was much more responsive contemporaries were beginning to which he wanted to defend dissident Czech leader nobody would have predicted 50 and the upsurge of militancy in to the women’s movement than have some doubts by 1976. Alexander Dubcek’s views. He is also believed to 8 have called a halt to L’Unità’s initial response to years ago. the northern factories in 1968- Lotta Continua was. For all these More to the point, one might have the publication of Il Manifesto in 1971, which was In its early years, Il Manifesto 69, which culminated in the ‘Hot reasons, nobody associated with the imagined that a group so impressed to insinuate that the paper was being financed by faced competition from other far-left Autumn’. In addition, they wanted Il Manifesto group was ever drawn in by the struggles of the Cubans and bourgeois anti-communists - Berlinguer took the dailies, principally Lotta Continua, more inner-party democracy, and to the blind alley of terrorism in the Vietnamese might have noticed the view that it was possible to attack their politics 9 intellectually without descending into slander. the paper of the revolutionary were very critical of the Soviet course of the 1970s. extent to which Chinese foreign 6. The major component of Democrazia Proletaria, organisation of the same name, which model, particularly in the light of policy from 1971-72 onwards the most serious far-left organisation of the 1980s, survived that organ’s dissolution in the invasion of Czechoslovakia Weaknesses prioritised forging an alliance with came from Avanguardia Operaia and, whilst 1976, but closed early in the 1980s in August 1968. Although Ingrao However, whilst the Il Manifesto US imperialism and its regional allies there were very occasional instances in the 1970s of Avanguardia Operaia militants engaging in - by which time it was drifting and others who had voted for left group (and the newspaper itself) such as Pakistan, often at the expense unprovoked physical attacks on neo-fascists, there away from any real commitment to positions at the 1966 congress to was superior to most of the Italian of Asian revolutionaries inspired by was no statistically significant drift of former either working class militancy or a large extent shared these views, far left in many respects, it had Mao, such as the Sri Lankan JVP members towards terrorism - in sharp contrast any variant of communism. More Rossanda’s group was both a bit its weaknesses. The fact that the (People’s Liberation Front), or the to Potere Operaio and, to a lesser extent, Lotta Continua. recently, there was a period when the more extreme in its formulations original core of the group was more leftist elements who initially 7. I am aware that some women associated with Partito della Rifondazione Comunista and more willing to push the PCI’s made up of intellectuals, many of had some weight in the Bangladeshi Potere Operaio before its official dissolution in (Communist Refoundation Party - rules against forming organised whom had solidly bourgeois family liberation movement.11 1973 have gained a latter-day fame in the English- PRC) produced a daily edition of factions to the limit - and, in the backgrounds, had both advantages Instead, Rossanda’s lead article on speaking world, but I would argue that this was in the context of the rather marginal Wages for Liberazione. But soon after the PRC event, beyond what the party and disadvantages. February 19 1972, entitled ‘Nixon in Housework campaign, rather than the epic struggles 5 lost its parliamentary representation leadership was prepared to tolerate. On the one hand, it meant that China’, absurdly asserted that China around divorce or abortion, which were so central to in 2008 the print version of that paper This background meant that the it produced a far better-written had made absolutely no concessions the politics of women like Rossanda and Castellina. was wound up, and it did not survive Il Manifesto group was the least newspaper than, for example, Lotta to the Americans, who were 8. The chaotic collapse of Lotta Continua was in 10 part due to the anger of its female members towards very long in an online format. As hostile to the PCI of the far-left Continua and one that on most allegedly about to abandon support the patriarchal attitudes of its male leadership: far as I am aware, Il Manifesto is groups that emerged in the wake of questions (I will come to a very for Taiwan (or ‘Formosa’, as she eg, their intense hostility towards women-only the only daily in continental Europe the upsurges of 1967-69. Moreover, major exception shortly) was capable described it - a neo-colonial usage demonstrations in favour of legalising abortion. founded in the aftermath of 1968 the background of its founders - of constructing complex rational that hardly suggested a profound 9. Nonetheless, it is impossible to gloss over the subsequent role Rossanda and the female colleagues which has survived in something many of whom had experience arguments, as opposed to crude grasp of China’s semi-colonial status played in compiling a book based on interviews resembling its original form - the within the PCI dating back either sloganising. Even in Il Manifesto’s before the 1949 revolution), weaken with imprisoned Brigate Rosse (BR) leader Mario present-day French centre-left daily to the World War II resistance or early years, its writers were willing their links with Japan and so on. Moretti in the 1990s. This allowed him to propound Libération bears no real relation to to the years immediately after the to engage with topics of a cultural The article also contained a virulent a self-serving, heroic and mythical view of the BR - particularly in relation to Aldo Moro’s tragic end, the old broadly Maoist daily of the liberation - meant that they regarded nature, such as Luis Bunuel’s film attack on “Soviet imperialism” in in which the BR were in reality tools of Washington same name, even if Serge July kept Lotta Continua, Potere Operaio and That obscure object of desire (in the Asia, and repeatedly suggested and P2 conspirators at the heart of the Italian state the original title when he changed Avanguardia Operaia, the three issue of January 13 1978), or Elsa that the Chinese regime was the apparatus. his politics and got rid of the original largest far-left groups, as prone Morante’s novel La storia (July 6 best ally of the Vietnamese in their 10. Gad Lerner, who in his youth was a journalist on Lotta Continua, admitted, in his contribution to staff. to ultra-leftism and ‘extremism’. 1974). So Il Manifesto’s current protracted war against the Americans Il Manifesto’s 50th anniversary issue, that he had It is impossible to discuss the (They were not altogether wrong, extensive - perhaps too extensive - something which was already always thought that Manifesto was better written specific features that have marked particularly in relation to the first for a daily paper - coverage of film, becoming a little doubtful, to say the than the newspaper that his own comrades were Il Manifesto over the years without two.6) television, fiction and many varieties least.12 producing. 11. The 1971 JVP uprising in Sri Lanka was reference to events involving its Of course, the leaders of the Il of non-fiction, as well as music of all I would like to end this discussion crushed by a government backed by China. The founders in the period that preceded Manifesto group were of an older kinds, is no latter-day retreat from of Il Manifesto’s half-century by leftists in the Bangladeshi liberation movement it. The group that set up the daily generation than most of the other far- the political into the cultural, but a emphasising that, whatever my were completely marginalised by the mainstream in 1971 had been expelled from the left chieftains, like Lotta Continua’s logical continuation of its original criticisms of Rossanda’s views secular nationalist Awami League, once it became clear that only India’s Congress Government was PCI in November 1969 as a result Adriano Sofri, which added to their approach. on China, without her unstinting willing to protect the poorly armed Bengali masses of their publication of a rather more relative caution and meant that On the other hand, the Il commitment to the paper and the against genocidal attacks by the well-equipped West theoretical monthly of the same their younger followers were far Manifesto group had far less deep admiration she inspired in Pakistani army and their consistently murderous name. The best-known members of less prone to get involved in street influence on struggles in the major successive generations of journalists, Jamaati-i-Islami collaborators. Chinese foreign policy also weakened the Naxalite insurgency in this group were Rossana Rossanda, violence. It is also worth adding that northern factories in 1968-69 than there would have been no Italian West Bengal - another movement inspired by Mao’s Luigi Pintor, Lucio Magri and gender as well as age was important Lotta Continua, Potere Operaio “communist daily” being published writings. Luciana Castellina. They had been here. The leaders of Il Manifesto or Avanguardia Operaia, and in the unfavourable circumstances 12. If some comrades think that I am being unkind associated with Pietro Ingrao’s were not a male-dominated clique the newspaper (or large chunks of 2021. It is very sad that, unlike in drawing so much attention to Rossanda’s stance in 1972 or 1976, I have to point out that her left current within the PCI, which given to macho posturing, like those of it) would often have been the slightly younger Castellina, comments about Mao’s China in her much later 7 had been defeated at the 1966 PCI of Lotta Continua or Potere Operaio. incomprehensible to working class Rossanda (1924-2020) did not live autobiography La ragazza del secolo scorso showed congress. Rossana Rossanda and Luciana readers, who in the 1970s might have quite long enough to celebrate the no willingness to make any real reassessment. weekly 6 May 20 2021 1348 worker OUR HISTORY Theatre of revolution While the March on Rome was significant, writes David Broder, the active collaboration of the Italian ruling class with the fascists was central he Italian fascists’ March on Rome in the final days of TOctober 1922 is not quite a hundred years behind us. Yet the reasons - real or presumed - for fascism’s rise have been very prominent in the Italian media and political sphere in recent months. This owes not only to the rise of the contemporary far right, but also to this January’s centenary of the foundation of the Communist Party of Italy (PCd’I), which is blamed for easing Benito Mussolini’s path to power. One of the most prominent new books on the PCd’I was penned by Ezio Mauro (a long-time editor of establishment centre-left daily La Repubblica) entitled The damnation: 1921, the divided left at the dawn of fascism.1 It blamed the communists’ split from the socialists - consummated at the Livorno congress in January 1921 - for allowing fascism to defeat a divided opposition. In Mauro’s version of events, particular blame attaches to the communists, given that their ambitions were motivated by the desire to “do like the Russians did”, when the real task of the time was to save Italian democracy. Another volume of more scholarly Benito Mussolini: a regime of mass mobilisation trappings - The wind of the revolution by Marcello Flores and Giovanni communism”, also pursued by hard- I hope that this is useful in three Italy into World War I) lead a cabinet Roberto Farinacci, Mussolini Gozzini - presents the PCd’I of right governments in such countries particular ways. Firstly, because with a strong fascist presence. presented himself to liberal and 1921-22 as governed by Amadeo as Brazil, Hungary and Poland.4 Yet it is important to recognise the The March on Rome, from conservative politicians as a man Bordiga’s supposed logic of ‘the these denunciations of the PCd’I specific motors to fascist success a October 28 to 30, was a spectacular with whom they could do business worse things get, the better’. Painted of 1921-22 also draw on the vision hundred years ago, to see not only piece of theatre; it did involve - alternately using displays of armed as a precursor to Stalin’s ‘Third advanced by the party in its 1930s the parallels with our own time, occasional clashes with police, as in force and moments of “disciplining Period’ theory of ‘social-fascism’,2 in Stalinist version under the leadership but also the differences with an era Pisa, when fascists commandeered the ranks” in order to convert his these historians’ account the Bordiga of Palmiro Togliatti, which redefined so heavily coloured by the recent trains and took down telegraph leadership of the fascist movement leadership seemingly all but willed it in direct counterposition to its experience of mass war mobilisation wires. Yet the fact that the king into a stranglehold on the state the fascists to power. initial ‘sectarianism’ and its expelled and its aftermath in post-war appointed Mussolini as premier on machine. The March on Rome was Even keener to stick the knife founder, Amadeo Bordiga. In the political violence. Secondly, to October 31 owed not simply to an fully in line with this logic, enacting in are the politicians once close high-Stalinist (popular-front) PCd’I, refute myths exaggerating the impressive display of Blackshirt a transfer of power which was to the Communist Party, but who Bordiga and his co-thinkers were revolutionary aspects of fascism force, but the fact that there was no already underway, albeit incipiently, have since the 1990s reinvented damned for passively failing to as a historical movement, and, ‘anti-fascist’ prejudice that would by constitutional means - it had themselves as liberals. On April 25 - defend democracy; today, three connected to this, propagandistic have led the dominant liberal and first been conceived as a means the holiday marking the anniversary decades after the party’s ultimate claims as to its supposedly plebeian conservative politicians to reject a of pressure, ensuring that a new of the anti-fascist victory in 1945 demise, ex-communist centrists still or even proletarian social base. coalition with him. They were, in coalition should have six fascist - the formerly communist-aligned blame the party for failing to stop And thirdly - connected to this - to short, consistently anti-communist, ministers rather than only two. senator, Pietro Ichino, wrote that the rise of fascism, without seeming reject the notion that there existed but prepared to accommodate Two months before the king leftwingers should not bask in the too bothered about what liberals like some innocent liberal-democratic to the fascists. Mussolini’s first appointed Mussolini prime minister partisans’ glory, but rather reflect themselves were doing in the early side cruelly besieged by twin government was voted full powers on October 31 1922, the fascist on anti-fascists’ responsibility in 1920s. extremisms, when in reality anti- by the previous four liberal prime leader had told his lieutenants that Mussolini’s initial rise to power. For This transfer of a somehow communism galvanised the main ministers; the only change his allies they needed to have the “courage Ichino, the March on Rome was the ‘internal’ polemic to a generic anti- statesmen of liberal Italy into imposed on his planned coalition to become monarchists”: that is, product not only of a left which failed communism is hardly unique to consistent indulgence of Mussolini was to bar any representatives of the to join rather than overthrow the to “fight it effectively”, but also the this case: the (different) Trotskyist and then active support for his first CGL trade union confederation from constitutional order. Historian Emilio strikes of the previous years and the critique of the KPD’s failure to form government. joining the cabinet. Gentile puts it bluntly: the March on “petty violence of farm labourers a united front against Hitlerism This was evident when we look at In this sense it is important to Rome was a compromise between against their bosses, which proved is gleefully mobilised by liberal the March on Rome itself. The march reject the excuses provided by Mussolini and the liberal state.7 useful only for justifying the big, historians to blame it alone for the was not an armed coup d’état: the liberals who voted for Mussolini’s systematic violence by the [fascist] Nazi victory in Germany5 - as if the number of Blackshirts converging first government like idealist Ruling class allies squadristi”.3 liberals and national-conservatives’ on the capital, by train or on foot, philosopher Benedetto Croce and That such a coalition was possible Such virulent attacks on the left unanimous vote for the Enabling Act has been estimated at around 15,000 former prime minister Ivanoe was surprising to no-one - as early as of a hundred years ago show how in 1933 were ultimately the fault of men, and they could easily have been Bonomi - a renegade socialist who the November 1920 local elections, much of a shadow the Communist Stalinism. rebuffed by the state’s own forces, returned to high office in June 1944 the fascists had stood in alliance Party still casts over Italian public We will go on later to discuss had only these latter wanted to. when the Allies liberated Rome. with liberals and conservatives in life - and how central condemning the communists’ anti-fascist Moreover, the fact that there was no These figures’ pleading that they a common ‘National Bloc’, and in ‘Bolshevism’ remains to the identity mobilisation and its limitations such resistance did not owe simply backed Mussolini’s first government May 1921, 35 of them were elected of countless Eurocommunists- in more relative terms. Evidently, to philo-fascist sentiment among the in November 1922 in a failed effort to the national parliament (Chamber turned-liberals. Zealous ex- and anti- it is perverse that the only party army or police, but rather the political to moderate his movement is no of Deputies - total 535 seats) as part communists like to quote former that did mobilise armed resistance leadership of liberal Italy. Statesmen explanation at all - for this was the of this same alliance. Yet, while the president Francesco Cossiga’s to fascism (alongside anti-fascist like repeat prime minister Giovanni explicit claim that the fascist leader existence of this small parliamentary comment that Italy is the “last movements attached to no party), Giolitti and then-incumbent premier himself made at the time. Mussolini base doubtless aided the constitutional country with pockets of actually- should today be infamous as the one Luigi Facta had actively manoeuvred insisted that only by bringing his takeover in October 1922, the fascist existing socialism”, from its force most to blame for Mussolini’s to bring Mussolini into government movement into government would movement’s strength was based on supposed bureaucratic elephantiasis success. The ‘valour’ that attaches in some form, having already since it be possible to tame the rowdier its extra-parliamentary force directed to the allegedly widespread presence to this resistance does not, of course, November 1920 run joint electoral elements of the Blackshirt base; against the left and labour movement of reds under the beds. This demands absolve the party of responsibility lists. in historian Adrian Lyttleton’s and, connected to this, the weakness an endless war on all traces of for its mistakes or failures, or imply Since August 1922, there had been words, this “actually identified and indulgent attitude of the state’s leftwing thinking and identity, even that its defeat was the simple result negotiations on various coalitions normalisation with the piecemeal repressive machine. in a country which no longer has of circumstances beyond its control. including the fascists, despite conquest of state power”. The call This was shaped firstly by the any sizeable left and (as a crude but But to set the communists’ activity in their small parliamentary weight; for peace was in essence a call for country’s weak democratic traditions telling measure of this) has not had a its proper context also demands that Mussolini had promised various capitulation, according to the logic - not only in the sense that male single self-declared communist MP we understand those other forces that liberal leaders that he would be that “it is incredible how the squad universal suffrage had been granted since 2008. actively and willingly aided fascism willing to join their administrations, leader changes when he becomes a only in 1912 (which hardly made Such condemnations fit with what to power: the reasons not just why or perhaps let a non-fascist councillor or a mayor”.6 Italy an outlier among European Richard Seymour wittily termed the resistance failed, but why fascism rightwinger like Antonio Salandra Relative to the fascist paramilitary countries), but also the near absence of the “anti-communism without was itself powerful. (the prime minister who had brought leaders like Giuseppe Bottai and mass parties, with the parliamentary weekly worker 1348 May 20 2021 7

system organised around clientelism anti-socialist students and ex-officers the means at hand, and throughout While in cities like Livorno, the king: fascism was not their and local patronage. The centrality of of such ‘red’ strongholds as Bologna, 1920 Francesco Misiano - a non- Rome and Parma the communists own instrument, but rather a force horse-trading and vote-buying had fascism assumed mass dimensions abstentionist communist close to fought alongside the AdP - albeit which they believed they could been fundamental to the so-called only in 1921. Bordiga’s Naples Il Soviet group, as a distinct force - the position accommodate and normalise, unlike Giolittian era, in the period from Decisive in this regard was who had spent almost a year in prison of Bordiga (and, at the time, also the revolutionary threat they still around 1890 to 1920, dominated the support urban fascist groups in Germany after his participation in Gramsci, Togliatti, Umberto saw in the Socialist and Communist by the liberal statesman, Giovanni received from landowners, who the Spartakus Uprising in Berlin - Terracini and all major leaders) was parties. Giolitti. But added to this was a began to employ them to break had insisted on the question within to insist on the need to maintain the After the March on Rome, the much more destabilising factor: up the peasant leagues, whether the socialist leadership. PCd’I’s own organisational integrity, fascists would, in turn, continue their the millions of soldiers returning under socialist or Catholic (Popular Misiano was elected a socialist including on military grounds. Yet piecemeal conquest of power, with from World War I - brutalised, Party) leadership - that is, an ‘anti- MP in 1919 and was then a leading this implied no general refusal to join their violence turning from the left mobilised and often still armed after Bolshevism’ directed not at an figure in the communist split in other forces in fighting the fascists, to even liberals, ultimately banning the conflict, yet with the wartime immediate revolutionary threat, but January 1921; already by this point even from outside the workers’ all opposition in late 1926. Not just promises of social reform and land rather the reformist achievements a death sentence had been passed movement - in the days before the industrialists or landlords, but even redistribution unkept by post-war from previous waves of organising. against him by the nationalist poet March on Rome, Fortichiari even the officials at the helm of Italy’s governments. This accelerated after the biennio and paramilitary leader, Gabriel issued a circular calling on the PCd’I parliamentary institutions had opted The combination of these factors, rosso was already over, with fascist d’Annunzio, on account of his to launch a general offensive against for Mussolini over the even notional as well as the abrupt reconversion violence especially targeted at the desertion during World War I. In the Blackshirts, if they clashed with ‘red’ threat. to peacetime production, made the institutions of reformist socialism, June 1921 he was carried out of the Royal Guards. We can hardly doubt that liberals post-war situation constitutively such as peasant and consumer parliament by fascist deputies and More than communist were sincerely appalled when febrile. On the nationalist side of cooperatives, newspapers and labour dragged through the streets, his hair sectarianism, the obsessive anti- Blackshirts murdered the social politics, particular resentment owed halls (Camere del Lavoro). forcibly shaven; he was forced into communism within the Italian state democratic MP, Giacomo Matteotti, to the fact that Italy had been on the From this derived the constitutive hiding and eventual exile, though destroyed its own defences against in June 1924, or the liberal former winning side in the war, but made double-sidedness of fascism: already by the end of that year the fascist conquest of power. The colonies minister, Giovanni only minor territorial gains - its half- an avowedly ‘modernising’ and parliament voted to expel him. biennio rosso had struck fear into Amendola, in April 1926 - and there million dead earning it only what ‘regenerative’ movement of Faced with such attacks, the the hearts of the bourgeoisie, without were plenty of individual cases Gabriele D’Annunzio, a partisan of urban bourgeois youth, funded socialists nonetheless counselled being able to lead to any revolutionary of figures who voted full powers resumed wars of conquest, termed a by conservative agrarian interests the gospel of ‘turning the other conclusion; the number of industrial to Mussolini’s first government, “mutilated victory”. before securing the backing of the cheek’ - or, in the words of reformist workers at that time was only around before becoming anti-fascists, as This did not mean that the soldiers big industrialists. Fascism hired leader Filippo Turati, “the courage half a million, and the petty localism the regime then hardened. Yet, returning from the front from winter out its services as an ‘instrument’ to be cowardly”. At the beginning and verbal radicalism of the Socialist taken as a whole, the hegemonic 1918-19 onward were already of capitalist reaction against the of August 1921, the liberal prime Party ensured that the movement orientation of the Italian ruling prey to fascist ideas. Emilio Lussu, left and labour movement - but minister, Ivanoe Bonomi, brokered lacked any strategic direction class was that of an active and even himself an ‘interventionist’ (pro-war) also used this to rapidly expand its a ‘pacification pact’ between the able to mobilise a broad worker- enthusiastic collaboration with socialist at the beginning of the war own armed organisation, separate socialists and the fascists, in which peasant alliance around the factory the fascist regime, whose massive and later a leader of the anti-fascist from Italy’s liberal institutions, and each agreed to disarm. This also occupations and their demands. wage compression, commitment Action Party, wrote in his 1931 book quickly to begin ousting socialist- amounted to an excommunication Already by the moment of the to ‘sound money’ and repression The March on Rome8 of rank-and- led local administrations by force, by the socialists of the AdP, on the factory occupations of September of the most basic working class file soldiers’ disgust at those men often with police connivance. The understanding that an end to violence 1920, Gramsci saw grim prognoses defence were sure to win support. If who had “advocated the war, but not dominant parliamentary force, by all extremists would allow a as to the prospects of revolution syndicalist fascists made big claims themselves fought it”. Mussolini had the liberals, did nothing to defend return to the normal functioning of in Italy, and the Communist Party of their project for a ‘corporatist’ himself joined the army, but been broad democratic rights, apart from Italian democracy. was founded in January 1921 in economy, fusing employers’ discharged in February 1917 after the most tokenistic calls for an end Yet in practice there was no a moment of severe reflux, soon organisations and fascist trade being hit by shrapnel and needing an to violence; upon the renegade equivalence in this relationship: compounded by the disastrous March unions, these latter had no shopfloor operation. socialist Bonomi’s appointment as police (often allied to fascists) Action in Germany. Yet the German presence, and the regime’s actual A former editor of the socialist prime minister at the start of July used the pact as a pretext for raids case did also offer some inspiration: corporatist structures served more newspaper Avanti!, Mussolini had 1921, Antonio Gramsci could even and ‘weapons checks’ on socialist in March 1920 the Kapp Putsch led as a coordination between private been expelled from the party on term him the “main organiser of party branches and cooperatives, by far-right army officers had been businessmen and the selection of account of his call for Italy to enter Italian fascism”, given his recent whereas local fascist hierarchs were felled by a general strike, called by ‘national champions’. the war, before it actually joined ministerial record in purging the quick to refuse the pact Mussolini the social democratic government. A well-established argument on the French-British side in May armed forces of leftwingers, but not had just signed and continued their There, both the impressive force from historian Renzo de Felice 1915. The initial movement around Blackshirts. ‘punitive expeditions’ against the of the workers’ movement and the differentiates between the fascist Mussolini’s new newspaper Il Faced with this growing left. If in its own way a display of SPD’s commitment to the Weimar movement and fascist regime - Popolo d’Italia was distinguished paramilitary conquest of Italy, and Mussolini’s inability to dictate a Republic - which had so recently led the expectations of the Blackshirt from some other nationalist the liberal institutions’ indulgence central line to his base at this point, it to join the violent repression of grassroots and local hierarchs, movements by its commitment to of it, the workers’ parties were this play of military pressure from the revolutionary left - had steeled measured against the reality these “democratic” powers, rather the main target of violence, with below (and his role as conciliator) the state machine against Wolfgang of Mussolini in power and his than Italy’s previous German and a death toll in the low thousands. was also central to his entire project Kapp’s onslaught. accommodation with the pre- Austrian-Hungarian allies, and even Their failure to organise a common - it allowed him to present himself to Yet even the more reformist existing institutions of the Italian in the early post-war months fascism front of resistance - and the special liberal and conservative politicians elements of Italian socialism were state, the church and industrialist and remained highly politically unstable. blame attaching to the PCd’I in as a peacemaker, even at the same weakly integrated into the bourgeois agrarian interests. From 1919 until During the biennio rosso strike wave this regard - is a common theme of time as the Blackshirt movement parliamentary game, and when, on the final consolidation of the regime of 1919-20 - driven by disappointed literature from both the Togliattian constantly waged war on leftwing July 31 1922, the trade unions called in the late 1920s, the balancing act hopes of social change, but also tradition and works by Trotskyist ‘subversion’. a “strike for legality” in protest at between the two was the very basis the effects of rapid conversion authors like Tom Behan, which the fascist violence which struck of Mussolini’s authority - using his from war to peace industries - often focused on the potential for Failed resistance against the labour movement and alliance with institutional power Mussolini had even visited occupied resistance shown by the Arditi del What, then, were the prospects even leftish Catholics, the result was and top capitalists as a means to factories near Bergamo to praise Popolo movement (AdP), which of resistance against the gradual to push the liberal leaders toward discipline the fascists’ expectations, the “creative strikes that do not did at times successfully defend fascist conquest of Italy? Many Mussolini. The fascists issued a and in turn using the latent threat interrupt production”: that is, factory working class neighbourhoods from accounts highlight the essential 48‑hour deadline, demanding that from these latter to break down the occupations that heralded new forms fascist assault.9 The PCd’I’s failure military superiority of the Blackshirt the state crush the strike, or else weak defences put up by the Italian of workplace representation, rather to intervene more effectively in the movement - not least its success in they would - and the violence that state. than seeking to shut down the engine AdP movement, led by anarchists coordinating forces from across then followed demonstrated both the The March on Rome was the of industry. and republicans, was a criticism whole regions to overwhelm targets Blackshirts’ dramatically superior culmination of this process - the The initial fascist movement, levelled against it at the Comintern fighting isolated defensive battles. military force and their indulgence theatre of revolution which sealed formed in 1919, bore an extremely Fourth Congress in November For reformist socialist Pietro Nenni, by official Italy. a grubby deal with the old men of varied array of influences, from 1922, just weeks after the March on there was no chance of a successful While in Parma the AdP and liberal Italy l Mazzinian republicanism to a Rome. armed resistance to a movement so the local working class population more traditional nationalism. Yet But before we go on to discuss strongly backed from within the successfully resisted the invasion by Notes the multiple demands of the war this movement formed in late June state’s own repressive apparatus. Italo Balbo’s fascist forces, and the 1. E Mauro La dannazione 1921: la sinistra divisa generation served as an ideological 1921, it is worth highlighting that Responding to this, Behan’s fascists were also repulsed in Bari, all’alba del fascismo Milan 2021. 2. M Flores and G Gozzini Il vento della glue: what Mussolini called the the communists were not - contrary account centres on the possibility the Blackshirts overran socialist- rivoluzione: la nascita del Partito comunista “aristocracy of the trenches”, as to the commonplace damnatio of stirring dissent within the armed controlled Milan city hall, and the italiano Rome 2021, pp75, 97. against the feebleness of liberal memoriae - either passive, faced forces, thus breaking this front of reformists’ rapid move to call off 3. P Ichino, ‘A che cosa dovrebbe servire il 25 parliamentarism. with the rise of fascist attacks, or paramilitary and official violence. the strike faced with the violent aprile’: pietroichino.it/?p=58622. 4. R Seymour, ‘Why is the nationalist right At least initially, the cadres indifferent to the need for armed The AdP was itself a creation of backlash in turn left the few pockets hallucinating a “communist enemy”?’ theguardian. of the fascist movement had organisation. Already during the anti-fascist army officers (including of resistance isolated. com/commentisfree/2020/sep/26/communist- an oversized presence among biennio rosso in 1919-20, which had ‘interventionist’ - ie, pro-war - The ‘legalitarian strike’ and enemy-nationalist-right-trump-us-bolsonaro-brazil. demobilised officers, as well as driven the local-level emergence of republicans). The PCd’I’s armed its failure were the moment that 5. Notable in this regard is the percolation of specific tropes and quotes from the anti-Stalinist students, independent professionals ‘red guards’, the question of political structures, which trained all able- liberal leaders decisively opted for left through liberal historiography: for instance, and white-collar employees. violence had been a key drive to the bodied members and also distributed a formal pact with Mussolini. They the infamous German Communist Party (KPD) In its initial programme the incipient socialist-communist split, thousands of weapons (many coming chose this path of ‘normalisation’, watchword, “After Hitler, our turn”. This was not movement did advertise unspecific with the Communist Fraction seeing from the overspill of the German and even though they had seen the a real KPD slogan, but a parodic summary of the party line by CLR James. Yet it has had an afterlife “social” objectives, such as land the old party’s limp pacifism and Hungarian revolutions) did play an thousands that fascism had killed, in liberal condemnations of leftist sectarianism: redistribution, the lowering of the complacent reliance on the existing active role in resisting fascist attacks. the burned newspaper offices and the eg, in centrist US Democrats denouncing Bernie pension age, and corporatist forms constitutional order as illustrative But despite the party’s insistence - as overthrown mayors and city councils Sanders’ “divisive” primary efforts as driven by the of collective bargaining. Yet, while of the reasons why a revolutionary against the socialists - on the need across Italy. Without doubt, the spirit of ‘After Trump, our turn’. 6. A Lyttleton The seizure of power: fascism in Italy the electoral advance of the Socialist party was needed. to “take to the same terrain as the socialists’ lack of military response 1919-1929 London 1987, p134. PSI (with its 32% in the November Already during the biennio rosso bourgeoisie”, in reality its action was to the Blackshirt movement in the 7. E Gentile L’Ideologia del fascismo (1918-1925) 1919 election, making it the single the socialist youth (which decamped largely defensive and reactive. Its ‘offensive’ phase of the workers’ Bologna 2011. largest party) and the strikes and en bloc to the PCd’I in January 1921) command was led by the Ufficio I movement in 1919-20 made this 8. E Lusso La marcia su Roma e dintorni Milan 1968, pp11-12. factory occupations of September had mounted its own independent (‘illegal office’) headed by Bruno appeasement of Mussolini an easier 9. T Behan The resistible rise of Benito Mussolini 1920 succeeded in radicalising the study of the military question and Fortichiari. decision for men like Bonomi and London 2003. weekly 8 May 20 2021 1348 worker IRELAND

Edwin Poots: 6,000 years old Ulster unionism in crisis Brexit, together with shifts in both population and political allegiances, means that something now has to give, reckons Derek James he resignation of the leaders of for a fresh leadership.3 For Arlene the rest of the UK that has proven to triumph Johnson no longer needed the pictures of burning vehicles and Northern Ireland’s two main Foster, the process of transition to be so politically disastrous for the DUP votes and could safely ignore petrol-bomb-throwing youths, they Tunionist parties, the Democratic the back benches was less smooth: DUP and Arlene Foster’s leadership. their howls of rage.10 hoped that tension would continue to Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster she was forced out by a whispering Throughout the twists and turns Opposition to the protocol grew be ratcheted up just in time for the Unionist Party (UUP), and the campaign and a round robin critical of the whole Brexit saga, the DUP within the unionist population, when summer loyalist marching season. announcement of their successors of her leadership circulating amongst lined up with the hardest of hard-line its impact on trade and economic life In this new peace-process version has focused attention on the current the DUP’s Westminster MPs and its Brexiteers, giving Theresa May’s became apparent in the early months of the old ‘playing the orange card’ state of unionist politics in the Six members of the legislative assembly government a majority in the House of 2021.11 More significant was the game everyone has the opportunity Counties. The departure of Arlene at Stormont.4 Despite accusations of of Commons after the 2017 election reaction of unionist politicians and to gain some form of advantage: Foster as leader of the DUP and first misogyny and rumours of hostility and lining up behind Boris Johnson’s loyalist paramilitaries to what they whilst DUP leader like Edwin minister, along with the resignation to Foster’s relative (in DUP terms, parliamentary manoeuvres to saw as a threat to the union. Various Poots and shadowy figures from of Steve Aikin, UUP leader, shortly at least) liberalism on social issues, undermine the May government’s ‘grassroots’ loyalist groups organised the Loyalist Communities Council after, points to a serious crisis it is clear that the main cause of attempts at compromise on the ‘Irish demonstrations and warned that the were ramping up the pressure on the within unionism.1 Whilst Aikin discontent with her leadership was backstop’.7 In turn, Johnson and ‘peace process’ was under threat British government, the government was replaced somewhat quietly the Northern Ireland Protocol and his followers, such as Jacob Rees- if the protocol remained in place, in turn was using the same threats of by self-styled ‘moderate unionist’ her failure to prevent an ‘economic Mogg, assiduously courted the DUP, whilst DUP leaders like Edwin Poots ‘turbulence’ - as the cabinet minister Doug Beattie, Arlene Foster’s border’ being drawn in the Irish Sea.5 attending its party conference and (before he took over from Arlene responsible for implementing the successor was the rather more The Northern Ireland Protocol solemnly pledging that Northern Foster) sounded the alarm about Brexit deal, Lord Frost, so delicately high-profile Edwin Poots, minister is, of course, part of the withdrawal Ireland’s place in the UK would rising anger within the “Protestant, put it - in his negotiations with the for agriculture, the environment agreement between the European not be threatened in any way by the unionist, loyalist community” and a EU.15 Thus, as far as Northern Ireland and rural affairs in the Stormont Union and the United Kingdom, withdrawal agreement: above all, possible return to violence.12 is concerned, Brexit seems to be the executive - a vocal opponent of which came into force in January this Johnson pledged that “there will be It seemed just like old times: as crisis that just never ends. the Northern Ireland Protocol and year. Under the protocol Northern a trade border down the Irish Sea loyalists threatened violence and a Christian fundamentalist who Ireland remains, for many purposes, over my dead body”.8 However, organised some small demonstrations Strategic problems believes the earth is only 6,000 years within the EU’s single market when a very much alive Boris that produced localised rioting While this crisis over the protocol old.2 and customs regime.6 Whilst the Johnson became prime minister, he by working class youth, unionist and the Johnson government’s Steve Aikin’s stated reasons for his implementation of the protocol has quickly reneged on his promises and politicians further raised the abandonment of its DUP allies resignation as leader of the smaller proved disruptive to trade between signed up to an agreement that did temperature - partly in an attempt has given Edwin Poots his chance of the two main unionist parties was Northern Ireland and Great Britain, indeed establish an economic border to maintain some control over their to topple Foster as party leader, his failure to halt the steady erosion it is the political and symbolic between the Six Counties and Great base and partly to exert pressure on by revealing the real relationship of UUP support: he had, he told his implications of any form of border Britain.9 The DUP leadership and the British government13: ‘Didn’t we between the British state and the membership, taken the party as far - customs or otherwise - in the Irish its supporters were outraged by this tell you there would be trouble? Now Six Counties, it also presents him as he could, and it was now time Sea separating Northern Ireland from betrayal, but after his 2019 election look what’s happening!’14 Aided by and unionism more generally with weekly worker 1348 May 20 2021 9

serious strategic problems in the rested on its relationship with the state as a result of the Provisionals’ growth in the national representation class in both London and Dublin. future. Throughout the century unionists, when faced with a mass insurgency.19 at Westminster and in the assembly They do not want and will not permit since partition, unionist leaders have movement and insurgency for the In the communalised politics shows, that political project is being a real, democratic resolution of the always understood the harsh realities reunification of the whole island which were strengthened after undermined by demographic change. Irish national question: their aim of power and how they really stand led by the Provisional republican 1998, the DUP grew to become In 2011 the religious balance was is simply to continue their hitherto in relation to British interests in the movement, the British state used the dominant unionist party at the 48% Protestant, as against 45% successful partnership and preserve Six Counties. a variety of military, political and expense of the UUP, basing its Catholic, and when this year’s the stability of their states and their In the last analysis unionism is economic instruments to contain the appeal on opposition to the new census data is released many believe system by maintaining partition and dependent on the British state and insurrection. In particular, after the dispensation and asserting unionist that it could show that Catholics a divided working class. unionist politicians can only exercise introduction of direct rule in 1972, interests in the face of nationalist now make up a narrow majority Our demands must be for the a ‘veto’ over the policies of British successive British governments advance. In a parallel development of the Six Counties’ population.24 ending of partition and the democratic governments if the latter allows attempted to reconfigure the political, within the nationalist electorate, Sinn This demographic determinism reunification of Ireland as a 32-county them to do so. The DUP was not like institutional, economic and social Féin achieved a similar dominance at and the crude equation of sectarian republic. This requires the political some innocent in a Victorian novel - structures within the Six Counties.18 the expense of the Social Democratic description with political allegiance agency and the independent class betrayed, tossed aside and heartlessly After that date power-sharing and and Labour Party (SDLP).20 has both added momentum to Sinn politics of the workers’ movement abandoned by some aristocratic cad the Irish dimension joined ‘consent’ Within the zero-sum politics of the Féin’s call for a border poll and across Ireland, acting in its own when he no longer needed her votes: as the key themes of British strategy, peace process the DUP was seen as increased the sense of pessimism interests and with its own politics, behind all the conference photo- with a particular focus on drawing the best defender of the union and by amongst unionists about their place to advance a democratic position opportunities and the smiles for the nationalists into government and 2006 had sufficiently consolidated in the UK. on reunification - not a border poll cameras, the DUP leaders were not administration in Northern Ireland, its political position to enable it to Furthermore, given that a carried by two capitalist states. As a really fooled at all by Boris Johnson; alongside close cooperation with negotiate with Sinn Féin to form a majority within Northern Ireland genuinely democratic working class they understood their essential Dublin, to contain the war and government at Stormont with Ian voted to remain in the EU in 2016, stance, the demand for reunification weakness and simply hoped that they stabilise partition. Beginning with Paisley as first minster, joined by some have argued that Brexit has also recognises the position of the could gain some crumbs from the Sunningdale in 1974 and culminating Martin McGuinness as his deputy. made reunification in some form an unionist or British-Irish population parliamentary and political situation in the 1998 Good Friday agreement Despite, or perhaps because of, the attractive option for those sections of within the Six Counties. Whilst that had accidentally opened up to and the peace process, British almost regular crises and suspensions the unionist middle class who want they do not constitute a nation in them between 2017-19. Admittedly, strategic and state interests remained of the assembly that occurred after to retain EU membership, along any democratic or Marxist sense, they did not play their hand very well constant, as the institutional and 2007, the DUP saw off any challenges with all its perceived economic the historical position of the British- when they had the chance, and now political forms changed to meet the from the unionist right, such as Jim advantages.25 Whether such a body Irish should be recognised by linking the DUP is desperately looking to new circumstances and challenges Allister’s Traditional Unionist Voice of small-u, pro-EU unionist opinion reunification and self-determination Edwin Poots to salvage something faced by imperialism. However, far (TUV), and so appeared to remain exists remains to be seen and will to the demand for a federal Irish from the wreckage. Electing Poots to from transforming the conflict, the the hegemonic representative of the probably only be really tested by any republic l save the day for the party? It really peace process has simply reproduced unionist electorate. future border poll itself.26 is a case of desperate times calling the divisions and the communal Likewise, there are similar Notes forth an absolutely implausible politics - the carnival of reaction, Electoral shifts arguments about the political impact 1. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ solution - even for a creationist who as Connolly described it - that have However, from 2017 the DUP’s of those sections of the Six Counties’ steve-aiken-resigns-as-ulster-unionist-party- leader-40401572.html; independent.co.uk/ presumably believes in miracles. sustained partition. dominance came under threat, both population which identify in opinion news/uk/politics/arlene-foster-dup-leader-step- Let us look at the fundamental As a result of British strategy, from within and without the unionist polls and censuses as ‘Northern down-b1839024.html. problems facing unionist politicians. along with wider social and electorate. In the 2017 assembly Irish’ - either in combination with 2. telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/05/14/edwin-poots- The proximate causes of the economic changes during this elections the party received 28.1% or in opposition to the identity fundamentalist-christian-former-farmer-elected- leader; defenestration of Foster and the period, the institutions and economic of first-preference votes - narrowly options of ‘Irish’ and/or ‘British’. irishnews.com/paywall/tsb/irishnews/irishnews/ voluntary departure of Aikin can structures that upheld unionist power ahead of Sinn Féin, which stood The dominant political cliché here is irishnews//news/northernirelandnews/2021/05/17/ clearly be found in the continuing and the relative privilege enjoyed at 27.9%. In subsequent local that these voters are predominantly news/new-uup-leader-doug-beattie-says-party- fall-out from Brexit and the impact in comparison with nationalists government and Westminster young, reject ‘sectarian’ communal may-have-to-shrink-to-grow-in-move-to-centre- ground-2325541/content.html. of the Northern Ireland Protocol on declined. Unionists no longer elections the overall patterns were politics and so back either Alliance 3. irishtimes.com/news/politics/army-veteran-doug- the region. However, alongside the enjoyed the same political and social contradictory, but it was clear that or the Greens. It seems, we are told, beattie-seeking-to-be-next-uup-leader-1.4560354. resulting shifts in electoral politics power they had before direct rule. the nationalist vote was growing that they will opt for the Good Friday 4. irishnews.com/news/ and growing discontent amongst The unionist bloc was still powerful and that more unionists were voting agreement status quo of cultural northernirelandnews/2021/04/28/news/arlene- foster-resigns-as-dup-leader-2303996. the unionist population, the crisis enough to bring down Sunningdale for the essentially ‘liberal unionist’ pluralism and power-sharing, thus 5. theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/30/arlene-foster- facing the unionist parties and their in 1974, but its protests against the Alliance Party. In what was widely putting the issue of reunification urges-boris-johnson-to-replace-covid-ni-protocol. electorate goes much deeper than Anglo-Irish agreement of 1985 or seen as a verdict on Brexit, the 2019 very much on the long finger.27 See also ‘End of the beginning’ Weekly Worker that. It is a product of partition, and the trial of strength over the disputed Westminster election saw the DUP Despite the growth of the ‘centre January 7 2021: weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1329/ end-of-the-beginning. the fundamental instabilities and Orange march at Drumcree in the lose two seats and a fall in its vote ground’ vote in recent elections, it 6. gov.uk/government/publications/the-northern- contradictions built into the state that 1990s were to no avail. of 5.2%, whilst Alliance’s share too remains to be tested in the highly ireland-protocol. emerged in the Six Counties after Unionists were still ‘the majority’, increased by 8.9%.21 Sinn Féin’s vote charged political atmosphere of a 7. policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/ 1920. but could no longer impose unalloyed share also fell by 6.6%, but the story referendum on reunification. uploads/2019/03/Nothing-Has-Changed-It-Has- Actually.pdf. British imperialism partitioned ‘majority rule’. Deindustrialisation, for the DUP and its unionist base was 8. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/brexit/irish- Ireland in such a way as to ensure that including the loss of traditional that nationalists now held nine out of Working class sea-trade-border-over-my-dead-body-says- unionists controlled a viable territory industries, combined with conscious Northern Ireland’s 18 Westminster If Brexit and the implementation of johnson-39447768.html. and had a secure majority - hence state strategies of ‘fair employment’ seats - their best ever showing since the Northern Ireland protocol has 9. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-55411621. a six-county rather a nine-county and the expansion of the public partition.22 presented unionists in general and 10. telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/10/22/boris- 16 johnson-has-lost-respect-dup-mp-says-major-blow- ‘Ulster’. Britain had clear political, sector, all acted to lessen unionist These electoral shifts and the the DUP in particular with a serious prime. economic and strategic interests in advantage and relatively improve the Brexit crisis provide the immediate political crisis, other political 11. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56678489. partitioning Ireland and maintaining position of the nationalist population background to the removal of Foster forces, such as Sinn Féin with its 12. theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/04/ the Six County statelet throughout - especially a new Catholic middle and the election of Poots as DUP border poll campaign, have either brexit-northern-ireland-loyalist-armies-renounce- 17 good-friday-agreement; independent.co.uk/ the 20th century. Although British class, which benefited from the leader. Recent opinion polls show sought to gain from the situation news/uk/politics/dup-meeting-northern-ireland- imperialism’s control ultimately concessions wrung from the British a further decline in the potential or, like London, Dublin and the protocol-b1807962.html. DUP vote, with the party losing EU, have attempted to stabilise the 13. ‘Ghost dancers of loyalism’ Weekly Worker April 15: weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1343/ghost- supporters to the TUV, which now political status quo and reach a new dancers-of-loyalism. Fighting fund stands at 10%, amongst unionists on post-Brexit modus vivendi. One 14. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-56664868. the right. This was combined with voice that has been missing from 15. ft.com/content/121e0a45-352e-4265-b2d8- an increasing number of ‘moderate’ the debate so far has been that of the 3c73161705d7. 16. In this centenary year a number of books have unionists moving from the UUP working class and demands for an appeared outlining the events leading up to partition Printing soon towards the Alliance Party, which in independent politics advancing the from a variety of political perspectives. For a good nfortunately it’s been another So we really need to put on January was only one percent behind interests of that class. bibliography of recent accounts see C Townshend slightly disappointing week a bit of a spurt now. Yes, we’re the DUP (19%-18%). Sinn Féin’s The approach of the Irish left has The partition: Ireland divided 1885-1925 London U 2021. for the fighting fund. We received approaching the time of the support has also fallen, but at 24% either been to completely ignore the 17. K Allen 32 Counties: the failure of partition and £340 over the last seven days, but month when a few generous it now has the potential to become question of national democracy and the case for a united Ireland London 2021. that takes our running total to only standing orders will be coming the largest party in the assembly. reunification, and concentre instead 18. K Bean The new politics of Sinn Féin Liverpool £934 towards our £2,000 target. our way, but they won’t be The nightmare scenario for unionists on the economist politics of Catholic 2007. 19. Ibid. And, of course, 19 out of the 31 anywhere near enough to see is that on these figures Michelle and Protestant unity around wages 20. L Ó Ruairc Peace or pacification: Northern days in May are now behind us. us home on their own. So, O’Neill of Sinn Féin could become and austerity, or simply tail meekly Ireland after the defeat of the IRA London 2019. This is particularly in anticipation of getting the first minister with Naomi Long of behind Sinn Féin and its cross-class 21. ark.ac.uk/elections. disconcerting in view of the Weekly Worker in your hands Alliance as deputy first minister, alliance for a border poll. Partition 22. ‘Northing inevitable’ Weekly Worker December fact that in just two weeks time once more, how about making a relegating both the DUP and UUP to is the political prison that traps both 19 2019: weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1280/ 23 northing-inevitable. we’ll be printing again, which donation, even if you normally the also-rans! Catholic and Protestant workers: it 23. irishnews.com/news/ obviously means that our costs don’t contribute to our fighting Although it is likely that, when sustains and reproduces communal northernirelandnews/2021/02/02/news/opinion- will be shooting up once more. fund? faced with such a horrific possibility, divisions and sectarian politics, and poll-shows-sharp-drop-in-dup-support-2206468; irishnews.com/paywall/tsb/irishnews/irishnews/ So we could really do with That PayPal button is ready many unionist voters might respond only by ending it can those differences irishnews//news/analysis/2021/05/19/news/analysis- breaking through that £2K and waiting, and you can also positively to Edwin Poots’ hard line even begin to be overcome by the sinn-fe-in-shake-up-shows-brutal-politics-applies- barrier this month. make a bank transfer (sort code on the protocol and calls for unionist workers’ movement. to-all-parties-2326975/content.html. The highlight of this week 30-99-64; account number unity by returning to the DUP fold, A border poll carried out under the 24. nisra.gov.uk/statistics/2011-census/results; irishnews.com/paywall/tsb/irishnews/irishnews/ was the magnificent £170 00744310). And, yes, we still it could well be a damn close-run aegis of the British secretary of state irishnews//news/northernirelandnews/2019/02/01/ contribution from comrade KB, accept cheques! Let’s make sure thing in the next scheduled assembly will be framed within the partitionist news/almost-equal-numbers-of-catholics-and- while MM (£75), TR (£40) and we get the £2,000 we need, this elections in 2022. For the DUP MPs constitutional framework of the 1998 protestants-in-northern-ireland-of-working-age- GB (£25) came up with their month of all months! l and MLAs who threw the hapless status quo: along with an equivalent for-the-first-time-1541284/content.html; irishtimes. com/news/politics/new-light-shed-on-prospect-of- monthly standing orders. Then Robbie Rix Arlene Foster overboard and brought poll south of the border, this will not catholic-majority-in-north-1.3891032. there was US comrade PM, who in Edwin Poots to steady the ship, it be a genuine exercise in democratic 25. foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/09/irish-unification- chipped in with his usual £25 via Fill in a standing order form seems that the options are narrowing national self-determination: it will brexit. PayPal - the same method used (back page), donate via our in other ways too. merely be a recipe for reinforcing 26. thejournal.ie/brexit-permanently-changed- northern-ireland-5376526-Mar2021. by AL, who donated £5. But that website, or send cheques, Partition was designed to create existing divisions within the working 27. irishtimes.com/opinion/nationalism-and- was it, I’m afraid. payable to Weekly Worker a ‘Protestant state for a Protestant class, which leave the political unionism-are-becoming-less-relevant-in-the- people’ in perpetuity, but, as the initiative in the hands of the capitalist north-1.3914591. weekly 10 May 20 2021 1348 worker SWP Wages of tailism Unlike others on the left, the SWP at least tries to draw lessons from the failure of Spain’s Podemos. The problem is, Paul Demarty explains, the lessons it draws are hopelessly wrong t has not been a good month for inspired by Egypt - indeed! I myself itself into society over many decades, Podemos. The party - a ‘new left’ participated in a small way in the and that support told with the election Iformation in Spain - was formed contemporaneous student movement of Morsi. The question was decided in the mid-2010s as a sort of self- in this country, and the events in between the men with the free clinics appointed political wing of the the Middle East and north Africa in every neighbourhood and the men widespread Indignados protests really did give us great courage and with the guns and tanks. The protest against austerity and corruption inspiration - in 2011. Ord drops this movement was exploited, including provoked by the euro crisis, and out thread of the narrative there, however, the SWP and its allies, by each of of nowhere came forth in the 2014 and does not mention that by the time these in turn, because, of itself, it did European parliament elections, anyone got the chance to vote for not have a dynamic towards greater becoming a major player in Spanish Podemos, the Egyptian people had political power and coherence. electoral politics. But the May 4 elected Mohamed Morsi - an Islamist Mass protests and strike regional elections in Madrid were president whose attempts to establish movements have an internal limit. disastrous for Podemos: it slipped into a theocratic constitution were only Ultimately, they begin to disrupt fifth, behind the far-right nationalist prevented by a military coup that daily life - the delivery of supplies, Vox party. Overall the victors were reimposed the old regime at a dismal ordinary commerce, and so on. At the Partido Popular (PP), the major human cost. this point, the question of power is party of the right. The SWP, playing toy soldiers already posed: it is necessary either to For Pablo Iglesias, Podemos’s from afar, supported both a vote for restore order, or to create a new order. leader from its formation, the result Morsi and the coup against him, To do the former is ‘easy’, if the state was bad enough and the campaign Pablo Iglesias: one of a type which it proclaimed “a new stage in maintains its coherence: clear the dispiriting enough for him to retire the revolution”. Whether it adopted streets, arrest, kettle, shoot people. from politics altogether. (He had of protests, was part of a general activists, we suppose, are supposed to this strategy on the advice of its To do the latter is difficult - but it is received bullets in the mail, to the reaction against neoliberal austerity; learn that they chose wrongly, and act Egyptian affiliate, the Revolutionary possible if there is a total alternative indifference of both Vox and PP other examples adduced are the accordingly during the next protest Socialists, or imposed it from afar on to the status quo available in the form opponents.) It is difficult to see what Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders wave. RS, it is a telling outcome. Why did of an already mass party. Otherwise happens next for Podemos, which movements, the Front de Gauche This, however, is surely question it not just demand more and more people will consent - enthusiastically has already suffered one damaging (now La France Insoumise), Syriza, begging. “The idiocy that we used to street protests? (Why did it mistake a or otherwise - to the restoration of split to the right around Íñigo Errejón, and so on. Podemos’s programme, say when we were on the extreme left” coup for a new stage of revolutionary order, since, after all, they need to eat. but it is unlikely to be good. The along with the run-of-the-mill leftist - we used to say. Iglesias was not born struggle, for that matter?) The Podemos line of working immediate cause of this reversal is demands for nationalisations and in 2014. The upheavals of 2011-14 within “the institutions” recognises surely obvious: Iglesias’s success, stronger welfare, also included in Spain were not the country’s first. Hypocrisies this reality, but indulges in, if anything, finally, in getting into government as a withdrawal from Nato and self- Ord does not bother to offer an actual Closer to home, it is hard not to laugh an even worse one. In 2015, I debated junior partner of the social democratic determination for the nationalities. Its argument for the idea that Iglesias’s at Ord’s hectoring of Podemos for with a Podemos representative at Partido Socialista Obrero Español formal structures also caused some conclusion about ‘the streets’ versus dropping its opposition to the Spanish a Platypus event in Frankfurt. The (PSOE). He thereby put himself in the excitement for comrade Ord: ‘the institutions’ is wrong. He merely monarchy. In the mid-2000s, the comrade - who, like Iglesias, Errejón firing line when unpopular decisions, asserts that “the urgent need is to SWP attempted to create an electoral and a weirdly large percentage inevitably, had to be made. The party also claimed to be learn from his failures and to refocus party on the basis of the anti-war of the party’s leadership, was an The question, as always, is what attempting a new form of politics. Its on revolutionary politics that are movement as they understood it - Ernesto Laclau-inspired academic at lessons will be learned, and by whom. structures were based on circles and firmly based on the movements from that is, “an alliance of socialists and heart - told us some home truths (I The answer in many cases will be: assemblies with direct democracy, below”. Muslim activists” (ie, Islamists). In paraphrase): “You see, the average no lessons at all. We note that Left transparency, accountability and There exists an argument, to order to get that over the line, they voter has a hard job. He works for Unity, which was formed explicitly election candidates selected by the be sure: it is part of the ambient discarded principle after principle as eight or nine hours a day. He comes in imitation of Podemos and others, members. orthodoxy of SWP politics. Step too ‘alienating’ to their supposed mass home. He turns on the TV and watches has not seen fit to comment on the one: the ‘classical Marxist’ strategy audience - including republicanism. the news for five minutes. That is Madrilenian election or Iglesias’s But problems were already arising: for socialism is ‘socialism from Why these hypocrisies? Do the the time you have to reach him.” So dramatic departure. There is always below’ - that is, socialism as the act SWP’s leaders simply lack moral detailed political programmes which another rainbow to chase, and never Any movement on the streets that of the workers themselves. Step two: fibre as individuals? Let us advance, promised to upend society could only time to consider failures. Of course, seeks to have a political expression the social world as it actually exists instead, the hypothesis that in both cause unnecessary controversy and Podemos leaders teach this behaviour, faces quick decisions. Is the tends to befuddle the workers and these cases their failures were reduce the chance of establishing the along with their other ‘contributions’. political voice primarily focused demoralise them (accounts of this untheorised responses to something sort of populist hegemony that was Iglesias and - especially - Errejón on elections, or are elections simply vary, but are typically presented, as real. That ‘something’ is that protest Laclau’s big idea. were fanatical supporters of the pink- a subordinate part of growing and and when anyone can be bothered, in politics does not work. Protests in The error here is simply the refusal wave governments in Latin America, developing the movement? After terms of György Lukács’s theory of themselves almost invariably fail to to take seriously the fact that ‘the but have recently denounced the some equivocation, Podemos reification). But immediately radical coerce the powers-that-be, no matter institutions’ are in enemy hands. “disaster” in Venezuela, without made clear that its central focus forms of struggle puncture through how radical they might be. They have (Did the comrade expect the news giving any account of how they was going to be the electoral field. that. These forms are many, but value only as part of a wider political channel to give him five free minutes came to retail this “disaster” to their crucially include the strike struggle project of some kind. The rulers fear for propaganda purposes?) Protest followers in the first place (dropping The temptation of electoralism tended of worker against employer and the indiscipline, splits, on their own side. politics is not an alternative; but we the Chavismo is, naturally, cynical to moderate Podemos’s platform. It street protest of oppressed against That requires a sustained pole of still need one. Otherwise, why not opportunism on their part). abandoned its republicanism, since oppressor (or oppressor’s proxy). attraction over and against the state join a bourgeois government and stab that would be to cut itself off from The struggling masses realise that the apparatus - a party. your voters in the back? You left your Lessons? “large sectors of the population, who machine can be punctured. They gain The SWP, in 2003-04, was faced voters in the atomised, slave-class It is to the Socialist Workers Party’s … feel sympathetic towards this new in confidence (confidence is a magic with the reality that Iraq was invaded condition you found them; and so credit that it does, at least, try to draw [king]”, as Iglesias put it. Support for word in the SWP), and radicalisation and inevitably the anti-war protests they voted for you to do exactly that; lessons from the crisis of Podemos. the national movements of Catalonia takes on its own momentum. shrank. Keeping the issue on the and now they will abandon you for Unfortunately, the lessons drawn are and the Basque country were later However, this energy can be agenda meant fighting at the level having done it. hopeless. dropped. Thus the path was laid out diverted. The movement is not yet of general politics, but the refusal to For all their phenomenal The job of analysing these events to the coalition with PSOE and the conscious of its role, and more attempt to raise the political level differences (and vast differences in for Socialist Worker falls to one Sam electoral massacre of May 4. The conscious elements will seek to of the movement meant it had to be influence), the SWP and Podemos are Ord, a comrade to whom we offered movement had been abandoned - Ord lead it. Principled revolutionaries fought on the incredibly thin common secretly twins. They are both tailists a bit of a tongue-lashing in relation to quotes Iglesias again: “that idiocy that will attempt to keep the virtuous ground of the SWP, George Galloway - the SWP tails anything that moves, football a few weeks ago.1 His article we used to say when we were on the cycle going, by leading the struggle and the Muslim Association of Britain while Podemos kept tailing the same consists, for the most, of a re-narration extreme left, that things change in the patiently through an ascending scale (the British branch of the Muslim people after they stopped moving. of Podemos’s history. The party street and not in institutions, is a lie”. of action. But there are reformists Brotherhood) - or so they hoped. The fantasy of ever-ascending “emerged from an inspiring wave of Ord’s account is a structurally and other misleaders, who trap the The MAB refused to join, finding the protest squares off against the ‘reality struggle”, he writes, referring to the plausible history of Podemos. It movement into parliamentarism, whole idea too opportunist, so instead principle’ of the worker slumped in Indignados. “People confronted the really did explicitly base itself on sucking the radicalism out of it, and it became the SWP, George and a front of his TV; but the substitution of attacks on their living standards, but the Indignados and, once it achieved finally leading to demoralisation. We motley assortment of patriarchal this image for the whole class is, too, also began discussing how to create surprise success in 2014, rapidly cannot know that comrade Ord agrees community leaders in strongly- a fantasy. a new and more democratic form of bureaucratised itself and moved to the with this argument, but if he demurred Muslim areas like Tower Hamlets. We can choose neither ‘the streets’ politics.”2 right. Our attention must fall, however, from it in print, his editor would As for Egypt, the military regime, at nor ‘the institutions’: we need instead There followed mass strikes. Ord on the comrade’s explanation for this: immediately remove the offending the height of the protests, understood to create our institutions l mentions, in passing, the inspiration that Podemos chose to separate itself passage. It is the alpha and the that discipline was likely to fray, and provided by the Egyptian revolution from the street and strike movements omega of SWP practice. And, while got out ahead of the matter, deposing [email protected] of 2011 - “The spread of the Arab of the day. The telling phrase is “quick Iglesias’s formulation is slippery and dictator Hosni Mubarak and cobbling spring showed people that change decisions” - we get no sense of why objectionable, he is right, at least, that together an extremely presidentialist Notes from below, on the streets, was a Iglesias and his cronies should have it is an idiocy. constitution that left it essentially 1. ‘That was the league that wasn’t’ Weekly Worker April 29: weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1345/that- possibility.” We will return to that chosen the way they did; it seems The evidence, indeed, is scattered intact. The Brotherhood had, with was-the-league-that-wasnt. assessment a little later on. rather to be a sort of Nietzschean act throughout Ord’s article. He mentions varying levels of official tolerance and 2. socialistworker.co.uk/art/51755/ Podemos, arising from this wave of will ex nihilo. Future generations of that the Spanish movement was generous foreign support, insinuated Podemos+trapped+by+the+system. weekly worker 1348 May 20 2021 11 POLEMIC Appeals of class society We need to understand what makes the exploited actually defend the system that oppresses them, argues Foppe de Haan

ast month, Mike Macnair project concerned with establishing as right. And in the centuries necessarily have a strong interest in reviewed Catherine Liu’s control by and autonomy for those that followed we see Lockean promoting thinking and actions that LVirtue hoarders, which is a currently forced to work for others, ‘Hmong Skyscraper’, liberals reintroducing Roman law, reinforce the notion that our shared contribution to the ‘professional- rather than being about any and third‑place winner of eVolo and producing justifications for humanity is irrelevant, and that the managerial class’ (PMC) discussion, all material benefits that flow colonialism, privatisation/enclosure, only thing that matters is how others with which Liu hopes to convince from that. The converse goes for Magazine’s 2021 Social ‘witch’-hunts and slavery, while view you. “fellow PMC members” to build institutionalised domination and Class Transition Skyscraper enlightenment thinkers like Kant, At the start of written history, these socialism, rather than defend exploitation (aka class society), in his answer to the question, determinants of merit were pretty capitalism.1 which capitalism elaborates on. Its Competition. ‘What is enlightenment?’, justified crude and static, with superiority I was intrigued, as the questions, primary aim is to ensure that a small ‘Hmong Skyscraper’ existing relations of exploitation and being tied to maleness, strength, battle to which the response was ‘It’s the group can control the many. domination by making ‘maturity’ - prowess, kinship relations, ethnicity, PMC that’s the problem!’, strike me Of course, due to the way presents a stack of determined by whom? - a prerequisite religious affiliation, wealth - see The as unanswered and important. In this capitalism works as a process, traditional Hmong houses. for being granted autonomy. Iliad for an idealised example of this. reply, I would like to respond to what it certainly imposes further and This propaganda - very much But, as such hierarchically organised Macnair and Liu say about class and different constraints than did earlier The Hmong live mainly in including the promotion of societies expanded and grew more meritocracy (a topic I am trying to forms, while it also encourages Yunnan, and are being enlightenment ideals and of the populous, and as subgroups within elucidate myself). While I agree with different forms of resistance, and so importance of ‘freedom’ - was those societies - like merchants, Macnair that (a) we should not aim on. Nevertheless, it is intended to moved by the Chinese needed, of course, to distract people bankers and artisans - became to explain every political conflict allow the few to control the many government to the suburbs from the insane amount of structural sufficiently influential and large, and as a class conflict, and that (b) for through control over the means of and physical violence going on as the role of money grew, it became something to be a class issue it has production, coupled with institutional of cities. Many miss their around them, with masses of them possible – and, arguably, necessary to be a long-standing phenomenon, I arrangements that force the many to arable land, yards, rivers being persecuted and kicked off - to move to less static and more feel that he - and in fact most people work for and thereby maintain that their lands in order to force them dynamic modes of production and - are failing to see the forest for the same system. Meanwhile, capitalists and streams. to work in the new factories, and to domination. Over time, this led to trees by accepting a highly partial are very willing to borrow from Xiangshu Kong, Xiaoyong allow landlords to claim the land for the creation of the most dynamic set definition of what ‘the meritocracy’ and promote so-called pre-capitalist their own use. Thanks to this, the of arrangements thus far, in which is about. social forms, such as slavery, (semi-) Zhang and Mingsong Sun violence and expropriation could be people are controlled through waged I would argue that, properly feudal relations within the workplace designed a skyscraper framed as ‘unavoidable steps on the labour and debt, while they are taught understood, all class societies and family, and so on, in order to road towards something greater’ (an and incentivised to accept the fiction are experiments in establishing maintain or expand their hold over which keeps the farmers’ argument that, of course, still appeals that achievement, advancement and meritocracies, with the ‘the others, and over the planet’s wealth. memory of their original to many - those who are convinced social reward are merit-based and meritocracy’ - the people who that without capitalism there would tightly correlated, and that everyone embrace this mentality and its Meritocracy homes, but lets them enjoy be no technological innovation, etc). earns their place in society. All of consequences most deeply - simply To create and maintain class societies, the advantages of urban All of these justifications and which is 99% nonsense, of course, being the clearest expression of that people must be socialised (a process social roles are premised on the but difficult to ignore or shake off, underlying pattern. And I would that involves both institutional and life notion that human beings have no because of the many institutions that argue that looking at it this way has physical violence) into their roles, intrinsic, but only instrumental or encourage - or force - you to play multiple benefits, not the least of and, to achieve long-term stability extrinsic, value - ie, they only have along. which being that this makes it a lot and support, they must come to see value to the extent others value One of the implications of the easier to understand why capitalist the system as a whole as right and them - so that unequal treatment and fact that domination and exploitation development requires - and therefore proper - or at least ‘better than the exploitation are normal or proper. are so intertwined seems to me that promotes - extensive borrowing alternative’. In the millennia that This logic I would call ‘meritocratic’, we need to put more emphasis on from earlier forms of class societies, followed their advent, justifications as it works by ranking and ordering understanding - and talking about - and that we thus should not dismiss for exploitation have come in many (equal) people on the basis of their interplay, and especially the way such developments as ancillary or forms. For instance, Aristotle claimed extrinsic merit or demerit, and by in which persistent arrangements do transitory, especially when it comes that people who meet certain criteria institutionalising the use of carrots not directly contribute to exploitation to our propaganda, education and - eg, women, slaves - have it as their and sticks to get people to behave and capital accumulation, but do organising work. purpose to be controlled by others. in ways approved of by those who relate to control (eg, the promotion As I see it - and I expect that we The medieval church promoted the make the rules.2 And in societies in of the nuclear family, policing sex all agree on this - Marxism first and ‘great chain of being’ to sell the which access to important resources and reproduction, capitalist support foremost is a political-emancipatory idea of feudal/clerical domination is privatised, those who own them for specific religions, racism, or the weekly 12 May 20 2021 1348 worker What we fight for existence of ‘inefficient’ dynamics course, being able to control others workers. Think of politicians, n Without organisation the within the workplace). For instance, has its appeal, such as being able architects, physicians, editors, working class is nothing; with working men did not just embrace or to have them perform tasks for lawyers, judges, professors, movie the highest form of organisation defend class society because they got you, and being able to further your directors, and so on. it is everything. to claim the fruits of their wives’ and career that way, for which you can Again, I am not arguing that children’s labour, but also because motivate them with the carrots and members of this professional- n There exists no real Communist they generally controlled the latter’s sticks that come with your position. managerial cohort are ‘irredeemable’ Party today. There are many lives, which they enjoyed. Owning On top of that, this cohort, of course, (to echo Hillary Clinton). And I so-called ‘parties’ on the left. In human beings, likewise, was not only also enjoys a bunch of civil society am still on the fence as to whether reality they are confessional sects. profitable: it also brought with it the benefits, both in terms of having more we should try to roll these other Members who disagree with the ability to rape, harm and command opportunities for putting forward considerations into the definition prescribed ‘line’ are expected to people - basically whatever the their perspectives, and because their of class, or that we should come up gag themselves in public. Either owner desired. And most of these institutional role or credentials may with additional dimensions, upon that or face expulsion. institutional arrangements were very allow them to act differently, and which to analyse the problems with n Communists operate according actively promoted by the capitalists, afford them deference that ‘regular’ class society, and what gets in the to the principles of democratic likely in part because, at a macro people do not receive; both of which way of our achieving class unity and centralism. Through ongoing debate level, such violence aimed at specific do matter to people. revolution. I agree that it is unhelpful we seek to achieve unity in action groups undermines working class Having control over others as part to turn any difference into a class and a common world outlook. As solidarity and organisation. of your job is not the same as, and conflict. However, I do think that we long as they support agreed actions, As one example of capitalist of course is less extensive than, the should pay rather more attention to members should have the right to development in action, consider control and wealth capitalists have, these other aspects of what makes speak openly and form temporary how the World Bank recommended but it is nevertheless something that people buy into and defend class or permanent factions. Thailand promote sex tourism - motivates - and splits and confuses society and (Lockean) liberalism n Communists oppose all impe- which everyone understood involved - those forced to work, and thus than we do currently, if we want to rialist wars and occupations but mass sex slavery, human trafficking, something that we need to engage convince a substantial fraction of constantly strive to bring to the fore and so on - in order to ‘grow the with, obviously without falling into the workers who experience those the fundamental question–ending war economy’ - ie, to kick-start capitalist the double trap of thinking either material and immaterial benefits is bound up with ending capitalism. 3 development. They did so for a few that ‘the’ working class has ceased to nevertheless fight to end class n Communists are internationalists. reasons: to exist, or that the whole of this society. n Everywhere we strive for the closest It allowed pimps and ancillary professional-managerial cohort Class societies constantly – and, I unity and agreement of working class industries to profit from women’s should be written off as reactionary. would argue, necessarily - generate and progressive parties of all countries. and children’s immiseration and Neither of those claims holds up. new modes of oppression, and new We oppose every manifestation exploitation. Nevertheless, getting them on forms of dependence - partly because n of national sectionalism. It is an The societal upheaval that board is certainly a harder sell, not this benefits specific sections and internationalist duty to uphold the human trafficking and large-scale least because we have yet to really partly because it serves to undermine principle, ‘One state, one party’. prostitution entail serves to disrupt start practising those arguments, working class solidarity. As such, we existing social bonds. given the aforementioned workerist need to become better at spotting, n The working class must be n But they also could have done tendencies, coupled with decades calling out and organising people organised globally. Without a global it because people earning western of Stalinist managerialism, which affected by the outgrowths, and Communist Party, a Communist wages chose to visit a country with meant that very few (including very their drivers, as there is zero reason International, the struggle against very little wealth en masse, largely few ‘Marxist’ academics) were to think they will allow all of the capital is weakened and lacks because they have heard that women willing to genuinely analyse this ‘pre-capitalist’ forms of domination coordination. and children members of the working issue. and exploitation to be overcome n Communists have no interest class were being commoditised, with It is true that many of the specific (let alone that capitalism will apart from the working class the state deliberately not interfering values that PMC members focus on exterminate them for us), when these as a whole. They differ only in in that process. or promote are indeed transient, in have proven so helpful in convincing recognising the importance of n And they did so at least in part part to draw attention away from the part of the class to support working Marxism as a guide to practice. because they were socialised to problems caused by class society. class exploitation, and to accept That theory is no dogma, but enjoy abusing the control over others But many of the values they promote capitalism’s ‘downsides’. must be constantly added to and that being wealthy in a class society are not transient. Eg: the Protestant For instance, I would say that enriched. affords you. work ethic; attacking ‘vagrancy’ and the ‘inefficiency’ and wastage n Capitalism in its ceaseless As such, it seems to me that this reliance on programmes that aid the caused by the semi-feudal intra- 4 search for profit puts the future ‘control’ thing - and the desire for it - working class; careerism . They are institutional dynamics that David of humanity at risk. Capitalism is is part of what we have to talk about intimately tied up with ‘merit’ and ‘The Class sketch’, Graeber points to in Bullshit jobs synonymous with war, pollution, in our propaganda and organising ‘demerit’, and the idea that those should be understood through this featuring John Cleese, exploitation and crisis. As a global work. Not just because this actively who ‘lose’ - ie, those who do not lens - though another driver, of system capitalism can only be aids capitalist development, but also end up near or at the top - deserve to Ronnie Barker and Ronnie course, is that oligopolists benefit superseded globally. because we have to politicise those not get anything, because they ‘are’ from the extra overhead generated arrangements and that socialisation, the undeserving poor. Which is also Corbett, was first broadcast by bureaucratisation, as this serves n The capitalist class will never willingly allow their wealth and and explain how they are part why the Obama era saw the revival on April 7 1966 in an as a barrier to entry. Generally and parcel of how class society of To kill a mockingbird (and the though, these seem to me a cost power to be taken away by a reproduces itself. recently re-envisioned ‘Hamilton’ episode of David Frost’s of doing business in the highly parliamentary vote. musical). Yet, as I see it, the ability satirical comedy bureaucratised and credentialised n We will use the most militant Control to shift quickly is part of what makes societies produced by post-war methods objective circumstances Is the PMC a class? Is meritocracy post-war liberalism so effective programme, ‘The Frost capitalism, in which both big capital allow to achieve a federal republic its ideology? at stymieing actual organisation report’. Written by the and the new professional/managerial of England, Scotland and Wales, Irrespective of whether the PMC and resistance, in that there now cohort are constantly seeking to a united, federal Ireland and a is a class, it seems to me important are millions of little meritocrats “avowed socialist”, Marty generate new revenue streams, jobs United States of Europe. to note that the post-World War II running around, promoting a million Feldman, it has been and positions of influence and power n Communists favour industrial settlement has created a large, different forms of identity politics for themselves, because this allows unions. Bureaucracy and class historically new cohort of people (now ‘intersectionality’), which described as “genuinely them to keep telling themselves that compromise must be fought and with similar interests and aspirations, serve to undermine working class timeless” and “ingeniously bureaucratised incrementalism and the trade unions transformed into performing jobs with similar solidarity and organisation.5 its handmaiden, procedural fairness, schools for communism. satirising the British class 6 affordances, who all come out of a are where it’s at. n Communists are champions of school system intended in large part Getting to grips system” To conclude, while I agree with the oppressed. Women’s oppression, to create (colonial) administrators, While I agree with Macnair that Mike Macnair that the Ehrenreichs combating racism and chauvinism, and who thus share a preference for Barbara and John Ehrenreichs’s drew the wrong political and the struggle for peace and addressing problems in the most 1977 definition of a PMC which conclusions from the trends they ecological sustainability are just bureaucratic way possible - not least he discussed has issues, I have identified as threats, I do think that as much working class questions because this leads to the creation of tried to explain why I think the problem they saw is one we as pay, trade union rights and additional positions for ‘knowledge the near-singular focus on have yet to come to grips with. I demands for high-quality health, workers’ and consultants. In doing the relationship to the hope that the above remarks will housing and education. so, the settlement created a new means of production contribute to that, unpolished expectation when it came to receiving - and specifically the though they may be l n Socialism represents victory an education - which is important focus on ownership - is in the battle for democracy. It is and useful to the bourgeoisie, unhelpful, when it comes Notes the rule of the working class. because it allows them to reinforce to understanding class 1. ‘American “Blue Labour”?’ Weekly Socialism is either democratic or, the notion that social outcomes are society’s appeal. And, Worker April 15: weeklyworker.co.uk/ as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it worker/1343/american-blue-labour. turns into its opposite. about (individually, scientifically/ while it is true that not all 2. A more extensive argument can be scholastically determined) ‘merit’, trades afford you control found here: beyondmeritocracy.info/ n Socialism is the first stage while the tuition hikes that have over others or civil/ homepage/introduction. of the worldwide transition to 3. See, for example, www.jstor.org/ followed force young people into societal privileges, most stable/4399484. communism - a system which taking on debt to get a credential, of the jobs for which you 4. About which I have written a little knows neither wars, exploitation, which increases their likelihood of are now expected to have more here: beyondmeritocracy.info/ money, classes, states nor nations. accepting any job post-graduation, a bachelor’s degree or blog/on-personal-responsibility-and- Communism is general freedom careerism. and so on. higher (which includes 5. I have elaborated upon how the and the real beginning of human As such, in all western societies quite a few of the capitalist class promotes identity politics history. we now find a large cohort of people trades) certainly involve (mostly focusing on why it caught on) here: beyondmeritocracy.info/blog/ The Weekly Worker is licensed by who are not owners of means of managerial or (guild) November Publications under a Creative production, but who have control ‘master’ privileges, most linking-neoliberalism-identity-politics- Commons Attribution-NonCommercial and-bureaucracy. 4.0 International Licence: over others not because of their obviously so vis-à-vis 6. As an aside, this may also be useful in creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ wealth, but because of their role interns, teaching aides, understanding what ‘class’ meant or means in legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. within corporations or the state. Of adjuncts and freelance the context of state socialism. No 1348 May 20 2021 Plenty of slogans about Palestine but little in the way of action Signs of decay Yassamine Mather looks at Iran’s presidential hopefuls and what passes for their rival programmes he final round of Iran’s nepotism and treat all Iranians as a former ‘nuclear deal’ negotiator and Then there are the absurd presidential elections are less equal citizens. The other military is currently an advisor to ayatollah utterances and actions of some Tthan a month away, yet we still candidate is brigadier general Saeed Khamenei. In his election broadcast Iranian politicians: Ahmadinejad’s do not know the list of ‘accepted’ Mohammad, who is advisor to he said the other presidential stupid holocaust denial conference, candidates. IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein contenders were not capable of fixing comments by certain ayatollahs Last week the current president, Salami. Until last month he was the economy, particularly those with bordering on anti-Semitism … Such Hassan Rouhani, criticised the latest commander of the Khatam al‑Anbiya military or judicial backgrounds: actions actually do damage to the set of rules decided by Shoraye Construction Headquarters, an “The economy is neither a garrison Palestinian cause. For example, the Negahban (the Guardian Council), offshoot of the Revolutionary Guards. nor a court that would be managed sloganeering of the regime has had insisting that the council had no Fellow military leaders have accused with shouts and orders ... promising negative effects on the youth and the legal authority to impose new criteria Saeed Mohammad of financial paradise in this complicated state protest movement inside Iran. Unlike for presidential election candidates corruption, some claiming he did that the country is going through is the leftwing opposition generated - they had barred anyone younger not resign as commander, but was speaking falsely.” during the last years of the shah, when than 40 and older than 75. When fired because of “violations” of basic Elections neither free nor fair solidarity with the Palestinian cause, the registration started, the ministry rules. Announcing his candidacy, he Palestine volunteering to fight in Palestine, of interior ignored the Guardian claimed: “I know how to circumvent leader “accountable” and will “send The final day of the presidential etc, were part and parcel of the Council’s decision and registered and also nullify sanctions, while I will the IRGC back to the barracks”. It is registration was May 15 - just opposition’s internationalism, today all candidates who had presented make it so they will be lifted.” He also unlikely he will be on the final when, in the Middle East and Iran’s youth show little interest in their papers. The current legislation probably is good at circumventing list of candidates, but Tajzadeh’s throughout the world, there were Palestine. stipulates the candidate qualifications: sanctions, especially when it comes to supporters are comparing him to major demonstrations in support This is partly because the majority his own personal interests. However, Bernie Sanders - he did not manage to of Palestine, and opponents of the are opposed to the regime and see any Any Iranian citizen born in Iran, he gave no details of how he will become an official Democratic Party Zionist state were expressing their ‘friend’ of Tehran as their enemy. Of believing in Allah and Islam, ensure they will be “lifted”. candidate, but played an important horror at what was happening in Gaza course, those who take the side of who has always been loyal to the Mohammad Hassan Nami, an army role in influencing Biden, “moving and the occupied territories. Iran’s Islamic Republic or the Syrian constitution, the Guardianship of general who was briefly telecoms him to the left”. I do not know of any protests that dictator simply because the US is the Islamic Jurist, the Supreme minister under Ahmadinejad, is also In reality, Biden’s economic took place in Iran, or of any major opposed to them are misguided and Leader and the Islamic Republic standing. Nami was Iran’s military programme has more to do with the expression of solidarity. Previously, amongst the youth who do support may register as a presidential attaché in North Korea, where he crisis of neoliberal capitalism - the the government of Iran’s Islamic the regime there is certain fatigue, candidate. obtained a doctorate in ‘public failure of 40 years of adherence to Republic has bombarded us with especially when it comes to supporting management’ from Pyongyang’s Kim this ideology, compounded by a year empty slogans about Israel. In any cause outside Iran’s borders. Obviously this does stop anyone who Il-sung University. Someone else who of economic paralysis caused by government-sponsored events we Amongst Iranians, virtually the only is secular, leftwing or even nationalist is well qualified! Covid - rather than any influence of have seen the ritual burning of the voices in support of the Palestinians from standing. That means whichever Another rightwinger who is Sanders or his supporters. In addition Israeli flag, heard cries of “Death to are those of the radical left - comrades of the many factions of the regime likely to be confirmed as a candidate Sanders had at a least the semblance Israel” ... Yet, as Palestinians keep who have often exposed the regime’s wins, Iran’s next president will be is secretary of the Expediency of a reformist economic plan, while telling me, if only Iran’s rhetoric about rhetoric and empty sloganeering, loyal to the foundations of the Shia Discernment Council, Mohsen Tajzadeh’s manifesto contains no Palestine had been translated into just at the same time as coming to little state. We now have a long list of 46 Rezaei, a former senior military concrete economic proposal at all. a little practical support, there would publicised ‘arrangements’ with the candidates, including former president officer in the IRGC, who between It is difficult to imagine how the be something to show for it. Israeli state. Some have reminded us Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and one 1980 and 1997 was its commander- working class and other victims of But Iran’s ‘support’ remains little of the ‘secret’ deals between Iran’s woman. Other women who registered in-chief. Iran’s relentless neoliberal economic more than slogans. True, there is no Islamic Republic and Israel during have been excluded, but, according to It is unlikely that former president privatisation policies could possibly love lost when it comes to Fatah, and since ‘Irangate’ - the US sale a spokesman for the Council back in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will get past see any benefit in supporting him. but even in the case of Hamas,1 of arms to Iran in order to fund the 2013: “We do not reject any woman the Guardian Council’s scrutiny. His Other candidates from the the relationship has had many ups Contras in Nicaragua. due to being a woman”. occasional outbursts challenging the ‘reformist’ faction are Eshaq and downs - all of which makes a All this might explain why we Of course, the 12-man Guardian role of the supreme leader, plus the Jahangiri, one of Rouhani’s vice- mockery of attempts by Zionists, have heard so little about Palestine Council will reject a large number of fact that he has already been rejected presidents; former health minister Trump supporters and Iran’s royalists, from the current presidential hopefuls those 46 applications and it is under once as a candidate by the same Masoud Pezeshkian; and Mohsen who insist on equating the two as part in Iran and their supporters. The no obligation to explain publicly its council, makes him an unlikely final Hashemi, the current chairman of of an Islamist alliance. In fact Hamas latter may refer to the odd tweet by reasons for doing so. contender. Tehran City Council and the son of has ideological connections with the Tajzadhe or some other candidate, The most prominent ‘reformist’ the late president, Akbar Hashemi Muslim Brotherhood, Iran’s religious but the reality is that in the Islamic Candidates candidate remains Sayyid Mostafa Rafsanjani. But, even if they are foe. It also has links to some of the Republic there have been no major So who are the candidates and what Tajzadeh, a senior member of the accepted by the Guardian Council, emirates of the Persian Gulf - many of protests, demonstrations or even are their prospects for getting past ‘reformist’ Islamic Iran Participation none of them stand out as serious them Iran’s arch-enemies. At certain the previous government-organised the hurdle of the Guardian Council? Front, as well as the Mojahedin challengers to the regime’s rightwing periods in recent times - for example, rallies for Palestine. (Its approved list will be available on of the Islamic Revolution of Iran candidates. during the Syrian civil war - the two Yet another sign of the decay of May 27.) organisation. He supported former In other words, this could be were on opposite sides. At times there this rotten regime l The leading candidate from the ‘reformist’ prime minister Mir- a rather boring election, which has been cooperation and presumably conservative faction is Ebrahim Hossain Mousavi after the 2009 might boost the chances of the some financial aid. However, there Notes Raisi, currently head of the judiciary, elections and spent seven years ‘compromise’ candidate, Ali has been nothing on the scale of Iran’s 1. It should be noted that Israeli security agents who claims to be at the forefront (2009-16) in Evin prison. His official Larijani - who is actually from the commitment to such religious allies as helped finance the Palestinian Islamist movement as a ‘counterweight’ to the secularists and leftists of a campaign against corruption. election manifesto concentrates on conservative faction and was leader the smaller, lesser known Palestinian of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Fatah, According to his election manifesto, “political freedoms” - he has claimed of the Majles (parliament) during religious group, Islamic Jihad, or the led by Yasser Arafat, and the Popular Front for the he wants to form a “people’s he will make the position of supreme Rouhani’s first term (2013-17). He is Lebanese Hezbollah. Liberation of Palestine. government for a strong Iran” that will both end corruption and improve Subscribe Name:______Standing order the country’s economy. Most of us on 6m 1yr Inst. 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