Volume 3, No. 121, November 8, 2007

An injury to one is an injury to all

Volume 3 No. 121 8 November 2007 S& WoORlKiEdRS’a LIBrERiTtY y 30p/80p British, migrant, white, black: WORKERS, UNITE! BY GERRY BATES RITISH jobs for British workers”. A UK Independence Party slogan? British National Party? National Front? Right now it comes from Labour prime minister Gordon Brown. “BAt the TUC conference in September, Brown talked about “British workers”, “British jobs” and “British living standards” (don’t mention the 2% public sector pay limit...) with such unashamed nationalism that even a few union general secretaries felt compelled to rebuke him. Now he has upped the ante. At the end of last month, after the Government admitted that it had underestimated the number of migrant workers in Britain by hundreds of thousands, Brown tried to fight back with a straightfor- ward appeal to xenophobic bigotry. “British jobs for British workers”, a slogan used by the BNP in the 1980s and the NF in the 1970s, became an official part of Government policy. Continued on page 2 Don’t let Brown and the Tories divide us 2 NEWS World credit spiral hits nemesis

BY MARTIN THOMAS in Capital volume 3: purest and most colossal form of gambling ratio of global financial assets to annual The credit system appears as the main lever and swindling... world output rose from 109% in 1980 to 316% OU can expect”, writes US econ- of over-production and over-speculation in The recent background is a strategic choice in 2005 (and 405% in the USA). omist Nouriel Roubini, “that the commerce solely because the reproduction made by world capital in the late 1970s and The processes are more complicated and ongoing credit crunch will get process, which is elastic by nature, is here early 1980s. We explained in Solidarity 3/118: opaque — and have become still more “Y forced to its extreme limits, and is so forced As a reaction to the crises of the 1930s, up complicated and opaque in recent years. A much worse in the year ahead and its fallout will spread from the US to Europe and because a large part of the social capital is to the 1970s credit and banking was quite new sort of bit of paper, called “credit deriva- throughout Asia and the globe. Trillions of employed by people who do not own it and closely regulated in the big capitalist tives”, has expanded from zero ten years ago dollars of securitised assets that were sliced who consequently tackle things quite differ- economies. That was the era of “managed to $26 trillion today. and diced in the long food chain of securitisa- ently than the owner, who anxiously weighs capitalism”, the era when social-democrats The mortgage lenders do not just hold on to tion are now at some risk. The first crisis of the limitations of his private capital in so far smugly imagined that capitalism was becom- your mortgage agreement and wait for your financial globalisation and securitisation is as he handles it himself... ing more and more “socialistic” every year. repayments. They convert a bundle of mort- only at its beginning stage”. The self-expansion of capital based on the The crises of the 1970s produced the oppo- gage agreements into a “financial asset” and At one end — the starting end of this crisis contradictory nature of capitalist production site reaction to those of the 1930s. Economies sell it on, thus getting their cash quicker. — two million poorer US households are permits an actual free development only up to were deregulated and privatised — initially, This is the world, as journalist Martin Wolf likely to lose their homes in the coming a certain point, so that in fact it constitutes an mostly, as a ploy to meet more intense global puts it, of the “clever intermediaries, who months because, with interest rates higher and immanent fetter and barrier to production, competition and to turn the blade of that persuaded [some people] to borrow what they credit tighter, they can no longer meet the which are continually broken through by the competition against the working class. could not afford, and [others] to invest in payments on their mortgages. credit system. Those measures “worked”, as slicker credit what they did not understand”. (Solidarity At another end, the bosses of Merrill Lynch Hence, the credit system accelerates the set-up generally does for capital, to make the 3/118). and Citigroup have lost their jobs (though material development of the productive forces system more flexible and agile. But they also And who — and this is what matters for they, unlike the people losing their homes, get and the establishment of the world-market. It store up vast instabilities. them — collect fat fees from the process. As a huge pay-offs). Their companies have had to is the historical mission of the capitalist Financial crises like those of 1987, 1991-2, result, nobody knows today how much of the “write down” billions — admit that a lot of system of production to raise these material 1997, and 2001 made many experts demand financial paper that financiers are holding is the financial paper they are holding is worth foundations of the new mode of production to re-regulation. But by then there were vast worthless, and where the worthless paper is. only a fraction of what they had previously a certain degree of perfection. At the same vested interests tied to deregulation, and vast As a further result, the whole credit system valued it at. And the Government is still pour- time credit accelerates the violent eruptions of amounts of brain and computer power being tends to seize up. ing billions into a big hole in Northern Rock's this contradiction — crises — and thereby the put by high finance into getting round what Pundits started talking about capital having finances. elements of disintegration of the old mode of regulations did exist. miraculously developed a “Goldilocks econ- According to Roubini, and many others, production. The rich do a lot more trading of bits of omy” just after the 1991-2 crisis. Wrong, that process of “writing down” has a long way The credit system... develops the incentive of paper representing (ultimately) entitlements to wrong, wrong! to go yet. capitalist production, enrichment through future profits or interest payments than they Karl Marx identified the core paradox here exploitation of the labour of others, to the used to, and they do it more globally. The Workers Rally against BNP invite! unite! BY MIKE ROWLEY, RUSKIN COLLEGE, Under normal circumstances socialists are From front page for the fullest freedom of speech — censor- The Queen’s Speech (6 November) OXFORD ship is inimical to the workers’ movement. announced a new “points system” for And we do not favour laws or government migrants from outside the European Union. HE “Oxford Union Society” — a debat- decrees to ban even fascists. But the Oxford This means that people with wealth, or ing society which was once the stamp- Union’s invite raises other issues. advanced qualifications of the sort more Ting ground of Tony Benn, Michael Foot Firstly, fascists use any opportunity to speak easily gained by those from a well-off family and Paul Foot, but now populated by upper- as part of their ongoing campaign to violently background, get in. The less well-off are class adolescent morons whose idea of a high- smash the workers’ movement and all progres- kept out. There will be a compulsory English profile speaker is the model Jordan — has sive organisations, along with freedom of test. You will be tested if you come from organised a “free speech debate” on Monday speech itself. Colombia or India, but not if you come from 26 November. The people whom they have Secondly, when fascists are allowed to France or Sweden. This has rightly been invited to speak in favour of “freedom of disseminate their propaganda the level of dubbed “lace curtain racism”. (It also comes speech” are Britain’s two best-known neo- racist and homophobic incidents, including at a time when the Government is cutting Nazis: Nick Griffin, leader of the British violent ones, always rises, and the fascists English as a Second Language provision.) National Party, and David Irving, the “histo- themselves often commit acts of violence. The left must condemn Brown’s appeal to rian” and convicted Holocaust denier. The last time fascists spoke at a university, in bigotry. But it is also important to grasp New Such a “debate” would be more of a fascist Manchester, the Student Union Equalities Labour’s lying and hypocrisy. rally than an argument for genuine freedom of Officer and several visibly Muslim students As a party which serves the British capi- speech. Its organisers seem to see it as an were physically assaulted. talist class, New Labour wants more migrant entertaining freak-show that might attract The BNP must not be allowed to get a labour in Britain — skilled and unskilled. them a bit of publicity. foothold in our colleges. That is why most new jobs created here The BNP, which is currently trying to estab- Thankfully there is a general determination since 1997 have gone to migrant workers. lish a presence in colleges across the country, to stop Griffin and Irving speaking here. An “British jobs for British workers” is dema- gogy. It would be illegal under EU law, as is of course delighted. We are not, of course, organising meeting on Monday was supported Nick Griffin overly concerned that any of the audience will by Oxford University Students’ Union, the the Tories and others have pointed out, and be converted by Griffin and Irving’s absurd university Jewish and Islamic Societies, the anyway impossible to implement without and hateful rhetoric; but they will use the university Labour Club, Oxford and District organisations, councillors and even Andrew reverting to a siege economy. No serious event to claim that students are interested in Trades Council, Unison, the T&G at the Smith, Labour MP for Oxford East, have capitalist demands it. hearing their views and treat them as valid. Cowley works and all local Labour Party come together to campaign on the issue. The What can Brown achieve by the slogan? The Oxford Union Society still has a certain organisations. The meeting heard from the co- only notable exception is Evan Harris, Liberal The denial of proper rights for asylum-seek- prestige associated with the name of Oxford chairs of Unite Against Fascism, but the anti- Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, ers or of rights which would allow migrant University, and the propaganda value to fascist campaign is being worked out demo- who has a “distinguished” record of defending workers to assert their rights and get organ- fascists of their being allowed to speak there cratically by these local organisations. academic racists. ised. They want a steady flow of migrant labour, but one firmly under capitalist is significant. Local trade union community and student He feels so strongly about the “right” of Griffin and Irving to speak at Oxford control. At the same time, they aim to appeal University that he has agreed to speak in the to disillusioned white working-class voters, “debate” on the same side as them! This, he and win the competition with the Tories for Defend the Harmondsworth 4! says, is because he opposes censorship; but “middle-class” right-wingers. Hence their Public meeting called by No Borders London. 7pm, Tuesday 13 November, at the that, to put it kindly, makes no sense. contortions and doublespeak on immigration. It is not “censorship” to deny someone an By his blundering, Brown has opened the Institute of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS (near Kings Cross) invite to speak in the Oxford University debat- door to a Tory offensive on immigration, ing society. The invitation of fascists and welfare reform and a whole range of issues. In November 2006 detainees at Harmondsworth immigration detention centre protested Holocaust deniers to such a platform by a In our counter-attack, the left must be very against conditions inside the centre and their treatment by the guards. gaggle of irresponsible posh twits could only clear. The centre was damaged and the detainees were moved to other detention centres be hailed as a blow for freedom of speech by We must oppose economic nationalism, a complete idiot. the points system, language tests and the rest and prisons. Pressure is being put on the Oxford Union of it. We must demand open borders: the Three detainees were charged with criminal damage and a further detainee was charged Society to cancel the invitation. If it is not repeal of all anti-immigration and asylum with conspiracy to cause criminal damage. cancelled, there will be a mass demonstration legislation. And we must fight for the labour The trial of the “Harmondsworth 4” is due to start in January. This public meeting is to outside the Oxford Union Society from 7pm movement to organise all workers, British- discuss how we can support them before, during and after the trial. on 26 November. Keep fascism out of univer- born or migrant, legal or illegal, in resistance E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected] sities and out of our cities! to this anti-working-class government. WHAT WE SAY 3 No to war, no to the Islamic Republic!

SVice-President Dick Cheney is reported to have thought up a clever Uscheme to launch an attack on Iran. In this plan, Israel will bomb an Iranian nuclear installation, Iran will respond by launching missiles at Israel, and this will serve as the pretext for an American attack. We don’t know whether there is any substance to such rumours. On one level, mili- tary action against Iran sounds implausible: could anyone really be that crazy? The commis- sars of US imperialism are aggressive, for sure, but they operate within a partially rational framework of “national” i.e. US ruling-class interests. Why would they want to bring down the roof on their heads, particularly after the disaster of Iraq? On the other hand, similar considerations weighed against an invasion of Iraq in early 2003 — but the presence of George W Bush in the White House, the 9/11 attacks and the easy collapse of the Taliban regime after a couple of weeks’ bombing in 2002 had strengthened the hand of the neo-con ideologues to the point where Iranian women protest for their rights they were able to hegemonise the ruling factions. George Bush is still in office, but only for escalate into a large-scale, bloody war. As ...I am ready to predict with confidence: while comrades in Respect. Insteading of another year. The Republican Party may well Israeli leftist Uri Avnery puts it: whoever pushes for war against Iran will come opposing US imperialism in the name of soli- lose the next presidential election, which will Even “smart” bombs kill people. The to regret it. Some adventures are easy to get darity with workers, women, students and other mean the (in some cases demagogically anti- Iranians’ first reaction to an American attack into but hard to get out of. democratic movements in Iran, they make pro- war) Democrats controlling the presidency, the would be to close the Straits of Hormuz, the The last one to find this out was Saddam Islamic Republic propaganda, desperately look- House of Representatives and the Senate for the entrance to the Gulf. That would choke off a Hussein. He thought that it would be a cake- ing for ways to excuse repression by the first time since 1994. Some neo-cons are whis- large part of the world’ s oil supply and cause walk — after all, Khomeini had killed off most Ahmedinejad regime. At the recent Stop the pering of the need for action “before it is too an unprecedented world-wide economic crisis. of the officers, and especially the pilots, of the War conference, they denounced their political late”. Even if they do not persuade the adminis- To open the straits (if this is at all possible), the Shah’ s military. He believed that one quick critics from Iranian exile socialist groups in the tration to stage a ground invasion of a country US army would have to capture and hold large Iraqi blow would be enough to bring about the most virulent terms. four times the size of Iraq, with three times the areas of Iranian territory. The short and easy collapse of Iran. He had eight long years of war The SWP’ s effectively pro-Islamic Republic population, they may be able to get some form war would turn into a long and hard war. to regret it. stance not only betrays Iran’ s left opposition, of military action, perhaps similar to the bomb- There can be little doubt that if attacked, Iran Preparing the labour movement and activists but means support for a state with active ing campaigns against Serbia (1999) and will respond as it has promised: by bombarding to resist war on Iran is thus a matter of urgency. regional imperialist ambitions of its own. No Afghanistan. Israel with the rockets it is preparing for this A major roadblock here is the politics which effective movement against war on Iran can be Even limited action against could quickly precise purpose. That will not endanger Israel’ informs the leadership of the Stop the War built on this basis. No to war, no to the Islamic s existence, but it will not be pleasant either. Coalition dominated by the SWP and its erst- Republic!

year with little comeback. The police exist to back up the rule of the capitalist class. Anti-working class, racist and anti-youth prejudice runs throughout their A democratic response to the hierarchy. They hold a monopoly on the legal use of violence. Crucially, for their own preservation, they are largely autonomous from democratic control. And that is why they de Menezes killing can routinely operate “above the law”. Ian Blair’s resignation might help counter the ideological weight of the police, people’s HE successful prosecution of the the QC asked rhetorically “did he fear he belief in their neutrality. But that is all. In the Metropolitan Police for negligence in might have some drugs in his jacket and want here and now we need to campaign for a thor- Tthe July 2005 shooting of Jean Charles to get them out and throw them away when he ough-going democratisation of the justice de Menezes has dramatically highlighted the was challenged by the police?”. system — for elected bodies to oversee the unaccountability of the police and the lack of The defence used a photo-comparison of de operations of the police, with the power to democracy in the justice system. Menezes and Hussain Osman to the jury. This “open the books”, to get behind police Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead on was characterised by the prosecution as a cyni- secrecy and to challenge the arbitrary use of a London Underground train on 22 July 2005, cal fabrication, the light levels and perspective violence. the day after a foiled series of terrorist attacks having been altered to make the two men look In the early 1980s some Labour councils on London and two weeks after the 7/7 bomb- more alike. attempted to use Police Authorities (only ings. Trailed by police on his trip from his In the end the £3.5 million investigation and partly and indirectly elected) to hold the police home in Tulse Hill, which included two bus trial uncovered serious inadequacies in police in check. For instance the South Yorkshire journeys, de Menezes was followed down the planning and co-ordination. Unfortunately the Police Authority denied the Chief Constable escalator at Stockwell station and shot with guilty verdict does not mean that police the right to use council money to attack pick- minimal warning by firearms officers. The powers will be curbed — the fine of £175,000 ets during the 1984-85 miners’ strike. Met’s defence was that de Menezes had been will be paid out of public funds. Leading However they were stopped in their tracks mistaken for terrorist suspect Hussain Osman, police officials and the government, who when the High Court intervened on the Chief who lived nearby. backed up the pathetic lies and squirming Constable’s side. Ultimately the Police Immediately after the killing of de Menezes, away from responsibility by the Met, have Authorities proved to be talking shops with no the Met were apologetic about having over- washed their hands of the affair. Metropolitan “teeth”. Police commissioner Ian Blair will not even Justice Henriques told jurors at the Old seen a “tragic accident”. They then embarked Ian Blair, Met Police Commissioner on a character assassination of their victim — resign. Bailey that “the police are not above the law”. But unless there are directly elected bodies for instance falsely claiming that de Menezes side arguments. He told jurors at the Old But the de Menezes affair is not an isolated that are genuinely able to hold the police to had vaulted the ticket barriers at the Tube Bailey that de Menezes’ urine contained traces tragedy. The failings of the police hierarchy do account, leading police officers, in cahoots station and run away from police operatives. of cocaine; that he “moved in an aggressive not lie with the aberrant individuals who lead with the government, will be under little pres- In court, the police’s defence lawyer, and threatening manner”, and “behaved suspi- it, but with the distribution of power and the sure to obey even the most basic norms of Ronald Thwaites QC, embraced a panoply of ciously” in the seconds before his death; and control of violence within society. It is not just Menezes. Speeding police cars kill 40 people a justice and honesty. www.solidarity-online.org Editor: Cathy Nugent [email protected] 4 INDUSTRIAL NEWS Post ballot: Defend Karen Reissmann! BY BRUCE ROBINSON service cuts and against victimisations. The public services being pushed by the govern- mental health workers are determined to ment. It will also be a test for whether N Monday 5 November psychiatric fight both . UNISON and the rest of the labour move- nurse and chair of the Manchester They have already held two three day ment can give effective support to that fight. vote no! strikes in support of Karen and from 8 The union branch expects to be able to Community and Mental Health O November 150 workers in community pay very substantial hardship pay to all strik- From back page branch of UNISON, Karen Reissmann, was sacked by the local mental health trust. mental health and crisis resolution teams ers and will be sending delegations of strik- will go on indefinite strike, with a further ers around the country to speak to other In the union leadership there was a prob- Karen’s crime was to have spoken out publicly as a trade unionist against a reor- one day strike of all members of the branch trade unionists and raise money. Already lem of illusions in the Labour government. scheduled. there have been significant promises of Some people in the leadership genuinely ganisation of mental health services that would have led to cuts. The four charges for The strike has the support of service users. money from a number of branches. But more believed that Gordon Brown was going to At an 80 strong lunchtime rally in will be needed. intervene and do something positive. I think which she was found guilty were: • When she was interviewed in December Manchester Town Hall, Paul Reed of the If you want to make a donation please it was a turning point in the dispute when users’ network said he supported the strike send to “Manchester Community and they realised that Brown would not do that. 2006 and criticised the transfer of NHS work to the voluntary sector, she brought the Trust because users were worried that if the reor- Mental Health branch UNISON” c/o union We haven’t got an old-fashioned tradi- ganisation went through, they would lose the office, Chorlton House, 70 Manchester Rd, tional right-wing leadership in the CWU. It into disrepute; • Telling people that she was suspended regular personal attention from nurses they Manchester M21 9UN. is a soft-left leadership — and people with knew. Instead the nurses would just become Or if you want a speaker at your next some record of leading industrial disputes. and what for; • Protesting her innocence; “drug pushers”, appearing less often just to union meeting please contact But in this dispute they never got their administer medication. [email protected] or 07972 120 451. heads round the political angle. I don’t • Allowing the press to print information, some misleading, about her case. Karen Reissmann deserves the support of A Saturday demonstration is also planned think there was much of a strategy, all the all trade unionists. Hers will be a test case in Manchester, probably on 24 November. way through. They were dealing with things This is a direct attack on the rights of trade unionists to campaign against job and for whether we are able to oppose publicly • More: www.reinstate-karen.org one at a time. the new regime of market-led “reforms” in Billy Hayes [the CWU general secretary] doesn’t want to confront the Labour government, and with Dave Ward [CWU deputy general secretary, and the leading CIVIL SERVICE official on the postal side] you have an industrial militant with no politics. Things have changed in the Post Office. We’re used to having a bit of action, then Strike action the management do a deal with us. But now it is different. It was a difficult dispute, no doubt about that. halted by In fact, on flexibility, the deal means the union agreeing to most of the imposed executive changes — the changed start times, the abolition of Sunday collections, and so on. CS members have voted 67.6%, on a I’ve never known an agreement with so turnout of 33.6%, in favour of continu- much in it of the union agreeing to imposed ing the campaign of industrial action, changes after they’ve been imposed. P but action is being frustrated by the union’s It couldn’t have been worse if we had national leadership. refused to agree and just let management This ballot results comes as senior civil try to impose those things unilaterally with- service management offer the union talks on out union agreement. The union leadership have separated off better procedures for dealing with “surplus the pensions issue from the “Pay And staff”. In addition, they have indicated that Modernisation” deal (though in fact the they may agree that issues such as hours and Executive was told that it was all linked: we leave be determined at a civil service-wide couldn’t have the “Pay And Modernisation” level rather than locally as at present. deal without also agreeing the framework On 1 November, PCS’s Socialist Party- for the negotiations on pensions). That dominated National Executive decided that separation helps them, because there is a lot in light of the talks no national strike action About 5,000 people demonstrated in London on 3 November in support of the of anger on the pensions even from people should be taken this year. Given that a NHS, on a demonstration called by the TUC, Unison and other health unions. who go along with the “Pay and number of departments are on the verge of The unions seem to have done very little work with local NHS campaigns: the Modernisation” deal. issuing compulsory redundancy notices, the demo was made up almost entirely of trade unionists. However, they also The most honest account of the pensions union requested that during the period of mobilised very few of their own members. At a time when many small towns have deal came from Ray Ellis, the official who talks no notices be issued. This request was had thousands-strong demonstrations against NHS cuts, this was a shocking negotiated it. He said: it’s not a good deal, unsurprisingly turned down. The other side missed opportunity. but it’s the best we can do with the money never stops fighting the class struggle, even the Government will make available. Regions and branches which have seen significant disputes or anti-cuts if we do! campaigns recently produced a disproportionately high turn-out. But the official The leadership emphasises that you will With the emphasis off national action, the line was that this was a “celebration” of the NHS, with the main slogan “I still be able to retire at 60. But if you do, Executive is urging local Groups (the PCS ♥ your pension will be reduced. It is not clear industrial sector that carry out local bargain- NHS”, and no mention of cuts, privatisation or defending services. how much. ing) to take action. At present, you can retire at 60 on 50% of pensionable pay. That will go down. We have warned in the past that asking the Overall, 12 percent of council employees by a large majority to accept the offer and There may be more feeling to reject a deal Groups to take action, supposedly in support will suffer pay cuts, with many others forced not to call action. on pensions than on the “Pay And of national aims, was a mistake. Things have to work longer hours for the same wages. According to Unison's official announce- Modernisation”. The timetable for agreeing now got worse with the local Groups now Both these staff and workers who stand to ment: “The ballot closed last Friday, 26 the details on pensions ends in January, and being asked to fight over what are in essence gain from the deal attended the 6 November October, and saw 144,719 valid ballot papers there will be a separate ballot on that then. local issues. In other words the national protests, holding placards with the slogan returned, with 74,631 members (or 51.6%) The 27 October meeting [to organise for campaign has come to a halt. “shove the pay structure — shove flexibil- voting for action and 70,088 (48.4%) voting against. The committee... overwhelmingly a no vote] was organised not by me but by ity” — it is feared that the new pay and Dave Chapple and Pete Firmin. I think the voted for a statement which read: However, hours are a means of softening the council in all the circumstances, including the group will reconvene. It was a good meet- up for privatisation”. ing, a good start, but it’s still a weak forma- LOCAL GOVERNMENT narrowness of the majority and the size of But the unions at the council have prom- tion. The people involved are all branch the poll, this result does not constitute the activists, but they are not seen in the union ised a response to the ‘single status’ pay basis for viable industrial action to break the as key branch activists. Unison rally offer. Unison and Unite will be holding a government’s pay policy.” There isn’t really a coordination of the mass rally on 1 December and are planning Even a small majority for action is surpris- to ballot their members for strike action. ing given: CWU branches that are calling for a no NTuesday 6 November 1,500 coun- vote. Some of the branches that are going (1) The official material with the ballot cil workers demonstrated outside for a no vote would be hostile to anything paper argued formally in favour of action, they saw as a left group in the union. OBirmingham town hall in protest at a but put most of its emphasis on talking up It’s partly the long-term weakness of the ‘single status’ pay deal which will affect Yes vote but the size of the concessions the employers left on the postal side of the union. There is 40,000 staff. had already made and the difficulties of a CWU Broad Left, but it’s almost all on Although purportedly intended to even out action. the telecom side of the union. We’ve been pay gaps between men and women, many no strike (2) Unison's backdown in health (3) The CWU leaders making the postal in a position for a while on the postal side women and many of the lowest paid workers HE public service union Unison's where Dave Ward has a majority on the will be hit hardest by the new contract. workers' dispute peter out. ballot of its members in local govern- The turnout is also not as low as feared, Postal Executive, and there is a weakness in Many staff will lose around £6,000 from ment for action to improve their the branches compared with five or ten T though many local government workers did their annual pay packets, and one admin 2.475% pay offer produced a small majority years ago. worker will see as much as £10,000 — half fail to get ballot papers because of the postal for action, but the union's Local Government strike. • cwurankandfile.wordpress.com of her salary — slashed. Executive, meeting on 29 October, decided BEHIND THE NEWS 5 More testing, more tracking, more tension

BY PATRICK YARKER this “success” appears now to be down to better test-preparation and increased teaching-to-the- T the turn of the year Labour test. announced a significant change to Teachers have felt compelled to replace Aschool-testing arrangements for students educationally-beneficial activities with such aged 11 and 14. Under the new scheme test-readying partly because test-scores are used students are to be “tested when ready”. But will by the media to compile “League Tables” of the scheme solve the problem of the old tests schools. Public perception of primary schools for students and teachers — stress and demoti- is importantly affected by how their students do vation and lessons which are designed to “teach in the KS2 tests. “League Tables” (and hence to the test”? NC testing) are seen by government as essential In 2004 pressure from parents and teachers in underpinning their agenda of so-called forced alterations to testing-arrangements for “parental choice”, a misnomer since over- seven-year olds, granting primacy to teacher- whelmingly schools select students through a assessment and giving teachers greater say in range of mechanisms and at best parents can the timing and content of the National express a preference for the school they wish Curriculum (NC) tests their young students their child to attend. would face. The current changes have been In this environment ministers welcome the implemented on the government’s terms. pressure “League Tables” place on schools. Under them, students will be “tested when Along with NC testing they are supposed to ready” rather than at the end of a Key Stage. A drive up standards. The potential for League student will be deemed “ready” when in their Tables based on students’ test-performance to teacher’s opinion the student’s work indicate skew the education children receive and narrow the curriculum is recognised internationally. So they have moved from their current NC level to NC testing is designed to present students in In fact, 93% of eleven-year olds attain at the next-higher level. The government expects powerful is it, and so detrimental to good schooling, that some countries (such as Ireland) accordance with predetermined norms. It makes Level 3 on their NC Reading test this year, all students to move “up” by at least two levels use of the apparently “objective” nature of indicating that they can read at least in line with between the ages of 7 and 11 (Key Stage 2) or outlaw the practice of compiling even “unoffi- cial” League Tables of school results. numerical data to give a version of the student expectations for nine-year olds. What some between 11 and 14 (Key Stage 3). which cannot be authoritatively countered and students “failed” to show in their NC test was The Government claims that the new-style Here the government routinely rejects any criticism of the current system of League is regarded as summative. Students will be the ability to read for inference and deduction. tests will be shorter than current SATs, but will pigeon-holed for their school career. It seems to But that doesn’t mean they might not be able to still allow students to show they meet the Tables, tests and centralised targets (whereby the minimum percentage of students in each me unsurprising that many students feel alien- do this in other contexts. demands of the NC level they are attempting to ated from an education-system which persists Those disseminating the materials from the secure. Ten local authorities have begun to pilot school who will attain at a given NC level is established by the Department for Children, in one-sidedly telling them in no uncertain Primary Review will need to continue to make the new system. If the pilots are judged a terms exactly what they are. clear that primary schools are doing well by success, the new arrangements will be applied Schools and Families, and schools are required to do what is necessary to meet that target.) The The re-constituted NC testing arrangements their students in a range of ways, and could do across English state-schools. Sooner rather are also likely to refine and embed the hierar- even better if government paid heed to the than later old-style end-of-Key-Stage SATs will system has delivered political gains for New Labour across most of the last ten years. chising effects of NC testing. These work to range of criticisms and alternatives being put go. label students by so-called “ability”. More tests forward. “Testing when ready” might seem an Ministers point to large percentage rises in the proportion of students attaining at given levels more often will reinforce not only the current The Primary Review won’t conclude for advance on the current increasingly-discredited widespread practice of grouping students into another year, but already it is producing mate- system of end-of-Key Stage testing. But it will in Reading or Maths test. However, increases in student test-attainment so-called “ability” sets, but boost calls from the rial which re-affirms the way New Labour, mean more tests more often, with the inevitable Tories to return to a thorough-going “streamed” building on Tory ideas, has done harm at great consequence of more test-readying, more teach- now seem to have stalled, with around a fifth of eleven-year-olds over the past two years falling system. expense to the education of school-students. ing-to-the-test. Increased use of NC testing The new arrangements may help underpin Teachers continue to suffer under policy-diktats within the Key Stage (alongside a host of other short of the level the government wants them to reach. This can be presented in the media as a the “rationing” of educational opportunities, and the drive by DCSF to micro-manage class- data-generating tests) will confirm the subordi- whereby scarce resources (such as teacher- rooms. nation of teacher-assessment and strengthen the failure of government policy. This lies behind the government’s motive for changing the time) are directed towards students who are The left has been slow, in my view, to gener- features of the current assessment-system perceived to be around the borderline of impor- ate and sustain an adequately integrated and which serve to reduce students and their mani- current system and attempting to focus atten- tion not on the yearly cohort as a whole but on tant benchmark-levels. These students are compelling alternative discourse around the fold complexities as people and learners to deemed to be “worth” more than others because purposes and means of (primary/secondary) numbers, grids and graphs. the “progress” of individual students “up” the NC levels. their performance is seen as critically affecting education. While important campaigning has a school’s League Table position. continued in opposition to academies and trust WHAT’S WRONG WITH NATIONAL THE “PERSONALISED schools, for example, and in support of AGAINST TESTING CURRICULUM TESTING? LEARNING” MYTH Teaching Assistants as they struggle for decent pay and conditions, we have found it difficult ESTING when ready” meshes with PPOSITION to NC testing has been HE original NC-testing regime, imple- to renew and then consolidate our version of talk about “personalised learning”, stymied within the teaching-profession mented at the beginning of the 1990s and since the failure of the NUT’s attempted what education is for and how it should be put first revised in the face of a massive spun as enabling teachers to suit the O T “T boycott in 2003. Academic criticism, however, into practice. curriculum to the needs of the individual teachers’ boycott in 1993, has been eroded There is an urgent need to renew our chal- student. In reality this personalised learning continues. significantly over the years. “National” testing lenge to the currently-dominant discourse in will use a variety of tests to push the student The current Primary Review, directed by is a myth. Scotland has its own assessment (school) education. This entails re-thinking for into pre-determined categories (“gifted and Professor Robin Alexander, is the most wide- system, and that in Northern Ireland is different example notions of “ability” and “differentia- talented”, “under-achieving” etc) and construct ranging and in-depth investigation into Primary again. Wales diverged from the English set-up tion”, for even a commitment to “mixed-abil- for the student their “appropriate” trajectory Schools since the ground-breaking Plowden in 2004, and the Channel Islands are beginning ity” teaching can conceal a view of students as through the system. (Government policy docu- Report of forty years ago. More than thirty to go their own way. NC testing is a legal basically and unchangeably either bright or ments actually speak of “the right trajectory” interim reports are to be published ahead of the requirement only in England’s state schools; a average or “less able”. for a student, as if their future learning and final Report, and the first of these have begun majority of private schools have never involved We need also to understand the debate development were predictable on the basis of to appear. Some of these papers re-state power- themselves in NC testing, nor does the National around “assessment for learning” and its impli- past performance in tests.) ful evidence criticising NC testing. For exam- Curriculum apply to them. cations for how students involve themselves in Testing in this context is claimed to be ple, they point to the persistent wide gap As the yearly round of school-testing has their own learning, and intervene with our own benignly diagnostic. It will reveal student-needs between high and low-attaining students, a continued, evidence has built up to indicate that more radical and emancipatory vision of demo- and ensure that the student is on-track. You problem known for several decades and left the current system generates undue stress and cratic education. might think that this was the teacher’s job, and unremedied by New Labour’s policy of tests, anxiety among students and works to demoti- Almost twenty years on from the implemen- moreover something teachers were well-placed targets and League Tables. Further evidence of vate the lower-attaining. Testing narrows the tation of the National Curriculum we ought also to do since they spend the most time in test-induced stress (some of it reported by chil- education all students receive and involves to be arguing for giving curriculum develop- sustained contact with students. But govern- dren’s charities) has been brought to light, and week after week of going over old ground in ment back to teachers, and re-asserting the view ment sees teaching as mere delivery, and pays the government’s version of what constitutes preparation for the tests, rather than enabling that teaching is not just a set of skills and lip-service to notions of teacher-assessment “standards” in schools again shown to be teachers to engage students with new aspects of competencies. There are doubtless many other while continuing to undermine it. damagingly narrow. the curriculum. areas where the left can and should be making Policy documents require that teacher-assess- Right-wing media elements have picked up Studies suggest that NC testing works to more of the running. ment be both capable of firm translation into on some of these criticisms and used them to lower rather than raise educational standards, The Primary Review continues. Its reports NC levels and directly linked to pre-stated peddle a mendacious version of contemporary notwithstanding the initial surge in the propor- and evidence are available online. The teaching-objectives. Genuine teacher-assess- primary schooling, in which students continue tion of students reaching given NC levels year Review’s director has invited contributions. ment on the other hand is likely to be a less to be failed by “incapable” teachers and on year. New Labour made a great deal of Comrades, especially those with children hard-edged, more complex and nuanced government half-heartedness. The Sun even political capital out of this “success”, claiming attending primary school, should add their process, rendering a more rounded and thor- claimed that because one in five children did it vindicated their dictatorial National Literacy views, and encourage their children to do the ough, though always provisional, account of not secure a level 4 in their KS2 Reading SAT and Numeracy Strategies, whose intention was same. student capabilities. in 2007, this means that a fifth of children are specifically to increase test-scores. But much of leaving Primary School unable to read! • www.primaryreview.org.uk 6 WORLD NEWS Israel threatens Gaza

BY DARREN BEDFORD million and half people against us, in bitter- attacks, or pretend that they represent any tions on both sides that want to support the ness and hatred”. kind of progressive force. Hamas is a Palestinian people on the basis of democracy SRAELI Defence Minister and ex-Prime Reports indicate that Hamas has been violently reactionary organisation, the major- and independence without wanting to threaten Minister Ehud Barak has announced that rearming recently and has entrenched itself in ity of which remains committed to a project the national rights of Israeli-Jews. It is only Israel is getting closer to a large-scale heavily populated areas, suggesting that any of destroying the Israeli-Jewish national that camp that offers fundamental hope for I Israeli invasion would be a messy affair that entity by any means necessary. the future. Only that camp can unite incursion into Gaza with “every passing day”. Recent weeks have seen Gaza — which relies would necessarily involve the slaughter of Although socialists should support the right Palestinian and Israeli workers on a basis that in the Israeli state for half of its electricity civilians. Already, at least four Palestinians of the Palestinian people to resist Israeli occu- can push the conflict beyond “solutions” and almost all of its fuel — have its fuel have been killed, and more injured, by Israeli pation, including militarily, Hamas rocket based on ceasefires and geographical carve- supply cut, and a plan to cut off its electricity rocket strikes that have missed their targets. attacks on Israeli military positions cannot be ups between reactionary forces on both sides. was only aborted following intervention from The heavy-handed and collective blows Israel divorced from its reactionary religious funda- That camp is currently weak; our job is to the Israeli Attorney General Menachem has already dealt out to Gaza in the form of mentalist project. The Israeli state’s actions strengthen it. Mazouz. sanctions must be seen as part of its long- do not mean that Israeli-Jews, who also repre- Alternative focuses for “campaigning” — This kind of collective blow, dealt out to term, sub-imperialist project to completely sent a clear national group, are somehow an consumer-focused actions like boycotts or Palestinians in Gaza as a whole, further subjugate and atomise the Palestinian people. illegitimate presence in the region or that they perhaps marching through London waving exposes the careless brutality of the Israeli The sanctions, which also prevent the trans- should not be entitled to national rights. The “we are all Hezbollah” placards (as some left- state. Mainstream NGOs such as Human portation of certain goods in and out of Gaza, existence of organisations like Gush Shalom ists did when Israel attacked Hezbollah in Rights Watch and even the United Nations have also already led to the death of at least and large anti-occupation and anti-war Lebanon in 2006) — are political blind alleys, have condemned the sanctions as completely one man — Nemer Mohammed Salim demonstrations in the past, show that Israelis nuturing reactionary forces and potentially unacceptable. Shuhaiber — due to being unable to access can be mobilised against their government bolstering to the ideology of anti-semitism. Ostensibly, Israel’s renewed operations and necessary medical treatment. and in support the Palestinians. They also offer absolutely nothing in terms of sanctions against Gaza are aimed at stopping There are clear lines in this situation; a Now, more than ever, socialists must look practical support to the innocent Palestinians the near-daily rocket attacks from Hamas powerful capitalist state, backed by the to a “third camp” in Israel/Palestine. This at the sharp end of Israel’s belligerence. against Israeli military positions, but actions biggest imperialist powers on the planet, with does not mean some point of equidistance As Ehud Barak cries crocodile tears for the like this will only serve to rally people behind a first-world economy and a first-world mili- between the Israeli military and Hamas, and it consequences of the re-invasion of Gaza that the Islamist government in the area. Israeli tary, is engaged in the more-or-less colonial is not to imply that the forces in that conflict he may sanction, the labour movement inter- peace organisation Gush Shalom commented oppression of a national group. But none of are in some way matched or equivalent. The nationally must redouble its efforts to posi- that “with our own hands we are uniting a this necessitates that socialists support the third camp in Israel/Palestine is that of work- tively support the Palestinian people. Hamas government of the area or their rocket ing-class, democratic and radical organisa-

Osanloo Workers against the Saudi regime ayha al Faifi fled Saudi Arabia in remember that Saudis are generally very 2002 after he was sacked from his ignorant of their rights, or in some cases and Madadi Yjob with British Aerospace for have greedy, individualistic attitudes. But the trying to organise a workers' meeting to main thing is the repression. When I lived in discuss new contracts. He has continued Swansea, I used to attend the branch meet- receive long the struggle for workers' rights in Saudi ings of the Socialist Party every week. If Arabia ever since. Sacha Ismail spoke to workers tried to do something like that in him at a Socialist Youth Network demon- Saudi Arabia, the emergency rooms would stration coinciding with the state visit of be full of mutilated bodies! There is a jail sentences Saudi King Abdullah. regime of terror.

Can you tell us about your campaigning? What support have you had from the I have continued to campaign peacefully for British trade union movement? BY PABLO VELASCO workers' rights. What Saudi workers want is the I have had lots of contact. But so far right to negotiate - but the regime will not even people have not done much. I am not too wo leaders of the Iranian bus work- grant this. They have no interest whatsoever in critical: people face a lot of pressure, and British workers have their own problems to ers’ union have been given long granting any workers' rights. fight. But you should understand that what is prison sentences for “acting against T Do you have contacts inside Saudi Arabia? happening in Saudi Arabia is a catastrophe. national security”, according to reports I maintain links with worker activists inside King Abdullah recently came to Britain on We need a broad perspective, international- from Iran. the country, through internet chat rooms, for a state visit ism. Mansour Osanloo, the president of the instance. It is very difficult, but we do what we Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and can, mostly just distributing information. How do you feel about King Abdullah's What should activists in Britain do? Suburbs Vahed Company was sentenced to Recently the Saudi minister of labour abolished visit to Britain? Be more ambitious. Rail workers in Wales, five years’ imprisonment for “propaganda Article 75 of the Saudi labour code, which No matter who is in power in Britain, this London and elsewhere have said they will against the system and acting against provided some job security. The powers of this special relationship continues. They call it a take action in support of Saudi workers. I national security”, while Ebrahim Madadi, article have been broken up among other arti- "healthy relationship", but that is the exact hope this will go ahead. British has the the vice-president was sent down for two cles, making them much weaker. It will be opposite of the truth. It is a disgrace. greatest trade union movement in the world, years for “acting against national secu- easier to sack workers; employers will be able and Saudi workers need its support. rity”. to say, do as well tell you or starve. What is the attitude of young people in Parvaneh Osanloo, Mansour Osanloo’s Yet most Saudi workers are not even aware Saudi Arabia? For a longer interview with Yahya, see wife vowed to fight these unjust sentences. this has happened. We are trying to let them Some students have tried to organise www.workersliberty.org/node/5101 To contact Yahya e-mail She said that doctors had recommended know. meetings in their universities, but they face [email protected] six weeks to three months of medical care the same problems as workers. It is very Are your contacts native Saudi or migrant difficult for youth to do anything. You must and complete rest for her husband after his workers? emergency eye surgery. However Evin Saudis. Migrant workers are in an even more prison’s general ward environment is not difficult situation. But I have been encouraging NO SWEAT ANNUAL GATHERING 2007 hygienic and sanitised and there is no my contacts to try to contact and organise proper facility for sick prisoners. migrant workers, from places like Pakistan, the It's time again for the No Sweat annual gathering, taking place on 1-2 December. This year the theme is “beating big brand exploitation”, with the following sessions: She said that Osanloo has already been Philippines and Africa. The situation in Saudi is in jail for about 13 months in total, but very bad: elsewhere in the Gulf, things are more • Red Politics or Product Red? How to Take on Exploitation (Discussion) didn’t know if this period was going to be liberal and you hear of protests. In UAE, • Taking on Water Privatisation and Child Labour in India (Slideshow and talk by considered. She added that judiciary recently, there was a strike of migrant workers Richard Whittle, author and activist) authorities do not listen to lawyers and over immigration regulations and work condi- • China the Olympics and Human and Workers Rights (Discussion with TUC, Amnesty Osanloo’s lawyers did not have full access tions. But in Saudi Arabia there is no space at International & Playfair) all. • Christmas High Street Campaigning (Ideas and planning with No Sweat & Labour to his file. Mansour Osanloo has been Behind the Label) facing numerous charges and different files What other issues do workers in Saudi • London Olympics and Workers’ Rights (UNITE construction worker activist speaks) have been opened against him. • Migrant Workers Speak (GMB & UNITE migrant worker activists tell their story) Arabia face? Parvaneh Osanloo added that when • Iran on the Brink (Discussion, Iranian activists share their perspectives) One very important issue is healthcare. If a • The Corporate Plunder of Iraq (Film and discussion with Iraqi trade unionist and anti Osanloo was kidnapped and taken to Evin worker gets sick and needs a major operation, prison, a new file with additional charges privatisation activist) he will often be sent home and his contract • Black Gold (Film showing and discussion) were opened against him. Those charges terminated. If anything bigger than basic medi- were withdrawn, although there might still cine is required, employers will not want to pay The event is being held Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 December at the T&G building, 128 be other opened files. it. And in Saudi Arabia you have to pay for Theobalds Road, nr. Holborn Tube, central London. Tickets for one day cost £6/£3 concs, Protest via the LabourStart website at healthcare - despite the oil wealth. 90% of or £10/£5 for the whole weekend. For more information on the agenda and to book tickets www.labourstart.org national income goes to 10% of the population. see www.nosweat.org.uk WORLD NEWS 7 France: students occupy, strikes from 13 November

BY ED MALTBY universities are reduced in size and undermined by the law. RENCH students are uniting with work- At the same time, the government is encour- ers to organise a mass opposition to aging universities to compete for funding from President Sarkozy’s offensive on health, private enterprises. F Finally, the government has increased the pensions, asylum seekers, the right to strike and education (see Solidarity 3-119), emphasis on universities being first and fore- Since the end of October mass meetings most providers of skilled workers for industry. have been held at more than twenty universities The law was voted on and passed very all over the France. Almost all of these meet- quickly over the summer holidays, to try to ings have voted for a programme of direct avoid student mobilisation against it. action in support of workers on strike against Unfortunately the largest student union, UNEF the government’s reforms. Students are calling has essentially agreed to everything in the law. for the repeal of recent laws on education fund- The bureaucrats in charge of UNEF are terri- ing and foreign students. fied of another mass struggle like the CPE Numerous universities have been occupied, movement breaking out, and are determined to including Paris-Tolbiac and Rouen, with nip grassroots student activity in the bud. administrative offices blockaded at Dijon. The organising work has therefore been left The movement is calling for the repeal of the to radical activist networks, smaller unions and Law on the Autonomy of Universities (LRU), revolutionary groups like the LCR. Even with- which is the government’s agenda of privatisa- out involvement from UNEF, the national tion-by-stealth in Higher Education. The LRU student co-ordination in Toulouse on the 30 October attracted delegations from 21 universi- concentrates power in the hands of university Railworkers were among those who participated in the 18 October strikes across France directors, encouraging them to operate like ties. Even at this early stage in the movement CEOs, and increases their power to bypass the ordinary students are attending mass meetings subject to more arrests and more aggressive student affair. The need for student-worker elected university council on issues like hiring and voting for radical action in their hundreds. police intervention than was seen during the unity is at the forefront of the minds of and firing staff, opening and closing depart- But the government is on the offensive too. CPE. students, who are turning out in droves to ments and laboratories, and deciding on Many universities have been pre-emptively The movement which is currently underway support picket lines and union demonstrations, sources of funding. Democratic bodies in shut by ministers, and student activists are in universities is unlikely to be an isolated in particular the last big one on the 18 October. “This is not just us revolutionary socialists being optimistic”, a young member Wednesday 7 November students from organising, and attempts were of the proceedings — that after only one large of the LCR told me, “in the general assemblies, being made to reopen it… These announcements general assembly the faculty was to be occupied. students with no activist background are talk- HAVE just returned from two successive were met with great cheers. Vague news from the Many commented that it was too soon. I raised ing about the need to support the strikes. After occupations of Parisian universities. On provinces was also read out, but reports were this charge with one of the leading unionists, the CPE, people understand how important it IWednesday night a general assembly was still confused and uncertain. who agreed that it was a small, rather silly is.” held in a large lecture theatre in the Sorbonne Wider issues were discussed as well — how action, but that a strike had after all been voted students had to support striking workers. As one for, that this blockade would help to make prop- It looks like student general assemblies (Paris IV). Around 300 students were in atten- directing actions, of university occupations and dance, in a huge wood-panelled room with a student from Tolbiac put it “we must warm up aganda for building another, larger general grand piano in the corner, and remained in the room for the railway workers!” assembly later, and that the authorities wouldn’t blockades of the transport system, could now session for around three hours. As students filed While anarchists spoke about the need to have the will or the resources to take serious be used to support a major strike wave which is into the university from the street, they were all create communal kitchens in the university and action against the participants. brewing for the coming month. For the first checked by security guards. There had been devise impregnable barricades, to allow for a The crowd reassembled for a smaller meeting time, a “reconductible” strike (where work- security and police posted on the door for some longer occupation, socialists stressed the need to where a plan was arrived at — to create a media places hold general assemblies every evening days, and the authorities had been reminding descend into the streets to march and picket buzz by provoking the administration to close to vote on whether to continue the strike the leading activists from the CPE movement, via alongside workers. the Sorbonne for a short period on Wednesday, following day) has been declared by the union email, that they were being watched. Towards the end of the meeting, a bloc of before leaving en masse to support the expected about thirty students opposed to the assembly occupation of Tolbiac, which was judged to be leaders in transport on 13 November, and in The meeting (amid great noise throughout, several other industries, including teaching and frequently interrupted by applause, cheers and arrived to take part in the vote at the end. They important for student morale nationally. To this raucous heckling) heard reports of action from made no arguments or interventions from the end, banners were hung out of windows, and local government unions for 20 November. other campuses in Paris were heard: Paris VIII floor… several tons of classroom furniture was piled up Labour movement activists are talking about had voted to blockade on Thursday, Paris I The vote was taken: 250 voted for, and 70 in the central courtyard. The strikers were 2007 being a replay of the events of the 1995 (Tolbiac, the historically most radical faculty) against a strike. ejected by the CRS at about 11 o’clock with no strikes and the 2006 student movement all in had been closed by the administration to prevent Many students were taken aback at the speed arrests... one go, with students and railway workers leading the way! Life underground for a Pakistani socialist

BY FAROOQ TARIQ, GENERAL SECRETARY OF promoted terrorism and suicidal attacks in people inside on the phone to tell them to be hard, but I had to be patient, I was told by Pakistan… [The truth is] he had imposed the ready for the arrests. So the laziness of three my friends. THE LABOUR PARTY PAKISTAN emergency rules to prolong his power period comrades saved them from being arrested! Today is Monday. We have decided to and to avoid the Supreme Court decision that Police went inside and broke the doors. bring out the weekly paper Workers’ Struggle N3 November 2007 I was in Toba might be against him. They asked women to leave and men to stay on time and today was the last day of the Tek Singh, a city around four hours Next day ... I put on my regular mobile to be arrested. They were all bundled away paper production. We did not work at the Ofrom Lahore, attending a preparation telephone, forgetting that I am underground. to the nearest police station. usual office of the paper. We brought the meeting for our fourth national conference There was immediately a call from a friend This incident shows the intensity of the equipment, computer and printer and so on, due to be held in the city on 9-11 November. and I replied to him. This was a mistake. police brutality and the [goal of the] military to a new place to work together. On hearing the emergency has been I was told by my friend to change my regime to silence any opposition voice. It We five together worked on the paper. I declared I decided to travel to Lahore (where location immediately. I went to a park three was the first time since the establishment of wrote the main article... I used a new tele- I live). This was against the background of kilometres away from where I was staying the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan phone line to hear about the arrests of my three arrests in three months and 23 days and spoke to some comrades on my new office in 1986 that police have entered the lawyers all over the country. More than 700 spent in jails and police stations. The Labour telephone and discussed the political situa- building. It was considered to be a safe place have been arrested. Police entered the Party Pakistan has become a target for the tion. I called my family. My daughter and and that police would not dare to enter. Lahore High Court building for the first time military regime because of our active partici- son asked me not to come home and told me In the evening I made another mistake on in history and arrested the lawyers after pation in the lawyers’ movement. Several that they are okay. my regular telephone. Bad habits die hard. I severely beating them up. I was writing comrades have been arrested. A meeting of the Joint Action Committee spoke to a journalist from a private TV chan- about a new history of police atrocities As I arrived in Lahore I heard that police for People’s Rights was called at the office nel about the arrests. I immediately realised under a military dictatorship. had raided my house and were looking for of the Human Rights Commission of my mistake and left where I was to stay at We decided to fight back against the mili- me. My partner Shahnaz Iqbal told them Pakistan to discuss a strategy to oppose the another one for the evening. As I arrived at tary regime and to organise the movement. It that I was not home and would not be at dictatorial measures. The chairperson of the the new place I received a call around was agreed that I will not come out in the home because I know that I would be Commission Asma Jahanghir was already 11.30pm that police had entered my home open but will be active in organising the arrested. detained at her house. Her office called me and looked for me everywhere. The next movement until my arrest at my post. We I was given a few mobile phone SIMs and to tell the comrades to come for the meeting. morning my partner told me the police had will not accept the dictatorial measures, we was advised not to use my regular mobile I told them I would not be there and that if come with some intelligence officers in plain will organise demonstrations and will ask number. the police saw me they would immediately clothes. They ordered her to open the door. comrades to be ready for more arrests. All of the private television channels were arrest me. When police entered my home, only my Here I am sitting in an internet cafe at off the air. There was only official television, Khalid Malik, director of the Labour daughter (13), son (7) and my partner 6pm to write this. I had to travel over 20 broadcasting the official propaganda. Education Foundation, and Azra Shad, chair- Shahnaz were at home. The police opened kilometers to reach my place for this After midnight, General Musharraf came person of the Women Workers Help Line, every room, cupboards, bathroom, and went evening. on the official television.. with his usual were among around 70 people who went to to the rooftop. They were desperate to arrest More information email demagogy about the national interest and this meeting. Comrades who were a little me. [email protected], or visit “Pakistan first”. He told us that he has late for the meeting saw police everywhere I was upset after hearing the news but did www.laborpakistan.org or removed the chief justice of the Supreme around the HRCP office. They contacted not call home for security reasons. It was www.jeddojuhd.com Court of Pakistan because his decisions have 8 CAMPAIGNING

National Union of Students calls special conference within next month to shut down democracy We need student unions which fight!

BY SOFIE BUCKLAND (NUS NATIONAL ground-up to exert pressure — for instance by comrades and others at the launch meeting. This lead to a farce towards the end of the EXECUTIVE, PC) holding open meetings, collecting signatures on Despite spending much of the day talking meeting, with the SWP chair Alys Elica the ENS-launched statement, circulating infor- about the need for a broad campaign (as a Zaerin claiming the ENS proposal to adopt mation among campaigning societies, writing defence of their position that the campaign our statement was counterposed to, rather than N Sunday 4 November, a meeting was articles for student newspapers and websites, should have no positive proposals for NUS an addition to the SWP’s (bland but mostly held at Birkbeck College in London to and holding demonstrations and actions to democracy), the SWP-led majority voted acceptable) motion on the activity of the launch a united campaign against the O mobilise activists and put pressure on your down the nominations of Communist Students campaign, and that people couldn’t vote for attacks on democracy included in the union executive. and Socialist Students comrades to the steer- both. After twenty minutes ridiculous wran- “Governance Review” of the National Union of Although the focus of the NUS democracy ing committee in a shockingly sectarian gling over the order of voting and which Students. Attended by 50 student activists and campaign is on persuading delegates and manoeuvre. (Their leadership also opposed the proposals constituted amendments, the SWP student union officers — including members of student union officers of the immediate need to election of ENS supporter Daniel Randall, but successfully defeated both our amendments — Education Not for Sale, Workers’ Liberty, the vote against the proposals, a real campaign to many SWP members broke ranks and voted for the steering committee to draft a motion SWP, Socialist Students, the Young Greens, and defend and extend NUS’s democratic structures for him anyway, so he got on.) agreeable to all rather than accepting the a variety of independents — the meeting must draw in ordinary students not already The justification from Rob Owen, the SWP outdated and politically lacking one from discussed the nature of the attacks within the involved in their (often moribund) students’ member on the NUS Executive, that such “Respect”, and for the ENS statement to be context of years of NUS inaction and misman- unions. We shouldn’t miss this opportunity to groups represent nothing in NUS, is demon- political basis for the campaign. Of course, it agement, began to plan a campaign against communicate to a wider layer of people the strably false in the case of Socialist Students. is not unreasonable for the majority of meet- them, and elected a steering committee to take need for a democratic, fighting union that actu- In any case, it is proved spurious by the ing to vote for their own views; it is their things forward. ally wins for students, and we mustn’t mirror SWP’s support for two members of the tiny, procedural methods that we object to. ENS members proposed that our statement, the tactics of NUS’s rightwing by ignoring Stalinist Student Broad Left group being Perhaps worst of all was the process of advocating a vision for the student movement student activists on the ground. elected to the committee. SBL only weakly elections for the committee, in which addi- and positive proposals as well as defensive What you can do: oppose the review, failed to vote against the tions to Rob’s slate of ten had to gain a major- slogans, be adopted by the campaign. With the • Sign the statement in opposition to the entire document on the NUS executive, and in ity of the whole room to get elected — which SWP having mobilised a fairly large number of Governance Review changes, the Extraordinary the case of NUS Black Students’ Officer is how the SWP were easily able to exclude their members for the meeting, that was voted Conference and for a democratic, campaigning Ruqayyah Collector, who was a member of Communist Students and Socialist Students, down 14-24 with eight abstentions. The SWP is NUS — see www.free-education.org.uk/?p=397 the review board, failed to raise the alarm especially after five extra SWP members sticking to the idea that positive proposals will • Get delegated to the Extraordinary while it was being put together. turned up right at the end of meeting purely in endanger the fight to defeat the Governance Conference and to next year’s annual confer- Do the SWP think them worth having on order to vote. Review — missing two key points. ence by running in your SU elections, or board because they too support the position of Meanwhile ENS and other comrades who Firstly, the campaign as a whole adopting a demanding your SU holds elections for the a purely defensive campaign, and because very politely asked SBL member Ruqayyah particular platform does not mean that people Extraordinary Conference if it doesn’t plan to they will be a reliable ally against ENS, if not Collector to confirm her political affiliation have to agree with every dot and comma to • Putting a motion to your SU to oppose the against the NUS right-wing? And wasn’t the when standing for the committee were work with it — as anyone who has ever been Review — see the ENS website for model exclusion of socialist opponents motivated accused of witch-hunting (!); we hope this involved in any sort of activism knows. Even if motions purely by sectarian factional vitriol? isn’t an indication that the campaign will be they don’t put their name to a particular state- • Holding a meeting on your campus — get Despite repeated attempts by ENS to meet closed to political honesty and debate. ment, no one opposed to the Governance in touch for a speaker with Rob Owen to discuss a democratic struc- ENS welcomes the launch of the campaign, Review proposals is going to vote in favour of • Circulating the ENS statement as a petition ture for the open meeting (which he had and will continue to work within it, pushing them on the grounds that they disagree with among activists, campaigning groups to raise agreed at the ENS gathering on 21 October), positive demands as well as opposing the some aspects of the campaign against. awareness of the changes Rob cancelled the planned meeting and review. We raise these criticisms in the spirit Secondly, and more fundamentally, it is clear For help or more information get in touch blocked any discussion until two and half of political openness, not as a sectarian attack, that we cannot run an effective campaign unless with Sofie Buckland, days before 4 November, when he sent out an and we hope SWP comrades will respond. we tell the truth about NUS’s current short- [email protected] agenda and proposed slate to ENS convenor Meanwhile we argued for and won open steer- comings. For the leadership to be able to pres- Sofie Buckland and the Young Green’s Aled ing meetings, where anyone can attend, speak ent opponents of the Governance Review as Dilwyn Fisher. and put proposals (though only the elected essentially conservative would be fatal. In The agenda had no ENS speaker in the committee will vote), and hope that currents particular, we will not mobilise any significant LTHOUGH ENS welcomes the launch planning session (later changed at the last on the NUS left who were excluded from the number of student activists if we fail to make of a united campaign against the minute after we protested) and no process for committee will attend these meetings and clear that we are not defending the status quo. Governance Review, we have some A submitting motions, counter proposals or continue to work within the campaign. The meeting adopted the slogans “Defend concerns about the behaviour of the SWP alternative nominations for the committee. NUS democracy”, “Defeat the Governance Review” and “For a democratic, campaigning NUS”. While we came up with the last of these and thus welcome its adoption, we would make the point that it needs to be filled with some definite content — since, after all, no one in NUS would disagree on paper with the need for it to be democratic and campaigning. Labour and union left deba We will continue to work within the campaign, arguing against a purely defensive stance, for a positive vision and for concrete demands to win a democratic, campaigning, BY RHODRI EVANS class political representation”. cal parties are increasingly seen as irrelevant... political NUS. ENS supporters Sofie Buckland We will also argue for the LRC to back the There is an opportunity for exciting, frenetic (NUS NEC) and Daniel Randall (NUS NEC “RE-LAUNCH to achieve workers’ initiative by the rail union RMT for an inde- activity capable of creating a climate of member 2005-2006) were elected to the steer- representation” — that is what support- pendent working-class slate in next year’s progressive hegemony which no government ing committee, as were a number of others who ers of Solidarity will be arguing at the London mayor and GLA election, if the RMT could immunise itself from no matter how ruth- A goes ahead with it. lessly it closes down democracy in its own have worked closely with ENS. Steering conference of the Labour Representation committee meetings will be open to all activists Committee on 17 November. The conference will hear other views. party. to attend and speak at, and we hope to be able The Bournemouth Labour Party conference John McDonnell, who challenged for Labour So we don’t need political parties any more? to publicise the first one soon. decision to ban motions from unions and local Party leader to succeed Tony Blair, is the So workers should renounce any idea of having As the meeting heard from Dan Swain of Labour Parties at future conferences completed Labour MP most active in the LRC, which also our own party which can create a workers’ NUS Steering Committee (in effect NUS’s a full shut-down of the Labour Party’s living has the affiliation of five trade unions (CWU, government, and instead aim no higher than conference arrangements committee), it is political link of accountability to the labour ASLEF, Bakers; RMT, which has been expelled “creating a climate” to restrain hostile govern- certain that an Extraordinary Conference to movement. It has forced every socialist who has from the Labour Party; FBU, which disaffili- ments? push through the cuts will now go ahead, since taken the life of the Labour Party seriously — ated) and many union branches. McDonnell gets the term “hegemony” from the right-wing majority on the NUS Executive and every socialist should have done, because Like us, he believes a change of direction is the 1920s/30s Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci. will have little difficulty getting the requisite 25 for over a hundred years the life of the Labour necessary. He has written: The vote to close For Gramsci, the agency for socialist hegemony member unions to call one, although so far only Party had been the centre of the political life of down democratic decision making at the Labour was the revolutionary party, “the Modern seven requests have been formally made. The the British working class — to reassess. party conference... demonstrated that the old Prince”, leading the workers, who in turn would Conference will take place on 29 November or Solidarity supporters will argue that the LRC strategy is largely over... lead other oppressed social groups and layers. 4, 5 or 6 December. The immediate focus for should “ start to work as a broader Workers’ The Left has the difficult task of accepting But for McDonnell, diffuse movements can lead student activists is now to pass motions in their Representation Committee” and appeal to other and explaining to others that the old routes into the party? unions mandating delegates to vote against the socialists to join it in creating “an axis to bring- the exercise of power and influence involving Of course mobilisations like the anti-global- review, and to get themselves delegated if they ing about re-composition in the socialist and internal Labour Party mobilisations and warming camp at Heathrow in August are can. We will demand that unions that have not labour movement”. manoeuvres have largely been closed down. We important. The trouble with McDonnell’s argu- yet had their elections hold a cross-campus Straight away, in the months up to the 2008 have to face up to the challenge of identifying ment is that it can de-focus the LRC from the ballot to elect delegates. We need just over a union conferences, the LRC must campaign in and developing new routes... specific work which it (and at present no other third of the vote to reject the constitutional the unions to reverse the Bournemouth decision. But for “new routes” he proposes, to put it body) can do in the unions, and leave LRC changes. Looking further ahead, it should “campaign to unkindly, a sort of “hippy syndicalism”. supporters in the local Labour Parties just For activists at universities where getting win Trades Councils to join in the formation of New social movements have mobilised on a jogging along with no perspective other than delegated or passing motions will be difficult local workers’ representation committees, as vast array of issues ranging from climate waiting for “progressive” gas emissions from (because of right-wing or inactive students’ local affiliates of the Labour Representation change, asylum rights, to housing and arms diverse campaigns to warm them. unions, for example), resisting the review will Committee... Local committees will be encour- sales... Socialist Appeal (a splinter of the old Militant involve educating people on your campus about aged to adopt a flexible approach, utilising The Left needs to open itself to co-operation Tendency) wants the Labour left to continue what it means for NUS and organising from the whatever means available, to secure working- with progressive campaigns... The main politi- after Bournemouth exactly as before. Its latest CAMPAIGNING 9 Abortion review Liberalisation... but without strings! Get out on the streets!

Laura Rogers and Rebecca Galbraith sent a Fightback. If Abortion Rights, with its longer version of this letter to the Abortion affiliated trade union or student organisa- Rights campaign tions, had either supported this march or called one of its own, it would certainly N Saturday 20 October we went to have been larger. Where is this pro-choice Parliament Square expecting to be majority that Abortion Rights claims so Opart of a counter-demonstration to proudly to hold? Why were only two the anti-abortion, anti-women rally; people present on Saturday to support the instead we were the demonstration. Where millions of women who have made a legiti- were you? Abortion Rights, as the biggest, mate choice? best supported, “official” pro-choice By including Tory MPs on your platform campaign, it’s time to up the fight! you are forced to fight a politically self On Saturday religious reactionaries and limiting campaign. This kind of campaign anti-abortionists were moved to mobilise cannot raise the demands necessary to On 3 March Education Not for Sale Women held a torchlit demonstration for abortion on demand 1000 people to commiserate the passing of provide working class women with a true the 1967 Abortion Act. Their “funeral choice. To call for a living wage, publicly BY REBECCA GALBRAITH women’s liberation! The findings of this review march” for the six million pregnancies funded childcare and a strong NHS is will be used to inform MPs debating an amend- terminated since, showed the most neither extreme nor radical – it just does- ment to the 1967 Abortion Act, as part of the N 29 October the Commons Science grotesque lack of respect and empathy for n’t fit with a Tory agenda. Your campaign Human Tissues and Embryos Bill. The commit- and technology committee published a ordinary women everywhere and an outra- is not only quiet it is cowardly. tee ruled out examination of ethical or moral Oreview of the 1967 Abortion Act. They geous ignorance of the real choices we may Our presence should be in the hospitals, issues surrounding abortion time limits, saying made three main recommendations: all have to face. That this went unchal- in the schools and in the streets of our local • Upholding the 24 week time limit for abor- it would take evidence on new medical inter- lenged is shameful. communities. Abortion Rights you should tion; ventions and techniques that may increase the chances of survival of premature infants. This This anniversary should be our platform be organising a high profile, militant • Removing the need for women seeking an for change; it is unbelievable that the abortion to get two doctor’s signatures; reduces the argument surrounding time-limits campaign to assert our rights to choose. opportunity has not been fully taken to • Allowing nurses to perform first trimester to one of “foetal viability”; the rights of the We want a national demonstration to rival abortions. woman remain unacknowledged. If medical defend and extend women’s rights. The that organised by the National Abortion Around the review there had been a drive by advances meant, for instance, that a foetus was result of Abortion Rights’ decision not to Campaign, forerunners of Abortion Rights the anti-abortion lobby and a small handful of viable at 16 weeks our position should not organise public demonstrations means that in 1979, that mobilised 60,000 people. We highly vocal MPs, mainly men, mostly Tories, change, an abortion at 16 weeks and beyond in the fortieth anniversary year there was want pickets, counter-actions, a real fight. to chip away at abortion rights. They will not should still be a woman’s right. only one pro-choice demonstration — a It is time not only to defend the rights of be pleased with these recommendations. And the report itself states, “Because we 300 strong march organised by Education women already won, but to make some An end to the “two doctors’ signatures” recognise what the science and medical Not for Sale Women and Feminist progressive, positive demands of our own. clause and the implied improvement in accessi- evidence can tell us is only one of the many bility of early abortions are especially positive factors that are taken into account when legis- move forwards for women. However, there is lating on this issue, we have not made any to put their names to the report. Their Minority in exchange for the liberalisation of early abor- recommendations as to how MPs should vote.” Report contradicted the majority findings and still a lot to fight for. tions; it will hit hardest at the most vulnerable. First of all there is no guarantee that the Social, ethical and moral issues will certainly put forward a series of what amount to anti- majority of MPs will concur with the review’s not be excluded from the main debate; the pro- choice, anti-women policies. Dorries and Spink Finally while the call to allow “suitably accuse the Science and Technology Select trained and experienced nurses and midwives” Committee of being “hijacked” by “powerful vested interests” in the “abortion industry”. to carry out abortions makes a lot of sense, Their response is a reminder of the kind of there are criticisms of how it will be imple- views held by some “members of the house”. Thirdly although the review does not advo- mented. The development of Early Medical cate a reduction in the time limit, it does noth- Abortion allows for an easily-administered ates Bournemouth ing to advocate an increase in the accessibility of abortions for women after 14 weeks. procedure. Increasingly its availability could The British Medical Association, who gave help cut down the damaging wait that many recommendations; it is possible that the already evidence to the committee, warned that choice movement cannot delude itself that there limited access to late abortions will become “changes in relation to first trimester abortion women currently have to suffer. But the situa- is a significant contingent of MPs feminist in further restricted in exchange for a more liberal should not adversely impact upon the availabil- ethics or morality. tion is complex. Nurses are often best-placed to approach to earlier abortions. ity of later abortions.” But Dr Vincent Argent, And was much controversy within the Second the committee’s brief was to do with who gave evidence to the select committee, has deliver person-centred care to patients. But committee itself, culminating with two Tory science — it had no mandate to look at the proposed on Radio Four to make the abortion MPs, Nadine Dorries and Bob Spink, refusing nurses should not be left vulnerable to exploita- issue in terms of women’s choice, let alone law more liberal under 16 weeks, but tougher there after. While he was not calling for an tion. The new service should not be approached editorial says exactly the same thing as it has redoubles their efforts when they forget their been saying for decades: Labour needs a aim”. Graham Bash would have us act that way, overall reduction in the time limit, he was as a money-saving scheme for the NHS. It recommending that the only proviso for abor- Socialist programme including nationalisation of but with much less than fanatical energy. The aim needs adequate investment in training and the banks and financial institutions and the was to turn the structures of working-class tions after 16 weeks should be “grave risk to nationalisation of the commanding heights of the accountability in the Labour Party against the physical or mental health” of the woman, i.e. support. economy under workers’ control and manage- leadership? To make the Labour Party, or least a no so called “social reasons”. The early abortion recommendations do not ment. The first task is to reclaim the Labour large part of it, a vehicle for working-class repre- Many of the circumstances in which women Party. sentation? That road is closed, says Bash. What seek late abortions would be ruled out: women address the problem of finding doctors who are So oblivious is Socialist Appeal that it hasn’t then? Why, continue the same perfunctory who don’t know they are pregnant, who think willing to deliver late abortions; nor do they do even carried a report or a website comment on efforts, and redouble the condemnations of those they are menopausal, who are too frightened to the Bournemouth decision, let alone an assess- who try something more energetic! acknowledge their pregnancy any earlier, or anything to alleviate the current injustice of the ment of it. Nor did it noticeably campaign None of this should be read as a call to leave whose circumstances drastically change. “NHS postcode lottery” where a woman’s against the rule-change in advance of the Labour Party and make yet another attempt However, Argent also said that agencies such as Bournemouth. to form a socialist sect... the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, or access to an abortion is dependent on her Labour Left Briefing is a bit less oblivious. Its Graham Bash recommends a call for “a real, other, more expensive, private agencies may geographical location. We cannot just fight on editor Graham Bash has written: Bournemouth broad-based party of Labour, democratic and still provide abortions in these circumstances. 2007 may well turn out to be a decisive moment accountable in its structures and capable of As far as he was concerned if private clinics the basis of legalities; with the increasing in the degeneration of the Labour Party.... It representing all those that are struggling against want to do late abortions, fine, their choice, but privatisation of the NHS there are no guaran- marked “the end of the remaining structures of New Labour...” screw everyone who can’t access this or pay! accountability in the party”. Bash cited, without A call on whom, by whom? Who will drive This approach backs up the nasty political tees of service provision or accessibility. demur, Alan Simpson’s assessment of the change forward and organise round this “call”? In the consensus already in place. Already the NHS • If you want to get involved in organising as “irreversible”. It has “fundamentally under- current subdued state of the unions, no-one can does not often do late abortions. Doctor Argent mined the capacity of the Labour Party to be a suppose that a new party will emerge instantly was frank about the fact that many NHS direct action please come along to the vehicle for working class representation...” merely by being “called for”. It will have to be doctors already refuse abortions after 14 weeks Feminist Fightback planning meeting on Try something else? Not Graham. A fanatic, fought for, and over a fairly long period. Don’t and that many hospitals have arbitrary cut off Sunday 9 December. For more details please wrote George Santanyana”, is “a person who we need the socialists to organise into an active points at 18, 16 or even 14 weeks. Some people will be willing to go along with this consensus see www.feministfightback.org.uk. How India threw off British rule

The following text is a speech by Sacha for its forcible overthrow by something better. Ismail given at Workers' Liberty’s London “All the English bourgeoisie may be forced forum on “Sixty years since Indian inde- to do will neither emancipate nor materially pendence”. The other speaker was Sarbjit mend the social condition of the mass of the Johal from South Asia Solidarity, see people, depending not only on the develop- www.southasiasolidarity.org ment of the productive powers, but on their appropriation by the people. But what they HE BBC, the Mayor of London, muse- will not fail to do is to lay down the material ums, schools, many parts of the estab- premises for both...The Indians will not reap Tlishment, are commemorating the 60th the fruits of the new elements of society scat- anniversary of Indian independence, but in tered among them by the British bourgeoisie, their own way — basically by celebrating the till in Great Britain itself the now ruling cultural commodities of present day India. classes shall have been supplanted by the This is both a boon to bourgeois New Labour- industrial proletariat, or till the Hindoos them- style “multiculturalism” and, with India selves shall have grown strong enough to becoming one of the world’s most important throw off the English yoke altogether.” economies, a smart business decision. The left There have been some very stupid attempts and the labour movement need to have some- over the years to depict Marx as a pro-imperi- thing different to say. alist. But this is simply nonsense. Marx’s atti- India is a country of hundreds of millions tude to the Indian people is demonstrated of people that for more than a century was vividly by the fact that, when the International exploited and oppressed by the ruling class of Working Men’s Association received a request our country, with the support or acquiescence in 1871 to establish a branch in Calcutta, the of at least a section of the working class too. General Council insisted that the applicants be The story of its people’s struggle for inde- “instructed of the necessity of enrolling pendence, and of the Indian workers and peas- natives in the association”. ants who fought within that struggle for social Marx’s attitude, combining support for as well as national liberation, is an inspira- Pupils at the East India College in Haileybury train to be administrators of the Empire economic and social development with oppo- tion; it is a vital part of international working- Meanwhile, in order to secure its hold over facture employed one eighth of the British sition to imperial violence and political class history, not least for the British working India relatively cheaply, and thus with only a population and accounted for one twelvth of class. Understanding this story is crucial to small Britain garrison (during its drive to put the national revenue; India provided a quarter There was a cross- understanding the class struggles of South down the 1857 rebellion, the number of of its market. For instance, between 1818 and Asia today. British troops numbered in the thousands, as 1836, the amount of cotton twist exported fertilisation between British against 160,000 US troops in the relatively from the UK to India rose by a factor of more and Indian radicalism. Many HOW BRITAIN RULED INDIA tiny country of Iraq today) Britain built an than 5,000. By 1870, 21% of all Britain's alliance with sections of India’s wealthy overseas capital stock was in India. British radicals learnt to HE patterns of Indian society today are, classes, at the expense of the peasantry. This The result was the ruining of many impor- hate British imperialism and of course, shaped by what the Indian is how Karl Marx put it in 1853: tant Indian cities and mass starvation. Marx Truling class has done since 1947. “In Bengal, we have a combination of the again: “The English cotton machinery capitalism through their However, they are also rooted in two English landlordism, of the Irish middle-men produced an acute effect in India. The gover- reading about or contact centuries of British rule. system, of the Austrian system, transforming nor-general reported in 1834-5: ‘The misery Before 1857, British rule in India was exer- the landlord into the tax-gatherer, of the hardly finds a parallel in the history of with India, and many Indian cised not by the British state as such, but by Asiatic system making the state the real land- commerce. The bones of the cotton-weavers activists came to Britain the East India Company, which over a long lord. In Madras and Bombay we have a are bleaching the plains of India’.” period, beginning in the 1750s, established French peasant proprietor who is at the same and were radicalised military control or indirect domination over time a serf and a sharecropper of the state. through contact with most of the subcontinent. In 1857, what the The drawbacks of all these various systems SOCIALISTS AND INDIAN British empire christened the Sepoy Mutiny, accumulate upon him without his enjoying INDEPENDENCE movements here. but could more properly be called the Indian any of their redeeming features... Eleven HAT was Marx’s attitude to British rebellion, occurred. It was an uprising of twelfths of the whole Indian population have rule in India? He was, as one would Britain’s Indian troops, which in some areas oppression, was absorbed by the best elements been wretchedly pauperised...” expect from the quotations above, developed into broader popular revolt. Agriculture stagnated. According to W of the international socialist movement that unremittingly hostile to it. He chronicled the There are debates about the extent to which developed during the course of the 19th barbarity of British rule in India, describing it this rebellion was in the modern sense a revo- century. as a “bleeding process with a vengeance” and lution or national liberation struggle, but it India is a country of In Britain, for instance, the early Marxists, “hideous idol drinking from the skulls of the was certainly very significant. After 1857, and chief among them Henry Hyndman of the hundreds of millions of slain”. Britain took precautions against further insta- Social Democratic Federation, made support At the same time Marx’s view was more bility by reorganising the bits of India it people that for more than a for Indian independence a central part of their complicated than that. He believed that, controlled under direct rule. politics. When the debates between right-wing century was exploited and despite itself, Britain was laying the founda- The India which Britain conquered from the supporters of colonialism and left-wing oppo- tions for a “social revolution” in India by mid-18th century was not “underdeveloped” oppressed by the ruling nents of it took place in the Socialist introducing capitalist development. As well as by the standards of the time. The Mughal International at the start of the 20th century, class of our country, with breaking down the structures of the old soci- empire which administered it was in decay the left cited Marx’s support for Indian libera- ety, British rule introduced elements of a new and decline; its common people were poorer the support or acquiescence tion, as well as the national struggles of one. The authorities built factories and, even- in Europe, though by a much smaller margin Poland and Ireland, as exemplary. of at least a section of the tually, railways, a development which Marx than today. However, its handicraft trades also There was also a cross-fertilisation between saw as highly significant: made it the world’s great industrial export working class too. British and Indian radicalism. Many British “The ruling classes of Britain have had, till centre. Far from being a barren territory need- radicals learnt to hate British imperialism and now, but an accidental, transitory and excep- ing to be developed, for the various European capitalism through their reading about or tional interest in the progress of India. The imperialists who attempted to conquer it — contact with India, and many Indian activists economic historian Angus Maddison: “From aristocracy wanted to conquer it, the money- Dutch, Portuguese, French and eventually came to Britain and were radicalised through the beginning of British conquest in 1757 to ocracy wanted to plunder it, the millocracy British — it was a great treasure-house wait- contact with movements here. Britain’s first independence... per capita income... probably wanted to undersell it. But now the tables are ing to be looted. non-white MP, for instance, was Dadabhai did not increase at all. In the UK itself there turned...You cannot maintain a net of railways Enormous amounts of wealth were pumped Naoroji, a Parsi campaigner for Indian inde- was a ten fold increase in per capita income over an immense country without introduc- out of India into Britain’s country houses, pendence who, though elected as a Liberal, over these two centuries. Average life ing... industrial processes... The railway board rooms and government departments, steadily moved to the left until he joined the expectancy was only 30 years in 1947.” system will become, in India, truly the fore- and into the homes of retired army officers, Socialist International. At the same time, India’s handicraft indus- runner of modern industry.” shareholders and bondholders. According to Naoroji spoke at the International’s 1904 tries were destroyed by the transformation of Did Marx conclude from this that British more conservative estimates, this flow took Congress, where he stated that “the fate of the country into a captive market for British rule would benefit the mass of people or out of the country more than a quarter of the India rests in the hands of the working factory production. Between 1780 and 1850 should be supported? Quite the opposite. In resources otherwise available for industrial classes”. This tradition continued into the total British exports to India rose from fact, the progressive element of British rule development. £386,000 to £8 million. In 1850, cotton manu- 20th century with figures like Shapurji existed mainly in the fact it prepared the way Saklatvala, the Communist Party-supporting Aregiment of the British Army in India Labour MP for Battersea. Saklatvala was the Or again: “I cannot ask officials and at least a million people were killed by the capitalist market, in India, not in European first person to be arrested during the General soldiers to disobey... If I taught them to Pakistani regime. capitals. India is not a colony, or a semi- Strike, after he called on soldiers not to fire disobey I should be afraid that they maight do The leaders of the big bourgeois parties colony, of anyone. One result is that the on striking workers. the same when I am in power... when I am in professed horror at the violence, but through Indian economy has grown staggeringly. This power I shall in all likelihood make use of their communalist politics they had helped to in turn has meant real changes for millions of those same officials and those same soldiers”. prepare it. Even some of the leaders of the people - life expectancy is no longer 30, as it LATER HISTORY Though Gandhi was assassinated by Hindu more secular Congress had always linked was when the British left, but 68. ARX’S warning was apt. In addition communalist fanatic in 1948, the Congress India’s national cause with Hindu symbols The fact that the benefit to the Indian to the poverty and misery it brought governments which ruled India after 1947 did and concepts. The relatively strong people has not been more extensive is not Mfor the majority of the population, indeed use those same soldiers and officials Communist Party of India, and the move- because independence was worthless, but India’s industrial development proceeded only against the Indian working-class and other ments it dominated, were prevented from because of the nature of the capitalist system, very slowly under British rule. British capital- popular movements whenever they considered playing a significant role by their popular which cannot fulfil the needs of the majority. ists saw no need to move their factories there; it necessary. front politics, dictated from Moscow. Not To quote Marx again: “All the bourgeoisie Indian capitalists had no government of their only did the CP puts its faith in the Muslim may be forced to do will neither emancipate own to provide protection and aid for new PARTITION League and Congress leaders to solve the nor materially mend the social condition of enterprises. In fact, the British state positively RITAIN had, quite unashamedly, used communal conflict, it demobilised mass the mass of the people, which depends not discouraged Indian capitalists because it saw divide-and-rule tactics in India. After mobilisations against capitalists and landlords, only on the development of the them as potential competitors to British busi- Bthe 1857 rebellion, groups which had for instance halting in its land agitation in productive powers, but on their ness. been on the whole less rebellious, for instance Bengal, for far of alienating the “national appropriation by the people.” India had a spurt of industrial growth the Sikhs, were carefully favoured and selec- bourgeoisie”. Capitalist development in during World War One (during which many tively recruited into the army. (The Sikhs Thus any possible popular movement reach- India has created a thousands of Indian soldiers died to help tended to side with the British because they ing across the communal divide to stop the hundreds-of-millions-strong, British imperialism in its conflict with were angry about Muslim soldiers from violence was frustrated. The anti-revolution- and often very militant, work- German imperialism), stagnated after the war Bengal helping to conquer Punjab!) Britain ary politics of India’s various “communist” ing class, and many powerful and had another spurt in World War One. By fostered Muslim support by posing as a parties have been a powerful factor in shaping movements for secularism, 1947, India had a bigger native bourgeoisie protector against the (real) forces of Hindu the country’s politics to this day. democracy and liberation. than any other “Third World” country. obscurantism, by sponsoring institutions such As everywhere in the world, Nonetheless, it had been made “backward” as the Muslim university at Alighar and by TODAY these movements are under and “underdeveloped”, for want of better setting up separate Muslim electoral rolls with N India today, four hundred million people attack, and need interna- terms, in a way it had not been in 1757. a wider franchise than the Hindu ones. live on the equivalent of less than dollar a tional support. To remain cheap, British rule in India had The climax of this approach came with the Iday. Something like a third of all the Independence was, in the to educate and train a layer, small in relation people in the world who live at that extreme first instance, a victory to the population but big in absolute numbers, Any possible popular level of poverty are in India. 39% of Indian for the Indian bour- of Indian officials. The growth of bourgeois- people, and 52% of Indian women, are illiter- geoisie, but it is educated and bourgeois-wealthy Indians movement reaching across ate (2001 figures). One child in eight dies the Indian helped to produce a nationalist movement, the communal divide to before the age of five. working class Congress, founded in 1885 — at first stud- The big cities have millions living on the which is real iedly non-militant and smiled on by the stop the violence was streets, begging, scratching a life from odd inheritor of the British authorities, later more militant and in frustrated. The anti- jobs. Most poor people live in the country- independence conflict with them. side; India has had more land reform laws struggle. After World War One Congress was led by revolutionary politics of than any other country in the world, but they Mohandas Gandhi. His campaign is still cited have not been effective. Hundreds of millions by many liberals as a model of how to win India’s various “communist” of people still live in conditions not far from political change by non-violent methods of parties have been a Europe's Middle Ages. passive non-cooperation. At the same time, India’s secular political In fact the movement for independence — powerful factor in shaping culture has partially broken down, with the from the mass demonstration at Amritsar in the country’s politics to this rise of large-scale communal violence, most An Indian man 1919, which turned into a massacre when commonly carried out by the Hindu national- looks at a statue British troops opened fire, to the naval day ist far right against Muslims. of his far-away mutinies, general strikes and peasant rebel- Would it therefore be right to conclude that ruler, Queen lions of the two years preceding independence events of partition as India gained its inde- independence, and the fight for it, were all a Victoria — was driven forward by the militant action pendence. In 1947, the British government, waste of time? For socialists, the answer must of workers and peasants: many of them influ- knowing it was defeated and hoping to be: of course not. enced by revolutionary-democratic, anti-capi- minimise its losses, cut and run, partitioning When India won its independence, a coun- talist and socialist ideas. The achievement of India to give the Muslim League movement, try of many hundreds of millions threw off Gandhi and those like him was not to create which it had built up as a rival to Congress, foreign rule. It was evidence that tyranny does this movement, but to damp it down and its own Muslim state, Pakistan. Communal not last forever, and that oppressed people can channel it towards bourgeois and petty bour- violence killed a million people, made ten rise up and seek to control their own destiny. geois politics, as well as into passive and million refugees and left a vicious legacy: The Indian people defeated and began the intert forms of protest. three wars between India and Pakistan, bloody break up of the most powerful empire in the Gandhi was clear about the class meaning conflict in the disputed territory of Kashmir, world, and laid the ground for the independ- of this: “In India we want no political communal strife in India, and Islamism in ence struggles of many other nations. strikes... We seek not to destroy capital or Pakistan. And while India is still marked by the signs capitalists but to regulate the relations The artificial nature of the Pakistani entity of imperial torture and underdevelopment, between capital and labour. We want to also laid the basis for the national oppression, things have changed since independence. harness capital. It would be folly to encourage and eventually in 1971 the liberation struggle, Decisions about the Indian economy are now sympathetic strikes.” of what is now Bangladesh. In the 1971 war made, in so far as they can be under the world 12 THE LEFT SWP: now break from Galloway’s politics!

BY RHODRI EVANS Respect. (Might they also merge with the rump communalism. Corbyn or other decent, respect-worthy left International Socialist Group? Maybe). SWP members should not be pharisaically Labour MPs, lay not in doing more but (a) in HERE will be two Respect conferences Judging from the coverage in the Morning bemoaning the bad “such people” who unac- being deliberately boosted (along with the on the weekend of 17-18 November: an Star, my guess that Galloway-Respect might countably “began to dominate Respect”, but MAB) on the big anti-war demonstrations by SWP-Respect conference at Westminster draw in the Communist Part of Britain (CPB) indicting their own Central Committee for the their SWP organisers; (b) in not being decent T was wrong. fact that “opportunist electoral politics began to and respect-worthy. Specifically, in having a University, and a Galloway-Respect (officially, Respect Renewal) conference at the Bishopsgate The SWP has published a Central Committee dominate”... the SWP! And indicting the CC for record of close ties with Saddam Hussein’s Institute. statement endorsed by their emergency confer- recoiling not out of principle, but only when the hideous regime for nearly a decade before the Moreover, according to the SWP, Galloway ence on 3 November. opportunism fails to yield the hoped-for gate invasion. In the facts! In “what he had done in faction supporters have changed the locks on It is a miserable statement. It does at last cite receipts! the past”! the Respect office, thus excluding the SWP some politics in the Respect split: Equally bad in the SWP CC statement is the Why didn’t New Labour expel Galloway from it. Opportunist electoral politics began to domi- playing-dumb “who’d have thought it?” line on before 2003? Maybe because the British secret If there were any doubt about it before — and nate Respect... For such people their model of Galloway now. services hoped to use him as a “back channel” for a while now, there hasn’t been, really - there politics was that increasingly used by the “We never imagined he would suddenly for information about the internal workings of isn’t now. Respect has split, and the immediate Labour Party in ethnically and religiously blame us for resisting those who were pushing Saddam’s dictatorship, or a link to dissident question for those in and around Respect is mixed inner city areas — promising favours to sections of Respect in the direction of electoral elements within the regime top brass. (Galloway which side to take. people who posed as the ‘community leaders’ of opportunism.” himself says that he was approached by the For SWP members, there is a second ques- particular ethnic or religious groupings if they “Some Tribune of the People!”, they exclaim British secret services to work for them, but he tion. Even if they side with the SWP against would use their influence to deliver votes. now. “He achieved the dubious record of being refused.) Galloway, as they should, they have to ask: who This is what is known as Tammany Hall poli- the fifth highest earning MP, after Hague, In any case, despite New Labour’s typically got us into this mess? Why aren’t the SWP tics in US cities, or ‘vote bloc’ or ‘communal’ Blunkett, Widdecombe and Boris Johnson, with bungled handling of the “trial”, it is clear that Central Committee fighting Galloway politically politics when practiced by all the pro-capitalist £300,000 a year”. they chose to expel Galloway because of his rather than just by ham-fisted appeals to parties in the Indian subcontinent. It is some- Lack of imagination? We can all suffer from Saddam links rather than just because like many loyalty? Can we, or should we, ever trust this thing the left has always tried to resist. We seek that. But to see Galloway for what he was back MPs — much more troublesome to New Central Committee in future? people’s support because they want to fight in 2003-4 required no imagination, only a will- Labour on social issues than Galloway had ever The rumour-mill has it that 40 people have against oppression and for a better world, not ingness to observe facts. The SWP CC’s reply been — he had opposed the invasion. been expelled from the SWP, across the country, because they stand for one group. to that is in effect that they chose to deny or The SWP CC knew all this. In discussions in for siding with Galloway. Whether that is true or Indeed, the left has always argued against ignore facts. the Socialist Alliance’s leading committee, it not, it must be certain that some dozens, at least, communalist politics. But, excuse me, who was We said what mattered at that moment was was plain that they knew the truth about will follow Nick Wrack, Kevin Ovenden, Rob out on the streets distributing leaflets for George not what he might or might not have done in the Galloway. Members of the SWP: the root of the Hoveman, and Jerry Hicks towards Galloway. It Galloway in the June 2004 elections headlining past (i.e. the available facts about Galloway) Respect fiasco is that the SWP CC chose to lie must be possible that they will not be content him as “a fighter for Muslims” and as someone not what the level of an MP’s salary was. The to you, and that it has a political method which with just burying themselves in Galloway- who had always “stood up for the Muslim key thing was that he had been expelled from says that lies to your members and to the work- Respect, but instead will form an “excommuni- people”? The SWP! New Labour as the MP who had done more ing class on matters of political principle are cated” or “heretical” SWP-line group, such as By launching Respect, the SWP renounced than any other to campaign against the war. fine so long as you expect “gate-receipts” from exists in many countries, working within that long left-wing tradition of arguing against Actually, on the war, the difference between them. communalist politics, and became promoters of Galloway and, say, John McDonnell or Jeremy

is linked to Tudeh, the Iranian “communist” party. Noteworthy that the campaign of one of the most craven Stalinist parties in the world is miles to the left of the SWP! A Pro-Ahmedinejad speech motion completely ignoring democratic struggles in Iran was passed, and support for the Hands Off the People of Iran motion voted down. provokes walkout at Finally we moved on to the rest of the resolutions, rather confusingly taken with one speech for, one against (if available) and then all voted on at the end. I suspect Stop the War conference this was an attempt at undemocratic manoeuvring by the leadership, who declared their support either way as we raced through the voting. War member Zaid Maham shouted “You senting HOPI. Stop the War is willing to BY SOFIE BUCKLAND The motion on a full cultural, academic, stupid bloody bigots – fuck off!” extremely make all kinds of allowances for the reac- financial and sporting boycott of Israel loudly at the school students. This tionary clerics and bourgeois politicians it HE Stop The War Coalition confer- passed with only a dozen or so votes prompted a walk-out from some SSAW invites onto its platforms (including Tories! ence on 27 October featured Somaye against. I spoke against, explaining that we members, disgusted by the debate and at the — Michael Ancram was invited to speak at Zadeh from the SWP-led group need positive solidarity with the T chair’s refusal to condemn Maham’s bully- the “People’s Assembly” in March), but is Campaign Iran telling us that “the lies Palestinians, not the classless and ulti- ing. quite happy to denounce anti-war Iranian about Iran” aren’t true. mately anti-semitic logic of the boycott. Around 250 people attended the confer- socialists who fled to Britain to escape the These “lies” include that the Iranian Needless to say, you could hear little of my ence at Friends’ Meeting House, Euston, torture chambers of the Islamic Republic. regime is undemocratic (Ahmedinejad was speech due to heckling (from the moment I though the percentage of voting delegates After some opening remarks from speak- voted in with a large majority — never said I was a member of the AWL), and after was unclear. As the National Union of ers including Lindsey German (claiming, in mind the widespread evidence of ballot- I finished, Andrew Murray condemned me Students National Executive recently voted a class-blind fashion, that Muslims have the rigging or the fact that you can only stand from the chair for “outrageous” accusations to affiliate to the coalition, albeit with the worst housing, schooling and jobs... reli- at all if you’re a male Islamist!), that it of anti-semitism. (Though I hadn’t accused rider that we stand up for our position of gion, rather than class and within it ethnic- persecutes gay people (despite “problems anyone of anti-semitism, but of supporting solidarity with Iranian workers, women and ity, seems to be the new determinant of with homosexuals”, sex changes are a proposal whose logic is anti-semitic. students within it, I had the dubious pleas- social position for the SWP), the conference allowed: how progressive) and that it’s Meanwhile, unqualified accusations of ure of being a delegate. moved on to speaker sessions. oppressive to women (more women study at racism and Islamophobia thrown at the The conference began with a discussion The session on Iraq saw speakers like university than men, so who cares about AWL are fine, clearly.) of the exclusion of the CPGB student group Seamus Milne and John Rees hailing the legal dress codes, chastity laws and the reli- The conference ended with a speech from Communist Students, and the CPGB-led glorious unified (mythical) national resist- gious police?) George Galloway (who pointedly sat about Hands Off the People of Iran campaign. A ance in Iraq, glossing over market-place Zadeh also cited the existence of a demo- four places away from SWPer Chris speaker representing the “officers” bombings by insinuating they were the cratic opposition in Iran as evidence that Nineham on the platform). A brief student explained that the campaigns’ aims ran actions of US/UK forces, seeking to sow the regime is not so bad — rather like session with three Respect members on the counter to those of Stop the War; somewhat discord. Motions calling for “victory to the citing the Tianamen Square protests to platform simply reiterated the need for a odd, as the only possible “clash” in aims is resistance” were subsequently voted down, demonstrate the democratic credentials of day of action against war in Iran. Strangely HOPI and Communist Students’ position of on the orders of the SWP-controlled Chinese Stalinism! enough, Respect members called for occu- support for Iranian workers and students. committee — presumably because the For a video of Zadeh’s speech, posted pations of colleges on the day of any attack (Why is NUS, which also supports grass- SWP’s desire for a British popular front without comment, see the Stop the War on Iran — which would be extremely good, roots democratic movements in Iran, not with Liberal Democrat MPs and the like on website — stopwar.org.uk but occupations are a tactic they refuse to excluded? Clearly because such a move board temporarily trumped its support for a This ridiculous apology for the Iranian work for or promote against fees, for would mean more trouble than it is worth popular front with Islamists in Iraq. government was justified on the grounds grants, or on any bread-and-butter issue. for the Stop the War leadership, while the The second speaker on Iran, after Somaye that Somaye is herself an Iranian refugee, In summary: the political degeneration of CPGB is a much easier target.) Zadeh, was from the Committee for and that by telling the truth about Iran, anti- the Stop the War continues. The need for a Unsurprisingly, with the “officer recom- Defence of Iranian People’s Rights war activists would be playing into the broad but principled anti-war movement mendation” being to vote for, and an audi- (CODIR), and he was markedly better, hands of the Western governments who may that looks to working-class action and ence packed with SWP members, the exclu- arguing for solidarity with trade unionists, attack it. combines opposition to an attack on Iran sion passed, with only about 40 votes students and women in Iran. He received a After some heckling from Workers’ with support for Iranian workers, women against. standing ovation from the left of the hall, Liberty, the CPGB and members of School and students is clearer than ever. Student Against the War, Oxford Stop the It’s worth noting the SWP’s vitriol with the remaining three quarters looking against the Iranians who were there repre- on in stunned silence. It seems that CODIR THE LEFT 13 Why I left Respect in Tower Hamlets the

BY JOHN BLOXAM Socialist HE first act of the four SWP-allied councillors who have split away from Tthe main Respect opposition group in Workers’ Tower Hamlets was not to launch a high- profile campaign aimed on any of the many issues which affecting workers in the borough — for instance the threatened transfer of Party council housing to an ALMO. After the SWP’s noises about breaking from the “inef- fectiveness” and “communalism” of Respect BY BECKY CROCKER in Tower Hamlets, surely this would have been an appropriate course. Instead it has been widely reported that the JOINED the Socialist Workers Party new group of Respect (Independent) council- at their Marxism summer school in lors — Ahmed Hussain, Lutfa Begun, Oli I July 2005. It was around the time of Rahman and Rania Khan — have begun talks Make Poverty History and the G8 with the Liberal-Democrat councillors to protests and I had come to realise that form a new opposition coalition! So the the solution was getting rid of capital- theory goes, the Respect (Independent) four, ism - and that’s what the SWP said they together with the Liberal-Democrat’s six Respect councillor Oliur Rahman, depicted here, had his window smashed just days after he were for. Having become very politi- councillors would then become the largest resigned the whip. He fears that this was no coincidence. cised and impatient to do more than opposition group inside the council replacing ing of Bengali businesses and emphasis on leasehold). Respect has turned up now and individual activism, I was convinced of the old Respect group, and with this would be getting out the Bengali vote and being the then, made some promises, but have then the need to join the party, to become entitled to a publicly funded political worker. “best fighters for Muslims”. been conspicuous by their absence. Even part of a bigger whole. It is claimed that a Liberal Democrat council- The background explains the total lack of within the Council Chamber they cannot But in the SWP there was never any lor would lead the group. profile and effectiveness of Respect as a deliver on a promise to expose the details of hint that the members contributed to However, Rahman denies that any coalition group. what New Labour lavishes on private consult- what the group did or said. It was just is on the cards, and says that he has only met As individuals the councillors may have ants. They said they would and then nothing decreed from the central office in with the Liberal Democrats in order to ensure done good work for particular constistuents more was heard. London that we in the York branch “effective” council functioning. — as any political party! — but as a group There will be more of the same from the should turn over all our efforts to The Respect council group were first they were never to be seen working consis- seven remaining Respect councillors closely building Respect. We did not have any elected in May 2006 and it was always a tently and with any drive on any particular allied with Galloway. And the four Respect politically incoherent combination, with some branch meetings, discussions or paper campaign. Their main public face came (Independent) councillors? Being a socialist people clearly joining Respect in order to sales, only monthly public meetings. through the letter-writing skills of Rob councillor and upholding socialist values become councillors. In the course of the first Although the branch claimed to have a Hoveman who would regularly dash off means first and foremost getting stuck into 18 months one of their councillors resigned dozen members, most people had been missives to the local press attacking New working class campaigns and acting as a clear and another defected to New Labour. It was burnt out by the Stop the War move- Labour on national issues such as Iraq and tribune for that class. The Respect also a group exclusively based on the Bengali ment, and in any case being a member defending Galloway’s record. (Independents) will presumably have less community and dominated by communal was very passive. Just being a paper I am involved in an important dispute communalism than the old Respect group, but politics. member of the Great Revolutionary between the council and council house lease- their track record in the council inspires little It followed directly from the politics of Party was doing your bit. holders (50% of all council properties are confidence. Galloway’s election campaign, with its court-

One comrade said that since we’re not in a revolutionary period, we don’t need to talk about it What now for the left? or build for one.

Pete McLaren was the secretary of the side - I think the members of the SWP are became apparent. It was not so much the Socialist Alliance before the heavy involve- socialists - but I feel stretched in saying that. policies adopted, bad as they were, as the Furthermore, there was no connection ment of the SWP in 2001-3, and is now None of this surprises me. The SWP does clear message that dissent would not be between our everyday activity and the secretary of the continuing Socialist seem to take popular fronts and then, if they tolerated, and that no challenge to the back- idea of working-class revolution. Their Alliance group. can't control them, they get rid of them. room deals which had led to Respect’s explanations didn’t ring true with what formation would be allowed. I understood about Marxism. One ESPECT was never going to succeed. Mike Davies is secretary of the Alliance for In the original Socialist Alliance, back Green Socialism, a body that was involved It may have taken Alan Thornett and comrade said that since we’re not in a in 2002-3, when it was first mooted in the Socialist Alliance. others a few years longer to recognise this revolutionary period, we don’t need to R talk about it our build for one, which is that the SWP was in discussion with people reality. It is perhaps a bit late for them to from the mosques, George Galloway and so HEN Respect was first set up, it was say (2 November): “We need a new organi- how they rationalised the not-very-left- on, we said that it was such an unlikely an unholy alliance between the sation as soon as possible which will start wing, not-very-working-class Respect. alliance that it would never succeed - too Wopportunist SWP and some fairly to address these issues and create the condi- They claimed that this fitted with many divergent interests. nasty elements like the Muslim Association of tion to unite with those from the Labour Trotsky’s conception of the united Personally I agree with getting as broad an Britain, leavened by a few decent people. The left, the trade union left and the activists of front, but having recently read his stuff alliance as possible, but not at the expense of question is not what went wrong, but how ecological and climate change campaigns on Germany that didn’t really ring true socialist principles, which is what Respect long it was going to take for it to fall apart in for me. which can present a political alternative to was. the way it has. However, I met an AWL comrade and the betrayals of New Labour”. Still, I think the split is a setback for the I feel sympathy for the small number of got involved in No Sweat.. At first the I only hope that the Left will learn some left, and I'd like to put that on record. I don't decent people who went along in the hope that “anti-imperialism” of the SWP, seeing know what side I'd be on if I were inside the something might come of Respect. lessons from the current debacle, but to be something progressive about terrorism row. It's too confused. What will the two groups do now? They'll honest I am not very optimistic. and excusing 7/7, had made me wary of But it shows the need for a mass-based new diverge in acrimony. they'll fight a bit. I would the AWL. But the AWLers I met were federal organisation which doesn't worry too guess that the SWP will revert to being the serious trade unionists serious about much about differences from the past. SWP until it creates a new front, and the Clive Heemskerk was the leading repre- working class politics, even at a time What now? I expect the rump of Respect Muslim contingent will keep the Respect sentative of the Socialist Party within the when everyone tells you that Marxism will continue as Respect without any political name, but that's a guess. Socialist Alliance in 2001. is dead. In contrast the SWP claimed support outside the non-SWP, non-socialist Lessons? For those involved in Respect: if OR any new broad formation to be element of Respect. As for the SWP - well, it's you're going to engage in politics, you need to that the AWL were too “orthodox” in a very interesting question what they will do. have political principles rather than sheer successful it is crucial it has an open, following Marx, whereas in fact They've pissed off almost everybody else on opportunism. For the rest of the left: steer well Fwelcoming and federal approach. “everything had changed” since 9/11 the left. Some of us, myself included, will try clear of the SWP. I don't think I need to say Federalism was adopted by the early and everything had to be re-evaluated, to build bridges, but it won't be easy. steer clear of the MAB. Labour Party, enabling it to bring together an idea which I never accepted. The split reminds me very much of what many different organisations and trends, Here was an organisation where happened in the Socialist Alliance. What the Declan O'Neill was treasurer of the preserving the rights of all to organise and being a member wasn’t a passive thing, Galloway side are suggesting has happened in Socialist Alliance argue for their particular points of view. a group which stood for consistent terms of SWP malpractice is just like what HAVE not been a member of Respect Unfortunately, Respect, despite calling working class politics. After four happened in the Socialist Alliance in 2001-4. since the 2004 conference, when the itself a coalition, has a centralised structure months in and around the SWP, I There are parallels. complete betrayal of any democratic which bears no resemblance to a coalition decided to join Workers’ Liberty. I still think the SWP are basically on our I socialist perspective by the Respect leadership or federation. 14 IRELAND When “militant” sloganeering meant promoting communal war

The last three issues of Solidarity have carried Sean Matgamna’s series about the British left and the events in Northern Ireland in 1968-9 — arguably the biggest internal crisis the British state has seen since the early 1920s. The last article (Solidarity 3/120) summed up the turning-point debate at the National Committee of IS (forerunner of the SWP) in January 1969, and the initial positions mapped out by the IS/SWP major- ity and by the Trotskyist Tendency within IS (forerunner of Solidarity and Workers’ Liberty).

HE beginning of IS’s turn to “Irish work” was characterised by the confusion and Tinstability which we examined in the last article. It would not improve. Through all the shifts and turns that were to follow, IS contin- ued to flounder. The political collapse of August 1969 was prepared for by eight months of thrashing about. In December 1968 and January 1969, as we have seen, IS adopted three demands on Ireland: troops out, no British military equip- ment to the B-Specials, end British subsidies to Northern Ireland. One of the oddest things, which no-one seems to have commented on at the time, was that there was no plank or slogan in favour of civil rights in Northern Ireland! But RUC in Bogside, 12 August 1969 what were IS’s politics on Northern Ireland, and on Ireland, at the beginning of 1969? could be no united Ireland short of socialism, leaders of People’s Democracy). They chose same time they tried to keep the door open to It wanted British “withdrawal” — with- meant exactly that — if it is taken that they their politics with that crude criterion primarily those in Northern Ireland who would recoil drawal of troops, subsidies, and involvement said what they meant and meant what they said. in view. from a united Ireland involving the Catholic- with the Six Counties sub-state: that was the Did IS advocate an independent Six Counties They operated shallowly, on the surface of priest-heavy 26 Counties — to keep in step strongest thing in the programme IS put explicitly? No, and the EC would have events — not centrally concerned to analyse with the layer of militants around People’s forward. denounced anyone who said that their demands the situation in Northern Ireland and understand Democracy. It wanted a united Ireland? That was meant that in substance as “a slanderer”. its forces and logic. At first — it would soon change — IS was anybody’s guess! The resolution on Irish self- They themselves did not cogently sum up In the first eight months of 1969 IS’s leaders wary of limiting its catchment area with the determination carried against IS’s Executive didn’t have politics of their own — an inde- Irish in Britain by brandishing a commitment to Committee at the January 1969 National pendent analysis and responsible slogans and a socialist workers’ republic at them. Committee meant a united Ireland to the NC The IS EC were initially both proposals based on it. They adopted other The IS EC were initially both too nationalist majority, and was so understood and argued for too nationalist and not people’s politics according to their calculations and not nationalist enough. They were “sectar- at the NC by its mover (the present writer). about what would serve their organisational ian socialists” in making a socialist Ireland the But, while “self-determination” appeared on nationalist enough. They purposes best. That is what they did in the precondition for Irish unity, but that didn’t stop lists of demands, it was interpreted and were “sectarian socialists” in discussions before and at the EC discussion in them denouncing us for “telling the Irish what construed in their own way by those who had December 1968, and at the January 1969 to do” when we advocated IS propaganda for a argued and voted against it at the NC. Self- making a socialist Ireland the National Committee. workers’ republic. They denounced us too, at determination for Ireland as a whole? That, you precondition for Irish unity, Irrespective of who was right at particular first, for “pre-empting” the future when we see, argued John Palmer (in International turning points, that was the difference between rejected the existing Six/ 26 Counties division Socialism journal), allowed for the possibility of but that didn’t stop them the EC and the Trotskyist Tendency. We tried to and talked of self-determination. a future coming together of the two Irish states. denouncing us for “telling understand the overall situation and the way One of the keynotes of the IS EC discussion Point 4... has the advantage that it allows for things were going, and the overall interests of in December 1968 and of IS’s subsequent Irish a possible decision by the whole people of the Irish what to do” when the working class in the situation. That is what work was Gery Lawless’s statement that “the Ireland to merge the two statelets on the basis we advocated a workers’ we were trying to do, and it was from that posi- resources for a revolutionary Trotskyist group of some degree of autonomy for the tion that we interacted with and criticised the in Ireland were very small”. That, in 1968! It Protestants... republic. EC and commented on its political activities was an astonishing judgement. Perverse. An The idea did not disappear that only under (some of which, at the time, I found simply alluvial flood of student radicalism was replen- socialism, only in a socialist workers’ republic, incomprehensible: for example, the early oppo- ishing the left everywhere. In Ireland the would a united Ireland be desirable or even what they were saying, and chose to operate sition to making the Workers’ Republic a plank student radicalism was already connected, on (given Northern Protestant opposition to it) with discrete slogans and demands whose in IS’s political work among Irish workers in the streets and against the police, to the explo- possible. implications were never faced; but the slogans Britain). sive issue of Northern Ireland Catholics’ How did it all fit together? Britain was told to as a whole drew a definite picture. It would be second-class citizenship. withdraw — subsidies, troops, arms. As I characteristic of the IS EC’s political operation WRITING OFF THE CHANCES FOR A The first of what would be a succession of showed in the last article, the demand for with- throughout 1969 that they raised and played clashes between Catholic Derry’s working-class drawal of subsidies was a proposal to expel with “demands” and “slogans” which implied MARXIST GROUP youth and the police, due to culminate in the Northern Ireland workers, Catholic and things they did not want and may not have O the pseudo-sophisticates and half-wise fierce fighting of August 1969, had already Protestant, from the British welfare state. Taken understood. people running Irish work and the EC, occurred when the IS EC met to decide the as a whole, as serious proposals and not just as Tthe Trotskyist Tendency were obstreper- group “line”. noisy inconsequential agitation, the three ANALYSIS AND SLOGANS ous doctrinaires clumsily fumbling with slogans Perhaps most astonishing of all was that no- and getting under the EC’s nimble small-p- demands were a call for the expulsion of HE simple truth is that though the EC one on the EC disagreed with Lawless’s pros- Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom. political feet as they worked to expand IS’s trate pessimism. No one did. and the organisation it controlled oper- influence and membership. The expulsion not only of the Catholics, who ated in politics and used ideas as political Events would soon show how stupid this had not wanted to be in the Six Counties state T Tony Cliff, throughout most of his life, was a view was; and how senseless was the fear of “tools”, it did not pursue political objectives. It in the first place — though in 1969 not many political kleptomaniac. That is probably how alienating Irish workers in Britain by talking neither pursued the political education of the the group came to be saddled with the mid- would have said they didn’t want the advan- organisation and its periphery, including its about James Connolly and the workers’ repub- tages of the British welfare state — but also of 1950s Connolly Association Stalinist aberration lic. In a few months the young MP for mid- sympathisers and quasi-members in Ireland, nor of calling for an end to subsidies, for the expul- the Protestant two-thirds of the Northern Ireland concerned itself with practical political objec- Ulster, Bernadette Devlin (later McAliskey: population, who said they were British and sion of the Northern Ireland working class from elected in April 1969) would win wild applause tives such as, for instance, promoting working- the British welfare state. emphatically did not want to be pushed out of class unity in Northern Ireland, or at least at meetings of Irish workers in London — the UK. Expecting that the eruption of Northern organised by IS and reported in Socialist avoiding sharpened polarisation. Ireland, and the unprecedentedly sympathetic But did IS want an independent Six Counties Instead of political objectives, the IS EC had Worker — at the mere mention of the Workers’ (this side of socialism)? An independent bour- and intense media coverage in Britain of the Republic and Connolly. appetites and desires. They wanted their own Catholic movement, would rouse a lot of Irish geois Six Counties? organisation to thrive and grow, and believed it Nonetheless, the initial pessimistic judgement The EC policy as expressed in the “Sean workers settled in Britain, the IS EC put shaped IS’s campaign. Here certain aspect from could do that best by ingratiating itself with together, with the help of Gery Lawless, a plat- Reed” article, which simultaneously in its certain “constituencies” — Irish workers in the background of the Irish Workers’ Group is “demands” wanted the cutting off of all British form designed to appeal to the almost universal important, and we need to look briefly at that. Britain and the militant civil-rights youth in Catholic nationalism of those workers. At the connections, while in its text it argued that there Northern Ireland (in the first place, the Belfast IRELAND 15 “FIRST RECRUIT — THEN THE what Cliff had done with IS up to that point — explosion in Northern Ireland in October, McCANN: A LURCH TO THE LEFT that was the approach of the socialist leaders become “Leninist”. One reason for the conflict HE 25 January 1969 Socialist Worker PROGRAMME” of PD in Belfast and of IS’s Irish work in in IS on Ireland before August 1969 was that carried a report “from Eamonn McCann T the Annual General Meeting of the Britain. Cliff and Palmer, and their client and ally in Derry” under the strapline: “The civil Irish Workers’ Group in mid- I quoted Johnson and commented in an arti- Lawless, operated in Irish politics according to T rights movement in Ulster has reached the September 1967, a document called cle for the IWG Internal Bulletin. their politics of the time before their “return to A parting of the ways”, and the headline: “The “Preamble to the Constitution” and entitled Johnson considers it impossible to build a Lenin”. way forward for Irish socialists — unity of all “Towards an Irish October” was moved by its Party on the Trotskyist programme “from the workers against Orange and Green Tories” author, me, and seconded by Gery Lawless. ground up”. “So long as we”(?) “know where AN INCOHERENT POLICY (their emphasis). It had caused controversy between the we are headed, surely the principled, i.e. real- N their calculations of what, politically, What exactly the headline had to do with Trotskyists in the IWG and some of the IWG istic, tactic that holds out a prospect of early would best serve them organisationally, Northern Ireland realities and with the civil people who were in broad agreement with success, is to draft a programme which will Cliff and Palmer put themselves politically rights movement was not obvious. In fact Tony Cliff and IS, because it defined the IWG appeal to the people we hope to recruit.” I in the hands of Lawless. It was Lawless’s poli- McCann was consistently on the left and as the nucleus of a revolutionary party in the Comrade Johnson: “It is time enough to tics that dominated IS’s campaign — right working-class-oriented wavelength, and at odd Bolshevik and Fourth Internationalist tradition, talk about and insist on membership being down to an unmistakable advocacy, in with both People’s Democracy in Belfast and conditional upon Marxist political principles Socialist Worker, of civil war in the lead-up to IS. He criticised the “withdraw subsidies” idea when we have several hundred or better still August 1969. in New Left Review. No independent Six Counties several thousand members — when the time Lawless didn’t control anything, as he “Two weeks ago”, McCann reported, at comes when we are politically effective”. How state was remotely possible. would discover when — responding to events Newry, there had been an attempt to occupy can the programme have an effective organisa- as the gut-Catholic-chauvinist he was — he public buildings and clashes with police. Youth Even if created, against the tion built on ignorance of the programme? disagreed with Cliff about the deployment of had burned police tenders, ignoring the To begin with, the overt programme must be strong wish of its majority British troops in August 1969. But for the time advance of the moderate leaders to back off about the level of the people to be recruited. being it suited IS to go with him. when met by a police barricade. to remain tied to Britain, it “The new members are educated and the To return to IS’s policy as it was in January “Newry was a classic case of a moderate struggle — day to day — is conducted not would dissolve into Catholic- 1969 — taken as a whole, it meant advocacy leadership vainly attempting to siphon off and so much along the lines of the programme but of the expulsion of the Six Counties from the channel the militancy of the rank and file in a Protestant civil war. along the lines of the ‘mental’ programme of UK (though they didn’t call for that in so ‘safe’ direction.. The moderates’ line is that the the communists who form the nucleus — and many words), and at the same time maintain- Government, in allowing this to happen, has educating the members step by step in this ing the Six Counties as an entity until a social- successfully discredited the civil rights move- and committed us to building such a party. direction.” ist Ireland might make unification desirable to ment”. There was talk of purging the move- One of the IS people, Tony McFarlane, who It can be arranged that the programme be the Protestant workers. It was “partitionist” ment of “entrists” and “revolutionaries”. seems to have soon faded out of politics, wrote revised at intervals to suit the development of this side of a socialist Ireland, and, simultane- The left must now: “define the political a last-minute critique of the preamble’s the consciousness of the Group members — ously, “Unionist” in the Northern Ireland differences with the moderates. A more mili- account of what the IWG should build, just but not so much as to alienate the prospective meaning of the term, for there would be a pro- tant-than-thou stance is meaningless unless we before the AGM, and I wrote a last-quarter- recruits. “To talk about building a party (out Unionist majority in the Six Counties entity. communicate to the rank and file what it is we minute reply which was distributed only at the of Fianna Failers, Republicans, Catholics) on In fact, of course, no independent Six are being militant about. AGM. More or less everybody at the AGM, a programme based on a set of ideas which Counties state was remotely possible. Even “The problem is that, given the history of where the sizeable IS segment of the IWG was goes directly contrary to and contradicts supposing it was created, against the strong religious sectarianism, it is difficult to get badly under-represented (every member was everything they believe in — against their wish of its majority to remain tied to Britain, it across the point that the struggle is an issue of entitled to participate) voted for the preamble. prejudices, experience is unrealistic”. “It is class, not creed. (And articles such as Paul I no longer remember if the IS people voted well known that a qualitative change in effec- Socialists had to explain the Foot’s [Socialist Worker, 21 December] in against, abstained, or (it is not impossible), tiveness takes place in a group when a certain which he examined the unemployment prob- with reassurances perhaps, voted for it. numerical level is reached.” “First the large class question and the lem in terms of ‘Catholic’ and ‘Protestant’ I won’t here try to untangle the whys and group — then the programme.” socialist, working-class towns do not help”. wherefors, but to the great surprise of our side Mick Johnson mixes up the programme, The fact is that most of the grievances of the in the IWG, the question of the “party”, on derived from a strict Marxist analysis of objec- viewpoint. But the situation Catholics — many of which they shared to which there had been “agreement” in tive reality and working class objective inter- had already been defined in some degree with Protestant workers — could September, emerged as an issue in the faction ests, and propaganda and agitation, which is have been expressed in terms of class. The fight of October and afterwards. necessarily partial, necessarily slanted and terms of creed, and the mobilisation could have taken the form of a It took the odd form of an insistence in writ- angled, and on the level of those they are underlying conflict of socialist working-class campaign. The precon- ing by Gery Lawless that since, according to aimed at. (Though with the single prohibition: dition for that would have been an effective the theorising of the Mandel-Pablo that propaganda and agitation can never national identity shaped socialist movement. International, of which Lawless was a platonic violate the programme, meaning that there is a everything McCann was writing when the issues were, supporter, a “revolutionary party” had not been strict limit to actual concessions of substance and had long been, expressed as Catholic required in the making of the Yugoslav, that we can make for the sake of being intelli- grievances. Socialists had to explain the class Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cuban revolutions, a gible to our audience. It means that we recog- question and the socialist, working-class view- revolutionary party was not always necessary. nize that a whole range of people — would dissolve into Catholic-Protestant civil point. But the situation had already been (He was responding to a criticism I had made Republicans, Fianna Fail-ers, Catholics [en war. IS’s “policy” was an incoherent mish- defined in terms of creed, and the underlying of his “operational” politics, which I thought masse] — are outside our range on their own mash. conflict of national identity expressed as creed were at odds with the decision of the AGM). terms). We will now trace it in the pages of Socialist shaped everything. Sometimes, Lawless wrote, a “blunted If we find ourselves fighting side by side Worker and in the activities of IS through “The left”, continued McCann, “should instrument” — for example, in the Chinese with them, then in particular we must make no 1969. make demands that demonstrate the line of case, a peasant-based Stalinist party — would concessions to their ideas... We slant our mate- class division and direct a considerably greater be enough to ensure the victory of the revolu- rial, agitation, and propaganda, towards the tion. The “blunted instrument” formula was audience as a means of making more effective that of the 1963 congress of the Fourth our war on their conceptions — not of accom- International. modating to them... Posing it that way was, of course, a mysti- The cornerstone of the Leninist conception Workers’ Liberty pamphlets fied and mystifying attempt to deal with the of the party — and of the proletarian revolu- fact that in these alleged “working-class revo- tion — is the fact that the class struggle takes lutions”, in China and so on, the working class place on the ideological front, to maintain and • A workers’ guide to Ireland £1 • The 1707 Act of Union and the rise of the played no part. As I insisted when replying to develop the scientific working class ,world Lawless in the Internal Bulletin, the working view, as well as on the political and industrial • Marxism and religion (Jan 2006) Scottish working class (Feb 2007) class immediately felt under the repression of fronts... • Taking socialism onto the shop floor • What Trotsky on Mexico can tell us about the totalitarian Stalinist state, and found itself in something “closer to the Orwellian night- OHNSON’S (and Lawless’s, and Cliff’s) Communist Party factory bulletins (March Venezuela and Chávez (March 2007) mare” than socialism. (I will deal with that idea, that is, when it came down to it, 2006) • 1917: Revolution for freedom and equality argument in an appendix on the IWG). Jmanipulative politics, was the approach • Nine days that shook Britain — The 1926 (April 2007) £1 The only sense, in terms of our work, of adopted by the IS people in Northern Ireland Lawless insisting that a revolutionary party is who led the early PD. Or, they might argue, General Strike (May 2006) • Solidarity, yes! Boycott, no! Why support- not always necessary, was that that idea the approach imposed on them by circum- applied to our situation in Ireland too. A revo- stances. • Iran — revolution and counter revolution ers of “two states” should not join the lutionary party wasn’t necessary. Lawless had They dissolved their “Young Socialists”, 1978-9 “smash Israel” boycotters (June 2007) gone over to the side of those who had itself a loose and politically ill-defined group, objected to the definitions and objectives set into the very amorphous PD, which at first did (June 2006) •Trotskyists and the creation of Israel out in the preamble, which he had seconded at not even have any formal membership: casual • The betrayal of the Spanish workers’ rev- (July 2007) the AGM. droppers-in to meetings had voting rights. At the root of that was the pessimistic The IS/ Lawless side of the IWG split had olution 1936-7 (Sept 2006) • Leon Trotsky: a Spartacus of the 20th cen- assessment of the prospects for a revolutionary survived only a few months and then • What is the Third Camp? (Oct 2006) tury (August 2007) £1 party in Ireland which he expressed at the dissolved, but the people on that side of the December 1968 IS EC. In the IWG discussion, faction fight were all involved in the activity in • The other history of American Trotskyism • How can we best help the Palestinians the most explicit and clear-cut exposition of Northern Ireland and in IS’s work in Britain. (Nov 2006) (October 2007) the view on the party question that was emerg- They were by no means always at one. In the ing in what we called “the anti-Trotskyist political nature of the “current” — or what- • For a workers’ voice in politics — John • Marx’s telescope: Grundrisse, capital and coalition” was presented in writing by Mick ever one wants to name it — it would have McDonnell for Labour leader (Dec 2006) the revolutionary class, a briefing for anti- Johnson, a Dundalk man of eclectic and been surprising if they were. Eamonn McCann vaguely Maoist (but honestly held and was seriously at odds throughout 1969 with capitalists (October 2007) expounded) politics, who would soon become, the approaches both of IS and of the PD lead- and remain, a member of PD. ing group around Michael Farrell and Cyril He defined and defended the approach to Toman. Nevertheless, deliberately or other- 50p per issue unless otherwise stated, post free. organisation-building that at that time was wise, the attitude to the party question of their Tony Cliff’s and, in substance, that of the IWG faction dominated until after August £8 for all sixteen issues. IWG faction organised by Gery Lawless. The 1969. Write to PO Box 823, London, SE15 4NA. Cheques approach to building a revolutionary organisa- In 1969 in Britain, the picture was compli- tion advocated by Mick Johnson, theorising cated by the fact that Cliff and IS had in the payable to “AWL”. from Lawless’s practices and probably from meantime, between the IWG split and the 16 IRELAND

proportion of its energy and activity towards very important. But that did not change the to address that issue too, as we will see when Orange”. the Protestant workers”. consequences of what he described, or make the we get to mid 1969 in the narrative. The “programme” is militancy, demonstra- It should therefore “deliberately shatter the danger of civil war any less. Redefining Things could in life have been “defined” tions! The civil rights demands have a class facade of ‘unity’ within the civil rights move- Catholic civil rights agitation as a start-point for differently if, for instance, over the previous two content? In fact the “class content” was, even ment. The Catholic middle class leadership socialist propaganda and agitation did not make or three decades, a comparatively strong for Catholics, buried in the civil rights focus and cannot support socialist demands, which pose it any more palatable to Protestant workers. And Northern Ireland Labour Party had taken the formulation of the issues. as great a threat to themselves as to the open to succeed the middle-class “moderate” leaders lead with the general class approach which On 8 February “Sean Reed” wrote under the enemies of civil rights”. of the civil rights movement, other leaders Eamonn McCann denounced the civil-rights headline: “Northern Ireland: No Electoral Their civil rights “unity” is itself sectarian. “representing” the Catholics (the future “moderates” for not giving and for, in their Truce!” O’Neill had called a Northern Ireland “They relegate or ignore class demands and Provisionals) were in the wings. nature, being incapable of giving. They could general election (to be held on 24 February). “It therefore rule out the achievement of the unity “The ‘moderates’ and ‘liberals’ are desper- not be “defined” differently in the heat of the is common knowledge that a majority of the socialists should be interested in at this point — ately struggling to keep control of a movement civil rights mobilisations after 1968, and espe- rank and file members of the local Unionist unity of our class against its enemies, Green that, under their leadership, has done nothing to cially not by small groups of socialists. constituency associations are in support of and Orange. lessen sectarianism. And it is they who wish to William-Craig-style fundamental Unionism”. expel the only people and ideas that might REVOLUTION BY REDEFINITION? The Northern Ireland General Election would successfully realise struggle along a non-reli- N SW on 1 February 1969, “Sean Reed” indeed mark a turning point for Northern The “problem” for the gious basis”. (Gery Lawless) wrote under the headline Ireland — and for the left. Northern Ireland left with That issue of Socialist Worker was a major I“Northern Ireland Tories Split Wide Open”. lurch to the “left” — and, all in all, towards Brian Faulkner and Billy Morgan had civil rights was a bit like WHEN MAXIMISING MILITANCY greater incoherence. In fact it was a “one-off”. resigned from the cabinet of Northern Ireland IS A SNARE the “Irish” joke in which a McCann’s article was a sort of political high Unionist prime minister Terence O’Neill. The point. McCann would disappear as a writer article was would-be fly-on-the-wall insider S’s approach through 1969, up to August, man asks for directions and from the pages of Socialist Worker for many stuff. and with the exception of McCann’s article, is met with the response: months, with, as we shall see, one exceptional British prime minister Harold Wilson had Iwas based on maximising, applauding, and “appearance”. The main Socialist Worker writer vetoed moves against O’Neill and insisted on wooing “militancy”. “If I were you, I wouldn’t on Ireland in the next few months would be civil rights or “British intervention”. Militancy surely is one of the proper central start from here” “Sean Reed” (Gery Lawless). “If the civil rights campaign is not brought to values of socialists. It means anger and resist- heel soon”, wrote “Sean Reed”, “there is every ance to oppression, people rousing themselves FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO... WHERE? danger that it will rapidly go beyond the limits out of apathy and fatalistic acceptance. T should be emphasised that the Trotskyist laid down for it by the present middle-class The Communist International in 1920 estab- Tendency felt itself closer to Eamonn leadership and transform itself into a movement lished a fundamental distinction between differ- McCann that to anybody else in the capable of threatening the very existence of ent sets of nationalists in oppressed countries; “Unless the link is made we will continue I Ulster Unionism”. among those subscribing to the same basic ideas Northern Ireland movement. We said so, in IS like the Grand Old Duke of York: moving and Ireland for instance. The focus on the “middle-class” nature of the and goals, it valued the revolutionary national- towards battle, realising as we approach the But we were also conscious, from early in civil rights leadership, and the use of “Tories” as ists — that is, the militant, combative, active front line that the ‘enemy’ is largely working- 1969, that things were heading towards an a synonym for the Unionists, was an ideological ones, who fought imperialism — and the class Protestants, deciding that strife between explosion, and we would try to relate to it and lie that would be central to Socialist Worker’s others, the compromisers, the patient bearers of workers as a bad thing and pulling back in anticipate it. coverage of Northern Ireland. But the argument burdens, the “reformists”. confusion. The “problem” for the Northern Ireland left was nonsense. And yet there is more to it. In certain situa- “Those leading our side cannot and will not with civil rights was a bit like the “Irish” joke in The Catholic civil rights movement was tions, such as those of delicate population tolerate appeals to the ‘enemy’ on the only basis which a man asks for directions and is met with going to threaten the existence of Unionism? It balance and the interlacing of peoples and frag- that holds any hope of success — on the basis the response: “If I were you, I wouldn’t start might, and the IRA would, shatter the existing ments of peoples, the militants will be the most that as workers, they have to suffer unemploy- from here”. Unionist structures. It could not threaten the narrow-minded and the most heedlessly chau- ment, low wages, bad housing, high rents, and As McCann said, civil rights per se by defini- existence of Unionism as such, rooted in the vinistic, or simply the most thoughtless and disenfranchisement in local government elec- tion tended to be a “sectarian” issue. It is clear most ignorant. tions”. — if only looking back — that a civil rights A case in point is the discussion among South The truth was that posing those things first as mobilisation of Catholics could not be other Militancy is a central value Slav socialists on the attitude to take to the first issues of civil rights for Catholics had cut off than sectionalist. That is not at all to blame the for socialists, but not the Yugoslav state (between the two World Wars). It the left Catholic activists from the Protestant Catholics, any more than pointing to the nega- had been set up as a federation of nations domi- workers with similar problems. In any case, this tive consequences for unity between black and only one; and in certain nated by Serbia, which had been with the was utterly economistic. white workers of the mid-1960s “ghetto upris- situations, some types of victors in World War One, but also including Its core idea is that “material interest” ques- ings” one would blame the US blacks, or Croatia, which had been part of Austro- tions — housing, jobs — were the “real” conclude that socialists should not have taken militancy threaten the Hungary. Should socialists work to modify the issues. They were major issues, surely, but the their side. fundamental interests of federation, towards real national equality within “constitutional question”, the conflicting identi- We did side with the US “ghetto uprisings”; it, or seek to disrupt it by developing the revolu- ties (British/ Irish, Protestant/ Catholic), were we were right in that, and right in siding with the working class. It is a tionary nationalism of, say, Croatia? “real” too. the Catholics in Northern Ireland. But by 1969 a matter of judgement, and The leadership of the Yugoslav Communists In relation to the civil rights movement, “sectarian” framework was already defined by in the early 1920s wanted the first approach. McCann’s approach came down to attempting all the things implied in the demand for civil of the possibilities in a The Comintern was concerned to disrupt to redefine what was against its own nature. rights. The issue could not be “redefined” by given situation. Yugoslavia, militarily the strongest state in the There was a seeking for a sort of “transitional “class” propaganda, or by an attempt to use region, the ally of France, and therefore a threat demand” focused on the civil rights movement. “civil rights” as a code for broader things that to the Soviet Union in the event of war. It was the approach which would be developed also involved the interests of Protestant workers, The Croatian nationalists which the by the Militant tendency (forerunner of the as a sort of algebraic “transitional demand” Communist Party allied with, calling them “a Socialist Party). which in the unfolding of a movement would hard fact of Northern Ireland’s Protestant major- national-revolutionary peasant movement”, “The instinctive militancy of real socialists open up more advanced possibilities than mini- ity. That sort of confused “half-thought” would were the Ustashe, would would organised a will, in the nature of Northern Ireland society, mal civil rights. dominate Socialist Worker. murderous Nazi-puppet Croatian state in World achieve its greatest immediate response among The PD militants for civil rights could not “Sean Reed” continued: “The irresponsible War Two. the Catholic working class. We cannot wipe out “seize” the civil rights movement from its natu- ‘moderate’ leaders of the civil rights movement The fate of Yugoslavia in the 1990s shows the last trace of religious bitterness from work- ral leaders and redefine it. By their extra mili- will use O’Neill’s troubles [in his own party] as that “reform”, if it could have been arranged, ing-class consciousness overnight. tancy they could and did only introduce yet another excuse to call a truce with the would have been better than that sort of “revolu- “The voices of ‘moderation’ will cry to the elements which in the circumstances polarised Tories...” tionism”. Militancy is a central value for social- heavens about the danger of bloodshed and civil Catholic-Protestant, Nationalist-Unionist antag- He knew what must be done. “This danger ists, but not the only one; and in certain situa- war. Our answer must be that it is ‘moderation’ onisms even more. must be countered by a programme to keep the tions, some types of militancy threaten the and ‘liberalism’ which, down through the years, The ultimate “militant civil rights movement” civil rights movement on the streets. The class fundamental interests of the working class. It is prevented any assault on the system that would be the Provisional IRA, addressing itself content of the civil rights demands must be a matter of judgement, and of the possibilities in provokes the possibility of civil war”. to the core civil right the Catholics lacked, made clear, and the movement must acquire its a given situation. In 1969 IS made fantastic Here McCann slipped from one thing to national self-determination, that is, to the ques- own means of publicity to end the need for rely- misjudgements or, more to the point, had no use another. What he wrote was perfectly true and tion of partition. The Trotskyist Tendency tried ing on the Tory press, whether Green or for overall judgements.

WHERE WE STAND

ODAY one class, the working class, lives by selling partnership” and assert working-class interests militantly • A workers’ movement that fights all forms of oppression. its labour power to another, the capitalist class, against the bosses. Full equality for women and social provision to free Twhich owns the means of production. Society is Our priority is to work in the workplaces and trade women from the burden of housework. Free abortion on shaped by the capitalists’ relentless drive to increase their unions, supporting workers’ struggles, producing work- request. Full equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. wealth. Capitalism causes poverty, unemployment, the place bulletins, helping organise rank-and-file groups. Black and white workers’ unity against racism. blighting of lives by overwork, imperialism, the destruction We are also active among students and in many • Open borders. of the environment and much else. campaigns and alliances. • Global solidarity against global capital — workers every- Against the accumulated wealth and power of the capi- where have more in common with each other than with talists, the working class has one weapon: solidarity. WE STAND FOR: their capitalist or Stalinist rulers. The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty aims to build soli- • Independent working-class representation in politics. • Democracy at every level of society, from the smallest darity through struggle so that the working class can over- • A workers’ government, based on and accountable to the workplace or community to global social organisation. throw capitalism. We want socialist revolution: collective labour movement. • Working-class solidarity in international politics: equal ownership of industry and services, workers’ control and a rights for all nations, against imperialists and predators big • A workers’ charter of trade union rights — to organise, to democracy much fuller than the present system, with and small. strike, to picket effectively, and to take solidarity action. elected representatives recallable at any time and an end to • Maximum left unity in action, and openness in debate. bureaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. • Taxation of the rich to fund decent public services, If you agree with us, please take some copies of We fight for the labour movement to break with “social homes, education and jobs for all. Solidarity to sell — and join us! REVIEWS 17 Heroines Excalibur and the last stand of

MATTHEW THOMPSON REVIEWS THE LAST revolution LEGION Amy Fisher went with the London social- HE Last Legion is an unusual film. It ist feminist reading group to see Heroines deals with the late Roman Empire and Tthe nominal last emperor of the West, of Revolution, a play by the New Factory the juvenile Romulus Augustulus. of the Eccentric Actor. The 1964 epic The Fall of the Roman Empire and the similar Gladiator both follow Na tiny community hall in Kentish the eighteenth century historian Edward Town, the play was performed moving Gibbon in seeing the death of Marcus Aurelius Iaround the room, with no separation in 180 AD as marking the final decline of Rome. Yet the Empire survived for another between the audience and the actors. The three centuries, divided between east and west play was a series of scenes from revolution- and engaged in a constant struggle to defend its ary history, with speeches and diary excerpts borders. from well-known, and less well-known, By the late fifth century, the Western Empire women revolutionaries. had been reduced to Italy and a foothold in southern Gaul. Vandal fleets operating from It was a genuinely entertaining evening; I conquered North Africa and Spain controlled was moved aside at various points by Rosa the Mediterranean. Trade and agriculture Luxemburg and Vera Zasulich, andgiven the declined as civil war, famine and disease deci- part (denoted by a badge) of a little known mated the population. Bolshevik woman. Audience participation Without a citizenry of free peasants and arti- was encouraged, particularly at the end with sans from which the legions had been drawn, taxation had to be raised to pay for a merce- a rousing chorus of the Internationale in nary army who used their power to proclaim a Russian, then English. succession of puppet emperors. The abdication But despite the fun, the politics of the of Romulus Augustulus in 476 AD and the play were all over the place. The first scene decision of the Senate to transfer the imperial showed socialist students in Zurich toasting insignia to the Eastern Emperor in Byzantium male revolutionaries and giggling about how marked the end of a process of economic and military decline rather than a sudden collapse. great it was to be in the movement before The Last Legion captures this volatile situa- hearing they had been recalled to Russia by tion although, being a Hollywood film, it the Tsar. A few of us exchanged concerned distorts history for effect. The Ostrogoths are glances at the silly, fluffy way these women predictably presented as barbarian invaders were portrayed — as unserious, and in love despite having been granted land in return for fuses with the beginning of the Arthurian with the fate of socialism in the twentieth military service and subsequently converting to legend. century and Natalia Sedova”s description of with Bakunin as if he were a popstar. Christianity (albeit to Arianism, the heresy that The swordfighting scenes are impressively Trotsky as “the last fighter of an annihilated Fortunately the rest of the portrayals Christ was a lower order of being than God). swashbuckling and combined with some comic legion”. The film's makers are to be credited weren’t as superficial, but the politics didn’t Whereas the real Romulus was pensioned off touches. The idea of a last band of warriors for an overdue portrayal of an obscure yet get much more serious. We saw scenes of continuing to fight when the rest of their decisive period in European history. to his family’s estate in southern Italy, the film La Pasionara both in the Spanish Revolution has him travelling to Britain where the plot comrades have been killed clearly resonates and in Moscow in 1941, neither of which addressed her Stalinism. Tina Modotti was shown praising Stalinist Russia, in between scenes of Luxemburg and Constance Markiewicz. One of the revolutionary women was a female soldier from the American war of independence (bit odd Mixing business and politics mixed with so many socialist women). Aung San Suu Kyi was lauded near the end — again, strange to highlight a bourgeois (if DAVID BRODER REVIEWS GORGEOUS Morley tells us that the now defunct a mafia don, ready for a lackey to remove it heroic) politician amongst radicals and Workers’ Revolutionary Party — who received for him; his pompous sloganeering about socialists. GEORGE BY DAVID MORLEY over £1 million in payments from Colonel Saddam Hussein and Hezbollah — are fine The message seemed to be that it’s worthy Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein in exchange for targets for comedy, Morley steers well clear of when women rebel, regardless of their poli- IVEN his colossal ego, z-list celebrity fingering communists in the Middle East — farce. He instead peppers the book with his tics — a little patronising, perhaps, suggest- status and continuing admiration of “are so extreme in their revolutionary views own one liners; ing that our politics are above discussion or GStalinist politics, it is hard to imagine a that even members of the left describe them as “Singers of the stature of Tony Christie had better candidate for biography than George ‘left-wing loonies’.” Loonies maybe; but what played [at the Labour Club], though whether reproach because we’ve been so brave to Galloway. However, those who deduce from stung them to sue us for libel in 1981 is that he knew that some of the gate money was fight for anything in a male-dominated David Morley’s chosen title, “Gorgeous we denied they were left-wing. going to the Labour Party, or cared if it might world. George”, that the book is irreverent or cutting Neither is the writer interested in Galloway’s have been on its way to Amarillo, we’ll never Although a scene at the end briefly will be greatly disappointed. failure to join the Socialist Campaign Group know”. mentioned little-known Bolshevik women Much of the biography is a narrative of while a Labour MP, or his claim to be “not as Morley is very much telling Galloway’s side Gorgeous George’s alleged financial impropri- left wing as you might think”, both severe of the story. Even though he is a “maverick”, a who died at their posts, or never wrote eties. It reports the legal wranglings but draws indictments of his socialist credentials. Morley “firebrand”, and is “controversial”, Galloway anything that survived to be lauded today, no conclusions. It does not ask why a supposed ignores Galloway’s continuing dismay at the is presented as principled and essentially the play also seemed to largely ignore ordi- “workers’ representative” would refuse to draw collapse of the monstrous USSR regime, “the benign, not like the yes-men in Cabinet who he nary women organising against capitalism, only a workers’ wage. Morley does devote saddest day of my life”. might have emulated if he were a careerist. Yet or more recent revolutionary movements. If some pages to the Respect popular front but Morley does however defend Galloway’s Galloway has never been other than a politi- it’s bad that the history of rebellion is ignores the many critics — leftist or otherwise 1994 audience with Saddam Hussein, in which cian, and his politics are far from socialist. He — of this project. he told the Iraqi tyrant “Sir, I salute your is a carbuncle on the public image of the left, mainly concerned with male heroes, surely Yes, it is funny to think of the Galloway we courage, your strength, your indefatigability”. and the SWP/Respect would do well to break we can’t right that by just adding some all know and love as the twinkle-eyed young He swallows Galloway’s claim that this with him politically. female heroines to their ranks! man who dreamt of being Foreign Secretary address was intended to the whole Iraqi nation Morley did get an interview with SWP And besides that, the play missed some and devoted his youth to organising Dundee — an analysis which jars somewhat with the leader John Rees, who makes a clear-as-mud much more important, and politically better, Labour Party (having failed to get elected to fact that in the same meeting Galloway gave case for workers’ management: female “heroines” — despite discussing the the heady heights of local councillor). But the the dictator a sickly tribute about meeting “It might be that if you ask about renation- scores of pages about the personalities, Palestinians who had named their sons alisation you get one answer, but if you ask suffragettes, Sylvia Pankhurst wasn’t intrigues and business ventures of Labour in Saddam. about continued privatisation you get a very mentioned at all. And where was Emma Dundee during the 70s and 80s are of scant Even if Galloway were “saluting” all Iraqis, different one, and certainly it isn’t hard to Goldman, whose politics were a hundred interest to anyone serious about politics. the fact that he would say this to the man who imagine that two steps down the road people times better than La Pasionara’s?! Indeed, Morley clearly has minimal under- monopolised the country’s political life and may say: ‘Well, if privatisation isn’t working All in all, it was fleetingly quite pleasant standing of socialist ideas and groups— he butchered his opponents was a slap in the face then we have to discuss public provision in to stand in a tiny room in Kentish Town and describes Galloway as a “Marxist” and “work- for Iraqi socialists, Kurds, democrats, trade some form.’ Neither they nor we want to have ing class hero” (as with Fidel Castro), whereas unionists, etc. the old nationalised industries return, but we sing the Internationale surrounded by repre- in his lexicon “Trotskyites” are not “Marxists”. And while Galloway’s pretentious manner- do want democratic public provision of essen- sentations of (some) socialist women on a This bold allegation is never explained, nor his isms — Cuban cigars; wearing a coat over his tial services, and I would say there is a very, Friday night. But politically, the play left a flat denial that Galloway is a Stalinist. shoulders with his arms out of the sleeves, like very large constituency for that view.” slightly bitter after-taste. 18 RUSSIAN REVOLUTION “All power to the soviets!”

This week is the exact 90th anniversary of the made in its own image and not retouched. Congress watches these introductory conflicts proposal is adopted unanimously. “If the Russian workers’ revolution of November The statistics of this Congress which assembled with a scowl. Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries withdraw 1917. Since the fall in 1991 of the Stalinist during the hours of insurrection are very, incom- The Congress greeted its præsidium with now,” runs the comment in Martov’s group, “they regime which eventually overwhelmed the plete. At the moment of opening there were 650 enthusiasm. While the factions had been assem- will bury themselves.” It is possible to hope, workers’ government and made a counter- delegates with votes: 390 fell to the lot of the bling and conferring, Lenin with his make-up still therefore, that the Congress “will take the correct revolution in the 1920s, more has been avail- Bolsheviks — by no means all members of the on, in wig and big spectacles, was sitting in the road of creating a united democratic front.” Vain able to researchers in the west. Some new party, but they were of the flesh and blood of the passage-way in the company of two or three hope! A revolution never moves on diagonals. books have advanced our understanding of the masses, and the masses had no roads left but the Bolsheviks. On the way to a meeting of their The Right Wing immediately violates the just- revolution. None, however, can match the Bolshevik road. Many of the delegates who had faction Dan and Skobelev stopped still. Opposite approved initiation of peace negotiations. The exciting exposition of the course of 1917, in brought doubts with them were maturing fast in the table where the conspirators were sitting, Menshevik Kharash, a delegate from the 12th Trotsky’s History of the Russian Revolution. the red-hot atmosphere of Petrograd. stared at Lenin, and obviously recognised him. Army with a captain’s star on his shoulders, Written in 1930, Trotsky’s book presents a How completely had the Mensheviks and Time, then, to take the make-up off. But Lenin makes a statement: “These political hypocrites fascinating study of the ebbs and flows of a Social Revolutionaries squandered the political was in no hurry to appear publicly. He preferred propose that we decide the question of power. complex class struggle. All students of the capital of the February revolution. At the [first] to look round a little and gather the threads into Meanwhile it is being decided behind our backs Russian revolution should begin their studies June Congress of Soviets the Compromisers had his hands while remaining behind the scenes. ... Those blows at the Winter Palace are driving with Trotsky’s great masterpiece. The follow- a majority of 600 votes out of the whole number nails in the coffin of the party which has under- ing extract is taken from the last chapter and of 832 delegates. Now the compromisist opposi- HE verbal battles of the two camps were taken such an adventure ...” The captain’s chal- is an account of the Second All-Russian tion of all shades made up less than a quarter of extraordinarily impressive against a back- lenge is answered by the Congress with a grum- Congress of Soviets which met on 25-26 the Congress. The Mensheviks, with the national Tground of cannon-shots. Martov demanded ble of indignation. October in Petrograd. group adhering to them, amounted to only 80 the floor. The moment when the balance is still This demonstration of the Right Wing does not members — about half of them “Lefts.” Out of oscillating is his moment — this inventive states- cow anybody, but causes alarm and irritation. The N Smolny [Institute] on the 25th of October 159 Social Revolutionaries — according to other man of eternal waverings. With his hoarse tuber- majority of the delegates are too sick and tired of the most democratic of all parliaments in the reports 190 — about three-fifths were Lefts, and cular voice Martov makes instant rejoinder to the these bragging and narrow-minded leaders who Iworld’s history was to meet. Who knows — moreover the Right continued to melt fast during metallic voice of the guns: “We must put a stop to fed them first with phrases and then with meas- perhaps also the most important. the very sitting of the Congress. Toward the end military action on both sides ... The question of ures of repression… Having got free of the influence of compromi- the total number of delegates, according to power is beginning to be decided by conspirator- [The right seem to withdraw…] sist intellectuals, the local soviets had sent up for several lists, reached 900. But this figure, while ial methods. All the revolutionary parties have Martov’s declaration, hostile through and the most part workers and soldiers. The majority including a number of advisory members, does been placed before a fait accompli ... A civil war through to the Bolsheviks, and lifeless in its argu- of them were people without big names, but who not on the other hand include all those with votes. threatens us with an explosion of counter-revolu- ments, condemns the revolution as “accomplished had proved themselves in action and won lasting The registration was carried on intermittently; tion. A peaceful solution of the crisis can be by the Bolshevik party alone by the method of a confidence in their own localities. From the active documents have been lost; the information about obtained by creating a government which will be purely military plot,” and demands that the army it was almost exclusively rank-and-file party affiliations was incomplete. In any case the recognised by the whole democracy.” Congress suspend its labours until an agreement soldiers who had run the blockade of army dominant position of the Bolsheviks in the A considerable portion of the Congress has been reached with all the socialists parties. To committees and headquarters and come here as Congress remains indubitable. applauds. Sukhanov [historian of the revolution try to find the resultant of a parallelogram of delegates. A majority of them had begun to live a A straw-vote taken among the delegates and critic of the Bolsheviks] remarks ironically: forces in a revolution is worse than trying to catch political life with the revolution. They had been revealed that 505 soviets stood for the transfer of “Evidently many and many a Bolshevik, not your own shadow! formed by an experience of eight months. They all power to the soviets; 86 for a government of having absorbed the spirit of the teachings of But it was necessary to put up a resistance to knew little, but knew it well. The outward appear- the “democracy”; 55 for a coalition; 21 for a Lenin and Trotsky, would have been glad to take Martov. This task fell to Trotsky. “Now since the ance of the Congress proclaimed its make-up… coalition, but without the Kadets. Although that course.” The Left Social Revolutionaries and exodus of the Rights,” concedes Sukhanov, “his A grey colour prevailed uninterruptedly, in eloquent even in this form, these figures give an a group of United Internationalists support the position is as strong as Martov’s is weak.” The costumes and in faces. All had worn out their exaggerated idea of the remains of the proposal of peace negotiations. The Right Wing, opponents stand side by side in the tribune, clothes during the war. Many of the city workers Compromisers’ influence. Those for democracy and perhaps also the close associates of Martov, hemmed in on all sides by a solid ring of excited had provided themselves with soldiers’ coats. The and coalition were soviets from the more back- are confident that the Bolsheviks will reject this delegates. “What has taken place,” says Trotsky, trench delegates were by no means a pretty ward districts and least important points… proposal. They are wrong. The Bolsheviks send is an insurrection, not a conspiracy. An insurrec- picture: long unshaven, in old torn trench-coats, In the name of the Bolsheviks a Moscow dele- Lunacharsky to the tribune, the most peace- tion of the popular masses needs no justification. with heavy papakhi [tall hats] on their dishevelled gate, Avanessov, moves that the præsidium be loving, the most velvety of their orators. “The We have tempered and hardened the revolution- hair, often with cotton sticking out through a hole, elected upon a proportional basis: 14 Bolsheviks, Bolshevik faction,” he says, “has absolutely noth- ary energy of the Petrograd workers and soldiers. with coarse weather-beaten faces, heavy cracked 7 Social Revolutionaries, 3 Mensheviks and 1 ing against Martov’s proposal.” The enemy are We have openly forged the will of the masses to hands, fingers yellowed with tobacco, buttons Internationalist. The Right immediately declines astonished. “Lenin and Trotsky in thus giving insurrection, and not conspiracy ... Our insurrec- torn off, belts hanging loose, and long unoiled to enter the præsidium. Martov’s group sits tight way a little to their own masses,” comments tion has conquered, and now you propose to us: boots wrinkled and rusty. The plebeian nation had for the time being; it has not decided. Seven votes Sukhanov, “are at the same time cutting the Renounce your victory: make a compromise. for the first time sent up an honest representation go over to the Left Social Revolutionaries. The ground from under the Right Wing.” Martov’s With whom? I ask: With whom ought we to make a compromise? With that pitiful handful who just went out? ... Haven’t we seen them through and ’Trenched bourgeois might won’t vanquish right through. There is no longer anybody In Russia But fail and go astray. who is for them. Are the millions of workers and And honest and women peasants represented in this Congress, whom they 1917 Will speed them on their way! are ready now as always to turn over for a price to the mercies of the bourgeoisie, are they to enter Who fears to praise Red Seventeen? Yes, we dare praise Red Seventeen, a compromise with these men? No, a compromise Who quails at Lenin’s name? We honour Lenin’s name. is no good here. To those who have gone out, and When liars mock at Trotsky's fate Though cowards mock the old Red fight, to all who made like proposals, we must say, Who adds his, “Theirs the blame”? We’re still in Trotsky’s game! ‘You are pitiful isolated individuals; you are Cain-Stalin’s knave, or bourgeois slave Though Stalin’s knaves and bourgeois slaves bankrupts; your rôle is played out. Go where you Will scorn the Old Cause thus, Will scorn the Old Cause thus, belong from now on — into the rubbish-can of But honest men and women Yet honest men and women history!’” Will raise a voice with us. Still voice this faith with us. “Then we will go!” cries Martov without awaiting the vote of the Congress. We praise the memory of the dead, We hail the memory of the free, Of Lenin's friends long gone Of Trotsky’s ’durate few HE red marshals employed the short delay Who led the workers in revolt: Who fought in France, Spain, Germany, accorded to them with complete success. A An army, not a throng. Who fought in Russia too. Tnew wind was blowing in the atmosphere All, all are gone, but still lives on Though all are gone, they still live on, of the Congress when its sitting was renewed. The cause of those who died Their cause won’t go away Kamenev read from the tribune a telephonogram And honest men and women And honest men and women just received from Antonov. The Winter Palace Remember them with pride Still sing their song today. has been captured by the troops of the Revolutionary Military Committee; with the They rose in war-torn blood drenched days Then here’s their memory, may it be exception of Kerensky the whole Provisional To help set workers free For us a guiding light Government with the dictator Kishkin [the man Their own lives fed the living blaze That shows us workers’ liberty whom the provisional Government had appointed That challenged tyranny: And teaches us to fight. as military chief] at its head is under arrest. But bourgeois might half-vanquished right Through good and ill continue still Although everybody had already learned the news Some fell in disarray, The Cause that thrives unseen, as it passed from mouth to mouth, this official Others spun ’neath Stalin s gun That brought the bourgeois tyrants down communication crashed in heavier than a cannon —And we strive still today! In Nineteen Seventeen! salute. The leap over the abyss dividing the revo- SM lutionary class from power has been made. We work to free all those who live Driven out of the Palace of Kshesinskaia in In bourgeois slavery This is patterned on John Kells Ingram’s “The Memory of the Dead”, which is July, the Bolsheviks have now entered the Winter And glory in the names of those better known as “Ninety Eight” — 1798, the year of rebellion in Ireland. 1917 Palace as rulers. There is no other power now in Who fought for Liberty. goes to the tune of Ninety Eight. Russia but the power of the soviets. A complex tangle of feelings breaks loose in applause and RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 19 shouting: triumph, hope, but also anxiety. Then HE Congress opened its session at nine come new and more confident bursts of applause. o’clock in the evening. “The picture on the The deed is done. Even the most favourable Twhole was but little different from yester- correlation of forces contains concealed surprises, day — fewer weapons, less of a jam.” …This but the victory becomes indubitable when the session was to decide the questions of peace, land enemy’s staff is made prisoner… and government. Only three questions: end the The unhappy Mensheviks selected this moment war, give the land to the people, establish a to draw attention to themselves. They had not yet, socialist dictatorship [i.e. socialist rule: Marxists it seems, withdrawn. They had been considering like Trotsky considered all variants of capitalist in their faction what to do. Out of a desire to rule, from the parliamentary to the fascist, to be bring after him the wavering groups, Kapelinsky, bourgeois “dictatorship”]. Kamenev began with a who had been appointed to inform the congress report of the work done by the præsidium during of the decision adopted, finally spoke aloud the the day the death penalty at the front introduced most candid reason for breaking with the by Kerensky abolished; complete freedom of Bolsheviks: “Remember that the troops are riding agitation restored; orders given for the liberation towards Petrograd; we are threatened with catas- of soldiers imprisoned for political convictions, trophe.” “What! Are you still here?” – the ques- and members of land committees; all the tion was shouted from all corners of the hall. commissars of the Provisional Government “Why, you went out once!” The Mensheviks removed from office; orders given to arrest and moved in a tiny group towards the entrance, deliver Kerensky and Kornilov. The Congress accompanied by scornful farewells. approved and ratified these measures. Lunacharsky at last got a chance to read a Lenin, whom the Congress has not yet seen, is proclamation addressed to the workers, soldiers given the floor for a report on peace. His appear- and peasants. But this was not merely a procla- ance in the tribune evokes a tumultuous greeting. mation. By its mere exposition of what had The trench delegates gaze with all their eyes at happened and what was proposed, this hastily this mysterious being whom they had been taught written document laid down the foundations of a to hate and whom they have learned without new state structure. “The authority of the compro- seeing him to love. “Now Lenin, gripping the misist Central Executive Committee is at an end. edges of the reading-stand, let little winking eyes The Provisional Government is deposed. The travel over the crowd as he stood there waiting, Congress assumes the power ...” The Soviet apparently oblivious to the long-rolling ovation, Government proposes immediate peace. It will which lasted several minutes. When it finished, transfer the land to the peasants democratise the he said simply, ‘We shall now proceed to army, establish control over production, promptly construct the socialist order.’” summon the Constituent Assembly, guarantee the …That initial statement which John Reed puts right of the nations of Russia to self-determina- in the mouth of Lenin does not appear in any of tion. “The Congress resolves: That all power in the newspaper accounts. But it is wholly in the the localities goes over to the soviets.” Every spirit of the orator. Reed could not have made it phrase as it is read turns into a salvo of applause. up. Just in that way Lenin must surely have “Soldiers! Be on your guard! Railway workers! begun his speech at the Congress of Soviets — Stop all echelons sent by Kerensky against simply, without unction, with inflexible confi- Petrograd! ... The fate of the revolution and the dence: “We shall now proceed to construct the fate of the democratic peace is in your hands!”… socialist order.” But for this it was first of all necessary to end HE session finally came to an end at about the war. From his exile in Switzerland Lenin had six o’clock. A grey and cold autumn morn- thrown out the slogan: Convert the imperialist Ting was dawning over the city. The hot war into a civil war. Now it was time to convert spots of the camp-fires were fading out in the the victorious civil war into peace. The speaker gradually lightening streets. The greying faces of began immediately by reading the draft of a the soldiers and the workers with rifles were declaration to be published by the government concentrated and unusual. If there were still to be elected. The text had not been distrib- astrologers in Petrograd, they must have observed uted, technical equipment being still very weak. portentous signs in the heavens. The congress drank in every word of the docu- The capital awoke under a new power. The ment as pronounced. everyday people, the functionaries, the intellectu- “Suddenly, by common impulse,” – the story als, cut off from the arena of events, rushed for Petrograd demonstration 1917: the banners read, “Down with war”, “Down with Ministers- will soon be told by John Reed, observer and the papers early to find out to which shore the Capitalists” and “All power to the soviets” participant, chronicler and poet of the insurrection wave had tossed during the night. But it was not — “we found ourselves on our feet, mumbling easy to make out what had happened. To be sure, burning at the outer and inner gates. By their rattle of weapons. People utterly exhausted of together into the smooth lifting unison of the the papers reported the seizure by conspirators of wavering light armed workers and soldiers were their force, long without sleep or eating, Internationale. A grizzled old soldier was sobbing the Winter Palace and the ministers, but only as a belligerently inspecting passes. A number of unshaven, in dirty linen, with inflamed eyes, like a child. Alexandra Kollontai rapidly winked passing episode. Kerensky has gone to headquar- armoured-cars stood shaking with the action of would shout in hoarse voices, gesticulate fantasti- the tears back. The immense sound rolled through ters; the fate of the government will be decided their own motors in the court. Nothing wanted to cally, and if they did not fall half dead on the the hall, burst windows and doors and soared into by the front. Reports of the Soviet Congress stop moving, machines or people. At each floor, it seemed only thanks to the surrounding the quiet sky.” reproduce only the declarations of the Right entrance stood machine-guns abundantly supplied chaos which whirled them about and carried them Did it go altogether into the sky? Did it not go Wing, enumerate those who withdrew, and with cartridge-belts. The endless, weakly lighted, away again on its unharnessed wings. also to the autumn trenches, that hatch-work upon expose the impotence of those who remained. gloomy corridors echoed with the tramping of Never since the creation of the world have so unhappy, crucified Europe, to her devastated The political editorials, written before the seizure feet, with exclamations and shouts. The arriving many orders been issued — by word of mouth by cities and villages, to her mothers and wives in of the Winter Palace, exude a cloudless opti- and departing poured up and down the broad pencil, by typewriter, by wire, one following after mourning? “Arise ye prisoners of starvation! mism… staircase. And this solid human lava would be cut the other – thousands and myriads of orders, not Arise ye wretched of the earth!” The words of the … So now Smolny became the focal point for through by impatient and imperative individuals. always issued by those having the right, and song were freed of all qualifications. They fused all functions of the capital and the state. Here all Smolny workers, couriers, commissars, a rarely to those capable of carrying them out. But with the decree of the government, and hence the ruling institutions had their seat. Here orders mandate or an order lifted high in their hand, a just here lay the miracle – that in this crazy resounded with the force of a direct act. Everyone were issued and hither people came to get them. rifle on a cord slung over their shoulder, or a port- whirlpool there turned out to be an inner mean- felt greater and more important in that hour. The Hence a demand went out for weapons, and folio under their arm. ing. People managed to understand each other. heart of the revolution enlarged to the width of hither came rifles and revolvers confiscated from The Military Revolutionary Committee never The most important and necessary things got the whole world. the enemy. Arrested people were brought in here stopped working for an instant. It received dele- done. Replacing the old web of administration, “We will achieve emancipation. The spirit of from all ends of the city. The injured began to gates, couriers, volunteer informers, devoted the first threads of the new were strung, The revo- independence, of initiative, of daring, those flow in seeking justice. The bourgeois public and friends, and scoundrels. It sent commissars to all lution grew in strength. joyous feelings of which the oppressed in ordi- its frightened cab-drivers made a great yoke- corners of the town, set innumerable seals upon During that day, the Central Committee of the nary conditions are deprived – the revolution had shaped detour to avoid the Smolny region. orders and commands and credentials – all this in Bolsheviks was at work in Smolny. It was decid- brought them now ... with our own hand!” The A steady flood of people poured along the side- the midst of intersecting inquiries, urgent commu- ing the problem of the new government of omnipotent hand of those millions who had over- walks of the adjoining streets. Bonfires were nications, the ringing of telephone bells and the Russia. No minutes were kept — or they have not thrown the monarchy and the bourgeoisie would been preserved. Nobody was bothering about now strangle the war. future historians, although a lot of trouble was The Red Guard from the Vyborg district, the being prepared for them right there. The evening grey soldier with his scar, the old revolutionist session of the Congress was to create a cabinet of who had served his years at hard labour, the Subscribe to Solidarity! ministers. M-i-n-i-s-t-e-r-s? ’What a sadly young black-bearded sailor from the Aurora – all compromised word! It stinks of the high bureau- vowed to carry through to the end this “last and Individuals: £15 per year (22 issues) waged, £8 unwaged. cratic career, the crowning of some parliamentary deciding fight.” “We will build our own new ambition. It was decided to call the government world!” We will build! In that word eagerly Organisations: £35 large, £22 smaller (5 copies) the Soviet of People’s Commissars: that at least spoken from the heart was included already the had a fresher sound. Since the negotiations for a future years of the civil war and the coming five- coalition of the “entire democracy” had come to year periods of labour and privation. “Who was Name ...... nothing, the question of the party and personal nothing shall be all!” staff of the government was simplified. The Left All if the actualities of the past have often been Address ...... Social Revolutionaries minced and objected. turned into song, why shall not a song be turned Having just broken with the party of Kerensky, into the actuality of the future? Those trenchcoats Organisation ...... they themselves hardly knew what they wanted to no longer seemed the costumes of galley-slaves. do. The Central Committee adopted the motion of The papakhi with their holes and torn cotton took European rate: £20 or 32 euros in cash. Lenin as the only thinkable one: to form a a new aspect above those gleaming eyes. “The government of Bolsheviks only…[The Left SRs race of man shall rise again!” Is it possible to Send to PO Box 823, London, SE15 4NA. Cheques payable to “Solidarity”. Or would enter the government in December]. believe that it will not rise from the misery and humiliation, the blood and filth of this war? subscribe online at www.workersliberty.org/solidarity workers’ liberty & Solidarity

Trade-unionists and socialists targetted in clampdown Support the left in Pakistan!

BY CATHY NUGENT to release people arrested in the conflict, many of whom have not been heard of by their fami- HY did Pakistan’s military ruler lies for many months. Musharaff has also General Musharraf risk millions of joined up with Islamists in an attempt to dollars in military and other finan- marginalise the nationalists and secularists in W both of the two main peoples of the area, the cial aid from the US and EU by declaring martial law on 3 November? Balochi and Pashtun. His Islamists of choice? He probably knew there was little chance of The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F). And this Pakistan’s major donor countries (the US and group is a major ally of the Afghan Taliban! the UK) doing more than weakly threatening The military are pragmatists when it comes to cut that aid. In the short-term, to a large to holding onto their own power and putting a extent, the US and UK are inhibited by their lid on people fighting for greater autonomy. reliance on Pakistan in the region — not least Of course they will back the Taliban in order for logistical help with NATO operations in to save their own position! Probably there are Afghanistan. A guarded promise from sections of the military who agree with back- Musharaff (5 November) to go ahead with ing the Taliban. National Assembly elections in January was And the western powers? They have, up enough to see the US and UK back off. until now, stayed friends with these purveyors In any case Musharaff has long wanted a of violence because “putting a lid on it” — concerted drive to arrest, neutralise or other- even if it involves giving direct or indirect wise brutally intimidate Pakistan’s “liberal” support to the Taliban — might create some opposition — the lawyers, human rights stability in the region, and therefore better activists and media people that trouble him. conditions for capitalist exploitation. (In Balochistan, pumping out gas reserves). Trade unionists and socialists have also been Shi’a clashes are just part, a big part of the scale civil war in Balochistan. targetted (see page 7). Right now Pakistan’s military are unliklely picture. There have been workers’ strikes (at This year the government has used increas- to want to give up much power. That is bad Musharraf’s stated reason for setting cops Unilever for instance) and student protests. ing force against largely secular Balochistan onto lawyers and putting judges under house news for the workers, democrats, and trade And to this must be added, above all, a nationalists. Chief Justice Chaudhry (himself unionists in Pakistan. Socialists in this country arrest is that they are interferring with the conflict that threatens to develop into full from Balochistan) pressured the government army’s ability to bring to justice Pakistan urgently need to organise solidarity. many and various Islamist extremists. Only a power-obsessed anti-democrat of the tallest order could be capable of such breath-taking hypocrisy. Dave Warren on the "vote no" campaign in Royal Mail Musharraf is out to get people like Chief Justice Iftkhar Chaudhry because they want to stop him and the military from staying in power. Last March Chaudhry ruled that any “re-election” of Musharaff as President by the “I’ve never known a deal National Assembly (which Musharaff achieved last month) would be illegal; at Chaudhry’s instigation the Supreme Court were about to make the same ruling again. . There is more to this crackdown, some of where the union has agreed which we can only speculate about. It could be that Musharaff and sections in the army, do not trust or want the recent (US-backed) deal with the Pakistani Peoples’ Party (PPP) to share power after the election. Will the PPP so many changes after accept the military’s dominant role in politics? The fact that the PPP, which has so far not called its people out onto the streets, does not seem a threat, may be immaterial to Pakistan’s ruthless military rulers — if they are feeling they've been imposed” nervous about their position. And there are much greater threats to Musharaff’s personal position and that of his Dave Warren is a member of the Postal Executive of the post and degree of flexibility, but it is a bigger issue in deliveries, both indoors brothers in braid. telecom union CWU. He opposed the deal with Royal Mail and outdoors. There is an attitude in deliveries of “I've got a job, I’ll Pakistan’s armed forces are now a colossal endorsed by a majority of the Executive on 22 October, and has do it, but if you want me to do something extra, you’ll have to pay me enterprise of different branches, including two been campaigning for a no vote in the ballot on the deal which extra”. separate intelligence agencies, and all sorts of runs between 9 and 27 November. He spoke to Solidarity. The flexibility is all about saving money for Royal Mail, so in fact direct and indirect interests in the Pakistani it will mean that the pay is worse than it looks in the headline figures. economy. Throughout Pakistan’s history the O far about 20 CWU branches have taken a position to oppose The management, in their material on the deal, have acknowledged armed forces have been a constant, holding the deal. Flexibility is a very big issue for many members. If it the link between pay and flexibility, so that is helping us a bit on the together Pakistan’s fragile state, backing up were a straight pay deal, there would not be the same opposition. no vote. The union leadership’s line is that the deal isn’t brilliant, but and overthrowing civilian governments, hold- S The pay deal is a 5.4% increase from October; £175 to cover the it’s the best we can get. ing together by force a complex and conflict- period from April (where the pay deal was due) to September (but that To the members they are saying: thank you for your support; the ridden society. Those conflicts are worse than is money already earned in a bonus scheme which is now being action brought management to the negotiating table. There will be ever. wound up); and another 1.5% from April 2008, dependent on flexible flexibility, but we will negotiate it. They don’t go much into detail, The growth in the dominance and effective- working. but instead emphasise the headline figures in the deal. ness of the Islamist jihadists in the regions In the Mail Centres, to be honest, there is already a fairly high Continued on page 4 bordering Afghanistan and ongoing Sunni-