Issue 338 � 19 November 2020 � Price: £1 / £2

THE MARXIST VOICE OF LABOUR AND YOUTH socialist.net 2 What We Stand For Issue 338

WHO ARE WE? and WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?

old measures are required to deal reopen should be in ■■Instead of building up the national with the coronavirus crisis. Only a the hands of workplace committees debt through government borrow- Bclear socialist programme can offer and the trade unions. And it must ing, the money needed should be a way forward. be based on the implementation obtained entirely from expropriating of health and safety measures and the accumulated profits of big busi- We must have no faith in the Tories or a safe working environment. The ness. their hangers on, whose worship of costs for this must be paid by the the market has brought the country to ■■If the bosses say they can’t afford bosses. its knees. to pay for workers’ wages, we say: ■■For safe work or full pay. Any open up the books! Let the working ■■No trust or confidence in the Tories lockdown or restrictions must be ac- class and the labour movement see and their big business backers! companied by measures to provide the accounts! If firms plead bank- ■■Instead of attacking the left, Labour for workers affected by closures. ruptcy, they should not be bailed must provide genuine opposition to This means 100% wage support for out, but nationalised under workers’ this shambolic Tory government. those furloughed, as well as full sick control. Support workers in the fight to put pay to those required to isolate. ■■No to austerity! The working class lives before profits! ■■To fight job cuts and the threat of must not pay for this crisis! The bosses and their craven political mass unemployment following the It is clear that the market has failed representatives have shown that they lockdown, work should be shared and capitalism is in a deep crisis. The will always prioritise profits over out without any loss of pay, in order anarchy of capitalism prevents the lives. We demand socialist measures to lower the hours of the working planning of society’s resources, in to protect workers, and put health day. Britain and internationally. before wealth. ■■Scrap tuition fees and rents, and ■■We therefore stand for the nation- ■■For a fully publicly-owned and free replace these with free education alisation of the 100 biggest monop- health service, under workers’ and full maintenance grants for all. olies, banks, utilities, landlords and control and management. Reverse Move university courses online. And so on – under workers’ control and all privatisation and outsourcing. put staff in control in schools and management – and without com- All private health services must be universities. pensation. On this basis, the econ- nationalised without compensation, ■■Ban evictions and cancel housing omy can be democratically planned and integrated into the NHS. debts. Give local authorities the in the interests of the majority, and ■■For a properly funded test and trace power to cap rents at affordable lev- not for the super profits of a few. system, fully under public control. els. Requisition rooms at hotels and ■■A Socialist Federation of Britain Boot out parasitic outsourcing com- hostels for those sleeping on the should be linked to a Socialist Unit- panies like SERCO, and give power streets. And bring empty properties ed States of Europe and a World to healthcare workers, councils, and the assets of the big landlords Socialist Federation, in order to plan and local communities in order to and management companies under resources internationally for the provide mass testing. public control. benefit of all. This would put an end ■■Nationalise the pharmaceutical ■■Many small businesses are faced to barbarism of capitalism and allow companies – without compensation with bankruptcy, with banks resist- humanity to begin solving the urgent – in order to ensure that vaccines ing any extensions of credit. Many issues of climate change, disease, are developed rapidly and made are squeezed not only by the banks, and poverty that face society and available to all for free. but by the big monopolies. By na- our planet. tionalising the banks we can supply ■■Reverse the austerity inflicted upon these small businesses with the public services. Launch a fully-fund- lifeline of guaranteed low-interest Like what you read? ed training programme for doctors, credit and loans. nurses, paramedics, medical JOIN US TODAY! staff, with decent pay and hours, ■■The financial resources required to to increase staffing levels across fight the crisis must not come from the board. New hospitals must be increased taxes or more austerity, [email protected] urgently built. but through the nationalisation of the banks and finance houses. Rather socialist-appeal ■■Non-essential workplaces should than a ‘wealth tax’, we call for the be shut down until it is genuinely expropriation of the monopolies. socialist.net safe to reopen. The decision to

SOCIALIST APPEAL Editor: Rob Sewell Content/Layout: Left Publications LTD [email protected] Callum Douglas and Khaled Malachi [email protected] Next issue date: Queries: Issue 338, November 2020 3rd December 2020 [email protected] CONTENTS

Britain 4 The COVID vaccine breakthrough 5 Tory cronyism and corruption 6 EHRC: Attack dog of the establishment 7 Croydon council bankruptcy 8 Boris calls devolution a ‘disaster’ 9 Stormont stabs workers in the back 10 Manchester students fight back! 11 Student mental health crisis 12 - 13 Editorial: Nightmare on Downing Street

Labour 14 - 15 What’s next in Labour’s civil war? 15 NEC election results show strength of the left

Theory and History

16 - 19 Engels at 200

International

20 - 22 Biden win: No victory for the working class 23 - 25 Europe’s COVID-19 second wave 25 Pakistan: Release comrade Amar Fayaz

Letters, Reviews and History

26 Review: The trial of the Chicago 7 27 The Chartist Revolution 28 Letters

Trade Unions 29 Paul Holmes campaign enters final stage 30 Spycops inquiry: exposing the machinations of the state 31 Higher education pay

Join us today! socialist.net 4 COVID-19 Vaccine Issue 338 The covid vaccine breakthrough: workers foot the bill for big pharma’s profit Dora Dimitrova & Joe Attard

illions of people around the world are jubilant that a COVID-19 Mvaccine might soon be available. Capitalist governments, prioritising capi- talist profits over human lives, have utterly failed to contain this pandemic. The mass- es have no faith in their governments, and are pinning their hopes on a cure. But there is no cure for the sickness of the capitalist system, which will seek to profit from this breakthrough, to humanity’s detriment. The ruling class is eager for a work- ing vaccine: not because it cares about people suffering, but because it wants to return to ‘normal’ economic activity. Thus, huge sums of public money have Moderna has stated that it could manufac- lion’s share of doses of the leading can- been invested in a variety of candidate ture anywhere between 500 million and 1 didate drugs, and there is little prospect of drugs. Two of these (manufactured by billion doses in 2021, which could gener- Big Pharma making its products available Boston-based Moderna, and the US phar- ate anywhere between $14bn (£10.5bn) at manageable prices in poor countries. maceutical giant Pfizer in collaboration and $29bn (£22 bn) in profits. As Oxfam points out, regardless of prom- with the German firm BioNTech) have Despite the private sector making a ising clinical trial results, the vaccine will produced interim results suggesting they killing, all the vaccines undergoing stage be “zero percent effective” for millions of are between 90 and 95 percent effective. three testing are reliant on public sector people who will be priced out of its use. research and / or funding. Moderna was Another, neglected aspect of these Bonanza bankrolled by the Trump administration’s vaccine announcements is the question The optimism of the bosses was immedi- ‘Operation Warp Speed Initiative’. Despite of their storage and administration once ately reflected by a bounce on the stock Pfizer claiming it has “never taken any manufactured. The early months of the market, with the FTSE 100 surging nearly money” from the state, the product it has pandemic revealed just how few hospital 5 percent. These desperately needed created with BioNTech is based on tech- beds and doctors per capita were avail- vaccines represent a bonanza for the nology developed by the US and German able in the advanced countries whose pharmaceutical capitalists and their governments. healthcare systems have been ravaged shareholders, including British Chancellor Far from driving innovation, the private by austerity for decades, but especially in of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, whose medical sector merely leeches off the less-developed countries. former hedge fund Theleme Partners has state, then pockets the rewards. In effect, How can we expect a country like invested heavily in Moderna. they expect ordinary people to pay for Nigeria, for example – with only 5 hospital Meanwhile, the race for a vaccine these vaccines twice. beds per 10,000 inhabitants – to procure has been cynically exploited as part of a the necessary specialised freezers for the geopolitical tug-of-war between capitalist Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which needs to governments. They are all vying for their Priced out The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be be stored at -75°C? All this only serves capitalists to cross the line first, secure available in the US for $39 for a two-shot as a reminder that production under cap- patents, and outcompete their rivals on course, while Moderna’s will be $50. italism is only carried out on the basis of the world stage. Prices for countries other than the US are profit, not concern for human life or need. Nevertheless, with COVID-19 cases likely to vary as supply contracts are still We say: nationalise the pharmaceu- skyrocketing around the world, these being negotiated, but Moderna is already tical companies without compensation developments are a pinprick of light at the projecting a range of between $32 and and under workers’ control, to guarantee end of a dark tunnel for billions of workers $37 per dose. a vaccine is made freely available! For struggling under the pandemic, and the These fees will have to be covered a fully publicly-owned health service, economic turmoil it has provoked. But we by individuals, or otherwise swallowed under the control and management of the should be under no illusions about the by already overburdened public health healthcare workers themselves! motives of the Big Pharma racket. services. We have heard time and again Ultimately, only a socialist planned that “we are all in this together”. But for the economy on an international scale can Super profits working class and poor, this is a sick joke. guarantee that everyone can benefit from Pfizer and BioNTech stand to make $13bn This injustice is even starker in the the advances of medical science, which (£9.8bn) from sales of their vaccine, with so-called ‘developing’ world. The richest must be freed from the stranglehold of the US ordering 100 million doses, the countries have already bought up the profit. ■ EU 200 million, and the UK 40 million.

Back to Contents marxist.com 5 Corruption 19 November 2020 britain’s ‘Chumocracy’ Tory cronyism and COVID corruption Danielle Dempsey, million spent on facemasks that couldn’t be used by NHS staff. So much for the Waltham Forest UNISON wonders of ‘free enterprise’! (personal capacity) Riding high Dido Harding, chair of NHS test and hile millions of people in Britain trace, is one of those with strong links face unemployment or low to the Health Secretary Matt Han- Wpay, the Tories are using the cock and other Tories. Harding, a pandemic as an opportunity to write out peer in the House of Lords, and wife blank cheques to their rich friends. of a Tory MP, is also an appointed Over £18 billion has been spent by member of the Jockey Club. the government on PPE, testing, and The Jockey Club happened to consultants since the start of the pan- give horse racing enthusiast Hancock demic. With the spending taps turned honorary membership of its prestigious on, the Tories have made sure their rooms after he was first elected as an Unsurprisingly, the company has a friends - and donors - got a slice of the MP. Despite the fact that at the end of long-standing relationship with the Tory action. September the national test-and-trace party. According to a damning report by the programme was showing one-in-three After being awarded the test and National Audit Office, the government false positives, Hancock and the gov- trace contract, Seroc’s estimated profits set up a secret high-priority channel to ernment maintained that Harding was for the year rose by over a third com- process offers of PPE supplies that were still right for the job. pared to the previous year. But Serco’s raised by Tory ministers and peers - of- Furthermore, Randox Laboratories, private call centres have fallen far short ten without proper due diligence. the official healthcare partner of the of the 80% contacts needed for the Jockey Club and sponsor of the Grand system to be effective. In contrast, local Friends first National, received a £133 million con- governments’ systems at times reach Campaigners such as The Good Law tract in May by Hancock to produce test- 95%. Project have evidenced the awarding ing kits. This was then extended by six Despite all this, Serco’s bosses can of procurement contracts to businesses months for a further £347 million. By a relax as their contracts have been ex- with little or no experience of supplying strange coincidence, Randox also pays tended. Whilst their fat-cat owners reap PPE. Instead, their real experience was Tory MP Owen Paterson £8,333 a month the profits, the rest of us are made to that of friendship or connections to the to work just 16 hours as a ‘consultant’. foot the £410 million bill. Tory party, or Dominic Cummings and The ruling class have exploited the the Vote Leave campaign. Test and Trace national emergency to support their cro- As to be expected, this political con- The national test-and-trace system has nies, at the same time they are driving tracting has often proven fruitless. Some been predominantly outsourced to Ser- down conditions for the working class. examples of these are the £130 million co and call-centre company Sitel. It is desperately clear that we need a contracted to a Tory donor for testing kits Serco’s CEO is Rupert Soames, workers’ government, to put people’s that turned out to be unsafe, and £150 the grandson of Winston Churchill. lives before the pursuit of profit. ■ IMU talks now available in our weekly podcast

Click here for episode one 2020: A World on Fire

Back to Contents socialist.net 6 EHRC Issue 338 EHRC: Attack dog for the establishment Khaled Malachi

n November 2018, a dossier was submitted to the Equalities and Human IRights Commission (EHRC) to inves- tigate ‘institutional anti-semitism’ in the Labour Party. The investigation in and of itself was presented by the establishment as evidence of how far Labour had fallen under Corbyn’s leadership. The Labour right wing have cynically used the EHRC’s investigation and subsequent report for their own ends, to discredit the left. And yet, in all of this furore, the EHRC’s credibility has never been called into question. This so-called What we see with this body is the same as that with ‘independent’ body is purported to stand all supposedly ‘independent’ institutions under above party politics as a neutral arbiter. But the facts paint a very different picture. capitalism: yet another example of the ‘revolving door’ Beginnings of the EHRC between politics, big business, and the various arms of The Commission was established in 2006 under Blair, subsuming three pre- the capitalists state. vious bodies that were in charge of an- ti-discrimination laws into one. This was heavily criticised at the time. Activists It was then revealed that Pavita pointed out that there cannot be a ‘one- Cooper, one of the EHRC’s commission- No authority at all So what is the EHRC’s actual track record? size-fits-all approach’ to inequality and ers, had not declared that she was a Tory Two former commissioners – the only discrimination. donor and fundraiser, despite adjudicat- black and Muslim workers on the Board From the get go, Trevor Phillips’ ing on this matter. – have revealed that they were not reap- appointment as Chair led to six com- pointed to their posts for being “too loud missioners resigning in the space of two Revolving door and vocal” on questions of racism. The years. After a spate of incendiary Is- The fact is that the EHRC is a public body Commission has also recently appointed lamaphopic comments – from describing that receives its funding from the state; David Goodhart, who has defended the British Muslims as “becoming a nation and the state, under capitalism, is tied by Tories’ racist ‘hostile environment’ policy. within a nation”, to asserting that Muslims a thousand threads to the capitalist class. The day of Goodhart’s appointment “see the world differently from the rest But the reason the EHRC doesn’t coincided with a report by Parliament’s hu- of us” – Phillips himself was suspended rock the boat is not simply for fear of man rights committee, which criticised the from the Labour Party! He is now a senior facing cuts. Rather, what we see with EHRC for failures to promote and protect fellow of the right-wing think tank Policy this body is the same as that with all black people’s rights. The irony is palpable. Exchange. supposedly ‘independent’ institutions The neglect the Commission itself Since the Tories came to power in under capitalism: yet another example shows for its BAME staff; its disdain toward 2010, the EHRC has faced vicious cuts of the ‘revolving door’ between politics, the MCB; and the fact that its own senior to its budget – taking it from £63 million big business, and the various arms of positions are occupied by racists who write down to £17 million. The former legal ad- the capitalists state. and research for conservative think tanks: visor to the Commission for Racial Equal- At the top, the EHRC – as with every all of this blows any claims of credibility out ity commented that the EHRC “tended to so-called ‘independent’ body – is com- of the water. pick and choose issues to tackle which posed of individuals who drift seamless- The EHRC is not concerned with are not necessarily the most important ly in and out of public and private posts. equality and non-discrimination. It is not a ones”. This is exactly how events have These commissioners therefore tend genuine ‘watchdog’, but a loyal and vicious played out. to share the same fundamental class attack dog for the ruling class. The EHRC’s nauseating hypocrisy is interests and outlook as the bosses: Instead of these so-called ‘independent’ clear to see when looking at its treatment maintaining the status quo and defend- (and ultimately toothless) bodies, stuffed of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). ing the property, power, and privileges of full of establishment stooges, we need Submitting its own dossier in May 2019, themselves as well as their ilk. institutions that are independent of the the MCB asked the EHRC to investigate Is it therefore any surprise that the capitalists. This means transforming these the Tories for creating a hostile, discrim- ears of these ladies and gentlemen on bodies into ones that are under democratic inatory environment for Muslims. The the Commission pricked up when an op- control, accountable to the organised work- Board eventually declined the request, portunity was presented for them – along ing class. Only then can such institutions stating that the Tory Party was capable of with the rest of the establishment – to really represent the needs and interests investigating itself! discredit Jeremy Corbyn and the left, in a protracted and humiliating fashion? of ordinary people. ■

Back to Contents marxist.com 7 Councils 19 November 2020 Croydon Council bankruptcy: Only the beginning of the crisis Keelan Kellegher Tower Hamlets Unison (personal capacity)

he ongoing crisis of capitalism has provoked a catastrophe in local gov- Ternment. The income that councils receive has shrunk dramatically, with a drop in business rates, parking charges, nursery fees, and council tax. At the same time, this decrepit system is making thousands homeless and millions more unemployed. The result is that many more people are now in need of financial support from local authorities. And crucially, central government sup- port has been cut back dramatically in the last decade, with a 50% reduction in funding. grounded in a sufficient understanding of Liverpool councillors who defied Thatcher in The picture then is one of collapsing the retail and leisure market”. the 1980s; or of George Lansbury and the incomes and skyrocketing expenditures. But it’s not that the council made the Labour councillors who led the Poplar rates wrong investments. Rather, they have rebellion in 1921: “It’s better to break the law Cuts coming been investing in a capitalist market that than break the poor.” Among the worst affected is Croydon Coun- is already completely saturated – locally, Even under Corbyn’s leadership, how- cil, which recently issued a Section 114 nationally, and internationally. Under these ever, thousands of right-wing Labour coun- notice. This is effectively a declaration of conditions, council investment was never cillors continued to implement Tory austerity bankruptcy, placing a moratorium on future going to achieve the profitability that the locally. And they were able to get away with spending. The council has a budget deficit Labour council hoped for. this thanks to compliant union leaderships, of £66 million and a total debt of £1.5 billion. who did nothing to clear out the careerists Following the bankruptcy, the council Fighting leadership and cowards within the PLP and in Labour will now convene to discuss what measures So what is the way forward? councils. must be taken to rectify the situation – in Instead of trying to balance the books other words, what cuts will be carried out. through municipal Keynesianism, we need No return to ‘normality’ These cuts will see many local govern- a fightback from the labour movement to The whole labour movement must be ment workers laid off at a time when unem- protect every job and service. The money placed on a war footing going forward. ployment is surging, making it increasingly is there to pay this – but it’s currently in Croydon Council is only the first of many difficult to find work and condemning many the pockets of the super-rich, who have councils that will be forced into this pre- workers to long-term unemployment. And amassed huge fortunes before and during carious position by the ongoing economic they will also have a devastating impact this crisis. crisis. on the wider community, coming on top of But to launch a genuine mass cam- Even with a vaccine, there will be no a decade of austerity, and in the midst of paign, we need a fighting leadership in the return to ‘normality’. Rather, once the pan- capitalism’s deepest crisis. labour movement. By waging a coordinated demic has subsided, the Tories will begin to Cuts will only exacerbate the poverty struggle against the wave of local govern- ‘balance the books’, demanding even more that is widespread in the borough. Already, ment cuts that are coming, the unions could austerity and attacks. as of October this year, child poverty in become a beacon for millions of workers, As we have seen in Tower Hamlets, or Croydon stood at 30%. who have so far largely been left to fend for with the Bexley refuse strikers, workers will themselves. increasingly come out in struggle against Investment this intolerable situation. But right now their Faced with this dire situation, Croydon Break the law, not the poor leaders are not up to the task. Council have attempted to invest their way The transformation of the unions into We need to build a militant leadership out of the crisis. To overcome their budget fighting organisations would also have in the labour movement – one that can deficit in 2018, the council voted through a its impact in the Labour Party. Croydon point the way forward by struggling for £100 million budget for asset acquisition. Council is, after all, a Labour council. the socialist transformation of society: to Yet a recent auditors’ report has revealed Rather than attempting to ‘manage’ put power in the hands of workers, and how this strategy has only compounded the crisis or argue for a ‘dented shield’ ap- to expropriate the hoarded wealth of the the council’s deficit woes. The audit state- proach, the council’s attitude – and that of bosses, so that we can fund the services ment claimed that investments “were not all Labour councils – ought to be that of the that society needs. ■

Back to Contents socialist.net 8 Scotland Issue 338

Boris blunder boosts independence pm calls devolution a ‘disaster’ Shaun Morris First Minister Nicola Sturgeon re- by devolution, which is under threat from sponded to the PM’s comments by tweet- a reactionary Brexiteer Tory government, he Prime Minister’s choice of words ing: “Worth bookmarking these PM com- and that independence is therefore a has landed him in hot water again this ments for the next time Tories say they’re democratic necessity. Tweek, as leaked reports from a meet- not a threat to the powers of the Scottish At the same time, however, Boris ing with Tory MPs have him calling Scottish Parliament – or, even more incredibly, that Johnson’s bluster about devolution shows devolution a “disaster” and a “mistake”. A they support devolving more powers.” the intransigence towards the SNP runs spokesperson for Number 10 was quick to Meanwhile, the Scottish Tories are deep in the Conservative party. In the face clarify that Johnson’s comments were really once again forced to try and limit the of rising support for independence, which just a run-of-the-mill political attack on the damage done to their image by another now regularly breaks the 50% threshold in SNP, and that the PM has “always support- BoJo PR blunder. Leader Douglas Ross polling, the Tory government is steadfast ed devolution”. explained that what Johnson meant to say in its refusal to grant permission to the “Always” doesn’t mean always, how- is that devolution is not a disaster, but the Scottish government to hold an independ- ever, as the Conservative party opposed SNP are. ence referendum. devolution in the referenda of 1979 and Repeating the Tory mantra that the There is no doubt that most of the 1997. The Tories’ modern day “support” for SNP have an “obsession” with independ- MPs would have been nodding along in devolution is also dubious, as this minor ence to the detriment of all else, Ross agreement with Johnson as he spoke ill scandal comes at a time when devolved simply shows his own obsession with the of devolution. It is interesting that these governments have accused the UK Govern- SNP’s stance on independence. comments were made to the ‘Northern ment of undermining their devolved powers. Research Group’ of MPs who threatened Discontent to rebel against the Government over Power grab The implication is quite clear. The rise coronavirus restrictions, demanding more The passage of the Internal Market Bill, of the SNP is taken as evidence of the local control and financial support. Is the which is also controversial for its de facto failure of devolution, which was originally Prime Minister trying to nip something in abrogation of the Northern Ireland border intended to cut across Scottish nationalist the bud here? protocol agreed with the EU, has been sentiment, rather than institutionalise it. If one thing is clear, it is that the “One called a “power grab” by the Scottish and The long-term decline of British capi- Nation Tory” approach to government tout- Welsh governments (the Welsh Labour talism and the betrayals of Blairism how- ed by Boris Johnson at the launch of his government, by the way, are hardly the ever drove Scottish workers into the arms premiership is a relic from the past, firmly “separatists” Johnson and Co rage against). of the SNP and pushed up support for uprooted by Britain’s imperial decline. The bill mandates what powers over which independence. The Tories blame Labour Johnson, who is obsessed with his areas of government will be reserved to for creating the outlet for this discontent, own self-image, hoped to secure a legacy Westminster or devolved once they have which now threatens the break-up of the as a “Churchillian” Prime Minister who been repatriated from the EU. UK. “Got Brexit Done”. No doubt he will be re- The devolved administrations in Edin- From the SNP’s point of view, the membered for his calamitous handling of burgh and Cardiff say the devolution status PM’s attacks on devolution are a gift. Brexit, as well as one of the world’s worst quo means they should have all the powers It just further makes the case the SNP COVID-19 mortality rates. We may well over areas not specifically reserved, and are attempting to prove to all classes of be able to add to that the breakup of the anything short of this represents an attack Scottish society: that the national interest 300 year old union with Scotland. Quite a on devolution. of Scotland is at best only partially served legacy, indeed. ■

Back to Contents marxist.com 9 North of Ireland 19 November 2020 Stormont stabs workers in the back over COVID-19 lockdown

Ben Curry Robin Swann proposed an extension of has overseen its calamitous decline. lockdown by two weeks on the basis of Before the COVID-19 crisis erupted, he Stormont Executive in the North advice from the chief medical adviser. Yet the North of Ireland was estimated as of Ireland has voted to an early his proposal was unilaterally vetoed by having 2,103 unfilled nursing positions. Trelaxation of lockdown restrictions, the DUP using the so-called ‘cross-com- Of more than 300,000 patients on waiting beginning with cafes, coffee shops and munity mechanism’. lists across the North, more than 100,000 non-licensed restaurants. The loosening These ‘mechanisms’ were built into have been waiting for more than a year. of measures, described by the head of the Good Friday Agreement a quarter This was already an eye-watering figure the BMA in the North of Ireland as “an of a century ago, nominally at least to for a region with a population of little over act of careless vandalism”, was agreed prevent a unionist or nationalist majority 1,800,000. Yet that figure has leapt by a despite Stormont’s own official medical in Stormont enacting sectarian legislation third since the first wave of the virus. advice that a failure to extend the lock- that negatively impacted the other com- To plug the gap in staffing, huge sums down by two weeks would mean excess munity. of cash are doled out every year to private deaths continue to spiral. The DUP, by using the mechanism as agencies. COVID-19 has only meant more The question of the lockdown has a veto, have effectively declared -COV money is now being poured into private once more plunged Stormont into ID-19 a question of conflicting sectarian coffers. From 29 June to 18 October this renewed crisis. DUP leader Arlene interests! year, over 1,000 patients had procedures Foster bullishly declared, “Sometimes In the end the UUP and Alliance opted performed by the private sector… and compromise doesn’t come easy and it to vote for the DUP’s proposal, whilst the paid for out of the public purse. has to be fought for to secure it.” What SDLP abstained, and Sinn Féin opted to has been ‘fought for and secured’ is the vote against. Stormont in crisis compromising of hundreds more lives in On the back of the debacle, one Since the Good Friday Agreement was the quest to restore profits. commentator wryly asked, “Well, are you signed, the Stormont government has disillusioned with power sharing yet?” been dogged by crises. Periodically the A sectarian football Assembly has collapsed, only for politi- This latest comes after months of neglect Pass the blame cians across the sectarian divide to come that allowed a health emergency to As the relaxing of measures was an- together and promise one ‘fresh start’ unfold, and a week of the DUP playing nounced, hospitals reported that they after another. sectarian football with the question. were running at 101% capacity. Health- The latest ‘fresh start’ was promised By the time a lockdown was declared care workers have now received a dev- in January, after years of the North in the North of Ireland in mid-October, astating stab in the back from Stormont. bumping along without a government. Derry City and Strabane in the west of the As usual, the DUP have tried to shift We explained at the time that its revival region was registering 970 new infections responsibility. Health Minister, Robin would solve precisely nothing. Now, the per 100,000 residents per week. This Swann, has been picked out in particular Stormont merry-go-round has come full compared with a level of 624 per 100,000 for pointing out that because 400 beds circle and it teeters once more at the in Liverpool at the same time. were being used by COVID-19 patients, brink of collapse. The catastrophic resurgence of the cancer patients may not get the treatment The likes of the DUP want to turn disease is fundamentally linked to the they require and could die as a result. COVID-19 into a sectarian football. But the same factor that has led to its resurgence Reacting with faux-outrage, DUP MLA real division in the North is not between in the North of England: poverty. In Derry, Alex Easton claimed he was “horrified Catholics and Protestants but between two thirds of children grow up in poverty. and shocked” by Swann’s statement. But capitalists and workers. Only by building Having been late to enter lockdown, no one who is aware of the dilapidated a revolutionary socialist party based in the DUP have been determined to come state of the NHS in the North of Ireland both communities can the rotten capitalist out of lockdown early. In early Novem- can honestly claim to be ‘shocked’ by system, and with it the deadlock of the ber, UUP MLA and Health Minister Swann’s words, above all an MLA that Stormont circus, be swept away. ■

Back to Contents socialist.net 10 Marxist Student Federation Issue 338 Manchester students fight back! Sammy Meikle & One student on a megaphone made the correct observation that: “So many Chris Hesketh-Baxter, different issues are happening at this uni- versity. But there is not one voice to speak Marxist Student Federation for us all.” n recent weeks, there has been an Organise and fight explosion of activism on Fallowfield There is a clear understanding amongst Icampus at the University of Manchester students that only united mass action will (UoM), as students grow increasingly make the likes of Dame Nancy Rothwell – angry at the way they’ve been treated by the UoM Vice Chancellor – do something university bosses. about all these various incidents. Since being lulled to campuses at the Students have been brought to universi- start of this academic year, students have ty campuses – by management and by the faced lockdown and isolation, with £9k Tory government – under false pretences, fees for online courses, a lack of mental all because of the marketisation of higher health services, and sky-high rents for education. shoddy accommodation. This is an utter Why should we be paying a penny, scandal. let alone £9,000 in fees and extortionate rents, for online teaching and cramped, Mass action to turn up on the night of the protest re- poor-quality housing? And this is without The action began with a rent strike, starting gardless of these threats. But they found even mentioning the lack of decent nutrition, on 23 October. Next up was the infamous the Greater Manchester Police out in subsistence, and support for those forced to ‘HMP Fallowfield’ incident on 5 November, massive numbers. Rather than scaring isolate. where students – without any warning – students into submission, however, these University management clearly won’t woke up to find fences imprisoning them events only angered students even fur- help students. It is up to us to organise our- inside the campus, with no way of getting ther. selves in response. To fight back, we need in or out. to get properly organised, from the bottom The was quickly met with mass action. Racist response up. Students gathered for a protest that same Friday 13 November saw one student UoM management have now offered evening, and then spontaneously proceed- submit an official complaint over racial a concession of two-weeks rent reduction. ed to rip the fences down, demonstrating profiling by the university’s security staff. But this gesture is too little, too late. Never- their fury against this mistreatment. They had assumed that he was selling theless, it demonstrates that militancy pays. This was followed by an occupation of drugs, and that he did not belong on the Without the protests and actions seen in Owen’s Park Tower on 12 November by a campus site, even though he had already recent weeks, even this meagre offer would collection of students. At the time of writ- had his student card checked upon entry. not have been put on the table. ing, this occupation is ongoing. In solidari- Absolutely outraged at this incident, The task now ahead is to organise and ty, a protest was arranged. But organisers and especially at the lack of response build the struggle, with bold demands for the were contacted by local police throughout from the university, approximately 500 full compensation of fees and rent; universal the day, warning that there would be ar- - 700 students mobilised on Fallowfield access to comprehensive mental health ser- rests if the protests went ahead. campus and marched around the site vices; and the implementation of an isolation In an act of defiance, students decided chanting ‘Black Lives Matter’. plan that gives a voice to students. ■ revolution issue 12 out now! get your copy today! Marxist Student Federation the fat cats. Young workers are faced with little to no job prospects, with inse- ecently we launched our digital curity and brutal exploitation the order of Revolution paper, designed for and the day. written by young revolutionaries. R In times like these, it is essential that we The onslaught of crises, attacks and dep- arm ourselves with the ideas capable rivation is leading the youth to question transforming the world along socialist lines. this economic system. Is this really the Our latest issue deals with all of these best we can do? questions, and many more, at length.

Meanwhile, anti-capitalist material has Want to read more? been banned in secondary schools. Uni- versity students have been brought back to university under false pretences, and completely failed by management and Click here!

Back to Contents marxist.com 11 Mental Health Crisis 19 November 2020 student mental health crisis: Self-care alone can’t solve the problem David Zee loans; the balancing of part-time work year-on-year since 2011. After the pan- with the stresses of university studies: all demic, the NHS will be forced to pinch the UEA Marxists of these invariably lead to a worsening of pennies even more. Long waiting lists will mental health. become even longer. And private mental ith the country back in another Furthermore, what do students have health services are also likely to see an national lockdown, the mental to look forward to when studies end? A job increase in demand. This will lead to prices Whealth of many will undoubtedly market worse than the post-2008 period; becoming even more unaffordable. suffer. Students, in particular, are suffering zero-hour contracts and precarious work; Tragically, therefore, as the causes of as they are isolated in halls of residence, spending half of your income on rent – and the mental health crisis intensify, the means and offered little support from university upwards of £40k in student debt to boot! of solving them are diminishing in tandem. administrators. Feelings of stability, empowerment, and This creates a vicious cycle that plunges Already this semester, UK universities contentment are vital to mental wellbeing. vulnerable young people even further into have seen more than one student death a These cannot be achieved within a capital- the abyss. week. All of these tragic deaths were linked ist system based on precarity, uncertainty, to mental health or drug use. and an endless drive for profit. Rotten system We must demand fully-funded, publicly Marketisation and profit Palliatives and placebos owned, and democratically-run mental The worsening mental health crisis is direct- Yet what do students get to help them health services. But even this is merely a ly tied to the reckless actions of big business through this crisis? We see a barrage sticking plaster on a gaping wound. politicians, who have intensified the stress of ‘self-care’ articles suggesting how we Capitalism’s endless drive for prof- caused by coronavirus by continually should keep our screen time down, take its over wellbeing cannot be fixed choosing to put profits before lives. a bubble bath, or be nice to each other by this or that small change. The Similarly, the current isolation of stu- in order to relieve stress, anxiety, and profit system cannot be made dents is a decision that stems directly from depression. ‘kinder’ and ‘gentler’ and ‘nicer’. the marketisation of education. University But all of these are just palliatives The only way to end the bosses and the Tory government have and placebos. The damage that capitalism conned students into coming to campuses, underlying causes of inflicts upon our mental in order to profit off of fees and rents. This mental health issues health is to fight to over- has wreaked havoc on the mental health of cannot be solved by throw capitalism – to put young people. any of these so-called an end to the crises, uncer- No future under capitalism ‘solutions’. tainty, and insecurities that But this mental health crisis precedes Mental health this rotten system creates. ■ the pandemic. The poor quality and high funding has al- cost of student housing; inadequate student ready seen 8% cuts Cambridge Marxsoc: Over 300 meet online to discuss capitalism and mental health Owen Robinson The meeting began with an introductory The meeting ended by emphasising the talk by Hasan Wright, an activist with the need for organised struggle in the fight to Cambridge Marxists Cambridge Marxists. Hasan provided an overthrow capitalism. Participants were in-depth analysis of the current mental firmly encouraged to get involved in the n 5 November, Cambridge Marx- health crisis and its relation to capitalism. fight for socialism by joining the Interna- ist Society held an online meeting He cited shocking statistics illustrating tional Marxist Tendency. focused on the topic of ‘capitalism the scale of the crisis, and explained how O Only by building the forces of Marxism and mental health’. This was attended by these have worsened even further as a over 300 participants, with participants result of the pandemic. and fighting for revolution can we save tuning in from countries across the world. our mental health from the destructive Moving on, Hasan spoke of how this cri- capitalist system. The huge turnout reflects the growing un- sis is rooted in the material conditions of derstanding that capitalism and its crises the capitalist system. Austerity and cuts are responsible for the increasing preva- to mental health services; competition; click here to lence of mental health issues, particularly and the prioritisation of profit over wellbe- amongst young people . ing: all these are factors behind the rise in mental health conditions. watch the talk

Back to Contents socialist.net 12 Editorial Issue 338

nightmare on downing street what we say ...British capitalism faces a perfect storm Editorial

loodletting has enveloped 10 The Tory Party, which was the main representative Downing Street, culminating in the of British capitalism, has become so poisoned with Bsacking of Dominic Cummings, Bo- ris Johnson’s chief advisor, and Lee Cain, head of communications. This exposes Euroscepticism that it no longer represents the direct the cesspit at the very top of government. interests of the capitalist class. The fallout reveals the regime of terror that has been operating in Downing Street, led by a coterie of Brexiteer mad- Behind this fracas is the attempt of men. the ruling class to regain control over the Brexiteer madness Cummings was a law unto himself. situation. As in the United States, where Boris Johnson, the arch opportunist, He and his Vote Leave supporters rode the ruling class had lost control of the Re- played to the prejudices of this mob in roughshod over everything, to the alarm publican Party, so in Britain, the capitalist order to get elected as Tory leader and of the establishment. class had lost control over the Tory Party. then prime minister. He jumped on the Flouting the government’s COVID The Cummings crowd were a symp- Brexit bandwagon and linked up with the guidelines, the PM’s advisor drove from tom of how degenerate the Tory Party most reactionary oddballs, beginning with London to Durham, then to Barnard has become, mirroring the decline of Cummings. Castle “to check his eyesight was in good British capitalism. But they had their own agenda. Cum- order”. Despite calls for his resignation, The ranks of the Conservative Party mings and the ultra-Brexiteers are quite he was fully supported by the Prime are now made up of “swivel-eyed loons”, mad. Their vision of a restored ‘sovereign’ Minister, who had become dependent on to quote David Cameron. They are Britain as an independent power – striding him. extreme flag-waving reactionaries and the world stage, armed only with a bucca- English nationalists. neering spirit – is insane. Power struggle As long as this rabble were mere In truth, Britain has been reduced to a All the tensions have suddenly explod- spectators and the real decisions were minor power, offshore from the European ed – a reflection of the power struggle taken elsewhere, then this setup was continent, totally reliant on American impe- amongst the upper echelons of the acceptable to the party’s establishment. rialism for everything, including its defence. British state. The relationship between But as soon as they gave this gang the Echoing Trumpian ideas with calls to ‘Make Cummings and Johnson apparently “fell right to pick the leader, then the whole Britain Great Again’ has no basis in reality. off a cliff”. dynamic changed. (continues on next page)

Back to Contents marxist.com 13 Editorial 19 November 2020

(continues from previous page) But things had gone too far for the elites; is therefore still on a collision course with the ‘serious people’ and ‘adults’. Brussels – further damaging the pros- Brexit was part of this agenda. In fact, This latest ‘palace coup’ is therefore pects for British capitalism. the Tory Party became the Brexit Party in an attempt by big business to ‘take back Splits and divisions at the top are all but name. But British capitalism has the control’ of the Tory Party. It has parallels inevitable – a reflection of this crisis. bulk of its markets and profits in Europe. with the ruling class’ backing for Keir However, Cummings and his supporters To cut the UK adrift from the EU and the Starmer’s purge of the left in the Labour have only served to exacerbate these Single Market is therefore to inflict colos- Party. The establishment and their Blairite divisions. Johnson is thrown from pillar sal damage upon the capitalist class. agents had lost control of Labour in the to post, presiding over a government This self-harm is absolute madness Corbyn years. Now they want to reassert of crisis. Those whom the gods wish to from the capitalists’ point of view. The their grip and ensure that the party is once destroy first make mad. very idea of embracing a No Deal Brex- again a ‘safe pair of hands’ for capitalism. it – which figures like Cummings and “In the murder of Rasputin they saw Perfect storm Johnson are prepared to do – is seen as the last means of saving the dynasty,” These are volatile times. British capitalism suicidal. The ruling class has been pull- wrote Trotsky in his History of the Rus- faces a perfect storm. The Tory govern- ing out its hair at the thought of crashing sian Revolution. Clearly, the removal of ment has already been involved in a whole out of Europe. Cummings is seen in a similar light. The series of U-turns. This supposedly strong In other words, the Tory Party, which ruling class hopes the Tory government 80-seat majority government has been was the main representative of British will be ‘reset’. shown to be a colossus with feet of clay. capitalism, has become so poisoned with But the removal of Rasputin did not That is why sections of the ruling Euroscepticism that it no longer repre- prevent the Russian Revolution. Like- class have already raised the idea of a sents the direct interests of the capitalist wise, the removal of Cummings will not ‘national unity’ government, drawing on class. This is an incredible state of affairs. restore stability for the ruling class. Far the support from Starmer. But even this The most successful bourgeois party in from it. We are entering the most unsta- will not save them. Europe has been reduced to this mess. ble period in history, overshadowed by There will be no return to normality. the deepest crisis of capitalism the world Rather, we face years of crisis, austerity, Taking back control has ever seen. and social and political upheaval, where Since the general election, the proverbial Downing Street is still infested with ever-larger layers of the working class jesters have taken over the court. This Brexiteers, who are also leading the will begin to draw revolutionary conclu- had been welcomed by Boris Johnson. Brexit negotiations. The UK government sions. ■ UK economy in crisis: Make the bosses pay! Editorial All the signs are indicating that things So bleak is the outlook that the BoE are about to get much worse, not better. has increased its ‘quantitative easing’ ith a COVID vaccine on the ho- Unemployment, for example, has surged (in effect, the printing of money) by rizon, the Tories are desperately in recent months to 4.8%. But this is £150bn this year, in order to ‘prop up Wtrying to reassure us that our predicted by the BoE to rise to 7.8% the economy’. However, as we’ve seen lives will soon get back to ‘normal’. But be- next year. Already, between July and over the last decade, the only thing that neath these soothing words is the reality September, a record 314,000 people this desperate measure will prop up is that the British economy is shattered and were made redundant, as the furlough the fortunes of the rich. The rest of us, any return to ‘normality’ is ruled out. scheme was tapered. meanwhile, will be made to foot the bill for capitalism’s crises. The bosses are therefore waging an of- In order to protect profits, company fensive to restore profitability. The labour bosses have been busy cutting their Government borrowing reached record movement must organise to meet these costs by slashing jobs. Since the start peacetime levels over the first half of attacks head on. Any idea of ‘class peace’ of the pandemic, over 782,000 workers the year, taking the overall public debt to in these conditions is a fantasy. have been cut from payrolls, and the 103% of GDP. Yet Chancellor Rishi Sunak total number of hours being worked is has stressed that the Tories will “balance According to the Office for National Sta- down by a tenth. the books” in the near future. According tistics, Britain’s GDP rebounded by 15.5% to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, this will in the third quarter of this year. Normally But whilst cutting their workers adrift with require tax rises of £40 billion every year such a rate of growth would be considered one hand, bosses have been generously for the next five years. spectacular. Yet rather than celebrating, rewarding their shareholders with the serious capitalists have been sounding other. As we know from experience, it will not the alarm. be the billionaires that pick up the bill Sainsburys, for example, is expected from this crisis. Rather, the full burden This is because GDP is still 9.7% smaller to cut 3,500 jobs and close 420 Argos will be placed on the working class and than at the end of 2019, and is set to de- stores. At the same time, they have the poorest in society. cline even further with the latest lockdown. just paid £232 million in dividends to As such, the Bank of England (BoE) is their shareholders. Conveniently, this is The only alternative is to organise and predicting it will take until some point in the almost the same amount of money they take power out of the hands of these first half of 2022 for GDP to recover to its have claimed in business rates relief parasites – and to put the economy under pre-pandemic levels. In reality, it is likely from the Tory government! the democratic ownership and control of that the crisis will be far more drawn out. the working class.

Back to Contents socialist.net 14 Labour Party Issue 338

What next in Labour’s civil war? Rob Sewell While Corbyn’s individual suspension may be lifted, this does not mean a truce any Labour Party members will no in the ruthlessly one-sided civil war being doubt be relieved – even jubilant waged by the Labour right wing against Emergency M– that Jeremy Corbyn has been the left. The issue is not about one man, reinstated back into the party, following but the entire left-wing membership, the his suspension. But we should not get too party, and its direction. carried away. motion: Corbyn’s readmission will come as Retreats and apologies a blow to the party’s right wing. They Jeremy’s retreat for the sake of party his branch/CLP welcomes the were hoping that he would not simply be ‘unity’ was only the latest in a series of readmission of Jeremy Corbyn suspended, but eventually expelled. The weak-kneed responses from the ‘left’ in Tas a Labour member. However, decision will also be a blow to Starmer’s the wake of Corbyn’s suspension. we are outraged by the decision of Keir political authority, after he personally en- The track record of the left leaders has Starmer not to restore the Labour whip, dorsed Corbyn’s removal from the party. been pathetic in resisting the right wing. and thus to exclude Jeremy from the The capitalist press had applauded The right wing have waged war on Corbyn Parliamentary Labour Party. ‘Sir’ Starmer for punishing his predeces- and the left. But the response, especially This spiteful decision demonstrates sor, comparing this incendiary move to by Momentum, has been pathetic. Ever that Jeremy’s suspension had nothing Kinnock’s war against Militant and Blair’s since 2015, they have failed to confront to do with fighting anti-semitism, and attack on Clause 4. The establishment the right, refusing to bring in open selec- everything to do with carrying out a po- has urged the Labour leader to stand his tion for MPs. litical attack against the left. The sub- ground. When the right has the upper hand, sequent suspension of other Labour We welcome Corbyn’s readmission. they are ruthless. By comparison, when members for condemning Jeremy’s But we must not rest on our laurels. For the ‘left’ has the advantage, they buckle. punishment only adds further weight to starters, Keir Starmer has scandalously If only they had been prepared to act in this assertion. refused to allow Jeremy back into the the same ruthless fashion when they were Parliamentary Labour Party. Grassroots in control – then the situation would be This branch/CLP therefore demands activists must mobilise and fight for the dramatically different today. the immediate reinstatement of Jeremy whip to be immediately restored, and pass This weakness arises from their wooly Corbyn as a Labour MP, along with motions of no confidence in Keir Starmer politics. Their reformist illusions lead them the immediate reinstatement of any and David Evans, the Labour general to believe they can work within capitalism members who have been unjustly and secretary. and reform it. This leads them to compro- bureaucratically suspended for show- mise with the Labour right wing, who are ing solidarity with Jeremy. The struggle continues the agents of big business. Corbyn’s readmission to the party is a par- The issue of anti-semitism continues We also affirm that we have no confi- tial victory, won because – under pressure to be weaponised by the right wing, in dence in Keir Starmer and David Ev- from ‘left’ MPs and trade union leaders – order to conduct a witch-hunt against the ans, who have demonstrated that they he backpedaled on his original comments, left. But all the left does is retreat and apol- are unfit to lead and manage our party publicly prostrating himself. ogise for causing offence. But no amount at this time when the working class Despite these concessions, the right of repentance will ever be enough for the desperately needs a Labour Party that are stepping up their attacks on the left. will offer a united fight against the To- They are busy plotting their revenge. (continues on next page) ries, and for bold socialist policies.

Back to Contents marxist.com 15 Labour Party 19 November 2020

(continues from previous page) Bristol West CLP and other local parties have been suspended for daring to allow Hasta la victoria siempre! right wing, who are baying for blood. motions to be discussed that condemned The decision to readmit Corbyn has en- Any weakness from the ‘left’ has sim- Corbyn’s suspension. But nothing has been raged the Blairite bloodhounds. Starmer ply emboldened the right, who are fully said about whether they too will be readmit- has said that Jeremy’s apology is not backed by the capitalist press and estab- ted. enough. This position was echoed by the lishment. Weakness invites aggression, It is misleading to talk about ‘victory’ until Jewish Labour Movement, who said that encouraging further attacks from these – at the very least – the party whip has been Corbyn’s latest remarks were “insincere right-wing bullies. restored for Jeremy Corbyn, and all those and wholly inadequate”. The Jewish who have been suspended are brought Board of Deputies are up in arms. But No to false unity back. Len McCluskey, however, has poured no amount of backtracking will appease Corbyn’s readmission is clearly not the end water on this idea. The Unite general secre- them. of the matter. 15 other Labour MPs are tary has said that left and right must come The Labour left needs to get up off its facing investigation for anti-semitism. Mean- together and act as a “unified and strong” knees and begin a genuine fightback. No while, party officials have begun investigat- party. more concessions! No more compromises! ing newly-elected left-wing NEC member But this so-called ‘unity’ is nothing but Instead of seeking ‘unity’ with the Gemma Bolton, following a complaint of al- capitulation to the right wing. We must be Blairites and bureaucrats, we must leged anti-semitism made against her. This absolutely clear: the right wing will never fight for a real socialist Labour Party, is where the left’s acceptance of right-wing give up their struggle. They are on a mission empowering grassroots members with anti-semitism allegations leads to. to restore the Labour Party into the hands of the mandatory reselection of MPs and Elsewhere, rank-and-file members in big business. councillors. ■ NEC election results show strength of the left

Adam Booth Starmer and the Blairites have thrown down the Hackney North & gauntlet and declared war on the left. Yet instead of Stoke Newington CLP mobilising activists for a fightback, the response of he results of the latest elections for the Labour Party National the soft lefts has been to run for cover. TExecutive Committee (NEC) have boosted the confidence of left activists. Defying expectations – and a new vot- With the backing of right-wing controlled at the left more subtly. And it is working, ing system designed to favour the right unions such as Unison and GMB, the with over 50,000 members leaving the – the left-wing ‘Grassroots Voice’ slate Labour leader now has a definite major- party since Starmer became leader. has taken the majority of the positions ity on the NEC. This only underlines the The left leaders – in the Socialist Cam- up for grabs. vital importance of left-wing trade union- ists mobilising to elect fighting leader- paign Group (SCG), in Momentum, and This enthusing victory has shown where ships in their own internal elections. in the unions – have attempted to com- the real balance of forces lie within the bat this by calling on grassroots activists Labour Party. This fact must be used to Furthermore, the results indicate that to ‘stay and fight’. But the emphasis breathe life into the Corbyn movement whilst the left still outweighs the right seems very much to be on the ‘staying’, – to galvanise members for a new of- amongst the membership, it has been with little sign of fighting. fensive against the Labour right wing. weakened in recent months. Partially this is the result of left-wingers under- The recent NEC election results should The left has won an important battle. standably leaving the party in disgust. give the left hope. They show that, de- The task now is to mobilise our army to But mostly it reflects a wider demoral- spite the setbacks, there is still a clear win the war. isation. support for the ideas that gave rise to the phenomenal Corbyn movement over These results demonstrate that, despite Responsibility for this ultimately lies with five years ago. various suspensions and resignations, the leaders of the left, who have keeled the left still has far greater numbers on over in the face of the right wing’s ag- But to advance, we must learn the les- the ground. After a series of defeats and gression. Starmer and the Blairites have sons from this period – above all, the retreats in recent months, this should thrown down the gauntlet and declared need for militant leadership: to organise fill activists with a sense of confidence war on the left. Yet instead of mobilising activists around socialist policies; drive and optimism. activists for a fightback, the response of out the Blairite careerists and saboteurs; the soft lefts has been to run for cover. and complete the unfinished ‘Corbyn The left’s victory is bittersweet, how- revolution’ to transform the Labour Party ever. Despite the left winning these From the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bai- along socialist lines. elections, the overall result has actually ley; to the whipping of Labour MPs to been to bolster the position of Starmer abstain on the Overseas Operations bill We call on workers and youth to join us and his supporters on Labour’s ruling and ‘Spy Cops’ bill; to the suspension of in this task, to build the forces of Marx- body. Corbyn and his supporters: all of these ism, in the labour movement and on the are purposefully designed to chip away streets.

Back to Contents socialist.net 16 Engels at 200 Issue 338

Engels at 200 A REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST TO THE VERY CORE Rob Sewell was a titan in every possible way, Engels and wrote his famous Condition of the was key in this relationship too. Always Working Class in England. He made di- s we celebrate 200 years since the extremely modest, Engels would defer to rect contact with the workers’ movement birth of Friedrich Engels, co-found- Marx. But when we read the voluminous in England and it was here that Engels Aer with Karl Marx of the ideas of correspondence between the two men, became a confirmed Communist. In his scientific socialism, we should take this Engels’ own outstanding contribution is early writings, although not fully rounded opportunity to touch upon the life of this unmissable. Together with Marx he was a out, he had, as Marx wrote, “already great man and the marvellous contribu- political giant. formulated certain general principles of tions he made. scientific socialism.” Although Marxism bears the name Early beginnings His meeting and friendship with Marx of Marx, we should never forget the vital Born into a family of Barmen textile man- began in August 1844 and led to a lifelong contribution made by Engels and the or- ufacturers in the Rhineland, the young political and theoretical collaboration, ganic link between the lives of these two Engels broke from his class background which was to transform the world. Engels men. Without a doubt, Engels possessed and put himself on the standpoint of the later recalled, “When, in the spring of an encyclopedic mind that encompassed working class. From then on, he dedicat- 1845, we met again in Brussels, Marx a knowledge of such diverse fields as phi- ed himself to the overthrow of capitalism had already fully developed his material- losophy, economics, history, physics, phi- and the emancipation of the working ist theory of history in its main features lology and military science. His knowledge class. With Marx, who also came from a … and we now applied ourselves to the of the latter earned him the nickname, bourgeois background, he became one of detailed elaboration of the newly-won ‘The General’. the greatest leaders of the working class. outlook in the most varied directions.” All too often Engels is seen as playing In his early twenties Engels “openly a subsidiary role to Marx. While Marx aligned” with revolutionary Chartism (continues on next page)

Back to Contents marxist.com 17 Engels at 200 19 November 2020

(continues from previous page) discoveries in all their richness. In 1870, Dialectical materialism Engels finally moved to London so that This collaboration was to bear fruit in As young men, both Marx and Engels he and Marx could directly participate a series of theoretical works, such as the were followers of the great German in their joint intellectual collaboration as German Ideology, culminating a few years philosopher Hegel. His teachings were well as take an active part in the work of later in the Communist Manifesto. In the without a doubt revolutionary. Hegel’s di- the First International. This work was of process, the two men did battle with peo- alectical method became the cornerstone tremendous significance in binding the ple holding all sorts of confused ideas and of their outlook, but they purged it of ide- advanced workers of all countries togeth- notions. “It is disgraceful that one should alism and placed it on its feet. Through er in an organisation. still have to pit oneself against such Feuerbach, they became materialists, By then Marx had finished writing the nonsense,” wrote Engels. “I shall not let which explains that matter is primary and first volume of Capital and was elabo- the fellows go until I have driven Grün [a ideas are secondary. rating material for two further volumes. utopian socialist] from the field and have They were the first to explain that When he finished the first volume in swept the cobwebs from their brains.” socialism was not the invention of dream- August 1867 he wrote to Engels: “So, Trotsky, who studied every aspect of ers but rooted in the development of the this volume is finished. I owe it to YOU Engels’ life and contribution, provided a productive forces and the class struggle. alone that it was possible! Without your fitting assessment of Engels: Socialism finally became a science. self-sacrifice for me I could not possibly “Engels is undoubtedly one of the finest, “Without German philosophy,” explained have managed the immense labour de- best integrated and noblest personalities in Engels, “scientific socialism would manded…” the gallery of great men. To recreate his image would be a gratifying task. It is also a historical duty… “How well they [Marx and Engels] complement one another! Or rather, how consciously Engels endeavours to comple- ment Marx; all his life he uses himself up in this task. He regards it as his mission and finds in it his gratification. And this without a shadow of self-sacrifice - always himself, always full of life, always superior to his environment and his age, with immense intellectual interests, with a true fire of ge- nius always blazing in the forge of thought. Against the background of their everyday lives, Engels gains tremendously in stat- ure by comparison with Marx - though of course Marx’s stature is not in the least Engels spent time living in Manchester where he saw the growth of diminished by this. I remember that after “Cottonopolis” and wrote Conditions of the Working Class in England reading the Marx-Engels correspondence on my military train, I spoke to Lenin of my admiration for the figure of Engels. My never have come into being.” Engels in Engels and philosophy point was just this, that when viewed in his paCticular contributed to the philosophy While Marx spent most of his time on relationship with the titan Marx, faithful Fred of Marxism in his later works, namely Capital, Engels engaged in other polem- gains - rather than diminishes - in stature. Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Clas- ics, which allowed him to outline the basic Lenin expressed his approval of this idea sical German Philosophy, Anti-Duhring concepts of Marxism. This included An- with alacrity, even with delight. He loved and the Dialectics of Nature. ti-Duhring, which delved into philosophy, Engels very deeply, and particularly for Engels, along with Marx, understood natural sciences and the social sciences. his wholeness of character and all-round the importance of the working class. In He wrote the Origins of the Family, Pri- humanity. I remember how we examined his Condition of the Working Class in vate Property and the State, in which he with some excitement a portrait of Engels England, published in 1845, he explains applied the materialist conception to the as a young man, discovering in it the traits that the proletariat is not only a suffering remote past of human history. He then which became so prominent in his later life. class, but a class that fights for its own wrote Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of “When you have had enough of the emancipation. The co-work with Marx, German Classical Philosophy. prose of the Blums, the Cachins, and the the Communist Manifesto, brings these “Marx and I,” wrote Engels, “were Thorezes [the reformists and Stalinists], ideas to fruition. pretty well the only people to rescue when you have swallowed your fill of the conscious dialectics [from the destruction microbes of pettiness and insolence, ob- Living in Britain of idealism, including Hegelianism] and sequiousness and ignorance, there is no With the failure of the 1848 revolution, apply it in the materialist conception of better way of clearing your lungs than by Marx and Engels found themselves in Nature … Nature is the proof of dialectics, reading the correspondence of Marx and England, Marx in London and Engels in and it must be said for modern natural Engels, both to each another and to other Manchester. In Manchester, Engels went science that it has furnished extremely people. In their epigrammatic allusions and to work for his father’s firm, the “accursed rich and daily increasing materials for this characterisations, sometimes paradoxical, trade”, so as to provide material assis- test, and has thus proved that in the last but always well thought out and to the tance to Marx. analysis Nature’s process is dialectical point, there is so much instruction, so much Correspondence between the two and not metaphysical.” mental freshness and mountain air! They men took place almost on a daily basis, always lived on the heights.” exchanging their ideas, thoughts and (continues on next page)

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(continues from previous page) as well as in practical affairs he could victorious class after a successful battle, not bear sloppiness, inaccuracy, and etc., juridical forms, and even the reflexes “The great basic thought,” explained inexactitude. He checked every comma of all these actual struggles in the brains Engels, “that the world is not to be com- (in the literal sense of the term) of Marx’s of the participants, political, juristic, phil- prehended as a complex of ready-made posthumous work, and carried on a cor- osophical theories, religious views and things, but as a complex of processes, respondence on the subject of secondary their further development into systems in which the things apparently stable no orthographic errors.” of dogmas - also exercise their influence less than their mind images in our heads, Engels regarded the writing of The upon the course of the historical strug- the concepts, go through an interrupted Origin of the Family, Private Property gles and in many cases preponderate in change of coming into being and passing and the State, written a year after Marx’s determining their form.” away … this great fundamental thought death, as a “fulfilment” of “a bequest” Engels was indignant against those has, especially since the time of Hegel, by Marx. This work can be regarded as newly-baked “Marxists”, who thought they so thoroughly permeated ordinary con- one of the fundamental works of modern understood Marxism and could apply it with sciousness that in this generality it is socialism. impunity, without mastering its principles. now scarcely ever contradicted. But to acknowledge this fundamental thought in words and to apply it in reality in detail to each domain of investigation are two different things… “For dialectical philosophy nothing is final, absolute, sacred. It reveals the transitory character of everything and in everything; nothing can endure before it except the uninterrupted process of be- coming and of passing away, of endless ascendency from lower to the higher. And dialectical philosophy itself is noth- ing more than the mere reflection of this process in the thinking brain.” Therefore, according to Marx and Engels, dialectics is “the science of the general laws of motion, both of the exter- nal world and of human thought.”

After Marx’s death Always modest, Engels described himself as playing “second fiddle” Marx’s and Engels’ inspiration grew as to Marx. the movement grew. After Marx’s death, Engels continued alone as the counselor After Marx’s death, Engels became “In Marx’s lifetime,” wrote Engels and leader of the European socialist the direct and unchallenged leader of to Johann Philipp Becker, “I have done movement, which had become a mass world socialism until his death twelve what I was cut out to do - I played second force. His advice was eagerly sought years later. fiddle - and I think that I did it fairly well. after, and he drew on his vast knowledge In June 1884, when Berstein and I was so glad to have so splendid a first and experience in his old age. Kautsky complained to him about the violin as Marx. And now that I am unex- Like Marx, Engels knew many foreign pressures of the different “erudite” phil- pectedly called upon to replace Marx in languages and conducted a massive istines in the party, Engels replied, “the theoretical matters and play first fiddle, correspondence on a host of questions. main thing is to concede nothing and, in I cannot do so without making slips of Incredibly this covers 13 volumes of the addition, to remain absolutely calm.” which nobody is more keenly aware than Collected Works and amounts to 3,957 I. But it is not until stormier times come letters. These letters reveal the fascinat- Defending scientific socialism that we shall really appreciate what we ing close bond between them and their Throughout this time, Engels takes up the have lost in Marx. None of us has that joint work. defence of scientific socialism, answering breadth of vision with which he, when- Marx died before he could put the the distortions and misconceptions. ever it was necessary to act quickly, did final touches to his vast work on political “According to the materialist concep- the right thing and tackled the decisive economy. Using the drafts left by Marx, tion of history,” he wrote to Joseph Bloch issue. True, in peaceful times it some- Engels put his own research aside and in September 1890, “the ultimately deter- times happened that events proved me took on the colossal task of completing mining element in history is the produc- right, but at revolutionary moments his Marx’s work, editing and publishing vol- tion and reproduction of real life. More judgment was all but unassailable.” With umes two and three of Capital. Only he than this neither Marx nor I have ever this modesty Engels displayed his love could decipher Marx’s illegible handwrit- asserted. Hence if somebody twists this for Marx and his reverence towards his ing, it was said. into saying that the economic element is memory. In relation to volume two and three the only determining one, he transforms He wrote to Franz Mehring, “If one of ‘Capital’, Lenin wrote approvingly: that proposition into a meaningless, ab- has been fortunate enough to spend “These two volumes of ‘Capital’ are the stract, senseless phrase. The economic forty years collaborating with a man like work of two men: Marx and Engels.” situation is the basis, but the various Marx, one tends, during one’s lifetime, to As Trotsky explained: “Engels was elements of the superstructure - political receive less recognition than one feels is not only a man of genius but also the soul forms of the class struggle and its results, of conscientiousness. In literary work to wit: constitutions established by the (continues on next page)

Back to Contents marxist.com 19 Engels at 200 19 November 2020

(continues from previous page) By way of an example he pointed to eventually led to the betrayal of August the United States, where, he wrote, “two 1914. due to one; when the greater man dies, great gangs of political speculators, who Despite his advancing years, Engels however, the lesser may easily come to alternately take possession of the state was young of heart and certainly had be overrated - and that is exactly what power and exploit it by the most corrupt a sense of humor, stating he was “still seems to have happened in my case; all means and for the most corrupt ends nimble on his pins”. In another letter he this will eventually be put right by histo- - and the nation is powerless against wrote: “That is my position: 74 years the ry, and by then one will be safely out of these two great cartels of politicians, which I am beginning to feel, and work the way and know nothing at all about it.” who are ostensibly its servants, but in enough for two men of 40. Yes, if I could (14th July 1893) reality dominate and plunder it.” divide myself into F.E. of 40 and the F.E. Engels played a colossal role in He concluded his Introduction to of 34, which would just be 74, then we helping to guide the forces of the Sec- Marx’s pamphlet with the following should soon be all right. But as it is, all I ond International. He attended the Third words addressed to the opportunists in can do is to work on with what is before Congress of the International in Zurich. the German Social Democracy: me and get through it as far and as well In the closing session, he addressed the “Of late, the Social Democratic phil- as I can.” (Letter from Engels to Laura delegates first in English, then in French, istine has once more been filled with Lafargue, 17 December 1894) then in German. wholesale terror at the words: Dictator- In one of his last letters to Lavrov, He studied at the newspapers of the ship of the Proletariat. Well and good, he states: “I cannot complain, but I am sections and the specific conditions in gentlemen, do you want to know what beginning to realise that 74 is not 47. each country. He wrote letters and re- this dictatorship looks like? Look at the However, events should help us to main- ceived numerous visitors to his home at Paris Commune. That was the Dictator- tain our vital forces, the whole of Europe Regent’s Park Road. He could converse ship of the Proletariat.” is warming up, crises are brewing freely in English, French, Italian, and He followed this up with an attack everywhere, particularly in Russia. The could read Spanish and almost all Slavic on reformism and “parliamentary cre- situation cannot last much longer over and Scandanavian languages. tinism” in the party. The bureaucrats in there. So much the better.” (18/12/94) the leadership of the Social Democracy In a letter to Bebel he concludes: Engels’ last years Party omitted several passages to water “And while passing a resolution on these In his last years, he was not afraid to down his criticism and make him out to points mind you drink a bottle of good challenge the opportunist ideas that be a defender of pacifism. What Engels wine; do this in memory of me.” This was had surfaced in the powerful German was rejecting was not revolutionary typical of Engels, who lived life to the full. and French sections. He dropped a action in general, but rather the actions Engels died on 5th August 1895, bombshell on the opportunists with his of untimely flurries of a small minority, a revolutionary communist to the very new Introduction to Marx’s The Civil and forms of street fighting that did not core. His ashes were cast into the sea War in France, stressing that the state correspond to new technological condi- off Beachy Head in Eastbourne. Without “is nothing more but a machine for the tions. When he found out what had been doubt his revolutionary spirit lives on in oppression of one class by another, and done in his name, he was furious. These the Marxist tendency, which defends his indeed in the democratic republic no opportunist tendencies later gave rise legacy and the struggle for world social- less than in the monarchy.” to Bernsteinism and revisionism, which ism. ■ Coming soon: Engels at 200 pamphlet

he year 2020 marks the bicentenary From his observations of the conditions of the birth of Friedrich Engels, who of the working class in Manchester, to his Twas born on 28 November 1820. To activities with the Chartists and the Com- celebrate this event, we are publishing munist League; and from his efforts to this pamphlet, which explores the life and build the First and Second Internationals, ideas of this great revolutionary. to his incredible works of Marxist theory, such as Anti-Dühring and Dialectics of Alongside Karl Marx, Engels was one of Nature: the life of Friedrich Engels con- the founding fathers of ‘scientific social- tains a wealth of vital lessons for those ism’ – the theoretical ideas collectively looking to continue the fight for socialism and commonly known today as Marxism. today. Both in life and in death, however, Engels was always in the shadow of Marx’s un- The greatest birthday present we can deniable genius. But in truth, Engels was offer Engels on this bicentenary, there- himself a giant of socialist theory. fore, is to learn from the incredible legacy of his life and writings, and to apply his Engels’ theoretical contributions to the revolutionary ideas in building the forces development of Marxism were enormous. of Marxism worldwide. However, he was no armchair socialist. As a revolutionary through and through, Available from 28th November from he committed himself to putting these Wellred Books ideas into practice.

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Biden win: No victory for the working class Fred Weston have been presented to the US workers oneself, how this was possible? as a possible tool to promote their inter- The reason is to be found in the n the light of Joe Biden’s victory in the ests. The fact that the trade union leaders steady long-term relative decline of the US presidential elections, it is worth tend to support the Democratic Party adds United States. Many US industries closed Icommenting on two articles that recently to this idea. in recent decades and many jobs were appeared in the New York Times. One is But in reality, the Democratic Party destroyed. A great deal of working-class an interview with congresswoman (and plays a similar role to the Liberal Party in areas were massively affected by this and Democratic Socialists of America member) Britain in the 19th century. The working nothing improved for them under Obama. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). Another class eventually drew the conclusion they Trump was able to exploit this situa- is an article on Trump’s plans for the next needed to break with the Liberals and tion, promising to “Make America Great period. The first highlights the real nature founded their own party. The same applies Again”, to bring back jobs and improve of the Democratic Party, while the second today in the United States. living standards. He was the classical shows that the Trump phenomenon is by The problem is that many on the left, in bourgeois populist who combined nation- no means finished. the United States and outside, present the alism, racism, misogyny with the promise AOC – who has made a reputation Democratic Party as a progressive force of a better life. That explains why a section for herself as a left within the Democratic that socialists can work with, or that at of the US working class voted for him. The Party – explained that in her experience least serve as a vehicle that can be used Democrats had done nothing for them and the Democratic Party had been hostile to to bring about the foundation of a genuine that was also true of the Republicans. But progressive causes, such as Medicare for workers’ party in the United States. This Trump was seen as the outsider, which All and Black Lives Matter: “Externally, does not advance the cause of the working explains his rise. there’s been a ton of support. But internal- class of America. On the contrary, it serves He also expressed the cruder side of ly, it’s been extremely hostile to anything to slow down the process of setting up an the US ruling class: for he is a part of that that even smells progressive.” independent voice, which would be the class, even though he feigns to be against AOC here is telling us what we already first step if the workers of America finally the establishment. He expressed open knew, that the Democratic Party is a bour- wish to achieve their own government. racism, as was abundantly clear during the geois party and one of the main tools in Black Lives Matter movement, and sent a the armoury of the capitalist class. Why Trump won in 2016 message to white supremacists, and all Because on questions such as civil Back in 2016, after eight years of the Oba- the other rag-tag reactionary groups, that rights, abortion, gay marriage and so on, ma-Biden Administration, Trump pulled they had a friend in the White House. they have tended towards a more progres- off what many had thought unthinkable, sive or at least a “liberal” position, they winning the presidency. One has to ask (continues on next page)

Back to Contents marxist.com 21 International 19 November 2020

(continues from previous page) because of this that between 40,000 and to change this any day soon. This process 60,000 lives are lost in preventable deaths of polarisation of wealth has been ongoing All this explains why a big layer of US each year. What is killing these people is for more than 40 years now. And when society, the youth, a significant layer of the poverty. Healthcare in the United States is Biden was Vice-President for eight years working class, women and black people, in reality a huge money-making machine. under Obama there was no change in the desired to see an end to Trump. The ruling You can bet your bottom dollar that the big direction of this process. class took advantage of this to promote pharma industry did not donate millions their man, Joe Biden, as some great to Biden’s campaign so that they can be Biden and the capitalist class progressive who would end the Trump squeezed out of healthcare. Here we have the main problem with Bid- nightmare, but it is sufficient to observe In 2018, over 38 million people in the en. He will not attack the capitalist class, his track record to see how false that is. United States were living in poverty, with which he represents. He has promised It is enough to look at who backed him black people, Latinos and Native Ameri- several reforms, and in the short-term he financially. In an election campaign where cans particularly affected. In the same year has to deal with the pandemic, which is in more than $14 billion dollars were spent, over 11% of households were classed as effect out of control in the United States. the Democrats outspent the Republicans being “food insecure”. The middle layers This means that initially he will have to by double. All the figures indicate that have also seen their incomes stagnate or continue spending huge amounts of public the bulk of the US capitalist class backed and financed Biden. For these people, donating to the Biden campaign was an investment that will bring returns for them, not the working class of America. A deeply divided society While the liberal media is now jubilant about Biden’s victory, once we go beyond all the superficial bluster what we see is a deeply divided country. That divide is presented as being between supporters of Trump and of Biden. But the real divide is between the classes. US society has nev- er been so polarised and the ruling class is extremely worried about where America is going. They opposed Trump not because The majority of the ruling class opposed Trump, not because he was he was right-wing, but because, with his a racist reactionary, but because he created instability. 70 million provocative behaviour and comments, people voted for him this time, and he retains a big base of support he risked destabilising US society even further. It is not by chance that in his first post-election speeches, Biden made ap- Trump was presented as the greater evil in this peals for all Americans to unite, to come together as a nation. He says he will be election. And we were told that to stop the greater evil the President of all Americans. Biden thinks that with sweet words he it was necessary to back the lesser evil: the candidate can play down the real differences that ex- ist in US society. But no amount of sweet of the Democratic Party. In spite of this, millions of talking is going to remove the extreme polarisation of wealth, the accumulation Americans voted for Trump, far more than in 2016. of riches at one end of society and the growing poverty at the other end. The first question one has to ask is fall in recent years. On top of this already money to bolster the economy. But sooner “why did the bourgeois establishment back dramatic situation, we now have the ef- or later, this policy will have to be reversed. Biden?” The New York Times in an opinion fects of the pandemic, with unemployment This raises another question. Trump column of the editorial board, “Elect Joe levels soaring. was presented as the greater evil in this Biden, America”, stated that “The former This is one America, but there is anoth- election. And we were told that to stop vice-president is the leader our nation er, that of the billionaires. This year alone the greater evil it was necessary to back needs now… the country is weaker, an- the 400 richest Americans made $240 the lesser evil: the candidate of the Dem- grier, less hopeful and more divided than billion, taking their sum total of wealth to ocratic Party. In spite of this, millions of it was four years ago… his [Biden’s] focus $3.2 trillion. The top 1% of the population Americans voted for Trump, far more than would be on healing divisions and rallying possess $34.2 trillion, while the bottom in 2016. the nation around shared values…” 50% have seen their incomes stagnate It would be a mistake to think that now What shared values are we talking and fall. that he has been defeated, that this is the about here? How can one talk of “shared What we have is a constant transfer end of Trump. This brings us to the other values” when people are living in such of wealth from the bulk of the population, New York Times article. In it we read the hugely different social conditions? those who work and produce the wealth, following: “President Trump is planning to There are still close to 30 million Amer- to a tiny minority at the top. And no icans who have no medical coverage. It is amount of speeches by Biden are going (continues on next page)

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(continues from previous page) happens, a figure like Trump could make One could argue that we should stop a dramatic comeback. He already has a the greater evil now and then prepare to form a so-called leadership political action strong electoral base and it wouldn’t take create the alternative, the workers’ party, committee, a federal fund-raising vehicle much to swing things back in his favour. in the coming period. The point we need to that will potentially let him retain his hold stress here is that the creation of that third on the Republican Party even when he is No support for the Democrats force is made more difficult if those who out of office, officials said on Monday.” Now, to answer those who accuse Marx- claim to want a third, working-class-based Trump has built a significant base of ists of not caring whether Trump won or party, are tainted with having supported support and he is not going to let go of not in 2020, we have the following to say. Biden. this. According to the same article: Trump is a racist, sexist, reactionary bigot The task of the Marxists is not to be “Mostly, it would almost certainly be a who whips up some of the most backward pressured by events into taking an oppor- vehicle by which Mr. Trump could retain and reactionary forces within US society. tunist position, but of always stating what influence in a party that has been remade Marxists want to see an end to Trump: not is, and telling the workers and youth the largely in his image over the past four for one term but forever. That is precisely truth. In reality, those who support Biden years. why we adopted a principled position of have given up on the US working class. “‘President Trump is not going any- opposition to both Trump and Biden. They claim it is conservative and therefore where anytime soon,’ said Matt Gorman, Let us not forget that it was the will not be able to understand a revolution- a Republican strategist. ‘He’s going to insert himself in the national debate in a way that’s unlike any of his predecessors.’ “Before the election, Mr. Trump told advisers, sometimes joking and other times not, that he might run again in 2024 if he lost to Mr. Biden.” The “greater evil” can return Biden will not put an end to the Trump phenomenon. He may have won this elec- tion, but it is also true that Trump massive- ly increased his votes in absolute terms, winning around 71 million votes in all. It would not take much to transform this into a victory for the Trump camp in 2024. Give Biden four years in office and By counting on Biden to stop the so-called “greater evil” today, we we will see people’s attitudes changing. For what economic programme will Biden simply create the conditions for a return of that same “greater evil” offer? with a vengeance at a later stage / Image: DEA At the moment, in practically all coun- tries, the ruling classes have been forced to loosen the purse strings of public spend- The task of the Marxists is not to be pressured by ing for fear of an economic collapse. They are fully aware of the fact that to maintain events into taking an opportunist position, but of a modicum of social stability, they must provide the mass of the population with a always stating what is, and telling the workers and minimum income: enough to pay the rent, pay the mortgage, and put food on their youth the truth. In reality, those who support Biden tables. If they were to fail to do so, tens of millions, hundreds of millions of people have given up on the US working class. would be facing an even more desperate situation than the one they face today. This spending has led to a ballooning of Obama/Biden team that prepared the ary position. That is false to the core. national debts everywhere. conditions for the victory of Trump in 2016. On the basis of concrete experience, In the initial stages, Biden may be We don’t want to see a repetition of that. the US workers will draw the conclusion forced to continue with this policy, but The only way of avoiding such a scenario that they need their own party. In the pro- sooner or later debt becomes a problem. is by building a political force that bases cess of building such a party and putting it Initially it can provide the buffer the system itself on the US working class as a whole, to the test, the more advanced layers will needs, but once it goes beyond a certain a genuine workers’ party that would cam- begin to draw revolutionary conclusions level it turns into its opposite as govern- paign against both the Republicans and and they will seek out those who told them ments are forced to curb spending in order the Democrats. the truth. to finance their debts. In these conditions, One may answer that that perspective It is through this process that an inde- we are not going to see any genuinely may seem a long way away and that pendent party of the US working class will progressive measures introduced by the we must stop the evil now. The problem be built, and it is in these conditions that Biden Administration. is that by counting on Biden to stop the the Marxist tendency will become a ma- A moment will come when disillu- so-called “greater evil” today, we simply jor force. Then the workers and youth of sionment with Biden will set in, and that create the conditions for a return of that America will be able to begin carrying out moment may not take long to reach, given same “greater evil” with a vengeance at a the task of transforming the United States the present circumstances. Once that later stage. along genuine socialist lines. ■

Back to Contents marxist.com 23 International 19 November 2020 Europe’s COVID-19 second wave: criminal capitalist negligence Jorge Martin

urope is in the middle of a deadly second wave of the COVID-19 Epandemic. Lockdowns, curfews, “circuit-breakers”, local confinement: country after country is forced to take ever-more-severe measures to respond to the exponential growth of the pandemic, which in many countries is out of control. Yet, this second wave could have been avoided, or at least its consequences managed. The reason we are here is a combination of factors, all of which point to one overriding factor: the prioritisation of capitalist profits over the protection of life. Dragging their feet The reaction of capitalist governments in Europe to the first wave of COVID-19 was late and insufficient. They did not want to introduce lockdowns as they would negatively impact the economy; that is, the continued ability of capitalists to make Deadly delays Lockdown scepticism profits. That decision cost thousands of This is what makes the uncontrolled sec- Faced with this level of incompetence, lives. ond wave of COVID-19 so scandalous. All mixed messages, contradictory meas- By the summer, the majority of Euro- the experts knew that autumnal conditions ures, it’s no surprise that there is a high pean countries had managed to control would be conducive to a second wave. degree of scepticism amongst ordinary the pandemic. But as images of overrun Governments were fully aware. people towards government guidelines. hospitals started to fade from the news Still, governments in Europe took Some are even questioning the efficacy of reports, the pressure of the capitalists was insufficient action, delayed necessary lockdowns, saying things like: “we might brought to bear again on governments. measures, and allowed the second wave just have to learn to live with it until a Social distancing measures were lifted to escalate. The result is thousands more vaccine.” without putting in place a serious test, avoidable deaths across the continent. In reality, it is not lockdowns in them- trace, and isolate system. This was a The underlying reason for this is, again, selves that have failed, but the haphazard crucial question. With the pandemic under capitalist profits. way in which they have been implemented control, it was necessary to contain local One of the clearest and most scandal- and communicated, with governments of- outbreaks. That would have meant target- ous examples of this is Boris Johnson’s ten blaming the public for not following the ed mass testing and a serious system of government. Already on 21 September, rules, rather than accepting any failings on contact tracing for those infected. the government’s Scientific Advisory their part. This has undermined people’s To a certain extent, it could be argued Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warned of confidence and trust in the ‘experts’. that European governments were taken by increasing infections, and recommended Added to this is the question of who surprise by the first wave of the COVID-19 a set of measures for immediate introduc- pays. Bars, restaurants, and all sorts of pandemic. But that is not necessarily tion. small businesses are being told to close true. When this first wave began in Italy, What did Boris Johnson do? Ignore his down, driving them into bankruptcy, and other countries had two or three weeks to own experts’ advice. Under pressure from leaving workers’ without wages – and in prepare. the libertarian wing of the Tory Party and many cases without jobs. What is true is that – at the time – the capitalists who opposed any further And this time round, governments are less was known about the virus, how it restrictions, he prevaricated. It took his not intervening economically as much as spreads, and what measures are most government over six weeks to undertake during the first lockdowns, or are only effective in containing it. For example, the measures suggested by SAGE. doing this reluctantly and late. The reason we now know about the importance of The story is the same everywhere. is clear. Government funding during the clustering and super-spreader events (the Most European governments delayed first wave has led to a massive increase in fact that about 80 percent of contagions the response to the second wave, only public debt and budget deficits. originate in only 10 percent of those in- implementing partial and clearly inefficient fected), which underlines the importance measures. The results are there for every- of contract tracing. one to see. (continues on next page)

Back to Contents socialist.net 24 International Issue 338

(continues from previous page) that took harsh measures early on – to clamp down and control the pandemic – Socialist programme also did so motivated by capitalist profits. The programme that revolutionary social- Protests and unrest They calculated that, if they were able ists must defend is clear: As a result, in many countries we have to contain the pandemic early on, they seen protests – along with attempts by the ■■The building of a responsive, would have a competitive advantage over well-funded, state-run test and far-right and right-wing demagogues to other countries in being able to restart the capitalise on them. These protests range trace system. Measures must be economy earlier. put in place that allow people to from the conspiracy theory fringe (linked Countries like China, New Zealand, to far-right organisations), to genuine isolate if they test positive, which Taiwan, South Korea – to different de- means paying full wages, and also protests of small business owners and grees – took measures like mass lock- workers in affected sectors demanding providing proper accommodation in downs, widespread testing, and imple- cases where overcrowded housing economic help. menting efficient test and trace systems. The fact that some of those affected conditions would not allow them to These countries have also established isolate at home. This can be done by by the measures are petty-bourgeois strict controls of people coming in, with small business owners makes this a fertile requisitioning empty hotels, houses testing of all arrivals, and quarantines and flats. ground for right-wing demagogues. It is not of all those who test positive in specially by chance that Nigel Farage is rebranding ■■If the pandemic is out of control with designated hospitals or hotels. These are widespread community transmission, his Brexit Party into the anti-lockdown the kind of measures that must be imple- Reform UK Party. lockdowns will be necessary. These mented in order to prevent the pandemic have to be real lockdowns. Only work- But it would be a mistake to paint all from spreading. protests with the same brush. In Madrid, we saw protests in working-class neigh- bourhoods against the right-wing regional government implementing completely ineffective confinement, while at the same time cutting resources from the public health service. And in Italy, workers and small busi- ness owners came out in several cities with a clear slogan: “you shut us down, you pay us”. Fighting COVID-19 So, what should be the position of rev- olutionary socialists on the question of how to fight COVID-19 and deal with the second wave in Europe? First of all, we need to explain that the second wave could have been avoided – or at least its impact greatly minimised – if the necessary measures to protect public health had been taken. And they were not taken because of the need to preserve capitalist profits. Vaccines should be distributed on the basis of We need to look at best practice around the world, at what has worked need, not the ability to pay. The nationalisation of and what hasn’t. There has been a lot of debate in the media about the so-called pharmaceutical companies would also guarantee “Swedish model”. But now the autumn has arrived, the number of COVID-19 access to the vaccine across the world, rather than a hospitalisations is growing faster in Swe- mad scramble to obtain doses. den than in any other European country. So, Sweden has clearly not prevented a second wave. The so-called ‘herd im- It is a comment on the sorry state of ers in those sectors of the economy munity’ approach has been disproven in capitalism that measures of this kind have practice. that are essential for the maintenance not been taken, or criminally delayed. of life and health should be working. There are legitimate debates to be During World War Two – a period of had from an epidemiological and public The rest should stay home with full national emergency – the ruling class in pay. Manufacturing and construction health point of view about the best course both Britain and America took measures of action. But, in reality, the majority of should be shut down, unless linked of state intervention in the economy and to essential sectors of the economy. governments and politicians advocating directed production towards the war effort, strategies based on the idea of ‘herd Those sectors that remain open with little regard for private property rights. should be under the supervision of immunity’ do so from the point of view of At the end of the day, in times of crisis, the defending capitalist profits, regardless of worker health-and-safety committees, limits of the anarchy of the ‘free market’ elected from the shop-floor, with consequences for peoples’ lives. system are starkly revealed for all to see. Incidentally, some of the governments (continues on next page)

Back to Contents marxist.com 25 International 19 November 2020

(continues from previous page) ■■We demand a mass programme done is effective. It would show that of investment in the public health measures are being put in place to pro- powers to reorganise production and service. tect not only peoples’ lives but also their stop it when deemed unsafe. livelihoods. Such a programme would Furthermore, as a vaccine seems to ■■Small businesses that are forced also be able to win over petty-bourgeois be closer on the horizon, it is imperative to close down should be given rent layers to the side of the working class. that this does not become yet another and tax holidays and financial help. Of course, such a programme would opportunity for capitalists to profiteer. Big companies should not receive immediately raise the question of who is Big pharma should be expropriated with- any help. Rather, they should rely on to pay? Well, it is simple. We say, make out compensation, and brought under their accumulated profits, dividends, the capitalists pay. A report by Swiss democratic workers’ control on the basis etc. Any large-scale companies that bank UBS revealed that by July 2020, of the general needs of the population. require state help should be national- the world’s billionaires had increased Vaccination cannot be left in the ised without compensation. their already massive fortunes to a hands of private companies operating on ■■Mass testing should be carried out to record high of $10.2tn (£7.8tn) in July the basis of their profits and the interests identify outbreaks. 2020. of their shareholders. After all, much of ■■If schools and universities are to It is not that there is no money to the research they base their products on remain open, this should be on the take the measures necessary to fight is carried out in state-funded institutions basis of reduced class sizes, through the pandemic. The issue is that wealth already. the mass hiring of new teachers and is concentrated in ever-fewer hands at Vaccines should be distributed on the requisition of appropriate build- the top. Meanwhile, the majority – the the basis of need, not the ability to pay. ings. There must be mass testing of working class that has created all of this The nationalisation of pharmaceutical education workers. When there is an wealth – are left to fend for ourselves. companies would also guarantee access outbreak in a school, all children and If the big monopolies in each country to the vaccine across the world, rather staff in the bubble, as well as their fam- were brought under common ownership than a mad scramble to obtain doses, in ilies, should be tested within 24 hours. and workers’ control, we could not only which the advanced capitalist countries ■■There must be a ban on household pay for the fight against COVID-19, but would have an advantage. evictions and repossessions, along also for decent jobs, houses and liveli- A programme like this would not only with payment holidays for rents and hoods for the whole of the population. bring the pandemic under control, but bills. Make the big energy giants and To fight the virus, abolish capitalism! ■ landlords pay. also reassure people that what is being Pakistan: We demand the release of our comrade Amar Fayaz!

Progressive Youth Alliance of student unions, and for the overthrow world to protest against this brutality and of the bloodthirsty capitalist system. barbarism going on in Pakistan, and to de- omrade Amar Fayaz was ab- mand immediate release of Amar Fayaz. ducted on 8 November by state The ruling class are determined to crush authorities in Pakistan. His any voice of dissent, using every method Activists can write letters to the government C available to them. of Pakistan and , and whereabouts are still unknown. Such sign this petition abductions have become a common can also present this as a motion in labour practice in Pakistan. Political activists, So far, protests have been held across movement meetings. We also encourage journalists, and others who raise their Pakistan in solidarity with Amar. This comrades to arrange meetings to discuss voices against the government are has been supported by an international the brutality of the Pakistani state and its routinely abducted with the help of the online campaign to #ReleaseA- atrocities, and to show support by tak- police and security services. Abductees marFayaz, organised by ing solidarity pictures and videos. are then kept in inhuman conditions and comades from across the Above all, we call for protests to be severely tortured. IMT. arranged outside the embassies and consulates of Pakistan. Many activists of the International Marx- A legal challenge is ist Tendency have gone through this also being filed in the With a collective effort, we are ordeal in recent months and years. In Sindh High Court at hopeful that we can save the all cases, comrades were only released Hyderabad for Amar’s life of our comrade and ensure after huge international campaigns. release, although he doesn’t meet the fate of there is little hope of hundreds of ‘missing persons’ in Amar’s only ‘crime’ is that he was fight- this leading anywhere, Pakistan. ing for the working class and demanding given the impotent judici- rights for the youth and workers of ary of Pakistan. Long live the solidarity of the Pakistan. He was actively participating working class! and organising campaigns against fee We appeal to work- rises in universities, for the restoration ers of the Release Amar Fayaz!

Back to Contents socialist.net 26 Review Issue 338 review The Trial of the Chicago 7: the truth was crazier

Felix Lighter The Grand Jury was tasked with found a technicality to remove him from looking at whether any crimes - by both the trial. But not before finding him guilty aron Sorkin’s new film ‘The Trial of sides - had been committed. In reality of contempt of court and giving him four the Chicago 7’ (Netflix / Paramount, they were looking to target the leadership years in jail - so that the Eight became ACert 15.) is based on one of the of the anti-war movement. The opportu- Seven. most controversial trials in US history, one nity presented itself with a clause in the The outcome was never in doubt. that the establishment would now prefer misnamed Civil Rights Act which made it The trial was conducted with no attempt to forget. a Federal crime to cross state boundaries to stick to established precedents and Writer / Director Sorkin is best known to incite to riot, or conspire to incite to riot. rights. The defendants were found guilty for being the creator of the much-ac- The conspiracy part of the offence and - in a final twist of the knife - both the claimed TV series The West Wing, which was important as it removed the need defendants and their defence attorneys sought to show - albeit in a positive light to actually prove anything. Interestingly, were also found guilty of contempt of court - how things operated in the White House. Trump wanted to use the same conspiracy and punished accordingly. One defence Having migrated to film, much of the offence to clamp down last summer on lawyer was given four years just for calling feel of The West Wing has followed him. BLM protestors. the judge “Mr. Hoffman” rather than “Your Most of the characters (particularly the Honour”. defence lawyers) act in the same way - Vicious middle class, ultra-intelligent and prone The authorities left nothing to chance. Injustice to talking at length - and the film tries to Having handed down the indictments, the The film ends with a serious misjudge- have a similar upbeat feel to it in its final trial was put in the hands of one Judge ment. It implies that in the end the system scenes. Juluis Hoffman, a reactionary racist and works - most of the sentences were Yet the reality of the trial was very vindictive representative of the US legal revoked, albeit only after a long struggle different. However crazy it comes across system. In the film, Hoffman is presented in some cases, and everybody was set in Sorkin’s film, the actual events were far as going senile. But the real Judge Hoff- free. Judge Hoffman and others were crazier and served as a truer picture of man had all his vicious wits about him. positioned to take the blame for this on the reality of the US judicial system - one The Conspiracy Trial, as it was to be “technicalities”. based on class rule, oppression and the known, was a very sick joke from begin- However the truth was that the estab- power of the rich. ning to end. Part of the problem was that lishment - including President Nixon and some of the main defendants brought Mayor Daley - were initially happy with the Stitch-up their hippy idiocy tactics with them rather outcome. Seeing that their aim had been The trial flowed from the violent events of than making a class appeal to both youth achieved anyway, they then panicked August 1968 outside the Democratic Party and especially black workers. This played that the conduct of the trial might have convention in Chicago, where thousands straight into the hands of the authorities long term repercussions for them. They of anti-war protestors had gathered to looking to make an example of them. now wanted this trial forgotten about - a make a stand. Fearful that the protestors One of the defendants - Bobby Searle, minor slip up in the great US legal tradition would link up with black civil rights activ- the eighth member of the Chicago Seven (which of course it was not) - and not to be ists, Mayor Daley sent in the police hard - took a different approach to some of the used against them in the future. to smash and beat up as many protesters others, speaking directly to black workers But it should be used against them. US as they could. across the US. Having protested that he legal history is one long parade of injustic- The violence shocked the US public. had no adequate legal representation, he es, biased rulings and a clear application The establishment, fearful of revolution, was bound and gagged in court for sever- of class warfare by the rich against the saw a chance to push back on the growing al days to prevent him from speaking out. poor and oppressed - a racist reactionary opposition to the system amongst workers This medieval barbarity was so em- system. ■ and youth. barrassing to the authorities that they then

Back to Contents CHARTIST

REVOLUTIONBy Rob Sewell new from wellred: a marxist analysis of britain on the brink of revolution he new book from Rob Sewell on the Mark Serwotka, general secre- With another lockdown underway, now history of the Chartist movement in tary, PCS union. would be a good time for readers to order their T19th Century Britain is starting to attract copy. Incidentally, bookshops, trade union and considerable interest and praise from trade “It is essential we learn about our history - the Labour party branches, etc. can order bulk union and labour activists. Chartist Revolution history of the working class - which has been stocks at a trade discount by emailing Lau- (Wellred) has already gained some key en- completely distorted and buried. Rob Sewell [email protected] dorsements. For example: has done a grand job in bringing to life this for details. Don’t remarkable history of Chartism as well as delay, order your “This is an excellent account of Chartism drawing important lessons from those turbu- copy now at and the pivotal it played in the long-standing lent times. They resonate with us today. This wellredbooks. struggle by the working class for equality and book is a must read for every labour and trade net justice. The origin of the movement can be union activist who wants to understand our traced to an area of South Wales I call home heritage.” and this movement and those that followed have had an enduring impact on my politics. Ian Hodson, National President, At a time of great uncertainty for workers, this book is a timely reminder for everyone of the Bakers’, Food & Allied Workers importance of working class solidarity.” Union Available to order from wellredbooks.net New In defence of marxism magazine ith the explosive events now unfolding they need to take the struggle? In looking at An- around the world - including, as we go gela Davis and her writings, Fiona Lalli draws Wto (digital) press, in the USA - there important conclusions for today’s youth. has never been a better time to explore and study Marxist ideas and theory. The publication by WellRed of a new book on Chartism is the subject of a major review by The latest edition of our magazine of Marxist Josh Holroyd which shows how the struggle of analysis - In Defence of Marxism - will provide the Chartists in 19th Century Britain has major plenty of food for thought - and action - for implications for workers today. We are all part workers and youth looking for an alternative to of that revolutionary thread which should inspire capitalism. all of us to complete what they started.

The first main article in issue 31 looks back at This year marks the 250 anniversary of Hegel’s the political trajectory taken by ‘60s radical icon birth. What legacy has Hegel left us? Hamid Angela Davis - from radical revolutionary, to Alizadeh looks over the contribution made by mainstream commentator. It outlines her heroic Hegel and calls for a re-evaluation. role during the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s but also shows how confused The final article in this issue is the second part she became when that struggle started to ebb. of Alan Woods’ piece on Marxism and the state. Are Marxists in favour of violent revolution? Is a With the rise of the Black Lives Matter move- peaceful revolution even possible? This article ment and the growing divisions within US soci- looks at how Lenin and Trotsky considered ety, many of the issues raised by Davis during these questions. her radical period have come to the fore again. A new generation has come onto the scene - Subscribe today, from £8 per With a major editorial covering the current world what can they learn from the past and where do crisis, there is much to read and study in the year new issue of IDOM. socialist.net 28 Letters Issue 338

people is the only way out of the climate, pandemic and economic emergencies.

Phil B NW Leics CLP Student rent strikes Letters Dear Editor, [email protected] Students in Leeds have been inspired by action being taken by students across the country. From the rent strike in Bristol costing the university an estimated £2 million, to the direct action taken by stu- dents at Manchester protesting over the prison-like security measures taken by Labour calling carry out the tasks needed to run things. the university. It has become increasingly Once that realisation becomes general, clear that universities across the country workers will ask: What do we need the Dear Editor, have greatly underestimated the power capitalist class and their state machine that we students possess when we come All the never-ending denials by the of oppression for? establishment about the existence of the together in solidarity. Students in Leeds have a role to play working class were somewhat under- Vic Dale mined on national radio this month. and we must continue to organise - to- Flicking through the channels to find Guided by the science? wards a rent strike, if necessary. We must some decent music, I got to BBC Radio make the university and student landlords know that our conditions in accommoda- 2 and heard the words, “Working Class” Dear Editor, tion are not fit for purpose and are exploit- and abruptly halted my search. We are constantly told that we must atively overpriced. A programme aimed at discussing all do our bit to save the world from cli- Students in first year have been lied COVID-19 and its impact on the poor, mate change and now COVID-19. But if to. Just weeks before arriving (and long began with details and statistics which the capitalist media did its job properly it after tenancy agreements were signed) confirmed the fact that the poor are would be the overriding drive for profit by students were informed that their nine- bearing the brunt - what a surprise! big business that people would be angry grand costing education would be taking The programme host opened up a at. place entirely online. phone-in, asking again and again, if In the battle against capitalism, We must ask ourselves: why is this people thought that “what were once scientists are desperately trying to happening? Quite simply, the University known as the working class” were suffer- influence decisions. For example, a bosses care more about lining their pock- ing unduly. Laughingly, he later adjusted dedicated group has created an open ets than they do about student welfare. his position to, “those who are no longer access website carbonmonitor.org which It is no surprise that when education is thought of as working class.” calculates CO2 emission changes. viewed as a business, it will operate like Time and again the phoners-in This showed that ground transport, one too - putting the profit motive above declared that they were working class. the UK’s biggest emitter, only reduced all else. They did not equivocate on this question by 31.6% during lockdown - despite all If students are to prevent events like at all, but they were clearly frightened non-essential travel being banned - as these from transpiring again, then we and suffering financially. profit driven commodity distribution con- must set our aims higher. Not only must A Guardian journalist was wheeled tinued. Power emissions were reduced we protest against the university, but we in and seeing that “working class” was by 35% when most people were staying must also question the system that has once again firmly re-established in our at home. And grounding all flights only brought us to this point. vocabulary, opened his piece with de- reduced UK emissions by 0.8%. Overall, Going forward, we must demand more tails about “working class” life and iden- total CO2 emissions were down by only than just refunds. We don’t just want tified them as being both blue and white 25.7%. crumbs from the table, we want the whole collar workers. He highlighted the social The mostly small businesses in the bakery! This ongoing fight must act as a gap between that class and a privileged hospitality sector are taking the brunt of springboard to a larger campaign against establishment: privately educated, out of the burden with forced closures, despite fees and privatisation. touch and unable to see how the other a September Public Health England re- By linking up with university workers 99% live. port indicating they were responsible for organised in the UCU and UNISON, we Workers phoning in asked again and only 5.18% of new cases. The same re- can build a united fightback against the again, how those on a minimum wage port indicated educational settings were bosses that have got us into this mess. could be expected to live on just 80% of responsible for four times as many cases We need to remove profit from education that miserable amount. – but this was ignored as £9k fee-paying altogether, and run universities democrat- One person even suggested a third students were welcomed back to univer- ically, in the hands of staff and students. house in Parliament, one formed by sities. The teachers’ union’s advice for workers. This is dangerous talk for the rotation was disregarded. Owen Rees Hattersley bosses - it poses the possibility of an Ultimately, the chaos of the market Leeds independent worker’s organisation of has the upper hand in dealing with the government. crisis and is pulling the strings of our so- Workers everywhere are demon- called government. A planned economy strating that they can organise and democratically controlled by working

Back to Contents marxist.com 29 Trade Unions 19 November 2020

Paul Holmes campaign enters final stage Build the struggle to transform the union Our Unison correspondent campaign has been largely invisible. This Unison Action Broad Left cannot survive. reflects the political isolation of the Social- The Socialist Party has burnt its bridges. oting ends at the end of this month ist Party. Given the importance of this election, for the Unison general secretary they have destroyed any authority they Velection. And it’s evident that a Turning point may have held among left activists. For head of steam has developed behind Paul As we have explained previously, this is many new activists, they are an absolute Holmes’ campaign. perhaps the most important election in the irrelevance. Large numbers of members have been British labour movement for decades. At Early next year, nominations open for posting pictures and videos of themselves stake is the political direction of a trade the National Executive Council (NEC) of voting for Paul. In Derry City, for example, union that organises in tens of thousands the union. In recent years, many seats a socially distanced queue of members of workplaces – including every hospital, have not been contested, giving the right took turns in posting their ballots, each ex- every local authority, most care homes, wing free rein. plaining why they voted for Paul Holmes. and the UK’s 32,770 schools. That said, the left holds a sizeable John McDonnell MP also recorded a short Unison members feel the full impact of number of seats on the NEC and is well video of support. austerity: either directly through their own within reach of winning a majority. Com- All the evidence suggests that the work and lives; or by seeing the damaging bined with the impetus of the campaign campaign has connected with a far wider effects for the people to whom they pro- around Paul Holmes, this means that a layer of the membership than that of any vide services. strong left-wing challenge is on the cards. previous rank-and-file candidate. Notably, the union also plays a huge But that won’t happen unless the ener- Significantly, a high proportion of the role in influencing the political direction of gy of Paul’s general secretary campaign is nominations to ensure Paul’s place on the the Labour Party. A left-led Unison would channeled through a genuinely open and ballot came from large, well-organised therefore represent a serious blow to Keir democratic left formation, with a presence branches, with a particular concentration Starmer and the Labour right wing. in every region and in every service group. in the largest region of the union in the A revitalised and strengthened Unison, North West. led by a working-class fighter like Paul Transform the unions Holmes, would play a far more fighting Socialist Appeal’s supporters in Unison Political differences role than it does today. It would mean a have played an active role in Paul’s cam- The character of the different campaigns union that connects with members, leads paign. For many of us, this has been our draws out some of the key political dif- from the front in defending services, and first involvement in a Unison election. For ferences between the candidates. The fights the cuts – all in a way that the cur- older comrades, this campaign has been Unison bureaucracy tends to approach rent ineffective leadership does not. a breath of fresh air. campaigning in a quite routinist fashion, There are no guarantees. The turnout We will keep fighting for every vote relying on the size of the union and on a in national Unison elections has histori- until the ballot closes. Every vote counts, thin layer of activists. cally been very low. In 2015, just 9.8% of and the stakes have never been higher. Both of the candidates drawn from the membership cast a vote. Getting the But in many ways, the end of this cam- the bureaucracy – Christina McAnea and votes out will be the key to a victory for paign is just the beginning. Roger McKenzie – have been lacklustre, Paul Holmes in this election. The trade union bureaucracy repre- relying on the national press for publicity. sents an enormous brake on the move- Paul’s campaign, by contrast, has Looking ahead ment of the working class. We will play our targeted manual workers and those Going forwards, it is also vital that the role in the transformation of Unison into an members whose voices don’t usually get energy around Paul Holmes’ campaign organisation worthy of its members. heard. But it has also drawn in support is translated into a strong organised left In line with Unison’s electoral rules, this ar- from some big names in the movement, within the union. ticle has neither been endorsed or agreed such as Ken Loach, Maxine Peake, Ricky The blatantly sectarian decision of the by Paul Holmes. It expresses solely the Tomlinson and John McDonnell. Socialist Party to stand against the agreed opinion of the authors. Bringing up the rear, Hugo Pierre’s left candidate means that the existing

Back to Contents socialist.net 30 Trade Unions Issue 338 Spycops inquiry: exposing the machinations of the state

Steve Jones A legal submission made by Lord Hen- “We want the directors and the com- dy QC outlined the degree of suspected panies that were supplied with information fter years of delay and constant police infiltration of trade unions: about union activists to be named. And stalling, the long-awaited Under- “Peter Francis, an undercover police from the point of view of the BSG, if any Acover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) finally officer who served in the SDS [Special trade union officials were amongst the ‘key got underway at the start of November. Demonstration Squad] from 1993-1997, industry contacts’ supplying information to A full five years have passed since then- has said that he carried out covert surveil- the police, we call for them to be named PM Theresa May announced the setting lance of members of the National Union as well.” up of a public inquiry into the activities of of Teachers (now the NEU), the CWU, the Indeed, Dave went on to outline how two undercover police units: the Special FBU and UNISON. Another undercover undercover officers intervened directly in Demonstration Squad and the National officer, Mark Jenner (‘Cassidy’) posed as union matters and even tried to trick activ- Public Order Intelligence Unit. a joiner to become a member of UCATT ists into committing arson. This followed press revelations that in 1996-1998.” these two units had between them over a Big business agents 40-year period spied on and infiltrated a Blacklist In concluding Dave made it clear that the whole number of campaigns, groups and However all the early fire has focussed on fight to expose what has happened will go political organisations. Their aim was to the issue of Blacklisting. Dave Smith from on, whatever the inquiry does or does not undermine, report on and in some cases the Blacklist Support Group had been do: actually encourage law-breaking in order due to submit his opening statement ear- “The police can claim all they like to entrap activists. ly on but found himself being challenged that they were protecting democracy. But Agents of the state would spend years over the contents of his submission and by spying on trade union members and pretending to be active members of or- prevented from speaking. colluding with our blacklisting, the UK’s ganisations, even to the point of forming However they could only delay. Final- political policing units are actually protect- physical relationships with group mem- ly, on 17 November, Dave got to outline ing big business and capitalism. And for bers in order to maintain the illusion. Any before the inquiry the scandal that was the avoidance of all doubt: capitalism and group deemed ‘subversive’ or a source of the Blacklist: “I am a blacklisted construc- democracy are not the same thing.” trouble to the police was targeted. tion worker trying to get the truth of how The blacklisting operation carried out me and my friends have been treated by by TCA was just one of many such opera- Delay the state. I will not be silenced.” tions being run for the benefit of big busi- The inquiry is needless to say proceeding Here he was at last able to outline in ness. How many are still running? What at a glacial pace, with little reportage from court how The Consulting Association involvement does the state have in this? the mainstream press to show that it is (TCA), financed by big business, organ- Over the coming months (and it even taking place. It is expected that the ised a blacklist across the construction appears years) the inquiry will - we inquiry will not conclude its business until industry, which was able to stop hundreds hope - hear much evidence about how at least 2023! of workers from being employed. It was the state, through the police and other Also the inquiry chair, Sir John Mitting, a political campaign with union activists organisations including MI5, has sought is proving to be very sympathetic to the and militants being targeted without to spy on and undermine trade union and establishment side of things - no surprise remorse. political struggles. here - and has used his position to limit the Central to Dave’s submission was the We should be clear: for capitalism rights of legal representatives to question demand that those involved in aiding TCA this was the rule not the exception. In witnesses properly. should be named and brought to justice: exposing the rotten underbelly of the All the early attention has concentrat- “We are calling on the Inquiry to force the cosy links between big business, the ed on descriptions of targeting by police police to publish the names of Special state and its agents, we should also of trade unions. None of this will come as Branch Industrial Unit’s ‘key industry understand what this tells us about the any surprise to union activists but, even contacts’ that both supplied and received need to sweep this whole decayed sys- so, the scale is incredible. information.” tem aside once and for all. ■

Back to Contents marxist.com 31 Trade Unions 19 November 2020

Higher education pay: Thanks for nothing! Fight for the full claim! Unison HE The lesson of the pandemic is that the Tory government Socialist Appeal supporters can be forced to U-turn. And there is no reason to on-teaching staff in higher edu- cation (HE) have been ‘offered’ a believe that an effective struggle over pay can’t Nderisory 0% pay ‘rise’ this year. In the middle of a pandemic where union succeed either. members are on the frontline in universi- ties, workers are seeing just how much everything’s up in the air – university business, and to boost the profits of the they are valued by management. staff simply could not have given more bosses and the billionaires. The joint union claim was for a mere to their jobs.” 5% pay rise – hardly a king’s ransom. Unison is balloting members to see The ‘pay offer’ also doesn’t address any Unite and fight whether they are prepared to accept the The lesson of the pandemic is that of the other parts of the claim. For ex- offer. Rejection would lead to a formal the Tory government can be forced to ample, university bosses have ignored strike ballot, followed by escalating in- U-turn. And there is no reason to believe union calls for a standard 35-hour week dustrial action across the country. that an effective struggle over pay can’t and for action on gender and race ine- Tensions are already running high in succeed either. quality on pay. HE. There is enormous anger towards A well-organised campaign, involv- Unison, the biggest union among vice chancellors and their eye-watering ing the maximum number of members, support staff, is balloting its 50,000 HE pay; towards precarious working condi- would win the overwhelming support of members, seeking a substantial vote to tions; and, most recently, towards the students and the wider public. Students reject the offer. The ballot runs until 30 plight of students barricaded in their forking out £9k in fees and thousands November. accommodation. There is every chance, more in rents for an online-only ‘univer- Rotten deal therefore, that the ‘offer’ will be rejected. sity experience’ would be natural allies in the fight against unscrupulous univer- Those affected by this rotten deal are the sity bosses. workers who staff the offices, who clean Who pays? The universities will cry poverty. But that Most importantly, it would give Uni- the buildings and halls of residence, and won’t wash with union members. In re- son the opportunity to link with other who provide security; it is the caretak- cent years, the university sector has built unions on campuses – in particular, the ers and maintenance staff, the careers up reserves of as much as £44 billion. UCU representing academic staff – who advisers, counsellors, lab technicians, While the collapse in international stu- are involved in similar struggles over librarians, and other support staff. dent tuition fees has hit finances, these pay, inequality, and casualisation. As a statement on the Unison web- reserves have certainly not dissolved. The way to win is with determined, site comments: What’s more, many universities united, and militant action across the “It’s an insulting figure at the best of have experienced a record high uptake sector. times, let alone when staff have spent among fee-paying UK students – who the year bending over backwards to keep Reject the pay freeze – fight for the are being robbed blind by a sector driv- services running safely and efficiently.” full claim! en by market incentives. “From keeping campuses clean- At the same time, workers and stu- er than ever before, to making high For a united fightback in higher edu- dents can see that the wealth exists in quality remote learning a reality; from cation! Students and workers – unite society to fully-fund education. But cur- supporting vulnerable students, to plan- and fight! rently it is going towards bailouts for big ning programmes and finances when Make the bosses pay!

Back to Contents marxist.com 32 19 November 2020

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