London Socialist Alliance - p2 weekly CU’99 controversy - p3 Taaffe loses Pakistan - pp4-5 EU and the left - p6 Russia in crisis - p8 €

eaching the 300th issue of the when we leapt from the theoretical all its manifestations has been its will- Weekly Worker is a major journal to a monthly newspaper to ingness to tell the truth, no matter R achievement of our organisa- keep pace with events. While the heat- who it upset. Whether it has been tion. On behalf of the leadership of ing up of the class struggle developed warning of the liquidationist crisis the Party, I send congratulations to our organisation positively, it acted threatening the CPGB in the 1980s; the editorial team, the comrades in to accelerate the degeneration of the the crippling limitations of Scargill’s charge of the technical arrangements opportunist trends we fought in the tactics in 1984-85 and again in 1992; of its production, the regular contribu- Party. the death agonies of bureaucratic so- tors to its columns and to its coffers. Second, a new stage in our strug- cialism; the fatal illusions of so much Comrades, we have a paper we can all gle came in November 1990 with the of the left in the promise of a Labour be very proud of, a publication that is 5th Conference of the Leninists of the government; the need for openness indispensable reading for anyone who CPGB. It had one purpose. In the light in our movement and exposing the wants to really know the state of the of the Euro leadership’s unanimous crass infringements of elementary revolutionary left in Britain today. vote to rename their organisation, we working class democracy by Scargill Our paper has carved out a political were determined to preserve the name and Fisc in the SLP; the crude econo- space for the politics of the Commu- and idea of the CPGB. Even as we did mism that passes for Marxist politics nist Party. Our opponents on the left so, we emphasised that “our main task across large swathes of the left - this grudgingly admit to regularly reading remains reforging the CPGB. Al- paper has told the truth. the Weekly Worker for the information though we have the name of the Party, As issue 300 of the Weekly Worker it provides on other trends. Of course, the Party itself has been liquidated” hits the streets, the left in this coun- when it comes to our reports of the (my emphasis The Leninist January try presents a sorry picture. Mired as developments in their own organisa- 30 1991). it is in sectarianism and befuddled by tions, these same people lamely insist By taking on the name of the Party, the crisis of its various programmes, that it consists of nothing but “lies” however, we assumed some very the entire left now seems to be threat- and “gossip”. heavy responsibilities. Lengthy dis- ened by the liquidationism that totally The point hardly needs to be made cussions were held on how to trans- sunk the CPGB by 1991 (the Demo- that if this journal filled its pages with form our journal, how to intervene in cratic Left now wishes to change it- “lies” and “gossip”, no one would day-to-day struggles, how to draw self into a quiet and educational trust, want or need to read it. Our circula- fresh forces from the class and the possibly to be called the New Times tion levels - which must make the movement into the Party’s ranks. The Network: the liquidators liquidate). Weekly Worker the most successful Leninist had a proud history, but it One key factor that would facilitate paper on the left relative to the size of was essentially a factional journal a positive resolution of this crisis of the organisation that produces it - are and thus by definition had a narrower the left would be the consolidation sufficient proof against these slanders. most invariably start as the viewpoint to join the Communist Party of Great remit, one based on the extensive and growth of this organisation and The revolutionary openness which of a minority, or even an individual - Britain”. The organisations we then political agreement of the comrades the ideas it defends. As I have illus- characterises our press and for which to struggle, conquer and find concrete targeted for this call underlined our involved. trated above, this is not a sectarian it campaigns vigorously is not a po- expression in practice. origins on the left wing of the official The social explosions around the aim. It simply recognises that, in a litical quirk or eccentricity. It is a di- This is the task to which our paper world communist movement and now miners in 1992 transcended these de- world where the old is dying, the new rect product of the project we fight and the organisation that sustains it have little more than historical curios- bates. Immediately, we transformed has to struggle to be born. for, a reforged Communist Party united are committed. So, as we reach this ity, but the method is the key. Despite the paper, changing its name from The Despite a committed and assured on the basis of a genuinely commu- landmark, it is timely to survey where our “many disagreements” with these Leninist to the Daily Worker. As the cadre, our organisation still exists as nist programme. we are and where we come from. organisations, we wanted “them all to movement around the miners ebbed, a school of thought on the revolu- To reforge a real Communist Party The defining struggle of our organi- orientate themselves to the Party” we retreated to the production of the tionary left rather than a coherent - an organisation that will unite the sation has been against the sectari- (The Leninist No3, September 1982). Weekly Worker, gradually expanding national organisation able to affect advanced part of our class itself - we anism that plagues the left. We In other words, our defining project its size to carry more vital debate and the political outcome of events by need openness. Lenin leaves no room originated in the factional struggle that was not a politically narrow, exclusive polemic. Our stated aim was to pre- social weight, not simply by force of for misinterpretation when he states tore the Communist Party of Great Brit- one. We have always believed that serve and enhance the best features persuasion or argument. This is some- that “there can be no mass party, no ain apart in the 1980s. The core of to- the fight to recreate the CPGB required of both The Leninist - its rigorous and thing we must strive to remedy. party of a class, without full clarity of day’s Party leadership organised drawing fresh forces into its ranks extensive theoretical polemics - and The role of our newspaper will be essential shadings, an open struggle around the journal The Leninist, the from other traditions in the revolution- the Daily Worker - its fresh, essential in this. If you are a regular between various tendencies, without only factional publication to be explic- ary left and - crucially - the advanced agitational and bold style. reader and accept the need for the type informing the masses as to which itly banned by the Eurocommunists. part of the working class itself. Many things have changed since of workers’ party it fights for, I urge leaders … are pursuing this or that It raised the banner of principled, By issue 100, The Leninist had been then, of course. The historically low you to make a commitment to help line” (VI Lenin CW Vol 13, Moscow open struggle against the liquidation- transformed from a quarterly theoreti- level of the class struggle has shifted build it. We need readers of our press. 1977, p159). ist cancer gobbling up our Party and - cal journal into an influential fort- the emphasis of the Weekly Worker But, more than that, this paper needs Likewise, the open clash of ideas is significantly - in issue number three nightly paper. The milestones in this heavily in the direction of polemic and active partisans l the only environment in which the printed a ‘Call to all communists’. qualitative development were, first, debate. Yet one thing has not altered. Mark Fischer scientific ideas of Marxism - which al- This urged “all genuine communists the miners’ Great Strike of 1984-85, Characteristic of our publication in national organiser Page Party notes Letters I am a member of the Swedish Socialist Party who visited the newly opened (and cancelled) website launched by Workers Power. It was sup- posed to be an open space for discussion, but cooperation with each other whilst also having these were the ‘democratic’ practices: genuine connections with social movements 1. Cut, distort and delete messages that did not and, most importantly, the working class. Whilst please the LRCI’s Stalinist leaders. I for one had it is not my belief that an electoral alliance of all that doubtful honour. the small left groups such as the AWL and 2. Show a complete inability to counter the sim- SPEW is a way forward or that a mesh encom- Around 30 comrades representing several left a new workers’ party”, then so must be the plest arguments. The overwhelming majority of passing left-talking greens and sectarians is a groups attended a meeting billed as a willingness of the left groups to join together the political criticisms have not been answered. better idea than that, I think that both show a “relaunch London Socialist Alliance confer- in order to present a united challenge to Blair. When questions are raised the LRCI answers real desire to move forward and recognise the ence” on August 1. Called by Nick Long, Unfortunately, as the EU debacle proved, for with abuse and wild accusations. crisis that most of the left is in. coordinator of Lewisham Socialist Alliance, all the left’s ‘official optimism’, self-belief is The LRCI also accused almost all the com- The left needs this kind of attitude, or it will the conference aimed to begin the task of hardly its strong point. rades that sent in critiques of being pseudonyms gradually fade away in magnificent self-imposed mounting a united left challenge in next year’s The AWL put forward an amendment, for the LRCI’s public enemy number one (ie, isolation. London mayoral and assembly elections. which read: “1. That in any future election Villa). I only discovered the existence of the The CPGB has always urged the left to the Socialist Alliance will approach and work LCMRCI in that discussion and I do not agree Peterborough stand as a united force in elections (see, for with trade union organisations to win sup- with everything comrade Villa says, but you example, ‘Open letter to the left’ Weekly port and attempt to get candidates from trade have to admit that he (and others like the Weekly Worker October 22 1998). With the introduc- union and community bodies. Worker) has asked some intriguing questions. Britain, according to an extensive survey, has tion of proportional representation a left in- “2. That working class representation is a In the end the LRCI erased all the messages “the most reactionary youth in Europe”, but tervention has been given fresh impetus. It central plank in our platform.” and the entire discussion site. How can the LRCI does not (as yet) have a political party to reflect was therefore heartening to see comrades Both the motion and the amendment were lead the international revolution if it is so intol- their opinions. So Anti-Fascist Action’s strat- from the Socialist Party in England and Wales, passed overwhelmingly. erant and incapable of debating on its own In- egy of addressing the issue while the far-right the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty, Socialist Despite the intentions of comrade Long, ternet space? How can they fight for socialist are ‘small’ should with hindsight be acknowl- Outlook, the Independent Labour Network the “relaunched” LSA is a (temporary) elec- democracy with such horrendous Stalinist prac- edged as the major factor in Britain, almost alone and Workers Power in attendance. WP has tion bloc with no connection to the national tices? The LRCI should be ashamed of this be- in Europe these days, remaining a ‘fascist-free now changed its tune and wants to join in - Socialist Alliance network apart from the haviour. In the long run it does not do any good: zone’. A reality underlined, despite the low turn- provided such an electoral bloc does not in- name. This fact was epitomised by the wel- it just helps alienate possible comrades-to-be. out, by the staggering 11.2 million votes received tend “presenting itself as an alliance - ie, an come presence of comrade Hoverman. While Fortunately, the LRCI is not the only revolu- by the far right across Europe in the recent Euro embryonic party” - that would be ‘unprinci- the SWP’s commitment to electoral unity is tionary alternative available today. After this ter- elections. pled’ of course. WP has covered its line by no means certain, it has no intention what- rible experience I decided to set up an Physical force, or as Malcolm Keane (Letters change by proclaiming any electoral chal- soever of bringing its members into Dave independent discussion site without censorship July 22) chose to describe it, “psychotic vio- lenge to be a “united front”. Nellist’s network. (http://www.delphi.com/jonesy) and I invite other lence” is a legitimate tactic. Those who de- Reflecting the Socialist Workers Party’s Although the SWP is the largest left comrades to join it. nounce physical force deny the legitimacy of continued uncertainty over its participation group, in a sense, given the type of organi- anti-fascism itself. But then, given the increas- in elections, once dubbed as ‘electoralism’, sation it is, its size is also a weakness. Its Gothenburg ingly confident attempts in bourgeois academia the SWP had just one representative, com- internal culture is one where genuine debate to suggest a symmetry between communism and rade Rob Hoverman. The CPGB sent two com- is unknown, where the politically naive, con- fascism, perhaps that is the idea. rades because of the clash with our stantly revolving membership must be pro- Labelling “anti-black” any questioning of the Communist University. tected from alien forces, particularly those to I want to make a critique of Dave Stockton’s efficacy or motives of the establishment’s anti- Hannah Sell of SPEW proposed the fol- its left. So full participation in the SA is for it ‘Ten Years of the LRCI’ in the last Workers Power, racist strategies is as crude an attempt to stymie lowing motion to the meeting: a high risk business. It may also expose its and also to John Stone’s response (‘Crisis debate as racist abuse itself. For when the “Recent election results demonstrate the political frailty in another sense: if the work- around the LRCI’ Weekly Worker July 22). Weekly Worker itself attempted to open up the growing number of people disillusioned with ing class is seething with frustration and I think that Stone made some wrong question of means and ends in regard to anti- New Labour. ‘Planet contentment’ has been open to socialist ideas, as Socialist Worker affirmations regarding what is happening in racist strategies about eighteen months ago, it exposed as a sham, as thousands of tradi- claims, then the SWP ought to expect large France. He is incorrect to say that “in France too if memory serves came in for similarly stri- tional Labour voters stayed away in the Euro votes. Knowing this was not the reality, a several fractions had started to split from the dent abuse. Slander, it increasingly appears, is elections in disgust. Tony Blair’s insults section of its leadership was only too pleased left of LO and the LCR”. In fact, VDT is not on the weapon of choice in defence of the status against public sector workers and clashes to use the excuse of Arthur Scargill heading the left of these organisations and the LCR’s quo. “Race card”? Never leave home without it. with the BMA are indicators of how more the SLP London list in June’s EU elections to and LO’s factions are still in their parties. and more layers will feel betrayed. pull out, provoking the collapse of the alli- He does not represent very well what hap- London “For large numbers of working class peo- ance. pened in the French section. He said that around ple, the disillusionment with Labour has For the politically fragile SWP criticism is a third of the French section has gone. In fact, meant a turning off from political parties al- not welcome. That is why, along with the ILN, almost half of the French members left the LRCI, together - the common refrain being, ‘What’s it attempted to expel the CPGB from the EU including all the youth circles in Paris and In his article ‘The struggle for democracy’ the point? They’re all the same.’ But the vic- elections SA bloc. In an apparent replay of Nantes. It is hard to see PO anywhere. They no (Weekly Worker July 29), Danny Hamill asserts tory of the SSP in Scotland, Dave Nellist and his previous attempts at gagging criticism, longer intervene with the sans papiers, unem- that “History presents us with a choice between Karen McKay for the Socialist Party in Cov- he stated at this month’s meeting: “We must ployed, students, and school struggles. revolutionary democratic communism from be- entry and, importantly for us, Ian Page for come together for unity, not bickering. We The French opposition was expelled not only low and state socialism from above”. the Socialist Party in Lewisham show that must not have any recurrence of what hap- because of differences on electoral tactics and It is a fundamental of Marxist theory that the where a credible candidate with a proven pened last time” - ie, open reporting and criti- regroupment, but also because the LCR charac- world revolutionary process necessitates a state record stands, with a good campaign, a layer cism of the SA in the Weekly Worker. terised the Jospin, Blair and Schroeder govern- form which is transitional between capitalism and of people are prepared to vote for a socialist Adding to the sense of déjà vu, comrade ments as “bourgeois workers’ governments”. the higher phase. Usually referred to as social- alternative. Hoverman was backed by Pete Brown of the The faction said that they were bourgeois re- ism, a successful struggle for the democratic de- “These victories will be a beacon and can ILN, who said: “We can’t have people using gimes. velopment of this lower phase of communism be used to encourage others to also stand their newspapers to attack other organisa- Dave Stockton said that the best thing that concurs with the withering away of the state, against Labour. We are likely to see more ex- tions” - that was “not on”. Any expression happened with the LRCI after the rupture with until even the resultant state of democracy is amples such as the Tameside careworkers, of difference was, for comrade Brown, the the Latin American, New Zealand and Austrian transcended by the higher phase of communism. RASP campaigners in Killamarsh and victo- equivalent of “using our platforms to pro- oppositions was “the remarkable growth of our It is in this sense that communism is much more rious NHS campaigners in Kidderminster. mote your own sectarian view”. In contrast French section, recruiting young comrades and than democratic. “These steps are all part of the process WP correctly argued that each candidate becoming the second strongest section.” He did Describing the state form of the lower phase towards the building of a new workers’ party. should have the right to “argue for their own not mention at all the expulsion of the French of communism as ‘state socialism’, Hamill incor- Socialist Alliances, though at an early stage organisation’s programme”. opposition . rectly construes that the existence of a state, in at the moment, are a part of that process. Will the SWP’s desire to ban criticism ex- itself, constitutes “socialism from above”. In “The relaunched London Socialist Alliance tend to the “trade unionists, strikers, envi- France substantiation, he duly produces a list of ‘so- should therefore avoid any complicated ronmentalists and other campaigners” the SA cialism from above’ which include Mao’s China, structures or formal constitution. Rather, we rightly wants to bring on board? Like Hannah Hoxha’s Albania, Pol Pot’s Cambodia and Sung’s need to ensure that the existing organised Sell the SWP wants to achieve a new, genu- North Korea. groups work together on areas where we can inely mass workers’ party. How can such a I recently attended the Communist University Rather oddly, Hamill tops his sampler with “La- agree, to raise the banner of socialism in Lon- party, the advanced part of the class, be built in London and would like to congratulate com- bourite state socialism”, forgetting that the La- don. without the open clash of ideas? rades on a magnificent effort. It was refreshing bour Party has never got beyond welfare state “We propose the election of a chair and Comrade Brown was defeated in the elec- to see such free and uninhibited debate. The capitalism. More importantly however, he leaves secretary to enable the day-to-day running tion for the post of secretary, gaining seven entire left could learn a lot from the atmosphere out Lenin’s Soviet Union, transferring the re- of the alliance, with positions recallable at votes, as opposed to nine for Greg Tucker of which was free of the usual sectarian slanging sponsibility for the establishment of that ‘state any time. Socialist Outlook, who was elected. Martin matches that occur. It is only a shame that more socialism’ to Stalin. How neat. “The London Socialist Alliance should Thomas of the AWL won six votes. Comrade of the far left decided not to attend. I think it In the absence of proletarian revolution in the have as its focus preparation for the London Long beat off a challenge from Julie Dono- would be a good idea if next year a few more imperialist countries and in the absence of work- assembly elections in 2000, to attempt to en- van for chair by a single vote - 11 to 10. groups made an effort to co-organise and pro- ing class majorities in the socialist states, the courage a broad socialist challenge to La- It is of course positive that the left appears mote the week. socialism of this century has been character- bour, including trade unionists, strikers, to want to get down to serious preparations The debate on Scargillism was particularly in- ised by outstanding communist leaders ruling environmentalists and other campaigners and for next year’s contest, even though all the teresting. Whilst I personally disagree with com- over firstly the party and then the state. It is socialists.” comrades present that an intervention by Ken rade Osler’s line about a party of ‘recomposition’ ‘democracy from below’ within the party of the SPEW’s motion went down well with most Livingstone as an independent candidate for being the way forward, I think both the CPGB proletariat which is needed now, not Hammill’s comrades present. Personally I was left won- mayor would cause a rethink. If, however, and comrade Osler have realised that eternal sect implied notion of dispensing with the socialist dering why it was that the SA’s Euro chal- Livingstone declines to make the break, then, building of the self-proclaimed vanguard party state. lenge collapsed so dismally in view of as Pete Firmin of SO pointed out, it remains is not the way. This in itself shows tremendous workers’ “disgust” with Labour, especially to be seen “whether the Socialist Party and progress. Socialists must have a relationship of London when so many are “prepared to vote for a the SWP mean they will build up a head of socialist alternative”. If it is correct to regard steam”. And whether the SWP/ILN alliance sacked strikers and NHS campaigners as will succeed in silencing criticism l l l “part of the process towards the building of Peter Manson l l August 19 1999 Page

he CPGB’s annual Communist University was held in Uxbridge Communist University ’99 action T in the first week of August. Some 80 CPGB members, supporters and friends, as well as comrades from other political currents, debated a n wide range of subjects in 20 inten- London: Sunday August 22, 5pm - sive sessions. ‘Marx and Engels on the limita- Once again the school highlighted tions of trade unionism’, using Hal some sharp political differences within Draper’s Karl Marx’s Theory of our organisation on a number of ques- revolution vol II as a study guide. tions, and these were debated vigor- Sunday August 29, 5pm - ‘Engels’s ously and on occasion heatedly. theory of crisis’, using Simon These arguments, however, formed Clarke’s Marx’s theory of crisis as part of a constructive and honest a study guide. search for truth and clarity. Some of our political opponents, in contrast, Manchester: Monday August 23, argued dogmatically from fixed ideo- 7.30pm - ‘Imperialism’. Email: logical positions which they were in- [email protected]. tent on defending, however bizarre the conclusions they led to. tralising’ the fight against Blair, or Marx’s vision of human emancipation the right to self-determination. Most n Alan Thornett of Socialist Outlook why it is needed. “We don’t need means far more than ending capital- comrades agreed that advocating this The CPGB has forms available for provided an example of rigid dogmatic more centralism,” he said. “We need ism. It means freeing people to be national right for units as small as a you to include the Party and the thinking in his debate with Anne autonomy and equality.” In reply themselves and live full lives on their few villages is absurd and impracti- struggle for communism in your Murphy on ‘The left and Europe’. Mark Fischer said the reforged CPGB, own terms - something the non-Marx- cable. The right to national self-de- will. Write for details. Comrade Murphy explained the CPGB uniting and synthesising all specific ist Tatchell apparently understands termination is appropriate only for position, that the convergence of Eu- struggles, is the best way forward in better than the Stalinite Bull. historically constituted peoples oc- n ropean capitalist states into a unified the fight for socialism in Britain. But The profound moral dimension of cupying a definite territory. But life is To get involved, contact Box 22, superstate not only provides the this does not mean an autocratic cen- Marxism was discussed in an inspir- complex and fluid, and special cases 136-138 Kingsland High Street, working class with the opportunity tral committee: it means relevant sec- ing talk by István Mészáros entitled such as Wales and Scotland, although London E8 2NS, or ring Anne to unite to fight this new state, but tions and committees having ‘Is communism a utopia?’ His answer not nations as scientifically defined, Murphy on 0973-231 620. also makes it imperative to do so. For autonomy within the Party in order was an emphatic ‘no’. We hope to politically require the right to self- comrade Thornett, the EU is simply a to most effectively take on the exist- publish the text of this and other determination. Some comrades, in- n reactionary institution, and must be ing state. For example, as the EU takes speeches in future issues of the cluding Dave Craig of the RDG, To get involved, contact Brent So- opposed, and British withdrawal pro- on state form, we will need to build a Weekly Worker. disagreed with this and said that logi- cialist Alliance, 37 Walm Lane, Lon- moted. This leads Socialist Outlook, Communist Party of the European Another theme which ran through cally you must either accept Scotland don NW2 4QU, or ring Stan Kelsey however unwillingly, into the same Union. Our goal is to seek voluntary the week concerned Ken Livingstone, is a nation, as he does, or deny it the 0181-451 0616. camp as rightwing nationalists who unity and centralisation of the work- and whether he will contest the elec- right to self-determination. This me- want to ‘save the pound’. ing class on the British, European tion for mayor of London as an inde- chanical logic, which puts categories n Another example of the dire con- and world level. pendent. Many guest speakers gave first and the complexities of real life Sarah Thomas, a gifted young sequences of dogmatic thinking and Dave Osler, speaking on ‘Scargill- their opinion of how the left should second, is more typical of the dog- black woman, is dead following her mechanical logic was provided by the ism’, correctly characterised Arthur react if this happens. Dave Osler was matic thinking exhibited by our arrest by officers from Stoke International Bolshevik Tendency, in Scargill as a class fighter able to lead firmly against Livingstone. Bob Pitt, ‘Trotskyite’ political opponents dur- Newington police station. Her their opening on ‘The left and the workers in struggle, but also a bu- in contrast, thought that the prospect ing the week. death is yet another on a long list. Balkans war’. The IBT comrades tried reaucrat and “a Stalinist of the old of a Livingstone-led breakaway in Hillel Ticktin gave two openings on Stoke Newington police are well to justify their position of uncondi- school”, advocating a reformist road London would be an interesting one. ‘The decline of capitalism’ and ‘Why known for deaths in custody, po- tional defence of Slobodan Milosevic to an authoritarian state. The party Nevertheless, in his opening on ‘The the collapse of the USSR was not fore- lice corruption, and violence and his regime. For the IBT, any im- Scargill founded, the SLP, has reached left and Labour’ he defended the Blair seen’. The first opening was particu- against black people. perialism is worse than any non-im- a dead end and we need to look at government as being at least better larly interesting to CPGB comrades, Stop deaths in police custody. perialism, which, however undemo- where it went wrong. The SLP was than the Tories and looked for pro- who have been studying Marxist cri- Picket Stoke Newington police sta- cratic and anti-progressive, must be marred by a lack of internal democ- gressive elements in Blair’s ‘third sis theory in our seminars. At the end tion - Saturday August 21, 2.30pm. supported in a war between the two. racy, said comrade Osler; this was its way’. of the opening on the collapse of the 33 Stoke Newington High Street, The IBT accepted that the Milosevic fatal flaw. The main disagreement within the USSR comrade Ticktin repeated his London N16. government was a particularly reac- However, he also claimed that the ranks of the CPGB itself was on the view that capitalism could not be re- Organised and coordinated by tionary regime oppressing the work- term ‘democratic centralism’ is “indel- national question. A number of com- stored in Russia, and that the west Hackney Monitoring Group. ing class in Serbia itself and guilty of ibly stained” in the eyes of progres- rades disagreed with Jack Conrad’s has no solution for the former USSR. For further information contact mass terror against the Kosovars. But sive workers, and admitted that view that in a united Ireland a protes- The only way out of the present cri- HMG on 0181 806 0742. they still supported Milosevic in the although the group he belongs to, the tant majority, three- or four-county sis was through working class revo- war and would have done all they Socialist Democracy Group, uses cen- ‘national’ entity should have self- lution. As, according to Ticktin, no n could to help bring about a Serbian tralism, it avoids the term. Comrade governing autonomy up to and in- other long-term solution was possi- Support group meets every Mon- victory. The IBT appeared to under- Osler said people advocating a Com- cluding the right to separate. This ble, he was optimistic for the future. day, 7pm, at the Station pub, stand that military defeat often pro- munist Party, rather than a broad left issue was vigorously debated follow- All comrades enjoyed the school Warrington Street, Ashton under vides the best conditions for revolu- party of recomposition, are in a mi- ing comrade Conrad’s opening on and found it stimulating and indeed Lyne. tion. Yet it dismissed this as nority on the left, and “probably most ‘The politics of the Northern Ireland inspiring. All the sessions were worth- Donations and solidarity to unimportant compared to the dog- of them are in this room”. peace process’. The opposition to while and many provided material for Tameside Strike Support (Hard- matic necessity of backing Serbia. In reply Jack Conrad said that we Conrad more or less said that the future Weekly Worker articles l ship) Fund, 15 Springvale Close, The IBT also effectively stopped sup- have all experienced groups which protestants of Northern Ireland are Mary Godwin. Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancs. porting the right of Kosova to self- make a travesty of democratic cen- in no sense a nation and have no right determination. The democratic rights tralism, and more recently, broad left to self-determination, which appar- of the Kosovars, and even their right formations such as the Network of ently can mean only the right to con- to live, took second place in IBT Socialist Alliances which loudly claim tinue to hate and oppress catholics. thinking. to reject centralism in favour of broad- For these comrades such a call Where to get your Lenin said: “Whoever wants to ness and openness, but actually use amounted to “rights for loyalism” and reach socialism by any other path bureaucratic methods to exclude com- British imperialism. In reply other than that of political democracy will munists. He said that democratic cen- comrades said that the task for com- inevitably arrive at conclusions that tralism is not something alien to munists is to win the protestants away Weekly Worker are absurd and reactionary both in working class activity, but an easily from reaction and to support for a the economic and political sense” (VI understood concept for every striker united Ireland and working-class self- Lenin CW Vol9, Moscow 1977, p29). or trade union militant - freedom of liberation, through championing their n n The IBT provides a disturbing exam- criticism, unity of action. rights. ple of the accuracy of this statement. The completeness of the degen- This question was returned to dur- The importance of consistent de- eration of the SLP is demonstrated ing many of the sessions, especially n mocracy was a main theme which by the fact that after all the other the debate following comrade Mark emerged. From the discussion on witch-hunters were themselves Fischer’s opening on ‘The break-up GMOs, in which CPGB members witch-hunted out of it, Scargill was of Yugoslavia’. It deepened and de- n agreed that what matters is demo- left with Roy Bull as his vice-presi- veloped into a discussion of what cratic control of new technology by dent. Bull spoke in a debate with Pe- constitutes a nation, and whether the working class, to the discussion ter Tatchell on ‘Gay liberation and only ‘classical’ nations should have n of Peter Tatchell’s opening on gay lib- single-issue campaigns’. Bull’s homo- eration, democracy was seen as cru- phobia is well known. When chal- cial. lenged by Bob Paul to reply to a letter n The speaker from Cymru Goch, Tim he had published in the Weekly Richards, began with a brief history Worker which quoted Bull’s homo- of Wales and the Welsh working class phobic statements, Bull was silent. n n movement, and concluded that the Indeed he hardly mentioned gay lib- national liberation of Wales can only eration in his speech. He appeared, be won by making it a socialist state. however, to have retreated from his He claimed that, unlike Plaid Cymru, previous position that campaigns n n Cymru Goch is not nationalist, sup- around such issues are purely and ports left unity, and is willing to co- simply ‘diversions’. This is of course operate with revolutionaries fighting a completely wrong approach for n in England. However, during the dis- Marxists. For us, support for all the cussion, he declared that he did not oppressed now is a profoundly moral understand what was meant by ‘cen- question, as well as a political one. Page August 19 1999

The RMT comrades wanted to de- Project funding, mainly from two bate all the issues. However, they Swedish trade unions and from the could not accept the political debate Olaf Palme Institute in Stockholm, has being reduced to a disciplinary issue: grown considerably in the last few res within LPP, as well as raising that is, whether or not the suspen- years, and probably now amounts to At the meeting on May 30 of doubts about the credentials of CWI sions or sacking should be upheld or between US$70,000 and $100,000 a Dthe national committee of the as an international revolutionary or- not. The EC majority insisted on pre- year. Comrades, including IS repre- Labour Party Pakistan (LPP), the Pa- ganisation. senting the debate as an ‘appeal’, sentatives, repeatedly asked for a full kistan section of CWI, there was a Faced with the intransigent refusal when the suspensions had been im- list or all current and projected decisive separation of the Revolution- of the EC majority and the NC major- posed by the EC majority on the basis projects, with details of their funding ary Marxist Tendency (RMT) from the ity to lift the suspensions and of a pretext (that is, their allegations and the use or their funds for project party. sackings to allow a democratic debate, about what took place at the Educa- and party activities. These details Comrades of the RMT had declared comrades of the RMT concluded that tion Foundation board meeting on have never been provided (moreover, the formation of a tendency in oppo- there was no possibility of reversing March 20) before any debate on the at an EC meeting in January Shoaib B sition to the EC majority at the EC the political degeneration of LPP. The real political and organisational issues. said that the IS had no right to access meeting on April 22. After only two IS agreed with their assessment. To The RMT comrades therefore moved to such details) ... hours of the meeting, eight national have continued a futile battle within resolutions at the beginning of the There is a widespread view that the committee members walked out or the the undemocratic structure of LPP meeting calling for the suspensions Labour Party/Education Foundation meeting because of the refusal of the would have meant risking the loss of and sackings to be lifted in order to projects are no different from any other majority to lift the suspensions of four an invaluable core of genuine Marxist allow a democratic debate without or- NGOs, which are seen as a political leading minority comrades in order to activists and also allowing the com- ganisational sanctions hanging over device of international capitalist agen- allow a democratic, unprejudiced de- plete discrediting of CWI among the their heads. cies for diverting and corrupting la- bate on serious differences over po- left in Pakistan. Clearly, it would have been open to bour leaders. The EC majority have litical, organisational and financial Given the effective split in the LPP, the NC to propose disciplinary action tried to present the Education Foun- issues. The comrades of the RMT and on the basis of our agreement following a debate. However, the NC dation board meeting as a public fo- concluded that there was no longer with the political position of the op- voted 14 to eight against lifting the rum, whereas in reality it was a closed any possibility of conducting a demo- position tendency, the IS decided that suspensions and sackings. The eight meeting between the board members cratic debate within the Labour Party, it was necessary to suspend the LPP comrades supporting the RMT con- and two representatives of the Swed- which is now completely dominated and recognise the Revolutionary cluded that in the light of this deci- ish sponsor organisation There is now by NGO (non-government organisa- Marxist Tendency as a sympathising sion, together with their previous a general perception among trade un- tion) projects. group of the CWI and also to declare experience of the EC majority’s bureau- ion leaders and activists, left intellec- These projects, which now receive our support for the RMT’s steps to cratic conduct, there was no further tuals, advocates, journalists, etc that between US$70-100,000 a year, have launch a new revolutionary socialist possibility of democratic debate the Labour Party is primarily an NGO, not been democratically accountable party in Pakistan ... within the Labour Party. It was note- operating behind the facade of a to the party and have pushed the lead- The crisis in LPP was not a sudden worthy that apart from the five major- ‘dummy’ political party. This reached ership more and more in the direction or unexpected event. A series of sharp ity EC members (five of whom are such an extent that it was seriously of opportunist policies. Moreover the differences developed within the party full-timers, while another receives a discrediting the genuine Marxist ac- complement of about 40 project em- over the last year and a half on trade project sinecure), the others (with two tivists in our organisation. ployees placed extensive, unaccount- union work, the national question, exceptions) are either project employ- able powers of patronage in the hands party building (especially the lack of ees or (as in the case of Karachi, NGO project finance accounted for at of the EC majority. internal political life, cadre develop- Hyderabad, and Sukkor) are receiving least 80% of the organisation’s finan- Although a minority on the NC (the ment, etc), the increasingly dominant monthly subsidies. cial resources. Through their control vote was 14 to 8), the RMT has the influence of the NGO projects over There was a very strong feeling of the projects, which were not demo- overwhelming support of the party’s the party’s politics and organisational amongst the RMT comrades that any cratically accountable to the organi- genuine activists and its trade union methods, and the increasingly oppor- further activity within the Labour sation, the EC majority - outside the cadres in Lahore and Punjab prov- tunist direction of the EC majority Party would be futile. For a long time framework of the EC and NC - deci- ince. leadership. The IS has attempted over the activists have been in conflict with sively controlled the full-time staff of In this situation, the IS had to act a long period to debate these issues a leadership that is not interested in the organisation. Appointment of jobs urgently and suspend the LPP as a with the LPP representative (Farooq debating ideas or organisational is- was dominated by political favourit- section of CWI. There was no longer Tariq) on the international executive sues, but is defending a material in- ism and family patronage ... The EC any possibility in our view of simply committee and with the LPP NC ... terest: its control of NGO projects, majority’s reliance on patronage was continuing a debate on political and Within a few days, even before any involving substantial sums of money, confirmed by the fact that as soon as organisational differences in the hope public announcement, the separation salaries and expenses, and extensive they were challenged politically they that they could be resolved through of the Marxists from the Labour Party patronage, involving project jobs for resorted to sackings of any full-time democratic procedures within the LPP was warmly welcomed by a wide vari- their relatives and personal favourites. comrades and project workers they and CWI. ety or leading trade union militants Efforts to activate branch units and considered to be in opposition or ‘un- The situation had reached a deci- and left activists. The Labour Party develop Marxist education were ob- reliable’. sive crisis point. For a number of rea- has unfortunately become discredited structed by EC members, who de- The sackings have been justified by sons: as an organisation dominated by NGO nounced these party-building efforts the EC majority by a catalogue of false (i) the suspensions and sackings of projects and business activities, and as ‘factional activity’. At the same allegations and character assassina- members and sympathisers of the op- is now seen by many trade union ac- time, party activists were becoming tion ... position tendency demonstrated that tivists as a ‘dummy party’ which or- increasingly affected by criticisms, Some of the eight employees who the EC majority was not prepared to ganises ‘show business events’, such raised by leading trade union activ- were sacked were not party members allow a democratic debate over differ- as demonstrations and press confer- ists, of the Labour Party’s opportun- or active supporters of RMT; but they ences within the LPP; ences, primarily in order to gain press istic ‘campaigns’ and business had all clashed with members of the (ii) the increasingly opportunist poli- publicity and impress foreign spon- activities. The priority of RMT com- EC majority over the running of the cies of the EC majority (for instance, sors and local NGO leaders. In the few rades is to build a genuine revolution- projects and were arbitrarily sacked contesting the recent local body elec- days after the split, in discussions with ary organisation, developing cadres, without any proper procedure ... While tions on a non-political basis, making the IS representative and leading com- building strong links with rank-and- nine workers have been sacked, other unprincipled alliances with rightwing rades of RMT, leaders of the All-Paki- file trade union activists, consistently workers who supported the EC major- trade union leaders in the Workers stan Trade Union Federation - Punjab supporting workers in struggle, and ity were given pay increases and oth- Confederation, and diluting the politi- and TU militants attending a meeting developing campaigns based on clear ers have been offered jobs and other cal content of the weekly paper fol- of over 150 activists in the Model Marxist policies. favours. lowing the sacking of the editor and Town area of Lahore (at which the IS other staff) were more and more dis- representative was the main speaker) Four comrades supporting the RMT The Revolutionary Marxist Tendency, crediting the LPP among TU militants welcomed the formation of a genuine were suspended by the EC on the which was formed as an opposition and left activists and were also threat- revolutionary Marxist party in Paki- grounds that they raised issues about Tendency inside the LPP on May 7, ening to discredit the CWI; and stan strongly linked to the CWI (which the running of the projects at a meet- now has the support of the over- (iii) the sharpening perception among has never been given a high profile ing on March 20 of the board of the whelming majority of party activists TU militants and left activists of the by the Labour Party leadership). Education Foundation, the body in Lahore. The tendency meeting for LPP as an organisation dominated by which nominally controls all the Lahore comrades held on May 23 was NGO projects, afflicted by all the projects, in the presence of two repre- attended (despite the hot weather - worse characteristics of NGOs (bu- The RMT comrades presented a sentatives of the Swedish donor or- 47C/117F) by 52 party members, with reaucratic management of projects, number of political statements and ganisations (though one of the apologies from 20 other comrades ... non-accountability of funds, patron- resolutions to the meeting. The state- suspended comrades, EC member All the comrades present support the age and favouritism through the dis- ments outlined the position of the EC Khalid B, was not present at the board political position of the EC minority: posal of project jobs, subsidies, etc, minority on perspectives, the trade meeting). Comrades raised concerns the claim from Farooq that most of and the promotion of a non-political/ unions, the national question, party at this meeting as a last resort, because those present were sent by the EC reformist image to impress local spon- building, etc, as well as giving details all previous calls for proper account- majority is ridiculous and insulting to sors and overseas donors), had of the distortion of party organisation ability of the projects and demands the comrades attending. reached a critical level and was begin- and activity due to the NGO for regular meetings of the Education At an earlier meeting called by the ning to discredit all the Marxist cad- projects ... Foundation board had been ignored. EC majority there were 44 attending. August 19 1999 Page

ferent issues with the present IS goes landing. In this visit, Simon came only ful of comrades have left the organi- a long way. The IS ignored the differ- twice to the centre and Lynn three sation. The Labour Party has remained ences in the last few years, but the times. It was mainly to inform us about intact. It is not a “dummy” party, as vote on America was too much for their position and not to discuss with the IS has tried to label us. The ‘dum- the international. us. They used the second visit to form mies’ are the most active left activists the group and discussed with every in Pakistan whose number is growing Comrade Farooq abstained from vot- single comrade they could find in La- every day. The ‘dummies’ have won ing at the IEC in November 96, and hore. They went around in the trade most of the trade union leaders to their voted against the IS in November 97. unions to explain their position and ranks and, apart from one, not a sin- During this period comrades from the to say that the CWI is not with the gle trade union comrade has gone IS made conscious efforts to have a Labour Party. Trade union leaders lis- with them. base in Pakistan apart from the sec- tened to them with patience as we had The breakdown of those attending they have already taken steps to set tion. built the respect of the IS and CWI, The IS tried to create some political was as follows: four were supporters up a new NGO, a South Asia Study Comrade Simon and Siritunga from and later came to us in surprise, ask- differences. These differences are of the EC minority; two were children, Institute, comprising the Labour Party Sri Lanka came to Pakistan in January ing why the IS is trying to divide the mainly on tactics in the field of trade non-party members; 16 were project Pakistan, NSSP (expelled from CWI in 97, a few days before the general elec- section. unions, the national question, funda- employees; five consisted of the EC 1989) in Sri Lanka, and the CPI (ML) - tions, where three of the leading com- mentalism and on projects. majority members; and there were also ‘Liberation’ in India, under the aus- rades were participating in the The organisation set up a registered In the trade union field, we think 20 rank-and-file party members (plus pices of the Australian Democratic elections. Both comrades attended non-government organisation to run the main priority of the organisation Simon K) ... Socialist Party’s Asia-Pacific network some of our public meetings and were the projects. In 1994, members of the should be to bring all organised work- Outside the Labour Party, there are organisation This plan was publicly inspired by the support of the party NC were to become board members of ers to one platform. For that we have several groups and individual activ- announced in the DSP’s Green Left among the working class, particularly the Education Foundation ... It was been practically active for the last few ists who are hostile to the opportun- Weekly, following the Asia-Pacific among the railway workers. They did decided by our conference constitu- years. In 1993, on our suggestions, ist politics and NGO methods of the Forum in May. The plan, however, has not say anything of difference before tion that the NC members would be most of the unions in Pakistan got EC majority, who have expressed sup- never been discussed with the IS or election day. Just after the election, in the board members of this organisa- together in one platform called the port for the RMT activists and are in- with the CWI sections in Sri Lanka the EC meeting, comrade Siri and tion ... These six and some of the trade Pakistan Trade Unions Action Com- terested in the formation of a new and India, and was not discussed with Simon attacked comrade Farooq for unions leaders were normally invited mittee. We were the only political working class, Marxist organisation. the IS representative who attended not predicting the actual results and to attend the meeting whenever the group on the executive body of this the Asia-Pacific Forum. tried to show to the EC that the Paki- donor unions were coming to Pakistan. committee ... In 1995, seven large trade Most of the political activists who stan section has an ideologically very It was agreed that the projects would union federations who were part of joined the Labour Party Pakistan in The comrades of the RMT are now weak leadership. be run not by this board, but by the the committee decided to form a dif- the recent period joined because of urgently discussing plans for a new This was the first incident where the project committee, which is elected by ferent platform called the Pakistan its connection to the CWI and in spite revolutionary party, to be launched IS consciously started to find and in- the NC and responsible to the EC and Workers Confederation. We gave criti- of reservations about the leadership’s as soon as possible. Following the vestigate the weaknesses of the lead- NC. cal support to this platform. The con- political methods. The EC majority, LPP NC on May 30, RMT comrades ership. In March 98, there was a visit from federation is not exactly like the British however, has never tried to raise the met to elect an organising committee In the meantime, comrade Simon a donor trade union. We called the Trade Union Congress. But it is a step public profile of the international in and a finance committee to prepare developed his personal and political board meeting to welcome the guests. towards that. This constitutes the Pakistan. Very little information about for the setting up of a new revolu- relationship with Khalid Bhatti, who In the meeting, the supporters of the unity of the organised workers al- debates and developments in CWI tionary party, with a launching con- had only a year before joined the or- IS levelled charges of corruption and though they are in a small numbers ... were transmitted to the rank-and-file ference to be within a few months. ganisation. Simon remained in Paki- of undemocratic behaviour. They told We do not give any concession to membership. Comrades of the RMT, The discussion has started on a new stan for four months. In that period, the guests that we don’t know how any trade union leader, particularly to on the other hand, believe that full party name, which should reflect its we held our national conference in many projects we are running, they the left leaders. But our criticism is not participation in CWI is the key to commitment to socialism and to the May 97. It was our suggestions and were never asked to attend the meet- like criticising them as our class en- building a revolutionary organisation revolutionary unity of Pakistan’s dif- not of the IS, but Simon agreed about ings and so on. These were complete emies. This has been turned into our in Pakistan. In recent discussions with ferent nationalities and ethnic minori- the proposal. Before the conference, lies. It was clear that in the presence ‘concessions’ to the leaders. SK and LW from the IS, a number of ties. The comrades have acquired an we had disagreements about the role of the donor union these comrades left trade union organisations and office ... and are preparing to produce of the Pakistan Workers Confedera- raised these issues only with one in- Comrade Lynn Walsh on behalf of the political activists have expressed their a monthly paper. A financial appeal tion and our work in the trade unions. tention: that they should stop the IS has butchered every year one sec- interest in joining CWI through par- to members and sympathisers is al- Simon raised it in the EC and in the donations to us. tion in the last few years. India, ticipation in a new, genuinely revolu- ready underway, and the comrades NC before the conference and he also They had every chance to raise America and now Pakistan. He is now tionary organisation in Pakistan. (learning from the bad example of the wanted to raise the differences in the these issues within the organisation. trying in his own section in Britain. The majority of the Labour Party EC Labour Party Pakistan) are emphasis- conference. We did not want to go to Comrade Khalid had raised the issue He has brought a very peculiar ap- have declared an international minor- ing the need for a rigorous approach the conference with a difference of in the EC meeting and it was agreed proach to CWI. The present IS have ity faction to fight the alleged ‘degen- to the collection of subs and fighting opinion as this would have very bad that we should discuss these issues failed to make progress internation- eration’ of the IS, but at the same time fund ... l effects on the newer comrades who in the national committee. So without ally. They have a twist and turn policy had never been in the socialist move- raising it in the organisation they tried on every aspect. Growth in Pakistan ment. Simon agreed to this after a to reach a solution by raising it out- does not owe much to the interna- strong hesitation, only after we side the organisation. It was a clear tional, but the ‘split’ has been seen agreed that we take back the section violation of party discipline. It was an by every single member of our party on the working class from our confer- effort to cut the economic lifeline of and our sympathisers as brilliant work he International Secretariat of spect in the trade union movement that ence. So the show of differences at the organisation. It was the worst sort done by the IS of CWI. We had built TCWI has suspended the affiliation we are doing something practical for the conference was avoided with that of betrayal against the organisation. CWI and will do so in future, but also of the Labour Party Pakistan, the Pa- them. All the propaganda, that the re- agreement. The EC issued a statement on the sub- we will expose the wrong methods of kistan Section of CWI. The reasons liance of the organisation is too much On the name debate, the IS pro- ject and sent it to all the NC members the present IS. Section after section is given for this one-sided, undemo- on the projects and so on, are to devi- posed that we should name ourselves for their recommendations. We also facing crisis because of the unwanted cratic action are that the Labour Party ate the real intention of the IS towards the Justice Party or something similar. asked the comrades who had raised interventions of the IS. is involved in projects which are its hidden agenda to change the lead- But the overwhelming majority of the these allegations that they should The members of CWI should take undemocratically run and have re- ership of the party. Once they failed comrades were in favour of naming come and check the finances of the action. They should protest the sus- duced the revolutionary identity of in this process miserably, they pro- ourselves the Labour Party. That is projects to clarify the position. We pension of the Labour Party from CWI the party; that it has suspended and voked a split. nothing to do with the betrayals of also said if we are not guilty, they and of comrade Farooq as IEC mem- removed the leading comrades with- The propaganda that we have hid- the Labour Party in Europe, but purely should accept the mistake. But these ber ... Lynn Walsh and co are finished out democratic debates; that it has den information from the IS and from due to the objective realities in Paki- comrades had made their minds to as genuine Marxists. They have be- stopped democratic discussions on the leading comrades is incorrect. stan, where this name was never used, separate themselves from the party on come conspirators, manoeuvrers and differences of perspectives in the sec- What we have not allowed is to take was easy and a class-based name. It the instruction of the IS, so they re- all the other illnesses of degenerated tions. We reject the allegations. This the project proposals out of the build- was agreed by all the comrades that fused any of our offers. Comrade socialists. They have forgotten to is just one-sided propaganda against ing, but any leading comrade can have the objective conditions in Pakistan Khalid refused several times to check grow. Growth is something alien for the largest section of CWI in a colo- access to all the documents of the do not allow us to use the words ‘so- the finances and he wanted to take them now. In the colonial world they nial country. projects. cialist’, ‘Marxist’ or ‘revolutionary’. the project proposals and the finance wanted small groups who would be We would like the comrades of this To start the projects, in the initial It is ironic that the supporters of the reports out of the office, which we re- heavily dependent on them financially international to read our point of view period, comrade Farooq Tariq spent a IS who agreed with full enthusiasm fused. After three weeks, when it was and politically. They don’t want equal and then make up your mind. The IS lot of time on the preparations of these on the above proposals have now clear that these comrades did not want partners: they want submissive lead- have printed selected correspondence proposals. But from January 1997 called themselves the Marxist Work- to remain in the organisation, the EC ership. We have refused to become between the two sections and propor- party work has been completely sepa- ers Tendency. decided to suspend the comrades. like that, so we are ‘finished revolu- tionally it has printed 10 times more rated from project work and this year On the name change, the IS docu- The IS supporters formed a minor- tionaries’. propaganda material to strengthen its is the last year of the projects. A com- ment in Pakistan was translated in ity faction and moved a resolution to They don’t have any strategy for position. mittee was elected by the June 1997 Urdu and was distributed among all call an NC meeting. We called the meet- those sections that are not growing, Even before a discussion on the IEC NC meeting to supervise and guide the comrades of the party. It was ing on May 30. The minority comrades but they have good strategies of stop- on the suspension of the Labour Party, the work of the projects. This commit- printed in the internal bulletin. Not a alongside with Lynn came to the meet- ping and dividing the growing sec- it has created and recognised the tee has done its work successfully for single comrade voted for the IS docu- ing. They wanted the NC to decide on tions. Marxist Workers Tendency as its af- the last year. Each project has a sepa- ment so with a unanimous decision at the suspensions before the discus- We declare that we will fight these filiated group in Pakistan. This is in rate committee to guide the work. On the June 97 NC the new party was sion started, which was rejected by illnesses within the CWI. The IS is violation of the CWI constitution. top of that the project committee named the Labour Party. The IS did 14 to eight. Lynn Walsh made a pro- now claiming that recent recruits to which is responsible to the EC is look- not accept this and did not print in vocative statement, announcing the the Labour Party joined because of Labour Party supporters had a politi- ing after the projects. any of the publications of the CWI suspension of the Labour Party and the authority of the CWI. It is not the cal discussion in 1994, if we should even eight months after we had named telling us that we are finished and then angels who have built the respect of start some community-based projects The IS and Pakistan had a very good the party. This was their Stalinist atti- boycotted the meeting. One of the the CWI in Pakistan. It is the hard, that will give us a chance to prove in relationship till comrade Farooq Tariq tude to censor opposite ideas. When eight has now announced his support self-sacrificing work of the Labour practice that we are different and that voted in abstention on the American the Scottish comrades interviewed for Labour Party. Party comrades. Now the IS wants to we can run and manage things better debate. It was clear that in 1997 the IS comrade Farooq and they printed the It is clear from all the circumstances enjoy the fruits of our hard labour by than others. In the last three years, took a decision to make inroads in the name of the party it was a big problem that the IS had decided in advance to creating a new group, thus splitting we have organised four projects. Pakistan section to create a new lead- for the British section. split the section and to form a group the tiny forces of Marxism in Pakistan. The projects have given us an op- ership which is submissive to the in- The second visit of the IS was not of loyal comrades in Pakistan. They They will not go very far. portunity to do some community work ternational on every subject. even consulted with the section. They have done so, but the proposed ‘split’ Long live socialist revolutionaries and they have given us a special re- The difference of approach on dif- were told a day before that they are could not take place, as only a hand- internationally! l Page August 19 1999

or establishment politics in Brit- ain the European Union repre- F sents a fundamental fault line. This is hardly surprising. The EU is a continental-wide superstate in the making. Cherished identities, borders, beliefs and symbols are being de- stroyed or have declining use-value and therefore engender ideological crisis. There are also narrow, sectional business and party interests at stake. European integration has advanced qualitatively since the Treaty of Rome was signed between Belgium, France, with higher education (worst paid la- ropean integration makes a mockery drawal from it. It is a capitalist club hardly needs proving with statistics Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the bour being a partial exception). A mul- of their utopian British road to so- designed to organise the restructur- concerning spending limits and wel- Netherlands in 1957. The customs tinational, and therefore fragmented, cialism. In terms of rhetoric and im- ing and concentration of capital to fare cuts. The real question is what union - born of the Cold War - has political and business elite consti- mediate programme, the Bennite rump the advantage of the bosses. But our attitude we adopt to it. The CPGB ad- become a single giant embracing 350 tutes a similar handicap for Europe. in New Labour, the SLP Scargillites aim is not a capitalist Britain outside vocates consistent democracy. Con- million people and 15 counties with To successfully compete the EU must and the official communists of the the capitalist EU. We want a socialist cretely that means fighting for the free trade and movement of labour. as a minimum forge a federal Morning Star are virtually indistin- Britain in a socialist Europe” (p11). maximum democracy in the EU: eg, Economically it is the world’s biggest superstate from where its radically re- guishable from Thatcher and the UK The shallowness of comrade abolition of the council of ministers home market. It has a combined GDP organised transnation-als can reach Independence Party. Together they Thornett’s internationalism can be and the unelected commissioners, a of about $6 trillion - as compared with their tentacles out to every corner of want to preserve the pound sterling neatly illustrated if we apply his constituent assembly, an armed work- $5 trillion for the US and $3 trillion for the planet. Survival necessitates po- and restore the halcyon days of Brit- method to Britain itself. It is a well ing class and substantive equality for Japan. litical integration and overcoming the ish sovereignty. Naturally with the established “capitalist club” de- all citizens. Without such an ap- Politically, however, the EU resem- division of Europe into antagonistic likes of Benn, Scargill and Griffiths, it signed to “organise the restructuring proach talk of socialism in Britain or a bles something like the creaking national capitals. is excused in the name of socialism ... and concentration of capital to the socialist Europe is but empty chatter. Austro-Hungarian empire which In Britain this ongoing process pre- but surely this is the socialism of the advantage of the bosses”. Should we As to the euro versus the pound straddled 19th century middle Eu- cipitated well known hesitations and criminally insane. The best these be- call for the “dissolution” of Britain, sterling referendum we refuse to take rope. The EU is an amalgam of un- fustrations. The residues of empire nign ‘liberators’ could achieve in re- as do Welsh and Scottish national- sides. Essentially the ‘yes’ camp ar- evenly developed state units. But the arrogance clouded the brain. Britain ality is a British version of Stalinism, ists, or even a working class “with- gues that workers will be better off if direction is clear. Wider, in the form applied late and suffered the igno- Kim Il Sungism or Pol Pottism - ie, drawal from it”? The suggestion is we are exploited by European capi- of candidates like Poland and the miny of rejection. Barred from the state slavery - and that imposed onto simply too stupid. tal; the ‘no’ campaign with equal cyni- Czech Republic. Deeper, in the form Common Market in 1963 by de a capitalistically advanced country Interestingly before the October cism says we will be better off if we of politico-legal institutions. The EU Gaulle’s veto, the British ruling class fully integrated into the world Revolution of 1917 Lenin and the Bol- are exploited by British capitalists. has a council of ministers, the Euro- tried to maintain its quasi-empire, economy. What in the past cost the sheviks confronted similar manifes- Our approach is to stress working pean Commission, an elected parlia- along with the ‘special relationship’ lives of millions could only but be tations of national socialism. The class independence and the commu- ment and a European Court of Justice. with the US and a foot in Europe repeated many times over as a still tsarist empire was a vast prison house nist horizon. We can draw useful les- With the Maastricht and Amster- through Efta. But neither the Com- greater tragedy in the future. On all of nations. While fighting for national sons from the writings of Marx and dam treaties the tempo of integration monwealth nor the conceit of being criteria civilisation would not be ad- self-determination up to and includ- Engels on the bitter contest between increased. In January 11 EU countries Greece to the new Rome added up to vanced an inch but thrown back miles. ing the right to secession, the over- free trade and protectionism in their subsumed their national currencies a viable strategy. Britain eventually Proletarian socialism - as the first riding, central strategy aimed at the day. In June 1847 Engels wrote in the into the euro - overseen by a power- entered the EEC in 1973 under stage or phase of communism - is in- highest and most extensive workers’ Deutsche-Brüsseler Zeitung that, ful central bank. Economic discipline Heath’s Tory government (along with ternational or it is nothing. There can unity throughout the tsarist empire - whichever system “held sway”, the is enforced by a stability pact which its Danish and Irish Efta allies). be no socialism - transition to com- in order to overthrow the tsarist em- “worker will receive no bigger wage limits government borrowing to three Apart from its extreme rightwing munism - in one country because capi- pire. for his labour than will suffice for his percent of GDP. A social chapter has around Roy Jenkins, the Labour Party tal, as an exploitative social Unwittingly comrade Thornett scantiest maintenance”. Neverthe- also been put in place to facilitate was highly critical of the terms and relationship, resides not within a sin- places himself outside the interna- less in spite of the subjective inten- convergence along with provisions conditions. Nonetheless in 1975 gle national state but internationally tional communist tradition. A tradi- tions of the bourgeoisie free trade for common foreign and military poli- Harold Wilson’s government suc- in the realm of the global economy. tion represented by his claimed tended to clear the way for the “last cies. Chris Patten, commissioner re- cessfully fought a referendum on the Due to isolation bureaucratic or na- mentors Marx, Engels, Lenin and decisive battle” between the “prop- sponsible for external relations, issue of continued membership. The tional socialism just brings back all Trotsky. Unflattering though it is, ertied and the propertyless, between recently argued for a coordinated main opposition came from a Tony the old capitalist crap, albeit in differ- comrade Thornett stands in the camp the bourgeoisie and the proletariat” arms procurement policy and pre- Benn-Enoch Powell patriotic front. ent forms. That is why as long ago as of Joseph Pilsudski and his Polish (MECW Vol 6, Moscow 1976, p94). dicted that a Eurocorps could be op- The Labour Party remained officially 1845 Marx and Engels emphatically Socialist Party. Formed in 1892 it Marx reasoned along exactly the erational “in the not too distant uneasy with European integration till rejected all localist schemes and in- adopted a national socialist pro- same lines in the second half of Sep- future” (The Guardian August 17). the leadership of John Smith and then sisted on the contrary that: “Empiri- gramme for the reconstitution of an tember 1847, and for flavour added a Behind integration lies a blood- the government of Tony Blair. A par- cally, communism is only possible as independent Poland out of the Ger- touch of irony: drenched past. Twice in the 20th cen- allel shift occurred in the TUC with the act of the dominant peoples ‘all man, Austro-Hungarian and Russian “If they [the protectionists] speak tury Europe has been the storm-centre the appointment of John Monks. New at once’ and simultaneously” (MECW empire (which between them all but consciously about the working class, of world war. Both times Europe was Labour and its coterie of middle class Vol 5, Moscow 1976, p49). partitioned it out of existence at the then they summarise their philan- left devastated, exhausted and much career politicians loyally and openly As gurus, Peter Taaffe and Lynn 1815 Congress of Vienna). Rosa thropy in the following words: it is reduced. World War I saw the col- serves the interests of the most com- Walsh of the Socialist Party in Eng- Luxemburg and Julian Marchleweski better to be exploited by one’s fel- lapse of the Russian, German and petitive, most internationalised sec- land and Wales have proved their real split with the PSP in 1893 over this low-countrymen than by foreigners. Austro-Hungarian autocracies. The tions of British capital. The subaltern worth over the EU. They rashly staked perspective. Objective conditions, “I do not think the working class main focus of world economic activ- working class pole of Labourism is their reputations as seers on the they rightly said, demanded the unity will for ever be satisfied with this so- ity shifted from Europe to the Atlan- today a marginalised appendage and ‘Marxist’ prediction that European of workers - Russians, Poles, Ukrain- lution, which, it must be confessed, tic and from there to the Pacific. is treated with barely concealed con- integration and the euro were impos- ians, Georgians, Latts, etc, against is indeed very patriotic, but nonethe- Twenty-five years later, under the tempt. So it was not TUC opposition sible. Such bluster says everything tsarism. less a little too ascetic and spiritual terms of the Yalta agreement, half the which stopped Britain entering the about them as self-serving charlatans In defence of the past, in particular for people whose only occupation continent was incorporated into the euro during round one, but treasury and nothing about Marxism. A seem- the welfare state and the post-World consists in the production of riches, Soviet Union’s sphere of influence worries and Sun-informed public ingly more sophisticated ‘Marxist’ po- War II social democratic settlement, of material wealth. and through bureaucratic revolution opinion polls. sition has been advanced by the comrade Thornett presents a pro- “But the protectionists will say: ‘So ‘Sovietised’. As to western Europe, It is the Tories who are organically so-called Fourth International and its gramme that would at best weaken the when all is said and done we at least it was shorn of the glories - and booty divided. While Lady Thatcher calls Socialist Outlook group in Britain. EU. It would, however, also severely preserve the present state of society. - of empire. Humiliatingly it had to for a “fundamental renegotiation” of Unfortunately its internationalism is weaken the European working class Good or bad, we guarantee the la- crouch under the US nuclear umbrella Britain’s relationship with the EU, an not the genuine article Socialist Out- movement if its strongest detachment bourer work of his hands, and pre- against the much exaggerated threat embattled Heseltine-Clarke wing joins look’s demand for British withdrawal forced upon their capitalists a with- vent his being thrown on to the street from beyond the iron curtain. The the Lab-Lib pact in order to fight the is a slavish echo of the national so- drawal - a road that would lead not to by foreign competition.’ I shall not need to avoid another internecine forthcoming referendum on the euro. cialism of the Labour left, SLP and a national socialist paradise but the dispute this statement; I accept it. conflict, and the creation of a bulwark These pro-big business traditional- CPB. Yet because it is done in the hell of increased national exploitation The preservation, the conservation against bureaucratic socialism, drove ists will operate within the Britain in language of internationalism this op- and eventually national counterrevo- of the present state of affairs is ac- the states of western Europe, in par- Europe campaign under Blair. Smith portunist tailing of national socialism lution. cordingly the best result the protec- ticular Federal Germany and France, Square and the Tory front bench for is all the more insidious and danger- Marxism does not look fondly upon tionists can achieve in the most towards an historic compromise. their part articulate the interests of ous. an anti-working class past (the wel- favourable circumstances. Good, but There is, however, another, more the least competitive sections of capi- Writing in Socialist Outlook’s fare state) or seek to preserve the sta- the problem for the working class is important, factor at work. Inter-impe- tal and bang the drum of English xeno- pamphlet Even more unemployment: tus quo. Our programme emphasises not to preserve the present state of rialist rivalry. Europe has to compete phobia. The Tory Party goes into the the case against Emu, Alan Thornett the massive advantages of the work- affairs, but to transform it into its op- with the US and Japan. They might next general election pledged not to admits he will be in league with the ers being organised into the largest, posite. have marginally smaller markets. Nev- join the euro for at least one parlia- reformist left and the Tory right in try- most centralised states. All the bet- “The protectionists have one last ertheless due to an historically con- mentary term. The Hague Tories con- ing to secure a ‘no’ vote in the euro ter to make revolution and begin the refuge. They say that their system stituted nationality and an economi- stitute little more than the politics of referendum. Naturally comrade advance to communism. The working makes no claim to be a means of so- cally centralised territory they are fear. Thornett calls for a “progressive ‘no’ class can only but suffer one cruel cial reform, but that it is nonetheless blessed with a single working class What of our own movement? If the campaign”. He does not actually want defeat after another if it confines it- necessary to begin with social re- and a single political and business British ruling class has been irreso- to share a platform with Thatcher, the self to defence. Communists stand for forms in one’s own country, before elite. Like every other commodity, la- lute and narrow-minded, the groups, UK Independence Party or the BNP. the politics of the offensive. Hence one embarks on economic reforms in- bour power can easily move, and factions and sects of the left have Nevertheless, when stripped of the we say, to the extent that the EU be- ternationally. After the protective therefore be brought and sold, any- manifestly proved utterly incapable internationalist veneer, Socialist Out- comes a superstate, so must the ad- system has first been reactionary, where in the US or Japan. Europe is of providing anything like a serious look has in actuality the very same vanced part of the working class then conservative, it finally becomes not only divided by history, but cul- working class alternative. conservative-progressive programme organise itself into a single revolu- conservative-progressive. It will suf- ture. Commodities circulate without The reformist and national social- as the reformist left (which logically tionary party to overthrow it. fice to point out the contradiction lurk- let or hindrance. But not the special ist left adhere to backward-looking leads it organisationally into the most The EU is undoubtedly a reaction- ing in this theory, which at first sight commodity, labour power. Language and parochial positions on the EU. dubious company): “We are for the ary, anti-working class institution. appears to have something seductive, is a material barrier, except for those They instinctively recognise that Eu- dissolution of the EU or Britain’s with- Amongst consenting Marxists that practical and rational to it. A strange August 19 1999 Page What we contradiction! The system of pro- tective tariffs places in the hands fight for of capital of one country the weap- l Our central aim is to reforge the Communist ons which enable it to defy the Party of Great Britain. Without this Party the capital of other countries; it in- working class is nothing; with it, it is everything. creases the strength of this capital l The Communist Party serves the interests of in opposition to foreign capital and the working class. We fight all forms of oppor- at the same time it deludes itself emocratic questions some- mainstream or experimental, have tunism and revisionism in the workers’ move- that the very same means will make times arise in unexpected con- been treated harshly by the BBFC, ment because they endanger those interests. We that same capital small and weak Dtexts. On Monday of this week, which operates the most stringent insist on open ideological struggle in order to in opposition to the working class. an appeal by sex video distributors “ ... this throws the video classification system in Europe, fight out the correct way forward for our class. In the last analysis that would was upheld against the British Board apart from Ireland. The BBFC often l Marxism-Leninism is powerful because it is mean appealing to the philanthropy of Film Classification, a decision with BBFC’s previous upgrades cinema film categories (eg true. Communists relate theory to practice. We of capital, as though capital as considerable ramifications. ‘15’ films raised to ‘18’ when trans- are materialists; we hold that ideas are determined such could be a philanthropist. In For the last 15 years, the BBFC has stance out of the ferred to video), precisely using the by social reality and not the other way round. general, social reforms can never had responsibility for the legally bind- ‘suitability for home viewing’ test that l We believe in the highest level of unity among be brought about by the weakness ing classification of retail and rental this appeal failed to accept as legiti- workers. We fight for the unity of the working of the strong; they must be videos in the UK, ever since the window and mate. Quite apart from cuts to ‘R18’ class of all countries and subordinate the struggle in Britain to the world revolution itself. The brought about by the strength of ‘video nasty’ scare of the early 1980s; material, adult, ‘18’ category main- downgrades liberation of humanity can only be achieved the weak” (MECW Vol 6, Moscow it operates as an arms-length state stream films are cut to save us from through world communism. 1976, pp280-1). agency for this purpose. In that time, ourselves. Young people of 16 and whatever moral l The working class in Britain needs to strike as A short while later Marx received BBFC management policy has been 17, of course, are not legally able to a fist. This means all communists should be a request to address the free trade based on the assumed fecklessness buy or rent ‘18’ videos (let alone organised into a single Party. We oppose all congress at Brussels. After para- of parents - working class parents in authority it might ‘R18’ material, despite being able le- forms of separatism, which weakens our class. phrasing the above argument in particular - in not policing their chil- gally to carry out the sex acts most l Socialism can never come through parliament. his, non-delivered, speech, he dren’s viewing of videos satisfacto- have sought” depict), even if married or living inde- The capitalist class will never peacefully allow made the following telling point - rily. In loco parentis, therefore, the pendently of their parents. Similar their system to be abolished. Socialism will only as reported by The Northern Star’s BBFC has had to the job in their stead. concerns apply to restrictions that the succeed through working class revolution and the German correspondent (Engels) - An amendment to the recent Crimi- BBFC applies to what those below 15 replacement of the dictatorship of the capitalists “We are for free trade, because by nal Justice Act permitted the BBFC the competition from satellite televi- are allowed to rent or buy, whatever with the dictatorship of the working class. Social- ism lays the basis for the conscious planning of free trade all economical laws, with to make its ‘parental’ role more codi- sion on video distribution is having their parents’ views. The appeal de- human affairs: ie, communism. their most astounding contradic- fied, with a test of suitability for view- its effect. But, be that as it may, the cision throws the BBFC’s previous l current restrictions on what we can stance out of the window and down- We support the right of nations to self- tions, will act upon a larger scale, ing in the home put in place. The exact determination. In Britain today this means the upon a greater extent of territory, nature of this test and the considera- buy or rent from video stores has grades whatever moral authority it struggle for Irish freedom should be given full upon the territory of the whole tions to be used by the board day to been shown by this successful ap- might have sought. support by the British working class. earth; and because from the unit- day in its further restriction of videos peal to be based on no generally This decision by the VAC raises l Communists are champions of the oppressed. ing of all these contradictions into - whether by raising their category agreed consensus even amongst questions about the purpose of the We fight for the liberation of women, the ending a single group, where they stand vis-à-vis theatrical exhibition (ie, the those charged with oversight of our legally enforced classification system: of racism, bigotry and all other forms of chauvin- face to face, will result the strug- film version shown in cinemas) or viewing. whether it is designed to protect mi- ism. Oppression is a direct result of class society gle which will itself eventuate the calling for cuts for the video version This decision by the VAC opens nors, as its defenders claim; or and will only finally be eradicated by the ending emancipation of the proletariat” of works - was left largely to the BBFC. up the whole question of state cen- whether it exists to carry the state’s of class society. (MECW Vol 6, Moscow 1976, p290). Although David Alton’s attempt to sorship once again. It is not only a authority into the cultural sphere - l War and peace, pollution and the environment The same message was pro- dumb down all available video to the question of the pornographic ‘R18’ with the object of extending its con- are class questions. No solution to the world’s pounded before the Brussels PG level through amendments to the material, available only in sex shops, trol over what we are allowed to problems can be found within capitalism. Its CJA was defeated, the censorious but of the audiences for ‘12’, ‘15’, and think l ceaseless drive for profit puts the world at risk. Democratic Association at a pub- The future of humanity depends on the triumph lic meeting in January 1848. After constituency of which he is part has ‘18’ category videos. Video works, Jim Gilbert of communism. attacking the hypocrisy of free clearly been noted by the BBFC. traders in Britain - Bowring, Bright However, two soft porn video dis- and co - Marx concluded with tribution companies, Sheptonhurst these words: and Prime Time, were dissatisfied with “Do not imagine, gentlemen, that the treatment their product received in criticising freedom of commerce at the hands of the BBFC and decided we have the least intention of de- to appeal against its decisions. Legis- fending protection. lation giving the BBFC its role over “One may be opposed to consti- videos also includes an appeal proce- tutionalism without being in favour dure, via a video appeals committee. of absolutism. Although Sheptonhurst and Prime “Moreover, the protective sys- Time expect their product to be avail- tem is nothing but a means of es- able only through registered sex shops tablishing manufacture upon a under the BBFC’s ‘R18’ category for large scale in any given country: such material, they were not prepared that is to say, of making it depend- to accept arguably damaging cuts ent upon the market of the world; demanded by the BBFC which were and from the moment its depend- allegedly to protect children who ence upon the market of the world might nevertheless see it. is established, there is more or less Despite the fact that a majority of dependence upon free trade too. households in the UK contain no his is a mainstream Hollywood renamed Neo, takes the red pill. (In- Besides this, the protective system children, the BBFC has persisted in Tfilm. This is no proof of quality cidentally, the choice of colour helps to develop free competition its mantra that it has a role in protect- of course, though ‘arthouse’ or ‘in- might be significant.) r within a nation. Hence we see that ing children who might otherwise see tellectual’ films are not necessar- He then learns that humanity is in countries where the bourgeoi- material deemed unsuitable for them; ily better. Like many of the mass being used as battery packs by a sie is beginning to make itself felt and, since parents are perceived as forms of entertainment, however, race of machines who have con- r as a class, in Germany for example, incapable or unwilling to do it, the it has food for the mind as well as quered them. They are not allowed it makes great efforts to obtain pro- BBFC arrogates the job to itself. Its for the inner schoolboy/girl. to learn of their slavery, however, € tective duties. They serve the bour- president Andreas Whittam Smith Here are the basics: Mr because the machines have built a geois as weapons against feudal- and general secretary Robin Duval, Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is a vast computer programme called € ism and absolute monarchy, as a have been determined to continue humble computer software em- the Matrix which constructs a false means for the concentration of its with this policy until now. The video ployee who is arrested one day by reality for humans to ‘live’. powers for the realisation of free appeals committee thinks otherwise. agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) and Orpheus leads a small group of trade within the country. In its judgement, the VAC (by a his FBI-like organisation. humans who are trying to fight the “But, generally speaking, the majority of four to one) accepted “the Anderson is told that he is leading Matrix and who are constantly in protective system in these days is argument that we do not, in general, a double life: by day he is an office danger of being hunted down and € € € conservative, while the free trade prevent adults having access to ma- worker, but at night he is engaging destroyed. € € € system works destructively. It terial just because it might be harmful in virtually every computer crime To reveal more would do a dis- breaks up old nationalities and car- to children if it fell into their hands. in the book. In particular, he has service - however, it is clear to me € € € ries antagonism of the proletariat We might have taken a different view tried to contact Orpheus (Larry that the film can be interpreted as and the bourgeoisie to the utter- if there was evidence that the effects Fishburne), described by Smith as a parable of false consciousness. € most point. In a word, the free trade were affecting more than a small mi- a “terrorist”. After Anderson gives It would be wrong to paint the film system hastens the social revolu- nority of children or were devastat- Smith the finger in response to the too red, but the Wachowski broth- tion. In this revolutionary sense ing if this did happen.” Clearly, the agent’s call upon him to turn in- ers made some attempt at social alone, gentlemen, I am in favour of devastation was felt by the BBFC’s former, a bug is planted on him in a criticism in their earlier film Bound free trade” (MECW Vol 6, Moscow honchos, who issued a press release nightmarish scene. Anderson then (1997). The two main characters in 1976, p465). immediately the result was public, in wakes up - apparently it was only that film are women who rip off the In the same spirit we can con- which they cavilled: “Since the seven a nightmare. mafia - the first woman (Jennifer clude that European integration videos were clearly in breach of the Afterwards, Anderson is con- Tilly) is the mistress of a mafioso and the euro objectively unite the board’s published classification tacted by Trinity (Carrie-Anne who rebels against him and takes working class on a larger scale and guidelines for ‘R18’, the VAC deci- Moss) who takes him to see up with Corky (Gina Gershon), an across a huge territory and thus sion also has serious implications for Orpheus after disposing of the bug. ex-con who had been jailed for prepares the “struggle which will those guidelines … In the light of the Orpheus offers him a choice of pills: ‘wealth redistribution’. itself eventuate the emancipation video appeal committee’s decision, if he takes a blue pill, he will be able Marxists should enjoy The Ma- of the proletariat”. In this revolu- the board is considering how it to go back to his old life. If he takes trix. Look forward to ‘System tionary sense alone, we in the should now proceed.” the red pill, the painful truth will be Failure’! l CPGB are in favour of the EU l The implications are important and revealed to him. Anderson, now James Robertson Printed by and published by: November Publications Ltd (0181-459 7146). Registered as a newspaper by Royal Mail. Jack Conrad potentially wide-ranging. No doubt ISSN 1351-0150. © August 1999 weekly

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ew things in Russia are as they the 1989 figure. Industrial production phoned off from earlier IMF and World seem. First, constitutional de- was down by 52%, agricultural pro- Bank aid programmes by the financial F mocracy is a fig-leaf for auto- duction by 36%. Since the Yeltsin oligarchs and their placemen in the cratic rule by a sclerotic and unstable counterrevolution there has been a Yeltsin regime. This capital has to a president. The levers of power are steep decline in investment as a pro- large extent been invested in foreign manipulated not by elected politi- portion of GNP: in 1991 it was 23%, in stock markets, used to buy real es- cians, but by a coterie of thieves and 1997 a mere 8%, and still falling. tate, hoarded in foreign bank accounts swindlers at the court of Tsar Boris. Means of production are ageing rap- or squandered on consumption by the Russia has only one mass political idly: in 1995 only 10% of industrial ruling elite. In the meantime, as the party - the Communist Party of the plant was less than five years old. paper again acknowledges, “much of Russian Federation; ‘communist’ It is, however, in the sphere of agri- the [Russian] banking system is bank- only in name: in truth the voice of a culture where the situation is most rupt” (August 17 and August 10). nauseating red-brown national chau- acute, with declines almost commen- One is left to wonder in amazement, vinism that, under the cover of “anti- surate with those experienced during given the circumstances, how any Zionism”, grotesquely blames the 1930s campaign of collectivisa- informed commentator can claim that international Jewry for the plight of tion. In the period from 1990 to 1996 post-Soviet Russia is a capitalist Russia. we find the following figures: grain state, when some 75% of all exchange The other main political forces in down 40%; eggs down 34%; cows takes place in the form of barter, and Russia consist not of organised par- down 21%; beef cattle down 41%; when real wage labour and anything ties, but of shifting movements and sheep and goats down 59%; pigs resembling authentic capital accumu- coalitions, two of which stand out: down 49% (statistics derived from lation through production represent the Fatherland movement of Yury research published in International a negligible percentage of the Luzhkov, mayor of Moscow, and the Socialism No81, winter 1998-99). The economy. As Hillel Ticktin pointed All Russia front of regional gover- only area of foodstuff production that out in his lecture to our Communist nors. The merger of these two groups has shown any increase is potatoes, University ’99, the course of events into a potentially powerful bloc ca- no longer simply a staple food, but in post-Soviet Russia represents “a pable of capturing both the govern- practically the only means of survival world historical failure of capitalism”. ment and the presidency is what lies for the mass of the population, leav- What of the Russian working at the heart of the present crisis. ing aside what they can scrape to- class? There is at present no viable Secondly, economic ‘reform’ has gether from their private plots and revolutionary party capable of articu- led not to the restoration of a capital- der, therefore, that Stepashin’s credit- Department, coordinating the dacha gardens. lating the interests of the Russian istic market economy, but has instead able refusal to put a stop to investiga- Kremlin’s delicate relations with Rus- A historical comparison is telling: proletariat. Isolated strikes break out produced a primitive and freakish form tions of Kremlin corruption played a sia’s 89 regional governors. One of whereas at the end of the 1918-21 civil and are often brutally repressed, in- of capital accumulation, characterised major part in his downfall. Equally dis- his first tasks will be to use his inside war in Russia industrial and agricul- cluding by regional and local authori- by plunder, fraud, parasitism and reck- astrous, from the Yeltsinite point of knowledge and networks of contacts tural production dropped by 15% and ties under the control of the CPRF. less self-enrichment on the part of a view, was Stepashin’s failure to use in order to damage the cohesiveness 60% respectively from 1913 levels, by Attempts at forging an all-Russian narrow stratum of elite business and his prime ministerial authority and of the Luzhkov oppositionist bloc. 1926, eight years after the start of the congress of strike committees are still financial oligarchs. The supposed patronage in order to stem the tide of It came as no surprise that the duma civil war, most 1913 levels had been embryonic and tend to founder be- economic recovery of the last 12 defections by regional governors from gave its approval to Putin’s nomina- regained or surpassed. Contrast this cause of ideological arguments and months is for the most part an illusion Yeltsin’s camp to that of Luzhkov. The tion as prime minister. The last thing with the fact that again eight years simple lack of financial support. An- created by a massive devaluation of newly formed All Russia is My Fa- the CPRF-dominated parliament after the implosion of the USSR there ecdotal evidence suggests a univer- the rouble. Little, if anything, has therland bloc represents a powerful wants in the run-up to the December is still no sign of revival. sal cynicism towards all politicians changed since the dark days of Au- focus of opposition and a credible al- 19 parliamentary elections is to find Even the leader writers of the house and an understandable preoccupa- gust 1998, when Russia stood on the ternative, especially now that it has itself in confrontation with Yeltsin, for journal of international capitalism, tion with the problem of survival brink of an economic and political secured the support of Yevgeny there is still a strong feeling that the while talking up prospects for “posi- against the odds. abyss, and when the Financial Times Primakov, the popular prime minister president, if need be, will use his tive output growth this year”, ac- It is hardly surprising, given the wrote that “only a miracle” could save whom Stepashin replaced in May this power to declare a state of emergency knowledge that this resurgence in the conditions under which they are con- Russia (August 27 1998). Chronic po- year. as a way of suspending ‘democracy’ Russian economy is part illusory, part demned to live, that many Russians litical instability and an economic de- Hence, for the Yeltsinites, the ejec- and prolonging his tenure of office. fortuitous: the 70% devaluation of the look with fond nostalgia to the cline that can only be described as tion of Stepashin became a political In his first speech to the duma Putin rouble over the last year has obvi- ‘golden age’ of the Soviet past. Early catastrophic are the reality. necessity. His replacement by Putin predictably sought to appease the ously made Russian exports competi- this month, an opinion poll indicated It is against this background that represents Yeltsin’s last throw of the CPRF and other nationalists by pledg- tive and the doubling of the oil price that 85% of Russians regretted the we must assess the latest heighten- dice in an attempt to secure a stable ing to quash the current islamic fun- has served - for the time being - to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the ing of political tension caused by the ‘succession’ and protect himself and damentalist incursion into Dagestan, rescue Russia from financial collapse highest figure since its collapse in sudden dismissal of Sergei his entourage from the consequences and to protect the rights of ethnic (Financial Times August 17). Of 1991. In another poll, Russians said Vadimovich Stepashin from the post of their criminal misrule. Russians in all former republics of the course, the same commentators omit that not Lenin, not even Stalin, but of prime minister, an office he held for Attention has rightly been drawn USSR: “Russia’s territorial integrity to mention the effect of devaluation Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, general sec- just 82 days, and the appointment of to the fact that Putin (like his two im- cannot be an object of discussion, on the already severely depressed liv- retary of the Communist Party of the Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as Rus- mediate predecessors) has a back- much less bargaining or blackmail” ing standards of Russian workers, Soviet Union from 1966-82, was the sia’s fifth premier in only 17 months. ground in the security organs. For the (The Independent August 17). It millions of whom now live in abject best Kremlin leader of the 20th cen- Writing in Komsomolskaya Pravda, last year he has been head of the Fed- would appear, rather pathetically, that poverty. tury (The Times August 2). A fasci- Stepashin claimed: “They threw me eral Security Service (FSB), Russia’s the Kremlin counterparts of Millbank On the financial front the picture is nating test of the political strength of out because I am not for sale,” and internal secret police, whose support are intent on packaging Putin as a equally ominous. Only the latest $4.5 such nostalgia will come next month, that his removal was brought about the Yeltsinites rightly regard as criti- new Yury Andropov, at least that is billion IMF loan has enabled Russia when Leonid Ilyich’s grandson, by his refusal to “service the inter- cal to their chances of survival. the impression which they presum- to escape another default on debt re- Andrei Brezhnev, leader of one of the ests of a certain group” (August 13). Putin’s background in intelligence is ably sought to create by having him payment that could have triggered a many splinter groups from the CPSU, There is undoubtedly much truth in of crucial significance so far as the place repeated emphasis on the need systemic banking crisis. Finally the contests the post of governor of this allegation. Yeltsinites are concerned: he knows for “more discipline”. On the western capitalists have learned their Sverdlovsk. The “group” in question is, of (literally in some cases) where the economy, Putin had little to say, ex- lesson, so that not one cent of the Clearly, a return to the past is not course, the so-called ‘family’ of bodies are buried and it is no coinci- cept that he intends to continue the money will actually go to Russia and and can never be the answer to the Yeltsin: courtiers and apparatchiks dence that one of his last acts as head process of reform (whatever that may be swallowed up in the voracious bel- problems of the Russian working headed by his daughter Tatyana of the FSB was to instigate investi- mean) and that the government must lies of the oligarchy. Instead, the funds class. Sooner rather than later, they Dyachenko, for whom the prospect of gations into the business activities do more to protect the poor from the will merely be used to pay off some will realise that the only real answer presidential elections in 10 months of Yury Luzhkov’s wife. consequences of devaluation. small portion of existing loans. As the is to take power into their own hands, time poses an acute dilemma of self- Perhaps more important is the fact If we turn, with some relief, from Financial Times concedes, the export that only the working class can eman- preservation. For these people, fail- that for the last three years Putin has the Byzantine power struggles of cur- of capital out of Russia continues cipate itself from its slavery. In that ure to consolidate support around a worked at the heart of the Kremlin rent Russian politics to the economy, unabated: in the five years from 1993 lies our ultimate optimism that Rus- Yeltsinite candidate will mean not just administration, where he proved him- we find a picture of unrelieved gloom, some $136 billion found its way abroad sia has a truly revolutionary, social- political defeat, but the real prospect self a staunch Yeltsin loyalist, particu- indeed an impending collapse. - much of it was plunder from privati- ist and democratic future l of criminal proceedings. Small won- larly as a tough head of the Control In 1997 GNP was a little over half sation racketeering or money si- Michael Malkin