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Carla Roberts reports on n Article 50 triggered workern Tony Greenstien on CAA Momentum’s conference n Turkey’s referendum and its Duracell bunnies n Italy’s corruption No 1148 Thursday March 30 2017 Towards a Communist Party of the European Union £1/€1.10

The threat of ecocidal David La Chapelle capitalism 2 weekly March 30 2017 1148 worker LETTERS

Letters may have been intellectual grasp of Marxism, it is true, Yes, of course, this will and should with our comrades south of the border. The light buffet, plus a bar with excellent shortened because of but it always seems a little detached from include large sections of the membership socialist movement in Britain traditionally real ale. All are welcome. space. Some names the real world, and that is not so surprising. of the current Labour Party, as Efraim fought to unite all workers in Britain to Here are my thoughts about  may have been changed The problem of the Labour Party is indicates in his quote and understanding fight for pro-working class reforms and a one aspect we’ll be discussing: the rather more simple and straightforward of Lenin, but by breaking them away from workers’ government in Britain. campaign against conscription - in this What we need than Paul’s convoluted analysing. It is current Labour and to become part of a The Scottish nationalist left reject that case in Huddersfield. I found Paul B Smith’s letter (March 23) politics. As he rightly says, the Corbyn new mass communist party. political struggle in favour of uniting with On February 3 1917, The Worker and thinking on the Labour Party to be leadership hardly ever mentions the The Weekly Worker is to be highly a section of the Scottish establishment to reported that Philip Snowden - later interesting, although towards the end he word ‘socialism’, let alone show any commended for projecting the basic fight for a Scottish capitalist state and to a Labour chancellor - had spoken at managed to shoot himself in the foot again understanding of it as a future system of case for such a mass communist party, put ‘Scotland first’. Such a nationalist a packed anti-war meeting in Victoria with his daft and unfocused comments society and economy which will replace but I really struggle to see how this is perspective is obviously opposed to Hall, Huddersfield. Snowden, a member about “Stalinism”. It unfortunately seems the current capitalism. It therefore barely to be progressed through liquidation of working class unity and is subservient of the Independent Labour Party, was the case that a significant proportion of the meets the old definition of left social Marxist organisations and assimilation to the forces of capital. under special branch surveillance and socialistic left in the United Kingdom has democracy, which did see socialism as into the Labour Party. I find that We can expect the Scottish nationalist an attempt was made by 20 men in army been and continues to be contaminated, a progressive replacement of capitalism, completely unprincipled and dishonest. perspective to provoke a ‘stronger for uniform to break up proceedings. The distorted and diverted by Trotskyism. but thought this could be achieved through It is completely typical Trotskyism, England’ narrative down south - indeed attack was quickly repelled and this Lenin argued that, as the oldest steady reforms and through parliament. counterproductive and doomed to failure. this is already happening. Nationalism proved to be the only serious attempt capitalist and imperialist country in Efraim Nashe was absolutely spot on Equally, the current Labour Party begets nationalism. to disrupt any gatherings in the town. the world and with an original labour to point out that Lenin’s famous call for is most unlikely to want to accept the In a period of heightening international Pearce (2001) reflects that this movement largely formed before the the Communist Party of Great Britain to affiliation of revolutionary socialist tension, we can expect any Scottish revealed a great deal. Big anti-war development of the ideas of revolutionary attempt to affiliate to the Labour Party parties. At most, this would bring about divorce proceedings to become quite rallies - in St George’s Square and Marxism, there existed the strong had as its aim “to win workers en masse an additional few thousand members, nasty. Chauvinists on both sides of the Market Square, for instance - were material basis for not only buying off away from Labour in order to build in a party with a mass membership of border will be arguing over the division generally tolerated. What’s more, in relatively privileged sections of the labour an independent working class party” circa half a million, and they would get of assets and liabilities. Workers will be Huddersfield patriotic displays were movement, but instilling the whole of the (‘Labour and the left’, March 16). To slaughtered by the mass media - something dragooned into supporting their own muted. There were no anti-German movement with the politics and ideology think that Lenin was ever arguing for Corbyn and McDonnell are incapable of bosses against the other - Scotland first, riots. And recruitment soon tailed off of class-collaborationist social democracy. the revolutionary Marxist organisations standing up to. England first, etc. National traitors will by 1915. The flipside of this rightwing to become a part of and subordinate to Let the Labour Party look after itself. be denounced. Granted, many had queued at first reformism and accommodation and what was essentially a bourgeois political It may or may not win future elections. It The divorce proceedings will tend to to volunteer. A new battalion of the acceptance of capitalism in the ‘advanced’ formation is fantastical. may or may not bring about useful reforms split the working class into nationalist West Riding Regiment was founded at imperialist nations is ultra-leftism, which The Labour Party was created in order and palliatives. We might in elections fragments, each supporting their own the town hall as early as August 1914. has the appearance of radicalism, action to provide an independent working class advocate voting for Labour candidates. bosses. But Pearce says this was due to many and rage against all things, but itself lacks voice within parliament - no more, no less. Or not. I support the right of national self- factors other than patriotism. the basic capacity to be of and from the For the voice of organised labour to be If we did really start to succeed in determination for Scotland and Catalonia, Firstly, unemployment was bad. working class, to connect with the class heard and to ameliorate the worst impacts creating and growing a mass communist etc, but that does not mean that I support When war came, sections of the local where it is at, and through the basic ideas of capitalism on working people’s lives. party - mass in terms of members, votes in the call for independence for the reason textile trade were already in difficulty. and concepts of organisation, discipline, What has this got to do with the aims and elections, influence within the structures, stated above. Often nationalists seem John Crowthers, the Milnsbridge collective action, advancing the whole objectives of revolutionary communism? institutions and organisations of the blind to the fact that the support for wool textile firm, had already laid off of the class, not sections at the expense Rather than pontificating about working class, influence and authority the right of national self-determination workers and the uncertainty caused by of others. “what is to be done” about the Labour in wider civil society - then I am sure we does not necessarily mean support for the looming conflict further hit orders. The fragmentation, internalisation Party, surely we should be focusing on would see large sections of the Labour independence. As Lenin says, socialists Secondly, there were inducements to and destructiveness of ultra-leftism, by what we actually do need - ie, a mass Party either coming over to the communist support the right to divorce, but do not sign up - ie, “supplements to pay, jobs discrediting genuinely class-based politics communist party, uniting within it the party and/or the Labour Party becoming advocate that everyone who is married held open, free rent”. and organisation, ultimately serves the great majority of Marxists, socialists, exceptionally keen to encourage the should separate. And, finally, there were social and same purpose as rightwing reformism: communists, revolutionary democrats, Communist Party to affiliate to it, but more Of course, the Scottish parliament workplace pressures. Recruiting teams to accommodate the working class to radicals, greens and anarchists, projecting on the terms of the latter than the former. should have the power to call an went to “factory gates, into canteens capitalism. and being united on the basis of socialism Andrew Northall independence referendum when it so and all sorts of public places”. Yet, When Paul refers to “Stalinism” - as being an urgent necessity to replace and Kettering desires and socialists throughout Britain despite this, opposition to the war he does at each and every opportunity - I supersede capitalism, and that this requires should support that right. remained resolute. It came not just think what he really means is Marxism revolutionary, mass, democratic action to On the ball Sandy McBurney from the local labour and socialist and communism. Paul has a wonderful bring it about. I write this at a time when we have the Glasgow movements, but also from the town’s most rightwing, reactionary government “dominant non-conformist liberal in history. I also write after having watched Pacifist hotbed elite”. Communist University 2017 on France 24 TV a Communist Party rally Wakefield Socialist History Group are Little surprise then that, in 1915, held in Paris, at which a crowd of at least holding an event, ‘British socialism and Will Thorne, the Labour MP, trade 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution 30,000 were in attendance. But from the World War I’, on Saturday April 1 at unionist and pro-war recruiting CPGB? Not a peep. Why is this so? 1pm in the Red Shed, Vicarage Street, campaigner, disdainfully described I have just read your so-called Wakefield WF1 1QX. The speakers Huddersfield as a “hotbed of pacifism”. ‘manifesto’. It was just the usual litany of are Dr Martin Crick and Paul Bennett. Alan Stewart measures that could have been written - Admission is free and there will be a free Wakefield Socialist History Group and probably was - 50 years ago. I found nothing of relevance to people today. I could, off the top of my head, offer you subjects which have real meaning and Fighting fund relevance to the nation now - not the pointless platitudes that you lamely call your ‘manifesto’. Did you note the Bank of England Most serious chief’s forecast that, due to the continual fter last week’s excitement, most generous. Thanks also to BB improvements in robotics, by 2025 Britain Awhen the running total for and GT (£15 each), DC (£12) and will have 15 million unemployed? What March’s fighting fund not only SS (£10). plans have the CPGB got to (a) warn shot past the £1,750 monthly So we look certain to end the the people and (b) have a programme target, but smashed right through month with a much needed extra that will protect the workers from this the £2,000 barrier as well, things £500 over and above our target. onrushing calamity? Left as it is, British have slowed down a bit over the That’s good news, helping to ease manufacturers will turn out their robot- last seven days. But despite that a few of my more or less permanent made goods for next to nothing and make another £197 has come in, taking worries in the fight not only to millions exporting them, whilst in Britain us to £2,219, with two days still produce, but greatly improve the A week of provocative and stimulating debate sponsored by millions of workers will have nothing. to go! Weekly Worker. We need more Labour Party Marxists and CPGB So, where is your young, energetic Pride of place this week goes pages, at least on an occasional Saturday August 12 to Saturday August 19 (inclusive) leader to bring your case to the people? to comrade RG, who doubled basis in the shape of supplements, Goldsmiths, University of London Where is this brilliant orator who will his annual subscription payment, more colour features, and articles St James Garden Room capture the public’s attention? meaning that £60 is added to carrying analysis across a whole 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London SE14 6NW Get on the ball, for heaven’s sakes. the total. As is his custom, RG range of topics which we haven’t Corbyn’s half-assed, boring policies are didn’t write a covering letter, but yet covered in depth. Nearest stations: New Cross, New Cross Gate a waste of time. The stage is clear for a I suspect he agrees with comrade But, most of all, we need to Confirmed speakers include: re-energised, modern, relevant CPGB. LC, who donated £25 via PayPal. continue our ongoing campaign for Marc Mulholland, Yassamine Mather, Hillel Ticktin, Moshé Machover, Anne David Lee Her accompanying message reads: Marxist unity around a principled McShane, Mike Macnair, Kevin Bean, Jack Conrad, Chris Knight email “This is for the most serious paper political programme within a single Accommodation : Loring Hall, St James on the left. Keep up the good democratic-centralist party. Your Full week, including accommodation in en suite single rooms: Indy ref work!” ongoing support is essential in £250 (£150 unwaged). Solidarity price: £300. Below is my response to some questions Another PayPal donor was KN that work l First/final weekend, including one night’s accommodation: £60 (£30). from a left Scottish nationalist. (£10), although the two of them Robbie Rix Full week, no accommodation: £60 (£30). The British working class movement were the only ones among our Day: £10 (£5). Single session: £5 (£3). Reservation: £30. exists and has been created in over 200 2,742 online readers last week to Cheques: Make payable to CPGB and send to: years of joint struggle against British click on that button. But we did Fill in a standing order form BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX. capital. The highest form of workers’ get five monthly standing order (back page), donate via our unity is in a socialist party struggling for donations - JT’s £50 being the website, or send cheques, PayPal: Go to the CPGB website: www.cpgb.org.uk. payable to Weekly Worker Bank transfer: email [email protected] for details. socialism. The nationalist left reject the idea of building a common socialist party BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07704 903382 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected] weekly 3 worker 1148 March 30 2017 1917

London Communist Forum Sunday April 2, 5pm: Weekly political report from CPGB Provisional Central Committee, followed by open discussion and reading group. Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. Study of Ralph Miliband’s Parliamentary socialism. This meeting: postscript, section 1. Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk; and Labour Party Marxists: www.labourpartymarxists.org.uk. Radical Anthropology Group Tuesday April 4, 6.45pm: ‘How narco-trafficking constitutes a coastal Nicaraguan society’. Speaker: Mark Jamieson. Organised by Radical Anthropology Group: http://radicalanthropologygroup.org. British socialism and World War I Saturday April 1, 1pm: Public meeting, Red Shed, Vicarage Street, Wakefield WF1. Speakers: Dr Martin Crick (author of The history of the Social Democratic Federation) and Paul Bennett (Socialist Party of Great Britain). Admission free. including light buffet. Organised by Wakefield Socialist History Group: www.theredshed.org.uk/SocialHist.html. Another Europe is Possible Saturday April 1, 11am to 5pm: National conference, Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Road, Manchester M3. Organised by Another Europe is Possible: www.anothereurope.org. Remember Tony Benn Sunday April 2, 7pm: Remembrance night, Seven Dials Club, 42 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London WC2. Organised by Let’s Celebrate Corbyn’s Birthday: www.facebook.com/Lets-celebrate-Corbyns-birthday-278287529172743. Burning symbols of tsarist power Justice for Maruti workers Tuesday April 4, 1pm: Protest, India House, Aldwych, London WC2. Free the 13 Indian trade unionists sentenced to life imprisonment on trumped-up charges. Join us to achieve peace Event page: www.facebook.com/events/1869959023244381. ‘1917: the view from the streets’: leaflets of the Russian No to spy cops Wednesday April 5, 9am: Demonstration, Royal Courts of Justice, Revolution, No9 The Strand, London WC2. Oppose undercover policing outside public inquiry. One hundred years ago, on March This policy toward the war that occurred in the wake of the Organised by Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance: 27 (14) 2017, the Petrograd soviet would not be consistently February revolution. http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com. issued the following appeal, calling defined until the return from Leaflets No10 and 11 of this for a restoration of workers’ unity Siberian exile of Irakli Tsereteli series will take up how the Yemen: rise of a chaos state in the cause of peace. and other Menshevik leaders ‘revolutionary defencism’ Wednesday April 5, 7.30pm: Public meeting, Friends Meeting House, The moderate socialists who on April 2 (March 20) 1917. policy worked out in practice. Lechlade Road, Faringdon SN7. ‘What’s going on in Yemen Today?’ dominated the Petrograd soviet Therefore, the document For a Bolshevik response to this Speaker: Jonathan Puddifoot (ex-director, Care International). until September 1917 pursued below reflects the views in the policy, see ‘Mandate for soviet Organised by Stop the War Coalition: www.stopwar.org.uk. a policy of ‘revolutionary soviet at a time when moderate elections’.1 defencism’, which advocated socialists were still open to A more dangerous world? defending Russia and its making concessions to their This series is edited by John Wednesday April 5, 6.30pm: Public meeting, Wrexham Glyndwr revolution against German radical counterparts regarding Riddell and the leaflets have University, Room B26, Mold Road, Wrexham. aggression, while calling upon the soviet’s position on the war been translated and annotated Speaker: Daniel Jakopovich (writer and anti-war campaigner). European socialists to pressure and other issues. Discussions by Barbara Allen. Organised by Stop the War Coalition: www.stopwar.org.uk. their governments to bring in the soviet were crucial to First published at http:// about peace. the realignment of left forces johnriddell.wordpress.com. A Marxist history of Ireland Thursday April 6, 7pm: First of a three-part series of talks, Brent Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies Trades and Labour Hall, 375 Willesden High Street (Apollo Club), London NW10. ‘The development of the Irish working class under To the peoples of the entire world British colonial oppression up to 1916’. Organised by Socialist Fight: https://socialistfight.com. Comrades, proletarians and to all the peoples who have been ruined despotism. You should refuse to serve labourers of all countries! and destroyed in this horrific war, as a weapon of invasion and violence in Inside the global arms trade We Russian workers and soldiers, united we declare that the time has come to the hands of kings, gentry landowners Friday April 7, 7pm: Film screening, student cinema, University in the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ struggle resolutely against aggression and bankers. Together in friendship we of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford. Showing of Shadow world and Soldiers’ Deputies, send you our by governments of all countries. The will put a stop to the terrible slaughter, followed by Q&A. heartfelt greetings, while announcing time has come for all peoples to resolve which disgraces humankind and casts a Organised by West Yorkshire Campaign Against Arms Trade: a great event. Our Russian democracy the question of war and peace. shadow over the great days of the birth https://en-gb.facebook.com/WestYorkshireCAAT. has extinguished the centuries-old tsarist Cognisant of its revolutionary of Russian freedom. despotism. We now join your family strength, Russian democracy declares Working people of all countries! Drop bass, not bombs as a member with full rights and as a that it will oppose by all means the Across mountains of our brothers’ Friday April 21, 8pm to dawn: Music event, CLF Art Cafe, Bussey formidable force in the struggle for our ruling classes’ aggressive policy. It corpses, across rivers of innocent Building, 133 Rye Lane, London SE15. mutual emancipation. Ours is a great calls upon the peoples of Europe to blood and tears, across smoking ruins Organised by Stop the War Coalition: www.stopwar.org.uk. victory for worldwide freedom and speak and act out jointly and resolutely of towns and villages, and across lost democracy. The ‘policeman of Europe’ to foster peace. cultural treasures, we extend to you a Banners for Spain and the chief buttress of world reaction We appeal to our brothers, the fraternal hand and summon you to a Friday May 5 to Saturday July 8: Display of socialist/republican is no more. Indeed, it has been buried, proletarians of the Austro-German renewed and strengthened international banners plus a programme of related activities and events, Islington never to rise again. Long live freedom! coalition, and above all to the German unity. This will secure our future Museum, 245 St John Street, London EC1. Long live the international solidarity proletariat. From the very beginning victories and the full emancipation of Organised by Islington Museum: [email protected]. of the proletariat and its struggle for of the war, we were convinced that humanity. final victory! by taking up arms against Russian Proletarians of all countries, unite! Critique conference 2017 Our cause has still not fully autocracy you were defending Saturday May 6, 9.30am to 5.30pm: Annual event sponsored by triumphed. The vestiges of the old European culture from Asian First published in Izvestiia Critique journal, University of London student central, Malet Street, order have not yet dispersed. Enemies despotism. Many of you believed that No15, March 28 (15) 1917 and London WC1. Speakers include: Savas Michael-Matzas, Hillel Ticktin, of the Russian Revolution are gathering this justified your support for the war. reprinted in AG Shlyapnikov, Raquel Valera, Yassamine Mather. their forces against it. Nevertheless, Now this justification no longer exists. Semnadtsatyi god Vol 2, 1925, Organised by Critique journal: www.critiquejournal.net. our gains are enormous. The peoples Democratic Russia cannot threaten p291. On Shlyapnikov’s role in of Russia will express their will in freedom and civilisation. the 1917 events, see Barbara Britain and the Spanish civil war the constituent assembly, which will We will firmly defend our own C Allen Alexander Shlyapnikov Tuesday May 9, 6.30pm: Talk, Islington Museum, 245 St John be convened very soon, based on freedom from any kind of reactionary 1885-1937: life of an old Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1. Speaker: professor Tom Buchanan, universal, equal, direct and secret encroachments, whether internal or Bolshevik Chicago 2016. See University of Oxford. suffrage. Already, we can predict with external. The Russian Revolution will also RA Wade The Russian Organised by Marx Memorial Library: www.marxlibrary.org.uk. confidence that a democratic republic not retreat from the bayonets of the Revolution 1917 Cambridge will triumph in Russia. conquerors and will not be crushed 2000, pp67-70. CPGB wills The Russian people possess full by foreign military force. We call Remember the CPGB and keep the struggle going. Put our party’s name political freedom. They can now speak upon you to throw off the yoke of Notes and address, together with the amount you wish to leave, in your will. If authoritatively about the country’s your semi-autocratic order, just as 1. https://johnriddell.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/ you need further help, do not hesitate to contact us. domestic and foreign policy. Appealing the Russian people shook off tsarist pravda-draft-mandate-for-soviet-elections. 4 weekly March 30 2017 1148 worker EUROPE Price of divorce Theresa May might have triggered article 50, writes Eddie Ford, but the future is uncertain for both Britain and Europe

ardly inspiring faith in its future, harm the UK economy. Davis told police estimates. the UK Independence Party’s her that a new “comprehensive free Naturally enough, the demonstration Honly MP quit the party last week trade agreement and a comprehensive itself was overwhelmingly middle to sit as an independent. Explaining his customs agreement” would deliver “the class and respectable - exactly as decision, Douglas Carswell, who used exact same benefits as we have [now]” intended. This was highlighted by a to be the Tory MP for Clacton before after the UK leaves. slightly amusing spat which saw the his defection in 2014, said that now But, in a typical Corbynite fudge, organisers of the march accused of Brexit is “certain”, he can leave Ukip the Labour leader on Peston on peddling “watered-down pap” and “amicably” and “in the knowledge that Sunday denied that the party was now “going mushy” - some were particularly we won”. Carswell, a slightly eccentric “committed to voting against Brexit” annoyed that the original slogan, “Stop right libertarian, also said there was - perish the thought. “No, we are not,” Brexit”, was changed almost at the last no need for a by-election, as he is not he replied. Rather, “we respect the minute to the rather more ambiguous switching parties this time nor crossing result of the referendum” and are “not “Make your voice heard”.3 the floor to the Conservatives. in a position of knowing what the deal Speakers at the demonstration The mood music says something is yet”: so this is a “pretty high level included the Green co-leader, Jonathan different, however, as in recent weeks of speculation when we are two years Bartley, Labour MP David Lammy, the Tory whips - eager for a reverse away from that particular vote”. Yes, Alastair Campbell, Tim Farron and defection to bolster Theresa May’s slim Jeremy, but when the time comes will Nick Clegg. In effect it was the Blairites majority - have been actively courting you vote against a ‘hard’ Brexit or not? uniting with the Greens and Liberal Carswell at every opportunity. Adding One possible early sticking point Democrats. Obviously, it is hard to the suspicion about his intentions, for May is likely to be the status of - if not near impossible - to know Carswell told the Sunday politics show EU citizens living in the UK and exactly how things will pan out, but we that he felt “pretty comfortable” sitting of British nationals living on the should expect this anti-Brexit alliance as an independent, but, when asked if continent. However, predictably, she (whether in the shape of Unite For he would fight as an independent at the is already facing warnings that the Europe, Open Britain or whoever) to next election, he replied: “Let’s wait European parliament will veto any get louder and bigger. The negotiations and see.” Furthermore, in a separate Brexit deal that prevents EU citizens will almost certainly last longer than interview on ITV’s Peston on Sunday, who move to the UK during the next two years, and May will not get the deal Carswell remarked that he wanted to two years from having the same rights she wants - nor will supporters of UFE support the government “as a critical to live and work in Britain as those or OB get the deal they want. friend”. already in the country. A five-page However, irrespective of the June Of course, he had been involved resolution detailing the European 23 referendum results, we should in a long-running public feud with parliament’s ‘red lines’, which will be not expect the will of capital to the former Ukip leader Nigel Farage voted on next week, was subsequently be easily cheated in a country like - which earlier this month saw claims amended specifically to rule out any Britain. Having said that though, that the MP helped to block a peerage “degradation” of the rights of EU the existence of the Donald Trump for Farage. Leaked emails showed nationals arriving in the UK over administration obviously makes things Carswell joking that Farage should be the next two years. It insisted on more complicated - the anti-Brexit given an OBE instead “for services to “equity, reciprocity, symmetry and non- fightback will not be smooth or headline writers”, which for the easily discrimination” for all EU citizens as straightforward. But the establishment hurt Nigel proved that the Clacton MP long as Britain remains a member-state. has a battle on its hands. Theresa May was “consumed with jealousy and a Another big bone of contention might have triggered article 50, but desire to hurt me”. will be about the ‘divorce bill’, which the future is uncertain for both Britain Similarly, though rather ungratefully could see the UK paying €60 billion and Europe. in some respects, the current Ukip or more, depending on what assets and Meanwhile, to mark the EU’s leader, Paul Nuttall, declared that the liabilities are included - driving Tory anniversary the member-states renewed party has not “benefited financially backbenchers and the rightwing press their marriage vows. Unsurprisingly, or organisationally” from Carswell mad with indignation.1 Only when that there were pious declarations about - which is indeed true. However, is resolved, the European Commission how the bloc is “undivided and some are saying that the party faces Middle class on the march ... backed by anti-Brexit establishment seems to be saying, will the remaining indivisible” - the EU would proceed bankruptcy. Arron Banks, Ukip’s main EU countries be prepared to embark on at “different paces”, while “moving donor, gave £1 million in the run-up to triggered article 50 on March 29. Sir that this will involve extensive use of substantive negotiations on a future in the same direction”. (Apparently the last general election, but has now Tim Barrow, the UK’s permanent ‘Henry VIII powers’: ie, laws allowing trading relationship. Liam Fox, the the Polish government was upset by sent an invoice demanding £200,000 representative in Brussels, personally ministers to change acts of parliament UK trade secretary, has previously suggestions from Angela Merkel and for services he gave the party - saying handed over a six-page letter from the using secondary legislation - which described the idea that Britain will be Juncker that Europe might accelerate he wants to set up a “new political British government to the European passes through parliament with little or faced with a large bill at the start of moves to becoming a “multi-speed movement”, perhaps modelled on council president, Donald Tusk, to no scrutiny. Ministers argue that they article 50 negotiations as “absurd” - union”, which Warsaw feared would Italy’s Five Star Movement. provide formal notification of Britain’s need such powers, because leaving the with some backbenchers urging May see richer, core EU states leaving newer In the same interview for Sky News, intention to leave the European Union. EU will require rewriting a vast body to walk out on talks rather than engage members like Poland marginalised and Farage insisted that Ukip’s role in The evening before, May called the of law and, in any case, many of the in discussions about heavy liabilities. out of pocket.4) British politics was “not over by a long German chancellor, Angel Merkel, the changes that will be made to primary Instead, the British government Of course, France and Germany - the shot” despite Carswell’s resignation president of the European Commission, legislation using ‘Henry VIII’ powers argues that there should be parallel two main drivers of the EU - have and the disappointing by-election Jean-Claude Juncker, and Tusk himself will be purely or mainly technical. discussions on the terms of the UK’s elections this year, and the spectre of a performance last month in Stoke to update them ahead of the actual letter. Potentially acting as a fly in the withdrawal and the future trading Le Pen presidency haunts proceedings, Central. In reality though, ever since the Tusk issued a short statement ointment, Jeremy Corbyn said his relationship - a timeline key to whatever the polls might be saying June 23 referendum, a large question acknowledging receipt of the letter party would oppose any plans to give May’s hopes of completing a free at this moment. As this paper has mark has been hanging over Ukip - with and the next day he circulated among ministers such sweeping powers: trade agreement by the end of the often pointed out, it was the US that Theresa May making a naked pitch the remaining 27 member-states a Labour is not going to just sit there and two years allowed for negotiations insisted that Britain enter the European for its voters, starting to talk about the draft copy of the EU’s negotiating “hand over powers to this government under the Lisbon treaty, even if most Economic Community - not to further “working class” (of all things), not to guidelines, which will provide a to override parliament” and “set down commentators think there is next to no unity or “ever closer union”, it goes mention the “forgotten”, “left behind”, broad response. These guidelines a series of diktats on what’s going chance of the prime minister keeping to without saying, but precisely to prevent and so on. Hence it is not the Socialist will not be formally adopted by the to happen in the future”. After all, this schedule. However, in recent days it. Britain consistently championed Workers Party’s Stand Up To Ukip or 27 until a special summit on April quipped Corbyn, “I don’t think the the French prime minister, the Italian expansion, through the accession of Stand Up To Racism that can claim the 29 in Brussels, with the commission record of Henry VIII on promoting minister for EU affairs and senior eastern European states, as a means to credit for Ukip’s likely demise, but the issuing more detailed directives on democracy, inclusion and participation German diplomats have said this will undermine Franco-German plans for a Tory Party - and Ukip itself, with its the EU’s negotiating stance shortly was a very good one”. Making the not happen - echoing the EC’s position tighter and more effective EU. All part self-destructive tendencies. afterwards - but these will need to be same sort of noises, Sir Keir Starmer, that the financial settlement must be of the American plan for Europe, not More generally, there is no real adopted by a meeting of EU ministers Labour’s Brexit secretary, said the dealt with first. the original intention of either France political space for an essentially in May, before negotiations with the party will refuse to vote in the House or Germany. l ephemeral organisation like Ukip. It UK can properly begin. of Commons for any deal struck Branding was never going to be a replacement At the same time, the pompously between Theresa May and the EU More discontent with Brexit was [email protected] for Labour, a mass party based on the labelled ‘great reform bill’ will be that does not deliver the “exact same expressed at the Unite For Europe trade unions. As Douglas Carswell published on May 30, setting out how benefits” as the UK enjoys from being demonstration on March 25 - which also Notes perhaps realises, Ukip is domed to be the government intends to repeal the inside the single market and customs happens to be the 60th anniversary of 1. www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/24/eu- 2 politicians-back-brussels-call-for-uk-to-pay-60bn- an historical footnote, especially with 1972 European Communities Act union - the very same phrase used in the EU’s founding. Organised by what exit-bill-before-trade-talks. the ‘first past the post’ electoral system. and transfer (or re-transfer) back into a parliamentary debate in January by you could call the anti-hard Brexit and 2. www.uniteforeurope.org. domestic law current legislation that the Brexit secretary, David Davis, anti-Brexit wing of the establishment, 3. www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/21/ anti-brexit-campaigners-face-conundrum-as-date- Henry VIII has force only because of the UK’s when he tried to reassure the pro-EU with the sponsorship of five affiliated is-set-for-article-50. In what should have been a moment of membership of the EU - a far from Tory MP, Anna Soubry, that there was organisations, the London march had 4. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/25/cracks- triumph for Ukip, Theresa May finally simple task. It is widely expected a clear plan for Brexit that would not 50,000 in attendance, according to show-eu-unity-summit-rome. weekly 5 worker 1148 March 30 2017 MOMENTUM

Wasted opportunities galore Carla Roberts of Labour Party Marxists was appalled by Momentum’s ‘inaugural conference’ and its Duracell bunnies

omentum’s March 25 “inaugural On paper there might be many young on a relatively frequent basis - utterly members to “work comradely with conference” was without doubt Momentum members, but visit any local devoid of any real politics, focusing everybody else, listen to their views Mthe worst leftwing event I have Momentum meeting and you will see only on ‘method’ and run by young, patiently”. He added: ever attended. I do not often agree with who is really active within it. overly eager people who reminded me bourgeois journalists’ take on the left, of Duracell bunnies. Many people are fed up with all the but a sarky scribe from The Independent No Grassroots They included icebreakers like telling divisions and splits. I am fed up with does sum up the day quite neatly: Mind you, the ‘opposition’ to Jon Lansman’s Patronising the the person sitting next to you what all the divisions and splits. If I can offer autocratic rule is not faring much better, I politically experienced you had for breakfast, shouting “one- to have tea with Peter Mandelson, Tom Watson and his allies who fear am afraid to say. The steering committee with Duracell bunnies word answers” about what you liked then surely we can all work together Momentum should relax ... They’re of Grassroots Momentum has so far not put in charge of or disliked about the European Union in Labour Party branches, whatever not capable of plotting. In a draughty managed to meet and it looks like its first ‘leave’ or ‘remain’ campaigns and writing groups and political backgrounds we old, cold ex-factory in Birmingham, gathering will not happen before April ‘training sessions’ “objectives” on paper plates, then sticking come from. And when you are being no policies were being formulated - far 22 - a whopping six weeks after it was demoralises, not post-it notes onto a flipchart grid. You get provoked, then meet this provocation from it - beyond the usual devotionals elected. And, although the SC continues galvanises the drift. It was really, really grim. Worst with comradeship and solidarity. for Corbyn.1 to squabble over such weighty issues as of all, any of these workshops could just There is so little that divides us how long its lunch break will be, a majority as easily have been presented to Progress politically. There were hardly any It really is astounding that the best an did manage to agree on one thing: not or Labour First. political differences in the leadership organisation with 22,000 members and a to make an organised intervention on campaigns, for example. database of over 250,000 supporters should March 25. There might have only been come up with is such a lame, apolitical and 350 people there, but clearly not all of Turn the other So there you have it. A statement of utter tiny gathering. Who would have thought them were loyal and unthinking Lansman cheek capitulation to the pro-capitalist Labour 18 months ago that the incredible energy, supporters. They could and should have The speeches in the plenary sessions right. Such a course totally rules out enthusiasm and pure joy created by the been engaged with, at the very least by were hardly more inspiring, although I campaigning for the kind of programme election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of handing out a leaflet, intervention from suppose you could say they did contain needed to transform the Labour Party into the Labour Party would be so criminally the floor and perhaps at a fringe meeting. some politics - of a certain type. a weapon of and for the working class. wasted? There certainly was plenty of political Speaking in the first plenary, A programme that would, of course, Momentum might claim that 600 space to fill. shadow chancellor John McDonnell include the mandatory reselection of MPs people attended the event in a freezing But only three SC members (Tina was - as is now unfortunately the norm (needed to curb the power of the right), former factory a mile from the nearest Werkmann, Simon Hannah and Nick for him - more than underwhelming. rescinding the barring and expulsion of train station in Birmingham. But unless Wrack) agreed with the proposal to He claimed that he and Corbyn had thousands of leftwingers, the abolition of they counted people twice as they went produce a leaflet, based on the decisions transformed the Labour Party into “an the compliance unit, making conference in and then left again (for quite a few not agreed at the Grassroots conference. anti-austerity party”. I do not know Labour’s sovereign body, etc. a great deal of time passed between those The rest of the SC opposed or did not how he squares that with the fact that Instead, everything has to be two moments), they have clearly applied comment. This is probably going to be thousands of Labour Party councillors subordinated to winning the next the creative counting method so beloved the only time the opposing sides on the up and down the country are enforcing election - no matter on what programme by sects like the Socialist Worker Party. SC (anti-Zionism campaigner Jackie the draconian cuts imposed by the of half-baked reforms. We in Labour No more than 350 people shivered in the Walker and the pro-Zionist Alliance for Tory government - under the clear Party Marxists believe that, unless we graffiti-covered hall with its (literally) Workers’ Liberty) will agree on anything. instruction of Corbyn himself, are in a position to implement the full shitty toilet facilities. At the Momentum ‘conference’ itself, who wrote to them in December minimum programme of Marxism, Socialist Resistance - which in its the day began and ended with a plenary 2015, asking them to continue to set socialists can achieve much more usual Johnny-come-lately fashion only session held in a big hall in the centre “balanced budgets” and not rock the when we organise as a strong party of recently and only half-heartedly turned of the factory, with three one-hour-long local government boat.4 opposition. We envisage the taking of its back on Left Unity in order to join workshops sandwiched in between. All McDonnell went on to complain power not just in Britain in isolation, the Labour Party and Momentum2 - has the rooms for the group sessions had at that he was being hammered by the but as part of a worldwide movement published a rather hyped-up report, least one wall missing - curtains were media, “although I’m putting forward of working class self-liberation that according to which there were about used as substitutes. This meant the noise the same things that Ed Miliband stood has Europe as its decisive point of 500 people present, which meant “it from other sessions and the stalls area for”. He is right, of course - his ideas for departure l was standing room only at the plenary made it difficult to hear people speak. a “national investment bank”, a “cap” sessions”.3 But the author fails to mention And, when you did hear them, you on energy price rises and “more council Notes that the organisers had only put out 100 often wish you had not. A majority of houses” are hardly radical. But worse 1. www.independent.co.uk/voices/momentum- chairs. the workshops were run by outside was to come. conference-corbynism-corbynites-labour- party-birmingham-jeremy-corbyn-john- Maybe some young, trendy east organisations, without being labelled He reserved much of his speech for mcdonnell-a7650191.html. London hipsters would have felt at as such. For example, Labour Party the need to “work in unity” with the right 2. http://socialistresistance.org/corbynism-and-the- home here. But virtually the only young Marxists supporters attended workshops in the Labour Party and thought it was challenge-for-the-left/9073. people present were the two dozen or so that were run by The World Transformed, “striking to see members of Momentum 3. http://socialistresistance.org/momentum-looks- to-the-future/9859. Momentum employees and volunteers Talk Socialism and even Hope Not Hate. and Progress putting their differences to 4. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/12/ running the thing. For the rest, I would They were clearly based on ‘training one side and campaigning together for jeremy-corbyn-warns-labour-councils-not-set-no- say, that 50-plus was the average age. sessions’ that these organisations run Labour”. He said he wants Momentum cuts-budgets. 6 weekly March 30 2017 1148 worker ZIONISM

Behind the charitable mask Not only Theresa May, but Jeremy Corbyn too, have lent their support to an entirely bogus definition of anti-Semitism. This can only benefit Zionist outfits such as the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, writes Tony Greenstein he Campaign Against Anti- the attack on Gaza to anti-Semitism. Wilson’s kitchen cabinet, who died posted a similar portrayal of Jews, the Semitism is a British propaganda Ephraim Mirvis, Britain’s chief rabbi, recently. In 2009, he compared the campaign would have been the first to organisation and registered spoke at the event, as did Vivian tactics of Israelis then attacking cry anti-Semitism. T 1 charity that specialises in defaming Wineman, then president of the Board Gaza to those of the Nazis who killed The report alleged that “many Palestine solidarity campaigners and of Deputies. Wineman was loudly his grandmother.17 No less than 22 British Muslims reserve a special hatred groups. When I launched a petition2 booed. articles in the campaign’s archive for British Jews”. It added: “On every calling for the group to be deregis- If it was true that there was attack Kaufman.18 The latest one, ‘Sir single count, British Muslims were tered as a charity, it responded in a an increase in anti-Semitism as a Gerald Kaufman MP’s words have left more likely by far than the general hostile manner. result of the attack on Gaza, then a rotting stain on our institutions’19, British population to hold deeply It first tried to persuade the the obvious thing to do would have shows that even death does not prevent anti-Semitic views.” The conclusions website, change.org, to take the been to dissociate Britain’s Jewish the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism were based on a poll conducted petition down.3 When that failed, community from Israel’s actions. deploying all its black arts. for the Channel 4 TV.24 Even the its supporters attacked the petition But the CAA had no interest in doing There is no-one the CAA hates as Community Security Trust, a staunchly in an article published by the Daily so. The CAA is chaired by Gideon much as a Jewish opponent of Israel. Zionist group, raised doubts about the Mail4 - a paper which once supported Falter11, a board member of the Jewish conclusions to which the CAA jumped. Hitler for having “saved Germany National Fund UK, which has a long Serving the right In a blog post for the CST website, from Israelites of international history of supporting ethnic cleansing The campaign is above all at the service Dave Rich wrote: “This latest poll attachments”.5 Originality not being in Palestine.12 of the right. Rebecca Massey, a member showed something else that is its strong point, the CAA then alleged One of the campaign’s stated of Hove Constituency Labour Party, interesting, and is not specific to that I was a “notorious anti-Semite”.6 objectives is to “promote racial has been accused of anti-Semitism for Muslims: that people who believe The CAA was formed7 in August harmony”. In practice, its activities tweeting articles critical of Israel.20 Ivor anti-Semitic things about Jews rarely 2014 - during Operation Protective are designed to achieve the exact Caplin, a former defence minister who think of themselves as anti-Semitic.”25 Flinging acusations 21 Edge, Israel’s attack on Gaza in that opposite. The CAA consistently of anti-Semitism supported the illegal invasion of Iraq, He added: “What is perhaps curious, year. Its purpose was to paint Palestine targets Muslims. A search of the is among those who have slandered though, is that this is not reflected in at leftwing anti- 22 solidarity campaigning and opposition campaign’s archive reveals just two Zionists should not be Massey. Her real offence? She is a a more basic question that was asked to Zionism as anti-Semitic. articles that mention Britain’s main regarded as legitimate Corbyn ally, who is not only chair of in the same poll about how favourable There was massive opposition fascist organisations - the British charity work ... along Peter Kyle MP’s own ward, Central or unfavourable Muslims feel towards to the attack on Gaza among the National Party, the English Defence with the tax relief Hove and Brunswick and Adelaide, but Jewish people as a religious group.” British public; an estimated 150,000 League and the National Front. By has now been elected treasurer of Hove Asked what their feelings were towards people took to the streets of London.8 way of contrast, there are some 77 CLP. And in its attack on socialists in the Jews, on a sliding scale from 0-100, Such was the climate of opinion articles13 attacking Jeremy Corbyn. Labour Party, the CAA, as a matter of where 0 is the least favourable - British that Sayeeda Warsi, then a foreign There are also 32 articles in the course, talks about “racist Labour”, thus Muslims scored 57.1 in their feelings office minister, resigned from the archive attacking Shami Chakrabarti, demonstrating that the lack of political towards Jews. This hardly suggests government, describing its support who is now shadow attorney general.14 neutrality expected of a charity. rampant anti-Semitism. for Israel as “morally indefensible”.9 In a 2016 report, she concluded that the Far from promoting racial harmony, The CAA specialises in distorting For some time, there had been a Labour Party was “not overrun by anti- the CAA has sought to stir up conflict statistics. In its annual ‘Anti-Semitism constituency within British Zionism Semitism”,15 while acknowledging between Muslims and Jews. Last year barometer report’ for 2015, it claimed which felt that establishment groups that a small number of its members it published a report entitled British that an opinion poll showed that such as the Board of Deputies of had made offensive comments.16 Muslim anti-Semitism,23 which included “almost half (45%) of British adults British Jews were not active enough That conclusion did not confirm the a “profile” of the kind of person that believe at least one of the anti-Semitic in defending Israel. So in late prejudices of the Campaign Against the campaign was making allegations statements shown to them to be true”.26 August 2014 the CAA organised Anti-Semitism. against. The profile was highly racist The questions were carefully chosen a demonstration outside the Royal The CAA has reserved special and offensive: according to the report, to elicit the required answers. As Courts of Justice in London, which venom for Gerald Kaufman, the the typical Muslim anti-Semite was Anshel Pfeffer from Ha’aretz observed, it claimed was 4,500-strong.10 Its father of the House of Commons likely to be a first-generation immigrant regarding the statement that Jews purpose was to link the protests against and an original member of Harold living in social housing. If someone had talk about the holocaust too much in weekly 7 worker 1148 March 30 2017

order to gain sympathy, “too many recent Jewish history, but have little But, like Dracula’s undead, the Jews ... are often too quick to bring concept of what real anti-Semitism is”. ‘definition’ has come back to life. up the holocaust in order to make a Which just about sums up the CAA. Originally drawn up in consultation Communist Party books point ... Holding that opinion doesn’t The CAA has claimed, too, that with the pro-Israel lobby,39 it has now necessarily make you an anti-Semite.”27 84% of Jews believed boycotts of been given a veneer of respectability, Another statement was that “Jews’ businesses selling Israeli products to because it has been endorsed, with minor loyalty to Israel makes them less loyal be intimidation. Contrast this ‘finding’ amendments, by an intergovernmental to Britain than other British people.” with a rigorously controlled, academic body, the International Holocaust Is it surprising that one in five people survey of British Jews by the sociology Remembrance Alliance.40 Not only believe this, given that Jewish anti- department at City, University of Theresa May, but Jeremy Corbyn 3 for 2 Zionists are regularly accused of being London.32 That 2015 survey found that too, have lent their support to this “traitors”? 24% of British Jews would support some bogus definition of anti-Semitism.41 Clearly, the first loyalty of many sanctions against Israel if they thought it All Britain’s major political parties are Zionists is to Israel. That was why would encourage Israel to engage in the signed up to it and the CAA is one of Israel’s ministries for foreign affairs “peace process”. A “sizeable minority” the beneficiaries. and immigrant absorption distributed (34%-41%) among the young, the Our task is clear. Palestine solidarity a questionnaire to American Jews highly qualified academically and those activists have to build a campaign a few years ago, asking where their who were not affiliated to a synagogue against this definition, just as they loyalties would lie in the event of a were in favour of sanctions under such did with its predecessor, the Working crisis between the two countries.28 circumstances, according to the survey. Definition of Anti-Semitism42 l Pfeffer’s conclusion was that the The City survey also found that, while CAA has created “its own definition 59% of British Jews identify themselves Notes of anti-Semitism, which is more a as Zionists nearly a third - 31% - did not. 1. http://apps.charitycommission. reflection of what is impolite to say in Other ‘findings’ that have alarmed gov.uk/Showcharity/ RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework. public than what is actual bias against the CAA were that 45% of Jews felt aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1163790& Jews”. Anti-Semitism is hostility their family was threatened by Islamist SubsidiaryNumber=0. to Jews as Jews, not the holding of extremism, that 77% of Jews have 2. www.change.org/p/the-charity-commission- ephemeral beliefs. witnessed anti-Semitism disguised as to-get-the-charity-commission-to-deregister-the- zionist-campaign-against-anti-semitism. The Institute of Jewish Policy a political comment about Israel and 3. https://drive.google.com/file/ Research in London found that the that 82% of respondents said that media d/0B36f4b3OvRxKazM3aE1yYlVPOEU/view. CAA’s ‘barometer’ report was “littered bias against Israel fuels persecution of 4. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4257898/ with flaws” and the group’s work “may Jews in Britain. Baroness-Jenny-Tonge-attacks-antisemitism- n CPGB draft programme campaign-group.html. even be rather irresponsible”, which These were not only replies to loaded 5. See http://spartacus-educational.com/Jmail.htm. The CPGB’s draft third programme is made up of six distinct but logically 29 for the IJPR is quite strong stuff. It questions, but ideas planted in the heads 6. https://antisemitism.uk/tony-greensteins- connected sections. The first section outlines the main features of the epoch, criticised the way that the CAA has of people with the object of obtaining the attempt-to-shut-down-campaign-against- the epoch of the transition from capitalism to communism. Then comes the used data collected by the polling ‘right’ answer. No attempt was made to antisemitism-showcases-the-similarities-between- nature of capitalism in Britain and the consequences of its development. far-left-and-far-right.  agency YouGov to make the “rather put a question based on countervailing 7. www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/three-pro-israel- £5/€6 sensationalist claim that almost half of assumptions, such as ‘Do you agree groups-rising-and-one-treading-water-1.67530. all British adults harbour some sort of that criticism of Israel is not the same 8. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ n Fantastic reality anti-Semitic view”. YouGov had been as anti-Semitism?’ The result of such an israel-gaza-conflict-thousands-protest-in-london- A political examination of the main Abrahamic religions. Both origins for-end-to-massacre-and-arms-trade-9659180. and historical developments are thoroughly explored. commissioned to undertake the poll approach would have been interesting, html. by the CAA. but it was not on the agenda of the CAA. 9. www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-28656874. £15/€18  According to the IJPR, “a far more However, the campaign is no doubt 10. www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/grassroots- n accurate and honest read” of the data unconcerned with the criticisms that campaign-draws-thousands-to-demo-1.56598. From October to August would “highlight the fact that between have been made of its work. The purpose 11. https://antisemitism.uk/about/management. Articles by Jack Conrad, charting the USSR from the rise of Stalin’s 12. https://electronicintifada.net/content/ monocratic dictatorship to the 1991 collapse. 75% and 90% of people in Britain of that work is to make Jewish people challenging-jewish-national-fund/8933. either do not hold anti-Semitic views feel insecure and ‘encourage’ them to 13. https://antisemitism.uk/?s=corbyn. £6.95/€11  or have no particular view of Jews leave for Israel. 14. https://antisemitism.uk/?s=chakrabarti. 15. www.labour.org.uk/index.php/chakrabarti. n Head to head in Halle either way, and only about 4% to 5% of Zionism is, after all, founded on the 16. See Asa Winstanley’s ‘Defeating Labour’s people can be characterised as clearly “negation of the diaspora” - the belief Grigory Zinoviev’s marathon speech to the historic October 1920 congress manufactured anti-Semitism crisis’: https:// of the Independent Social Democratic Party. Introductory essays by Ben anti-Semitic”. that Jews do not belong in a non-Jewish electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/ society.33 After the killing of four Jews defeating-labours-manufactured-anti-semitism- Lewis and Lars T Lih. crisis. £14/€16  Bordering on in a Paris kosher supermarket two years 17. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali- 34 hysteria ago, Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s abunimah/gerald-kaufman-jewish-uk-lawmaker- n In the enemy camp prime minister, flew to France and told and-fierce-israel-critic-dies-86. Examines the theory and practice of communist electoral work. The CAA has claimed that one in four French Jews to emigrate.35 Fighting 18. https://antisemitism.uk/?s=kaufman. 19. https://antisemitism.uk/sir-gerald-kaufman- £4.95/€7.50  British Jews had considered leaving the anti-Semitism has never been part of mps-words-have-left-a-rotting-stain-on-our- country in the past few years because of the Zionist agenda. institutions. n rising anti-Semitism. However, even The CAA has stated from the 20. https://antisemitism.uk/just-another-day-for- On colonialism The Jewish Chronicle, a vehemently beginning that it was formed to tackle racist-labour-as-antisemitic-tweets-of-partys- Karl Kautsky’s 1898 essays on colonialism with a critical introduction pro-Zionist rag, poured cold water on anti-Semitism of “both a classical chair-in-hove-brunswick-and-adelaide-revealed. by Mike Macnair, 21. www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10093/ivor_ £6/€7  that claim. The newspaper’s own poll ethno-religious nature and also a caplin/hove/divisions?policy=1049. concluded in 2015 that 88% of British political nature related to Israel”.36 In 22. www.theargus.co.uk/news/15074382.Labour_ n Jews had no intention of emigrating.30 fact, the campaign devotes virtually official_accused_of_anti_Semitic_tweets. Problems of communist organisation 23. https://antisemitism.uk/wp-content/ What is the correct balance between democracy and centralism. Jack The CAA also claimed that more all of its time to the latter and what it uploads/2016/07/British-Muslims-and- Conrad explores this thorny issue. than half of all British Jews felt that calls the “international definition of Antisemitism.pdf. £4.95/€7.50  anti-Semitism echoed that of the anti-Semitism”.37 24. www.icmunlimited.com/wp-content/ 1930s. Anshel Pfeffer witheringly This definition is virtually identical uploads/2016/04/Mulims-full-suite-data-plus- topline.pdf. n Remaking Europe observed that if the Campaign Against to a working definition of anti-Semitism 25. https://cst.org.uk/news/blog/2016/04/14/what- Jack Conrad argues that the working class must engage with Europe in Anti-Semitism and most British drawn up by the European Union’s antisemites-really-think. a revolutionary way. Jews “actually believe that, then it’s Monitoring Centre on Racism and 26. https://antisemitism.uk/wp-content/ £5/€7.50  hard to take anything they say about Xenophobia (now the Fundamental uploads/2016/07/Annual-Antisemitism- Barometer-2015.pdf . contemporary anti-Semitism in their Rights Agency) in Vienna. The 27. www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/. n Revolutionary strategy 31 home country seriously”. Pfeffer definition was not formally adopted premium-1.637071. Marxism and the challenge of left unity. Mike Macnair critically examines added that the conclusion showed “a by the EU and was removed from the 28. www.haaretz.com/israel-news/. the strategic ideas of Marxists since Marx and Engels. disconnect bordering on hysteria ... website of the Vienna-based agency premium-1.554541. 38 29. www.jpr.org.uk/newsevents/article.1012. £7.99/€9.50  not only are they woefully ignorant of several years ago. 30. www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jc-poll-reveals- 88-per-cent-of-british-jews-have-not-considered- n The kick inside leaving-uk-1.64558. 31. www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/. Revolutionary opposition in the CPGB, 1945-1991. The inner-party Petition premium-1.637071. struggles in the CPGB after World War II have rarely been given proper 32. www.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_ consideration, often being reduced to misleading stereotypes such as The so-called Campaign Against Anti-Semitism is a McCarthyite file/0008/295361/Israel-Report-FINAL.PDF. ‘Tankies versus Euros’. The reality was considerably more varied. Zionist propaganda organisation, whose aim is to smear and libel 33. www.quora.com/Is-the-Wikipedia-article- opponents of Israel’s apartheid regime. Negation-of-the-Diaspora-a-neutral-one. £6/€7  34. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ Ever since its formation during Operation Protective Edge in paris-attacks-four-hostages-killed-in-kosher- n Which road? the summer of 2014, when over 2,000 Palestinians, including 551 grocery-store-named-9970135.html. Jack Conrad critiques the programme of ‘official communism’ and the children, were murdered by Israeli missile attacks and shelling of 35. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali- civilian areas, it has sought to tarnish supporters of the Palestinians abunimah/israel-moves-quickly-exploit-paris- Militant Tendency. attacks. £6.95/€11  and anti-Zionists with the label, ‘anti-Semitism’. 36. https://antisemitism.uk/annual-antisemitism- The fact that the CAA is officially a registered charity is barometer-published. Buy all books for £50/€70 or 3 for 2 (cheapest book free) outrageous. It provides no public benefit, the test of any charity, 37. https://antisemitism.uk/definition. Delivery free within the United Kingdom nor are its activities remotely charitable. It is a nakedly rightwing 38. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ben-white/ discredited-definition-anti-semitism-no-longer- Please send me a copy of (please indicate): political, Zionist organisation. use-says-bbc. The CAA’s purpose is to limit freedom of speech by attacking 39. http://europalforum.org.uk/en/uploads/upload_ I enclose a cheque payable to CPGB, for £/€------as ‘anti-Semitic’ opponents of the Israeli state. Please support this center/kH1JNtI1qm1q.pdf. Name------petition. 40. www.holocaustremembrance. com/sites/default/files/press_release_ Address This petition will be delivered to the Charity Commission and ------document_antisemitism.pdf. See also www. ------can be found at: holocaustremembrance.com/about-us/ ------membership-criteria. Email https://www.change.org/p/the-charity-commission-to-get-the- 41. http://labourlist.org/2016/12/corbyn-backs------official-definition-to-stamp-out-repugnant-anti- charity-commission-to-deregister-the-zionist-campaign-against- semitism. anti-semitism 42. www.opendemocracy.net/richard-kuper/hue- Please return to CPGB, BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX. and-cry-over-ucu. 8 weekly March 30 2017 1148 worker TURKEY A watermen’s fight Esen Uslu reports on the pandemonium created by Erdoğan in the run-up to next month’s referendum n Istanbul slang the phrase, ‘water- materialise. The US pursued its own men’s fight’, refers to the staging previously laid plans, involving US Iof a mock scuffle in a busy street, forces on the ground. US troops were allowing the pockets of bystanders to sent to the no man’s land between be picked. The term originated with Turkish forces advancing towards boatmen ferrying passengers between the Kurdish-town of Menbij and the old walled city and the European an important junction on the west quarters across the Golden Horn. In side of Euphrates river. The US also these staged fights oars would be airlifted fighters of the so-called Syrian thrown and a passenger or bystander Democratic Forces to the west of would be ‘accidentally’ hit on the Taqba, a town which straddles the road head. After the melee had subsided crossing the Euphrates further south. and the victim had gathered his senses, And Vladimir Putin has followed he would discover that his wallet or suit by sending a Russian armoured pocket watch had disappeared. column to cooperate with the SDF But streetwise people in Turkey are in Afrin to the west of al-Bab, which quite accustomed to such events - if is held by the Turkish forces and its a fight breaks out, their first instinct allies, to prevent a Turkish-led foray is to take a step back and hold onto into Afrin. So the Turkish operations in their valuables. However, those same northern Syria have ground to a halt - its streetwise people are quite prone to troops are unable to move east or west, fall for the staged acts of nationalist while they face Syrian government and Islamist politicians, and often forces to the south. allow themselves to be duped by their Meanwhile, Turkey is wielding the claims to be battling to defend Turkey’s worsening humanitarian situation of Islamic dignity and pride in the face of Syrian refugees as a possible weapon foreign, Christian enemies. against EU countries. The minister of Which is why the Justice and internal affairs has openly threatened to Development Party (AKP) and its open the gates to refugees who wish to leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, like travel west. In a parallel development, nothing more than creating their Istanbul is engaged in a row with own watermen’s fight with European Tehran along similar lines - the border leaders. There is much chaos and not a region of Iran contains thousands of little grunting and groaning, but in the Afghan refugees waiting to cross into end it is the ordinary people who get Turkey. hit on the head and duped. The official Turkish policy seems However, no matter how hard they to be one of creating pandemonium try, Turkish politicians cannot create in neighbouring countries and at such a hullabaloo unaided - they need a present only Georgia and Azerbaijan partner or two overseas. And the recent have remained unscathed - Turkey’s general election in Holland provided own internal politics have resulted such a partner: when Erdoğan attacked in a marked deterioration of relations the Netherlands for its treatment of with allies and enemies alike. This Turkish immigrants, the ruling VVD has coincided with a renewed wave of was only too pleased to make use of atrocities committed against refugees. the insults hurled by Turkey to wield against its rightwing opponents. Time running out Reeling from the unexpectedly As the April 16 constitutional referendum sharp response from VVD leader approaches, opinion polls suggest that Mark Rutter, the Turkish side dug deep - despite Erdoğan’s last-ditch attempts to find dirt to hurl at the Dutch and to rally support around a nationalist mobilised their Islamist and nationalist and Islamist platform by presenting supporters. The Dutch consulate in a crude but potent picture of the need Istanbul was surrounded and, under the to defeat ‘Christian and Shia enemies’ benign gaze of the police, an activist abroad - the ‘no’ campaign is in the climbed onto the roof, replacing the lead, What is more, it is thought that a Dutch flag with a Turkish one to the substantial number of undecided voters delight of the protestors. could be won at the last moment to reject The anti-Dutch sentiment prevailed Erdoğan’s power grab. for a couple more days and there were In this desperate situation, he is aware a couple of bizarre incidents. As the that, even if he uses every trick in the Dutch football team is known as ‘the book to pull off a narrow victory in the oranges’, rightwing thugs made a great referendum, he could still be finished. show of ‘stabbing’ several oranges in The coalition around him is in crisis front of the consulate. And a prominent and he may no longer be able to hold politician who owns a dairy farm it together. to great publicity sent his Holstein- At last week’s Newroz demonstrations Friesian cattle to the slaughterhouse!1 celebrating the Iranic new year in When Rutter barred a Turkish Turkey’s Kurdistan and western Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson from cities, it was clear that the popular entering the Netherlands to speak at Taking it out on oranges ... that’ll show ’em opposition is mobilising against massive a rally organised by AKP supporters odds. All progressive people hope that in Rotterdam, she tried to sneak in to sell weapons to Turkey for some The hopes of the Erdoğan clique affairs and minister of energy (who just Erdoğan can be prevented from taking over the German border. After she time, because they “could be used in were raised when it was thought that the happens to be Erdoğan’s son-in-law), a final gamble that could involve war. was turned away there were more the internal repression campaign”. new US administration under Donald in a New York hotel in September However, the danger of such a last- demonstrations, fully covered by the While the substantial cash received Trump would quickly enter the Middle 2016. They were discussing ways of chance hurrah is still looming. Erdoğan Turkish media, of course. from Germany in exchange for the East china shop with all the subtlety of subverting US extradition procedures must be stopped in his tracks before a new Just before the row with the agreement to prevent refugees leaving a bull. However, Trump was bogged in order to bring Fethullah Gülen, calamity falls upon the Middle East l Dutch flared up, Erdoğan had Turkey for western Europe was more down with its own troubles and those the cleric who has been a thorn in the been at loggerheads with German than welcome in Istanbul, the AKP hopes were dashed. backside of Erdoğan, back to Turkey.3 Notes 1. www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/ chancellor Angela Merkel. It turns desperately needed arms for its ongoing Then there was the public relations turkey-netherlands-dispute-animals-sanctions- out that Germany has been refusing campaign against the Kurds. calamity when it was revealed that Disasters europe.html. Added to this, Turkey’s application Turkey had paid a cool half a million All seasoned observers of Turkey’s foreign 2. www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/ Out now for EU membership, which was dollars to a company owned by the affairs can list numerous disasters, as micheal-flynn-ekim-alptekin-us-turkey-contract. emphasised by Erdoğan in the early disgraced US national security advisor, diplomatic relations between Turkey html. Labour Party Marxists No14 2 3. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_ years of his administration, has now Michael Flynn. The former head of and Europe in particular continue to government/ex-cia-chief-flynns-firm-discussed- Single and bulk copies available become a bargaining chip, as he the CIA, James Woolsey, who was part nosedive.4 removing-cleric-from-us/2017/03/25/0a1574d0- BCM Box 8932 attempts to award himself draconian of Trump’s election campaign team, On the Syria-Kurdish front, Trump’s 1179-11e7-aa57-2ca1b05c41b8_story. html?utm_term=.761596dafae1. London WC1 3XX powers as a Bonapartist president in revealed in a CNN interview that he had promise to support the Turkish army 4. www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/ Please include a donation the forthcoming referendum on the participated in a meeting with Flynn, in its push towards Raqqa in order turkey-europe-netherlands-germany-rally-crisis. Turkish constitution. along with Turkey’s minister of foreign to defeat Kurdish fighters failed to html. weekly 9 worker 1148 March 30 2017 ITALY Hit by corruption scandals Beppe Grillo and the right-populist Movimento Cinque Stelle are making gains, writes Toby Abse atteo Renzi’s path to triumphant joined the national gendarmerie, the acquitted in a trial after pointing the re-election as secretary of the carabinieri, as a very young man in finger at some corrupt politicians and, MPartito Democratico (PD) in 1970, was promoted to his current post although he spent 79 days in prison the primary on Sunday April 30 has as the national commander by the Renzi awaiting trial in 2008, he was acquitted met an unexpected obstacle. There is government in December 2014 - though on all charges as a result of his appeal now an ongoing judicial investigation some maliciously inclined observers to Cassazione. The one undeniable into alleged ‘influence trafficking’ by his might suggest he had a personal debt of connection between Alfredo Romeo and 65-year-old father, Tiziano. Renzi senior gratitude to Renzi and his inner circle, Matteo Renzi is the €60,000 donation has repeatedly asserted his innocence in including Lotti, which might lead him to made to Renzi’s Fondazione Big Bang the media, and continued to do so during sabotage attempts to collect incriminating (now renamed Fondazione Open) by an interrogation by magistrates on March wire taps on corrupt officials with whom the Neapolitan entrepreneur early in his 3, but he still remains a suspect. they might have had some connection. premiership. Doubtless, this was an act As for his son, he is still the front General Emanuele Saltalamacchia, the of pure philanthropy, and we would not runner in the PD primary, but the question commander of the Tuscan carabinieri dream of suggesting that anything was of whether he can gain over 50% of legion, is also under investigation on the required in return. Nonetheless, such the vote has been seriously raised by same grounds. obvious lack of judgement in his choice journalists in both the centre-left daily Lotti, Del Sette and Saltalamacchia of donors to his factional foundation may La Repubblica and its centre-right deny all wrongdoing, but it is worth prove a useful weapon in the hands of counterpart, Corriere della Sera - and emphasising that the claims about leaking Renzi’s internal and external opponents. not just by his rivals for the nomination, official secrets (against Lotti at any The damage done to the PD by Renzi who might have an interest in talking rate) do not only come from Consip in his handling of the Consip scandal themselves up. If Renzi does not gain an Beppe Grillo: benefiting from divisions in the Partito Democratico executives (particularly Luigi Marroni, was compounded on the day after the absolute majority, as opposed to a mere the current CEO of the company, and vote in defence of the beleaguered plurality of votes, the final run-off contest ever, shown no such inhibitions. Renzi investigation. Marco Gasparri, the Consip official minister of sport. On March 16, the will be decided by the PD delegates junior said, perhaps unwisely: “If my This inconsistency was not the worst accused of taking a large bribe), who votes of PD senators were decisive in elected on the three candidates’ lists, father is guilty, he should have a double aspect of the PD’s behaviour in this case. might perhaps have something to gain by saving the former director of news on not by the hundreds of thousands of penalty” - which led a jubilant Grillo to Nor was the predictable and successful discrediting government or Carabinieri RAI Uno (the main state television self-proclaimed PD sympathisers who proclaim on his blog: “He has ditched his appeal to the loyalty of other coalition figures if they wish to avoid prison, or channel) - Forza Italia senator Augusto will vote in the primary itself. dad.”3 Renzi used his own blog to respond partners, such as the Nuovo Centro Destra at least get shorter sentences. Filippo Minzolini - from prison. For all the If the third-place candidate instructs to Grillo with phrases like “You act the (NCD - New Centre Right) of foreign Vannoni, the president of Publiacqua, pompous talk in the senate of the fumus his delegates to vote for the second- Jackal, but the truth will arrive” - rashly minister Angelino Alfano, and assorted the Florentine municipal water company, persecutionis allegedly displayed by place candidate rather than for Renzi, getting drawn into the kind of flame war centrist fragments, most of whom had at who is a witness rather than the object of Minzolini’s political enemies, the crime the current leader might well lose. As that the crude comedian adores. least some parliamentarians in their ranks, criminal investigation, has also told the in question was not remotely political, things stand, this scenario is dependent who had had a chequered relationship magistrates that Lotti told him about the but a straightforward €65,000 credit card on justice minister Andrea Orlando Official secrets with the criminal justice system. Whilst bugs in the Consip office. fraud, misusing a RAI company credit coming second and Michele Emiliano, Embarrassing as the allegations about his the pro-Lotti votes of the 14 followers Whilst the general gist of the card for personal expenditure. the president of the Puglian region, father are, perhaps the more immediate of the recently convicted fraudster, allegations against Lotti, Del Sette, The senate vote to allow Minzolini coming third - Emiliano would instruct threat to Renzi junior comes from Denis Verdini - still facing criminal Saltalamacchia and the shady Neapolitan to continue in parliamentary office (and his delegates to vote for the social another allegation being made by the investigation on numerous other counts entrepreneur, Alfredo Romeo - the man thus automatically remain at liberty for democratic Orlando to stop Renzi, whilst same investigating magistrates about yet to come to trial - stank to high heaven, accused of bribing Consip executive the rest of his term) represented blatant there is no guarantee that Orlando would the 34-year-old Luca Lotti, currently it was the collusion with Forza Italia that Marco Gasparri and various possible defiance of the provisions of the same reciprocate, given his low opinion of the minister of sport under prime minister should have served as a warning of the intermediaries, who might have Severino law which had expelled Silvio erratic populist, Emiliano. Paolo Gentiloni. Whilst Renzi senior was following day’s events - the vote against influenced Consip on his behalf - has Berlusconi from the senate on November Meanwhile, Tiziano Renzi is allegedly until very recently secretary of the local PD barring the convicted criminal, Augusto been known since December 20168, until 27 2013. Under the Severino law, any at the centre of a massive corruption branch in the village of Rignano, where Minzolini, from the senate, which I will March 2017 the coverage in mainstream parliamentarian sentenced to more than scandal involving hundreds of millions the Renzi family comes from, Lotti’s discuss after concluding my survey of papers such as Repubblica and Corriere two years in prison should be barred from of euros’ worth of state contracts. public role is rather more important. Lotti, the Consip scandal. had been relatively low-key. Only Il office - Minzolini’s sentence is two and a Whether or not the allegation of ‘illegal a very close friend of Matteo - some have The vote in the senate on March 15 Fatto Quotidiano had fastened on to such half years. Despite the strident denials of influence trafficking’ being investigated claimed Renzi treats him like a younger was 161 for Lotti, 52 against and two small fragments of information as it could Renzi and his clique, the vote in favour of by magistrates results in a trial, let alone brother - was Renzi’s under-secretary abstentions. Both Forza Italia and the gather, with what often appeared as such Lotti on March 15 and the vote to protect a conviction (which in the Italian system throughout his premiership. It is widely MDP walked out before it was taken. obsessive concern as to seem no more Minzolini on March 16 looked like a would still be subject to two possible believed that Gentiloni, dependent on In theory, Forza Italia is supposed to than a desperate effort to divert attention quid pro quo. On this occasion, one is appeals, including to the supreme court, Renzi’s backing for his own appointment be an ally of the rightwing Lega Nord, from M5S’s Roman antics. compelled to accept that the judgement the Cassazione), this scandal will have as premier, had little choice about including the largest force other than the Grillini of Grillo’s blog - “The caste saves the enormous implications for his son’s Lotti in his government, and therefore themselves backing the M5S motion.5 Backhanders caste”9 - is a fair summary of the events political career, and could potentially gave him a minor post, which minimised On the surface, the Forza Italia walkout It was Romeo’s arrest on March 1 that in the Italian senate. be extremely damaging for the PD as a his influence. might have seemed merely a sign of precipitated events. The police search of The PD seems to have moved a lot whole in the forthcoming general election Needless to say, the allegation continuity with more than two decades of the wastepaper basket in Romeo’s office closer to Forza Italia, and the repeal of the - especially if Matteo is re-elected PD relates to the period when Lotti was hostility to the judiciary, or garantismo as uncovered the method the conspirators had Severino law (or some other stratagem leader on April 30 and so becomes PD in daily contact with his old boss, and they would prefer to describe it. The MDP resorted to after they had been tipped off aimed at the political rehabilitation of candidate for premier. hostile observers have suggested that walkout has a rather more honourable about the magistrates’ wire-tapping - the Silvio Berlusconi) cannot be ruled out. The parallel with recent corruption he was unlikely to have engaged in motivation - hostile as its members are to use of bits of paper known in Sicilian Inevitably, the public reaction to the PD’s scandals involving ‘influence trafficking’ any political action without the former Lotti, they could not vote for a motion that Mafia circles as pizzini. Whilst one can suicidal course has given M5S its highest by figures close to president Jacob Zuma premier’s knowledge or authorisation. might have brought down the Gentiloni see this method may have appeared more ever opinion poll score - it now leads the in South Africa, and former president Lotti is alleged to have tipped off the government and precipitated an early secure than telephone calls after Romeo PD by 32.3% to 26.8%.10 l Park Geun-hye of South Korea, seem leading figures in Consip - the body general election, especially since their became aware that the Consip office had obvious, even if no Italian observer overseeing the efficient use of public split from the PD had been provoked been bugged (and one assumes Romeo Notes 1. Renzi junior appeared to repeat this claim in a seems to have drawn them. This is not resources, which now handles the buying by Renzi’s desire to move in precisely was aware that all forms of electronic recent edition of the television programme Porta the first time that Tiziano has been the of all goods and services for the public that direction. communication could be hacked into), a Porta, according to Corriere della Sera. Until subject of a criminal investigation into administration - that its head offices were Although the MDP absented itself it seems very strange that Romeo did recently, Matteo had avoided the crude judge- a financial matter (and he claims he has being bugged. from the vote, the harshest and most not invest in a shredder, but just tore the baiting regularly engaged in by Bettino Craxi and Silvio Berlusconi, two felons amongst his been the victim of politically motivated On March 15, Lotti easily survived the effective speech against the minister pizzini into rather large pieces that could predecessors as prime minister, but now the mask elements of the judiciary anxious to attack senate vote of no confidence in him tabled of sport was made by the above- easily be fitted together by the carabinieri, seems to have slipped. his son1). On the earlier occasion - in by M5S - it needs to be stressed that, named MDP senator, Miguel Gotor. It rather like a child’s jigsaw. 2. La Repubblica March 3 2017. 2015 (during his son’s premiership), the if this motion had been passed, Italian culminated in the demand: “You ought to The carabinieri assume that the 3. “Ha rottomato il babbo.” 4. This term came into favour during the charge of fraudulent bankruptcy related parliamentary procedure dictates that the resign, or Gentiloni should suspend you words “€30,000 for T” were a reference Tangentopoli scandals of 1992-93. It should to his own long-standing newspaper whole government would have fallen. from office. Be a sportsman - protect the to payments to Tiziano Renzi, and that be noted that many of its proponents in Italian distribution business (set up before his Keeping Lotti in office was an indication executive.”6 Looking directly at Gotor, an “€5,000 every two months for RC” parliaments have no such deep concern about the son entered politics), not government of Matteo Renzi’s personal favouritism incandescent Lotti responded: denoted backhanders for the younger civil liberties of ordinary citizens - as opposed to any of their own colleagues who might be under contracts. As senator Miguel Gotor of the rather than any consistent stance based Florentine entrepreneur and close Renzi investigation. Movimento Democratico e Progressista on the legal presumption of innocence The political forces that are asking family friend, Carlo Russo. Interestingly, 5. The no-confidence motion was also supported (MDP) put it, (garantismo, as Italian politicians have me to take a step back are culturally Alfredo Romeo, who refused to talk by the soft-left Sinistra Italiana (a grouping called it4). On previous occasions, subaltern and politically incorrect. You to the magistrates on March 6, despite largely made up of the hard-line remnants of the now dissolved Sinistra Ecologia Libertà), which It would have been better if Tiziano Renzi has sacrificed ministers when the call into question my most precious his imprisonment, has never suggested is anxious to appear more oppositional than the Renzi had avoided the risk of influence, personal involvement of an individual in possession, my morality. I never warned that the pizzini are forgeries; he denies MDP. having a prime minister as a son. The a scandal - regardless of whether criminal Marroni - whoever claims that I did all wrongdoing, but his lawyers have 6. La Repubblica March 16 2017. saying, ‘Caesar’s wife must be above charges were even brought - threatened slanders me.7 resorted to the rather bizarre technical 7. La Repubblica (March 16 2017). 2 8. However, Tiziano Renzi’s alleged connection suspicion’, applies here. to tarnish the whole government’s argument that, since the pizzini were has only surfaced very recently. reputation. Indeed, in marked contrast to While Lotti is the only politician facing found and reassembled in the absence 9. The term ‘La casta’ was originally invented by Whilst Gotor - a distinguished professional his recently adopted garantismo, Renzi accusations of revealing an official secret of Romeo or any defence lawyer, they two rightwing journalists associated with Corriere historian before his entry into parliament had harshly criticised his predecessor, and favouring a crime in the Consip cannot be used as evidence against him della Sera, in a best-seller with that title published about a decade ago, but it has become the standard - made his point with a certain amount Enrico Letta, for not sacking Anna case, similar allegations are being made in any possible trial. M5S description of the political class. of tact, Beppe Grillo, the leader of the Maria Cancellieri as minister of justice against no less a figure in the Italian Romeo has some deep experience 10. This Ipsos poll, carried out between March 13 right-populist Movimento Cinque Stelle over a friendly phone call to a long- state apparatus than general Tullio Del of such matters and is probably a very and 16, appeared in Corriere della Sera on March (M5S - Five Star Movement), has, as standing female friend under criminal Sette. The 55-year-old del Sette, who shrewd tactician. In 1993, he was 21 2017. 10 weekly March 30 2017 1148 worker NATURE

Toxic capitalism: artwork by David LaChapelle Karl Marx and ‘eco-Marxism’ The threat of ‘ecocidal capitalism’ is linked to the absence of a class-conscious international proletariat, writes Rex Dunn enjamin Kunkel is a 44-year-old Kunkel is right to argue that enlightenment had replaced the hopes of humanity’s recent ecological career.” we by no means rule over nature like American with a degree in “there can be no ecologically sound its authors for a new social order based Hence, Kunkel continues: a conqueror over a foreign people, Bcreative writing from Columbia capitalism”. He also urges us not to on reason and natural law, in the name but that we ... belong to nature, and University. He has written an excellent be complacent about the next mode of of ‘universal humanity’. ... human beings have fundamentally exist in its midst, and that all our review of four recent books about the production freeing us from pollution, For classical Marxists this is shaped life on earth for thousands mastery of it consists in the fact ecology of the planet in the London citing the Soviet bloc as an example. inextricably linked to the period of of years, a fact that the term that we have the advantage over all Review of Books (March 2 2017). Of course, he fails to point out that the generalised commodity production/ ‘Anthropocene’ refers to. [But the] other creatures of being able to learn The last two belong to the category latter was a mode of production sui commodity fetishism, along with the unprecedented scope and pace of such its laws and apply them correctly.4 of ‘eco-Marxism’ and offer some generis - ie, neither fish nor fowl - and market mechanism - as opposed to change is better evoked by the term important new insights. Therefore I therefore could not last for long in earlier periods, when the commodity ‘Capitalocene’ ... ‘Anthropocene’ is Rosa Luxemburg in The accumulation shall focus my attention on these. If I historical terms, but it was long enough was “a particular, isolated, non- here to stay, but just how it unfolds of capital (1913) goes on to argue that make any errors along the way, I am for “the USSR to drain away the Aral dominant form”.3 On this basis, over coming generations will be capitalism can only expand by dragging happy to be corrected by other, better Sea and let the Chernobyl reactor melt therefore, in terms of the argument decided whether, politically, it remains “‘into the orbit of the commodity informed Weekly Worker readers. down”, while “the GDR emitted the about the periodicity, then one would true ‘Capitalocene’ (“privileging the economy’ ever more of ‘the natural First up is Jason Moore’s Capitalism most sulphur dioxide per capita of have to agree with Malm. But this is endless accumulation of capital”, economy’ outside capitalist exchange, in the web of life: ecology and the any country”, etc (LRB p23). On the not to decry Moore’s argument as a as Moore puts it) or becomes for and Horkheimer and Adorno in Dialectic accumulation of capital (London other hand, he is right to reappraise whole. On the other hand, although the first time a properly political of enlightenment (1944) lamented the 2015). The second one is Andreas ‘Anthropocene’ in historical materialist both of them recognise the role of Anthropocene, in which the interests instrumental reason that sought to control Malm’s Fossil capital: the rise of steam terms, implying that, once man has private property in human alienation, of humanity as a whole chart our and quantify nature to no purpose beyond power and the roots of global warming achieved a classless society, then we Kunkel, Moore and Malm tend to ecological course (LRB p23). the automatic pursuit of profit” (p24). (London 2015). will live in a truly Anthropocene world: underplay the role of alienated wage- For Kunkel, the rise of eco- But, before I can proceed, the first ie, one in which humanity is able to labour, the bourgeois hierarchical Kunkel now turns to the term ‘eco- Marxism is also part of the inheritance big question to be considered is the regulate its interchange with nature division of labour, along with the role Marxism’ itself: “In classical Marxist terms, of Marx’s and Engel’s thought. He meaning of the term ‘Anthropocene’. rationally, bring it under our common of commodity fetishism. (But perhaps modes of production can be described writes: “In 1988, James O’Connor, Kunkel agrees with Moore’s argument control, etc.1 this is because they assume that the in terms of the relations of production founding editor of the American that it is ill-conceived from a Marxist reader already understands the role of (among human beings) and forces of journal, Capitalism, Nature, Socialism, perspective. For Moore, the defect Impediments the ‘big four’ vis-à-vis alienation/false production (human labour applied to the proposed that the ‘capital-nature in “the Anthropocene argument”, This argument immediately raises the consciousness in general?) means of production, such as tools and relation’ is no less fundamental to the associated with the Greens, is that it notion of instrumentalism, or means-end Malm is certainly right to argue that machines, and raw materials)” (p23). capital-labour relation in analysing “presents humanity as a ‘homogeneous necessity, regardless of the human the Green version of climate change is He stresses the fact that neither Marx how capitalism reproduces and, acting unit’”, whereas human beings cost or the damage that this might do “relocated from the sphere of natural nor Engels had a narrow, productivist ultimately undermines itself.” In his live in “particular historical forms of to the environment. Initially this can causes to that of human activities”, bias towards progress (as attributed to book, Marx’s ecology (2000), Bellamy society”, characterised by specific be attributed to the empiricism of the only to be “renaturalised” a moment them by their bourgeois critics). Rather Foster reminds us of “Marx’s critique “property relations” that lead to certain bourgeois political economists. For later as the excrescence of “an innate Marx was at pains to point out that “all of the unsustainable metabolism “dispositions towards ‘extra human them, knowledge is the product of the human trait”. He continues: “Capitalists progress in capitalistic agriculture is a (Stoffwechsel), by which capitalist nature’”. Therefore, Moore argues, the rational observation of the world, leaving in a small corner of the western world progress in the art, not only of robbing agriculture extracts from the soil more ‘Anthropocene’ should be renamed the no room for speculative thought. This invested in steam, laying the foundation the labourer, but of robbing the soil”. nutrients than it replaces”; hence the “Capitalocene”, corresponding to the led to Ricardo’s “heartless indifference of the fossil economy; at no moment Engels later generalised Marx’s rift between “capitalist humanity rise of capitalism after 1450 (which to the suffering propertyless classes” did the species ... exercise any sort of concern for soil exhaustion into [surely the rule of capital] and nature: also marks a turning point in the history - compare this to German idealism, shared authority over its destiny and something like a law of environmental the compulsion to accumulate ever of man’s relationship with the rest of such as Schiller’s aesthetic criticism that of the earth system.” Similarly blowback: more capital rules out the metabolic nature). By contrast, Malm locates of reality, whereby he argues that the today, “In the earliest 21st century, the equilibrium that would allow the origin of the present ecological “mechanical pressure of wants”, this poorest 45% of humanity generated 7% Let us not ... flatter ourselves overmuch a society to maintain indefinitely crisis several hundred years later: ie, “realm of necessity ..., cannot serve as of CO2 emissions, whilst the richest 7% on account of our human victories the environment from which it global warming was set off by modern the soil for genuine artistic productivity”, produced 50%.” Kunkel adds: “For over nature. For each such victory indefinitely takes its livelihood”. (At capitalism - the age of coal-burning which is the essence of man.2 Almost both Malm and Moore, capitalism nature takes its revenge on us ... Thus this stage, Kunkel does not raise the industrialisation. before it began, the ‘dark’ side of the [is] the overriding determinant of at every step we are reminded that related problem of environmental weekly 11 worker 1148 March 30 2017 What we 1917 fight for pollution: ie, the over-use use of materials (‘circulating capital’). comparison with Dutch, could get more to preventing a rise in mean global n Without organisation the fertiliser or chemical pesticides to As Moore points out, “circulating out of the natural world for less, just temperature greater than 1.5 degrees working class is nothing; with expand agricultural production, which capital is the forgotten moment in as American capitalism could later do centigrade. A rise of two degrees the highest form of organisation eventually is washed into the rivers Marx’s model”. by comparison with the British. The centigrade is generally considered it is everything. and even the oceans.) old regime gives way to the restored dangerous, but may already be a lost n There exists no real Communist Kunkel reminds us that it is often In other words, they are reluctant to admit and enlarged reign of ‘cheap nature’, cause. In November [2016] a paper Party today. There are many forgotten that Marx and Engels were enthroned in a new imperium, until the in the journal Science Advances so-called ‘parties’ on the left. In also aware that capital accumulation the full import of non-human energy line comes to an end ... projected that average temperatures reality they are confessional sects. is an ecological process as well. But, and raw materials, when these are will increase between 4.78 and 7.6 Members who disagree with the from the start, bourgeois political obviously not products of human Historically, ‘capitalism’s basic degrees centigrade by 2100 under prescribed ‘line’ are expected to economists compartmentalised labour. But, as Marx himself insisted, problem’ - namely that its ‘demand what is tellingly called a “business- gag themselves in public. Either nature and society, undialectically “labour is not the source of all wealth. for cheap natures’ tends to rise faster as-usual” scenario. that or face expulsion. implying that nature exists outside Nature is just as much the source of than its capacity to secure them - could n of society. Therefore nature can “be use values ... as labour, which itself always be temporarily relieved by Thus, “The signal traits of contemporary Communists operate according coded, quantified and rationalised is only the manifestation of a force opening new commodity frontiers. capitalism are fantastic economic to the principles of democratic to serve economic growth”: ie, an of nature”. But a truly global capitalism presents inequality and ecological devastation.” centralism. Through ongoing debate instrumental end, which is production Can capitalism come by cheap a last frontier, beyond which lies only we seek to achieve unity in action for production’s sake. This amounts nature indefinitely? Moore identifies the cold of space. Already for more Conclusion and a common world outlook. As to the naturalisation of capitalism a counter-tendency, which he calls than a generation oil companies have Kunkel raises the question as to which long as they support agreed actions, itself. On the other hand, Moore - and “the tendency of ecological surplus tended to spend more on exploration theory is capable of bringing about a members should have the right to Kunkel - envisage capitalism not as to fall”. than production for every barrel of “sustainable universal prosperity”: speak openly and form temporary “an economic system”, but “a way of crude they extract, while exhaust “eco-socialism/solar communism” or permanent factions. organising nature”. Equally this is also The latter may be described as the emissions exacerbate global warming. or classical Marxism? Surely it is a n Communists oppose all impe- an undialectical view of the capitalist [The latter] - together with soil question of using the former to develop rialist wars and occupations but mode of production and its negative contribution that the flood of non- exhaustion, aquifer depletion, the the latter. Isn’t this what ‘eco-Marxism’ constantly strive to bring to the fore effects vis-à-vis man and the rest of human ‘work/energy’ into the economy vulnerability of monocultures to means? Hence he continues: the fundamental question - ending war nature. makes capital accumulation over and invasive species, and the collapse is bound up with ending capitalism. above the cost of procuring it. The of bee colonies - portends declining A constantly more numerous and n Communists are internationalists. ‘Cheap natures’ ecological surplus will fall whenever gains in agricultural productivity. better-organised [as well as better Everywhere we strive for the closest According to Kunkel, Moore goes on capital can’t maintain or boost the Precious metals may also become informed] working class, its identity unity and agreement of working class to “a standard reading of Marx’s law quotient of ‘unpaid nature’ in the scarcer and more costly (p25). cohering, as proletarian experience and progressive parties of all countries. of value”: sum of commodity values. becomes more uniform across We oppose every manifestation industries, regions and countries, of national sectionalism. It is an ... capital strives to get ever more Moore gives four reasons for this process: ‘Ecocidal’ would need only to perceive its internationalist duty to uphold the commodity production from an hour’s 1. “... the law of entropy stipulates that According to Kunkel, Moore’s conclusion shared strength in order to wield it, principle, ‘One state, one party’. labour, while paying the labourers using compact and versatile energy-dense is that “it is difficult to see that the global and the workers as a body would n The working class must be less for that hour as a share of its materials (say precious metals or fossil economy’s annual drain on the earth can seize the world they’d made ... organised globally. Without costs ... the effort to boost labour fuels) yields less serviceable and energy- go on increasing, at whatever price in a global Communist Party, a productivity in the workplace [is] dense materials (cans in the recycling bin) dollars, for many decades longer”. Given But this has lost its persuasiveness Communist International, the united with another imperative. if not outright waste (discarded batteries) its very nature as a system, capitalism is so far as the working class remains struggle against capital is weakened Capitalism “must ceaselessly search and pollution (power-plant emissions). not capable of turning things around in divided by nationalism, chauvinism and lacks coordination. for, and find ways to produce, cheap Over the long run, transforming useful the interests of humanity as a whole. As and xenophobia, as well as identity natures” as inputs to commodity resources into useless waste rules out a result of a partial collapse, it might opt politics. Hence we are not likely to n Communists have no interest production. These belong to four economic growth.” for a new lease of life: that is, return to see a “class-conscious international apart from the working class categories: food, labour-power 2. This is a more immediate problem, an ecological surplus again - albeit one proletariat”, let alone a “species- as a whole. They differ only in itself, energy and raw materials. because “the capitalisation or money-cost which is “derived from an absolutely conscious planetary humanity” in the recognising the importance of Staple foods must become cheaper, of the ‘four cheaps’ rises faster than smaller material input. A smaller body near future - which is a categorical Marxism as a guide to practice. because household expenditure on their contribution to labour productivity, of labourers … employed to furnish a imperative, since “ecocidal capitalism” That theory is no dogma, but them accounts for much of the base as might happen should increased growing mass of commodities to a reduced is already upon us. must be constantly added to and cost of hiring workers (pp24-25). demand for unfinished commodities company of consumers, realising an This is especially true in the wake enriched. like wood, copper or wheat - or [lack acceptable rate of profit in the process.” of the 2008 financial crash. As a result n Capitalism in its ceaseless As for energy, the aim is to make it of?] cooperation among the countries This scenario is similar to one of capitalism continues to rely on the search for profit puts the future more efficient and cost-effective. This that export them - drive up prices”. Peter Frase’s Four futures for the 21st strategy of neoliberalism, combined of humanity at risk. Capitalism is led to improvements in the design of 3. “... natural resources may, for technical century: namely exterminism - ie, “a with austerity, because - Trump or no synonymous with war, pollution, watermills, to windmills, sailing ships, reasons, become harder [to exploit; for combination of ecological scarcity Trump - it is afraid to venture down exploitation and crisis. As a global making propulsion by water and wind example,] petroleum production [as a] with aggravated class society: guarded the Keynesian road of economic system capitalism can only be cheaper. Energy from fossilised fuels declining ‘energy returned on energy enclaves for the rich in an ocean of the expansionism; it has not forgotten superseded globally. “enabled motorised transport and drove invested’: a century ago it took far less superfluous poor” (p26). It would then the lessons of the post-war boom, n The capitalist class will never industrial production”, bringing down effort to extract a barrel of oil from the be up to the oppressed and their ability which led to the Événements of 1968, willingly allow their wealth and costs. “Finally raw materials too must great Texas oilfields than it does now to fight back, if we are to save what is etc. Therefore we are stuck with low power to be taken away by a become cheaper”, in order to lower the to get, through fracking, another barrel left of civilisation. growth, whilst inequality continues parliamentary vote. costs of building construction and the from [the new sources of fossil fuel].” Shortage of space dictates a summary to increase across the world. Thus n manufacture of goods. But: 4. This is the “last barrier to perpetually of Andreas Malm’s book, Fossil capital; multinational companies are even less We will use the most militant increasing ecological surplus - and suffice to reiterate my earlier comment: likely to invest in long-term solutions methods objective circumstances The trend over recent centuries has “arguably the most cumulatively that he focuses on the 18th-19th centuries to the dangers of global warming, etc. allow to achieve a federal republic been for labour-power to become significant” - the “degradation of the and the rise of industrial capitalism in Given the impossibility of of England, Scotland and Wales, more expensive, while the price of biosphere through carbon emissions, Britain (which some ‘wags’ have dubbed ‘ecocapitalism’, ‘eco-socialism’ is a united, federal Ireland and a energy and raw materials has tended soil degradation, biodiversity loss, ‘the Anglocene’, based on steam power the only answer. But, as Kunkel points United States of Europe. to fall ... chemical toxicity and so on. A sufficiently and cotton production, leading to the out, the achievement of something n Communists favour industrial “The Dutch Republic was the tattered web of life will yield ‘negative rise of towns and the creation of the like an “enlightened species being” unions. Bureaucracy and class 17th century’s ‘model capitalist value’ rather than any positive plenty: modern proletariat, along with the anyway “would likely emerge in a compromise must be fought and the trade unions transformed into nation’ - in Marx’s phrase - because it no application of capital or labour, in rapid rise of CO2 emissions. Vis-à-vis handful of embattled … countries”, organised and led a world ecological any amount, will be able to produce Moore’s ‘Capitalocene’ thesis, which long before “attaining anything like schools for communism. regime that delivered cheap grain anything but goods of generally inferior argues that “the rise of capitalism after the universality” which is required. n Communists are champions of (from Poland), cheap energy (from quality and quantity. Capitalism would 1450 marked the turning point in the Thus we face a the oppressed. Women’s oppression, domestic peat), and cheap timber then have finally destroyed the natural history of humanity’s relation with the combating racism and chauvinism, (from Norway and the Baltic) to the preconditions for continually raising rest of nature”, once again, perhaps drawn-out battle against capitalism and the struggle for peace and northern Netherlands.” To the degree labour productivity and endless capital the most interesting question here is dead-set against any such thing. ecological sustainability are just that the ‘four cheaps’ can be secured, accumulation, never mind the welfare the role of generalised commodity This means, tragically, that by the as much working class questions both the efforts of labourers and the of non-capitalist humans and other production and commodity fetishism, time the Capitalocene concludes, as pay, trade union rights and cruder components of the labour bystander organisms.” which clearly did not arise until the capitalism will only have a … badly demands for high-quality health, process can be cheaply had. The Kunkel acknowledges the scope ‘Anglocene’ period. But here we are despoiled world to bequeath to us. housing and education. productivity of an hour’s labour will of Capitalism in the web of life: ie, really talking about the way in which n Socialism represents victory therefore rise, and the opportunity Moore provides us with a “bravura modern capitalism was able to create Thus we can update Marx and in the battle for democracy. It is for profit to expand. sketch of historical capitalism across new forms of alienation (alienated wage- Luxemburg’s prognosis: ie, as either the rule of the working class. According to the logic of ‘cheap five centuries”. I need not go into this labour, fragmentation and atomisation, “ecosocialism or ethnobarbarism”. As Socialism is either democratic or, nature’, Moore argues that “more and here, apart from the briefest of outlines. leading to self-alienation): in a word, Kunkel states, “In the political sense of as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it more extra-human nature [external He moves from the period of the Dutch new forms of false consciousness rather the term, then, the question about the turns into its opposite. nature] attaches to every quantum republic, as well as its own empire in than anything else. Anthropocene isn’t when it began, but of socially necessary labour time”. south-east Asia, to the Spanish empire But Malm’s book certainly whether it ever will, and, if so, where n Socialism is the first stage [Kunkel adds:] “Capitalism’s ecological in the new world; then onto Britain’s concentrates the mind with regard to first - Godspeed!” (p28). of the worldwide transition to project, in other words, is to enlarge own industrial revolution based on the role of fossil fuels, which are so Rather, speed the revolution! l communism - a system which the quotient of ‘unpaid nature’, like coal/steam power, with the merest of inimical to the future of humanity; yet knows neither wars, exploitation, that of unpaid labour, in the total hints here that this was financed by capitalism’s dependence on fossil energy rexdunn.co.uk money, classes, states nor nations. value of saleable commodities.” the modern slave trade (the ‘plantation is just as entrenched as ever, despite the Communism is general freedom revolutions’); finally bringing us looming consequences. This does not Notes and the real beginning of human 1. See K Marx Capital Vol 3, Moscow 1966, history. He also states that into the present period: American auger well for the future, certainly in p820. hegemony, based on new oil frontiers the age of Trumpism. The new president 2. See M Lifshitz The philosophy of art of Karl The Weekly Worker is licensed by most writers on Marx’s value theory and the industrialisation of agriculture. has pledged to withdraw from the Paris Marx chapter 1, London 1973. November Publications under a Creative ... typically concentrate on machines In each case, “The ecological surplus climate control agreement, which was 3. G Lukács History and class consciousness Commons Attribution-NonCommercial London 1967, p85. 4.0 International Licence: http:// and other infrastructure (‘fixed falls as the capitalisation of nature signed only last year. It creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ 4. F Engels, ‘The part played by labour in the legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. capital’) in the means of production rises”. transition from ape to man’: www.marxists.org/ to the neglect of energy and raw Simply put, British capital, by committed the nations of the world archive/marx/works/1876/part-played-labour. No 1148 March 30 2017 Saudi Arabia weekly is a major source of worker finance Understanding Khalid Masood We cannot explain atrocities like the Westminster attack through individual psychology, argues Paul Demarty

o the list of Islamist atrocities in come from? The answer - by one Europe, we may now add Khalid tortuous route or another - is a country TMasood’s assault on Westminster, on the very short list of places Khalid which has left five dead and 10 times Masood taught English as a foreign as many injured. language. The Saudi monarchy - Perhaps the only surprise is that it whether as such, or via some of its took so long for this wave of attacks to crazier princelings - props up IS, produce a major incident in London - perhaps through direct subsidy, or the last truly comparable event being perhaps by laundering Iraqi oil on its the July 7 bombings nearly 12 years behalf. ago. The carnage wrought in the Whatever the precise nature vicinity of parliament on March 22 is of its dealings with IS, the Saudis dwarfed by the events of that day, of are undoubtedly the principal course; yet for the civilian population, it material force promoting Wahhabi is an uncomfortable reminder that they fundamentalism the world over. Shiny remain a legitimate target in the eyes of new mosques spring up everywhere, a very real (if numerically small) layer funded with Saudi money. Foundations, of the world’s population, however far community organisations, even vast (geographically and socially) they may political movements (the Muslim be from Raqqa. Brotherhood, until recently): all have The question of the response to their operational capacity considerably Masood’s attack is, likewise, peculiarly enhanced by Saudi oil money. This familiar in form and content - despite vast operation, however, only works the spectacular violence at issue, it because the Saudi regime is propped is almost a matter of going through up by the United States and its allies. the motions. Various silly Ukip types (The latter also, it must be said, assisted immediately connected the issue to the cause of Islamist fanaticism more immigration and Middle Eastern directly by funnelling arms to the asylum-seekers, when anyone with Syrian opposition long after the point an ounce of historical memory can where it was entirely dominated by bring to mind the small fact that such Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner of the met: more powers religious factions.) people are often (like the 7/7 bombers) The result is a phenomenon whereby native-born Britons - as turned out to be spell a changed man - more serious, or the divisions of the left, but by civil war broke out in Syria, the theatre western societies are trapped in a cycle, the case with Masood. At least they did calmer, with a new-found faith in Islam. Adolf Hitler’s childhood trauma, his of operations expanded. due to the increasingly dangerous not blame it on Brussels bureaucrats. He later moved to Saudi Arabia, to over-fondness for his mother, or even In this fertile ground of bloody diplomatic contortions of the various Similarly opportunistic are the teach English. He had a wife and three the weight of his brain. chaos, Islamic State grew to outstrip states. A terrorist atrocity brings spooks, for whom this is yet another children. All express their surprise and It appears that a vast agglomeration its progenitor, al Qa’eda, in power forth, most immediately, a further knock-down argument for drastically horror at his final actions. of random circumstances conspired and international prestige. Further ratcheting up of repression; which extending their powers. Home secretary There are many aspects of this that together to deliver Masood to state failures - notably in Libya, after drives people to seek explanations, Amber Rudd followed the lead of seem to point in the direction of such Westminster, a combination that cannot French and British forces helped topple which they find in the doctrines of her predecessor and boss, Theresa an outburst. He was clearly an alienated reasonably be expected to recur. Yet the dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, to the reactionary radicals, which drives May, by using the whole thing as individual. His most serious stretch not only may it well recur - in a sense benefit of various warlords and Islamist them in turn to the ‘real’ resistance, an opportunity to decry the modern inside was for grievous bodily harm, it already has - for Masood is merely militias - followed. which inculcates the strategic view convenience of encrypted messaging. when a racially-charged argument the latest in a very strict pattern. The This is one sense in which the recent that it is necessary to provoke the west After all, Masood sent an encrypted turned violent. Prison is a fertile question is not ‘Why did he do it?’, but spate of massacres is the unintended into wars and repression, which leads message only moments before his ground for Islamist proselytisation ‘Why do people keep doing it?’ consequence of western policy in to more violent actions, and to more attack. Something must be done! - the Kouachi brothers and Amedy the Middle East - a succession of repression ... Alas, exactly what is another matter. Coulibaly, likewise, became committed calamitous military interventions have There is no end of bourgeois Rudd insists she only wants to backdoor to the cause of al Qa’eda in jail, Unintended created conditions most amenable to worthies lining up to solemnly intone WhatsApp in extreme circumstances, later perpetrating the Charlie Hebdo consequences warlordism, which is what Islamic that an alternative to Islamism must with a proper process and warrant shootings and contemporaneous anti- The answers are still many, but few of State’s so-called caliphate amounts be offered to those at risk of joining its and all that; but that would not have Semitic rampages in Paris. Masood’s them have their primary loci in Britain, to as a state formation; yet it is not wilder fringes. Yet it is they precisely helped in the current case (Masood had long time in Saudi Arabia does not or even Europe. This story, in the end, is only a warlord’s fiefdom, but also a who are incapable of offering it, been peripherally investigated by MI5 look good in retrospect. And so on. He about the Middle East. The first aspect of transmitter of a particular ideology, propping up as they do the global years before, but was not in the state’s fits the profile: a life of frustration and relevance is the general chaos wrought by and one with the elan of (apparently) capital of their ideological enemies, crosshairs as of March 22, and thus rage, an opportunity to stand tall and a decade and a half of near continuous and successful resistance about it. and apologising as they do for the there would have been no warrant). die a martyr, not a common criminal ... ever more complex wars and insurgencies. That success, indeed, seems increasingly destructive adventures of Maybe (OK, definitely) she is lying The seduction of this explanatory The failure of the Iraqi state after the miraculous, given the circumstances - their governments in the Islamic world. and actually intends to bulk-collect all framework is that it seems to be very American-British invasion of 2003 provided no wonder it attracts wannabe martyrs! Any serious political alternative - which the messages ever; but that has proven concrete, very focused on the real both a new battleground to the world’s As with all miracles, however, the means no more than something that to be a dubious benefit so far due to motivations of the individual who jihadi fanatics and a new recruitment success of IS has its vulgar material explains the world better than radical information overload, with most useful carried out the attack. Yet the overall base - ex-Ba’athist officials purged by reality, which is where we meet the Islamism (a low bar nonetheless not intelligence coming from old-fashioned effect is akin to looking through the the coalition in the immediate wake of second sense in which western policy cleared by capitalist state apologetics) spycraft. Masood’s assault has not wrong end of the telescope. An analogy victory, and Sunni Muslims troubled by brings forth atrocities. Guns do not - will have to break decisively with this advanced the case in substance, then, can be drawn with those who explain the increasingly Shia-sectarian character grow on trees. Food does not come disastrous legacy l but only provided a spurious sense of the holocaust not with reference to the of the US- and Iranian-backed (work that cheap in a war zone. These things urgency. Treaty of Versailles or the 1929 crash one out ... ) Baghdad government. When require money. Where does the money [email protected]

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