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Letters may have been turned to using anti-Semitism when the I accept that the Bolshevik failure or if the ruling class in the west had when the Russian Revolution had shortened because of first line of attack proved ridiculous. to develop socialism was based on a believed, that the working class was not yet happened? Henry Ford must space. Some names The second point I would make is failure of the market system and their already ideologically committed to then have had a crystal ball too, as a  may have been changed that Mann’s own position on Israel/ trust in a belief that they could through such an overthrow rather than, as was pioneer of welfare capitalism, when Palestine in the days when he was a bold leaps bypass the obstacles of the case, and as the ruling class actually he introduced the $5-a-day in 1914 - a False premise witch-finder general inside the National social and economic development and knew was the case, that workers in full three years ahead of the Russian Speaking as a Jew (to use a turn of Organisation of Labour Students was I’m sure Phil is sufficiently well-versed those countries had no such ideological Revolution. But, in fact, Ford was phrase that David Aaronovitch, David the exact opposite of his present one. in Marxism to understand that “new, commitment and were solidly wedded rather late in the day, because, as with Hirsh and other Blairite/Likudniks The supporters of Militant held to a higher relations of production never to social democracy. Indeed, had the the policies of Bismarck in Germany, regard as beyond the pale, when used version of the two-state solution (in appear before the material conditions workers in the west been ideologically welfare capitalism had started to be by anybody with a Jewish background their case two socialist states) and did of their existence have been matured committed to an overthrow of the implemented by US capitalists as early who does not share their adulation of not give unconditional support to the in the womb of the old society”. capitalist class, no amount of social as the 1880s, much as Engels also Netanyahu), I have to take issue with Palestine Liberation Organisation, Those material conditions in Russia democratic concessions could have describes the adoption of such policies some recent articles in the Weekly whilst the youthful Mann was a one- in 1917 could not accommodate the bought them off. in Britain, in his later Prefaces to The Worker. stater (opposed to the existence of the establishment of socialism. Lenin, The only other sense in which condition of the working class. The decision to prevent Rhea state of Israel) and gave unconditional therefore, moved the goalposts, Sean’s argument here could make any At the time Russia was embroiled Wolfson standing for the Labour support to the PLO in the days before changing the Marxian objective to suit sense would be if the actual disparity in civil war and starving workers were Party’s national executive committee it adopted a two-state perspective. He the realities existing in Russia at the between the living standards in the returning to their villages in search of would suggest that the interpretation accused the Militants of not being in time. Capital development through USSR and in the west were not that food, US workers were enjoying the of the recent furore about alleged anti- favour of Palestinian rights - slandering state monopoly was the only option great and were diminishing, or if start of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and Semitism within the Labour Party them in a diametrically opposite way to open to the Bolsheviks, but it led to a the propaganda put out by Stalinism hugely rising living standards. By being advanced by Tony Greenstein his current defamation of Corbynites political dishonesty that had serious about living standards and conditions the mid to late 1930s, workers in the and others in recent issues of the Weekly as anti-Semites. In short Mann is an consequences for the worldwide in the USSR was actually believed by Midlands and south-east of Britain Worker rests on a totally mistaken opportunist who cares not two hoots working class. workers in the west. But neither was the were being employed in new, high premise: namely the alleged dominant about Israel/Palestine, but just uses the I have to bow to Phil’s superior case! Even if we discount the phoney paid jobs in car production and in the and initiating role of a pro-Israel lobby issue for witch-hunting, from whatever scholarship, for I have read neither statistics put out by the Stalinists about production of new electronic consumer in this series of events. angle is politically convenient. Tony Smith nor Kevin Hudis, and Soviet economic performance, there is goods and petro-chemicals industries, It strikes me that this utterly absurd Lastly, once we see everything in only some extracts of Bukharin’s and no doubt that economic growth in the which formed the basis of the new decision to refuse a nomination to a a British perspective, as primarily an Preobrazhensky’s works, such as the USSR in the 1930s was impressive. boom after the war. Jewish potential candidate, indeed the aspect of the factional struggle within ABC of communism, which reads in It is what enabled the USSR, after it None of that was due to concessions only Jewish potential candidate, for the Labour Party, it is sensible to take one part: was attacked by Nazi Germany, to win to western workers out of fear that they election to the NEC on the grounds a pragmatic position and on occasions “The communist method of the war in Europe more or less single- might be attracted to the Soviet prison of the alleged anti-Semitism of when somebody in an important production presupposes in addition handedly. The continued strength of camp! What it was due to is what Momentum as an organisation reveals position says or does something which that production is not for the market, that economic growth after the war Marx had explained. Modern industrial quite clearly that the prime movers is damaging to the left in the party, as but for use. Under communism, it is no and the failure of the claims of people capital is based upon the extraction of are the Blairites - in this instance the well as being stupid in itself, it is not our longer the individual manufacturer or like Hayek and Mises about the relative surplus value, by continual ultra-Blairite and totally disastrous job to defend them unconditionally in the individual peasant who produces; impossibility of planning certainly did rapid improvements in technology that former leader of Scottish Labour, the way we might defend an ordinary the work of production is effected by worry western capital. sharply raises productivity, and thereby Jim Murphy, who persuaded Rhea’s member who suddenly finds themselves the gigantic cooperative as a whole. However, that is a far cry from any reduces the value of variable and Constituency Labour Party to withhold under attack for a comment they made In consequence of this change, we of that being of any benefit for Soviet constant capital, which enables both a the nomination - without which she on Facebook years before. I refer, of no longer have commodities, but workers. Even setting aside the fictions rise in the rate of surplus value, and of was not entitled to stand for the NEC, course, to the idiocy of Ken Livingstone. only products. These products are not about Stakhanovite workers, the deaths the annual rate of profit, and along with no matter how many other CLPs or Anybody who leads the general public exchanged one for another; they are of millions of Soviet peasants, and the it a rise in the accumulation of capital. affiliated organisations nominated her. to believe that he thinks Hitler was quite neither bought nor sold. They are simply fact that the primary accumulation of This makes possible, and indeed Given that Rhea, although ever a reasonable bloke “before he went stored in the communal warehouses, Soviet capital was also achieved on necessary, a rise in workers’ living critical of Israeli policy towards mad” - and then, instead of shutting and are subsequently delivered to those the backs of a squeeze on workers’ standards alongside a rise in profits. It is Palestinians in the West Bank and up or apologising, gives four or five who need them. wages, hardly indicated any pass- the material basis of social democracy. elsewhere, was certainly not an absolute successive media interviews within a “In such conditions, money will on of the benefits of that economic Arthur Bough anti-Zionist, had been an officer of a day, digging a deeper and deeper hole no longer be required. Communist growth for workers that might have email Jewish society at her university and, not just for himself, but for the entire society will know nothing of money. been attractive to western workers. By apparently, had the support of the so- left - deserves to be suspended. He Every worker will produce goods for the time the Russian tanks rolled into Called it wrong called Jewish Labour Movement (the damaged Naz Shah’s chances of speedy the general welfare. He will not receive Hungary in 1956, it was apparent to I respond to Peter Manson’s article, group formerly known as Poale Zion) readmission, he damaged Jeremy any certificate to the effect that he has all workers that things were not rosy in where he reports on the historic debate for her candidacy, it seems beyond Corbyn and he damaged Labour’s delivered the product to society - he the workers’ paradise, and even many at the Public and Commercial Services credibility that any pro-Israeli lobbyist mayoral campaign in its last week. If will receive no money, that is to say. In Stalinists in the west had to face up to union conference in May concerning anxious to discredit the Labour Party that was not bringing the party into like manner, he will pay no money to that fact too, let alone the majority of whether PCS should affiliate to the - or, to be precise, its left wing - by disrepute, I don’t know what is. society when he receives whatever he western workers, who had never been Labour Party (‘Edging towards an instrumental use of allegations of Moreover, he has a certain amount requires from the common store.” that brainwashed. affiliation’, June 2). anti-Semitism would have come up of form on this issue, unrelated to And their time-scale was not of If western workers had any doubt Firstly, it isn’t right to say the right with this one (indeed this could have Israel/Palestine. I refer to the celebrated hundreds of years, but “perhaps for 20 about it, they only had to look at the have been in control of PCS for most been very counterproductive if the incident with the Jewish Evening or 30 years it will be necessary to have huge numbers of workers trying to of its existence. The left finally defeated intention was to tar the Labour left, Standard journalist and the equally various regulations. Maybe certain get out of East Germany into a still the right in the Civil and Public Services as opposed to Labour’s Blairite right, famous occasion when he suggested products will only be supplied to those shattered and occupied West Germany, Association in 1987, taking over the with allegations of anti-Semitism, that London’s Jews had all become persons who have a special entry in and the fact that the East German national executive committee, but it since it would not have surprised me wealthy and voted Tory - a rather over- their work-book or on their work- Stalinists had to build a wall to keep was stuck with Barry Reamsbottom as if some Jewish member of the party simplified picture, and one that many card. Subsequently, when communist them in. Why would anyone in their general secretary until legal action and had construed Murphy’s actions as would interpret as being anti-Semitic. society has been consolidated and fully right mind think that western capitalists a settlement eventually got rid of him. anti-Semitic and complained to the Toby Abse developed, no such regulations will be would even think that western workers I disagree you can reduce the debate compliance unit about his disgusting email needed.” might be attracted to such a hell hole to just the positions of the political conduct). I accept that various pro- So, I agree, the last word is not with and so have to be bought off from it? groups only. Most delegates are not Israel lobbyists would have been Stalinist Marx. But Sean also fails to deal with the in any faction or party. It is true that happy to lend a hand to the Blairites Phil Sharpe’s reply is much appreciated Phil wrote: “Alan Johnstone is not a other aspects of my response to Mike the national executive is under the in this systematic campaign against (Letters, June 2). In these days of a Stalinist.” Well, Phil, I might well be a Macnair in regard to the idea that the dominating influence of the Socialist Jeremy Corbyn and his followers, but resurgence of sorts in the popularity of Stalinist, for he once explained: social democratic measures of a welfare Party in England and Wales, but there I really don’t think the whole thing was socialism, what it is we are striving and “Future society will be socialist state, etc, were only introduced as are some differences between the instigated in the Israeli embassy or by struggling towards makes debate and society. This means also that, with the concessions, wrung out of it, and out of SPEW elements on the NEC and PCS the World Zionist Congress and I fear discussion of the essence. abolition of exploitation, commodity fear that workers might be tempted by general secretary Mark Serwotka, that those who suggest this are making We could get into a deeper argument production and buying and selling will the Soviet prison camp. If that were the which explains the nuances in the things worse for us by pushing some on the Constituent Assembly, but, also be abolished and, therefore, there case, then why is it that Marx describes conference debate that Peter did not Labour and non-Labour leftists who suffice to say, my view is that the will be no room for buyers and sellers the actions of a regulating capitalist always pick up. I was there and was one are angry about the onslaught against Bolshevik reasons for not recognising of labour-power - the main purpose state in the 19th century introducing of the main speakers in that debate. I’m the Corbynites towards some version it lay simply in a power-play, as they of production in the future will be to factory legislation? As Marx says in in no party or faction, but am a socialist of the ‘world Jewish conspiracy’ thesis, possessed a strong presence within satisfy the needs of society and not that regard, “Factory legislation … independent. even if that is clearly not their intention. the crucial urban soviets. But the to produce goods for sale in order to is, as we have seen, just as much the It is not fair to categorise the Comrades whose own politics repudiation of the CA vote was not to increase the profits of the capitalists ... necessary product of modern industry considerable opposition as “from the revolve around Israel/Palestine rather protect the sovereignty of the soviets, there will be no room for commodity as cotton yarn, self-actors and the right” and of “anti-politics”, as Peter than the Labour Party appear to as both the Bolsheviks and their production, struggle for profits, etc.” electric telegraph” (Capital Vol 1, did. There was a bit of that, yes, but downplay the foul role of the Blairite, opposition shared the same goal: to Alan Johnstone chapter 15). the main opposition was delegates John Mann, in this. Firstly, we should substitute state and party power over SPGB And, as I pointed out, measures of recalling that Labour did us no favours note that anti-Semitism was only the them. social insurance were introduced in when, as is the case for civil servants, second issue that Mann raised in his Socialism (or communism - as the Material basis Prussia by private capitalists around the the government is our employer and attack on Corbyn - the first slander Socialist Party of Great Britain agree Sean Thurlough’s argument fails on middle of the 19th century, and formed that meant we’ve experienced Labour was the suggestion that Corbyn was with Hillel Ticktin that, in Marxist every level (Letters, June 2). He doesn’t the basis of Bismarck’s proposals for as our employer. Many delegates well somehow involved in the cover-up usage, the words are synonyms) has explain why he thinks that the fact of national insurance. Churchill introduced recall that Labour did us no favours of paedophile activity in Islington always been treated by many as a far- the expropriation of the capitalist class the minimum wage in Britain in 1909, from 1997 to 2010. Their treatment of children’s homes decades ago, when off objective - 500 years in the future, in the USSR “is enough to explain, and the proposals for a state pension us was so bad, PCS activists who are in Margaret Hodge was in charge of according to one Lenin quote. Perhaps at least partly, the concessions made were being drawn up around the same the Labour Party did not dare, in all that Islington council, and, as far as I can that is our weakness - by not making to the working class in the western time. How can all these measures be time, to raise the issue of affiliation! remember, Jeremy was a councillor it an immediacy, something to be imperialist centres while the USSR explained as being due to fear about Only after Corbyn won the contest to be in another borough - Haringey. Mann achieved now. stood”. It is only enough if you believe, workers being attracted to the USSR, leader and addressed packed meetings BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07704 903382 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected] weekly 3 worker 1110 June 9 2016

across the country did they decide this earthquake changing everything” by whole army of concepts to deal with the was the time to raise affiliation. saying one thing hasn’t changed. That reality. To me, Labour Party members is the appalling behaviour of the major Maren Clarke CPGB podcasts Every Monday we upload a podcast commenting on the current who stayed in under Blair, Brown unions affiliated to Labour and their email political situation. In addition, the site features voice files of public and Miliband and are now presenting total lack of national action against meetings and other events: http://cpgb.org.uk/home/podcasts. themselves as Corbynistas who argue austerity, their lack of opposing job cuts Trust Cameron for affiliation have no credibility. They made by Labour councils, their selling I don’t think Paul Demarty’s article London Communist Forum urged a Labour vote, no matter what the out of the 2011 pension strike and the achieves anything at all (‘Stop treating Sunday June 12, 5pm: Weekly political report from CPGB Provisional policies and who is leader. I am more fact, post-Corbyn, that Unison recently people like idiots’, June 2). It advocates Central Committee, followed by open discussion and reading group. influenced by Matt Wrack of the Fire consulted members who said they were spoiling the ballot paper in the European Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. Study of Ralph Brigades Union and Mark Serwotka up for striking over local government Union referendum - what a totally Miliband’s Parliamentary socialism. This meeting: chapter 6 (‘The (and made this point at the Momentum pay, but just went ahead and agreed a useless and irrelevant suggestion, price of respectability’), section 1: ‘Tentative, doctrineless socialism’. fringe meeting), who left Labour but two-year deal of 1% (that meant GMB propagated by a revolutionary hack Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk; now rejoin because they think it is would not now take action and Unite who thinks that such stupidity will Labour Party Marxists: www.labourpartymarxists.org.uk. getting back to socialist ideas. They also dropped out despite TUC policy bring down capitalism and usher in the Radical Anthropology Group have credibility because they stuck being united action over pay). Brave New World of socialism. Tuesday June 14, 6.45pm: Introduction to social and biological to principles rather than auto-Labour I mentioned we need to be cautious, There are two aspects to big anthropology, Daryll Forde seminar room, Anthropology Building, 14 loyalty. as we could not be in a position where decisions - the rational (intelligent) Taviton Street, off Gordon Square, London WC1. ‘Falstaff: lunarchy in Labour cut 100,000 civil service Labour backtrack on all their promises and the irrational (emotional). Emotion the kingdom of England’. Speaker: Camilla Power. jobs, brought in various privatisations to us, and then be faced with an clouds reason and so the irrational Organised by Radical Anthropology Group: radicalanthropologygroup.org. and private finance initiative building expectation we urge our members to approach is not recommended. The schemes. Labour ensured that Inland vote Labour in 2020. I also said that intelligent approach to this issue is to Peace in the Park Revenue staff did not seriously pursue once we are in Labour the biggest admit that we are all totally ignorant Saturday June 11, 12 noon to 8pm: Annual outdoor summer event of corporate tax dodgers and appointed unions will tell Mark to shut up, to stop of whether it is better to remain in or art, music and celebration for peace and justice. Ponderosa Park, Oxford private sector pro-business heads to rocking the boat and to just deliver a get out and to go with those most likely Street, Sheffield S6. most departments. It was Labour that Labour vote. We have more influence to know what is best based on their Organised by Peace in the Park: www.peaceinthepark.org.uk. wanted us to take on board private- outside the Labour Party and more current appreciation of the situation. Democracy and the European Union sector practices and move towards freedom to reach and advocate our That is Cameron and Osborne. Saturday June 11, 12.45pm to 5pm: Public meeting, room LR120, being described as a business rather policies. I asked, would we have even It is intelligent to prefer to be treated London South Bank University, London Road, London SE1. The crisis than a public service. In my own called for the united action of 2011 if by a qualified doctor rather than an of the EU; Democratic lessons from Greece; European democracy; department - the ministry of justice PCS had been affiliated to the Labour unqualified quack. It is intelligent to Debating the referendum. (court service) - Labour brought in Party? prefer to be taught by a qualified teacher Organised by South Bank UCU: www.ucu.org.uk. regional pay. Many long-serving activists are sick rather than an unqualified teaching Beyond caring Labour did not bring back national and tired of united action proposed by assistant. Gove, Duncan-Smith, New play collective pay bargaining, abolished PCS being carried at TUC congresses Grayling, Patel, and Johnson are not Birmingham: Wednesday June 8 to Saturday June 11, various times: by the Tories to force departments to but not delivered, leaving PCS on its qualified to give informed comment. Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Centenary Square, Broad Street, negotiate their own pay settlements, own. We want to see whether Corbyn Farage is a boorish MEP who has Birmingham B1. Book online: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/event/ which soon led to huge disparities in does change Labour. Points were little or no credibility in the European beyond-caring. £20. pay rates now between civil servants made that PCS should be on the inside parliament. Cameron and Osborne are Sheffield: Wednesday July 6 to Saturday July 9, various times: of different departments. Labour helping Jeremy, but many feel that is dealing with the issues on a day-to-day Theatre Delicatessen, 17 The Moor, Sheffield S1. Book online: http:// maintained pay restraint throughout fostering illusions in Labour, given the basis and are the only ones qualified to theatredelicatessen.co.uk/js_events/beyond-caring. £20. their whole period in office as backtracking Corbyn and McDonnell give a rational decision. Also, they have How the lives of people working on zero-hour contracts are affected. our employer. No wonder there is have already done. their own and their party’s long-term considerable resistance to the idea of Mark genuinely feels we have to electoral prospects to consider. If they No Nazis here affiliating to Labour. win members over, as I’d spoken to really believed that we were better out Saturday June 11, 1.30pm: Counterdemo opposing rally by Bishop On our industrial campaigns, time him the night before the conference than in, then why would they lie? Auckland Against Islam. Assemble town hall, Market Place, Bishop and time again PCS sought and got TUC debate, so you are misrepresenting Michael Ellison Auckland, County Durham DL14. policies of united action over pensions, him as simply referring to winning email Organised by Unite Against Fascism North East: then pay (‘Britain needs a pay rise’) and conference over. It was the same with www.facebook.com/events/216758782028764. anti-austerity - cuts to public services. our political fund being used to support Fenland Labour Labour and proportional representation What did we see? On November 30 anti-cuts candidates (actually never The North East Cambridgeshire Tuesday June 14, 7pm: Meeting, St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation 2011 we saw stated unity to fight the implemented). It took three years to constituency, more commonly known Road, Middlesbrough TS1. attacks on public-sector pensions when get conference to that point and another as Fenland, is a typical Tory shire with Organised by Momentum Teesside: the government wanted public servants year to ballot members. PCS won that its four market towns. Labour has an www.facebook.com/events/236405523391457. to pay more and work longer for a ballot and still hasn’t backed any anti- uphill struggle. In the 2015 general Social justice in old age smaller pension. I saw non-members cuts candidates. Mark is cautious and election Fenland Tory MP Stephen Tuesday June 14, 2pm: National pensioners conference, Winter virtually queuing to be part of the united knows he cannot just win delegates Barclay, now a junior whip, increased Gardens, 97 Church Street, Blackpool. Opening rally with John day of action that day. What a day it was. over and plough on. his vote by 3,500 to 28,500. Ukip came McDonnell. In Manchester, on the city-centre march I think Peter has called this wrong second with 14,000 votes, with Labour Organised by National Pensioners Convention: http://npcuk.org. after the morning’s picketing, was the and overstated the influence of on 7,500 and the Lib Dems and Greens first appearance of my PCS samba band, SPEW/SWP and dismissed the bitter on 2,500 and 1,850 respectively. Stop the witch-hunt to a great reception from all the trade experience of PCS activists having However, since Jeremy Corbyn Suspended Jewish Labour Party activist Tony Greenstein speaks out unions out in unity - 2.4 million workers Labour as their employer as being became leader last September, Manchester: Wednesday June 15, 7pm: in the biggest strike since 1926. This “anti-politics”. My contribution to that membership of Fenland Labour Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2. proved workers will take united action historic debate spoke for most activists Party has doubled to more than 300. Organised by Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign: if it is called. there. There were few SPEW/SWP Attendance at constituency meetings www.psc-manchester.org.uk. Then what happened? Within days, speakers. has increased from around seven Leeds: Thursday June 16, 7.30pm: the Labour-affiliated unions all came Dave Vincent to around 20. The secretary and Civil Hall, Millennium Square, Leeds LS2. to pathetic settlements, despite the email chairwoman are both members of Organised by Leeds Palestine Solidarity Campaign: www.leedspsc.org.uk. original unity being on the basis of Momentum. A recent CLP meeting Oppose the suspensions over false accusations of ‘anti-Semitism’. ‘no-one settles until we all settle’. They Time and space voted to send a delegate to national Imperialism centenary allowed the government to isolate the Tony Clarke’s attack on Marx’s labour conference, the first for several years, Thursday June 16, 7pm: Lecture, Marx Memorial Library, 37A PCS - the union that had argued for theory of value is absurd (Letters, by a margin of 13 to 7, in the face of Clerkenwell Green, London, EC1. Speaker: Andrew Murray, marking unity in the first place! Since then, there June 2). The idea that time is a human opposition from the old guard. 100 years since Lenin wrote Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism. has been no united action over pay or construct and therefore is a pure Fenland Labour Party has started Organised by Marx Memorial Library: www.marxlibrary.org.uk cuts. We see Labour-affiliated unions abstraction with no real meaning is false. conducting work on the streets and now refusing to call national action in The concept of time was developed by holds regular social events. The party Convoy to Calais Friday June 17, 6pm: Rally, Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, defence of the NHS, leaving the street humans looking at real problems and also has a new, growing youth section. London SW1 protests to defend the NHS to local real phenomena. Saying time is not real Since 2004, 11,000 migrant Saturday June 18, 9.30am: Vehicles depart, Whitehall, London SW1. groups to organise. We see Labour- is like saying space is not real. When workers, mainly from eastern Europe, Organised by Convoy to Calais: http://convoytocalais.org. affiliated unions refuse to fight job cuts we walk through air from one place to have come to Fenland to work in the imposed by Labour councils. another, humans have given that the food processing factories. Wisbech, Remain, leave or boycott Peter reports some of the name of space. It is used by humans March and District Trades Council is Saturday June 18, 2pm: Meeting, Liverpool Central Library, William contributions to the conference debate, to describe that seemingly empty void working with the Eastern Region TUC Brown Street, Liverpool L3. How should socialists vote? Speakers: but missed mentioning the softening until we bump into something made of and the Portuguese and Polish TUCs to James Heartfield (‘leave’); Sandy McBurney (‘remain’); Jack Conrad up of Jeremy Corbyn, addressing PCS matter, like a door. promote trade union membership. (boycott). conference before that debate (and To deny time is to deny space. Many migrants are employed Organised by supporters of Critique journal: [email protected]. John McDonnell, who we always have When a human accountant depreciates via four big employment agencies. No to Immigration Act anyway, but this time he is shadow a machine over 10 years, this is not The demand for agency workers to Saturday June 25, 12 noon: Protest march. Assemble top of Stanhope chancellor). Jeremy made a number of some abstraction without existence - be directly employed on permanent Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4. March to Grey’s Monument, pledges that got applause - especially the machine really does wear out over contracts is essential. For those migrants Newcastle NE1 for rally. restoring national pay bargaining - but its lifetime. So a machine depreciates, already on permanent contracts there Organised by Migration and Asylum Justice Forum: pardon us for remaining cautious. transfers its value to the product and is high trade union membership, www.facebook.com/migrationandjustice. Peter totally missed my contribution eventually needs replacing. These especially amongst young workers to the debate, so I’ll report it myself. I things actually happen in real life. from Poland and Lithuania. End the arms trade was against A36 - Mark’s motion on In fact, the only place machines last The trade unions are growing, Thursday July 7, 6.30pm: Public meeting, small meeting room, ‘look into affiliation and report back forever is in the abstract minds of gods. but this is from a low base, with very Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London NW1. to 2017 conference for a decision’, for Producing 200 widgets takes less little membership amongst local Organised by Campaign Against the Arms Trade: www.caat.org.uk A37 (non-affiliation), and against A38 time than producing 300 widgets. This young people. The intervention of CPGB wills (immediate affiliation). I countered is not some abstraction. Whether the Marxists will be crucial in rebuilding Remember the CPGB and keep the struggle going. Put our party’s name Mark Serwotka’s points about “too grand lord of the universe believes membership in Fenland. and address, together with the amount you wish to leave, in your will. If big an opportunity to miss” and in time or not is irrelevant - humans John Smithee you need further help, do not hesitate to contact us. “Corbyn’s election being a political have to live in it and therefore have a Cambridgeshire 4 weekly June 9 2016 1110 worker OBITUARY

AOnce considered threat a dangerous radical and traitor, Muhammad laid Ali died an establishment low hero. Paul Demarty wonders what this says about our era he most striking thing about Muhammad Ali’s death is the scale Tof the mourning. There are several different levels of popular grief appropriate to the current epoch. There is, first of all, the passing of somebody famous among only a small niche of persons - a tireless scientist whose works are known only to other scientists; the little-known musician or artist; that kind of thing. If you want to see public grieving, you will have to go look for it - albeit, in the age of the internet, not terribly hard. There may be an obituary or two forthcoming in the press. There is, next, the death of a significant, newsworthy figure, for whom there is no great affection in the public mind - nor any interest among media bosses to cultivate a revisionist view of them. There will be retrospectives and the like, but no great outpouring of feeling. Then there are legitimately controversial figures - Margaret Thatcher, say - whose deaths will be mourned as intensely by some as they are celebrated by others. There are, finally, moments like the death of Lady Diana Spencer: grand, bizarre floods of hysterical grief. Ali’s death places him closer to Lady Di than Mrs T - which, given his biography, presents us with an interesting view of the last half- Saluted by president Bill Clinton century. Had he died 40 years ago, things would have been very different representative later on - the Nation ambassadorial role in Iraq (circa choice: keep his head down and be a to come about; but here we are. Anti- indeed. It was certainly not his of Islam. As his stature in the sport 1991) and Afghanistan, in evident successful boxer, hoping quietly that racism is no longer, in America and sporting achievements since that time grew, it came his turn for a shot at contradiction to his earlier years. others would win the political battle; Britain, a struggle against the state, but that made the difference; nor was it the the world title, his opponent Sonny Today’s bourgeoisie likes Ali better or use his talent and fame to protest a struggle of the state against others ‘human interest’ angle - the tragedy of Liston (the fight was almost called off, as a disciple of Malcolm X and Elijah the injustice, at great personal cost. Ali (sometimes, admittedly, of more his slow succumbing to Parkinson’s as rumours spread that he had joined Muhammad than as a supporter of would not have done a ‘proper’ tour central organs of the state against more disease. It was not Ali that changed, NOI); Clay triumphed despite being Ronnie Reagan. of duty in ’Nam, any more than Elvis peripheral ones). but the world around him: the United briefly blinded under circumstances In part, this is because his boxing served as a ‘regular soldier’ in the late Those members of official society States, and the rest of the imperialist controversial to this day. Shortly after, genius was not so very separable 1950s. He gained nothing by refusing wilting in anodyne admiration of world, and its fraught relationship to he announced his affiliation with from his political obstreperousness. the ‘call to duty’ - except authority Muhammad Ali today have no right to race. the NOI - a boxer who already had a Sun Tzu famously advised generals as a man of principle, at a time when do so, because they advocate policies Perhaps the bellwether is the richly deserved reputation for cocky to win the battle before it is even principles were much needed. today that are now as common-sensical question of whether, as he never outspokenness became a high-profile joined; that was certainly Ali’s style. Today, things are somewhat as keeping up roads, when in former failed to assert, Ali was “the greatest” political dissident. He taunted opponents as catspaws different. The official racism of the Jim times - when Ali threw away his career boxer, or even heavyweight boxer, of Ultimately, this would rob him of the white man and the opponents Crow south, and the official toleration and courted the disgraceful attacks of all time. The idea is not so much false of his title - and ‘rob’ is the only found themselves a little too angry; of racism of the contemporary the establishment - they were thought as meaningless - sports change over appropriate word - when he refused Ali danced, and then pounced on American north, is gone. Anti-racism tantamount to revolution. For that time, and boxing is no exception, and to serve in Vietnam (“No Viet them. The excellent documentary has ‘won’, in the sense not that racism reason - along with his extraordinary it would be an odd thing to imagine Cong never called me nigger,” he film When we were kings, about the has disappeared, but that anti-racism talent - we salute him l Ali at any given point in history famously quipped). But, as the war Foreman fight, brings out this side has exclusive claim to moral authority defeating all-comers easily. He was lost support, so Ali gained it; the of Ali’s strategy very well; in Africa, over it. Many Alis had to suffer for this [email protected] certainly a transformative figure in supreme court found in his favour of course, Ali had ample opportunity heavyweight boxing: his legendary in 1971, and he was back to boxing. to seize the initiative on the political agility and athleticism, the cobra A defeat to Joe Frazier in 1972, by front, at a time when national reflexes and all that. unanimous decision, surprised many liberation struggles were still ongoing, Fighting fund Yet we could imagine a lot of - Ali had been out of things for four despite the suffocating dictatorship of obituarising on the theme of ‘what long years, and was now older, and Mobutu in Zaire itself. might have been’, had Ali not slower. But he turned him over in a The more profound limitation of squandered his best years to mere later rematch, setting up a title bout the coverage of Ali’s death is that Refreshing politics ... That is certainly not the line in Zaire (the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’) his life becomes a purely individual ccording to comrade ME, the so thank you, DV, SM, GD, RK, being taken at large in the reaction against the tough, hard-punching business. There was, once upon a time, AWeekly Worker “refreshes the CG, RK, DG, SM, AC and SD! to his death. We are all prepared to George Foreman, which he won - as a man called Cassius Clay, and later parts other left publications can’t Finally, there were two PayPal believe, for a time at least, that he was with Liston 10 years earlier, against Muhammad Ali; in that time, there reach” (don’t ask me which parts donations, for £20 and £5 - both the greatest and will never be topped. all expectations. He continued to was a lot of Bad Racism. Fortunately, they are). In fact he obviously feels from comrade NW, who is very Born in 1942, the young Cassius fight - and to mostly win, losing and Clay-Ali was a Hero, and stood firm so refreshed himself that he added adept at clicking on that button on Clay came of age at the fag end of recapturing the heavyweight title against the Bad Racism. He suffered an extra £15 to his subscription! our website. He was one of 2,877 the Jim Crow era in the American once more - until his final retirement for his stance, unjustly; but, being a Well, whatever effects this online readers last week. upper South, in Louisville, Kentucky. in the early 1980s, by which time Hero, overcame it, and triumphed in paper produces on our readers, Anyway, our June total now At 12, he discovered boxing, after the first Parkinson’s symptoms were 1974. Since then, we have all learned a I’m pleased that one of them is stands at £599 - not bad for just meeting police officer and trainer Joe already present. few things, and racism is no longer the to offer a donation. We need to over a week, you may think, but Martin, when his bicycle was stolen; issue that it was. They all lived happily raise £1,750 every month to cover don’t forget that by far the biggest Martin encouraged him to learn Omission ever after. our costs, and this week ME’s number of standing orders land boxing, and Ali later recalled being This is the biography you have heard In truth, while Ali did display increased cheque was part of the in our account on the first of the intoxicated by the very smell of the many times over the last week. It is admirable courage in the mid-to-late £385 received for our fighting month, which tends to create the boxing gym. He rapidly displayed an pretty much accurate, but, as with 60s, he was not alone. Ali’s story on fund. Another cheque - for £50, illusion that we are doing better exceptional talent for fighting, and all officially-sanctioned potted life this point is not so much one of great this time all of it for the fund - than is actually the case. in 1960 won Olympic gold in the histories, it is remarkable for what it individual genius (unlike his boxing came from KC, who didn’t bother Will you help to bring reality light-heavyweight division at the age leaves out - while we might naively career): he was pulled along with a writing a note. But his generosity into line with the illusion? l of 18. He then turned professional, expect that it would be the 60s great and historic movement, and, speaks for itself. Robbie Rix winning bout after bout in what radicalism that was brushed over in if he ended up in one of the fishier In addition to those cheques would ultimately be a streak of 31 favour of a full treatment of Ali’s corners of that movement as an NOI we received a total of £185 in the Fill in a standing order form undefeated matches. sporting genius, the radicalism is spokesman, so be it. shape of standing orders and bank (back page), donate via our At the same time, he discovered covered in full. If anything, what Growing up in a society that was transfers. There were 10 of those, website, or send cheques, the organisation of which he is omitted is Ali’s later support for overtly and repugnantly racist, at the for sums ranging from £10 to £30, payable to Weekly Worker would become the most prominent Reagan, his willingness to play an wrong end of the racism, he had a weekly 5 worker 1110 June 9 2016 LAW Theresa May delights drug dealers The ban on legal highs results from a moral panic with potentially fatal consequences, warns Eddie Ford particularly foolish and vulnerable in society - to turn from of the media scare in the 1960s irresponsible piece of legislation head shops to street dealers and the about ‘purple hearts’. This was a Acame into force on May 26: the criminal underworld. In other words, combination of amphetamine and Psychoactive Substances Act, which legal highs will just become street barbiturate, first introduced in 1950 bans legal highs. This was originally drugs - with all that implies. Dealers, and originally marketed as an anti- meant to become law on April 6, but it almost goes without saying, will depressant medication and also as a was delayed due to concerns about exercise even less quality control diet drug. Along with French Blues the law’s enforceability - or even than head shops - who want people and Black Bombers, purple hearts basic rationality. What indeed is its to come back to their shop and buy (actually triangular blue tablets) were justification or logic? more products, not die in a gutter. associated with ‘tired housewives’ Previously, exploiting a legal More importantly still, when the and the Mod scene, as seen in the loophole, clever chemists in back- drugs were legally purchased from film Quadrophenia, where the main street or ‘grey market’ laboratories a shop, the ingredients were printed character takes purple hearts at a party were able produce legal versions of on the back of the packet - so at least and then appears to suffer a psychotic popular drugs like cannabis, magic the paramedics or doctors knew what episode. After a media campaign mushrooms, ketamine, ecstasy, etc. someone had taken if they collapsed, about the evils of drugs, unauthorised They did this by altering the chemical substantially increasing their chances possession (or non-medical use) of signature of these substances, so that of recovery. amphetamines was banned in 1964. they were different to the ‘real thing’: But, thanks to the Psychoactive Talking of the 1960s, heroin was cannabis, yet not cannabis. Going by Substances Act, everything is now regularly prescribed by doctors for names such as Annihilation, Insane, completely unregulated - you could common ailments, such as coughs, Clockwork Orange and Black Mamba be taking anything. As sure as night colds and diarrhoea, as well as (but often referred to generically as follows day, organised criminals will simply as a pain killer - sometimes ‘spice’), these novel psychoactive move in to take over the lucrative new in large amounts. In fact it was such substances (NPSs) were sold in ‘head market created by the government - a popular medicine, or drug, that shops’ and, of course, the internet - not hesitating to adulterate the drugs The Times on June 14 1955 ran a some of which could be bought for as if that means they get a mark-up on leader column entitled, “The case little as £10 per 1g packet. Needless to their competitors. Making a killing is for heroin” - something that would say, the head shops did a roaring trade all that matters, not the health or well- now be unthinkable for a mainstream - as shown by the fact that in 2013, being of the users. Indeed, many street newspaper.4 The editorial noted legal highs had been tried at least dealers want to get you onto heroin that there were only 317 addicts to once by 670,000 15-to-24-year-olds and crack, as they are more addictive “manufactured” drugs in the whole in Britain. A lot of these drugs were - hence repeat customers and a higher of Britain, of which just 15% were extremely potent - it being claimed turnover (on average). If there are dependent on heroin - making a that some synthesised cannabinoids more drugs-related deaths thanks to “national total of 47.5 heroin addicts”. were 100 times more powerful than the ban, so what? Users in Manchester, By contrast, the editorial pointed out, traditional strains, even described as for example, have reported that less heroin addiction in the US - where it being “worse than heroin”. At least you had an idea of what you were taking than 24 hours after the act came into was outlawed in 1925 - is a “major Now, the production, supply effect, ‘class A’ dealers already had social problem”. As we know, heroin and movement of NPSs for human substances were exempted from the pharmacology professor at Queen NPSs for sale, even if they had not yet was eventually banned in the UK and consumption has been prohibited bill, along with any substance which Mary University of London - after managed to completely fill the gap left it is now roughly estimated that around - the government saying they were is “ordinarily consumed as food and consulting the London Toxicology by the ban. Give it time, give it time. 200,000 people between 16 and 59 “linked” to the deaths of at least 140 drink”, medicinal products and any Group and the home office’s Centre By contrast, look at the have tried heroin at some point in their people in 2014. Dealers will face up drug that is already regulated under for Applied Science and Technology Netherlands. New drugs mimicking life (0.6% of the population), with to seven years in prison and people the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. - declared that “we are just not sure cannabis are almost non-existent 596 “heroin and morphine deaths” found possessing them with ‘intent to At one stage, it looked like alkyl how this is going to work” - securing a there, because coffee shops canlegally recorded in England and Wales for supply’ up to two years - the same as nitrates (‘poppers’) would be banned criminal conviction under the new ban sell cannabis - why would you use 2014.5 a custodial penalty for possession of a too - enraging regular popper-user would be “not easy at all”. Of particular synthetic crap when you can buy the Obviously, all the new act will do is ‘class C’ drug like Benzphetamine and and Tory MP for Reigate, Crispin concern, he said, was whether the two genuine article across the counter in drive people towards illegal drugs and Dextropropoxyphene.1 New powers Blunt, who in parliament attacked the in-vitro (test-tube-based) tests outlined a safe environment? Unfortunately, alcohol - the most harmful substance will also be handed to the police to government’s “fantastically stupid” in the government’s ‘strategy’ would if not tragically, the effects of the UK of all in terms of addiction. Given “seize and destroy” the substances (or proposals to ban the drug. In the end, be enough to a prove a substance was law seem set to follow that of Ireland that tobacco is responsible for more keep for themselves). the Advisory Council on the Misuse capable of producing a psychoactive - which banned legal highs in 2010. than 80,000 premature deaths a year Undermining the government’s of Drugs (ACMD) deemed - with no effect to the criminal court standard of There was a transient reduction in use, and alcohol for about 25,000 - whilst own figures though, the Office for particular logical consistency - that “beyond reasonable doubt”. but then usage went back to where it heroin and other opioids account for National Statistics found that in 60% of popper use (or misuse) was “not seen Similar anxieties had already been was before - if not higher. Deaths went some 1,500 - rationality would dictate the fatalities between 2004 and 2013, to be capable of having harmful effects expressed by the ACMD’s chair, up. In December, Ireland’s National that the first two drugs should become the deceased had also ingested another sufficient to constitute a societal professor Les Iversen, in a July 2 2015 Drug-Related Deaths Index showed be the main focus or target for the drug or alcohol (or both) - making it problem”. However, showing the letter to Theresa May. He noted that drug poisoning deaths involving NPSs government’s ‘anti-drugs’ policy. But near impossible to determine whether incoherent nature of the legislation, it the “psychoactivity of a substance increased from six in 2010 to 28 in rationality is complete absent from the death was actually caused by the should be noted that poppers are not cannot be unequivocally proven”, 2013. The European Commission the government’s thinking. Rather, legal high. According to professor actually listed as exempted substances since the “only definitive way of has said that between 2011 and 2014, instead, they went for the easy political David Nutt, a leading psychiatrist and in schedule 1 of the act - doubtlessly determining psychoactivity is via Ireland experienced Europe’s second gesture of closing down head shops neuropsychopharmacologist, only five making a field day for lawyers and human experience”. Therefore “such largest increase in NPS use among and appeasing the rightwing media. people died last year as a direct result a headache for the police.3 Crazily, proxy measures” (ie, in-vitro tests) 15-to-24-year-olds. Showing us the Banning drugs magnifies the of taking legal highs. Figures released ‘laughing gas’ (nitrous oxide) is may not stand up in a court of law. possible future, one Irish user told the problems, never solves them. Some of under a freedom of information now banned - one of the safest drugs Echoing the ACMD’s concerns about BBC that, after the ban closed head us take legal drugs, some take illegal request by Public Health England around and which for nearly 200 years in-vitro testing, professor Johnston shops, “People started selling it on drugs - most people like something to show that 334 young people aged 18 has been used for pain control. So we said: every street. It was even easier to get.” get them through the day. Communists and under were treated for addictions have a Kafkaesque situation where With new legal highs now hitting want all drugs to be legalised - not to NPSs in 2014-15 across England - potentially very dangerous drugs are Lots of things happen in the body European cities at an estimated rate further restricted or criminalised. We a 176% rise from the 121 treated in legal yet some of the least harmful that just don’t happen in a nice of at least 100 a year, it is highly would much prefer it if even a giant 2013-14. It cannot be denied that legal have been banned - with their very clean test-tube system. Lots of doubtful that the new legislation will tobacco conglomerate like Philip highs presented a problem - mainly illegality generating increased danger, things might interact with the drug be able to keep pace. Yes, like the Morris ran the marijuana industry the high toxicity levels - but nothing and in some cases creating new risks. before it can get to receptors [in the UK government, you can introduce rather than some underground, that will be resolved by a blunderbuss Naturally, the government has brain]. For a start, the substance a simple blanket ban on anything criminal organisation - then, at least, blanket ban. Quite the opposite: the ignored all the advice to the effect that might not be absorbed into the capable of producing a psychoactive the trade would be regulated and all new act will only make things worse. the new legislation is “unworkable” blood properly. And will it cross the effect. But in practice any new drug products would be clearly labelled to and “unenforceable”, and that the only blood-brain barrier? not already in the UK’s ‘library’ of show their strength or potency, as with Kafkaesque people who will really benefit will be Certified Drug Reference Standards alcohol today - you walk into a pub But the legislation was fatally flawed drug dealers - who must have pin-ups of Backing up his view, Dr Stephanie would have to be tested before a and you know what you are getting. and illogical from its very inception, as Theresa May on their walls, delighted Sharp - a forensic pharmacologist criminal court could accept it was Drugs should be socialised, not proven by its absurdly broad definition at the effort she has made to boost their and the co-founder of the Glasgow psychoactive, which will be very regarded as a matter for the criminal of ‘psychoactive substances’: ie, returns. Making the whole situation Expert Witness Service - told The time-consuming - only to do it all justice system l anything which “by stimulating even more perverse, the government Independent that there are “many over again with the next new drug. A or depressing the person’s central surreptitiously published on May 20 instances of apparently active task of Sisyphus. [email protected] nervous system … affects the person’s the ‘forensic strategy’ outlining the substances in-vitro that have no, or No wonder David Nutt has said mental functioning or emotional testing regime underpinning the entire a different, effect in man” (May 25). that the government’s strategy Notes 2 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drugs_controlled_ state”. This will strike most people act - which was less than reassuring. Yet the government has refused to was “pathologically negative and by_the_UK_Misuse_of_Drugs_Act#Class_C_ as a fairly reasonable description of Forensics experts, pharmacologists, listen to any evidence or facts that thoughtless” and “not based on drugs. the thoroughly legal drugs, alcohol, lawyers, etc have lined up to say the interfere with its ideologically-driven reducing harm.” 2. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/2/contents/ nicotine and even caffeine - and maybe ban will be “fraught with difficulty” ‘war on drugs’ - legal highs being enacted. 3. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/2/ plenty of others too. Since no-one and capable of challenge by “any self- low-hanging fruit politically. Media scare schedule/1/enacted. wanted to make criminals of virtually respecting barrister”. Inevitably, the new law will Legal highs have become victim 4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4647018.stm. the entire nation, the aforementioned Atholl Johnston, a clinical force users - often among the most to a new moral panic reminiscent 5. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27235470. 6 weekly June 9 2016 1110 worker ANTHROPOLOGY Communism in living What can early human society teach us about the future? Camilla Power looks at the lessons of primitive communism e need to appreciate the significance that Wunderstanding primitive communism held for the early Marxists. Marx himself put aside his work on Capital to do some anthropology, which we find in his notebooks - from which Engels extracted the work which led to The origin of the family, private property and the state. Besides Marx and Engels, there is Rosa Luxemburg: as a prisoner in World War I, she wrote Introduction to political economy, where she deployed the cutting edge of anthropology of her day. All of them took the view that we will not be able to understand the communist future unless we understand primitive communism. They all asked, where do we come from? And they had a concept of ‘back to the future’. To quote Engels, in some sense the communism of the future will be “a revival in a higher form of the liberty, equality and fraternity of the ancient gentes [matrilineal clans]”. What humans were in the first place will inform what we are to become. This obviously makes sense. If you take the view that, as a result of human nature, there has always been an elite, a hierarchy, where men dominated women, then what hope is there for any kind of communist revolution? But, on the other hand, if Marx and Engels, drawing on Lewis Henry Morgan’s work, are right in concluding that men and women were equals, that there was no private property, that there was common holding of resources, then a revolutionary return - on a higher level - to what we once were becomes possible as part of our human nature. This was the position that was popular in the early 20th century. To quote Luxemburg from Introduction to political economy:

Only by being clear about the specific economic peculiarities Iroquois longhouse: centre of women’s power of primitive communist society is it possible to grasp with due heritage of those earliest truly human Glaswegian philosopher of civil law, anthropologist. He met Darwin just people leaning against doors and each thoroughness what exists today in societies is still with us, in some Jonathan Miller, began to look at the after the completion of On the origin other, able to see what everyone else capitalist class society. This means senses, today. We evolved physically, question of property in relation to sex of species, and he linked human is doing. Among the Iroquois, the there is real historical leverage for psychologically and emotionally as and gender. evolution to his idea of a progression smallest of these “towns”, as he called the realisation of socialism. hunter-gatherers in intensively - we from “savagery” to “civilisation”. We them, might have 10-40 houses. These could say assertively - egalitarian ‘Savagery’ and might prefer different terminology would correspond to different clans So by learning from so-called primitive societies. The subsequent impact - “savagery”, for instance, is what and family relations, where people communism what was possible, we of farming and herding has been ‘civilisation’ we would call hunter-gathering, and would live in common. He explicitly can identify where this revolution historically short-term. But it was Lewis Henry Morgan in “barbarism” would include early connects this egalitarian sociality to could potentially take us, as well as Alan Barnard, a major the middle of the 19th century, and in horticulture, but Morgan actually “communism in living”, and what he understand what it really means to be anthropologist of the southern particular his 1877 publication Ancient fills these with positive content. He describes as women’s extraordinary human. In other words, “communism African Bushmen, has tracked how society, who employed the phrase, is describing cultures which have “judicial power” within this in living” - a phrase which came Europeans have viewed and discussed “communism in living”, which had so valuable and sophisticated ways of organisation. Their participatory and from Lewis Henry Morgan - is not the idea of hunter-gatherers back to much influence on Marx and Engels. life, so “savagery” was not a term decision-making role would certainly something that only concerns the past, the 17th century. There were debates Morgan focused on the Iroquois, who of denigration. We need to move correspond to our understanding of with no relevance for today. In fact, about communal versus individual were not hunters and gatherers as we away from the notion that primitive modern hunter-gatherers. we have more information today about ownership, and about humans in would understand the term today: communism is something which is This is what attracted the attention egalitarian hunter-gatherers, and how their ‘natural state’. This was taken they grew maize; they comprised the way down on the evolutionary scale. of Marx and Engels. The original they actually operate - “communism to mean a state of fear, ignorance, political and military alliance of the There are parts of us - our hearts, our theoretical connections Morgan in living” - than Marx, Engels and poverty ... and nastiness - contrasted Six Nations. But the description of minds, our bodies and souls - which made between kinship, specifically Luxemburg had. To put this in to ‘civilisation’, with all its benefits an Iroquois village illustrates what are still hunter-gatherer and always matrilineal clans, sex and the rise perspective, here is Rosa talking of security and wealth. We know the Morgan was talking about. The basis will be, since that is what made us of private property were, of course, about Lewis Henry Morgan on private famous saying from Thomas Hobbes: of their economy and kinship lay in the human. used by Engels in his great work. property: the life of man in his natural state is longhouses. The fundamental aspects Morgan focused on longhouse life Morgan’s evolutionary framework “poor, nasty, brutish and short”. picked up by Morgan - and by Engels, as the matrix of female autonomy. The was borrowed by Marx and Engels He dealt this conception a decisive As we move through to the 18th of course - were those of matrilineal anthropologist, Paul Bohannon, refers to attribute the changes in matrilineal blow by presenting the whole century and to Rousseau, we have kinship, the organising principle of to Morgan’s description of this as a kinship, and forms of marriage, to history of primitive culture as the belief emerging that foraging the clans or “gentes”. The longhouse “simple, resilient and pliable institution changes in relations of production an equally important part in the was innately peaceful, happy and economy stressed resources in ... charged with political or legal life in and the concurrent rise of social uninterrupted sequence of humanity egalitarian. It is from here that we first common, and within it women acted the ... community; it can be the unit of inequalities. In this way they were able - infinitely more important than the get the notion that social inequality in solidarity - particularly against any economic production and distribution; to work out why things changed. tiny section of written history. began with agriculture - the ‘first man who was not willing to pull his it can form the basis of ceremonial and When Morgan talks about farmer putting up the first fence’. In weight. If there was a husband who ritual”. It has all these aspects at once: “communism in living” in Ancient We now know far more about the other words, with the beginning of civil was not up to the job, he could be it provides education, social insurance society he is referring particularly to origins of modern human culture institutions which exist to mediate and thrown out. He had no rights within and emotional security. the concept of group marriage and in Africa 100,000-200,000 years protect property rights. In the Scottish his wife’s matrilineal household, while The domestic architecture and sexual communism. He described ago, which impacted on our modern enlightenment the likes of Adam she had the full economic support of social ethos he describes can be readily whole groups of women of one clan psychology. Societies that developed Ferguson and William Robertson her kinsfolk. transposed from the Iroquois setting marrying whole groups of men - significant hierarchy, accumulation of believed that hunter-gathering meant Morgan was very committed to into the hunter-gatherer camp, of the classificatory brothers - of another. wealth and private property represent the absence of private property and the evolutionary theory and established type that is familiar in central Africa. We have said that the Iroquois a much more recent occurrence. The communal distribution of food. The himself as the pioneering evolutionary There are small clusters of huts, with are not really hunter-gatherers in the weekly 7 worker 1110 June 9 2016

proper sense, but the matrilineal clan were mobile, small groups, land held bet with, but it is a brilliant way of example of the Mbuti forest people. autonomy, but at the same time their was still in evidence amongst them in common, free access to resources ensuring that no one person retains all If any particular hunter is having interdependence. There is a constant, - the exact opposite of the nuclear and an egalitarian ethos that prevents the arrowheads. They are distributed ‘too much’ success in the hunt, dialectical movement, which family, within which a woman was the personal accumulation of wealth, purely through a game of luck, consistently catching where others relates to the ‘tying’ and ‘cutting’ appropriated as property under the aggrandisement or authority. There requiring no skill whatsoever. are not, then members of the camp mentioned earlier: autonomy, but control and dominion of a husband. are very definable patterns of sharing Woodburn also identified the will pile into their hut looking for the also interdependence; separation, Here, groups of women are united and a respect for autonomy, as well importance of weaponry itself. ‘medicine’ that must be causing this but also unity; subversion, but also by kinship, responsibilities and most as cooperation as equal individuals Everyone will have access to the inequality. respect. These rituals operate in especially shared childcare, shared and a lack of any kind of coercion. He poison that is put on arrowheads, a reverse-dominant way. If men land and shared resources. Engels produced some very valuable material which is so strong that the slightest Egalitarianism summon the sacred forest spirit, very much took the view that, when and stories on how this worked in scratch is enough to cause a person’s Andrew Whiten, an evolutionary then the women can counter this by it comes to ‘civilisation’, in the form principle. death. Among the Hadza the women psychologist, has focused on what summoning their own spirit. During of family, property and the state, the Lee told how one Christmas he did not have access to the poison, but he calls “Machiavellian intelligence” ritual time, either sex, with its own freedom that existed previously was wanted to present a big ox to the they did still have plenty of weaponry amongst primates. This idea is that secret rituals, can create a secret path lost. The idea that primitive societies camp where he was working, so they could use on an individual whose the main cause of the evolution of in the forest, drawing individuals were “nasty, brutish and short” was that everybody would have a feast. guard was down. What Woodburn intelligence is the need to deal with back into gendered coalitions and really being challenged, and the However, he was dismayed because was pointing to was that no-one could the social world. With chimpanzee creating ‘political’ groupings. notion that the institution of the family the response when he produced this aggrandise themselves or become too politics, “Machiavellian intelligence” Solidarity within the same gender and private property are intrinsically animal was indifferent - it was too violent or obnoxious, because others is expressed in very sophisticated creates solidarity in the other, but necessary and a part of human nature lean, they said. He was quite upset would take action against them. So but fickle alliances between males, neither gender can establish any sort was disproved. The most provocative about this, until he began to understand weaponry too has a role in checking whereas in bonobos they occur more of dominance. idea taken up by Engels, which caused what was going on: it was exactly dominance. with females. This ‘Machiavellian’ Morna Finnegan has extended a huge reaction against him in the the same dynamic he had observed Woodburn was quite explicit in model is very interesting and Morgan’s main concept, “communism field of social anthropology, was the when the hunters themselves had talking about primitive communism, thoroughly dialectical, when it is in living”, seeing it as dynamic: not power of matrilineal coalitions, able to produced a very fine piece of game. and other anthropologists, such as the used to explain the mechanisms just ‘living’ in a regularised and control resources. That is, people would criticise, so that anarchist, Brian Morris, have described of egalitarianism, particularly routinised sense, but as “communism anybody who thinks they have done a south Indian hill hunter-gatherers in in an economic sense. The more in motion”. Hunter-gatherer societies Ideological attack great job bringing this beautiful game terms of their anarcho-communism, Machiavellian intelligence evolves, are societies in motion - they go When Rosa Luxemburg was animal home would soon be brought and certainly their communist way the more alliances can be manipulated beyond what Woodburn described writing during World War I, she back down to earth. There are many of life. Alan Barnard, in reference to and negotiated, and the harder it is for as “immediate return” or “delayed was particularly interested in the stories of this kind. the 19th century evolutionary theorist, any particular individual to dominate, return”. Anything valuable - good to idea of communal sharing and the James Woodburn came up with Pyotr Kropotkin, wrote a paper because it is always possible to eat, good to hold - is on the move, ways this occurred in ritual among the concept that egalitarian societies called Kropotkin visits the Bushmen muster together an alliance against given to somebody else. People are Aboriginal Australians, as well as could be fundamentally identified with about mutual aid amongst hunter- that person. The best strategy then always visiting relatives. But it is the southern African Bushmen. But, what he termed “immediate return”: gatherer social networks. There is a becomes not to dominate, but to make in rituals where this is most visibly with the founding of modern social whatever was produced would be generation of anthropologists who sure that you are not dominated. You observed. Finnegan’s major point anthropology after the war, under the consumed almost immediately. have succeeded these early figures, just make sure that if someone else is that these rituals are the dynamic likes of Bronisław Malinowski in There are some problems with that including Jerome Lewis, now one has food, then you also get your share. forces or the direct actions which Britain and Robert Lowe and others in concept, because if you compare of the main movers for the study of This ‘counter-dominance’ underpins constitute egalitarianism. With central the American school, these positions hunter-gatherer communities to egalitarian societies. He refers to the the pattern of egalitarianism in all African hunter-gatherer groups, the of Marx and Engels came under primate hunting, it is clear that hunter- fact that the Mbendjele people have hunter-gatherer societies. dramatic ritual activity both enacts very sharp attack. Marvin Harris, an gatherers do not necessarily consume an idiom about ‘cutting’ and ‘tying’: a Our evolution in that period of the independence and autonomy of anthropologist writing in the mid- the animals immediately. There is, person can have too much autonomy distinctive egalitarianism configured the gender groups and affirms their 20th century, described modern however, an important truth in this, and drift away or, on the other hand, most aspects of human psychology interdependence. The same pendulum anthropology’s mandate as being to in that in societies where almost too much dependency. It is a very in very particular ways. Whiten’s swing exists among the Hadza too. “expose Morgan’s scheme and destroy everything is consumed quickly it delicate balance, but hunter-gatherers concept of “deep social mind” This is not just some superstructural the method on which it was based”. is impossible to accumulate wealth. are experts at striking that balance. associates this egalitarianism with expression of egalitarian relations: This is an inherently political Woodburn compared this situation to None of these anthropologists, our willingness to share our thoughts it is the very operation of the those mandate, and the thing that above that of what he called “delayed return” although they stress gender equality, and read each other’s minds, giving relations. all was being attacked was the idea societies, which would include any have really identified how it operates. rise to an explosion of cultural One of the most important, most of communal property. Robert Lowe agricultural or pastoral-based group, For example, sexual joking is used as transmission in our species. material areas of egalitarianism in made a point of trying to prove where resources would be stored or a levelling mechanism, with women Another evolutionary psychologist these societies, which is the subject decisively that private property existed held, or where people would wait talking in very loud voices about a who has focused on hunter-gatherer of more and more research, is the in hunter-gatherer societies. Working for crops to be harvested. He noted husband’s performance inside the hut societies, and particularly on nursing of infants. Where obviously with North American Amerindian that “immediate return” societies - once more a means of stopping men egalitarianism, is Peter Gray, whose the sharing of food and so on is cultures, he had his work cut out were always hunter-gatherer-based getting above themselves. Women are material is well worth studying. communistic, there can be nothing trying to show that. Malinowski - although not all hunter-gatherer strikingly vigilant over men’s ability His model for “immediate return” more communistic than collective especially attacked the veracity of societies are based on immediate to provide. hunter-gatherers, holds that they childcare, including breastfeeding collective motherhood, which he return: some are storage hunting Morgan was a Darwinian, but operate through play, in the sense by other than the mother. Sarah regarded as more revolutionary, economies. there is a whole raft of Darwinian that decisions and associations are Hrdy’s book Mothers and others more dangerous than the French and anthropology which has a big problem all consensual and negotiated, and demonstrates the significance of Russian revolutions put together. Sharing with all this. Because Darwinians it is not a matter of any individual cooperative childcare for human It was his mandate to ‘prove’ that However, Woodburn had once again think about animals in terms of being a leader (although some may evolution. It is what made us human. the nuclear family and pair bonding identified the social, ideological competition, natural selection and be followers). The point is that there And it is above all evident to this day were the natural relations between imperative of sharing. The mechanism contests of fitness and reproductive are agreed rules for these levelling among egalitarian hunter-gatherers men and women, and the intrinsic today is called ‘demand sharing’ - a success, some of them find it very hard ‘games’, and decisions can be made - a reciprocal and very intimate characteristics of human life, and that person cannot be refused if they ask. to think in terms of egalitarianism. through this process. This is obviously relationship based on kinship. It this was never going to change. It was This is particularly the case with That is why there are recurring efforts connected to the importance of ritual embodies the ultimate in terms of his position, and the position of social valued foods, such as meat and honey. by Darwinians to attack the notion discussed earlier - Jerome Lewis communistic, shared childcare l anthropology generally, that study into There must also be direct access to of egalitarianism in hunter-gatherer speaks about how particularly women human origins was to be dismissed as material resources necessary for life, societies. There is a notorious article, will ape and impersonate any man References a field lacking in any evidence and to and nobody is allowed to control by Eric Alden Smith and colleagues, who steps out of line. This creates A Barnard, ‘Images of hunters and gatherers in European social thought’, in R Lee and R Daly be ignored. these individually. People also have on wealth transmission, where it is contagious laughter, until the man (eds) The Cambridge encyclopaedia of hunters and After World War II, however, a autonomy and knowledge of their asserted that despite the fact that there either walks off in a huff or swallows gatherers Cambridge 1999. real ethnography started to emerge, own. In the case of the Hadza, even is no private property, despite the fact his pride and joins in the general A Barnard, ‘Primitive communism and mutual aid: based on studies of a range of the children know how to find food. that everybody shares everything, amusement. Laughter and mimicry Kropotkin visits the Bushmen’, in CM Hann (ed) Socialism: ideals, ideologies and local practice hunter-gatherers - foremost among Everybody has that autonomy, so all there are still social differences and are the most powerful counter- London 2003, pp27-42. them that of Canadian ethnographer members have equality, irrespective inequalities. Such Darwinians focus dominance forces to deal with unruly F Engels The origin of the family, private property Richard Lee, whose family had a of age, gender or other qualities. There on physical characteristics - some or self-important individuals. and the state Moscow 1968. heritage of leftwing politics. His is an unparalleled respect for freedom might have better health, different Jerome Lewis, who was educated M Finnegan, ‘The politics of Eros: ritual dialogue and egalitarianism in three central African hunter- ‘Reflections on primitive communism’ of movement, and there is the concept strengths or be able to grip the bow by the Mbendjele, discovered they gatherer societies’ Journal of the Royal considers Morgan’s understanding of voting with your feet: if you do not harder, which might make them more had a concept known as massana, Anthropological Institute No19, 2013, pp697-715. of communism in relation to his own like what someone is doing, then you successful. which, on the one hand, is a word that P Gray, ‘Play as a foundation for hunter-gatherer experience of work with the Ju/’hoansi can just leave and live somewhere Yes, there is natural variance of can mean play, or even child’s play, social existence’ American Journal of Play spring 2009, pp476-522. in Botswana and Namibia. And then else. And it is possible to go to other abilities, most obviously between men although it also has a connotation of S Hrdy Mothers and others: the evolutionary there was James Woodburn, with his places because the social network is and women, but this is spectacularly shared enjoyment. But, on the other origins of mutual understanding Harvard 2009. long-term fieldwork on the Hadza there. missing the point of what these hand, massana also encompasses RB Lee, ‘Reflections on primitive communism’, in egalitarian hunters of Tanzania. These These communities are extremely cultures are trying to do: that is, to sacred rituals. This makes it hard to T Ingold, D Riches and J Woodburn (eds) Hunters and gatherers Vol 1: History, evolution and social two men were especially influential in mobile, and this is seen as an important negate differences, not letting anyone distinguish between play and religion. change Chicago 1988, pp252-68. the period leading up to an important and positive value. Even when it is amplify them in order to value one Even children engage in rituals, J Lewis, ‘Egalitarian social organization: the case conference entitled ‘Man the Hunter’, possible to store food and not share person more than another. The idea, whereby they summon spirits; as with of the Mbendjele BaYaka’, in BS Hewlett (ed) held in 1966. Lee, when talking about it, these communities will not do that: as with the gambling example, is that, the adults, this is strongly gendered Hunter-gatherers of the Congo Basin: cultures, histories and biology of African Pygmies London primitive communism, said it could be they prefer to offload excess to other if one person has more success in the activity. Boys prepare the way for the 2014, pp219-43. defined as “a quintessential otherness, parts of the network, or bring others in hunt, then that success gets spread spirit and girls dance and sing to lure R Luxemburg, ‘Introduction to political economy’ in negative terms, in the absence of to take part in a feast if a large game around. James Woodburn described them from the forest. Each gender (unfinished) See P Hudis (ed) The complete works leadership, the absence of inequality, animal has been caught. Everything the Hadza’s extraordinary bows: they group is continuously subverting and of Rosa Luxemburg Vol 1: Economic writings London 2013. the absence of property” - almost will be used up. The societal dynamic are actually far too big to be very undermining the prestige that could LH Morgan Ancient society New York 1877. suggesting the absence of society. So is to oppose anything that allows efficient in hunting, and this actually accrue to the other group: women A Whiten, ‘The evolution of deep social mind in the idea that society in itself had to be individual accumulation. counteracts skill and brings luck more have huge importance, as those who humans’, in M Corballis and SEG Lea (eds) The bound up with the norms of capitalist Even gambling serves an important into the equation. reproduce, while men, as the hunters, descent of mind: psychological perspectives on hominid evolution Oxford 1999, pp173-93. civilisation was questioned. purpose in a community like the There are all sorts of cultural also have a vital role. J Woodburn, ‘Egalitarian societies’ : https:// The core features that Lee identified Hadza. Valuable items - particularly mechanisms preventing a build-up of However, massana celebrates the egalitarian.wikispaces.com/Egalitarian+Societies+- in terms of primitive communism metal arrowheads - will be used to prestige or self-importance. Take the gender of each group, asserting their +Woodburn. 8 weekly June 9 2016 1110 worker IRAN Claims exposed once and for all The CIA papers have shattered any lingering illusions in the ‘anti-imperialist’ credentials of the Tehran regime, writes Yassamine Mather

n June 7, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali OLarijani, attacked the BBC for what he called a “baseless report on correspondence between Imam Khomeini and former US president Jimmy Carter”, claiming this was a cynical move - “an attempt to throw doubt on the authenticity of Imam Khomeini’s struggle against the US”. According to Larijani, “The aim behind this fabrication was possibly to shock public opinion so that the stigma of links with America is believed, even under the hardest of conditions that previously existed.” In fact the BBC “report” consisted of nothing more than transcripts of newly declassified US government documents just released by Washington. These CIA papers reveal how in 1979 ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini pleaded with Carter, as US president, to use his influence over high-ranking military leaders of the shah’s regime to clear the way for a takeover of power by Khomeini’s supporters, thus “calming the situation”. What is of interest is the level of coordination between the two sides - Khomeini’s chief of staff and Carter’s advisors. The details show the extent to which Khomeini - later to become Iran’s supreme leader - was ready to prostrate himself in front of “the great Satan” in order to achieve US support. Recently released documents are an acute embarrassment for Tehran He portrayed the future Islamic Republic of Iran as a US ally: “We do On his second meeting with his US Islamic Republic, with US relations nation has never stopped … The the part of Khamenei will change not have any particular animosity for counterparts, two days after the shah’s with Saddam Hussein in Iraq (this same enmity continues, as the this reality. the Americans.”1 departure, Khomeini’s representative, was later to lead to a full-scale war British government’s apparatus This week he has been preaching Direct quotes from the documents Ebrahim Yazdi, reassured the between Iran and Iraq), as well as spreads propaganda against the about the dominance of “low culture” destroy once and for all illusions about Americans that the Islamists did not with the fact that the US allowed the dear Imam of the Iranian nation, and how the Islamic Republic has the coming to power of the Islamic want to destroy the army and there ex-shah to seek medical treatment in with the help of the Americans not managed to change this aspect of Republic of Iran, which are held not just was no need for the US to remove the US. Khomeini and his allies were and forged documents, on the social life. There are many reasons by Islamists, but sections of the left, in its advanced military equipment, convinced that “western arrogance” anniversary of the great and holy for this. Since 1979 the religious Iran and worldwide. In case anyone is such as F14 fighters, Phoenix and would lead to a coup, and concerned Imam’s death …2 state’s constant attempts to enforce in any doubt, ayatollah Khomeini was Harpoon helicopters, from Iran. that the new Islamic government’s a moralistic Islamic culture have not the ‘brave third world leader’ who The next day the constitution of policy of repression was not working Last year Khamenei struck a major backfired. Iranians are consummate defied and defeated US imperialism. the proposed Islamic Republic was as well as it had hoped. Workers’ compromise with the US - although customers of the worst kind of trash On the contrary, he was the man discussed and Yazdi clarified the strikes were continuing and there was he also accused Washington TV, beamed via satellite. More who ended a revolutionary process, position of the future supreme leader rebellion in Kurdistan and Turkman of procrastinating and breaking Iranians watch superficial, second- promising “calm” in return for US on a number of issues: the security Sahra. promises related to the landmark rate Turkish sit-coms than Turks. help in deposing shah Mohammad of US investments in Iran, and of the It was then and only then that nuclear deal that came into force in The few artists, writers and directors Reza Pahlavi through a deal with his two countries’ military and political Khomeini decided to use the January, whereby sanctions against who try and rise above all this face military commanders. We now know relationship; Iran’s likely relationship occupation of the US embassy by Iran would be eased in return for the wrath of the religious state. Even how he communicated with Carter, with USSR and the sale of oil to the Islamic students as an excuse to restrictions on its nuclear activities. film-makers who exercise a great who persuaded the shah to leave Iran west. Khomeini’s representative embark on what he later called “our Once more Iran’s clerics feel they deal of self-censorship, so that they for an ‘extended holiday’ and how informed his US counterpart that the struggle against the great Satan” - the have been ‘betrayed’ by the United can carry on with their work, are the US administration then informed new Islamic administration would not taking of American hostages and the States. As Khamenei said, “We sat not immune from persecution. Jafar Khomeini that Iran’s military leaders be as close to the west as the shah’s beginning of the profound animosity down and negotiated with P5+1 and Panahi, the award-winning film were unlikely to stand in his way if he regime, but Iran would remain an anti- between the two countries. However, even separately with the Americans director, having been ridiculed by the took power. communist stalwart, keeping friendly let us not forget that during this period over the nuclear issue.” However, official press, especially by papers In fact it is quite clear from these relations with Washington. there were secret negotiations. Even although the Islamic republic close to Khamenei, is now facing a documents that the US arranged for as Khomeini was promising to wipe “fulfilled its commitments”, the other 20-year ban on film-making. And this the opening of a communication Repression out Israel - along with the “great “unfaithful side is procrastinating”. is just the tip of the iceberg. channel with Khomeini and his Of course, we knew - or guessed - Satan” itself, of course - he was His conclusion was: “Whoever trusts The revelations contained in the principal advisors before the shah some of this from a quote by Mehdi sanctioning a deal with the Reagan in the United States is making a big CIA papers might be a serious source left Iran. A rational explanation for Bazargan, Khomeini’s first prime administration. Iran was paying for its mistake” - they will be rewarded with of embarrassment for the current this cooperation would be that the US minister, who said of the unfolding Israeli arms by depositing funds in a a “slap in the face”. leadership, but what they prove is was more fearful of other sections of mass demonstrations and attacks on Swiss bank account for the US-backed Khamenei is desperately trying to that the Islamic Republic was built the opposition forces - the working military barracks carried out by the Nicaraguan Contras - all this through maintain the ‘revolutionary spirit’, on a lie. And today it continues class, whose strikes had paralysed left in February 1979: “We wanted the good offices of Oliver North in faced with what he considers to to be a regime of deceit and lies, the country, and the left - than the rain; we got a deluge.” what became known as ‘Irangate’. be yet another US betrayal, but, as where poverty, corruption and the Islamists and in true tradition of US Khomeini and his first government always, he is in denial. As the CIA constant interference of religion in foreign policy, particularly during the did their best to defeat the revolutionary Procrastinating papers reminded us, the Islamic people’s everyday existence makes cold war, Washington decided to ally movement. First the workers and All these revelations about Khomeini’s Republic has been in power for 37 life hell for its citizens. No wonder itself with the Islamists against the the left were targeted, then women relationship with the United States years, so the huge gap between the the overwhelming majority of secular and leftwing forces. faced the regime’s wrath and soon the came at a bad time - on the eve of the rich and poor cannot be blamed on young Iranians have no time for the According to Kambiz Fattahi of the government in Tehran was at war with 27th anniversary of his death - and the previous regime. He is the ruler regime’s claims of standing up to BBC Persian service, who has studied national minorities - in particular, the in some ways, as far as the current of a country where non-payment the “arrogance” of the United States. some of the released documents, Kurds, Arabs and Balochis, who had supreme leader is concerned, this of workers’ wages has become an Now there is no-one in the country on January 18 1979, only two days dared to oppose the Shia state. In other year’s events must seem like an echo integral part of exploitation, where who can have any doubt that it was after Pahlavi’s departure from Iran, words, Khomeini kept his word, at of what went on back then. neoliberal economic policies have all a big con l the Carter administration informed least initially, and, in accordance with This was the immediate reaction created mass unemployment, job Khomeini that there was “flexibility” his pledges to the US, tried to bring of the current supreme leader, Ali insecurity and contract working. In [email protected] in the American position, in that the ‘calm’ through the repression of the Khamenei, to the revelations - a country where workers are flogged US had never said it wanted Iran to revolutionary movement. delivered to the crowds gathered for protesting against job losses, Notes remain a kingdom forever. By some Yet, as far as he was concerned, for the anniversary in the grotesque as mineworkers were last month, 1. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us- accounts this is the moment when the US did not keep to its part of the mausoleum built in Khomeini’s we can say with confidence there canada-36431160. 2. www.breitbart.com/national- Khomeini was reassured that there bargain. Khomeini and his government honour: is nothing left of the aspirations of security/2016/06/05/5-jun-16-world-view-irans- were no plans for a military coup (à were obsessed with alleged foreign February 1979 uprising - and no khomeini-fooled-jimmy-carter-great-islamic- la 1953) to return the shah to power. plots to topple the newly founded Britain’s malice against the Iranian amount of lies and self-delusion on revolution. weekly 9 worker 1110 June 9 2016 SOUTH AFRICA Decision time approaching The SACP’s alliance with the ANC is in crisis. Peter Manson reports he South African Communist in their entirety. But the problem is Party is edging closer and closer widespread, and threatens to become Ttowards a split with the ruling endemic.” African National Congress - or at least The statement claimed that there the dominant faction within it around are “two broad camps within the president Jacob Zuma. bourgeoisie”. First there is “South The SACP is, of course, part and African (typically trans-nationalised) parcel of the ANC and its members monopoly capital, integrated into an have senior roles within both the imperialist agenda”, in alliance with government and ANC apparatus. “the now relatively established (and But two main issues have now left often compradorial) first-generation the SACP leadership up in arms: BEE stratum”. Secondly, there is a first, the abrupt closure of an internal “parasitic bourgeoisie based on state ANC enquiry into ‘state capture’ capture in its most brazen forms”, - the corrupt influence exerted which, among a number of blatantly over several state departments by corrupt practices (the statement names individual capitalists; and, secondly, “illegal expatriation of capital”, “tax the allegedly equally corrupt process evasion” and “money laundering”), for the selection of ANC candidates seeks to “influence appointing and dis- for the August local elections in one appointing cabinet ministers”. It does province in particular. all this through “the direct corruption The ‘state capture’ scandal erupted of government and party political late last year after it became clear that officials”. three capitalist brothers - Ajay, Atul While “monopoly/imperialist cap- and Rajesh Gupta - were exerting Blade Nzimande: seeking a compromise ital is certainly not virtuous”, declares a huge amount of influence over the central committee, it has “a vested government appointments, as a result within the ANC.3 driven by alleged corruption at all, But in KwaZulu-Natal the SACP interest” in “not seeing the economy of their commercial connections No doubt he was thinking, but by the August local elections. He provincial executive committee put collapse”, and is actually “alarmed” with top ANC officials, including the amongst other things, of the remark was quoted in the New Age newspaper out a statement which read: by phenomena such as the left- president himself. This was too much of a top police officer that an SACP as saying: “The SACP has registered populist Economic Freedom Fighters, for the SACP, which was finding it comrade overheard. Mthandazo its own candidates to contest the The PEC has reflected deeply on the 2012 Marikana massacre “and, of increasingly difficult to maintain the Ntlemeza, who is head of the Hawks elections in the Eastern Cape’s Alfred the escalating protests arising course, the wrecking-ball activities of pretence that the ANC was leading - the special police unit that targets Nzo district municipality. They went out of the arrogant, reckless the Guptas”. South Africa’s “national democratic organised crime - allegedly stated that against our advice and refused to and fraudulent decisions in Then there is this passage: revolution” on a direct route to “communists must be harassed”. cooperate.” In response to a question the nomination processes of socialism. For his part, Young Communist about whether it was time for the councillors. In many instances, The CC noted the recent revelation Back in March of this year it League national deputy secretary SACP to “go it alone”, Mantashe said imposition of unpopular names that a group of military officers became clear that the SACP had Isaac Luthuli claimed that the alliance that was “a matter for the party to against the community-chosen from Britain’s Royal College of had enough. Second deputy general as a whole had been “captured by a debate”.4 names [is] a cause for protests Defence Studies visited SA last secretary Solly Mapaila said that it faction”, leading to a situation where This prompted an angry rebuttal in our townships, especially in year with the assignment to “assess was essential for the ANC to “discuss corruption has been “legalised” - in from the SACP. Repeating the above Durban, and now the killings the political threats to continuing and resolve” the Gupta question. If fact “institutionalised”. quotation regarding the elections, its of comrades. The killings that ANC rule in South Africa”. The Zuma does nothing, he was reported statement continued: are growing unabatedly [are] a military officers were required to as saying, “The ANC will have no Gone native function of manipulation of the “devise a medium-term strategy, choice but to ask him to step down as But things are not quite so simple as The newspaper attributes this election process.8 with concrete deliverables, for the president.”1 a straightforward ANC-SACP split. gibberish to ANC secretary-general party to retain power at the next The SACP called for an official Take the aforementioned Gwede Gwede Mantashe, who knows The “protests” have actually been general election”.10 commission of enquiry into the Mantashe, the ANC secretary-general, where to contact the SACP, how more like riots, and have included whole Gupta affair, but instead who described Mapaila’s comments as to engage with the party, including several arson attacks. However, while In other words, the SACP is fully the ANC announced an internal “opportunistic”. Until 2012 Mantashe the necessity of validating with it the SACP, both locally and nationally, aware of the extent of western support investigation behind closed doors. was not only the ANC’s top official: any information that comes to his has condemned “violence”, the for the ANC in the interests of “South Then last week ANC secretary- he was also the SACP’s national chair! attention concerning the SACP. The KZN ANC has alleged that the African (typically trans-nationalised) general Gwede Mantashe effectively At the SACP congress that year he SACP outright dismisses the claim current unrest around Durban was monopoly capital, integrated into an declared that the enquiry had been confessed that it had been a mistake as a big lie (original emphasis).5 being fomented by “disgruntled” imperialist agenda”. This support is abandoned, since only one person to try and occupy both positions individuals who did not make it onto forthcoming despite the fact that the out of the eight who were said to and stepped down from his SACP In other words, the party is not standing the ballot paper. In other words, the ANC is leading a “national democratic have evidence of corruption at the top post. But he was re-elected onto the its own separate candidates in August SACP. revolution”, which, as the likes of had been prepared to make a written SACP central committee as well as its - it is continuing to call for an ANC Nzimande never tires of repeating, is submission. politburo - as far as I know, he has not vote. In fact it threatened the New Conciliation? the “most direct route to socialism in The SACP’s Mapaila was furious resigned from either body, let alone Age with legal action for publishing But both Nzimande and Zuma himself South Africa”. - the ANC had allowed “self-seeking the party itself. Mantashe’s claim. have been attempting to build bridges. According to the SACP then, it has factions” to increase their power and Then there is Sdumo Dlamini, the Nevertheless, in the province of While the SACP general secretary a shared interest with the international now they even controlled its national president of the SACP-dominated KwaZulu-Natal it is no exaggeration claimed that “People are buying their bourgeoisie in defeating “state executive committee, he said: “What Congress of South African Trade to say that relations between the way into becoming candidates for capture” - it is just that the latter is too we can’t allow is for factions to Unions. He came down firmly, as did ANC and SACP have degenerated the local government elections”, he stupid to realise that support for the appropriate the name of the ANC. Cosatu itself, on the side of the ANC into a feud - literally. Last week also warned of “a huge campaign to ANC will eventually lead to the end of This is the people’s movement - we leadership when Mantashe made an SACP comrade who was due to drive a wedge in the alliance”. That is capitalism! will have to take steps to correct it.” his announcement. Dlamini said of give evidence at the murder trial of why “We must defend the ANC from The party is now seeking an urgent It is clear that “the Guptas’ corporate the aborted enquiry: “There was no members of the ANC leading faction factionalism. If we don’t do that, our meeting with the ANC leadership, capture of the movement continues,” evidence and the ANC cannot open was himself gunned down and Solly revolution is gone.” leading one commentator to remark: he barked. “The ANC can’t come an investigation forever.” Yes, you Mapaila has alleged that those who For his part, Zuma, speaking at an “The SACP will effectively be asking and give us a whitewash report.” It guessed it - like Mantashe, Dlamini is speak out against “state capture” may ANC manifesto launch rally, said: Zuma to choose between them and the “can’t always think it can impose an SACP central committee member. be “risking their lives”.6 Guptas. It could prove to be a costly its decisions on people”. It is being Of course, it is not exactly without There is no doubt that in KZN We still need one another. For the gamble on their part.”11 “poisoned by wrong elements”. precedent for SACP members, having corruption has been particularly ANC to remain in power and work What next for the SACP? l Things had got to the stage where accepted high-ranking state and ANC acute, and the effects of ‘black hard to rebuild South Africa, it we had now come to expect nothing positions with the party’s full backing, economic empowerment’ (BEE - the needs Cosatu and the SACP. For [email protected] more than a “factional statement from to have ‘gone native’. For example, awarding of government contracts Cosatu to have better conditions the national executive committee who would have thought that either to black-owned businesses, often at work, it needs this government Notes of the ANC”, said Mapaila. “We Rob Davies, minister of trade and through personal contacts with and the SACP. For the SACP to 1. http://citizen.co.za/1039568/sacp-calls-for- can’t be in an alliance with factions industry, or Ebrahim Patel (economic ANC officials) has seemed to merge move forward to a socialist society, zumas-head. and corrupt syndicates in the development) was a ‘communist’? with the manipulation of branches, it needs this government, it needs 2. http://city-press.news24.com/News/sacp-will- 9 no-longer-stand-for-rot-in-anc-mapaila-20160601. organisation” - the SACP and other Both sound - and are largely regarded including over the selection process Cosatu. 3. www.jacarandafm.com/news-sport/news/sacp- ANC members would never accept as - wholly committed to the interests for local elections. As a result, the concerned-over-anc-alliance. that: “I won’t - it’s impossible. The of South African capital. That is SACP has been sidelined in the Only in South Africa, with its “national 4. www.thenewage.co.za/sacp-must-self-correct. 2 5. SACP statement, June 3. battle lines are drawn.” because they are! province - leading to increasing democratic revolution”, could you 6. www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/you-risk- In response ANC spokesperson However, up to now, differences calls among SACP members for hear such nonsense! your-life-if-you-speak-out-against-state-capture- Zizi Kodwa called the SACP between the ANC and SACP have the party to contest elections under Meanwhile, last weekend’s meeting sacps-mapaila-20160603. “irresponsible” for its claims about been played down or covered up its own name. While the national of the SACP central committee 7. SACP statement, June 5. 8. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-05-19- factions, but the party’s general and there has been no contradiction leadership has stated that it will agreed a statement which attempted kwazulu-natal-upheaval-wakes-up-memories-of- secretary, Blade Nzimande, said there whatsoever between their ANC or not endorse or campaign for ANC to rein in some of the more extreme violence-and-terror/#.V1c_cWgrJdg. were “serious concerns” over the state responsibilities and their SACP candidates “who were chosen pronouncements coming from 9. www.iol.co.za/news/politics/we-have-a-plan- state of the alliance - the ANC was membership. But today things are fraudulently”, it continues to call for individual leaders about the extent of for-sa-vows-zuma-2030692. 10. SACP statement, June 5. simply abusing SACP loyalty. And starting to look a little different. “an overwhelming ANC-led alliance corruption. It declared: “We certainly 11. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-06-06- things had been made much worse by So Mantashe claimed that Mapaila’s electoral victory in the August 3 local agree that neither the ANC nor get-guptas-duck-zuma-sacps-obstacle-race-on- “attacks on communists” originating allegations about factions were not government elections”.7 government are corporately captured state-capture/#.V1UP5vl9600. 10 weekly June 9 2016 1110 worker POLEMIC Obscuring class politics Phil Duncan condemns socialists who supported the Bernie Sanders campaign and counterposes it to building a Marxist party

nder the Obama administration Instead, the sectarianism of Socialist things have continued to get Alternative, rooted in its membership Uworse for the American working of a global sect-building project, the class. In 2008, the richest one percent CWI, has led to putting the needs of its held 33.8% of wealth; by 2014, they own organisation ahead of the needs held 36.6%. The best-off 10% now own of the class struggle - it thinks being over 75% of wealth. Some 90% of the involved in the Sanders campaign population - the working class and can offer it substantial recruitment much of the middle class - have to make possibilities - and building a Marxist do with the remaining 25% of wealth. party. SA’s actions have helped Poverty rates have been noticeably obscure class politics by supporting higher during the Obama presidency and cheerleading for a capitalist than during the preceding Bush years, politician - moreover a politician of a period in which it also grew.1 one of the two main parties of US Meanwhile Obama - or imperialism. The enthusiasm for an ‘O’Bomber’, as he is widely known alternative to the two-headed political on the left - continues to intervene hydra of American capitalism has, as militarily in other people’s countries, a result, largely been channelled into helping wreak havoc in Afghanistan, support for someone committed to Iraq and Syria in particular. He has the existing political system and who, significantly out-spent the Bush when defeated by Hillary Clinton, regime in military spending and Bernie Sanders’ rallies have attracted tens of thousands is likely to fall in behind her. This is deported more migrants than any other more likely to spread confusion and president in American history. Under and those which are part and parcel of they have been the chief party of party’s presidential nomination. demoralisation than result in political Obama deportations are up 23% on the bipartisan campaign to criminalise imperialist war as well, leading the US A key slogan of Socialist clarity and serious party-building, the George W Bush years and he is young black males. He even supported into the two imperialist world wars, Alternative is to call for “a party of although the two main left groups closing in on having deported more the 2014 Israeli slaughter in Gaza. Korea and Vietnam. the 99%”. They call for Sanders to might take solace from picking up a people than the combined total of the As leading anti-war campaign Yet the dominant sections of the run as an independent when Clinton few recruits. 19 US presidents from 1892 to 2000. Cindy Sheehan has noted, US left, from the Communist Party is crowned as the Democratic Party The Spark group, American co- Black Americans continue to be to the liberal left, and even sections presidential candidate in Philadelphia thinkers of Lutte Ouvrière, made a incarcerated at rates far higher than Sanders’ campaign is not about of Maoism (and now Trotskyists like at the end of July. They fail to point crucial point in a major article on the whites. While making up about 12%- challenging the establishment, but Socialist Alternative, the US section out that the role of Sanders is not to Trump and Sanders candidacies: 13% percent of the population, they about supporting it. The candidate of the Committee for a Workers’ challenge the ruling rich, but to soak account for 35% of those behind bars. himself has already pledged support International) have failed to draw the up discontent and draw it back into the There is not a significant part of Barely 50% of young black males for whomever ultimately receives class line in relation to the Democrats. Democratic Party fold. the working class who know they graduate from high school. Of the the nomination of the Democratic In 1964 large chunks of the left went “What is to prevent Bernie running are part of a class, different and entire black male population born Party and he has supported proven ‘part of the way with LBJ’, claiming as an independent or as a candidate apart from other classes. But the since 1970, a third have now been corporate candidates as Bill that the Republican presidential with Jill Stein as a Green Party lack of a party is also a cause - incarcerated at some time. Clinton, John Kerry and Barack candidate, Barry Goldwater, was a candidate?” But that is the wrong that is, with no organised political After the Bush presidency, with its Obama.2 warmongering maniac. The result was question for any Marxist. The question expression, the workers don’t wars, the global financial crisis, attacks a landslide for Lyndon Baines Johnson, ought to be: ‘What is to prevent the recognise themselves as a class. on abortion rights and the continuing Sanders’ support, then, is not really who rewarded his left supporters by anti-capitalist left, most especially And they can more easily fall for denial of equality to black Americans based on a logical examination of his invading the Dominican Republic its largest groups (the International the garbage peddled by rightwing in particular, a great deal of hope was record, but on his leftish rhetoric - for and installing a vicious dictatorship Socialist Organisation and Socialist demagogues like Trump, or allow invested in Obama, especially with instance, saying he would like free there, by massively escalating US Alternative), running a joint ticket to themselves to be sucked right back him being the first black president. tertiary education appeals to the liberal involvement in Indochina, killing and put forward the ideas of Marxism to into the Democratic Party by a Much of that naive hope - as if any middle class and so he has received wounding millions of its inhabitants, workers and all the oppressed?’ ‘populist’ who defines ‘revolution’ Democrat politician would offer massive support from students in turning millions more into refugees In a wealthy land that has as an election campaign. It is a anything other than what Obama has the primary contests with Clinton. and decimating large parts of the traditionally lacked a social democratic vicious circle - one that has to be done in practice - is long dead. At the same time, Sanders refuses to ecology of the region. movement, sections of the ostensibly broken. But this disillusionment with champion migrant workers’ rights; As a massive anti-Vietnam war revolutionary left are consistently the Republican and Democratic indeed, he helps strengthen American movement grew, and sections of the drawn - and pushed - towards filling The Sanders campaign for the party establishments has opened nationalism by blaming China and people radicalised by that war turned the vacuum left by the absence of a Democratic Party presidential the way for so-called ‘outsiders’ - a other countries, along with freer trade, to revolutionary ideas, it was necessary mass social democratic political party. nomination, and the support of people trend which has given rise to Bernie as being at the heart of the worsening to have an ‘anti-war’ presidential In the 1960s and 70s, the US Socialist like Socialist Alternative, does not Sanders and Donald Trump. Sanders position of American workers. And he candidate to soak up the dissent and Workers Party played the part of a left contribute to breaking that circle. managed to beat the widely-loathed has taken this to its logical conclusion pull it back into mainstream politics. social democratic movement; today The momentum around the corporate feminist, Hillary Clinton, in by voting for anti-migrant worker So in 1972 the Democrats ran George it looks like Socialist Alternative has Sanders campaign, however - and a number of working class primaries measures like the ‘anti-tunnel’ bill, McGovern. Later, in the 1980s, decided to occupy that ground. even, to some extent, around Trump - for instance, Michigan, where old which sought to further criminalise Jesse Jackson and his ‘Rainbow - indicates that significant sections blue-collar industries have decayed undocumented workers. He denounces Coalition’ played a similar role, What kind of of workers want something different, and become impoverished. Trump, banks, but this is a long-time populist pulling progressive people back into something anti-establishment. The meanwhile, has swept all before him favourite - capital needs banks, but the orbit of the Democratic Party and party? need for a partyist project on the in the Republican primaries. resents having to pay them a chunk establishment politics. Socialist Alternative has mainly American anti-capitalist left - the In fact, neither Sanders nor Trump of the surplus value gathered from This is the most salutary fact about grown through presenting itself as an creation of a Marxist party - is urgent. are ‘outsiders’. This is most obvious the exploitation of the working class, the Sanders campaign. If anything, organisation which fights militantly However, a combination of political in the case of Trump - a multi- and banks tighten the screws on small Sanders is to the right of where for social democratic/populist-style opportunism and organisational billionaire who has convinced a layer businesspeople. Jesse Jackson was over a generation reforms. It has continued to do this sectarianism seems likely to continue of alienated blue-collar workers that ago. Yet Socialist Alternative’s most throughout its involvement in the to block the formation of such a he understands them, while playing Class politics? well-known figure, Kshama Sawant, Sanders campaign - a campaign party - one that, even in the context the xenophobic, populist card, which The most serious problem with repeating the old approach of the CP which cannot, by any stretch of the of the current weakness of the blames people like migrants for their Sanders, however, is that he is part of in relation to ‘progressive’ Democrats, imagination, be said to be based working class, could have an active problems. Trump has even posed as a the great bane of the US left ever since gushes that the Sanders’ campaign has on independent class politics. Like membership of thousands. champion of higher wages and talked the 1930s - namely, lack of political been “historic” and his “anti-corporate many such groups, it prefers to Kshama Sawant’s speech at a about the possibility of a workers’ party clarity in relation to the Democratic insurgent campaign” has “transformed work with people to its right - even Socialist Alternative’s educational - although by such a party he means a Party. The Democrats are not, and never the entire landscape of US politics”. people who are part and parcel of gathering earlier this year was cross-class party of proletarians, hard- have been, any sort of workers’ party In the same speech she even endorsed mainstream capitalist politics - than interrupted at one point by people working small businesspeople and - degenerated, deformed, bourgeois his economic nationalism.3 Far from with others on the left to provide a calling from the floor for her to run. hard-working capitalists like himself. workers or any other such beast. They transforming the Sanders campaign political alternative to all the capitalist Her response was that this would At the same time, he has sought to are a capitalist party, originally indeed into an anti-establishment - let alone politicians, including Sanders. mean “getting ahead of ourselves”. mobilise Christian and Tea Party the party of the southern slave-owners genuinely socialist - campaign, An alternative would be an But why? Why must Marxist politics elements of the Republican Party, by and then, after the civil war, the party Socialist Alternative’s involvement unashamedly anti-capitalist campaign, always be put off to some future dumping some of his more liberal of the Ku Klux Klan and the Jim Crow as cheerleaders for “Bernie”, as conducted on the basis of Marxist time? l personal views and championing system. It was only in the 1930s, they call this capitalist politician, politics. For instance, a campaign opposition to abortion. under Franklin Roosevelt, that they has pulled it to the right. They have with Kshama Sawant as presidential Notes 1. See the graph at: www.npr.org/sections/ While Trump is clearly part of began to very partially embrace forms thoroughly obscured class politics, not candidate and a leading, publicly- itsallpolitics/2015/08/17/432578282/fact-check-is- the ruling class, Sanders is far from of welfare-statism. But even then, merely accepting that workers’ choice known figure from the ISO as vice- it-obamas-fault-that-poverty-has-grown. an outsider too. He virtually always in the south, they remained the chief is limited to this or that capitalist presidential candidate could have 2. www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Coke-or- - 98% of the time - votes with the party of the most reactionary racist politician within the Democratic had the potential to rally thousands Pepsi-The-Choice-Between-Pro-War- Candidates-20160329-0010.html. Democratic Party leadership in the elements of society, fighting tooth and Party - Sanders versus Clinton - but of workers and students and educate 3. See, for instance, her address to a Sanders rally Senate. This includes voting for all nail against the civil rights movement. actively championing the attempt them in the importance of independent in Seattle on March 15 2016: www.youtube.com/ their measures to fund imperialist war Historically, across the 20th century, of a committed Democrat to win the class politics. watch?v=9TAzgSmGxwA. weekly 11 worker 1110 June 9 2016 What we ITALY fight for

n Without organisation the working class is nothing; with the highest form of organisation M5S on course to take Rome it is everything. nThere exists no real Communist Toby Abse reports on last weekend’s local elections Party today. There are many so-called ‘parties’ on the left. he June 5 first round of local candidate well known for his leading mayor, Luigi De Magistris, was not Weekly Worker June 2 2016. In reality they are confessional elections in a number of Italy’s role in the engineering union, FIOM, re-elected in the first ballot, he scored 5. Fassina, a recent defector from the PD, who sects. Members who disagree was personally insulted by Renzi’s infamous, Tmajor cities - principally Rome, gained 3.7%. Nowadays this is a very respectable 42.6% against the provocatively offensive Fassina chi? remark with the prescribed ‘line’ are Milan, Turin, Bologna and Naples - arguably a respectable vote for this PD candidate, Valeria Valente’s 21.2%. (‘Fassina who?’, implying he did not know who expected to gag themselves have greatly weakened the authority sort of candidate elsewhere in Italy, This placed her behind the centre- the interviewer was talking about), is not likely to in public. Either that or face of Partito Democratico (PD) premier but a rather disappointing score for right candidate, Gianni Lettieri of urge his supporters to vote for a PD candidate expulsion. who, far from coming from an ex-communist Matteo Renzi, even if the October one standing in the most industrial of Forza Italia, who, on the strength of background, holds dual membership of the PD n Communists operate referendum on his constitutional Italy’s major cities - one dominated his 24.1%, will be De Magistris’s only and the Partito Radicale and who, whilst he might according to the principles of reforms will be the decisive factor in by the car industry, in which his union challenger in the run-off ballot. The distance himself from the prime minister for democratic centralism. Through terms of his continuing hold over both is particularly militant, despite Fiat’s PD’s rout occurred despite a last-minute opportunist reasons, is clearly on the right of the ongoing debate we seek to achieve PD. By the way, I am informed by David Broder, the PD and the country as a whole. attempts to marginalise it. reconciliation between Valente and who has been in Rome during the election unity in action and a common On June 6, as the full impact Even in Bologna - whose municipal Antonio Bassolino, a previous centre- campaign, that a well-known anti-fascist blog world outlook. As long as they of the election results sunk in, the administration was for decades the left mayor of Naples, whom she had called Militant has urged committed left voters to support agreed actions, members usually manically optimistic Renzi jewel in the crown of the old Partito defeated in this year’s primary by what back M5S against the PD. This is despite the fact should have the right to speak that Matteo Salvini, the leader of the Lega Nord, admitted to journalists: “We are not Comunista Italiano - the sitting PD appeared to be underhand means in five has said: “In Rome I would vote for Raggi and in openly and form temporary or happy. We have some problems.” mayor, Virginio Merola, failed to be re- of the Neapolitan polling districts,9 and Turin I would vote for Appendino” (ie, the M5S permanent factions. He also had to acknowledge: “The elected in the first round, only securing despite the support of some very shady candidates - Corriere della Sera June 8). This is n Communists oppose all alliance with Verdini [leader of the 39.5%: more than 10% below the characters linked to Denis Verdini’s cast-iron proof of the links between the far-right imperialist wars and occupations Lega and M5S. rightwing Alleanza Liberalpopolare- threshold for avoiding a run-off ballot. Alleanza Liberalpopolare-Autonomie 6. Marchini himself would undoubtedly regard but constantly strive to bring to Autonomi] is not working. We Whilst his rightwing challenger from (a grouping created in 2015 and largely Raggi as a menace to Rome’s economic elite, of the fore the fundamental question have definitively consigned it to the Lega Nord, Lucia Borgonzini, is made up of defectors from Forza which he is an integral part, and, as I explained in - ending war is bound up with the archives.”1 Significantly, the less likely to unify all those who voted Italia), who were widely believed my article last week, he is the heir to a dynasty of ending capitalism. builders which originally had some links with the editorial of La Repubblica - very for lists other than the PD behind her to have close connections with the Roman federation of the Partito Comunista n Communists are much a paper of the centre-left rather candidacy on the second round in the Neapolitan Camorra. Whether the Italiano (‘Divisions continue to multiply’ Weekly internationalists. Everywhere we than the radical left - damned Renzi’s way an M5S challenger might have Neapolitan PD will make an overt or Worker June 2). strive for the closest unity and stridently neo-Blairite project in its done, the PD cannot afford to be too covert deal with Forza Italia to topple 7. Given the way not only Parma but even agreement of working class and Livorno fell to M5S in the past, when a strange headline: “In search of the lost PD - complacent here. De Magistris in the second round is combination of forces ganged up with M5S progressive parties of all countries. the party needs a soul, not one man M5S’s ultra-loyalist candidate, uncertain, but, given Renzi’s fondness against the PD in the second-round run-off, a We oppose every manifestation in command.” Massimo Bugani, is undoubtedly for back-stabbing and scheming, one similar outcome in this ‘red’ city cannot be ruled of national sectionalism. It is an The Movimento Cinque Stelle (Five extremely disappointed to have come cannot rule it out. out. For more on Livorno and Parma, see my internationalist duty to uphold the earlier articles ‘M5S takes ex-communist Star Movement - M5S) is now clearly in third with 16.6% and is trying to It is worth emphasising that the stronghold’ Weekly Worker June 12 2014; and principle, ‘One state, one party’. on course to take control of Rome after blame his M5S internal opponents only mayor of a relatively substantial ‘Scandal hits M5S’ Weekly Worker May 19 2016. n The working class must be the second round on June 19. Beppe elsewhere in the region of Emilia urban centre, the main Sardinian city 8. La Repubblica June 7 2016. organised globally. Without Grillo’s failure to appear at the final Romagna, such as the dissident mayor of Cagliari, who was re-elected on 9. Bassolino made various unsuccessful attempts a global Communist Party, a to challenge the result after video footage M5S rally on June 3 in Rome’s central of Parma, for his failure to make a the first round was Massimo Zedda, appeared to indicate Valente’s supporters were Communist International, the Piazza del Popolo, except via a video breakthrough. However, it is worth an SEL member, who was at the head bribing voters. struggle against capital is weakened link, seems to have made no difference noting that Manes Bernardini, leading of a very broad centre-left coalition of 10. See my article, ‘Silvio Berlusconi trounced and lacks coordination. and, contrary to some commentators’ a nominally independent Lista Civica, a type that Renzi - eager to purge the again’ (Weekly Worker June 17 2011). It is perhaps n Communists have no interest more obvious in retrospect that this was the Italian forecasts, the failure to fill more than who got 10.4%, is a former Lega Nord hard left - no longer finds attractive. variant of a general southern European and apart from the working class about half the square did not indicate member, even if he claimed the Lega Zedda got 50.9% of the vote on the Middle Eastern phenomenon that also included as a whole. They differ only in a real drop in support for M5S at the had become too extreme in the last basis of his record and in many ways the Spanish Indignados and the Arab Spring, and recognising the importance of ballot box or any lack of interest in couple of years and allied himself with his success reminds us of another era. had as by-products the somewhat less impressive Marxism as a guide to practice. American Occupy and the British student the mayoral contest - the turnout in centrist groupings such as the Nuovo I am referring to May-June 2011, when militancy of 2010-11. That theory is no dogma, but Rome was 56.49% on this occasion, Centrodestra (NCD - New Centre Silvio Berlusconi was defeated - first in 11. There is already some preliminary must be constantly added to and compared with 52.8% in the 2013 Right) in the mayoral contest. In short, the local elections and then in a number commentary on the sociology of the election enriched. municipal elections and 51.93% at the many of his voters could well line up of referendums - by a wave of relatively results, pointing out that the PD vote is now n Capitalism in its ceaseless coming from the more prosperous parts of the 2014 European election. In fact M5S behind Borgonzini against the PD in spontaneous, largely youthful, leftism, major cities, not the old working class Giorgi search for profit puts the future gained a higher percentage in Rome last the second round. Whilst Federico beyond the control of the PD, even strongholds of the Partito Comunista Italiano, of humanity at risk. Capitalism is Sunday than in any previous election.2 Martelloni’s Coalizione Civica is if often marked by the flaws of left whilst the votes for M5S - and in some cases, synonymous with war, pollution, M5S mayoral candidate Virginia clearly to the left of the PD, gaining populism.10 where M5S is weaker, the more conventional right exploitation and crisis. As a and far right - come from the poorer suburbs. Raggi’s 35.2% put her very far ahead support from young radicals in the Sadly, De Magistris aside, most of The parallels with Britain global system capitalism can only of the second-placed Roberto Giachetti centri sociali, it is not at all clear that the anger of the young and of the and France should be be superseded globally. of the PD, with his 24.9%.3 Whilst his 7% would transfer to Merola in poor at the manifest failure of obvious: when n The capitalist class will never Giacchetti has managed to make it the second round, despite his activists’ Renzi’s economic policies is formerly social willingly allow their wealth and democratic parties into the second-round run-off, pushing detestation of the Lega. now being channelled into abandon any power to be taken away by a Giorgia Meloni4 of the neo-fascist Milan has in recent decades the rightwing populism attempt, however parliamentary vote. Fratelli d’Italia (FdI) into third place, experienced a long period of rightwing of M5S or by the more partial and n We will use the most militant with 20.6%, he has almost no chance administration, so it is less surprising conventional and resurgent distorted, to methods objective circumstances represent the of avoiding a humiliating defeat at that the outcome of the first round far right of the Lega Nord working class and allow to achieve a federal republic Raggi’s hands in the final contest. Even here leaves its fate on a knife edge. and the FdI.11 Whilst the the poor, their of England, Scotland and Wales, in the somewhat unlikely event that Although the PD’s Giuseppe Sala results achieved by Fassina in traditional a united, federal Ireland and a he wins all the votes of the radical left gained first place with 41.7%, the Rome, Rizzo in Milan, Airaudo constituencies turn United States of Europe. elsewhere. candidate, Stefano Fassina of Sinistra Forza Italia candidate, Stefano Parisi in Turin or Martelloni in n Communists favour industrial Italiana (4.4%)5, and the majority of - in this instance backed by the Lega Bologna are not as insignificant unions. Bureaucracy and class the votes of the moderate centre-right and the FdI - was not far behind with as Renzi - in his bid to keep the compromise must be fought and candidate, Alfio Marchini (10.9%)6, 40.8%. It has to be pointed out that PD on a Blairite path - claims, they the trade unions transformed into it is a certainty that any of Meloni’s some of Sala’s vote was due to the fact are hardly signs of a coordinated schools for communism. supporters who participate in the that the soft-left Sinistra Ecologia e nationwide radical left revival. n Communists are champions of second round will cast their votes for Libertà (Left Ecology and Freedom - Most of these candidates are the oppressed. Women’s oppression, Raggi, not for a representative of the SEL) had allowed itself to be trapped not even as leftwing as combating racism and chauvinism, PD - a party which Rome’s numerous inside a wider centre-left coalition of a Rifondazione Comunista and the struggle for peace and and unrepentant neo-fascists still type that Renzi had rejected in Rome, was at its peak l ecological sustainability are just perceive as ‘communist’. Turin and Naples. Not all the radical as much working class questions Nor did the results in the other left could copy SEL in stomaching Notes as pay, trade union rights and 1. Quotations taken from La major Italian cities provide much Sala, and so Basilio Rizzo, who has a Repubblica June 7 2016. demands for high-quality health, comfort to Renzi and the PD. In Turin - long record of left activism in the city, 2. In the previous Roman housing and education. traditionally Italy’s most industrial city gained 3.56% in opposition to the PD municipal election in 2013, n Socialism represents victory and the site of Fiat’s largest factory - the candidate. Although M5S has never M5S gained only 12.82% in the battle for democracy. It and even in the general sitting PD mayor, Piero Fassino, only put down substantial roots in Milan, election of that year, its is the rule of the working class. got 41.8%, whilst Chiara Appendino its candidate, Gianluca Corrado, who highest previous total, it Socialism is either democratic or, of the M5S came second with 30.9%, finished in third place with 10.1%, took managed a less as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it so there is a possibility of M5S taking enough votes to be able to swing the staggering 27.27%. turns into its opposite. 3. Raggi was n the city once renowned for its trade balance either way in the second-round ahead of Socialism is the first stage union militancy in the second round, if run-off. Marco Cappato of the Radicali Giacchetti in of the worldwide transition to the bulk of the votes for the rightwing Italiani scored 1.85%; he had started 13 of communism - a system which candidates transfer to M5S - Alberto off as a councillor for the centre-left Rome’s 15 knows neither wars, exploitation, boroughs. Morano, the candidate of the Lega coalition in 2011 before falling out with 4. For money, classes, states nor Nord, supported by the FdI, came third Pisapia in a quite acrimonious way, so more nations. Communism is general with 8.4%, ahead of his more moderate it is difficult to judge whether his voters detail freedom and the real beginning Forza Italia rival, Osvaldo Napoli, with will rally to Sala or not. about of human history. 7 Giorgia his 5.3% . The fifth -placed candidate, Even Renzi has had to recognise Meloni The Weekly Worker is licensed by Roberto Rosso, is a former Forza Italia that the PD’s result in Naples was and her November Publications under a Creative mayoral Commons Attribution-NonCommercial parliamentarian, so the 5.1% of his an absolute disaster - “There is no 4.0 International Licence: http:// Lista Civica (Civic List) would also longer a PD there; I must go there campaign, see creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ represent a largely rightwing electorate. 8 Whilst Renzi’s deadly ‘Divisions legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. with napalm”. continue to multiply’ Matteo Renzi: stumbling Giorgio Airaudo, a leftwing enemy, the outgoing maverick leftwing No 1110 June 9 2016 Jon Lansman weekly must be removed as chair of worker Momentum My encounter with the thought police Tony Greenstein is still in one piece following his grilling by a Labour Party witch-hunt apparatchik arlene Ellis is the latest person existence of the Israeli state. But this and slavery in the same breath. to fall foul of New Labour’s unsustainable definition was removed Lansman has de facto come out as a Mthought police. Her offence? by the EUMC’s successor body, Zionist. In a truly atrocious article for Putting her name to an ‘Open letter to the European Fundamental Rights Left Futures he cited the imperialist Jeremy Corbyn’ calling for the lifting Agency, from its website.6 record of the British Labour Party: of Ken Livingstone’s suspension.1 If Racism is not a set of prejudices its 1944 conference supported this was not bad enough, the letter had or attitudes so much as a system of the transfer of Palestinians from a section entitled ‘Context setting’, power relations and exploitation, Palestine (the resolution was drafted analysing the issues behind the question in which members of a particular by Hugh Dalton, an ardent supporter of Nazi-Zionist collaboration, for which group experience economic, political of the Zionist maximalist aims of Livingstone had got suspended. and social discrimination, often establishing a Jewish state on both The section itself is muddled and accompanied by violence, racial sides of the Jordan river and the Sinai fails, for example, to understand the profiling and a hostile media. Jews peninsula). According to Lansman purpose or mechanics of Ha’avara, suffer from none of this. Anti-Semitism this justified the expulsion of three the transfer agreement between the in Britain is not so much a form of quarters of a million Palestinians in Zionist Organisation in Germany racism as a marginal prejudice. 1947-48.9 To Lansman the population and the Nazi state. Nevertheless, The major cause of what remains transfers in the aftermath of World any discussion of the issue is so of anti-Semitism in Britain today is War II and the holocaust justified embarrassing to the Zionists that those Israel, the ‘Jewish’ state. Chief rabbi the Nakba. Lansman’s removal as who even mention the agreement are Ephraim Mirvis recently argued: chair of Momentum is one of the subject to immediate suspension. “One can no more separate [Zionism] key prerequisites to winning the fight So when Marlene Ellis put her from Judaism than separate the City against the witch-hunt - a fight which name to a statement defending “the of London from Great Britain.”7 In is going to be crucial to defeating the right for him [Ken Livingstone] to ‘Inquisition’ by Ilyas Phaizulline other words, Zionism and Judaism, right inside the Labour Party. state these facts already affirmed by Zionists and Jews, are synonymous. On a somewhat brighter note, Jews”, her suspension was inevitable. in Brighton in 1984 as “obviously tweets, where, for example, I had Is it any wonder then that a minority Brighton and Hove Momentum held Free speech is a luxury that the right legitimate” - which, from the referred to Zionists as “Zio” and mistakenly target Jews in revenge for a large meeting last week at which and the Zionists cannot afford in perspective of the IRA, it clearly called for the deselection of the local Israel’s barbarous behaviour against Jackie Walker, who had just been today’s Labour Party. If it was a was - the rest of the case against me Progress MP for Hove, Peter Kyle. the Palestinians? reinstated, and Ian Saville of the question of free speech for racists, then concentrated on my alleged ‘anti- Gregson was unable to answer why It is ironic therefore that the right in Jewish Socialists Group spoke. It is a the Tory press would have queued up Semitism’. The irony of suspending such a call should be the subject of an the Labour Party has now disqualified testament to the right’s fear that their to denounce the enemies of freedom. a Jewish anti-fascist on such grounds investigation. Rhea Wolfson, the only Jewish campaign might unravel that the event However, as the culprits are black and was clearly lost on Gregson. There were many other such surreal candidate, from standing in Labour’s was leafleted by people from the far- anti-racist, the support of the press If someone is accused of racism and moments, and it became clear to me that national executive committee elections right Sussex Friends of Israel and a goes to Iain McNicol, Labour’s witch- there is clear evidence of racist beliefs, this witch-hunt is not about ‘wrong’ at the urging of Jim Murphy, the lone Progress supporter. However, it finder general. attitudes or actions, then clearly there ideas or misconceptions: it is about Blairite ex-leader of Scottish Labour. was an excellent meeting and not one However, my own case is rather is a good reason for disciplinary action, reversing the result of last summer’s Rhea Wolfson is that rarest of creatures person from the floor suggested that more advanced and on May 30 I including expulsion. But when what is leadership election. The means that are - a Zionist supporter of Corbyn and there was an ‘anti-Semitism’ problem finally met my very own Torquemada involved is an opinion or discussion being employed are to destabilise the Momentum, but her constituency, in the Labour Party. Despite the media in the form of Harry Gregson, the on a particular aspect of history, be it Labour Party with allegations of anti- Glasgow Eastwood, refused to barrage and the cowardice of Lansman Labour apparatchik responsible Jewish involvement with slavery or Semitism. It is no accident that anti- nominate her for the NEC. Murphy and Owen Jones on the question, most for the south-east. It was Gregson Nazi collaboration with the Zionist Semitism has been chosen as the main alleged that Wolfson was allied to the people understand only too well what who interrogated Jackie Walker, movement, then this is a classic weapon of the Labour right. Jews “anti-Semitic” Momentum. Ironically the motivation of the right is10 l the black-Jewish vice-chair of example of the outlawing of ideas. in Britain are not economically or her candidature was supported by Momentum and Jackie was reinstated What is happening today is in the spirit politically discriminated against and a the JLM, which has turned false Notes 1. https://momentumblackconnexions.wordpress. last week to howls of protest from of the Inquisition - and Labour’s very largely prosperous, upper-middle class allegations of anti-Semitism into an com/2016/05/04/an-open-letter-to-jeremy-corbyn- the rightwing Progress and Jewish own inquisitors are defining the limits group. As William Rubinstein has art form. lift-the-labour-party-suspension-of-ken- Labour Movement factions. This is of acceptable debate. observed, “the Jews may become the Personally I had opposed the left livingstone-for-an-honest-straight-talking-battle- a considerable victory for the anti- What was particularly absurd was first ethnic group in history without a support for Wolfson because in my of-anti-racist-ideas-to-thrive-in-britain. 5 2. http://freespeechonisrael.org.uk. witch-hunt forces. Although those that my interrogator did not have working class of any size.” Jews do view she is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. 3. If anyone is interested in attending, please opposed to the witch-hunt have been a clue about the things that he was not experience state racism - they are Her Jewishness, which meant so contact me directly at tonygreenstein111@gmail. slow to get off the ground, we are questioning me about. He believed white politically. Opposition to ‘anti- much to Jon Lansman, Momentum’s com. now, finally, getting our act together. that Zionism as a movement was as Semitism’ has become the false flag, chairperson, is irrelevant. An open 4. The transcript can be accessed at https://docs. 2 google.com/document/d/1HyyaL5n7l_ Free Speech on Israel was formed pure as Caesar’s wife was alleged to the bogus anti-racism, of the right. Zionist is a dangerous ally. ReK4Aou7wf5TzC0CNa_CxttSSPhdN6ZTg/edit. about six weeks ago. It consists have been. Hence my statement that This is a form of anti-racism that poses Talking of Jon Lansman, he 5. WD Rubinstein The left, the right and the Jews mainly though not exclusively, of Israel was waiting until the holocaust no threat - quite the contrary - to the continues to play a treacherous role. London 1982, p51. Jewish members of the Labour Party. survivors died in order that they could operation of capitalism. In the course of the witch-hunt he has 6. See www.timesofisrael.com/eu-drops-its- working-definition-of-anti-semitism. Those who are suspended have now avoid having to pay them benefits And ‘anti-Semitism’ has been given sustenance to the idea that anti- 7. See www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/03/ started establishing contact with each struck him as beyond the pale. So redefined, so it no longer means only Semitism is a problem in the Labour ken-livingstone-and-the-hard-left-are-spreading- other and we are planning a meeting when I produced an article from antagonism to Jews as Jews, but Party. He has held secret negotiations the-insidious-vi. on June 28 in central London.3 Israel’s Ha’aretz newspaper (February opposition to the ‘Jewish’ state. That with JLM and Labour Friends of Israel 8. www.leftfutures.org/2016/05/why-the-left- My own interrogation was tape 6 2013) entitled “Israel is waiting for is why the Zionists have invested so and has disowned the term ‘Zionism’ must-stop-talking-about-zionism/comment-page- 4 8 1/#comment-243263. recorded. I was accompanied by its holocaust survivors to die”, he was much time and effort into defending in deference to his Zionist friends. 9. www.leftfutures.org/2016/05/labour-and-the- Christine Shawcroft of the NEC as my baffled. the discredited European Union Notwithstanding his obeisance, those jews-from-ethnic-cleansing-to-truth-and- silent witness and the sheer absurdity Gregson, who seems to have had Monitoring Committee ‘working Zionist friends sought the suspension reconciliation. 10. For once the Jewish Chronicle report was of this witch-hunt was on full display. instructions to dig up anything he definition on anti-Semitism’, which of Momentum’s deputy chair, Jackie quite fair! (www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/158884/ I was suspended on March 18 on the could about me to justify the initial defined anti-Semitism as including Walker, on the grounds of ‘anti- jacqueline-walker-claims-her-suspension-labour- basis of comments I was alleged to suspension, produced a series of precisely such opposition to the Semitism’ for daring to mention Jews was-part-a-conspiracy). have made, the details of which I was denied. I only learnt about those Subscribe Name:______Standing order comments on April 2, when The Daily 6m 1yr Inst. 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