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Letters may have been society of freely associated producers can issues shows that those opposing me including to the structure of elected In 1916 the Labour Party programme shortened because of grow within and outwith the trade unions do not view debate as a dialectical officerships and committees, should be was neither republican nor anti-unionist space. Some names and the labour movement. At some point process which aims to get us closer to decided at an AGM, not at the SGM, and supported imperialist wars. Connolly  may have been changed in the near future a consciousness will the truth. Obviously, there is little point which has no such constitutional altering stood for the opposite. A river of blood emerge of the need for a campaign for in debating with people who agree with remit. divided these two positions. In 2016 the Labourism RIP Marxist parties worldwide to support me. The dialectical conflict of opposites Also deciding that the conference Labour Party remains committed to the Labourism is dead. Long live socialism! workers to realise this goal. is a necessary part of the process of arrangements committee reserves the UK constitution based on the monarchy The doctrine that a political party Marxists can extend and publicise development. The problem with Ted’s right to rule on whether the subject of the and the union, and has continued to back representing the trade unions can bring their critique of Keynesian ‘alternatives’ view is that it regards Marxism as existing amendments falls within the remit of the imperialist wars, despite the election of socialism into being is now in the dustbin and show that socialism is the only outside of the dialectical process - that is, SGM, or whether they should be referred Corbyn and the over-excitement of the of history. Trade unions are calling for alternative to austerity. It is highly above criticism. But the laws of dialectics to the subsequent AGM (to be held later Trotskyist left. a limited fiscal stimulus to lift the UK unlikely that the ruling class will allow apply to Marxism as well. In other words, in 2016), means that the democratic rights My point about Left Unity and the economy out of a depression. This has as the restoration of public expenditure and the Marxist ‘thesis’ is bound to generate of affiliated organisations are abolished. CPGB’s Communist Platform is not that much in common with a globally planned workers’ rights to pre-1979 levels. This an antithesis which leads human thought No AGM up to now had any such they should organise an armed uprising classless society as the mummified body is a reason why the Labour leadership forward. Dogmas come from those who bureaucratic control on motions. Given any time soon, but rather that LU has no of an ancient pharaoh with a new born will continue its progress from left to have abandoned the scientific method, the outrageous bureaucratic structures future unless it changes its programme child. right. Austerity needs to be fought at all and don’t know dialectics. of Momentum so far, a 60-strong and becomes an anti-unionist republican At the 2015 Labour Party conference, levels - from above and below, globally This is why anyone who defends appointed anonymous committee with no socialist party. Then and only then will the new trade union-backed leader as well as locally. Unscathed by the death Marxism, or regard it as above criticism, democratic mandate, obviously chosen LU be in a position to relate to Rise declared he was a British patriot. He has spasms of Labourism, Marxists can play should take me on in the pages of the for the flexibility of political backbones, (Scottish left alliance). Then and only subsequently compromised on going to a significant role in the leadership of this Weekly Worker. Running away is simply this move is to prevent any far more then will it place its relations with the war. He no longer calls for the ending fight. abandoning dialectics. This is a form of structurally democratic organisation like Corbyn movement in England and Wales of tuition fees and the restoration of The struggle against austerity entails suppressing criticism. As someone who the LRC operating, lest it be far more on a solid basis. LU will become a party student grants. He has dropped plans to the democratic mobilisation of workers believes in a democratic socialist society, attractive to the new membership than with its own distinct democratic political nationalise the major energy companies. around a plan that goes beyond cuts and to Ted I say, in a memorable communist Momentum, which they will have no objectives and not seem like some His shadow chancellor has abandoned workers’ rights. This plan might include slogan: “Let a hundred flowers bloom. Let direct means of influencing. Corbyn groupie hanging around the stage the idea of bringing the Bank of England calls for full employment; a shorter a hundred schools of thought contend.” The reason given for the bureaucratic door hoping for a sprinkle of star dust. back into state control. Both have stated working week; a living income in or out Tony Clark manoeuvres in the opening paragraph Tony makes one revealing gaff. He they are friends of business and industry. of work; free housing, fuel, transport, Labour Supporter - “Hostile elements still abound, in the says that “When the political debate Paul Marshall, co-founder of the $22 education, health, education and social parliamentary party, the organisational in this country is focused on the battle billion hedge fund, Marshall Ware, has care; the socialisation of transnational No answer apparatus and beyond. There can be no between left and right within the Labour applauded Labour plans for “people’s corporations under workers’ control; the In ‘A perfectly ordinary, highly instructive place for routinism - the left must raise its Party”, Left Unity is finished (“their day quantitative easing”. He thinks it would workplace election of managers; and the document’ (December 17), Lars T Lih game to meet the new tasks we now face” has long gone”). But what is meant by be a useful means of stabilising the redistribution of resources from arms writes: “The Bolsheviks rejected any - in no way justifies this postponement. “this country”? Does he mean the UK, economy the next time there is a financial and fossil fuel to socially useful forms of sort of political agreement or alliance Its obvious motivation is to manoeuvre Britain or England (and Wales)? Scotland crisis. The Money, Macro and Finance production. with the liberal bourgeoisie because they against its critics from the left and from has different politics, which I highlighted Research Group also discussed the Such calls articulate needs that are felt that these leaders would sell out the the potential of the new membership. In in Bermondsey. (As he missed the key Labour leader’s economic policies at a part of a collective struggle to overthrow revolution after it started by making a the tradition of that master of bureaucratic point in my election campaign, he just conference in September. This group capitalism. They will be fully realised deal or agreement with tsarism.” manoeuvres, Uncle Joe, on some lost the job as my spin doctor!) consists of investment bankers, business with the establishment of a democratically Very true. But, after the February occasions the revolutionary or even more However, Tony does make a telling economists, private equity and hedge planned classless society worldwide. revolution of 1917, there is no tsarism radical left is a greater enemy of those point that the CPGB is in a contradictory fund managers. Contributors scoffed Paul B Smith around to make a deal with - but there who command the apparatus. position over Labour and Left Unity by at the idea that creating money by email is still a liberal bourgeoisie intent on The aim of this manoeuvre is to trying to run with the hare and hunt with order of the government would create selling out the revolution. What then, Dr effectively abolish the LRC itself and the hounds. Programme must come hyperinflation. Flower oil Lih? Lih refuses to recognise the sheer its continued existence in a hobbled before tactics. Which side of the river In other words there are intelligent Understanding the relationship between novelty of this situation and the equally form is aimed at preventing any other of blood should socialists stand? On the members of the ruling class who support peak oil and the global economy is novel political questions raised by it and democratic radical leftist organisation right bank with Kier Hardie and Ramsay the Labour leader and his advisory team crucial to knowing how the present crisis to which the pre-1917 polemics among emerging that would develop the McDonald’s Labourism, or the left bank of conservative Keynesian economists. of capitalism will play out. Debating European and Russian Social Democrats leftism of the new membership by with James Connolly’s anti-unionist They can see the point of using the socialism without grasping the energy could offer no unequivocal answer. Only giving them this democratic space, thus republican programme? No contest. Labour leader’s mainstream economic issue in general and peak oil in particular Trotsky developed the correct answer preventing embarrassment to Corbyn and Steve Freeman ideas if policies associated with austerity is a futile exercise. This is a mistake most before 1917 with his theory of permanent McDonnell. I got the Grass Roots Left to Left Unity and Rise fail to control increasingly popular anti- Marxists make, forgivable when energy revolution. Lenin’s April theses adopted affiliate and elect a delegate for 2015-16; capitalist sentiment. was not an issue in the past, but an urgent the practice of the permanent revolution. my Unite branch would do so, as would Just the two of us An economist called James Meadway issue today. I developed this point against Lih in Socialist Fight and the Irish Republican Only two branch members turned up has argued that the leader’s economic Because of the above, I was Historical Materialism NYC one year Prisoners Support Group and Brent and for the Teesside Left Unity meeting on manifesto is to the right of the Social disappointed when Ted Hankin informed ago. Lih has studiously avoided even Harrow LRC. I notice that these groups January 5, but we decided to proceed Democratic Party’s plans for the 1983 me privately that he no longer wished mentioning my critique. I’d like to think (apart from the Unite branch), who with business in so far as we could. election. The ‘moderate’ SDP then called to take me on politically. The reason he it is because he has no convincing answer have affiliated for the last several years, There was a shared frustration that for the creation of 250,000 jobs over two gave was that I am incapable of sticking to it. mysteriously do not appear on the list of Left Unity’s leadership appeared to have years, including 100,000 jobs in the NHS to one issue and I am constantly changing John Marot affiliated organisations. Why the wiping done little since the national conference and social services. Today’s ‘extreme’ the goal posts. The comrade failed to give email from the record of those organisations on November 21-22. It had taken a long Labour Party leadership has no such an example of this. Nor did he seem to that are now unacceptable, like the Irish time for an official statement about the similar commitment. There must be a real realise that, if this was indeed the case, it Dissolution Republican Prisoners Support Group? No conference to be published, and even that doubt whether Labour can restore cuts to was his duty to point this out publicly, not If people want to dissolve the Labour highly embarrassing motion in support only came after prompting in the party’s public expenditure once in power. to use this as a pretext to discontinue the Representation Committee (Letters, of the democratic right of republican Facebook discussion forum. The membership’s choice of a debate. December 17), as we have heard some prisoners in Ireland for The Sun and The A branch member had enquired to Keynesian leader has administered a So why is Marxism, in the morose leaders say, because they have won and Mail to latch on to now. the LU office about whether motions not shock to the corpse of Labourism. This form of Ted, running away from debate? Momentum has now taken that space, Gerald Downing reached on the conference agenda would has the potential to create a zombie- What annoyed Ted is that I haven’t why don’t they just resign instead of email be considered by the party formally, and like monster that eats its own flesh. willingly placed my neck on the chopping carrying out this totally undemocratic was disappointed that there seemed to be Collective self-interest will draw the block for him to remove the head with wrecking operation? Programme first only an intention for the party’s national antagonistic poles of the membership and one swing of the executioner’s axe and I was at the national committee It was good to read Tony Greenstein council to discuss how they should be constituency MPs together in a vicious consign me to ideological oblivion. meeting where Pete Firmin walked out (Letters, December 17 2015) promoting discussed. struggle leading to disintegration and Ted is refusing to debate Marxism and the decision there was to maintain my campaign for anti-unionist We discussed concerns about the interment. It will cause the leadership to with me because he believes Marxism, a the LRC because of the obvious lack of republicanism in the 2015 Bermondsey chairing of one section of the conference, abandon its veneer of principled decency. 19th century narrative, is above criticism. democratic structures in Momentum, election “as a considerable rebellion during which Communist Platform Once it has secured its position on the I am sorry to have to disappoint people but now there is only a political desire to against the conservative monarchical speakers felt they had been treated right, the leadership will be advised to who think in this way, but it is not. I have prevent democratic debate and discussion forces of Left Unity” and comparing it unfairly. One of us felt there had been turn on the left. Those who do not become already stated that modern, industrialised in a bureaucratic manner. This is clearly a with James Connolly’s Easter uprising deliberate bias; the other thought the the leader’s henchmen and women will capitalist society was not driven forward fear of the new influx of members into the against the British state. comrade involved had been out of his be purged. I expect The Morning Star by the circulation of capital has Marx Labour Party. Too many of them might With such high but, may I say with depth rather than consciously biased. to play a crucial role in policing left- claimed, but was the direct result of the turn up at the annual general meeting, all due modesty, undeserved praise, I It was noted that LU’s website leaning members in England and Wales. energy revolution beginning in the 18th like they did at the Brighton Labour have decided to offer Tony the job as my appeared not to be updated as regularly In Scotland I guess the Scottish National century, following the energy crisis in conference fringe meeting, and who spin doctor to continue his good work. as previously, with very few local branch Party will play a similar role. This would England which triggered the decline of knows how they might vote on things like But I think he should reference Captain meetings listed - ours had been omitted be the last gasp of the old alliance between feudalism. The money centred view of Labour councils who make cuts, and war America and Iron Man to fully capture despite requests - and it made no mention social democracy and Stalinism. capitalist development, which Marxism in Syria? This sounds like fake leftists the scale of my heroic deeds. Alistair of the LU trade union event due to be held Nonetheless these are fertile times shares, is the result of bourgeois political running scared from the new left. Best to Campbell: eat your heart out! in Manchester on January 23. for Marxists. Marxists can intensify economy. keep them as a stage army and not allow Even so, it doesn’t seem right to Despite a promising level of interest their educational and propagandistic I have also pointed out that, contrary them to develop their own political ideas. compare Connolly’s Irish Socialist when the Teesside branch was launched efforts. They can continue to develop to the claim of Marx and his followers, At all costs keep them from falling under Republican Party and Irish Citizen Army in July 2015, a recent update from Left themselves intellectually and politically production relations are not the function the influence of any revolutionary ideas. in their rebellion against the United Unity HQ had revealed there were now by organising study groups, formal of productive forces, nor are they The special general meeting on Kingdom with an election campaign only 10 members in the five-borough/ debates and discussion forums. They determined by them, but rather by the February 20 is not the postponed which identified Left Unity as hardly seven-constituency area covered by the can create a flourishing socialist counter- class that has control of the instruments 2015 AGM, so the NC is in breach republican and certainly not anti-unionist. branch. Some members, as well as others culture nourished by the rotting cadaver of coercion. In a class society production of the constitution, having cancelled The argument with Left Unity is not on the branch’s periphery who had shown of Labourism. Until the ruling class relations grew from the sword, not the the 2015 AGM. It has now moved to about the tactics of standing in elections an interest in getting involved, are known decides to resort to repression, a culture productive forces. bureaucratically stitch up the 2016 AGM. versus armed uprisings. It is all about to have joined the Labour Party since that foregrounds the idea of a classless Avoiding debating these and other The proposed constitutional changes, programme. Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership victory. BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07704 903382 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected] weekly 3 worker 1088 January 7 2016

Only half of the 10 remaining members all these factors is to undermine and limit We are dealing with a lunatic here. acknowledged communications from the the development of community, class and Let’s look at the reality. Labour’s share branch. collective consciousness. of the vote went from 54.8% to 62.1%. If We agreed that we were not in a All parents should have reasonable McMahon had stood on an identical voter CPGB podcasts Every Monday we upload a podcast commenting on the current period when active recruitment of new time to spend with their children, so turn out to Michael Meacher’s he would political situation. In addition, the site features voice files of public members locally was likely to succeed, the answer to that problem is not to have won with 26,740 votes compared to meetings and other events: http://cpgb.org.uk/home/podcasts. as the class war was mainly being fought increase childcare provision but to Michael Meacher’s 23,630. In Michael out in the Labour Party, and the lack of a reduce working hours and increase the Ellison’s demented mind Labour has lost London Communist Forum sense of direction in LU nationally would national minimum wage to ensure no 6,000 votes in a comparative statistical Sunday January 10, 5pm: Weekly political report from CPGB not encourage any newcomers to stay. loss of income. Collectively provided shift, all of which have gone to Ukip. Provisional Central Committee, followed by open discussion and Although our small numbers possibly and funded childcare is important in its Meanwhile back on planet earth Labour, reading group. Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. limit the impact of such statements, we own right to help develop and socialise using the comparative statistic, increased Study of Ralph Miliband’s Parliamentary socialism. This meeting: affirmed our support for the ‘Stop Trident’ young children, for families to become its vote by 3,110. Labour didn’t lose 6,000 chapter 1, section 2: ‘The Labour left’. demonstration planned in London for integrated in their local communities, votes, they gained 3,000. So much for the Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk. February 27. We agreed statements and should not be used to ‘allow’ parents attempt to distort reality by this Blairite. Radical Anthropology Group of solidarity with the junior doctors’ to work stupidly long hours for poverty The Tory percentage of the vote collapsed Tuesday January 12, 6.30pm: Introduction to anthropology. Chris industrial action and the student midwives wages. from 19% to 9.4%. That’s a loss of 9.6%. Knight: Decoding Chomsky’s linguistic theories: Science and and nurses’ campaign against the Tories’ We ought to advocate, as part of our Ukip’s percentage went up by 2.8%. The revolutionary politics. plan to scrap NHS bursaries. We agreed minimum demands, that one partner’s Tory vote actually switched to Labour. Organised by Radical Anthropology Group: to condemn the ‘Middlesbrough says no full-time wages or both partners’ part-time Labour increased its majority by http://radicalanthropologygroup.org. to refugees’ march planned by a fascist wages should be adequate to ensure their winning seven out of ten of the Tory lost group for January 16 and expressed our family unit can have a decent standard of votes. Given the massive nationwide hate Save NHS bursaries protests solidarity with those organising to oppose living. That implies a minimum rate of campaign generated against Labour and Saturday January 9, 12pm: St Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 - it. pay significantly higher than the current the dire predictions that Labour would be Facebook event: www.facebook.com/events/440660962797762. Given the poor attendance at this national minimum wage and the current routed by Ukip, this result in Oldham can Saturday January 9, 1pm: Grey’s Monument, Newcastle upon Tyne and the previous meeting, we discussed living wage. be construed as incredible, an indication NE1 - Facebook event: www.facebook.com/events/982258368513379. whether it was worth continuing with In my opinion, the setting of a much of what is to come next May. Blair won Saturday January 9, 12pm: Middlesbrough Town Hall TS1 - branch meetings. However, we concluded higher national minimum wage should in 1997 because faith in the Tories had Facebook event: www.facebook.com/events/540874736083404. that the meet-ups had some use for the complement and underpin the general collapsed. In the next decade or so Blair The McDonnell Plan moment, even if only for the two of us. wages struggle conducted by organised lost the Labour Party millions of voters Saturday 9 January, 2pm: Public Meeting, Saints Rugby ground, St Steve Devey labour. Yes, this would mean a higher and destroyed the democratic processes James, Northampton. Speakers: John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor; Teesside proportion of workers would be on the in the party and disenchanted and Dave Ward, UWC gensec. Organised by Northants Labour Party. NMW, but surely this should be seen as disengaged the whole population. Blair Details: www.facebook.com/events/1715434058676362/ Pay day a modest attempt to implement the law is a Class A war criminal. He should by Eddie Ford’s article on the tax credits of the (socialist) plan, to limit the law of rights be in a prison cell. Israel and war against people debate (‘Tories screw hard-working (market) value, which would push wages Elijah Traven Wednesday January 13, 7.30pm: Public meeting with book author. families’, November 5) was very useful below any such minimum. Hull Brighton Friends Meeting House, Ship St, Brighton, BN1 1AF. Talk with and contained some informative facts and Such demands would help project a author of books on the Israel-Palestine conflict Jeff Halper. Free entry. figures. glimpse of a society with a much better Overdose Event page: www.palestinecampaign.org/events/jeff-halper-the-war- He made reference to the fact that in work life balance in all aspects, with My friend Paul passed away recently. An against-the-people/. 1999 around one in 50 workers were on reduced working weeks, working years overdose, either deliberate or accidental, Organised by Palestine Solidarity Campaign: www.palestinecampaign.org/. the national minimum wage and that, and working lifetimes, where surplus is suspected. Paul died alone in his room Russian Revolution 100 referencing The Guardian newspaper, value was reinvested for the benefit of the at a local homeless hostel. Friday January 15, 1pm: Planning meeting: Marking 100 years since this figure is expected to increase to one working class and society more generally. I had known Paul for nearly 30 years. the Russian Revolution. Level 3/SU, Institute of Education, University in nine by 2020. The implication is that Andrew Northall Paul’s hobby was metal detecting. College London, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL. the national minimum wage is acting to Kettering Until five years ago Paul attended a drag wages downwards and for some local mental health day centre. The day Syrians in revolution and war becoming in effect a maximum wage, and Statistical lunatic centre was then changed into a resource Thursday January 21 7pm -8.30pm: Discussion of book with author. is therefore a bad thing, at least in part. Michael Ellison’s letter (December 17) centre with the main aim of getting Five Leaves Bookshop, 14a Long Row, Nottingham NG1 2DH. Robin I am not sure that is necessarily a says that there was a 62% turn out in the people into voluntary work and then paid Yassin-Kasib will talk about his new book ‘Burning Country - Syrians correct interpretation. It could mean Oldham West and Royton by-election. work. This change to a resource centre in revolution and war’.£3.00 entry that, whereas in 1999 the NMW was The turnout was actually 40.3%. The was made by the county council at the Please book at [email protected]. acting as a floor and a benefit for 2% of Labour candidate won 62.1% of the instructions of the government. Resisting police militarisation workers, by 2020 it will be providing a vote. All the statistics put forward by The last Labour government really did Thursday January 21, 6.30pm: Planning meeting, Global Justice Now minimum floor for over 11% - ie, that it this right Labour letter writer are wrong. believe that they’d abolished boom and office, 66 Offley Road, London SW9. Share and learn from stories of is benefiting a much higher proportion of He says there was a 55% turnout at the bust with jobs for everyone, including police repression. the workforce than in 1999. general election in Oldham West. The those with mental health conditions. Organised by Campaign Against the Arms Trade: www.caat.org.uk. If the national minimum wage were to turnout was 59.6%. He then says that Hence their plans, put into practice by be increased to, say, £10 per hour, it should if Michael Meacher had a 62% turn the Tories, to turn all mental health day An economy to serve people, not profit Thursday January 21, 10am to 4pm: Conference, Central Hall, out (the percentage of the vote taken be obvious that this would mean an even centres into resource centres. When the Oldham Street, Manchester M1. Cooperative and labour movement by Jim McMahon) instead of the 55% higher proportion of the workforce would day centre became a resource centre Paul discussion on alternatives to capitalism and austerity. Speakers turn out that Michael Meacher had in be on the NMW and that would surely be stopped all contact. So he was left alone include John McDonnell MP. £45, including lunch and refreshments. May (the turnout was 59.6%, he won a good thing. If the current NMW were without any support in his room at the Organised by Cooperatives UK: www.uk.coop. abolished, it is surely obvious that a lot of just under 55% of the vote) then he may homeless hostel. wages would fall below the current level, have won with a 17,000 majority. In this However, it’s time not to mourn but Stop Trident rather than rise upwards, as implied by man’s demented statistical mind that to organise. I’ve applied to re-join the Thursday January 21, 6.45pm: Meeting, Unity Hall, 277a Upper ‘drag’ theorists. means that Labour, having won with a Labour Party. By doing so my friend Street, London N1. Speakers include: Kate Hudson (CND), Asima It should be noted the Living Wage majority of 10,722 has lost 6,000 votes Paul’s death will not be in vain. Shaikh (Islington Labour councillor). of £8.25 an hour, calculated by the and Corbynism had turned them away to John Smithee Organised by Stop the War Coalition: www.stopwar.org.uk. Loughborough University Centre for Ukip. Cambridgeshire On liberty Research in Social Policy (CRSP) for Saturday January 23, 2.30pm: Corin Redgrave Memorial Lecture, the Living Wage Foundation, is to cover Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1. Speaker: Shami the living costs of just one adult only. If Chakrabarti. Entrance: £8 (£5 concessions). you are in a family unit with, say, one Organised by Peace and Progress: www.peaceandprogress.org. partner and two primary school age Fighting fund children, the CRSP calculates a minimum The future society income requirement for gross earnings Saturday February 6, 2pm: Participatory discussion forum, DIY of £37,176, equating to £17.82 an hour Space for London, 96-108 Ormside Street, London SE15. What might (assuming a 40-hour week). It should 2016 success we expect from the future ‘utopian’ society? be obvious that two partners working Organised by Radical Assembly: www.facebook.com/radicalassembly. full-time and both on the Living Wage hope all readers had an enjoyable it has to be said that January has Labour Representation Committee of £8.25 would not earn enough to cover IChristmas holiday. For our part, we begun with a tidy amount in the pot. Saturday February 20, 10.30am to 5pm: General meeting, Conway absolutely basic and essential costs. celebrated the new year by raising First of all, those start-of-the-month Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1. Speakers include John It points to a further truth that, the £1,750 we needed for our final standing orders came to £299 (there McDonnell MP and Matt Wrack (FBU). whereas in the past a single family bread fighting fund of 2015. In fact we just were 23 of them, including £30 Organised by LRC: www.l-r-c.org.uk. winner’s (usually male) wages were exceeded our target, as supporters each from TB, CG, SD and DL, just about sufficient to provide for a rallied to their paper, donating £852 £25 from FK and £20 each from II, Homes for all basic household, in recent decades it has in the final two weeks of December DG, DL and NW. There was also a Saturday January 30, 12 noon-4pm: Left Unity sponsored conference become increasingly the case that both and taking the total for the month £10 Pay Pal contribution from BN. on the housing question. Ladywood Community Centre. St. Vincent St., parents or partners have to work in order to £1,777. All that comes to £389 - not a bad Birmingham, B16 8RR. to make ends meet. Capitalism ‘pays’ for Amongst those deserving start to the year! Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/158053514559348/. this by depressing wage rates generally. special mention were standing Lastly, it is worth reporting Organised by Left Unity: http://leftunity.org/. Both partners having to work full- order donors SK (£230), MM (£75), that we had 4,045 e-readers over Levelling and Digging time for as many hours as possible just JT (£75), RK (£50) and TT (£40) - the last few weeks - a marginal Saturday February 13, 1pm: Public meeting. Red Shed, Vicarage to survive leads to wider social exclusion not forgetting PM, who added an increase, but then we have had a Street, Wakefield. The Levellers and the Diggers. and marginalisation from participation in extra £30 to his regular £100! Then short break l Organised by Wakefield Socialist History Group: activities such as visits to friends, family, there were cheques for £60 from Robbie Rix www.theredshed.org.uk/SocialHist.html. cinema, theatre and other cultural, social, AD, £50 each from ST and NF, plus sporting and political activities, which in handy PayPal donations from PM Fill in a standing order form CPGB wills any decent society should be considered (£50 plus £5) and TT (£40). (back page), donate via our Remember the CPGB and keep the struggle going. Put our party’s name the norm for all. As well as undermining So now let’s make sure we start website, or send cheques, and address, together with the amount you wish to leave, in your will. If the physical and mental health of those 2016 as we mean to continue. And payable to Weekly Worker you need further help, do not hesitate to contact us. forced to work long hours, the impact of 4 weekly January 7 2016 1088 worker labour

WarJeremy Corbyn still presides of over a ‘left-centre-right’ manoeuvre shadow cabinet, writes Eddie Ford fter 30 hours of talks, Jeremy defence policy. Twitter, called the police when she Corbyn finally completed For Cat Smith, shadow minister for refused, and is now threatening legal Ahis cabinet reshuffle in the women, Corbyn was perfectly entitled action. Making everything even more early hours of January 6. As widely to sack people like Dugher who tawdry, another Sunday tabloid claims expected, Michael Dugher, shadow spent more time attacking the Labour that Sophena Houlihan, now 18-years- culture secretary, got the sack. As leadership than the Tories. As she old, has appeared on a website calling far as communists are concerned, explained, Corbyn is “trying to realign herself Goddess Rosalie Von Morelli, good riddance to rightist rubbish his top team to match more what the a dominatrix - allegedly using the site - exemplified by his red-baiting PLP is and more what the party is.” to sell used thongs, “frenchies” and comments about how a lot of Stop It was understandable that Corbyn, knickers for £15 a pair, and offered the War Coalition members “think the albeit within the obvious limitations bras and toe-nail clippings for £10 a wrong people won the cold war”, or of a thoroughly right-dominated time.5 attacking Momentum as a “mob” who PLP, wanted to partially ‘correct’ the It is surely a pity that Danczuk has condemned “good” Labour MPs who political balance and composition of been suspended for stupid behaviour - took a “very difficult decision” over the shadow cabinet. rather than for having a regular column military action in Syria. But it was still too much for in the Sun, Mail and Telegraph, Issuing a rather self-aggrandising three shadow ministers. Jonathan voting for war in Syria, agitating for statement, Dugher - a former aide Reynolds (railways) and Stephen a “coup” against comrade Corbyn, to Gordon Brown who ran Andy Doughty (foreign) quit over the describing Nigel Farage as the “best Burnham’s leadership bid - said he had sacking of McFadden, and Kevan leader” in Britain, openly toying with “paid the price” for speaking out in Jones quit his defence role in protest the idea of defecting to Ukip, arguing defence of such colleagues, claiming at the removal of Maria Eagle. In his that foreign aid money should be that the biggest casualty in the reshuffle resignation letter, Reynolds endorsed spent on Britain, etc, etc. If the NEC had been the “new politics” promised McFadden’s comments about the does take disciplinary action against by the Labour leadership. He also Paris attacks, saying he could not “in Danczuk on this matter, it would have accused the Corbyn team of deploying good conscience endorse the world an unfortunate whiff of John Major’s a “barrage of briefing” against “decent view” of the STWC - and also wanted laughable ‘back to basics’ campaign - and loyal” shadow cabinet members. to “exercise more freedom” to express which quickly backfired when it was Sections of the media made a big his views on the future direction of revealed that half the Tory cabinet thing about Dugher being a popular the party. Similarly, Doughty did not were having affairs or engaged in “working class MP”, suggesting want to be associated with a “narrative some form of financial corruption.6 that his departure could represent a that somehow it’s the West that is From the communist point of view, “danger” to the Labour leader.1 Fairly responsible” for terrorism - ie, STWC we want an emphasis on politics - not predictably, Dugher was praised by the and hence Corbyn. individual failings. There but for the usual suspects on the centre and right We in the CPGB have made our view grace of God … of the party - Tom Watson, Labour’s plain on a number of occasions. Despite Meanwhile, over the Christmas deputy leader, Andy Burnham, shadow comrade Corbyn’s reshuffle, which has period there have been many hints home secretary, Vernon Coaker, some welcome features, he still has the that Momentum - Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow Northern Ireland minister, and same problem with the shadow cabinet supposed praetorian guard - is going a string of senior Labour MPs such as - the right and the centre set the limits to be given a more solid organisational Lucy Powell, Jon Ashworth, Luciana of what can be done. If you do this or basis. This month it will hold its first Berger and Graham Jones. Watson, that, we will walk: perpetual blackmail. national committee meeting, where in particular, lamented the “loss” of But let the bastards walk, so be it. Yes, up to 60 key members will agree a a “rare politician” like Dugher - a it would create a crisis if there was a new leadership team, membership “talented working class MP” who mass walkout by the right. After all, fees, making official links with a has “not lost his strong Yorkshire who the hell do you replace them with? host of trade unions, and so on.7 roots”. Somewhat daftly, Graham The PLP is hardly over-endowed with Most importantly of all, of course, Jones - MP for Hyndburn - made out Pack of pro-war bastards: make them walk talented class warriors. But that is why the committee will consider whether that Dugher’s sacking was a sign that our preference, under these concrete to apply to affiliated to the Labour “traditional working class Labour is prompting a mass walkout by at least ten shadow attorney general for tweeting a circumstances, is for a pocket-sized Party as a “socialist society” just dying”, presumably at the hands of the shadow cabinet ministers. According to picture of a white van and St George’s cabinet that does not try to cover every like the Fabians, the Jewish Labour London metropolitan elite represented The Guardian and other papers, Corbyn flag, an action that was interpreted base. movement, Labour Irish Society, by Jeremy Corbyn. had wanted to ditch Benn but in the as “drippingly patronising”, and Socialist Health Association, Chinese Also sacked for “incompetence end he was just too big to bring down snobbish. We are informed that Scandal for Labour, etc. This would give and disloyalty” was Pat McFadden, and retained his job - so the warmonger Eagle is “happy” with her new job. As almost everybody must know, the Momentum a seat on the NEC, helping the shadow Europe minister - replaced remains in the shadow cabinet. Elsewhere, Emma Lewell-Buck was reshuffle has been accompanied by to strengthen Corbyn’s position in the by Pat Glass, formerly the shadow However, apparently “an promoted to shadow minister for the ongoing Simon Danczuk scandal party. Though there will be plenty of education minister with responsibility agreement” has been reached with devolution and local government. - now suspended for ‘inappropriate’ talk about appealing to the grassroots for childcare. McFadden got the chop, Benn, meaning he would be “obliged” Angela Eagle, the shadow business behaviour - sending numerous sex- and beyond, creating something it seems, mainly for his response to to agree with Corbyn in public - a secretary and twin sister to Maria, texts to a 17-year-old girl, Sophena new and fresh, Momentum is rightly the blog post that appeared on the Labour source saying all future was given the extra title of shadow Houlihan, after she asked him for a job orientated towards Labour and to STWC’s website, which said Paris had positions on foreign policy would be first secretary of state - allowing her in his constituency office. In return, he giving organisational flesh to the “reaped the whirlwind” of “western “directed” by the Labour leader. Or in to stand in for Corbyn at PMQ’s. As a asked her if she wanted a “spanking”. Corbyn campaign that spontaneously support for extremist violence” in the the words of McDonnell, the shadow result of the reshuffle, there are now 17 The party’s ruling National Executive developed last year - that is a no- Middle East (which, of course, was foreign secretary has “recognised women and 14 men in the full shadow Committee is now investigating his brainer, as Corbyn himself and Jon taken completely out of context by the mandate” that Jeremy Corbyn cabinet - making a complete nonsense conduct. Lansman (Momentum’s director) have the media and the Labour right). Full has from the party membership and of the statement on Newsnight from Danczuk has “unreservedly” made quite clear right from the very of innocence, McFadden mused on “will recognise his leadership on this Jess Phillips MP that the Labour leader apologised for his behaviour, blaming beginning. Naturally, that leaves the the BBC’s Today programme that the issue”. Slightly confusingly though, was operating a regime of “low-level, a drink problem and a “weakness” for ‘strategy’ of the Left Unity leadership Labour leader “clearly” interpreted McDonnell also said that Benn will be non-violent misogyny”. Interestingly, young women. But he is now facing up the creek without a paddle - having “me saying terrorists are entirely “entitled to disagree” with the leader there is speculation that Rosie a police investigation as well as a rejected the idea of affiliation and an responsible for their actions” as “an on “matters of conscience” like the Winterton - currently shadow chief rape allegation dating back to 2006. orientation towards the Labour Party l attack on him” - how on earth could bombing of Syria, but would have to whip - could lose her role chairing At the weekend, Danczuk’s first wife, Corbyn have thought such a thing? do so from the backbenches in any the boundary review of parliamentary Sonia Rossington, accused him of [email protected] All he did was ask David Cameron to future free vote rather than as the party constituencies: a move that would being a “sexual predator” fuelled by reject the view that terrorist acts were spokesperson.2 Stirring things up, both amount to “an act of war” greater than booze and cannabis, in an interview Notes “always a response or a reaction to The Telegraph and the Huffington any reshuffle change or sacking, as with the Mail on Sunday - to which 1 . http://www.itv.com/news/2016-01-05/could- what the West did” and to agree that Post claim that Benn did not agree one Labour insider put it, given the Danczuk responded by saying she was axing-michael-dugher-spell-danger-for-jeremy- such an approach “risked infantilising to “any new conditions” - but, on the opportunity to select more leftwing “consumed by bitterness” and drink. corbyn/. 2 . http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk- terrorists, when the truth was that other hand, he will “not be going out parliamentary candidates. Talk about kettles and pots. Then in a politics-35239232. they were adults who were entirely of his way to pick a fight with the Rather luridly, The Guardian series of interviews over the new year, 3 . http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/06/ responsible for their actions”. More leadership”.3 Then again, Benn told portrayed the reshuffle as “moves to his recent ex-partner, Claire Hamilton, jeremy-corbyns-second-mee_n_8920390.html. directly, John McDonnell told the same Sky News on January 6 that he has not quash internal disagreement” (January portrayed him as a man prepared to 4 . http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ news/6839743/Karen-Danczuk-probed-by-police- show that McFadden’s comments had been muzzled and would be carrying 6). But far from being a “Stalinist do anything to get his name in the over-oral-sex-accusation-against-Claire-Hamilton. “played into an agenda which distorted on with his job “exactly as before”. purge” or “revenge reshuffle” - a term press and say anything to inflate his html. Jeremy’s views on how we tackle When it comes to the Benn test, it is first coined by Dugher in the New already swollen bank account. In 5 . http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ terrorism” and in general contributed not clear who has out-manoeuvred Statesman - it was more like a gentle return, his second wife, Karen - the article-3382392/Younger-women-Achilles-heel- admits-shamed-MP-Danczuk-reveals-drinking- to an “undermining of Jeremy’s whom. pruning. Corbyn still presides over a so-called ‘Selfie queen’ - is also being three-bottles-wine-night-sent-sex-texts-17-year- status”. McDonnell is surely right. Maria Eagle, the pro-Trident ‘left-centre-right’ shadow cabinet, or investigated by the police after she old-girl.html. shadow defence minister, was the “big tent” approach, but has tilted tweeted about Hamilton: “You forgot 6 . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_Basics_ Benn test demoted to culture, replaced by the balance slightly leftwards - keen to say which married Labour MP gave (campaign). For weeks there had been feverish Emily Thornberry - who gained to stamp a larger degree of authority you oral sex 24 hours before getting 7 . http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ 4 momentum-controversial-left-wing-group- speculation that Hilary Benn would be momentary notoriety after she was over the shadow cabinet and wanting with SD”. Hamilton demanded that to-debate-joining-labour-in-boost-to-jeremy- sacked as shadow foreign secretary, forced to resign from her role as greater “coherence” on foreign and Karen Danczuk remove the post from corbyn-a6779916.html. weekly 5 worker 1088 January 7 2016 saudi arabia Method behind the madness While the Saudi kingdom’s callous executions must be condemned, Yassamine Mather says Iran’s official protests are sheer hypocrisy

Barbarism

t appears as if the new leaders of Saudi were still on their side, that Shia Iran remains the by Wikileaks: successful than the Soviet-supported East. The Arabia woke up on the first day of 2016 main enemy. The reality is that king Salman, like Sheikh also cited Japan as another case of Iand thought, ‘How can we make a terrible his predecessors, is far more concerned about B. 08 RIYADH 1070 America properly compensating and building situation in the Middle East worse than it the possibility of a Sunni, Salafi rebellion than Classified By: CG JOHN KINCANNON a nation. The Sheikh believes that US efforts in already is? How can we incite more sectarian protests by the Shia minority in the east of the FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) the Middle East are also better intentioned than violence, start new wars?’ And then they country. 1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: In an August 13 previous imperial powers in the region, but that came up with the brilliant idea of executing Once the Saudis took this step their Shia meeting with PolOff, controversial Shi’ite the US has made tremendous mistakes in Iraq. 47 prisoners. Forty-three Sunni and four Shia counterparts in Iran were bound to react with sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr sought to distance prisoners were killed; some were beheaded, protests outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran himself from previously reported pro-Iranian The reformist faction of the regime, from others faced a firing squad. Amongst them the organised by bassij (the state’s right wing militia) and anti-American statements, instead president Hassan Rouhani to sections of the ‘soft country’s top Shia cleric, Nimr Al Nimr, who but portrayed as a spontaneous outpouring of adopting a less radical tone on topics such as the left’, were unanimous in repeating ad nauseam was injured during the course of his arrest in anger. The response by Iran’s ‘supreme leader’, relationship between Iran and the Saudi Shi’a, that the January 2 attack on the Saudi embassy 2012. Saudi attempts at linking his execution ayatollah Khamenei, to other ayatollahs, calling and American foreign policy. Arguing that he in Tehran was a violation of international law. to an anti-al Qaeda, anti-terrorist operation for “divine punishment of the house of Saud”, is portrayed publicly as much more radical Contrary to the propaganda of more conservative beggars belief. Nimr had been convicted of prompted many criticisms inside the country. than the true content of his words and beliefs, factions of the Islamic regime in Iran, attacking “sedition, disobedience and bearing arms”. He For the ‘moderate’ reformist opposition, who the Sheikh also espoused other conciliatory embassies, be it the US embassy in the early never denied the political charges against him, kept repeating their allegiance to the Islamic ideas such as fair political decision-making years of the regime or the Saudi embassy this however he and his supporters are adamant that Republic but have been badly suppressed in the over identity-based politics, the positive week, is neither radical nor is it anti-‘arrogance’ he never carried weapons or called for violence. last 7-8 years, it is inconceivable that Iran would impact of elections, and strong “American (the Iranian clergy’s term for imperialism). Robert Fisk is right when he mocks the have shown more tolerance than Saudi Arabia ideals” such as liberty and justice. Despite However the outcry of the opposition is also Saudi kingdom’s election to the UN Human towards an opponent calling for “the overthrow this more moderate tone, Al-Nimr reasserted ludicrous. How can anyone talk of respect for Rights Council in 2013 - with UK help - adding: of the existing order” - as Nimr Al Nimr did in his ardent opposition to what he described as international law when we live in a world where “Now, only hours after the Sunni Muslim Saudis Saudi Arabia. the authoritarianism of the reactionary al-Saud the hegemon power, the US, has broken every chopped off the heads of 47 of their enemies, The ‘reformist’ leaders of the 2009 protests regime, stating he would always support “the aspect of international law, even the basic rules including a prominent Shia Muslim cleric, the in Iran, Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein people” in any conflict with the government. governing military engagement covered by the Saudi appointment is grotesque. All that was Mousavi, never called for the overthrow of Geneva convention, during its interventions in missing was the video of the decapitations - the Islamic Republic; on the contrary, they The CIA background notes on al Nimr are also Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan; when we know from although the kingdom’s 158 beheadings last year constantly reiterated their support for the interesting. He clearly sought to reassure the CIA recent history that UK soldiers in Iraq facing war were perfectly in tune with the Wahabi teachings supreme leader; yet they have spent the last 7 that he wanted to befriend the US: crime charges are unlikely to face any punishment; of the ‘Islamic State’.”1 years under house arrest, with no trial. In the when we know US and UK security agents who sat However, there was method behind this 37 years since the Islamic Republic of Iran In the meeting with PolOff, al-Nimr stated through interrogation and torture of Guantanamo madness. The second most important prisoner came into existence, anyone who called for that his fundamental view of foreign powers prisoners will never face any court? executed on January 2 was Faris Ahmed Zahrani, the overthrow of the religious dictatorship has - including Iran - is that they act out of The whole idea of international law has become described by the Saudi media as al-Qaeda’s top faced execution. self-interest, not out of piety or religious a joke, and anyone peddling it is either deluded religious leader in the kingdom. Saudi Arabian Ironically, this week Mansoureh Behkish, the commonality. Al-Nimr said he was against the or dependent on the financial contributions of prisoner Adel al-Dhubaiti, who was convicted of mother of five executed left wing activists, died idea that Saudi Shi’ite should expect Iranian western powers - a sad reality when it comes to the murder of BBC cameraman Simon Cumbers in Tehran. Her children were all communists, support based on some idea of sectarian unity large chunks of the Iranian opposition, including and the attempted murder of BBC correspondent members of Fedayeen Minority, and all executed that supersedes national politics. some masquerading as leftwing. Frank Gardner was among the other prisoners by Iran’s Islamic Republic. She once said she had 6. (S/NF) In addition to supporting Iran, al- Having said that, the attack on the Saudi executed by Saudi Arabia. According to the spent most of her time outside Iranian jails. So Nimr’s recent sermons have been laced with embassy in Tehran was stupid and irrelevant. At Independent, “Cumber’s parents, Robert for Iranian clerics, pasdars and bassijis to show anti-American rhetoric, for example that the end of the day it will be the Islamic Republic and Bronagh, from Navan in County Meath, anger at political executions in Saudi Arabia is America “wants to humiliate the world.” In which will be even more isolated in the region. had previously called on the Saudi Arabian hypocritical. No wonder everyone is talking of this meeting, the sheikh distanced himself from Already Saudi Arabia and a number of its allies, authorities not to execute their son’s killer, the pot calling the kettle black. these ideas, saying that he has great affection including Bahrain and Sudan, have broken off adding their son Simon was a pacifist, someone As for Nimr’s own credentials, the Islamic for the American people. Al-Nimr stated that diplomatic relations. Senior clerics and pasdar who would not have wanted the death penalty Republic might be in denial, but far from being in his view, when compared with the actions of leaders have already started distancing themselves and would have opposed it. We do not want this a constant ally of the regime in Tehran, when it nations such as Britain, the European colonial from the Saudi embassy protesters l man to be executed if he is found guilty”, Mr came to making deals with the United Sates he powers, or the Soviet Union, the “imperialism” Cumbers said in 2009. showed the kind of pragmatism Shia leaders are of the United States has been considerably [email protected] In a country where there is considerable famous for. Documents released by Wikileaks more benign, with better treatment of people sympathy and support for Al Qaeda and Islamic show how Nimr courted the Americans, and more successful independent states. Al- Notes State, the inclusion of four Shias was aimed at claiming to have nothing to do with Tehran, and Nimr said that this was evident in comparing 1 . http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/saudi- reassuring the Sunni majority in Saudi Arabia was prepared to do a deal in exchange for US the fortunes of West and East Germany, where arabias-executions-were-worthy-of-isis-so-will-david-cameron- and other Persian Gulf countries that the rulers support. According to CIA documents released the American-supported West was clearly more and-the-west-now-stop-their-a6794046.html 6 weekly January 7 2016 1088 worker arms Popular militia vs standing army Jack Conrad takes issue with those on the left who oppose, shun or want to keep silent over a basic democratic demand

any so-called Marxists consider straightaway”.8 war and the widespread resentment at upholding the right to bear So, maybe comrade Griffiths thinks the ruinous military budget.18 Marms divisive, unnecessary, the words of Internationale are a risky For propaganda effect, Engels provocative or dangerously off-putting. provocation too. This is the second proposed an international agreement to According to Sam Fairbairn, national stanza: limit military service to a short period secretary of the People’s Assembly, and a state system in which no country calling for a popular militia risks the No more deluded by reaction, fears aggression because no country unity of the anti-austerity movement On tyrants only we’ll make war! would be capable of aggression. and should therefore be barred from The soldiers too will take strike action, Surely World War I would have been consideration. In the attempt to stop They’ll break ranks and fight no more! impossible if the European great the question even being debated, he And if those cannibals keep trying, powers had nothing more than lightly bureaucratically announced that a To sacrifice us to their pride, armed civilian militias available to Teesside motion - which advocated the They soon shall hear the bullets flying, them. “dissolution of the standing army and We’ll shoot the generals on our own Not that Engels was a lily livered the formation of a popular militia under side.9 pacifist. He supported universal male democratic control” - was “outside of the (!) conscription and if necessary remit” of the December 2015 delegate was quite prepared to advocate conference of the People’s Assembly.1 Left Unity revolutionary war. However, his Can Strange, given that the People’s Objectively then, when it comes to Europe disarm? was not intended Assembly rejects the renewal of the standing army and the demand for to prove the military superiority of a Trident, condemns imperialist a popular militia, it is clear that the militia over a standing army. No, he adventures in the Middle East and Green Party stands well to the left of wanted a citizen army within which opposes unjust and illegal wars.2 the cowardly economistic left. discipline would be self-imposed. Stranger still, given that comrade Take Left Unity. Cross-examined on An army where rank and file troops Sam Fairbairn, along with John Rees, Andrew Neil’s Daily Politics in March would confidentially turn their guns Lindsey German and Chris Nineham, 2014, Salman Shaheen, then one of against officers who dared issue orders is a member of Counterfire. Their 2010 Left Unity’s four principle speakers, against the vital interests of the people. breakaway from the Socialist Workers bent over backwards to present the By winning hearts and minds such an Party proudly proclaims itself to be a organisation as broad, conventional army could be made ours. “revolutionary socialist organisation”. and safely within the remit of 1945 As might be expected, the Marxist Sneakily, however, Counterfire Labourism (the comrade resigned parties of the late 19th and early 20th is committed to “eliminating in November 2015 with the stated Minneapolis strikers, 1934. Since 1776 American progressives century unproblematically included unnecessary barriers between our intention of joining the Labour Party have fought with the best weapons available to them the demand for disbanding the standing socialist politics and the thousands of to support Jeremy Corbyn). Yet despite army and establishing a popular militia activists being drawn into opposition comrade Shaheen’s self-identification back the wheel of progress threatened in their programmes. Eg, the 1880 to austerity and war.”3 Presumably, as a “moderate”, inevitably, Andrew Supposedly this reminded Neil of the vital interests of the financial and programme of the French Workers’ the “dissolution of the standing army Neil sought to paint Left Unity as America’s Tea Party. Or so he said. merchant elite. And it was this class Party, the 1891 Erfurt programme, and the formation of a popular militia “loony”. Specifically, he cited our Would Shaheen be voting for this which took the lead in inviting William the 1889 Hainfield programme of the under democratic control” constitutes Communist Platform’s standing motion madness? No, the comrade cringeingly of Orange, the Dutch monarch, to Austrian Social Democratic Party, one of those “unnecessary barriers” to Left Unity national conferences. replied. “I disagree ... I will be voting launch his invasion.14 the 1903 programme of the Russian that have to be eliminated. Once again it is worth reproducing against ... The majority of Left Unity The subsequent - pro-capitalist - Social Democratic Labour Party, etc. No less strange, Romayne Phoenix this motion in full. As will be surely members are disaffected Labour constitution, agreed by both houses In the ‘political section’ of the vehemently supported comrade appreciated, the popular militia it voters.” of parliament and the newly installed programme of the French Workers’ Fairbairrn. With the backing of Peter envisages is not only far more radical Neil is, in fact, an Americaphile. He dual monarchy, was founded on the Party (Partie Ouvrier), authored jointly Tatchell and Derek Wall, she stood than the Greens’ “updated” Territorial has worked in the US and still owns Bill of Rights. Included amongst by Karl Marx and Jules Guesde, we on a Green Left ticket against Natalie Army. It combines abolishing the a plush New York apartment. So you its provisions are these two vital therefore find the demand for the Bennett in the August 2012 contest standing army with a militant class would have thought he might have formulations: “That the raising or “abolition of standing armies and the to be Green Party leader.4 Note: the struggle perspective: recognised some of the well known keeping a standing army within the general arming of the people” (clause Greens have a long standing peace phrases. In no small part, after all, our kingdom in time of peace unless it be four).19 A proposition faithfully and defence policy (as substantially Left Unity is against the standing Communist Platform drew inspiration with consent of parliament is against translated by the Germans: “Education updated in January 1990 and last army and for the armed people. from the second amendment to the law.” And directly below that we of all to bear arms. Militia in the place modified in September 2014).5 In This principle will never be realised US constitution. Ratified to popular read: “That the subjects which are of the standing army” (clause 3).20 The short, the Green Party demands voluntarily by the capitalist state. It acclaim in 1791, it states: “A well Protestants may have arms for their Austrians are adamant: “The cause scrapping Trident and a British has to be won, in the first place by regulated militia being necessary to defence suitable to their conditions of the constant danger of war is the withdrawal from Nato. Moreover, the working class developing its the security of a free state, the right of and as allowed by law.”15 And, of standing army, whose growing burden and this is the point, the Greens are own militia. the people to keep and bear arms shall course, the historical link between alienates the people from its cultural programmatically committed to Such a body grows out of not be infringed.”10 the English Bill of Rights and the tasks. It is therefore necessary to fight replacing the existing armed forces the class struggle itself: defending The historic background forms part US Second Amendment, has been for the replacement of the standing with a “body of civilian and military picket lines, mass demonstrations, of our common culture. Those who repeatedly acknowledged, not least army by arming the people” (clause volunteers.” 6 In other words, a Green workplace occupations, fending off made the American revolution, above by the US Supreme Court (eg, United 6).21 Then we have the Russians: Party version of a popular militia. fascists, etc. all the urban and rural masses, saw a States v Cruikshank 1876).16 “general arming of the people instead While the Greens are not bad, As the class struggle standing army as an existential threat of maintaining a standing army” at least on paper - amongst the intensifies, conditions are created to democracy. Eg, in her Observations Theory and practice (clause c9).22 economistic left there is a morbid for the workers to arm themselves on the new constitution (1788) Mercy Naturally Karl Marx and Fredrick After theory there must come fear of anything that smacks of the and win over sections of the Otis Warren - the mother of the Engels considered the second practice. constitutional demand for the “right to military forces of the capitalist American revolution - branded the amendment part of their heritage. Amongst the first decrees of the 1871 bear arms” and replacing the standing state. Every opportunity must be standing army as “the nursery of vice Clause four of the Marx-Engels Paris Commune was the abolition of army with a popular militia. used to take even tentative steps and the bane of liberty”.11 At great Demands of the Communist Party the standing army and constituting the A few years ago, we interviewed towards this goal. As circumstances sacrifice the common people had in Germany (1848) is emphatic: national guard as the sole armed force Dave Nellist of the Socialist Party in allow, the working class must equip overthrown the tyranny of George “Universal arming of the people. In in the country. Memorably, Auguste England and Wales. He was standing itself with all weaponry necessary III and were determined to do the future armies shall at the same time Blanqui, an outstanding leader in as the lead No2EU candidate in to bring about revolution. same again if faced with another be workers’ armies so that the armed the 1848 revolution, proclaimed two European Union elections for the West To facilitate this we demand: unacceptable government. forces will not only consume, as in the decades earlier, “he who has iron, has Midlands constituency. Revealingly, 1. Rank and file personnel in The American demand for a past, but produce even more than it bread!” By forging a new state based the comrade refused point blank to say the state’s armed bodies must “popular militia and the constitutional costs to maintain them.”17 not on a repressive force that sat outside if he supported or opposed our demand be protected from bullying, right to bear arms” clearly referenced The Marx-Engels team never the general population, the Commune for a popular militia.7 Robert Griffiths, humiliating treatment and being the 1689 English bill of rights. Having wavered on this. Read Can Europe opened a new chapter in working class general secretary of the Morning used against the working class. access to arms had long been regarded disarm? Here, in this pamphlet written politics. And Russia took what happened Star’s Communist Party of Britain - 2. There must be full trade union as a ‘natural right’ by radicals on by Engels in 1893, ten years after the in Paris to as yet unsurpassed heights. standing top of No2EU’s list in Wales and democratic rights, including both sides of the Atlantic.12 Certainly death of his friend and collaborator, we Formed in April-March 1917 the Red - was, however, more forthcoming. He the right to form bodies such as the Levellers and their successors find a concrete application of Marxism Guards proved crucial. Red Guards, aggressively dismissed the demand soldiers’ councils. considered themselves duty bound to to the dawning epoch of universal and increasing numbers of army units, for abolishing the standing army 3. The privileges of the officer caste take up arms against tyranny. Hence suffrage and universal conscription. put themselves under the discipline of and a popular militia as “nothing to must be abolished. Officers must be the staunch opposition to James II’s Engels concluded that the key to the Military Revolutionary Committee do with real struggle.” There is, he elected. Workers in uniform must simultaneous attempt to maintain revolution was mutiny in the armed - a subdivision of the Bolshevik-led dumbly pronounced, no revolutionary become the allies of the masses in a standing army and disarm the forces. His pamphlet outlined a model Petrograd soviet formally established situation in Britain. Hence such a struggle. “Protestant population”.13 Buoyed bill for military reform in Germany. at Leon Trotsky’s initiative. On October demand is to be lambasted as a CPGB 4. The people have the right to bear by his crushing of the Monmouth Engels was determined to show that 25 (November 7) 1917 the MRC issued “provocation”. Showing his true arms and defend themselves. rebellion (1685) - carried out under the the proposal to gradually transform its momentous declaration that the colours, he cravenly stated that the 5. The dissolution of the standing green Leveller flag and supported by standing armies into a “militia provisional government of Alexander very idea of a militia presented “a gift army and the formation of a well- peasants and plebeians - the Stewart based on the universal principle of Kerensky “no longer existed”. State to the British state”. If we advocate regulated militia under democratic king pursued his counterrevolutionary arming the people” could exploit the power has passed into the hands of the such an outrage, “MI5 will be around control. programme. Suffice to say, turning mounting fears of a pending European soviets of workers, peasants and soldiers. weekly 7 worker 1088 January 7 2016

Workers formed defence corps try to twist my words … I taught America confirmed Adorno’s Trotsky.34 Syria, cancelling Trident and maybe during the 1926 General Strike in constitutional law. I know a little bit historic pessimism. Not only did he Arming the working class flowed negotiating a withdrawal from Nato. Britain. American workers did the about this. I get it.”28 expect fascism to endure in Europe from the entire situation in France. However, say in the name of keeping same in 1934. There were massive Would comrade Dunn call for the - because it was considered a natural Trotsky rhetorically asked if a workers’ the Labour right, the Daily Mirror and stoppages in San Francisco, Toledo abolition of the second amendment outgrowth of capitalism - he rejected militia “provokes” fascist attacks and the liberal intelligentsia on side, the and Minneapolis. As to resisting … well until at last he credits the US politics and science for an obscurantist government repression? If that is the Corbyn government decides to leave tyranny, in the 1920s the two working class with being educated philosophising which discounted the claim, he says, this is “an absolutely in place the MI5, the police and the main workers’ parties in Germany enough, responsible enough, advanced working class as the agent of social reactionary argument”. Liberalism has standing army. Frankly, that would established their own militias. enough? Either consciously or change. After all, how could people always told workers that by their class be an open invitation for a British The SDP dominated the soft-left unconsciously the comrade advocates whose minds were filled with the struggle they “provoke” reaction. version of general Augusto Pinochet Reichsbanner, while the Communist an artificial theory of stages. First trash of the “culture industry” make a Today in Britain, it certainly does to launch a bloody counterrevolution. Party formed the much more militant workers must be organised around socialist revolution? not take the call for a “popular militia In Chile thousands of leftwingers Rotfrontkämpferbund (by 1929 it elementary economic demands, then So while the writings of Adorno are and the constitutional right to bear were butchered after the September boasted 130,000 members). Despite arrives the fight to oppose imperialist full of moral outrage against fascism arms” to “provoke” MI5 infiltration, 11 1973 army coup which overthrew its 1923 founding statutes emphasising wars, then there is the building of a - and the immanent fascism contained spying and wrecking operations; police the Socialist Party-Communist Party ceremonial paraphernalia, marches mass party … and finally, somewhere in capitalist development since the kettlings, batterings and killings; the Popular Unity reformist government and band music, the Schutzbund far down the line, is the demand for days of the Enlightenment - there sequestration of trade union funds, etc. under president Salvador Allende. in Austria served as a kind of replacing the standing army with a is no attempt to map out a practical Accusations that we Marxists are There are already rumours swirling “proletarian police force”.23 When popular militia. strategy that could lead humanity to engaged in a “provocation” have around of unnamed members of the it came to strikes, demonstrations Genuine Marxists take an a radical change in social relations. long been used by timid opportunists. army high command “not standing and meetings this workers’ militia entirely different approach. We Instead the future is written off as an Trotsky recalls that the Mensheviks for” a Corbyn government and being maintained discipline and fended off present the working class with inevitable “descent into a new kind of hurled the charge at the Bolsheviks prepared to take “direct action”.36 Nazi gangs. Though hampered by a our full programme. Hence the barbarism”.32 after the December 1905 uprising in Meanwhile, the Financial Times dithering social democratic leadership, straightforward declaration that our Comrade Dunn is treading in the Moscow. darkly warns that Corbyn’s leadership the Schutzbund heroically resisted the intention is to replace capitalism with pessimistic footsteps of Adorno. As Trotsky turns savage: “Such will damage “British public life.”37 February 12 1934 fascist coup. In a communist system which enshrines the working class demonstrably failed accusations reduce themselves, in the Why trust the thoroughly Spain anarchists, official communists, the principle of “from each according to realise socialism in the 20th century, final analysis, to the profound thought authoritarian British army? An Poum, etc, likewise formed their own to their abilities, to each according to the only “rational” choice open to him that if the oppressed do not baulk, institution which relies on inculcating militias against the Franco uprising. their needs.” A maximum aim around appears to be a retreat into a Platonic the oppressors will not be obliged to “unthinking obedience” amongst the Then, more recently, in 1966, there which the working class can and must Marxism. Necessarily that means beat them.” This, says Trotsky, is the ranks.38 An institution run by an officer was the Black Panther Party. It be organised ... now. abandoning, neutering, objecting to “philosophy of Tolstoy and Gandhi, caste, which is trained to command organised “armed citizen’s patrols” Of course, we cannot proceed the demand for a popular militia. but never that of Marx and Lenin”.35 from public school to Sandhurst as if it to monitor and counter the brutal US straight to communism. That is why Then there is that hoary old is their birthright. And, of course, the police force.24 Even the “non-violent” Marxists have a minimum programme. Trotsky claim that “arming of the workers British army swears to loyally serve civil rights movement, led by Martin It arranges the key aims we pursue Many of today’s crop of social pacifists is only relevant in a revolutionary the crown - believe it, more than a Luther King, included within its ranks under capitalism … and which in the have a background in Trotskyism situation”. Trotsky pours scorn on this harmless feudalistic throwback. The those committed to “armed self- fight to realise them strengthens, trains (eg, Sam Fairbairn, Dave Nellist, proposition: it means, he says, that monarch and the monarchy function as defence” against Ku Klux Klan and and readies the working class for Andrew Burgin, Terry Conway and the workers must permit themselves a potent symbol, and an ever-present other such terrorism.25 Nor should we revolution. As our Draft programme yes, of course, Rex Dunn). So, and to be “slaughtered until the situation excuse for a legal coup. ever forget the miners and their heroic states, though “technically feasible” not only for their benefit, it is worth becomes revolutionary”. Peaceful, Why trust the British army, which hit squads of 1984-85. Countless other under capitalism, they can “only be quoting Leon Trotsky himself and normal and democratic situations has fought countless imperial and such examples could be cited. fully realised through the working his ‘Programme of action for France’ suddenly give way to storms, crises colonial wars, up to and including the This is the “loony” tradition class coming to power, not only in (1936). There is not a trace, not a and unstable conditions, which “can latest horrors in Iraq and Afghanistan? implicitly rejected by out and out Britain but on a continental European hint, of the backtracking, cowardice transform itself into a revolutionary A British army that has been used pacifists such as Salman Shaheen and scale.”29 and equivocation we see amongst his as well as a counterrevolutionary when necessary to intimidate, threaten viewed with barely concealed dread, True, when it comes to the US there modern day followers. situation”. and crush the ‘enemy within’? anger or embarrassment by social is the huge standing army. Numbering Point 10 of the ‘Action programme’ But revolutionary situations do not No, instead, let us put our trust in a pacifists such as Sam Fairbairn, Dave some 500,000, it has a roughly equal carries this defiant title: “Disbanding fall from the skies. They take form, “well regulated militia” and the “right Nellist and Robert Griffiths. number of reservists. Of course, its of the police, political rights for mature and find direction in no small of the people to keep and bear arms” l In that same dismal spirit, we have origins lie squarely in the American soldiers”.33 measure because of the long and Rex Dunn writing in this paper.26 revolution. The US army was Trotsky condemns the police and patient preparatory work done by the Notes A repentant refugee from Gerry sanctioned by an overwhelming vote standing army and shows how they are Communist Party, including spreading 1 . Weekly Worker December 10 2015. 2 . http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/cut_war. Healy’s Workers Revolutionary by the Continental Congress in 1775. used to “develop the civil war but also the idea of “a popular militia and the 3 . http://www.counterfire.org/about-us. Party, the comrade nowadays seeks However, after decisively defeating the to prepare the imperialist war”. He constitutional right to bear arms”. 4 . http://www.redpepper.org.uk/green-party-left- to reconcile Karl Marx’s “rational British-Hanoverian forces at Yorktown demands democratic rights for rank foot-forward/. optimism” with Theodor Adorno’s in 1781 the Continental Army was and file soldiers and the “execution of Imagine 5 . http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/pd.html. 27 6 . http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/pd.html. “rational pessimism”. Naturally, as quickly disbanded. National defence police duties by the workers’ militia.” In common parlance, what comrades 7 . Weekly Worker May 21 2009. a self-declared “defender of classical relied entirely on the 13 separate state Further down, under point 15, we Fairbairn, Nellist, Griffiths, Burgin, et 8 . Weekly Worker May 21 2009. Marxism,” he stands by the right to militias. It was the expansionist drive find Trotsky putting forward a militant al advocate is the politics of the lowest 9 . https://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/sounds/ bear arms … at least “in principle.” to crush the native Americans in the plan for the main workers’ parties and common denominator. Broadness, lyrics/international.htm. 10 . www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am2. However, there is theory and there is north west which saw the organisation trade union federations to form their acceptability, respectability are their 11 . http://constitution.org/cmt/mowarren/ practice, and at least with comrade of a standing army in 1791. That said, own militias and then uniting them “in watchwords. Therefore they begin by observations_new_constitution_1788.html. Dunn, the two are never to be united it was very small. Obviously the US action” against the growing threat from asking what “potential recruits”, what 12 . Note, in legal terms, the ideologues of the … certainly not at the moment. army expanded considerably with the reaction. In February 1934 French “disaffected Labour voters”, what American revolution - Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay et al - Against those using the right to civil war and then World War I. But Catholics, royalists and fascists called “the overwhelming majority”, etc are based their defence of the right to bear arms on bear arms as a “virility” symbol once peace was brought about the for a massive demonstration against supposed to think. Having cut their English law, not least article 61 of Magna Carta. of revolutionary credibility (the army was reduced once again. The economic chaos, weak government message according to that cloth, then, 13 . RJ Spitzer Gun control Westport CT 2009, CPGB?), he fields America’s “love decisive change came about after and political corruption. Armed with as mass support is supposedly gained p101. 14 . See AL Morton A people’s history of England affair with guns” and the country’s World War II. With the onset of the razors, clubs and knives, their gangs from one election to another, they London 1974, pp280-288. horrendous murder rates. Though so-called Cold War the US decided tried to invade parliament. Fifteen promise to slowly reveal their ‘true’ 15 . http://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/ the infant US faced the threat of to maintain a large standing army on people were killed and 1,435 injured principles. WillandMarSess2/1/2/introduction. loyalist counterrevolution, that hardly a permanent basis. America had at after gendarmes drove them back. The communist method is entirely 16 . http://www.constitution.org/2ll/2ndcourt/ federal/11fed.htm. applies today. So runs the comrade’s last superceded Britain as capitalism’s Trotsky, however, concludes, in different. “In our intransigent attitude 17 . K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 7, Moscow argument. Moreover, because the class global hegemon. point 17, warning against the delusion lies our whole strength. It is this 1977, p3. consciousness of American workers - Whatever the exact history, - spread by the Socialist Party and the attitude that earns us the fear and 18 . K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 27, London and workers around the world - is at Marxists in the US are surely obliged ‘official’ French Communist Party respect of the enemy and the trust 1990, p371. 19 . https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/ its “lowest ebb”, he advocates what to include amongst their programmatic - that the bourgeois police could be and support of the people” - so runs works/1880/05/parti-ouvrier.htm. can only be characterised as Platonic demands opposition to this monster. relied upon to disarm the reactionary Rosa Luxemburg’s famous rebuttal of 20 . https://www.marxists.org/history/international/ Marxism. It should be disbanded forthwith gangs. the revisionists in the German SDP.14 social-democracy/1891/erfurt-program.htm. Attempting to justify his Platonic and replaced by a democratically His slogan rings clear and loud: We seek to win the majority to the 21 . I am grateful to Ben Lewis for his translation of the Hainfield programme. Marxism, the comrade cites the controlled popular militia. “Arming of the proletariat, arming principles of communism through 22 . https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/ backwardness of the US workers’ Does comrade Dunn consider such of the poor peasants! People’s anti- an unremitting political struggle in works/1902/draft/02feb07.htm. movement: failure to resist austerity, a demand premature? fascist militia!” “The exploiters,” he the face of bourgeois diagnoses of 23 . M Kitchin The coming of Austrian fascism refusal to oppose imperialist wars, His answer seems to rely on explains, “are but a tiny minority” extremism, unelectability and insanity. London 1980, p116. 24 . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Panther_ tiny Communist Party, domination by Theodor Adorno. Fleeing the Nazi and will recoil from unleashing a Necessarily that means taking on and Party. Republicans and Democrats, hopeless menace, the intellectually over- civil war with their non-state fighting defeating the forces of opportunism 25 . See CE Cobb This nonviolent stuff’ll get you atomisation, etc. If and when that refined Adorno was mortified by formations “only if the workers are within the organisations of the killed New York NY 2014. situation is finally rectified by some what he found in New York. Instead armed and lead the masses”. working class. 26 . R Dunn ‘Gun violence and atomisation’ Weekly Worker December 10 2015. miracle of history, only then “would it of the high bourgeois culture he had Trotsky and his co-thinkers were For the sake of this discussion, 27 . http://www.rexdunn.co.uk/index.php/essays. be the right time to raise this demand.” grown up with in Germany, there subjected to exactly the same kind imagine that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour 28 . The Guardian January 5 2016. Comrade Dunn’s parochialism is was what he derogatively labelled of dismissals that today we in the Party wins a majority in 2020. Are the 29 . CPGB Draft programme London 2011. pp7-8. laughable. After all since 1791 bearing “commercial society”: Hollywood CPGB hear coming from the mouths courts, MI5, the armed forces and the 30 . See T Cowen In praise of commercial culture Cambridge MA 2000. arms has been a constitutionally films, the recorded music of Tin Pan of comrades Fairbairn, Shaheen, police going to be staunchly loyal to 31 . TW Adorno Current of music Cambridge 2008. enshrined right … in the USA. No Alley and the glossies and slicks of Griffiths and other social pacifists. the new government, or powerless to 32 . J Always Critical theory and political mainstream American politician pulp fiction. All surely anticipated by Trotsky brilliantly, almost effortlessly, act behind ministerial backs, because possibilities Westport CT 1995, p32. would dream of proposing to alter the normal capitalist mass culture of knocked down the objections one of the results of a general election? 33 . L Trotsky Writings 1934-35 New York 1974, 30 pp26-27. the constitution in this respect. Eg, 18th century Britain. But Adorno by one in Whither France? Hence Marx, Engels, Lenin, Trotsky, etc, 34 . L Trotsky Whither France? New York 1968, introducing his recent proposals to was appalled. Famously he castigated we quickly come to his “least rightly dismissed such naive politics p26. tighten regulations on gun sales, the “sadism” of Charlie Chaplin’s serious and honest” opponents. The as “parliamentary cretinism”. 35 . L Trotsky Whither France? New York 1968, Barack Obama told the American audiences, denounced jazz and blubbers who insisted that to “call The Corbyn government would p26. people: “I believe in the second snootily found every kind of radio for the organisation of a militia” is to doubtless be committed to swiftly 36 . Daily Mail September 20 2015. 31 37 . Financial Times August 14 2015. amendment. It’s there written on the music objectionable. He preferred “engage in provocation”. This is “not reversing austerity, renationalising the 38 . NF Dixon On the psychology of military paper … No matter how much people sheet music. an argument, but an insult”, fumes rails, ending British involvement in incompetence London 1976, p244. 8 weekly January 7 2016 1088 worker review The Davidson papers Neil Davidson, Holding fast to an image of the past: explorations in the Marxist tradition Haymarket Books 2014, 400pp, ISBN 978-1608463336, £15.99 We cannot escape history: nations, states and revolutions Haymarket Books 2015, 500pp, ISBN 978- 1608464678, £17.99 t is, I guess, a symptom of my own its ranks by taking them down as a providing an alternative to dogmatism.2 highlands; on Alasdair MacIntyre politics in the antebellum republic; and advancing age that my initial reaction damnatio memoriae, and does not look What about comrade Davidson? I as a Marxist; on Antonio Gramsci’s chapter 7, a 2007 ISJ review of Pierre Ito receiving a review copy of We likely to do so. So it’s not a ‘making guess that it must be flattering to have reception in Scotland; and on the uses of Broué’s The German revolution (the cannot escape history was to think available’ project. a publisher agree to produce one’s Adam Smith. translation by John Archer published by that Neil Davidson is a bit young to be The essays cover a relatively ‘collected papers’. But maybe comrade The diversity of the material makes it Historical Materialism in 2005). publishing a three-volume set of his short period (1996-2015) and are not Davidson has an agenda in connection hard to comment coherently. I reviewed The third part consists of five collected papers: sort of like the old cliché presented in chronological order, so that with the politics of the SWP split. Davidson and Paul Blackledge’s chapters more directly addressed to of the policemen getting younger ... this is not a ‘collected works’ and does The line of Alex Callinicos generally collection Alasdair MacIntyre’s the theoretical issues: chapter 8, ‘From The first volume, Holding fast to not in any sense present an evolution was that the SWP oppositionists were engagement with Marxism in 2010, and uneven to combined development’; an image of the past, is in substance a of comrade Davidson’s ideas. We may succumbing to ‘new reformism’ (and Davidson’s updating of his account of chapter 9, ‘China: unevenness, collection of seven book reviews and get more of this from the next volume to ‘feminism’): that beyond the ‘Delta MacIntyre’s ‘Marxist’ period does not combination, revolution?’; chapter 10, review essays with five other essays, due out in February, on nationalism, dispute’ and related issues of party seem to have added much. ‘Third world revolution’; chapter 11, ‘thematised’ as being about individuals since there is a remarkable shift between democracy were substantive breaks Overall, I find the essays most ‘From deflected permanent revolution in or related to the Marxist tradition comrade Davidson’s hostility to Scots with ‘revolutionary politics’ - meaning interesting when they are on issues to the law of uneven and combined (Adam Smith can be included because nationalism at the time of The origins Cliffism. of Scottish history: thus Tom Nairn’s development’; and chapter 12, which of his influence on Marx). The second of Scottish nationhood (2000) and It is possibly also relevant that evolution, Marx and Engels on the I have already referred to, Davidson’s volume, We cannot escape history, is Discovering the Scottish revolution Alex Callinicos, reviewing How highlands, and to a more limited extent reply to Callinicos’s and Gluckstein’s mainly essays around questions about (2003) and his more recent support for revolutionary for the ISJ in 2013, the reception of Gramsci in Scotland. criticisms of How revolutionary ... the ‘bourgeois revolutions’. As such, a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum and for flagged up Davidson’s argument that They are least interesting when they The book closes with an ‘Afterword’ its interest suffers from the fact that the left-nationalist Rise group. But don’t ‘permanent revolution’ was no longer are fairly orthodox SWP journalism: explaining its title (a quotation from Davidson has already published 840 bet on it. a relevant strategy, while ‘combined thus, most clearly the piece on Deutscher; Abraham Lincoln) and attempting to pages worth of extended reflection on There is no sign at all that and uneven development’ remained a the use of Renton on the ANL to ‘carry’ draw together some of the threads. the same issue in How revolutionary comrade Davidson intends to print fundamental Trotsky insight; Callinicos a (very weak) argument - that neither the were the bourgeois revolutions his contributions to debates connected insists that permanent revolution is still ANL, nor Respect, was a people’s front; Permanent (2012).1 The third volume, Nation- with the SWP crisis (he was already fundamental. A similar approach was the review of Rafeek’s Communist states: consciousness and competition, somewhat ‘dissident’ by 2008) and his taken by Dominic Alexander, reviewing women, which unrealistically imagines revolution ... focusing on the national question, is due own departure, though some is on the the book for Counterfire.3 Davidson has the SWP playing the good parts of the Why are other writers from the Cliffite out in February. web. replied to Callinicos, and to a shorter role of the old ‘official’ CPGB. tradition (Callinicos, Alexander) so In Holding fast, Davidson has largely comment by Donny Gluckstein, in the More generally - and this is concerned about Davidson’s argument Why? rewritten his previous material on April 2014 issue of the ISJ, reprinted in applicable to both books, as Callinicos that ‘permanent revolution’ has ceased ‘Collected papers’ or ‘selected papers’ Alasdair MacIntyre’s ‘Marxist period’ in Chapter 12 of We cannot escape. and Gluckstein commented on How to be strategically fundamental, while volumes have several uses. I have several the 1950s-60s. But he has not reassessed In these contexts, perhaps Davidson, revolutionary - comrade Davidson ‘combined and uneven development’ volumes of this sort on my bookshelves at all the judgment that MacIntyre in by republishing a good deal of his work shows a certain tendency to substitute remains theoretically fundamental? at work, because academics writing 1961 left the Socialist Labour League over the last fifteen years without the the ‘literature review’ which begins Their reasoning is markedly about Roman law or about English run by Gerry Healy’s sectarian clique polemics associated with the SWP the standard social science PhD for problematic. Callinicos merely offers or European legal history commonly in favour of Tony Cliff’s open and crisis, is saying to the reader: “I am the interesting explicit fully rigorous a distinction between the (alleged) publish in a mix of journals and edited democratic International Socialists. still a revolutionary Marxist”, or, more analytic and/or dialectical theory, and/or marginality of democratic demands books (collections of essays) published Now it might be perfectly reasonable specifically: “I am still a Cliffite: my empirical research which is supposed to in the imperialist centres (which in several countries, so that even with to conclude that the 1960s IS was open organisational departure from the SWP follow. reflects merely the economism, or the resources of the Bodleian Library to and democratic, with bureaucratic represents only a limited critique of the Contrary to what is perhaps implicit more exactly left-syndicalism, of the hand, some important work by eminent centralism arriving only later. But recent SWP leadership, not a critique of in Callinicos and Gluckstein’s criticisms, far left), and their (alleged) centrality Professor X will not be available in the writing after 2013 some mention of the the fundamental Cliffite project”. I do not think this problem is uniquely in the semicolonial periphery - where, library unless it’s reprinted in such a issue is surely called for. Davidsonian: there is a good deal of as Tunisia showed, revolution can be collection. So not a ‘collected works’ any more What? the problem in other ISJ authors and it explicitly triggered by the economic The old Selected Works of Marx and than ‘collected papers’ or ‘selected At this point it is appropriate to outline is reflected in the common sprawling impact of ‘structural adjustment’, and as Engels, or of Lenin, Mary-Alice Waters’ works’ - nor pseudo-monographs briefly the content of the two books and character of pieces in Historical Egypt has shown, working class class- Rosa Luxemburg speaks (1970), Isaac constructed out of a series of articles. The to notice, equally briefly, a few issues I Materialism. Part of what is involved political independence and the need for Deutscher’s Trotsky reader The age of articles in Holding fast ... are too diverse don’t propose to discuss further. The one seems to be a sort of ‘pseudo’ version the construction of unions, cooperatives, permanent revolution (1973), and so on, to amount to a pseudo-monograph, issue which I do think is worth discussing of ‘academic courtesy’ which entails mutuals and so on as an alternative performed a related function, of making even on historical materialism as a further is mainly posed by We cannot unwillingness to dismiss sufficiently to Islamist ‘welfare’ operations are a selection of texts available to readers method. We cannot escape is closer escape, but also surfaces in a few places summarily nonsense arguments which fundamental to any real strategy. (perhaps activists) who did not have to being pseudo-monographic, but in Holding fast. This is the interlocked happen to be fashionable and produced Alexander, on the other hand, deploys access to a good library. Davidson’s actual monograph on the questions of ‘permanent revolution’, by leftists. For example, the short (and the usual use of the alleged ‘non- On the other hand, actual Collected topic has already been published - How ‘combined and uneven development’, obviously correct) grounds Davidson dialectical’ character of his opponents’ works sets, properly done, including all revolutionary. ‘bourgeois revolution from above’, gives for rejecting the argument of arguments; and insists ‘deflected sorts of ephemera and correspondence, So what is the function, or perhaps the ‘deflected permanent revolution’, Naomi Klein’s Shock doctrine should not permanent revolution’ is still relevant provide both context for individual message, of this product? We can look at and Cliff state capitalism. It is worth need the 23 pages he takes to discuss it. because what is involved is a mode of works, and a much clearer picture of the it, in a sense, from two directions: that discussing because, in my opinion, In We cannot escape the shape and escape from imperialist domination. evolution of the thought of the author, of the publishers, Haymarket, and that of Callinicos and Alexander are right that balance of the book is different. The Thus Callinicos’s interpretation than is available from individual texts. the author. Haymarket is the publishing Davidson’s reinterpretation of the issues opening essay is the long write-up of of permanent revolution entails Hal Draper’s Karl Marx’s theory of house of the US International Socialist in How revolutionary - and in We cannot Davidson’s contribution to the 2004 tailing the leaderships of ‘democratic’ revolution showed how much could Organisation. Once (and for a long escape - poses large and debatable Deutscher Memorial Lecture (his movements in the Arab Spring, be achieved in deeper understanding time) the SWP/International Socialist questions for the Cliffite project, and Discovering the Scottish revolution while Alexander’s entails tailing the by actually using Marx and Engels’ Tendency franchise in the US, the ISO ones which Davidson’s reaffirmation shared the Deutscher prize with leaderships of ‘national’ movements Collected works, as opposed to sticking was expelled from the IST in 2001 of his Cliffism by republishing a lot of ‘Brennerite’ Benno Teschke’s Myth of against imperialism - reflecting the to the ‘big texts’. for (allegedly) supporting a minority substantially orthodox Cliffite work 1648). There follow two pieces on pre- conjunctural differences between the Yet another possibility has been faction in the IST’s Greek affiliate and doesn’t solve. capitalist societies: chapter 2, also from SWP’s ‘Sunni’ line and Counterfire’s generated by US ‘publish or perish’, (allegedly) failing to ‘turn’ adequately Holding fast is a collection of seven 2004, is a piece from ISJ defending John ‘Shia’ line on Syria at the time when UK ‘research assessment’, and similar to the ‘anti-globalisation movement’, book reviews or review essays, and five Haldon’s ‘tributary mode of production’ these articles were written. In both cases, mechanisms: this is that academics are ie, failing to pretend to be anarchists. other essays. The book reviews are of the against Chris Harman on the ‘Asiatic however, the need to create some sort of commonly not allowed, after the PhD, The SWP leadership alleged that this Verso reissue of Deutscher’s biography mode of production’,4 and chapter 3 is a perspective which includes ‘permanent to take the time required to produce an showed ‘sectarianism’. Since the break, of Trotsky; Verso’s reprint of Victor contribution to a Historical Materialism revolution’ is taken for granted, so that actual monograph with a connected however, the ISO has pursued a more Kiernan’s history of US imperialism, symposium on Chris Wickham’s Davidson ‘problematising’ this is seen argument running through it; instead, open policy towards the rest of the left. and Neil Smith on globalisation; Dave Framing the early middle ages, based as objectionable as such. they produce a series of essays on From the ISO and Haymarket, Renton on the Anti-Nazi League; the on a 2006 conference paper, though only The fundamental problem is related themes, published individually therefore, publishing Neil Davidson’s third edition of Benedict Anderson’s published in 2011. that Davidson’s argument calls into in journals, and then string these essays collected papers sends the message: Imagined communities; a response There are then four chapters on question the absolute foundations of the together with an introduction and see, the departed SWP opposition to Chris Nineham’s review of Esther the bourgeois revolutions: chapter political basis of the Cliffite tradition: conclusion to make a book. includes important theoretical writers Leslie’s biography of Walter Benjamin; 4 ‘Scotland: birthplace of passive its ‘unorthodox Trotskyism’. It does Comrade Davidson’s two volumes (even if Richard Seymour’s theoretical Naomi Klein’s The shock doctrine; revolution’, from a Capital & Class so for two reasons. The first is that so far don’t quite fit any of these prominence has been much reduced Neil Rafeek’s Communist women in symposium on ‘passive revolution’; debates about ‘state capitalism’ and the models. The larger part of the reviews by the ‘chair-gate’ farce together with Scotland; and Eric Hobsbawm’s How to chapter 5, a 2007 ISJ review of Henry Russian revolution in the 1920s, which in Holding fast and several of the the predictable failure of the Syriza change the world. Heller’s The bourgeois revolution in were partly between Stalinists and essays in We cannot escape, are from government as an anti-austerity project). The other essays, while not book France; chapter 6, ‘The American Trotskyists, were also part of debates International Socialism journal, and as Such a message is perhaps affirmed by reviews, are nonetheless broadly in Civil War considered as a bourgeois which opposed communists (including such are available free, globally, online; William Keach’s rave review of Holding the mould of ‘literature reviews’: on revolution’, from a 2011 Historical those who later became Trotskyists) the Socialist Workers Party has not, as fast in the ISO’s International Socialist the political evolution of Tom Nairn; Materialism symposium on John to the ‘Two and a Half International’, yet, responded to Davidson’s split from Review, which celebrates Davidson as on Marx and Engels on the Scottish Ashworth’s Slavery, capitalism and and especially to Karl Kautsky and weekly 9 worker 1088 January 7 2016

Julius Martov - and to ‘left’ critics of different ones - in relation to the for socialism. ‘Stages’ is thus intimately industry with rural backwardness and ‘save the phenomena’. Comintern among the anarchists and agrarian question, for those countries linked to deep fundamentals of Marxist ‘feudal survivals’. It meant integration council communists. The particular in which there was an existing capitalist theory. The problem is that the property- in the world market, including ... and Davidson form of Cliff’s ‘state capitalism’ theory, development of agriculture, and for holding peasant and urban petty- integration of peasant agriculture in Davidson does not abandon the and the idea of ‘deflected permanent those countries in which feudal relations bourgeois classes are too committed the world market: argued at length by fundamentals of these arguments. I revolution’, responded to the desire to persisted in the countryside; and these to their private property holdings Parvus in his 1896 Neue Zeit series ‘The have made the point above, that the avoid falling into either the Kautsky- proposals profoundly shape national to be capable of a real collective world market and the agrarian crisis’.12 whole exercise of the ‘Davidson papers’ Martov version of ‘state capitalism’, political strategy. management of production. (The same The result of this approach is that can be read as reasserting his continued for which events in Russia were merely In relation to existing capitalist is true of the intelligentsia, and of the in Results and prospects, Trotsky commitment to Cliffism. But the truth a deformed form of the bourgeois agriculture, they started with the slogan bureaucracy, which are particular forms argued - unlike Lenin - that there could is that, if he is right about the meaning revolution, or the ‘council communist’ of the nationalisation of the land: of the property-holding urban petty- be no stable worker-peasant alliance of ‘bourgeois revolution’, then in the version, in which state capitalism had “expropriation of landed property and bourgeoisie holding de facto ‘intellectual or ‘democratic dictatorship of the aftermath of 1989-91 the ground for emerged in 1918. Davidson’s argument application of ground rent for state property possessions’ in the first place, proletariat and peasantry’. Hence, while holding Cliffite as opposed to Kautsky- risks unpicking this. expenditures” (Communist Manifesto).7 and ‘turf’ or jurisdictions in the second.) the working class would be driven to take Martov views of the Soviet regime Secondly, the debates between In the Manifesto this formed one of The displacement of these forms of power in order to complete the ‘tasks is destroyed. The Russian revolution Stalinists and Trotskyists were not only a series of demands “pretty generally petty property-holding by wage labour of the bourgeois revolution’ in Russia, would be merely a very long and painful about ‘permanent revolution’, but also applicable”, “in most advanced is therefore a precondition for socialism; it would necessarily lose power within detour in the transition from feudalism about economic management under countries”; in an 1869 letter Marx and this displacement can only take months of doing so unless the socialist to capitalism; and endeavours to pursue working class rule (the New Economic commented that “In England the land place through capitalism, not through revolution broke out in western Europe. any sort of ‘permanent revolution’ Policy and related issues); about the could be transformed into common forced collectivisation, as the Stalinists Although Lenin thought the democratic policy would be completely hopeless. concept of the party monolith; about property by act of parliament in the proved by dreadful experiments in revolution probably would trigger the Davidson does, indeed, try to ‘save ‘socialism in one country’ and ‘national course of a fortnight. In France it must Russia and China (Great Leap Forward, socialist revolution in western Europe the phenomena’ in a different way, by roads to socialism’; and about the ‘united be accomplished by means of the etc). (which was very widely expected in insisting on the difference between front’ common workers front with open proprietors’ indebtedness and liability to It is this core concept which forms the near future), his argument on the the Russian revolution (worker-led, criticism, advocated by the Comintern in taxation”.8 the underlying basis of the wider basis of The development of capitalism involving spontaneity, ‘from below’, and the 1920s, and the version of the ‘united In contrast, in relation to countries in theorisation of ‘tasks of the bourgeois in Russia saw a national development so on) and the later ‘deflected permanent front’ common front with communist which feudal relations persisted in the revolution,’ modelled on the French of capitalism, not tied to the world revolutions’ - China, and so on - which self-censorship for the sake of unity, countryside, they argued for a French- revolution, and meaning the ‘solution’ market (except in a limited sense and he puts either into the class of ‘political’ advocated by Georgi Dimitrov at the style peasant revolution against the of the national question (national imitatively), and (hence) the possibility revolutions which do not alter the class 7th congress of Comintern in 1935, and landlords. Thus, for example, Engels unification and independence), the land of a strategic worker-peasant alliance order of society, or into that of ‘passive in the same argument extended to the argued in 1848 that “The big agricultural question, and the ‘democratic question’, holding power in a single country for a revolutions’ (Gramsci) or ‘revolutions ‘people’s front’ to include left bourgeois lands between the Baltic and the Black ie, the introduction of some form of more or less prolonged period. from above’, like German and Italian parties and other forces. Sea can escape from patriarchal-feudal liberal constitutionalism. By the time of his 1930 rewrite in unification. These other aspects of the Stalinist- barbarism only through an agrarian The concept of the permanent The permanent revolution, Trotsky had The problem with this approach is Trotskyist debates had already ceased to revolution which transforms the revolution grows out of the 1850 Address unavoidably moved towards Lenin’s simple. In order to take the Russian be interesting to Cliffites by the 1970s, by enserfed or corvée-burdened peasants and the idea found there of the refusal of position on this question: precisely revolution as a success, as anything virtue of the fact that they characterised into free landowners, a revolution which the bourgeoisie to make the revolution, because his own arguments in Results more than a larger version of the the USSR and its satellites and imitators is altogether the same as the French leading to the need for the working class and prospects would support the Paris Commune, it is necessary not as ‘state capitalist’. They had, of revolution in the countryside.”9 Marx to organise itself independently of the conclusion that objective forces would to stop its story in October 1917, but course, never been interesting to other argued in 1851 that what was needed in bourgeois and petty-bourgeois radicals compel the Russian Bolshevik regime, at least to carry it down to 1921 and variants of state capitalism theory. The Italy was “the complete emancipation in order to carry the revolution through to in the absence of socialist revolution Red victory in the Civil War. But consequence, however, is that, believing of the peasants and the transformation the end - even if, for most of the Second in western Europe, to become a state- when we look at Red victory in the that their ‘state capitalism’ immunizes of their sharecropping system into free International writers collected in Day capitalist form of the transition from Civil War, the whole character of them from adapting to Stalinism (a belief bourgeois property”.10 On Ireland, and Gaido’s Witnesses to permanent feudalism to capitalism - as Kautsky and the revolution as ‘from below’ in the most strikingly on display in Davidson’s Engels commented in 1888 that “A revolution, this ‘end’ meant merely the Martov already argued in 1918-20. language of SWP-thought disappears. essay on Deutscher in Holding fast), the purely socialist movement should not full implementation of the ‘tasks of the Hence, The permanent revolution not Leon Trotsky becomes the organiser Cliffites have in fact to a considerable be expected from Ireland for some time. bourgeois revolution’ in the way most only broadens the case for ‘permanent of a regular army, employing former extent collapsed into Stalinist positions: The people first want to become small favourable to the working class. revolution’, as Davidson argues; it also Tsarist officers (albeit with commissars in particular on the party monolith landowning peasants, and when they do, Parvus and Trotsky’s argument in conceptualises it in terms, not of the and the Cheka watching over them), (on which Davidson is in these books the mortgages will come along and ruin 1905-08 was more specific, and grew outbreak of a European revolution, but and primarily recruited from peasants, silent), and on the people’s front (where, them once again. In the meantime there out of what is later theorised as ‘uneven of a series of national Russian-style to fight a war as far as possible in the in reviewing Renton, Davidson defends is no reason why we should not help and combined development’. This did revolutions, and including what is, in countryside. The Chinese Communist Dimitrov’s line). them to liberate themselves from the not, however, mean what Davidson fact if not in form, Lenin’s medium- Party, originally created out of an After the fall of the USSR, ‘state landlords, that is, to change over from a makes it mean in chapters 8-9 of We term strategic alliance of the proletariat urban worker movement, by the 1940s capitalism’ is no longer a real political semifeudal to a capitalistic condition.”11 cannot escape, ie, Gerschenkron-style and peasantry (smychka), albeit the had become a peasant-based military dividing line (though it still serves These differences are grounded in ‘advantages of backwardness’ and the peasantry is expected to follow the apparatus. Russia is not different as a theoretical marker). ‘Permanent an analysis of the class character of the specific local recombination of rapidly leading role of the proletariat. enough from this pattern to ‘save the revolution’ then becomes a totemic petty proprietors which precisely insists growing high- However, this reinterpretation could phenomena’ for Cliffism. marker of the difference between the - as Marx and Engels insisted in the tech only make sense insofar as the Russian I do not agree with the structure Cliffites and the surviving ‘official’ Communist Manifesto and Socialism, soviet regime actually was post-capitalist of Davidson’s arguments about the communists; but it also has a peculiar Utopian and Scientific and the dictatorship of the proletariat. bourgeois revolution (I have argued character, that the focus is on an as well as elsewhere Because if it wasn’t, there would be no the relevant points elsewhere); and interpretation of ‘permanent revolution’ - that capitalist case for conceptualising it as a form Dominic Alexander’s review, besides which is extraordinarily similar to the development and the of the socialist revolution; and then, its ‘Counterfire’ tics, makes some political line of the Comintern majority rise of the proletariat in turn, the case for ‘permanent entirely valid points against Davidson in the Chinese revolutionary movement is a necessary revolution’ as opposed to ‘stages’ about the international character of of 1925-27, ie, that working class class- precondition would fall to the ground. the bourgeois revolution. Nonetheless, political independence is subordinated Cliff’s version of state capitalism Davidson is addressing real problems; to ‘mobilising the masses’. Witness, avoided being Martov’s or Kautsky’s he is just - as yet - insufficiently willing here, the SWP’s and its cothinkers’ version because it was largely to think through the implications of extraordinary somersaults in the aborted orthodox Trotskyism these problems for Cliffite theory l Egyptian revolution of 2011-13. in nearly everything Mike Macnair Hence - from a very different point except the label. The of view - the argument of “Michael Soviet regime not only [email protected] Ford”, in his critique of Left Unity, that a was the dictatorship really useful regroupment would be one of the proletariat, Notes between the Morning Star’s Communist but remained the 1 . Reviewed in Weekly Worker by Marc Mulholland Party of Britain, Socialist Action and dictatorship of the ‘Review: How liberal were the bourgeois revolutions?’ Counterfire:5 all that would be needed, proletariat until the October 10 2013. Cf also comrade Mulholland’s own though Ford doesn’t mention this point, outright victory of the Bourgeois liberty and the politics of fear (2012) and would be for Counterfire to give up the Stalin group in 1929-30. my review of this, Weekly Worker July 17 2014. 2 . http://isreview.org/issue/97/critical-openness- Cliffite tics - ‘permanent revolution’, Rather than seeing state imaginative-commitment. and so on - which no longer have any capitalism as a form of 3 . Callinicos, ‘The dynamics of revolution’ ISJ operative significance in their politics. the transition to capitalism, 137, January 2013; Alexander, www.counterfire. as Kautsky and Martov org/articles/book-reviews/16301-in-defence-of- permanent-revolution, February 14 2013. Stages did, Cliff’s interpretation 4 . On this issue, Davidson had moved on by the time We should step back from these was substantially closer to of How revolutionary ..., recognising that Haldon’s immediate present political issues Schachtman’s ‘bureaucratic theory is not helpful, though on questionable grounds. slightly in order to understand what is collectivism’ as a post- 5 . http://leftunity.org/left-unitys-modest-flutter-2/. 6 . www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/ going on. To begin with, the starting capitalist social order communist-league/1850-ad1.htm. See the introduction point for ‘permanent revolution’ may in (in Cliff’s terms, it was to Gaido & Day (ed) Witnesses to permanent a certain sense be the 1850 Address of the a ‘highest stage’ of revolution Haymarket 2011 for antecedents to this. Central Committee to the Communist capitalism beyond 7 . MECW 6:505, cited Draper KMTR ii pp404-409, 6 with general discussion. League; but for practical purposes it was Lenin’s imperialism). 8 . Manifesto loc cit; letter quoted in Draper KMTR discussions of the perspectives of the Though this still ii p408. workers’ movement in Russia and other logically implied that 9 . ‘Debate on Poland’ quoted from Draper KMTR ii ‘backward’ parts of Europe, beginning there was a problem with pp430-431. 10 . Letter to Weydemeyer, quoted from Draper KMTR with Marx and Engels. It is quite false permanent revolution - because ‘Cliff ii p426. to say, as Trotskyists commonly do, state capitalism’ seemed to be the 11 . Interview in NY Volkszeitung, quoted from Draper that there is no basis in Marx and How natural outcome of ‘permanent KMTR ii p428. Engels’ work for a “stages theory”. On revolutionary revolutions’ - after 1945 ‘deflected 12 . ‘Der Weltmarkt und die Agrarkrisis’ NZ (available at http://library.fes.de/nz/) 14:1 (1896), pp197–202, the contrary, they did propose different was the permanent revolution’ could serve, like 276–283, 335–342, 514–526, 554–560, 621–631, programmatic positions - radically bourgeoisie? the epicycles of Ptolemaic astronomy, to 654–663, 747–758, 781–788, 818–827. 10 weekly January 7 2016 1088 worker review Money spinning cargo cult JJ Abrams (director) Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12A), 136 minutes, general release rather than digital ones. Their appeal, however, lies in revisiting the fondly remembered settings. The new central characters, Rey and Finn, are ably played by two young British actors, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega. Both are likable and have suitably mysterious pasts that will no doubt be revealed in future instalments. In a nod to modern sensibilities the actors are a white woman and a black man, in contrast to the overwhelmingly white and male cast of the original films. The real draw to the cinema going public, though, is the inclusion of familiar old faces: Carrie Fisher’s Leia, now a general in charge of the Resistance, Harrison Ford’s loveable rogue Han Solo and his co-pilot Chewbacca. Luke Skywalker appears as only a mythical figure for most of the film, and the plot revolves around searching for him and his lightsabre. Indeed, Rey and Finn speak about the earlier characters as if they are figures from legend rather than of recent history (the film is set 30 years after Return of the Jedi). While the droids from the previous films do make an appearance, their role is taken by a new droid designed to be even more We have feelings too cute and loveable than R2-D2. The central villain is where the he latest film in the Star Wars give way to commercial demands - on a journey and fulfilling his destiny company to Disney in 2012, he asked film is at its most self-referential. series, Star Wars: The Force but the way in which Disney has quite through previously unknown mystical a journalist from The New York Times, Darth Vader was an iconic villain in TAwakens, has already broken explicitly decided to milk this film powers. The success of Star Wars then “why would I make any more when the original films, with his sinister several box office records, taking over seems particularly shameless. was due to that juxtaposition of the everybody yells at you all the time and black uniform and his voice hissing 1.5 billion dollars since its release. The original Star Wars, released in familiar and the unknown. says what a terrible person you are?” from within an all enclosing helmet. Given that it has yet to be screened in 1977, was unexpectedly successful. Following the release of the third of One might feel that the pro-war Labour But having died at the end of Return the lucrative Chinese market (projected When a film is more successful than the original trilogy, Return of the Jedi MPs who recently complained about of the Jedi, JJ Abrams had to resort to overtake the US as the world’s largest critics and studios expect, there is in 1983, George Lucas could have being bullied on social media did so as to grave-robbing to recapture his cinema going country by 2017), it a tendency to mythologise a heroic been forgiven for resting on his laurels. much out of political opportunism as appeal. His equivalent in The Force seems probable that it could become the individual. In this case George Lucas He had created a series with a lasting any genuinely hurt feelings, but Lucas Awakens, Kylo Ren, speaks to the most financially successful film of all was lionised as the creative visionary cultural impact and had made an genuinely appears upset by what must crushed helmet of Darth Vader, time - a record currently held by James who succeeded despite all the odds. enormous personal fortune. In the late have seemed to him to be incessant treating it as a kind of religious fetish. Cameron’s Avatar which made $2.8bn. Lucas himself has liked to play up 1990s however, Lucas was tempted criticism of his artistic creation. He wants to emulate Darth Vader; he While the first six films in the Star to this narrative in interviews, but back to the Star Wars universe to make Regardless, George Lucas is now almost wants to be possessed by his Wars franchise were made by George although there is an element of truth a second trilogy, set before the original thoroughly out of the picture. When spirit. Like Darth Vader, Kylo Ren Lucas, the new film has been made by here, there are other factors that series. His motivations seem plausible Disney took over they made it clear also wears a helmet that obscures Walt Disney after they bought George contributed to its success. Films are enough: he had written a great deal of that his involvement was no longer his face, but seemingly for no other Lucas’ company Lucasfilm for more necessarily collective enterprises, expanded history for Star Wars which welcome. His continued defence of reason than for him to try and imitate than $4 billion in 2012. Disney were and the people Lucas assembled had not been revealed in the original the derided prequel trilogy makes his predecessor. Here then is a perfect making a calculated risk when they undoubtedly had tremendous talents: films; and he was keen to make use Lucas an economic liability. To make metaphor for the film as a whole:The spent that money. For their investment the special effects team developed of the technological innovations that as much money as possible out of Star Force Awakens has taken the material to pay off, they need not onlyThe force innovative approaches that were later had been developed in the succeeding Wars Disney clearly feel they need trappings of the earlier films and, like awakens to be a commercial success, used in many of the 1980s action years. to expunge all trace of the prequel a cargo cult, attempts to use them to but the next two films in the planned blockbusters; the designers created a The prequel trilogy was released trilogy and focus on recapturing the magically invoke their spirit. trilogy too. distinctive fantastic world with their between 1999 and 2005, and told the spirit of the original trilogy. So Disney Considering that it is clearly But financial success does not rely sets and strange aliens, spaceships and story of how Luke and Leia’s father, appointed JJ Abrams as director intended to be a family film, it is also on the films alone. Whereas the first droids; and John Williams composed Anakin Skywalker, was seduced for the new film, best known for his quite shockingly violent. There are six Star Wars films have made a highly an epic and instantly recognisable by the Dark Side of the Force and reboot of Star Trek, a franchise that mass executions barely off screen, respectable $6 billion, other franchises soundtrack. Nor should it be forgotten became Darth Vader, the principal became rather lacklustre after the glut an act of planet-wide genocide and like Harry Potter and James Bond that, while George Lucas wrote and villain of the original series. Although of Star Trek spin-offs in the 2000s that large numbers of storm troopers are have made far more at the box office. directed the first Star Wars film, the the prequel made a great deal of box also suffered criticism for not being gunned down. The central character, The real money comes from all the second and third were directed and co- office money, the second and third sufficiently faithful to the original feel Finn, is a Stormtrooper who has related merchandise: the computer written by other people. films made less than the first. People of the series. deserted from the overtly fascistic games, toys, books and comics and The success was also due to the who had enthusiastically bought The Force Awakens sets out to First Order, and through him we learn spin-off television series. When all this setting and the plot of the original tickets for The Phantom Menace did recapture the sense of nostalgia that that Stormtroopers are abducted as is included, Star Wars towers above films. Lucas borrowed liberally from not all return to watch the second and many people feel for the original films, children and raised to be soldiers. its rivals, with the franchise valued at all manner of disparate sources. third instalments. The prequel trilogy and in that regard it succeeds. Though Finn is able to feel emotions and more than $30 billion. Although set in a strange galaxy with was heavily criticised and mocked it will satisfy those who want more exercise agency, so the same must Disney then has their eyes set on an unfamiliar history and culture, by fans of the original series. George Star Wars, it is stunningly lacking be true, to at least some extent, of a far bigger prize than the mere box that history and culture is painted in Lucas had fallen victim to his own in ambition or originality. Whereas the other Stormtroopers. They are office success. To profit on what they such broad brush strokes that it does hubris. Whereas the original trilogy the originals drew on a plethora of as much victims as they are villains. paid out for Lucasfilm, they need to not alienate casual viewers with its offered tantalising hints about a wider different sources of inspiration, the Yet, they die in droves, killed by the milk Star Wars for everything they complexity. Star Wars hints at wider background to the Star Wars universe, only reference material used in this heroes with no expression of remorse. can get. In addition to the trilogy they history, with mentions of the ‘Clone the prequel trilogy went into much new film are the old films. As in other Hollywood films, when have already announced two other Wars’ and the ‘Old Republic’, but greater detail and the result was sadly The settings are a greatest hits heroes die it is presented as a tragedy, films set in theStar Wars universe, and resists the temptation to spend screen not up to the expectations of the fans. compilation. The action moves from when villains kill innocent people anything even tangentially related to time explaining what these things Equally, whereas the innovative special the desert planet Jakku (like Tatooine it serves to illustrate how evil they Star Wars will be furiously marketed. are, other than through the famous effects of the originals had captivated from A New Hope, but with added are, but the deaths of the supposed Raking over the financial prospects opening sequences. The eponymous the audience, the prequel trilogy relied wrecked Star Destroyers), to the baddies are treated as a good thing. may seem rather unseemly in a film Star Wars are a galaxy-spanning civil heavily on computer generated effects Millennium Falcon, to a jungle planet It is even more jarring when these review, but it is key to understanding war, but that is merely a backdrop that offered nothing new. with loveable aliens (combining deaths are juxtaposed with the overall the context in which The Force for a plucky band of rebels fighting Ultimately the prequel trilogy led the cantina scene from the first film light-hearted jaunty feeling of the Awakens has been made and the against an evil empire. The plot to the kind of acrimonious break-up with the forest moon from Return of film. The Force Awakens tries to feel pressures on the creative team behind focuses on archetypal characters and between George Lucas and his fans the Jedi), and ends on a planet that like a fairy tale, with goodies and it. Put simply, this film has been made the relationships between them. The that we can thank the internet for combines the ice planet from The baddies, and it does an admirable job in order to make money. This may well resulting films rather cleverly present facilitating. Fans who felt a misplaced Empire Strikes Back with the Death of portraying the villains as truly evil, sound unnecessarily pessimistic - after a fantastical universe that, although sense of entitlement lambasted Lucas Star. The sets look magnificent, of but this moral certainty is undermined all, in a capitalist market the demand superficially strange (increasing the for betraying the Star Wars that course. They are filmed with a loving by the way that the heroes - and to make money will always play a capacity for escapism), is actually existed in their own heads, and Lucas attention to detail, and - in deliberate the creators of the film - seem to be role in the creative process, and all too about a comfortably familiar mythical responded in increasingly petulant contrast to the prequel films - they are callously indifferent to deathl often, artistic imagination is forced to story of an orphaned farm-boy going terms. On the eve of selling his made up mostly of practical effects Jeremy Hunt weekly 11 worker 1088 January 7 2016 What we theory fight for n Without organisation the working class is nothing; with the highest form of organisation it is everything. Back to Herbert Spencer nThere exists no real Communist Party today. There are many Chris Cutrone argues that the libertarian liberalism of the late 19th century still so-called ‘parties’ on the left. In reality they are confessional has relevance today sects. Members who disagree with the prescribed ‘line’ are erbert Spencer’s grave faces capitalism. The problem with Herbert expected to gag themselves Marx’s at Highgate Cemetery Spencer is that he took capitalism - in public. Either that or face in London. At his memorial, grasped partially and inadequately expulsion. H n Spencer was honoured for his anti- as bourgeois emancipation - to be Communists operate imperialism by Indian national a condition of freedom that would according to the principles of liberation advocate and anti-colonialist need yet to be really achieved. If democratic centralism. Through Shyamji Krishnavarma, who funded a “metaphysics,” contra positivism, ongoing debate we seek to achieve professorship at Oxford in Spencer’s remains valid in capitalism, then this unity in action and a common name. is as a condition to be overcome. world outlook. As long as they What would the 19th century Capitalist metaphysics is a real support agreed actions, members liberal, utilitarian and social Darwinist, symptom of unfreedom. Positivism should have the right to speak Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), who treats this as merely an issue of openly and form temporary or was perhaps the most prominent, mistaken thinking, or to be worked permanent factions. widely read and popular philosopher out through “scientific” methodology, n Communists oppose all in the world during his lifetime - that whereas it is actually a problem of imperialist wars and occupations is, in Marx’s lifetime - have to say society requiring political struggle. The but constantly strive to bring to to Marxists or more generally to the antinomy of positivism vs metaphysics the fore the fundamental question left, when such liberalism earned is not partisan but social. As Adorno - ending war is bound up with not only Marx’s own scorn but also observed, the same individual could ending capitalism. Nietzsche’s criticism? Nietzsche and would be scientifically positivist n Communists are referred to Spencer and his broad and philosophically ontological- internationalists. Everywhere we appeal as the modern enigma of “the existentialist. strive for the closest unity and English psychologists.” Nietzsche Spencer’s opposition to “socialism” agreement of working class and critiqued what he took to be Spencer’s in the 19th century was in its undeniable progressive parties of all countries. assumption of a historically linear- retrograde illiberal aspect, what We oppose every manifestation evolutionary development and Marx called “reactionary socialism.” of national sectionalism. It is an improvement of human morality But Marx offered a perspective on internationalist duty to uphold the leading to a 19th century epitome; potentially transcending socialism’s principle, ‘One state, one party’. where Nietzsche found the successive one-sidedness in capitalism. Spencer n The working class must be “transvaluations of values” through was entirely unaware of this Marxian organised globally. Without profound reversals of “self- dialectic. Marx agreed with Spencer a global Communist Party, a overcoming” (On the genealogy of on the conservative-reactionary and Communist International, the morals: a polemic, 1887). Nietzsche regressive character of socialism. struggle against capital is weakened regarded modern liberal morality Marx offered a dialectic of socialism and lacks coordination. not as a perfection but rather as a and liberalism presented by their n Communists have no interest challenge and task to achieve an symptomatic and diagnostic antinomy apart from the working class “over-man,” that, failing, threatened in capitalism that pointed beyond as a whole. They differ only in to result in a nihilistic dead-end of itself. 18th century liberalism’s recognising the importance of “the last man” instead. Marx regarded insufficiency to the 19th century Marxism as a guide to practice. Spencerian liberalism as an example problem of capitalism necessitated That theory is no dogma, but of the decrepitude of bourgeois- socialist opposition; but liberalism must be constantly added to and revolutionary thought in decadence. still offered a critique of socialism enriched. Marx’s son-in-law, the French socialist that would need to be fulfilled to be n Capitalism in its ceaseless Paul Lafargue, wrote, just after Marx’s transcended, and not dismissed let search for profit puts the future death, against Spencer’s “bourgeois alone defeated as such. of humanity at risk. Capitalism is pessimism”, to which he offered a Only in overcoming capitalism synonymous with war, pollution, Marxist optimism.1 Such Marxism Herbert Spencer by Bagnold Burgess through socialism could, as Marx exploitation and crisis. As a fulfilled Nietzsche’s “pessimism of put it, humanity face its condition global system capitalism can only the strong.” By the late 19th century, their scars earned in combat but their contradictorily and antagonistically, “with sober senses.” This side of be superseded globally. Marxists could be confident about grey hairs accumulated in office. Not in capitalism. Similarly, the phases emancipation from capital, humanity n The capitalist class will never transcending bourgeois society. Not so enjoying the spoils of war on a dais of “religious,” “metaphysical” and remains trapped in a “phantasmagoria” willingly allow their wealth and today. but getting in their daily morning jog “positive” forms do not succeed of bourgeois social relations become power to be taken away by a Spencer’s distinction of “militant” to remain fit for work. We judge them one another sequentially in a linear self-contradictory and self-destructive parliamentary vote. vs “industrial” society (The principles not as cunning warriors but as diligent development but rather interact in in capital. This phantasmagoria n We will use the most militant of sociology Vol 2, 1879-98) - that is workers - and responsible negotiators. a dynamic of social history. What was both collective and individual methods objective circumstances to say, the distinction of traditional In our society, it is not the matter of Spencer regarded as regressive - socialist and liberal - in character. allow to achieve a federal republic civilization vs bourgeois society - is a battle to win but a job to do. Carl “metaphysics” remains valid in Spencer naturalized this antinomy. His of England, Scotland and Wales, still, unfortunately, quite pertinent Schmitt thought that this has led to our capitalism, as “ideology” calling for libertarian anti-statism and its broad, a united, federal Ireland and a today, and illuminates a key current dehumanization. But few would agree. dialectical critique. We cannot now popular political appeal down through United States of Europe. blind-spot on the ostensible ‘left’, What would have appeared com- claim to address problems in the clear the 20th century was the necessary n Communists favour industrial especially regarding the phenomenon monplace to Spencer’s contemporary air of enlightenment. result of the continuation of capitalism unions. Bureaucracy and class of war. Spencer followed the earlier critics, such as Nietzsche and Marx, If Adorno, for instance, critiqued and its discontents. compromise must be fought and classical liberal Benjamin Constant’s must strike us today, rather, as pro- sociological “positivism,” this was Spencer regarded the problem as the trade unions transformed into observation (‘The liberty of the foundly insightful and indeed criti- not as a romantic anti-positivist such a historical holdover of traditional schools for communism. ancients as compared with that of cal of our society. This is due to the as Max Weber, but rather as a critique civilization to be left behind rather n Communists are champions of the moderns’ 1816) that moderns get historical regression of politics and of positive sociology as ideology in than as the new condition of bourgeois the oppressed. Women’s oppression, through commerce what the ancients society since Marx’s time, and, more- capitalism. For Adorno, positivism society in capitalist crisis that Marx combating racism and chauvinism, got through war; and that for moderns over, to the liquidation of Marxism. and Heideggerian ontology, as well recognised needed to be, but could and the struggle for peace and war is always regrettable and indeed What Marx would have regarded as as Weberian “cultural sociology,” not be, overcome in Spencer’s liberal ecological sustainability are just largely unjustifiably criminal, whereas fatally one-sided and undialectical in opposed each other in an antinomy terms. Marx agreed with Spencer on as much working class questions for ancients war was virtuous - Spencer, would today seem adequate of capitalism that would be overcome the goal, but differed, crucially, over as pay, trade union rights and among the very highest virtues. Do to the prevailing condition, in the ab- not in one principle triumphing over the nature of the obstacle and, hence, demands for high-quality health, we moderns sacrifice ourselves for sence of the Marxist-Hegelian dialec- another, but rather in the antinomy how to get there from here. Not housing and education. the preservation and glory of our tic. The Marxist critique of liberalism itself being succeeded dialectically only Spencer’s later followers (more n Socialism represents victory specific “culture,” as “militants” do, has been rendered moot, not in the in freedom. Weber denied freedom; egregiously than Spencer himself), in the battle for democracy. It or rather dedicate ourselves to social sense of liberalism’s actual social su- whereas Spencer assumed it. Both but Marx’s own, have falsified this is the rule of the working class. activity that facilitates universal persession but by historical regression. avoided the specific problem of task. It has been neglected and Socialism is either democratic or, freedom - a value unknown to the Society has fallen below the historical capitalism. To take a condition of abandoned. We cannot assume as as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it ancients? Does the future belong to the threshold of not only socialism but unfreedom for freedom is the most Marx did that we are already past turns into its opposite. constant warfare of particular cultural of classical liberalism - of bourgeois salient phenomenon of ideology. This Spencer’s classical liberalism, but are n Socialism is the first stage differences, or to human society? emancipation itself. Not only have we is what falsified positivism as liberal driven back to it, ineluctably, whether of the worldwide transition to Marx thought the latter. fallen below the criteria of Kant and enlightenment, its false sense of we realize it or not. Only by returning communism - a system which The question is whether we think Hegel that surpassed 18th century em- freedom as already achieved that still to the assumptions of classical knows neither wars, exploitation, that we will fight or, rather, exchange piricism, we have fallen below its 19th actually tasked society. Freedom is not liberalism can we understand Marx’s money, classes, states nor and produce our way to freedom. century successor, positivism, as well. to be taken as an achieved state but a critique of it. The glare of Marx’s nations. Communism is general Is freedom to be achieved through The question is the status today of lib- goal of struggle. tomb at Highgate stares down upon freedom and the real beginning “militant” or rather “industrial” eralism as ideology. It is utopian. As An emancipated society would be a very determinate object. If one of human history. society? Marx assumed the latter. Adorno put it, it is both promise and “positivist” - enlightened and liberal - disappears, they both do l The Weekly Worker is licensed by When we seek to extol our political sham. in ways that under capitalism can only November Publications under a Creative leaders today, we do not depict them Militant and industrial tendencies be ideologically false and misleading. Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Notes 4.0 International Licence: http:// driving a tank but waking at 5 o’clock confront each other today not as Positivism should therefore be 1. ‘A few words with Mr Herbert Spencer’ 1884 - creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and staying up past midnight to do different societies, but as opposed understood as a desirable goal see www.marxists.org/archive/lafargue/1884/06/ legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. society’s business. We do not speak of aspects of the same society, however beyond rather than a possibility under herbert-spencer.htm No 1088 January 7 2016 weekly Shabby photo- ops hide lack worker of strategy After the deluge The winter floods provide yet more evidence that capitalism is unable to manage humanity’s relationship with nature, argues Paul Demarty

he last month has been a tale of If anything, this phenomenon two floods. is more acute along the banks of T In Britain, there has been a the Mississippi. It’s a big river, series of extratropical storms named and it floods an awful lot. ‘Natural Desmond, Eva and Frank, assailing disasters’ are often characterised by much of the north of England and the frequency with which one of a Scotland. Faced with, in some areas, given severity occurs - thus we have three times the seasonal average the concept of, say, a ‘500-year flood’. rainfall, rivers duly burst their The Mississippi has had three ‘500 banks; villages and cities alike were year floods’ in the last two decades. inundated. The pictures piled up of The response, invariably, is to build drowned Lake District tourist spots; the levees higher. in one striking photograph, Carlisle This is especially stupid. For civic centre rises like Avalon from reasons nobody understands, southern three feet of water. A vast chunk of Illinois and Missouri sit on an area of Manchester was left without power. high seismic activity. Two hundred Fresh devastation is still being visited, years ago there was a series of as I write, on Scotland and the north- catastrophic earthquakes which altered east of England. the course of the river in several places, Meanwhile, in the south-eastern wiped out a burgeoning settlement and United States, people wait in Welly boots and looking leaderly changed the height of the ground by trepidation. Similarly unseasonal up to fifteen feet. Another such quake rainfall has caused floods in the any attempts at collective human much is asking is: what is the plan, and Tory heartlands. could cause untold devastation. It midwest, in Illinois and Missouri, action to mitigate or repair damage. why? Given the scale of the damage would not be kind to levees. with vast property damage and a Indeed, the recent inundations serve Last year we got a lot of promises wrought this time around, things are Yet rebuilding levees is a big body-count to boot. All that water is as a neat coda to December’s UN climate to dredge rivers and build higher walls. somewhat different - we are dealing infrastructure project. It brings in currently bearing down the grand old conference in Paris, at which delegations We must assume this is still the modus with disasters that encroached on jobs. It is the sort of thing a senator Mississippi. With state officials in from 195 countries signed a document operandi of the EA. In the context of Manchester, after all. Yet the country slips quietly into a funding bill its eponymous state, Tennessee and declaring global warming to be a man- floods in Somerset, this looks just a seems incapable of demanding more when election season looms. Not so Louisiana gearing up for a thorough made problem, and noting that further little suspicious, given who is calling from the government than the vague earthquake preparation. As the travel sousing in the coming days, some temperature rises beyond 2 degrees the shots. This is a sparsely populated sense that there is some sort of plan. writer Maciej Cegłowski acerbically having already declared a state of would likely be catastrophic. Alas, area, much of it on what you could The vilification of Philip Dilley seems notes, “the twin weapons of emergency. those assembled kept to the tradition of plausibly call floodplain, whose voters to use his holiday as a rough proxy preparedness are massive earthworks There is a clichéd leftwing and/or such gatherings of committing nobody are Tory to their bootstraps. for his usefulness to the people of the and denial. If seismic retrofitting Green response to this sort of event: to actually do anything about it. It is The alternative is neatly north. Thus he had to fly home and involved more bulldozers, it would be that its common billing in official almost as if there is some invisible force demonstrated by the Dutch get his wellies on, following various a lot easier to get it funded.”2 news bulletins as a ‘natural disaster’ paralysing them ... government, coming as they do from government worthies. Jeremy Corbyn Which in a roundabout way brings is woefully inaccurate - these ‘natural’ Even if we leave global warming a country which is basically one attracted some flack for not visiting us back to global warming: isn’t this phenomena are not so natural as all aside, however, this is all a distinctly enormous floodplain. They are not the north, to which he replied that combination of denial and fatuous that. Unfortunately, the cliché is true. human drama. Readers may distantly dredging rivers, but widening them, he would probably get in the way. technical fixes exactly what has passed It is, first of all, no kind of wild recall last winter, where in this and conducting other measures such Clearly, he does not yet understand for bourgeois ‘debate’ on the climate theory to link this winter’s inclement country it was the Somerset levels that as afforestation that reduce flood risk. that a full schedule of utterly pointless question for decades? Capitalism conditions to anthropogenic found themselves drowned. There In doing so, of course, they must move gestures is apparently necessary to win cannot maintain a metabolic, climate change. Oxford University was a great hue and cry. Politicians people out of the way. The property an election in this degraded age. responsive relationship between researchers, using one modelling tool, turned up in wellies and tried to look rights of individuals are trumped by The shabby photo-ops of politicians humans and the natural environment. suggested that storm Desmond may leaderlike (more of which anon). Task the needs of the country. may not seem directly related to the It can only switch chaotically between have been made 40% more likely due forces were set up. Money was found The point is this: in dealing with capitalist system they serve, but in complacency and militarised disaster to global warming.1 down the back of the Treasury sofa immediate crises of nature, as in the end capitalism requires a pliable management. Ever more destructive More generally, the best indications for flood defences. All that now looks wartime, capitalist governments can political regime. Pliability consists in the weather patterns provide another of climate science are that we will face rather like the hot air that brought adopt a certain ‘socialism’ - a coercive exclusion of the masses from effective reminder that time is running out to an awful lot of unpredictable weather, us storm Desmond. Much attention collectivism directly at odds with decision-making, and presenting get rid of it. In the meantime, readers shifting rapidly in the worst case into has been given to the invisibility of the individualistic official ideology. political choices in a form sufficiently might want to buy futures in rubber dramatic transformation of whole a certain Philip Dilley, chair of the Sometimes, after all, one simply has pre-digested to exclude anyone footwear - we will be watching a ecologies. Temperate lands become Environment Agency, who found to get things done. (There is nothing inconvenient coming within a sniff of lot of politicians trudging around in deserts, or swamps, or icy wastes: himself rather embarrassingly on terribly capitalist about Louisiana’s power. To this end, capitalist politicians drowned villages yet l the sheer complexity of the forces vacation in Barbados at the exact state of emergency, except that only have two weapons in their armouries - operating on the climate mean we can moment the inadequacy of his capitalism could make an emergency subterfuge and bribery. The theatrical [email protected] have little certainty as to what disaster preparations became clear. out of the flooding of floodland.) appearance of ‘leading from the front’ will befall whom, but also that things Yet throwing money at problems is Cameron’s decision is not exactly in your wellies: that is subterfuge. The Notes can change very rapidly when a tipping not enough to solve them, unless one the opposite, but markedly different: channelling of government funds to 1. The Guardian, December 11. point is reached. There is plenty of is prepared to print enough fivers to taxpayers’ money was to be earmarked friendly constituencies, no matter how 2. http://idlewords.com/2015/07/confronting_ evidence that the UK can expect soak up the rain. The question nobody to defend the quaint lifestyles of the irrational - that is bribery. new_madrid_part_2.htm. warmer, wetter winters - and this was the warmest, wettest December on Subscribe Name:______Standing order record by some considerable margin. 6m 1yr Inst. 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