Eurosocialism Comes to U.S
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Eurosocialism EDITED BY MICHAEL HARRINGTON Comes to U.S. By David Bensman INSIDE and Bill Thomas MAGINE A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT America, where the democratic left Jan. 1981 Vol. IX No. 1 $1 had just swept to power in the No vember elections. In early December Minds Across the Sea, p. 7 an obscure right-wing activist foun When trade unionists, economists, and politi· dation calls a conference bringing cal activists from Europe and the U.S. met in together prestigious world leaders, a small, intensive meeting, they discovered former prime ministers and the like that, even though the picture remains incom to discuss program. More than 2,000 peo plete, each was holding a piece of an answer ple show up; hundreds are turned away. to the puzzle of dealing with the crisis of late Would you have heard about it? capitalism. Michael Harrington reports. We don't live in that imaginary America; we live in a nation soon to be Beware the Democrats, p. 10 governed by Ronald Reagan and the likes We know how bad the Republican victories of Jesse Helms. In other respects, the con were, but liberals may have as much to fear ference, "Eurosocialism and America: An from people wearing the same party label. International Exchange," fills the bill for our imaginary scenario. It represented the David Hoffman comments on the possible Gretchen Donart conservative tilt in the Democratic House. coming together of an opposition seen to be out of step with the times; it was ''It would be wrong On the Left, p. 11 called by the Institute for Democratic More wins for DSOCers reported from lo Socialism and was the Institute's first ma to allow ourselves cal elections, numerous meetings and events jor public event. It assembled three Euro to be hypnotized by that bringing socialists together. pean former heads of state, leaders of mass oppositions, trade unionists, and ac word'crisis.' There is To Meet in Madrid, p. 12 tivists from both sides of the Atlantic; no hope of things and its success outraced the most optimis For a few days this fall, Madrid was the "cap simply righting them ital of world socialism." Michael Harrington tic projections of conference organizers. headed the DSOC delegation to the Socialist Despite major interest from the European selves and returning International Congress and comments on it. press, it contradicted the perceptions (and the biases?) of the major U.S. news to normalcy. '' Muslim Minority, p. 14 media and was treated by the networks Willy Brandt Soviet troops are busy battling Muslims in and the newspaper of record as a non Afghanistan. But within their borders is an event. other group that wants its freedom. Eric Lee But for the participants, it was an interviews an exiled Crimean Tatar a.bout the event of some consequence, combining conditions and prospects for this minority. political and intellectual substance with a "movement" excitement and, as IDS with problems ranging from capital for ence organizer Nancy Lieber Oearly, left President Michael Harrington said in his mation to cultural hegemony. Their ex activists wanted to know that they were closing remarks, a "joyous" atmosphere. hilaration at being with others who not alone, and they wanted to know what "This is the most exciting thing I've shared their beliefs surmounted exaspera to do next. done since I got married," exclaimed tion at crowded rooms and slow-moving DSOCer Earl Bourdon, a 63-year-old elevators. Solidarity and Democracy New Hampshire activist. His sense of a Last year, when IDS first presented For this conference was more than once-in-a-lifetime experience was shared the idea to the German Marshall Fund, a morale booster, a coming together of by others from all parts of the country in which subsidized the conference, it was survivors wanting to reaffirm solidarity all age ranges. They thronged to plenary thought that about a thousand people with each other and their comrades sessions featuring leaders of the Euro might come to Washington for such an abroad. Tony Benn, leader of the British pean Socialist parties and to workshops event. "We can thank Ronald Reagan for Labor Party's left wing, told the standing that explored socialist proposals to deal boosting our attendance," mused confer- room-only crowd on opening night that IJ{ffERS To the Editor: progressive aspects. If we condemn it as has been a consistent critic of undemo I was glad to see attention given to a capitalist trick and let the capitalists take cratic elements in Leninism as well as in the as-yet-small worker ownership move the initiative in promoting it, i~ will cer social democracy. I consider him a valu ment in Jimmy Higgins's column (No tainly be no more than a trick. But if pro able contributor to a democratic left- al vember). I was saddened at the inade gresives and unions take the initiative, though someone with views on strategy quate conclusions of that short article on then something worthwhile may be pos that set him apart from DSOC. To attack South Bend, however, The author con sible. The lesson of South Bend is that him the way Radosh does is to make cludes that Boulis is correct in saying that worker ownership contains within it a DSOC appear narrow, sectarian and petty. employee ownership does not mean em dynamic of democracy-if control does William R. Caspary ployee management. not accompany ownership, then tension St. Louis, Mo. On the contrary, the lesson to be and ultimate failure result. drawn from South Bend Lathe is that the Perry Mehrling utters lo the editor m111t be iigned. we benefits touted to be gained from em Cambridge, Mass. reuri:e the right to edit for brevity. ployee ownership cannot be, unless that Please limit letter1 to leu than 250 word1. ownership is accompanied by real con To the Editor: trol - worker management. The South Ron Radosh (October) makes a po • • • Bend case does not include control, that lemical attack on Carl Boggs which seems CORRECTIONS is true. Less than half of the "owned" to me both intemperate and inaccurate. stock is allotted to the accounts of the Is Boggs wrong to criticize the bureau The word "left" was inadvertently drop workers at South Bend. And less than cratic undemocratic elements of social de ped from Ron Radosh's column in the that is actually vested, and can be voted by mocracy ? Must DSOC members embrace December issue. It should have read : "Be the employees. Trustees vote the majority social democratic parties without criti cause Lewis is concerned that much of the of the stock. The upshot? Ownership it cism ? That is Radosh's implication. Caribbean left is set within the mold of hard-line Stalinism, he calls for a ·mar self is a myth at SBL. As for Gramsci, it is plain that he riage of socialism with democracy,' for But this set-up is not inherent in the was a revolutionary. Those who would reconstruction of 'the neo-colonial econ ESOP laws as Jimmy Higgins implies. assimilate him to social democracy or omy along decentralizing lines.' " Democratic Employee Stock Ownership Euro-Communism have the burden of Plans (one person-one vote) are possible. proof. Radosh contents himself with stat A line giving the number of small popu Rath Packing is one example. Instead of ing that "this writer thinks it is Mr. lation states in Jim Chapin's and Jack condemning worker ownership as a "cap Boggs . who misinterprets Gramsci." Clark's article was incorrect. It should talist fable", progressives should be in the That is scarcely enough. have read: "Republicans hold 20 of the forefront of the movement, accenting its Carl Boggs in his numerous writings 30 seats from small population states ...." Michael Harrington DEMOCRATIC LEFT is published ten times a year Editor (monthly except July and August) by the Dem DEMOCRATIC ocratic Socialist Organizing Committee, 853 Formerly the Maxine Phillips Broadway, Suite 801, New York. N.Y. 10003. Newsletter of the Ma11agi11g Editor Telephone: (212) 260-3270 Subscriprt n.s Sl5 LEFf Democratic Left sustaining and institutional, $8 regulu Signed Jim Chapin articles express the opinions of the l;.ithors. Natio11.i/ Director ISSN 0164-3207. Second Class Permit Paid at ~ev.· Yorx, N .Y. 2 DEMOCRATIC LEFT Jan. 1981 dent Jean-Jacques Honorat, expelled changes designed to reduce the influence from his homeland only a few days be of human rights advocates and 'social re fore, came directly to the conference to formers' in the administration concerned inform socialists from all over the world with Latin America. I sincerely hope that about the intensification of repression in this is not true. " Haiti. Representatives from Nicaragua were on hand to receive congratulations New Economic Order on their victorious struggle (one knocks Dramatic as Palme's example was, on wood). And on a more somber note, it did not exhaust the Eurosocialists' elab exiles from El Salvador reminded Ameri oration of the radical meaning of solidar cans of our responsibilities to deal with ity. All the major speakers addressed the the slaughter we have paid for. necessity of creating a new international The conference's most dramatic mo economic order, without which neither ment came when former prime minister democracy nor peace is possible. As of Sweden Olof Palme departed from his Socialist International President Willy prepared speech on economic democracy Brandt outlined the steps necessary to to tell of Enrique Alvarez, a businessman make that new order more than a slogan, from El Salvador who had met with him it became clear that the problem is al in Sweden only a few months ago as part most unimaginably severe, the needed so of a delegation.