A paper of Marxist polemic and Marxist unity

Assessing Adolph Reed: American n Letters and debate n Israel-UAE deal left’s foremost anti-identitarian n Labour Left Alliance is also a social democrat n How can workers rule? No 1313 September 3 2020 Towards a mass Communist Party £1/€1.10 PROM AND PREJUDICE

WW1313-18.00h.indd 1 03/09/2020 19:43:13 weekly 2 September 3 2020 1313 worker LETTERS

in higher education it is “simply a Letters may have been - yes - towards each other, but also kind of ‘anti-capitalism’ it seeks to fellow, but then so is Biden. The shortened because of had an orientation towards the rest of achieve, because not all of it is good pointless exercise” (Letters, July 23). Democrats do have a few rumblings space. Some names population. or legitimate. As we have seen, the He welcomes responses on the question, from below that may bear fruit (one  may have been changed John Masters bourgeois right has often appealed “Is it time to lay equal opportunities to day?). Milton Keynes to the part of the left (‘new school’, rest in the graveyard of ideas?” Some have no doubt. The ‘new left’) that harbours phobias Equality of opportunity is not the Financial Times opines on the two Treat Trojan horse about ‘centralisation’, ‘regulation’, case put by socialists for socialism, conventions: “It is hard to imagine Can I start off by congratulating the In a letter to the Weekly Worker, one elections and even democracy in which is the emancipation of the a starker contrast” (August 29). CPGB (PCC) and their co-thinkers in Oliver Healey boldly challenged order to wean them from working working class and the end of class Trump’s speech was “littered with Labour Party Marxists for being able the readers to question one of the class politics to the programme of society. This is more far-reaching. character attacks”, while Biden’s to hold a Communist University in “shibboleths” of Marxism: namely free-market capitalism. This is done Notable introductory texts on this message was “focussed on his middle the current pandemic situation, and the proposition that, in order to by making a reactionary utopia out of would be Principles of communism class credentials”. Politics? Well, hope that they can in future perhaps overcome capitalism, the first step for economic decentralisation, appealing and socialism: utopian and scientific “Mr Biden urgently needs to find an reach a wider audience by evolving the working class towards socialism to petty bourgeois illusions about by Friedrich Engels. opportunity to imprint on voters his the event to one that exists both in must be the forcible expropriation of small business and appropriating As for Healy’s letter (August commitment to law and order”. This physical and cyber space in years to capitalist property and its conversion Marxist critiques of monopoly 13) condemning private banking as ‘imprinting’ sounds a bit like what come - I’m sure it saves Lars T Lih into public property (August 13). capitalism for demagogic opposition creating new money, if it were true, the police are already doing with their and other international participants a Healey’s challenge should be to everything ‘big’ (big business, as then I would set up my own bank boots. long flight for starters! Whilst I wasn’t welcomed, as the question of a well as ‘big’ labour). In other words, and issue unlimited loans to myself. Meanwhile, who will put able to join in, the chance to watch the nationalised economy and central the free-market right seeks to win the But it is not true and economic crises unemployed Americans back to sessions on YouTube was a treat! planning are often neglected by left to an anti-capitalism that opposes were just as regular, if not worse, work? Neither of them. Who will try However, one session from Jack leftwing groups. Such reluctance to all of those aspects - concentration prior to fiat money. Socialists are and protect their fellow countryfolk Conrad on the origin of the CPGB thoroughly address the concrete need of capital, growth of planning - that familiar with Hayek and Friedman, from climate disaster? Neither of threw up a contradiction that I rather for an economy based on publicly Marxism argues is progressive and Healy should familiarise himself them. Who will start a new war? hope will see further debate - not owned means of production and about capitalism, as it lays down the with economic criticisms of the free Either of them. around 1920, but 2020! Leading central planning betrays a general infrastructure of a socialised economy. market and its proponents. Professor No doubt Sir Keir has been members of the PCC came up with tendency of the left away from In fairness to Healey, there is a David Harvey is the most popular watching with interest: New Labour the following three points. Firstly, socialism to reactionary utopias about kernel of truth to what he says, and and modern writer and speaker on the has always been keen on what the Peter Manson voiced a rejection of small ownership, localised industry, that is that there can be no fundamental subject. Democrats are pioneering - what with the idea that the CPGB (PCC) become decentralised co-ops, ‘full ownership transition away from capitalism Jon D White ‘triangulation’, crime, prison building a recruiting organisation, as that path of the product of labour’, etc. No without the expropriation of the email and neoliberalism. So, don’t worry apparently leads to becoming a sect doubt such sentiments have stemmed banks and some sort of democratic about rail renationalisation - or any - surely there is more to being a sect from the long-time abandonment of control over banking and monetary Anyone but other nationalisation. Don’t worry, the than a desire to grow? Secondly Mike the socialist project for a nationalised policy. The leading role of finance US can have the NHS and if Trump, Macnair bemoaned the organisation economy - itself a result both of capital in the modern economy is Trump? or Biden, wants to invade somewhere not having the forces to intervene the pitfalls of bureaucratic central one of the basic theories in Lenin’s Readers will no doubt already be we’ll be along ‘shoulder to shoulder’. more on the left, and finally Jack planning, as well as the ideological Imperialism. But here again we must aware of the excitement generated Maybe at the ‘virtual conference’ Conrad made the point that the aim assault on anything ‘collectivist’ that distinguish exactly what we mean by by the Democrat and Republican (sorry, ‘event’) he can get Tony Blair and orientation of the Weekly Worker proliferated in the late cold war. democracy. Without doubt, the kind of conventions in the US. There has and a few generals along; perhaps is to win the vanguard. Healey openly identifies as a ‘democracy’ that the paleo-libertarian been much comment in the British even Bill Clinton! Whatever he does Between these three points I can’t paleo-libertarian - a political trend Healey advocates will be of the ‘above as well as the American media, not though, I’m sure he’ll stand for no help but see that there is an elephant in free-market fundamentalism class’ kind - perhaps an economic least online. Much of the mainstream trifling with Rule! Britannia on the in the room - doesn’t winning that synthesises the cultural and house of representatives, open media, while rightly viewing the closing afternoon. the vanguard entail winning new racial chauvinism of the rightwing ‘equally’ to workers and capitalists. Trumpfest as a horror show, also Jim Nelson members to that vanguard? And in ‘paleoconservative’ movement with Lenin advocated that the unions of largely confine themselves to Trump- email fact having an orientation to both the ultra-libertarian, free-market proletarian (and semi-proletarian) horror clickbait, with the clear the existing vanguard and recruiting solution to the social question bank employees should take over the message of ‘Anyone but Trump!’ Abandon ship! potential members of it would be a promoted by Murray Rothbard. banks and operate them under the Patrick Cockburn summed up the Robert Clough of the Revolutionary much more successful field to plough. Readers of the Weekly Worker are guidance of the Soviet Republic. But I reality: “The Republican convention Communist Group argues: “The Delivering hopefully extra forces to likely to be a little perplexed to find a doubt Healey will want to appropriate was a nauseating performance even thesis that Labour can become deploy in the campaign for the party, paleo-libertarian polemic on an openly this part of Lenin’s solution! by the cess-pit standards of the Trump a vehicle for socialism or social interventions in the Labour Party and communist forum. But for those who And, if Healey is so opposed administration” (Counterpunch progress is as reactionary now as so on, with comrades coming into the are familiar with the curious political to nationalisation of the means of August 31). it ever has been. Maintaining this vanguard with a partyist position - trajectory of Rothbard, Healey’s production, we can likely expect that it This leaves some, but not much, position as the crisis deepens will imagine the potential that would have. appeal to the far left will make sense. will not be a democracy that penetrates interest in the bizarre line-up of inevitably force its adherents to cross We are very much at the moment One of the foremost representatives into the ‘forbidden’ zone of relations speakers at the Biden-Harris-fest. class lines” (Letters, August 13). How under the leadership across the sects of the market-fundamentalist Austrian of production. In fact, Healey (likely Colin Powell? The man who gave very revolutionary! Clough’s view that we might call the ‘children of 68’ School, Rothbard distinguished intentionally) avoids any discussion Bush some ‘left’ cover for the invasion represents unadulterated sectarianism - comrades whose political outlook himself in his advocacy of radical about how nationalisation would of Iraq, with his ‘aluminium nuclear and dogmatism, which explains why was forged in the events of Paris, populist politics as the means to differ in a bourgeois, as opposed to rods’ and other assorted nonsense, the RCG has remained a small sect Czechoslovakia and the subsequent overthrow the status quo, which a proletarian, state; or the difference not to mention his role in the original with no influence in the working repercussions. he believed was the fundamental between technocratic, as opposed to My Lai cover-up. And then there was class. There is a younger generation obstacle to a radical free-market workers’ democratic, administration Michael (stop and frisk) Bloomberg The first thing to point out is out there drowning in the trap of programme. Throughout the 1960s, of public property. Given his paleo- who apparently put $18 million that the Labour Party introduced the identity politics, cancel culture, he openly courted the ‘new left’. libertarianism, his desire to single out dollars in - and got his spot. national health service - which, by environmentalist doomsday-mongering Finding common ground on issues “big banks” as the fundamental ill As several online commentators the way, is a socialist measure. This and the failure of Corbyn, and it such as opposition to the Vietnam of capitalism serves to distract from have pointed out, anyone with a hint of clearly suggests that under certain is about to live through not just war, Rothbard saw promise in the the equally reactionary character of socialism - well, OK, ‘progressivism’ conditions Labour can easily become a pandemic, but the economic new left as a vehicle for free-market the industrial and entrepreneurial - in their politics was told to keep a vehicle for social progress and even depression caused by it. Is the best libertarianism, because, unlike the bourgeoisie, and places the blame on their mouths shut in case they frighten socialism. Clough’s reference to a the vanguard is able to offer the small old left, it was born of a generation a “cabal” of bankers. This should raise the voters. The voters are, of course, deepening crisis is meaningless, since slice of them who may be winnable increasingly sceptical of all that was the eyebrows of the Weekly Worker those who have their ID available, he and the RCG, together with most to communist ideas the Socialist big, centralised, ‘hierarchical’ or and all class-conscious comrades. along with, preferably, their white of the radical left, has not yet grasped Workers Party, Communist Party of ‘totalitarian’. As the influence of the There is no third way between skin - and those who can manage the what is driving the present crisis. Britain, Socialist Party in England Communist Party waned, and in light capitalism and communism. And short drive to the voting booth in their I would suggest that those who do and Wales, etc? Perhaps it is time of the failure of the Trotskyists to there is no development towards affluent neighbourhood. not know what is behind the present to incorporate into the ‘winning the build a viable alternative to Stalinism, communism except through public However, as, for instance, David crisis take a look around the streets. vanguard’ formula the need to add much of the new left was moving ownership of all large and medium- Sirota asked in a Jacobin article, You will see that the authorities are to its numbers some members who toward ‘libertarian left’ positions that sized industries (and not just the ‘Why is it always the wrong time to quietly introducing electric chargers are on our side from the start of their placed primary value on unrestricted ‘commanding heights’). Socialism criticise Democrats from the left?’ for cars in preparation for the coming political life! They would thus skip freedom - even (and often especially) differs from capitalism through the (August 24). Corporate voices have energy crisis. They can’t talk about the stage where they get a headful of against working class politics. planned and rationalised conduct no such restraints. Biden will be good this openly for fear of triggering a SPEW that needs to be overcome. Rothbard delighted in this new, of industry, which destroys all for business, so don’t worry. Don’t stock market crash and panic, but I acknowledge Jack was just libertarian trend on the left, and market anarchy. To desire a return worry about a green new deal (or any they are silently preparing for it. making a short comment, but it was exploited it to the utmost. He wrote to economic decentralisation, small other new deal), don’t worry about The important question is, when one that left the impression that all that many articles and even organised a enterprise and laissez-faire economics Medicare for all and don’t worry the energy crisis strikes, what type was needed was to win the vanguard, journal, Left and Right, which sought is at best illusory. At its worst it is the about foreign policy - the money for of opposition, if any, would the and that is all the Bolsheviks did, to highlight the convergence of new seed of rightwing populism. arms will keep rolling in. As Sirota Labour Party meet from the capitalist but surely they would never have leftism with radical, free-market The reactionary ‘anti-capitalism’ points out, this might keep the multi- class? The answer to this question become what they were if all they economics. Of course, the ‘left of Healey should serve as a warning million-dollar donations pouring in, depends on how you understand the did was argue with the Socialist Rothbardians’ were later disappointed and a reminder to the proletarian but doesn’t exactly energise the base - present crisis of capitalism. Marxism, Revolutionaries and Mensheviks - by his conversion back to the open left that a Trojan horse hides behind some of whom might be able, but now a doctrine developed in the 19th and the revolution sprang forth from far right. By the 1980s, Rothbard had all talk of rejecting the communist unwilling, to vote. century, is now playing a significant an incestuous group of activists, made common cause with the likes programme of socialising industry. A long-running debate on ‘lesser- role in preventing the radical left insulting, sometimes ignoring and at of Pat Buchanan and other far-right Levi Rafael evilism’ is reaching new heights with from understanding that the question their best debating the issues. ‘paleos’ who saw in his economic USA this year’s election. It’s either Biden of energy is the content of the present I’d suggest that you don’t need to ideas a complement to their own or Trump! Or Kanye West? And who crisis. No surprise here, since in study Marxism with a microscope reactionary ideology. Loans to myself would want Biden? Trump tells us his critique of political economy to conclude that the factions of the What all of this means is that Oliver Healy writes at length about he’s a socialist. It could be a tricky Marx made the same mistake as Russian left pre-1917 were orientated the left needs to take seriously the equality of opportunity and says that one: Trump is obviously a very nasty the classical political economists: BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07903 054393 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected]

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ie, he mostly ignored the role of non-renewable energy in the rise of modern society. So now the radical MIDDLE EAST left doesn’t realise that the ruling class can abandon capitalism because of an energy crisis. I refer to this as the ‘Abandon Deal faces growing backlash Ship theory’. This simply states that, barring nuclear war, the coming energy crisis will force the Despite the Israel-UAE rapprochement there can be no ‘normalisation’ in the ruling class to begin the process of Middle East, explains Yassamine Mather abandoning capitalism, in the same way that people abandon a sinking n the early hours of August 30 Israeli ship which cannot be saved. tanks hit Hamas targets after four The declining oil production, I weeks of air raids. According to which follows peak oil, will lead to Palestinian sources, an Israeli artillery rising oil prices, which in turn will shell was fired towards Khan Yunis, progressively undermine capitalist while another fell east of Deir al-Balah profits. In order to avert the collapse in the central Gaza Strip. of the economy the governments will Such raids have targeted the have to intervene and nationalise underground infrastructure and military the major sectors of the economy in posts belonging to Hamas since early the interest of national survival. An August, after Israel accused Hamas example of this was seen when the of failing to stop incendiary balloons US government bought out General being launched across the border. In Motors in 2008 to stave off collapse. the absence of almost any coverage Time Magazine had a front page with of the events by the western media, president Bush in a Mao suit and perhaps we should assume that false cap, without realising that they were allegations of anti-Semitism against predicting what an energy crisis will anyone who criticises the state of Israel force the ruling class to do. have succeeded in silencing everyone The theory that, barring a nuclear (including ‘socialists’ in the UK and war, the coming energy crisis will elsewhere). force the ruling class to abandon Mediation by Qatar, a sponsor ship and move over - initially to state of financial aid to Gaza, resulted in capitalism - means that in Britain the a tentative agreement to end cross- Labour Party will have an important border attacks in return for an easing of role to play. Even the ruling class Israel’s blockade of the territory. There can’t continue to insist on traditional have been numerous other outbreaks capitalism if it simply doesn’t work. of peace before … and all have ended State capitalism will not work either. in full scale conflict: 2008, 2012, That, in essence, is the meaning of 2014. This time though the outbreak the energy crisis, which opens the of peace between Hamas and Israel door to socialism. coincided with the United Arab Emirates Israeli delegation: led by Jared Kushner Since the Abandon Ship theory recognition of Israel and the arrival of an argues that, barring a nuclear war, El Al passenger aircraft labelled ‘Salam, Bank has been going on for the last 53 announcement of recognition did not get political science at Cairo University, the coming energy crisis will force Peace, Shalom’. The El Al plane took years and the accord can do nothing backing from other Arab states. Instead dismissed the deal as a “betrayal” of the the ruling class to nationalise the off from Tel Aviv carrying a delegation to stop it. Third, Israeli prime minister there has been a growing backlash across Palestinian cause, and Mustapha Kamel economy, the role of the left and headed by Jared Kushner, senior advisor Binyamin Netanyahu’s recent plan to the region, including in Bahrain and el-Sayed, another academic, speaking to the Labour Party is obvious. It is to to US president Donald Trump, and formally annex roughly a third of the Sudan, which had initially welcomed the Al Monitor, said: “The Israeli leadership argue the case for production for Meir Ben-Shabbat, chief of the Israeli West Bank, including the settlement deal - or at least this is what Palestinian has pledged to halt or suspend its need rather than profit - an argument National Security Council. The Israeli blocs and the Jordan Valley, would be Authority leaders seem to believe. annexation plan, which does not mean which cannot be denied because it is delegation also included representatives a unilateral and illegal land grab; he Palestinian foreign minister Riyad it has completely abandoned the plan; collapsing profits which will lead to from the finance sector, civil aviation, deserves no reward for putting it on al-Maliki praised Sudan for rejecting rather, it has only postponed it for some nationalisation in the first place. The tourism and culture - all travelling to hold.1 US attempts at “blackmailing Sudan time.”8 other role of the left is to fight against the UAE to discuss ways of promoting to trade normalisation with the lifting Turkey has threatened to suspend its the establishment of bureaucratic cooperation. According to Marwan Bishara, writing of Sudan’s name from countries that ties with the UAE and recall its envoy socialism because bureaucracy is a On August 13, when Trump made an on the Al Jazeera website, support terrorism”,3 while Saeb Erakat, over the Emirates’ deal with Israel tendency inherent in modern societies. announcement in the Oval office about the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s (of course, this is rich, coming from a The agenda of the left must be for a the ‘historic’ UAE/Israeli deal, it was Indeed, the UAE and Israel began executive committee secretary, used country that has diplomatic relations democratic socialist society. heralded by sections of the media as a their secret contacts in Washington his Twitter account to praise the leader with Israel). And reactions from Iran Tony Clark historic event. UAE leaders claim that the in the chaotic years following the of Bahrain: “We highly appreciate the were predictable: the Islamic Republic’s Labour supporter deal was in Palestinian interests, because 2003 invasion of Iraq and elevated position of HM King Hamad Bin Isa Al foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Israel had been persuaded to abandon its them to strategic coordination during Khalifa of Bahrain. We hope that Mr Zarif, denounced the deal as a “strategic Landlordism plan to formally annex large parts of the the turbulent years of the Obama Pompeo will use his hearing skills. End stupidity”. It was “a dagger unjustly According to housing charity, Shelter, West Bank. Nothing was further from administration.2 the occupation, then normalisation.”4 struck by the UAE in the backs of the a total of 290,000 renters have been the truth. In the initial press conferences In Jordan, prince Ali bin Hussein Palestinian people and all Muslims”.9 warned by their landlord that they are in Washington and Tel Aviv, it became In late August news came that the Saudi caused controversy on social media last All these statements by politicians facing eviction, due to Covid-19 rent clear that the rightwing government in crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, week after sharing an article stating that and religious leaders show that, arrears. Israel had merely suspended plans for had cancelled a visit to the United the Palestinians had not been consulted contrary to claims made by the Trump The Covid evictions crisis shows annexation. States, where he had been due to stage about the proposed “normalisation administration that the Gulf states are up the problem of relying on the Anyone who has followed Middle a public meeting with the Israeli prime deal”,5 while inside the UAE, Emiratis, tired of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict private rental market. A democratic Eastern politics in the last few months minister. Apparently fears that details Jordanians and Palestinians opposed to dragging on, the overall reaction socialist party would endeavour to put will be aware that the Netanyahu- of the trip had been leaked forced bin the deal were arrested by security forces, demonstrates the opposite. No doubt all private landlords out of business by Trump-Kushner annexation plan has Salman to pull out. He thought that, with according to the website Emirates Leaks. Arab leaders will continue to betray the bringing back rent controls and rent been rejected by almost everyone, from the information leaked, his presence The Washington Institute for Near Palestinian cause, but pressure from control officers. Such a policy would Kuwait and Jordan in the region, to the in the US capital would become a East Policy has conducted a poll inside below will still prevent actions such as include all ‘buy to let’ landlords - who European Union, Russia, China … Even “nightmare”. The Saudis feared that the UAE, which reported that 80% of attempts to ‘normalise’ relations with are not really landlords at all, but just Boris Johnson intervened calling on prince’s opponents in the US Congress Emiratis oppose the establishment of Israel. a cash-cow for the banks via interest- the Israeli state to abandon such plans. would have time to prepare statements, ‘normalised’ relations with Israel, and For all the systematic efforts to only mortgages. Johnson, writing in the Israeli popular and supporters of the murdered Saudi in Kuwait more than half the members stop any criticism of the state of Israel, The huge expansion of ‘buy to daily paper, Yedioth Ahronoth, described journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, and of parliament have signed a statement especially in the US and the UK, for all let’ landlordism took place under himself as a “passionate defender of lawyers acting for the former interior saying there should be no normalisation the efforts to present settler occupation New Labour and could have been Israel”, but added that any annexation minister, Saad al-Jabri, would also be of relations with Israel without a as ‘progress in a war-torn region’, the prevented if Gordon Brown had would be a “violation of international able to prepare legal action. resolution of the Palestinian problem. Palestinian cause is not going away l abolished mortgage interest tax relief law” and the UK would “not recognise No-one expected an Israeli-Saudi Meanwhile, in Oman - a country that for landlords. Interestingly, a high any changes to the pre-1967 borders deal at this stage, but Trump and his was supposed to follow in the UAE’s proportion of Tory Party members, in the West Bank that were not agreed son-in-law, Kushner, hoped to get footsteps - the grand mufti, Ahmed bin Notes 1. middleeasteye.net/opinion/uae-israel-deal- activists and councillors are ‘buy to by both Israelis and Palestinians”. So a photo opportunity of a handshake Hamad al-Khalili, declared the liberation breakthrough-or-betrayal. 6 let’ landlords. Such landlordism is annexation plans were suspended in July between Netanyahu and bin Salman, to of occupied land “a sacred duty”. 2. aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/uae-israel- one of the main reasons why home and are unlikely to be implemented this be published after the event. This would However, in Egypt, general Abdel dangerous-liaison-200831085906964.html. ownership amongst the young has year, with or without the Israel-UAE have been part of efforts prior to the Fattah el-Sisi was amongst the first 3. amad.ps/ar/post/365073. 4. al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/08/ been falling for the last 25 years. deal. presidential election to present Trump politicians expressing support for the palestinian-opposition-uae-israel-deal-arab-states- At the same time, a democratic Avi Shlaim, writing in Middle East as a ‘world leader’ who has achieved UAE-Israeli deal: “I followed with great pompeo.html#ixzz6Ws69JEOq. socialist party would build one Eye clarifies other reasons why the UAE ‘historic’ steps in taking forward the interest and appreciation the tripartite 5. middleeasteye.net/opinion/uae-israel-deal- million new council houses and flats claim of defending Palestinian interests Middle East peace process, while bin joint statement by the United States, the breakthrough-or-betrayal. 6. twitter.com/AhmedHAlKhalili/ every year, for the next five years. is a lie: Salman would now be a ‘peacemaker’ UAE and Israel regarding the agreement status/1294550820881674240. This would allow young couples to helping to promote the deal between the to suspend annexation of Palestinian 7. twitter.com/AlsisiOfficial/ live in council housing, whilst they First of all, the Emiratis did not consult UAE and Israel. territories and to take steps that would status/1293935489569914882. saved up the deposit to buy their first the Palestinians; they went behind bring peace to the Middle East.”7 8. Read more at al-monitor.com/pulse/ originals/2020/08/egypt-react-uae-israel-peace- home. their backs to talk to the enemy and Negative response But Egyptian academics and deal-palestinians-arabs.html#ixzz6WsZ0cxIJ. John Smithee then used them as a fig leaf. Second, Contrary to various predictions by politicians were quick to refute Sisi’s 9. cufi.org.uk/news/turkey-calls-uae-israel-peace- Cambridgeshire the creeping annexation of the West the Trump administration, the UAE’s optimism. Hassan Nafaa, professor of unforgivable-iran-slams-it-as-shameful-and-dangerous.

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ugust 22-23 saw the second Organise’, which has not organised Alliance candidates in the elections to turn the LLA into a separate political conference of the Labour Left much at all. Perhaps that is the model Naively or dishonestly, for Labour’s national executive party, or indeed a clone of Labour Party Alliance. Like most things they had in mind for the LLA. committee. This was the equivalent of Marxists. In the vote our proposal was A Clement Attlee’s politics these days, it took place online, but The LLA pressed ahead with its flat-earthers warning us that we will defeated with 22 votes for and 54 votes over 120 delegates and observers were first conference in the shadow of the fall off if we dare to venture over the against. officially present (as things progressed general election defeat and Corbyn’s frame the ambitions and horizon. Supposedly with the single Next came a debate around some fell away). resignation, and on February 22 130 limits of the LLA majority transferable vote system the maths the introduction of disciplinary Arguably, the LLA had arrived delegates met in Sheffield to agree works against us, and, if we vote for procedures, as previously adopted a year too late. It was conceived at on the constitution and political .... but, thankfully, there anyone but the CLGA six, then we by the LLA steering committee. This the end of the 2018 Labour Party orientation of the new organisation. could end up with no left candidates hefty document is over twice as long conference, when activists realised that The conference structure was is a minority which being elected at all. This innumerate as the constitution itself, and creates a leftwing coordinating organisation problematic, the approved constitution nonsense was heavily defeated, and a raft of bodies and processes to was urgently needed, fulfilling the role was hopelessly flawed and the policies openly, defiantly, looks the LLA continues to promote those deal with anticipated unacceptable abdicated by Momentum. Labour’s adopted were contradictory.1 But the candidates prepared to stand against behaviour within the LLA. Many of the annual conference had just rejected conference provided the LLA with to Marx and Marxism the witch-hunt of the left and for definitions it contains are subjective open selection of MPs, but had legitimacy and identity. rejection of the International Holocaust and could be used as bureaucratic tools revised the trigger ballot mechanism The months that followed have Remembrance Alliance misdefinition to silence political opposition. Worse instead, as a route for Constituency been difficult for everyone engaged of anti-Semitism. than that, any punishment appears Labour Parties to remove wayward in politics as a result of the pandemic The second session was all about to be unenforceable, because, as the Westminster careerists. Success for the lockdown. The LLA responded amendments to the LLA constitution. previous vote established, there are Corbyn project required a major clear- by organising a series of online On behalf of Labour Party Marxists no LLA members, just supporters. out of the Parliamentary Labour Party, educational discussions and some Andrew Kirkland moved a change Presumably affiliated groups will have and that needed a clued-up campaign. debates too. It has been actively which would transform the LLA into their own arrangements and so will But then nothing happened for nearly encouraging left participation in the a membership organisation based not be covered by these rules either. In a year. forthcoming NEC elections, and has on active branches, rather than a spite of all this, conference endorsed Following protracted negotiations organised online hustings. It has also loose federation of affiliates and the procedures by 46 votes to 19. between the Labour Representation facilitated online meetings of local a petition-list list of supporters. It The third session was entitled Committee, Red Labour and Labour groups in the run-up to the second would also abolish the Organising ‘The way forward for the Labour Left Against the Witchhunt, the appeal for conference. Group, which is not elected by or Alliance’ and offered delegates a choice a Labour Left Alliance was finally accountable to conference. The between two political statements that launched in July 2019. Very quickly the Controversy result would be a democratic LLA, emerged from two opposing positions 1,000-signature target was achieved, This conference was divided into four with conference deciding policy and within the OG. Both statements and local groups began to affiliate. sessions. Session one covered the electing the leadership, and a structure described the desperate political But it was not plain sailing. The report of work from the steering able to organise serious political landscape and were critical of the different approaches of the LRC committee and organising group interventions in Starmer’s Labour Corbyn leadership’s failure to promote and LAW became apparent as the (OG). It also passed emergency Party. socialism. But statement 1, which organisation became active, and at the resolutions condemning the latest In the discussion that followed it secured the support of two-thirds of the end of October 2019 the LRC decided round of suspensions and the was clear that some OG members were OG, restricted the LLA’s immediate to withdraw its backing, stating that attempt by new Labour general unhappy about losing their role if it ambitions to reforms under capitalism. “serious disagreements exist around secretary, David Evans, to ban was abolished. More than one delegate Statement 2, which was drafted by both the political orientation of the CLPs and branches from discussing used the ‘yes - but not yet’ argument Labour Party Marxists, was supported LLA and the character of what should key issues. against our proposals, similar to the by one third of the OG. This described be built in the short term”. For the LRC, The only controversial item LRC’s opposition to an active in some detail the radical democratic the LLA was moving too fast and was in session one was a motion LLA referred to above. But there demands we should be raising and the doing too much. Incidentally, recently from Dulwich LLA to commit were also sinister contributions communist society we aspire to. the LRC and Red Labour have set up the LLA to supporting only of the red-baiting variety. The The two positions had already been the rather more sedate ‘Don’t Leave, Centre Left Grassroots movers were accused of trying aired in an online debate a week earlier,

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and it was clear that both deserved FPTP has created one of the most lengthier scrutiny by delegates before unequal societies in the developed one of them was chosen as the LLA’s world, with some of the most restrictive formal political platform. trade union laws, whereas PR would LPM delegates had approached prevent rule by a rightwing minority the conference arrangements and lock in the hard-won victories of committee regarding the method of the labour movement. These clearly speaker selection for this session. It flawed arguments mask support for was obvious that a more informed Labour participation in coalition debate would ensue if speakers with capitalist governments, so should not prepared contributions were selected, have been advanced by socialists. rather than those with spontaneous, Yes, PR should be part of a radical off-the-cuff remarks. So the LPM democratic programme that includes fraction proposed a list of speakers abolition of the monarchy and the for statement 2. This was strongly House of Lords, annual elections and opposed by the organisers, even when MP salaries set at the level of a skilled their conflict of interest was identified worker. But there can be no PR short cut - how could they be impartial, when to winning the majority of the working the OG had already voted in support of class to socialism. Despite reasoned statement 1? In the end the delegates arguments against the motion, it was were evenly split on this proposal - it carried by 48 votes to 24, exposing the was defeated by just four votes. delegates’ deep frustration at losing the Statement 1 was moved by Dave last two general elections. Hill from Brighton LLA. He thought The last item discussed was the that his version would appeal to out that capitalism was the cause of the such as abolishing the standing army. motion, ‘The Labour Party in Northern the many Corbynistas in the party, crises we face, so we need to be clear Sir Keir and RLB: no Instead the call for a 15% pay rise for Ireland’, moved by Andrew Ward whereas statement 2 would repel them on what our definition of socialism is NHS staff was far more likely to build from Northern Ireland Labour Left and was really just turning the LLA and how we achieve it. He noted the genuine socialist would revolutionary consciousness amongst Alliance. The motion called on Labour into Labour Party Marxists. He then failure of the Corbyn project over the the working class. to stand candidates in the Six Counties. identified the three political trends last five years, a failure of strategy be in his shadow cabinet It was clear that the LPM position It maintained that voters there are in socialism: (1) reformism, which and of understanding how to achieve was opposed by comrades who being denied the democratic right was bad; (2) transitional demands, socialism. To win socialism will identified with the Trotskyist tradition: to vote Labour, and that providing which were good, because they require radical democratic changes they claimed to agree with the content, this opportunity will lead to the end appealed to workers, but were beyond that challenge the capitalist state. but could not stomach voting for of sectarian divisions in the north. what capitalism could afford; (3) Stan Keable seconded statement 2. something that went beyond their Andrew Ward actually repeated the “communism by 9 o’clock tomorrow”, He condemned the dishonesty of the self-imposed limits of acceptable, claim that a united Ireland now would which was useless, because it only supporters of statement 1, who hid soft-left, Labour economism. Clearly lead to a bloodbath. A number of appealed to ourselves. their real politics from the working these comrades have gone native speakers opposed the motion, making Statement 1 was seconded by Daniel class. It is an illusion to think there is and completely lost their bearings. the point that a united Ireland must be Platts from Rotherham LLA. He was a reformist route to a more friendly When it came to the vote, 52 favoured the cornerstone of any policy adopted convinced that the ideas in statement capitalism, and Labour governments statement 1 and 30 statement 2. by an organisation of the working class 2 are too abstract for the workers we that try it end up attacking the working in Britain: anything else is support for want to influence in the Labour Party class. To win socialism you need to be Embarrassing British imperialism. The LLA says it and the unions. Ideas like abolition of honest with the working class, present The final session of conference aims to transform the Labour Party in the monarchy and replacing the police a democratic programme to tackle the attempted to deal with the 17 other a socialist direction. Instead of seeking are too revolutionary for the Labour capitalist state and provide a vision motions submitted by local groups and to build a movement for socialism in left. He had a big problem with the for the future: a classless, moneyless, affiliates. Despite the restricted debate, Ireland (as part of the wider struggle for call for a moneyless society - how stateless society. some of these suffered the dubious fate working class unity across mainland could people with no money relate In the debate that followed of reference back to the OG. Those Europe), the movers were seeking to that? He preferred to emphasise supporters of statement 1 continued that were discussed revealed just how to adopt the current pro-capitalist the progressive social measures in to stress their belief that you can build shallow leftwing Labour politics can British Labour Party as a vehicle for Corbyn’s manifestos. For him the fight a movement for socialism by limiting be. participating in the UK state. Despite for reforms is the priority: visions the struggle to economic demands The first motion had the obscure all this, the motion was carried by 36 of socialism should be confined to and avoiding any talk of strategy to title, ‘Federation/coalition/grouping/ votes to 26. educationals. win a new, emancipatory order. A star type of United Front’, and the content Statement 2 was moved by Kevin proponent of this line was Alec Price, was frankly embarrassing. The mover Outside the box Bean from Merseyside Labour Left who told us that workers of today are - Dave Hill again - envisaged a coming So, in the wake of this conference, and Labour Party Marxists. He pointed unable to grasp the ideas in statement 2, together of (nearly) all the left groups how do we assess the future for the in Britain. This would include the LLA? It voted to stick with a weak LLA, once it has been proscribed by and internally contradictory structure. the Labour Party. He admitted that More importantly, politically it has Fighting fund most of the groups he had in mind defined itself as standing in the tried, already saw themselves as the true tested and failed tradition of left Marxist organisation, but he wanted reformism - pro-imperialist, slightly unity in a federation with no group eccentric, sticking to bread-and-butter dominating. Clearly the delegates did issues and the wonders of the ‘next Printing soon! not buy into his dream of unprincipled Labour government’. Politically that unity or his inappropriate application means LLA is part of the problem, not ’m sure readers will be pleased show their appreciation: LC and of Comintern’s united front tactic. It part of the solution. Ito hear that we are making plans FB (£50 each), PM (£25) and AR was heavily defeated. On the positive side, however, to resume printing the Weekly (£5). There were no cheques or John Bridge moved the motion LLA has held two relatively open Worker in the very near future. If person-to-person cash donations submitted by LPM, entitled ‘Against conferences within six months, and everything goes well, we aim to to report - hardly surprising in the socialist participation in Starmer’s has staged debates not seen anywhere start once again in just a couple current circumstances - but we shadow cabinet’. This referred to Keir else in the Labour left. And, for the of weeks. Now there’s some good still received no less than £1,389 Starmer’s sacking of Rebecca Long- moment at least LLA is promoting news for you - especially if you’re in under three weeks. Brilliant! Bailey and the LLA statement that NEC election candidates who reject a subscriber who’s longing to get And we have got off to our demanded her reinstatement. A correct the witch-hunt and the associated the paper in your hands once again! usual good start to the month socialist position is to oppose taking anti-Semitism narrative, so it is able But it’s not the only good news. in September, with 16 standing ministerial positions in capitalist distinguish itself from the rest of the Would you believe that we reached orders coming our way, ranging governments, as was established Labour left. But even now there are that £2,000 target for our August from £5 to £40. Thank you, at a conference of the Socialist doubts as to whether all the candidates fighting fund - despite there being comrades VP, DI, AN, MS, MM, International back in 1904. Logically will have the bottle to stay in the no Weekly Worker for the past BG, RL, MT, EW, ST, PBS, TM, it applies to shadow cabinet posts race, or negotiate some ‘left unity’ couple of weeks because of our TG, YM, DC and JL. A couple too, so leftwing Labour MPs should deal which amounts to withdrawal in usual summer break? So, despite of those were expected at the remain on the back benches as tribunes favour of the CLGA slate. the lack of nagging from me, our end of August, but, with the last of the struggle for socialism. The Maybe its biggest problem will readers still did the necessary and, three days of the month being a motion was opposed by Phil Newing, be the LLA’s connection to the party incredibly, we reached that 2K weekend and a bank holiday, we who complained that it was far too political establishment. We expect milestone with just £8 to spare! didn’t receive them till September leftwing for socialists like him, who there to be massive social anger Pride of place amongst all the 1. But not to worry - we still made were not Marxists. Paul Henderson when the post-Covid recession kicks fantastic donations goes to two that target. thought being in Labour meant taking in. Will Starmer’s Labour Party and comrades who stepped in with And now your reward is due, in part at all levels, whatever. Despite the traditional trade unions be up for bank transfers - SK, who came the shape of that longed-for print these weak objections, clearly enough organising a new wave of protestors, up with a tremendous £349, and version! I hope to confirm next delegates were spooked by the thought many of whom will not identify with JC, who gave us £100. On top of week that it’s going to happen, so of criticising RLB, and the motion fell ‘the system’ at all? The challenge of that, there were 11 standing orders watch this space! l by 35 votes to 47. winning these fighters to working class totalling £815 - thanks go to TR, Robbie Rix ‘Electoral reform’ was the title of consciousness and socialist revolution MM, KB, GB, PM, SK, DG, SS, could prove to be just too ‘outside the Fill in a standing order form a motion moved by Phil Pope from GT, AR and JT. box’ for the LLA l (back page), donate via our Bristol LLA. This claimed that ‘first Then there were the four website, or send cheques, past the post’ has a strong rightwing comrades who used PayPal to bias, whereas the world’s most equal payable to Weekly Worker Notes and progressive societies use a form of 1. See ‘A vision of royal socialism’ Weekly Worker proportional representation. Moreover February 29.

WW1313-18.00h.indd 5 03/09/2020 19:43:17 weekly 6 September 3 2020 1313 worker CULTURE Prom and prejudice As the BBC finally agrees to allow a select group of vocalists to sing ‘Rule, Britannia!’ and ‘Land of hope and glory’, Harley Filben takes stock of musical nationalism f there is one certainty in States of America, but had successfully the subject, not the artist - ‘We’re the contemporary Britain, it seems, it pivoted to the east, amassing vast empire you’ll be singing about tonight!’ Iis that there is no piece of national holdings in Asia and the Pacific, and It is no surprise that it should prove so pageantry - no opportunity for red- enthusiastically hoovering up pieces neuralgic today, either, since a sort blooded Englishmen to salute the flag of Africa against competition from of empire-nostalgist ultra-patriotism - that is not at risk from the prevailing the other European colonial powers. has grown through the cracks of the political climate. Yes, now even the Queen Victoria, whose passing had neoliberal consensus here, as have Last Night of the Proms is the subject occasioned the coronation in question, analogues in many other countries. So of an absurd, confected culture war had been crowned the first Empress ‘irrelevant’ is this medley to modern manufactured out of thin air by the of India. At some point, the lyrics of society that the prime minister - elected Murdoch press and Tory reactionaries. ‘Rule, Britannia!’ subtly changed: the with a crushing majority to enact Is nothing sacred? refrain now went, “Britannia rules that greatest contemporary delusion The whole thing seems to have the waves” - a self-congratulatory of grandeur, Brexit - will fight woke begun when the BBC, which has run statement of a simple, empirical fact. Finnish conductors on the beaches the Promenade Concerts since 1927, And so the ‘Land of hope and glory’ (etc, etc) to save it. confronted the problem of staging chorus is unsurprisingly far more Classical music’s role in all this the Last Night in the rather unique obviously imperialist: is ambiguous. Throughout the 20th circumstances of 2020, and put under century and up to the present day, it has review the traditional performances Wider still and wider shall thy been a theatre of ‘soft power’ struggle of Edward Elgar’s ‘Land of hope and bounds be set; between nations. Classical musicians glory’ and Henry Wood’s Fantasia on God, who made thee mighty, make are thus a little like Olympic athletes: British sea songs, which concludes thee mightier yet! they are engaged in an activity that with the anthem, ‘Rule, Britannia!’. It takes years of training and is done is the matter of exactly which ‘unique Elgar set the words to a section of quasi-competitively in accordance circumstances’ are at issue which is the Chance to assert national chauvinism his instrumental piece, the Pomp with structures defined by and to some pivot of all the controversy. and circumstance march, which - in extent administered from Europe. Just A Sunday Times exposé claimed texts, which made her and other black not the erstwhile rulers of Britain’s contrast to the sprightly, exhortatory as a big haul of medals is a boon to a that it was the Black Lives Matter musicians feel “invisible”. colonial holdings, but the absolute arrangement of ‘Rule, Britannia!’, smaller or rising world power, so is the movement’s recent offensive against Not that the Daily Mail was monarchs of the continent: especially lopes along unhurriedly. It is a victory emergence of a world-class symphony symbols of British imperial history, satisfied. Here was another chance the Bourbon kings of France, with march, not a call to arms. As the piece orchestra (or merely a momentarily quoting an anonymous source to the to bash the hated BBC and put two whom so many blows had been traded slowly grew in popularity, however - fashionable one, such as Venezuela’s effect that conductor Dalia Stasevska fingers up to BLM and ‘political over the previous half-century that the thanks in no small part to its frequent celebrated Simón Bolivar Youth “is a big supporter of Black Lives correctness’. The Mail launched an whole period became known to some programming as part the Proms - that Orchestra). Matter and thinks a ceremony without online petition demanding the BBC historians as the ‘Second Hundred indomitable self-confidence was It can only be so, paradoxically, an audience is the perfect moment “overturn its hugely controversial Years War’. The fact that French shaken badly, by the enormous human because it is highly cosmopolitan; to bring change” (August 23). The decision.” No surprise it notched-up support was essential to the Jacobites, cost of World War I, and then with its formal traditions had spread and report began the now-traditional 100,000 signatures. And, no surprise, who sought a second restoration of Britain’s eclipse by the USA after solidified throughout Europe by firestorm of idiotic opprobrium, with a few days later the BBC “saw sense” Stuart absolutism, made the matter World War II. the end of the 19th century and, of chippy British chauvinists like Nigel and performed a swift U-turn. Hence a rather less than academic one for a The irony was no longer the course, it spread further through Farage demanding her head, The Sun the BBC singers and the two soloists British elite in its infancy. Given that contrast between British liberty and the formal empires of those powers screaming “Land of woke and glory” are to be scattered around the Royal we know the subsequent history, it is the enslavement of people slightly (and later through the ‘spheres of on its front page, and - since he had run Albert Hall - not a place blessed with a hard to grasp that centuries of British off-stage, but between the hymn to influence’ that replaced formal out of civil servants to constructively great acoustics at the best of times - and hegemony hardly seemed inevitable at wider and wider, divinely-ordained empires). Music spreads more easily dismiss - a jeremiad from the prime there will be - obviously - no audience a time when some fortuitous alliance British supremacy and the narrower than literature, for obvious reasons; minister himself on “our cringing to join in. But the two damned songs of rival powers, combined with and narrower reality of British decline. attempts to ‘nationalise’ it, in both embarrassment about our history” and will be sung. A stirring victory for the domestic insurrection, might once It was, strikingly, not until 1947 that revolutionary and reactionary forms our “wetness”. defenders of Britannia’s honour! again have reversed the fall of the the flag-waving singalong finale of the (and in forms which span both, as The BBC, showing a stiffer absolute monarchy in the British Isles. Last Night of the Proms attained its in the case of Wagner), tend to fail, backbone than we have seen of late, Role ‘Britons never will be slaves’ is not present form (well, apart from 2020). with the reabsorption of ‘national’ elected to stand by its woman, making It is worth a closer look at the role, in to be understood on its own terms as For this reason, the complaint music into an international musical clear that it - not the conductor - had history and the present, of these songs, implying that the Anglo-Saxons were that this medley is “anachronistic” repertoire. the final say on the programme and then. ‘Rule, Britannia!’ was written as some sort of Herrenvolk, and thus it (Morrison) or “irrelevant to today’s The conflict between the highly took responsibility for the presence or part of a masque based on the story was the job of others to be slaves, but society [and has been] irrelevant for international, demimondaine reality of otherwise of the traditional patriotic of Alfred the Great. The composer, a refusal to go back to the ‘slavery’ generations” (Nwanoku) is based on classical music and the low chauvinist singalongs. At issue was the limits Thomas Arne, was English; the common to absolute monarchies. reality, but ultimately quite wrong. uses to which it is put is adequately placed on the performance by the librettist was a Scot, James Thomson; Thus it is also worth noting that the The reality celebrated by it - of British demonstrated by the current fiasco, Covid-19 pandemic. Followers of and the great man in whose honour the original refrain is in the imperative: imperial glory - is gone, so on the in which British national chauvinists classical music will be well aware that masque was assembled was Frederick, “Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the face of it the songs are bizarrely out demand an appropriately patriotic the worst possible activity to engage the Prince of Wales - or Friedrich waves!” - that is, you must rule the of place when British dependencies performance from a Finnish conductor, in at these times is choir-singing, with Ludwig von Brunswick-Lüneburg waves! It was not the case in 1740 that of the current age amount to a handful a South African soprano, a Georgian- dozens of people well-endowed with to his mum. If he had lived to inherit Britain enjoyed unchallenged naval of tax havens and little else, our sea German violin soloist and an orchestra lung-capacity bellowing out a vast the throne, he would have been the superiority, though Britannia was to power is vastly reduced, and our and choir as mixed in their nationalities salival aerosol. last non-native-born monarch of this heed Thomson’s demand not long after. ‘liberty’ is founded not on such power, as is usual for such organisations. In such a situation, the BBC, and country. It was, in short, a sort of manifesto for but on our being dutiful ‘slaves’ to the (British concert bands are not looking its suspiciously foreign-sounding In its genesis, then, it represents the new ruling elite of a society which United States. Yet these things have forward to a hard Brexit, to put it conductor, faced a choice. Either it modern Britain in its initial shape: the now aggressively asserted its claims on essentially been true for the whole mildly.) produced the least impressive piece of shotgun wedding of England and Scot- the world stage by flaunting its liberty history of the ritual (as opposed to its If the classical world has avoided nationalistic pageantry in the history of land under a domesticated German dy- against its competitors’ despotism. prehistory). In 1740, Thomson looked being consumed by the national- that dubious activity, or it programmes nasty. And the text is a good example That said, it is hardly a surprise forward to British pre-eminence, at state agendas that swarm around it, something else. The first compromise of the cultural raw materials used to that ‘Britons never will be slaves’ the very birth of ‘the British’; in 1902, however, it has done so precisely arrived at was an instrumental construct this new, paradoxical multi- is so easily said with a bitter dose of Elgar and Benson cheered the vast as a demimonde - more even than performance of the two pieces, national entity, as well as alluding to irony, given the sort of thing that was expansion of that power, unaware that literature or theatre, a hobby-horse of which - thanks to the bloodshot-eyed the bloodier side of that operation, in going on atop the waves Britannia it was about to implode; in the modern small, elite, tendentially-conservative bloviations of Farage, Johnson and co its adulation of naval power. So far as sought to rule. One of the prizes of age of patriotic song, we celebrate a audiences. The survival of it as a form - nobody whatever would enjoy. that original context goes (in which, it such competition for control was a mythical history. has never been certain under capitalist That is not to say, of course, should be remembered, ‘Rule, Britan- freer hand in trans-Atlantic trade; and a social relations; it has instead been that there were no voices raised in nia!’ became an enormous hit, long great deal of that trade was, of course, Ambiguous the effortful achievement of the state objection to the two songs on anti- outlasting the courtly play that gave it in human flesh. The brutality of the The first time I went to the Proms, that preserved it from the rapacious racist grounds. Richard Morrison, a birth), Nwanoku is rather missing the slave trade and the slave economies it was for a performance of Richard homogenisation of capitalist mass critic for the BBC’s Music magazine point when she complains: of the Americas need not be rehearsed Wagner’s opera Parsifal. As we culture, and the state’s loyalty to - essentially the house organ of Radio here; in ‘Rule, Britannia!’, as so often queued up outside the Royal Albert the cause is highly conditional. 3 - delivered a broadside recently The lyrics are just so offensive, in bourgeois ideology, the exploitative Hall, a middle-aged man in a full Who knows what a world free of against the “toe-curling, embarrassing, talking about the ‘haughty tyrants’ and violent obverse of ‘liberty’ is tweed suit walked up and down the such national peacock shows would anachronistic farrago of nationalistic - people that we are invading on simply left undisclosed. line, beaming with pride, telling us in make of the traditions of western art songs that concludes the Last Night their land and calling them haughty By the time Elgar sat down in 1902 a cut-glass English accent: “I wrote the music (and equivalent, high-cultural of the Proms”. The Guardian also tyrants - and Britons shall never be to set the Coronation ode to music - music you’ll be hearing tonight!” forms from outside the west, for that quoted Chi-chi Nwanoku - the bassist slaves, which implies that it’s OK including the stately finale, ‘Land of The 5,000 punters doing Elgar matter)? and founder of the majority-black and for others to be slaves, but not us. hope and glory’ - things looked rather karaoke every year are under a similar It is to be hoped, at the very least, minority-ethnic ensemble, Chineke! different, to put it mildly. Britain had misapprehension, except their delusion that we would do better than merely - on her horror at the use of these The “haughty tyrants” in question are lost the colonies that became the United lies elsewhere: they identify with preserving them l

WW1313-18.00h.indd 6 03/09/2020 19:43:18 weekly worker 1313 September 3 2020 7 POLEMIC Property and the propertyless We must fight the managerial-bureaucratic capture of workers’ organisations now, argues Mike Macnair evi Rafael’s second article which was expressed in oppositional (‘Bourgeois or proletarian and ‘liberalising’ movements, as well L democracy’, August 13) takes as in the bureaucracy itself; and that us a little further forward from his this bureaucracy would, if it was not initial polemic. But the argument is still overthrown, restore capitalism. GCWT’s unsound. It misunderstands both how view had the merit of a foresight missing the capitalist class rules, and how the in the Mandelite approach and that of working class may be able to rule. He most Trotskyists, though the view that continues to argue as if I was proposing a the bureaucratic regimes were destined ‘democracy’ which accepted the sanctity to fall was shared by Hillel Ticktin and of private property (which would not, in the trend round the Critique journal. This fact, be a democracy, but a rule-of-law aspect - the dynamic towards capitalism regime) rather than, as I did in my first - does not appear in comrade Rafael’s reply, arguing explicitly for substantial use of the Yugoslav bureaucratic regime expropriation. as a model. And he does not address at all the point In 1989-91, however, most of the I made that finding the means to hold the bureaucratic regimes fell, through the labour bureaucracy in subordination to action of the central Moscow bureaucracy the class is not merely an “imperfection” itself (not only in the Soviet Union, but in post-capitalist regimes (as he puts also by withdrawing support for the it on Yugoslavia), but essential to the client regimes). They did so without the working class actually winning power slightest action of the working class to to overthrow capitalist societies (as defend its real social gains, and without opposed to accidentally and temporarily the appearance of any significant left capturing power in peasant-majority wing attempting to defend the ‘deformed countries in the course of revolutions workers’ states’ by overthrowing the against pre-capitalist regimes). bureaucratic restorationists. ‘There is Comrade Rafael begins by asserting no alternative’ to neoliberalism became that he recognises the fundamental world-dominant, and the ‘Fukuyama importance of the question of the paradigm’ of the ‘end of history’ dates Communist Party. He refers us to his to the 1990s. What has been left behind May 2019 blog post, ‘Working class, is the reduction of what were formerly working people, and vanguardism’.1 significant workers’ movements to Indeed, he is willing to advocate a one- gravel and forms of red-brown pure party state, saying: nationalism. Ex-Yugoslavia is among the worst examples of political collapse I will state (and this may cause a stir of this sort. of controversy) that I do not consider This course of events proved the the one-party model for Yugoslavia falsity of the claim of Isaac Deutscher to have been incorrect. The only and, independently, of Michel Pablo, other parties that would have stood that comrade Rafael reproduces in in opposition would have been ultra- the passage quoted above: that the nationalist, rightwing parties bent on Jacques-Louis David ‘Napoleon crossing the Alps’ (1802). The analogy with Stalin does not work bureaucratic regimes were analogous in some sort of fascist or reactionary their partly progressive character to the state. other radicals in the 1840s and in the of Proudhonism (cooperatives linked way to working class rule and denying regime of Napoleon Bonaparte (or, one 1860s down to 1871 (when Mazzini by market relations, while prohibiting ‘equal rights’ to the capitalist class; and might add, that of Oliver Cromwell). Whatever we are to make of this particular denounced the Paris Commune in one expropriations). But notwithstanding he argues that the form of the soviet/ Again, this was an understandable claim point - and I will come back to it - it is of his last articles before his death2). this ‘sort of’ leftism, it has to be clear workers’ council does this through its in the light of the Soviet victory in World still not clear to me that comrade Rafael There are significant books and articles that his was not a perspective of self- character as providing an occupational War II, the cold war and the colonial understands what the point of a workers’ on this relationship. However, I think government in any sense, other that of franchise and (relatedly) through revolutionary movements. But the 1660 party under capitalism is. In his blog post, it is actually fairly straightforward that the right to vote to choose which of “the “labour discipline based on democratic fall of the English republic did not entail the party appears as an end in itself, in much Mazzini was not really an “extreme best and wisest” (today’s “the great and principles”. the restoration of the feudal revenue the way that it appeared in the writings of democrat” in any sense other than the good”) should govern you - within The third is the issue of the use of or the prerogative courts; the 1815 1960s-70s Maoists and Trotskyists. But arguing for universal suffrage. the framework of entrenched rights of Yugoslavia as a model - he does not overthrow of the Napoleonic empire did there are implicit assumptions shown We should have regard to his private property and a deeply ambiguous specify at what period of Yugoslav not entail the restoration of the system when he says that “the vanguard can win definition of democracy in 1846-47 as attitude to whether the ‘democratic’ state history, but presumably between the of feudal rights or the overthrow of the even the rearguard if it proves in practice “the progress of all through all under the was allowed in its legislation to deviate 1950 aftermath of the Tito-Stalin split, Napoleonic codes. Nor did either event that it can improve the livelihood of this leading of the best and wisest”;3 and to from Christian ideas. and the 1965 sharpened market turn. destroy revolutionary liberalism, which class as a whole”. This shows that, as with his argument in The duties of man that The Mazzini point also expresses And, relating to this, he maintains the returned in England in 1679-82, 1688 the 1960-70s Maoists and Trotskyists, the in part the slipperiness of the terms, broadly Pabloite-Deutscherite version of and after; in France in 1830 and after. implicit assumption about the role of the God gave you life: God therefore ‘bourgeois’ and ‘bourgeoisie’, which Trotskyism on the USSR and its satellites Suppose that the Marxists (and, party is economistic. That is, as opposed gave you the law. God is the only law- in their origins mean ‘urban citizen’ - and imitators: following them, the Trotskyists) were to Marx’s argument (which I quoted in giver to the human race. His law is thus ambiguous between, on the one right, and what has to follow capitalism my previous article), that the working the only law which you are obliged to hand, the capitalist class (which is Despite the bureaucratic and is the dictatorship of the proletariat, the class needs to organise for political action, obey. Human laws are only valid and actually the normal Marxist usage of Bonapartist distortions that these class rule of the proletariat as a class over at the level of demands for general laws good in so far as they conform to his the term) and, on the other, the urban states exhibited, for their respective the state apparatus, the surviving small and constitutional change, and posing an law, explaining and applying it: they part of the capitalist class (as opposed countries they nevertheless capitalists and the petty bourgeoisie. independent working class foreign policy. are bad whenever they contradict or to agri-capitalists and rentier landlords), represented a step forward in history, It is perfectly clear from the course of Comrade Rafael’s line is, I agree, disregard it; and it is then not only together with the urban petty bourgeoisie. just as Napoleon’s conquest of events in the old ‘Soviet bloc’ that the not overtly Bakuninist; but the task he your right, but your duty, to disobey Mazzini’s politics is pretty clearly petty Europe was historically progressive proletariat could neither rule over this poses for the party - as is also true of them and abolish them.4 bourgeois. My argument - to which I will despite the anti-democratic and anti- state apparatus nor prevent its being the Maoists and Trotskyists - are those return - is that the capitalist class cannot revolutionary character of his rule. perverted into an instrument of global of Bakunin’s ‘invisible dictatorship’, And to his claim in the same book that rule through ‘extreme democracy’, but, capital. the organised radicals who lead broad private property is eternal: on the contrary, with every step towards I am going to start with the third issue - I cannot avoid repeating here a point masses by the nose through steering universal suffrage, this class and its paid the ‘deformed workers’ states’ - and then I made in the first chapter of my book spontaneous upsurges, not those of the The principle, the origin of property political agents take action to expand return to the first - ‘bourgeois democracy’ Revolutionary strategy (2008): ‘Marx party’ which advocated political lies in human nature itself … Property both judicial and bureaucratic controls on and how the capitalist class actually rules action of the working class. is therefore eternal in its principle, and the election process and communication - before moving to why we need the Under capitalism, there is an objective you will find it existing and protected monopolies, and the power of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and then in dynamic for the working class to Mazzini throughout the whole existence of non-representative elements of the turn to how this can be possible. create permanent organisations to A possibly interesting byway posed by humanity.5 constitutional order. That does not imply Comrade Rafael’s judgment of the defend its immediate interests - trade comrade Rafael’s second article is that that there cannot be petty bourgeois who ‘bureaucratic workers’ states’ is one unions and so on. This dynamic is he claims: Mazzini was an extremely woolly and ideologise ‘democracy’ - especially in which was certainly tenable before present even under highly repressive rhetorical writer, and said little in detail the form of universal suffrage without 1989-91. I held similar views myself political regimes: as can be seen in For one thing, historically there has about constitutional design. The Roman self-government. between joining the ‘Mandelite’- apartheid South Africa, South Korea been such a thing as a democratic Republic he led briefly in 1849 elected variant-Trotskyist International before its ‘democratisation’, and so bourgeoisie that remained reactionary him as one of its Triumvirs - a title Pre-1991 model Marxist Group in 1974 and leaving its on. These organisations tend, equally, despite advocating a radical borrowed from Pompey, Caesar, Crassus The core of comrade Rafael’s second successor, the International Socialist to become a significant factor in democracy without exceptions (the in the 50s BCE, and then Antony, argument has three elements. The Group, in 1993. From 1983-93, I was political life. It is these tendencies radical yet reactionary Giuseppe Octavius, Lepidus in the 40s-30s, so first is the claim - which follows from also persuaded by the arguments of which support the ability of the Mazzini, for example). hardly redolent of democracy as self- the Mazzini point - that there can be comrades of the ‘neo-Marcyite’ Global political left to be more than small government. At the time of writing ‘bourgeois democracy’. The second, Class War Tendency, led by Wadi’h utopian circles. It would be interesting to explore the later chapters of The duties of man going along with this, is that the Halabi, that there was an objective Under the Soviet-style Mazzini and the relations between (around 1860), he was arguing for a dictatorship of the proletariat has to be dynamic in the bureaucratic regimes bureaucratic regimes there was the Mazzinians, the ‘Marx party’ and fairly strongly Christianised version committed in some clear institutional towards the restoration of capitalism, no objective tendency towards

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independent self-organisation of the flow into covert expression within the make those who do govern dependent strikes for the duration of the war.6 favour of nationalism and a drive to war. working class. Rather, there were ruling Communist Party. It is therefore on it and subject to its vetoes. The The United States pursued such a A great-power war fought with nukes episodic explosions; but, to the extent necessary to ban not only opposition capitalists’ political authority (Weber’s policy in relation to a series of countries would probably mean human extinction. that the bureaucracy did not succeed parties, but also factions. This, in turn, “legitimacy”) is based on their being in eastern Europe, actually starting with Secondly - and the converse of the in putting a political cap on these, has a logic - most clearly developed in “wealth-creators”, “entrepreneurs” who Yugoslavia after the Tito-Stalin split: the first point - ‘market society’ gets its they tended towards a pro-capitalist the ‘Cannonite’ variant of Trotskyism spot market opportunities; not their USSR and all its satellites were under legitimacy from random growth, from development. The strategic line and its imitators in the British Socialist being political rulers - or even their being ‘sanctions’ throughout the cold war, but the ‘Kaldor-Hicks efficiency’, which of a worker revolution against the Workers’ Party, and so on. If we are to direct managers of their businesses, a Yugoslavia, and later other ‘dissident’ amounts merely to aggregate output bureaucracy - whether it was called ban factions, we have to operate control role which they also delegate. regimes, received exceptions and limited increasing. But the physical limits of ‘political revolution’, as it was by over horizontal communication between The capitalist class is a small access to financial markets, which the planet now also threaten us with the orthodox Trotskyists, or ‘social branches (which can function as a covert and declining minority - declining, allowed them a degree of industrial extinction through random growth itself, revolution’ by state-capitalism and form of factionalism). And the apparat because the tendency to concentration development.7 Part of what happened even if war can be avoided. bureaucratic-collectivism theorists - has to have full control over fractional and centralisation of capital produces in 1985-91 is that central leaders of These dynamics arise from the lacked a material basis. sectoral bodies (trade union fractions, both giant industrial operations and the USSR became convinced that unconscious/unplanned coordination This objection applies with equal party women’s organisations, and so on) the dependency of smaller businesses collapsing the Warsaw Pact, etc would of human productive activities through force to those misguided souls who to prevent these, too, becoming vehicles on giant banks and other financial allow the USSR to get access to the money exchange. It is the point of the (like Tony Clark of the Communist for ‘factionalism’, which in turn become institutions. It rules socially through the financial markets to which previously first part of Marx’s Capital, volume 1, Party Alliance) argue that the Soviet- vehicles for petty-bourgeois influence in support of a much larger minority - the Yugoslavia, Romania, Poland and China that capital would logically grow out of a style bureaucratic regimes were in the party (as ‘bourgeois feminism’ was class of petty proprietors, who have had been allowed partial access (for US hypothesised regime of petty commodity transition towards socialism; that supposed to have infected the SWP’s insufficient capital to live off profits geopolitical reasons). production, if one was created by this inevitably “has both positive and Women’s Voice group, when the party without working, but who can imagine Unfettered democracy is a problem implementing ‘Ricardian socialist’, negative features to begin with”, but apparat shut it down). themselves as capitalists, insofar as the for this regime of buying officials and Proudhonist or Mazzinian Duties of that the transition was turned into its Then the question is posed: do such financial system and the housing market governments. The problem is that - for man reforms - merely by the logic of opposite by the seizure of power by measures in fact prevent the expression allows them to make savings and/or example - the paid MP or minister might competition. the bourgeoisie “gain[ing] control of of the class interests of the petty to imagine the independence of their be recalled, so that many more people Getting beyond capitalism then communist parties and socialist states proprietors (nationalism, and so on)? businesses. would have to be bribed to get what requires association and democratic under the banner of anti-Stalinism”.4 The answer is, in fact, perfectly clear It rules politically through a would still be an unpredictable decision; decision-making. This is possible for If we momentarily accept this that they do not. In the USSR the ban on combination of institutions which equally, generalised trial by jury would the proletariat, because the proletariat’s analysis for the sake of argument, the factions allowed the centre group in the subordinate states and state officials mean that to be confident of the right propertylessness forces it to associate in question it poses is: why have the true apparat round Stalin to deploy the Cheka to capital in the money form. The decision you need to bribe the jurors order to achieve immediate ends (wage revolutionaries, the Stalinists, been political police against the left (“United two simplest and crudest means are as well as paying a top-flight brief. In rises, control on hours, and so on, and so so utterly incapable of organising Opposition”) and then, having excluded the withdrawal of capital, either by addition, unfettered democracy is likely on). In contrast, the petty proprietors - an effective resistance to this take- them from the party, to steal a large part extracting money to move it to another to result (under crisis conditions) in votes including the state and labour bureaucrats over, given that ‘socialism’ in their of their platform and deploy the Cheka country, or (at worst) by withdrawing it to undermine debt claims and/or take - are driven to defend their personal turf sense covered a large part of the again against the right (Bukharin, etc). from productive circulation into hoards; land. and hence actually driven back towards globe and organised a large part of The resulting minority-rule regime had and the straightforward bribery of state Hence capitalist rule pretty much the market. its population? This is exactly the by 1936 become an open advocate of officials. universally involves anti-majoritarian The proletariat does not develop same problem as the Trotskyists’ cross-class coalitions on terms dictated The withdrawal of capital is constitutional provisions of one sort or voluntary discipline merely by working ‘political revolution’ strategy, only by the ‘left’ capitalists (the people’s both facilitated and mitigated by the another. The defence of the security of in factories; all that factories do is show with a different substantive line. The front): that is, of the Menshevism which existence of state deficit finance and the tenure of MPs, etc against ‘reselection’ you that you cannot produce a car, or weakness of Stalinist opposition to the original bans on parties and factions accompanying financial markets and implies their ability to take bribes whatever, on your own; but the same is the pro-capitalist evolution of the sought to ban. central banks. The central bank can tell more reliably. The primary system and true of the sort of putting-out business, leaderships in Moscow, Beijing, and Yugoslavia provides another the government that “the markets” will related rules in the US force voters to under which spinners, weavers, dyers, so on, reveals the same problem as example, as the ‘communist’ full-time not buy this or that policy; even if that choose between the two great corrupt fullers and tailors are all engaged in that facing the advocates of ‘political officials of state and party became does not work, a run on the currency cartels of professional politicians - as domestic production under the control revolution’. There were neither Serbian Chetniks, Croatian Ustashe, and or “loss of confidence” in the financial was already visible in the late 19th of a cloth-merchant capitalist, or of institutional means in the regimes so on - as comrade Rafael recognises, but markets will usually do the trick. century. Monarchies and directly the 19th century blade-makers and through which the ‘non-revisionists’ cannot explain. Simple bribery is, however, elected presidencies insulate the state handle-makers (and so on), working in could resist revisionism, nor any If we ask why this should be, the problematic, because, if it is generally bureaucracy and the security apparat cooperative workshops under analogous objective tendency in the regimes answer is in my opinion that the full- understood that a major firm can pay from democratic accountability - but merchant-financier control in Sheffield. towards ongoing mass working time officials of states, trade unions and off the prime minister, then a small not from relations with the businesses The proletariat develops voluntary class self-organisation, on which parties, whatever their class origins, firm can reasonably expect to be able to which they are connected. Judicial discipline through association, through opponents of revisionism could base are in their class practice or habitus a to pay off a local official and even an review and ‘human rights’ prohibit workers’ organisations of the varied themselves (pp11-12). section of the intelligentsia (alongside individual to hand over a little cash to a legislation which trenches on property. sorts I have referred to above. the professionals and managers), which cop to make a traffic offence disappear. And so on. This point leads in turn to two final In the book, I did not explore at length is itself a section of the petty-proprietor Then the payment to the prime minister Extending democracy therefore issues. The first is one I began with: the why this should be the case, but sought class, but whose property consists of becomes ineffective, because the central necessarily undermines capitalist problem of the managerial-bureaucratic rather to reconstruct the fundamentals of ‘intangible’ monopolies of skills (hence decisions it has bought are defeated confidence in the reliability (that is, capture of workers’ organisations is Marxist strategy in the light of the history the Bolsheviks’ need to use and make by local corruption. This is, in fact, a bribability) of the state. It does not something we need to overcome now, since Marx’s and Engels’ time without concessions to spetsy (specialists) from common phenomenon both in the ‘third need the personal hostility of individual not an issue of ‘after the revolution’ taking the former Soviet Union, and so 1918 rather than tangible land, shops and world’ and in the ‘bureaucratic socialist’ capitalists to democracy for this to speculation. We have a small chance on, as a political model. That is not to so on. regimes (already, indeed, in the period of lead to flights of capital - as we have of avoiding nuclear winter or runaway say that there is nothing to learn from the The consequence, therefore, is that ‘war communism’ in Russia). seen repeatedly over the 19th and 20th climate change - but only if we can history of the Soviet-bloc regimes. It is to the use of police measures to control In addition, though capitalists centuries in response even to very get rid of the managerial-bureaucratic say that we cannot use them as a model parties and factions will not prevent the in the absence of significant petty- timid reforms. It is not - contrary to capture of workers’ organisations. for the future. As I wrote in my previous political expression of petty-proprietor proprietor and proletarian movements comrade Rafael’s argument - a matter The second is that the workplace reply to comrade Rafael, in a point to class interests, which will naturally be prefer cooptative regimes (Venetian of the subjective views of individual franchise does not amount to the which he has not responded, “the issue expressed by the police and bureaucratic ‘aristocracy’, Netherlands ‘Regents’, capitalists, but of the necessary logic of dictatorship of the proletariat, because is not what attitude we should take to controllers themselves. What they will modern ‘trusteeships’, ‘boards’ and the capitalists’ class position as such. it does not overcome either the problem an existing Soviet regime, but whether do is prevent the political representation such-like), since they tend to push off the of the bureaucratic capture of existing we should set out to repeat the Soviet of proletarian interests - because, as burden of taxation onto the lower orders, Proletariat workers’ organisations or the extent to experience after 1989-91: should we aim we will see shortly, the proletariat can it becomes practically difficult to hold The proletariat as a class is the which the capitalist class rules through this to build a wrecked car?” only defend its interests by collective this line, and we get elected bodies and propertyless class, which depends on the capture. Yes, we are for self-government organisation, and hence can only defend extensions of the franchise over the 19th wage (including the employed member in factories, for councils of action when One-party state? its interests against the petty-proprietor and 20th centuries. of the household’s wage) or, if not in the needs of the struggle pose them, and Comrade Rafael’s argument for the one- interests of the state, party, union, etc, The result is much more complex work, on the ‘social wage’ - old poor so on. But to pose the workplace franchise party state poses the issue a little bit more bureaucrats by having the right to regimes, which in theory illegalise relief, modern benefits, state pensions, as essential to working class rule is a concretely. His argument is that “The organise freely against them. corruption, but in practice put ‘entry etc. The consequence of this situation is distraction from the more fundamental only other parties that would have stood barriers’ on it to allow legal forms of that workers are compelled to associate issues of demolishing the capitalists’ in opposition [in Yugoslavia] would have Dictatorship bribery to operate in favour of large - not just in trade unions, but also in plutocratic-corrupt constitution and been ultra-nationalist, rightwing parties The collapse of the ‘bureaucratic capital, but limit the effect of small-scale cooperatives, tenants’ associations, fighting for democratic decision-making bent on some sort of fascist or reactionary socialist’ regimes is, actually, in some forms of corruption. We are concerned etc - and in collectivist political against managerialism l state”. What class interests, then, would respects exemplary of how the capitalist here with the role of advertising-funded parties. The dentists could withdraw these parties represent? The answer, in class rules. media - in effect, subsidies by the individually from the NHS, because [email protected] fact, is the interests of the peasantry and advertiser to pro-capitalist media and their skills monopoly and the physical petty bourgeoisie - which are the normal The capitalist class is that class which the ability of the advertiser to veto; with equipment they needed could serve as Notes electoral bases of far-right parties. The lives by investing and reinvesting money party political donations (and donations security for bank funding of private 1. mlworldview.wordpress.com/2019/05/21/m- argument is, then, a repetition of the funds with a view to profit: setting in to individual candidates) and political practice. Workers are generally not in an l-basics-working-class-working-people- vanguardism. case for banning opposition parties motion the circuit, money-commodity- advertising; and with the “free market in analogous position. 2. S Recchia and N Urbinati (eds) A and Communist Party factions under production-commodity-money (M-C-P- legal services” which is, in effect, a form It is this circumstance which poses cosmopolitanism of nations: Giuseppe Mazzini’s the Russian New Economic Policy in Cˊ-Mˊ). The investments are necessarily of routine sale of justice to the highest the issue of the ‘dictatorship of the writings on democracy, nation-building and 1921: that is, to maintain the class rule to some extent in productive industry, bidder. proletariat’ to begin with. Why do we international relations Princeton 2009, chapter 13. 3. ‘Thoughts on democracy in Europe’, cited in A of the proletariat under conditions where agriculture, and so on, which are essential Parties and officials can also be need to get beyond capitalism? de Sanctis’s review of S Mastellone Mazzini and the political representation of the petty for there to be a social surplus product; bribed in a way which is not even really In the first place, capitalism entails Marx: thoughts upon democracy in Europe (2005) proprietor classes would be likely to lead but are more immediately as often as not visible as a bribe to the official, in the the regular return of crisis in the midst in Modern Italy Vol 14 (2009), pp233-37, p236. to the restoration of capitalism. in various forms of unproductive or at form of offering special concessions, of wealth, crisis arising from the 4. G Mazzini The duties of man and other essays chapter 3, New York 2005, p32. I add and stress “and Communist most very indirectly productive activities, which appear to be for the benefit of the overproduction of capital. We are in the 5. Ibid p103. Party factions” because the logic is particularly financial speculation, which official’s constituents, in exchange for midst of such a crisis now, even though 6. H Strachan The First World War Vol I, Oxford inescapable. The class interests of the redistribute the surplus product created favours. Thus, for example, the German the trigger has been the pandemic. 2001, pp122-23. petty proprietors will inevitably seek in productive activities. government on August 1 1914 made a Failure to make the losses fall on saver/ 7. V Zarev, ‘An unconventional method of containment - US foreign policy towards to find political expression. If they Unlike the feudal landlord class, private agreement with the trade union creditor interests - which implies on communist Yugoslavia from 1948-1956’ Prandium cannot find open expression, through the capitalist class does not generally leaders for substantial concessions on capitalist interests - necessarily results The Journal of Historical Studies Vol 7, No1, petty-proprietor parties, they will govern directly. What it does is to trade union rights, if they agreed to no in the loss of legitimacy of liberalism in 2018.

WW1313-18.00h.indd 8 03/09/2020 19:43:25 weekly worker 1313 September 3 2020 9 HEALTH Worse than useless Too little, too late. James Linney takes apart the Tories’ so-called ‘obesity strategy’ n July 27 the government NHS services, been left decimated. own research paper8 - here being cited unveiled its new strategy to To offer a typical example, the clinical to justify introducing this ban - we find Otackle the UK’s obesity crisis.1 commissioning group (CCG) where I this conclusion about its effectiveness: According to the official press release, work tendered out weight loss services “Therefore, after adjusting for the policy aims to enable the country to a private company, which then, displacement, we estimate children’s to “lose weight” to beat coronavirus predictably, rolled out a shoe string calorie consumption will reduce by 1.74 and “protect the NHS”. A statement so service. This essentially involved kcal/day.” idiotic that we could spend the rest of offering patients a referral to Slimming So the government wants to fight the article on just why it is so misguided World, with whom the company had child obesity by introducing a measure (don’t worry: I won’t). Even a genuinely obviously done a deal. Now the only that, by its own admission, will at best competent attempt at reducing rates way a patient qualifies to be seen by a reduce a child’s daily intake by the of obesity would not be able to reduce dietician is if their BMI is already above amount of calories in a single Tic-Tac? them quickly enough to impact the 50 - way too late - and sadly at this point It would be amusing if it was not such harm from Covid-19. Even if obesity bariatric surgery is often the only option. a blatant disregard for a lifetime of was eradicated tomorrow, this would Simultaneously the CCG was forced morbidity and suffering for millions of only reduce a small portion of mortality to make annual ‘efficiency savings’ children. and morbidity from Covid-19: there that led, disgracefully, to people with are other factors like age, underlying a BMI above 35 being refused all non- Real disease comorbidities and deprivation. You emergency surgery. Of course, this document is not really cannot ‘beat’ coronavirus by simply The next strategy proposal informs a serious effort to tackle obesity. It is losing weight. us that legislation will be introduced the minimum the Tories feel they can The reason for framing this obesity requiring large restaurants (more than get away with to give the appearance policy as a continuation of a Tory battle 250 employees) and fast-food chains of caring, whilst not upsetting the food against Covid-19 is, the story goes, to provide calorie information on industry. They were hoping for some because Boris Johnson underwent Class, class, class their menus. As we have already seen. positive headlines regarding Covid-19 some kind of awakening during his calorie counting is not usually helpful for once, and in this they have succeeded. own coronavirus illness, leading him cooking, being more likely to suffer with lose weight and retain that weight loss and can be harmful. People do not eat Anyone interested in actually tackling to abandon his lifelong ideological mental or physical health conditions ... by changing their diet: it just means that at Macdonald’s because they think it is the obesity crisis will know there is opposition to ‘nanny state’ interference and many more reasons. As we will see it is very difficult to do so, requiring a lot healthy, so highlighting this is not really nothing of merit in this document. The in our health and setting him on a one- though, the government has no time for of motivation, time and effort. And, yes, going to help. A contradictory message truth is that, although medical or public man crusade to defeat obesity. Despite such considerations: better, it proposes, you will also have a small number of here is that the government recognises health interventions can help the few, the media happily echoing this narrative, to make those lazy, stupid people make outliers whose genes are kinder to them that “On average the portions of food they will not provide a solution. That it is obviously utter nonsense. better choices. and who find it easier. or drink that people eat out or eat as will have to be far more radical. For a For evidence of this we need look Before we look at each of However, on a population level takeaway meals contain twice as many start, obesity is a global issue and any no further than the content of the new the proposals, it is worth briefly the type of fad diets that fuel the very calories as their equivalent bought in a solution needs to be undertaken on obesity strategy itself. As we will see, summarising the existing evidence for lucrative diet industry (from which shop”, whilst simultaneously pushing a global scale - the reason being that it is no more than a pathetic PR stunt medical interventions available for plenty of medical professionals profit) its ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme, which our diets are inextricably linked with to distract us from the fact that the treating obesity. In 2007 a systematic are actually not just a waste of time gives you 50% off at Burger King, KFC, the way capitalism manufactures and Tories’ handling of the pandemic has review gathered information from and money, but are actually harmful. It Macdonald’s ... markets food. The oligopolistic food been disastrous, resulting in England all large clinical studies, comparing turns out the advice that you just need The final two proposals of the industry has led to the homogenisation having the highest excess death rate weight loss treatments, excluding to eat less and exercise more is not that document somehow manage to be of global diets in favour of highly in Europe2 - a situation exacerbated surgery, after a minimum of a 12-month helpful. even more useless than those preceding processed, high-calorie, but nutritionally by the Tories’ relentless defunding follow-up.4 These treatments included I apologise for getting somewhat them. At some point in the future poor foods. and privatisation of the national health exercise alone, diet alone, diet advice bogged down in the details of the the government aims to discourage At the same time our diets have service. Covid-19 has in fact been and exercise, intensive support with a evidence for weight loss interventions, supermarkets from having unhealthy offered capitalism - forever searching used as another opportunity for them very low-calorie diet and weight loss but it is necessary if we are to understand food near the tills and from having ‘buy for new markets - an opportunity for to transfer more NHS services to the medication (Orlistat). the effectiveness of the proposals one get one free deals (BOGOFs)’ on new ways to sell us products. The aisles private sector: from ‘track and trace’ The results are a depressing read. contained within the Tories’ obesity high sugar, salt and fatty foods. I guess in our supermarkets are case studies in and drive-in testing to provision of Whilst some of the treatments show strategy and, as we shall see, that the this is the government’s pretence at the illogical, harmful way capitalism has personal protective equipment and the some modest weight loss at six months authors should have spent a little more playing hardball with the supermarkets? commodified our diets at the cost of our building of Nightingale hospitals. - most notably the very low-calorie diet time thinking things through themselves. If so, this is beyond pathetic and should health. The biggest 10 food companies (about 18kg weight loss on average) fool no-one with any sense. Even if the essentially now own everything in a Poverty - by 36 months all of the interventions Useless ban on BOGOFs is enforced, which it supermarket and, of course, each item The obesity strategy document begins show the vast majority of the weight loss The first proposal of the obesity strategy almost certainly will not be, the only they make is produced by a workforce by highlighting the enormity of the has been regained. Some interventions, focuses on primary care. We are group suffering here are the people on long hours, little pay and often problem in the UK, the rates of which such as healthy lifestyle advice alone promised “a new campaign - a call to whose poverty forces them to rely on dreadful conditions. have quadrupled in the past 25 years. or exercise alone, show no significant action to take steps to move towards a cheaper, less healthy food, which, let’s In the 19th century, when Around a quarter of adults are now weight loss. Even more shocking is that healthier weight”. This bold statement, face it, is better than no food. These industrialisation was young, the working classified as obese (meaning a body studies which have longer follow-up we soon learn, essentially equates to a proposals are even less likely to have any class in Britain was mostly subjected mass index exceeding 30) and 63% periods often show that by five years not free NHS 12-week weight loss app. impact on obesity than the government’s to hard, manual-labour jobs - and food of adults have a BMI above what is only have the vast majority of people However, what little evidence there misguided ‘sugar tax’ legislation, scarcity. In his book, The condition deemed healthy (25). Almost one in five regained their original weight loss, but is on the effectiveness of apps in aiding introduced in 2018 - which mainstream of the working class in England, children are overweight when they start most have actually exceeded it. weight loss concludes that they are not media, almost universally, declared a Engels memorably documents some primary school - a figure which rises to One of the reasons for this reversal helpful.5 Which is not surprising, given success before it was even published6. of the horrific diseases of malnutrition, one in three by secondary school - and is biological. Our bodies have evolved that, as we have seen, even if people The levy placed a tax on the soft drink resulting in premature death, that this it is estimated that by the end of 2020 a safety net in the form of a metabolic are given 12 weeks of face-to-face, industry for products with a high sugar environment was inflicting on our class. half of all children will be overweight or set point, which is determined early in intensive coaching on diet and exercise, content, which has reportedly led to Despite advances in sanitation, medicine obese.3 life. This adaption developed over the weight loss is still only very modest a 30% reduction in drinks with sugar and technology allowing people to live The most revealing sentence and tens of thousands of years that we lived and difficult to maintain. Apps are also content above 5g per 100mls7. Yet all longer, diseases like obesity or mental perhaps the only one worth keeping in as hunter-gatherers in an environment largely based on calorie counting, which this means is that manufacturers are now health issues, addiction, type 2 diabetes the entire document reads: of potential food scarcity. As a result can prove to be a problematic way to try selling very slightly less sugary drinks, and many more continue to be the health the human body strongly favour high- to lose weight. Again I am not saying whilst sales of sugar free soft drinks burden the working class carries on Obesity prevalence is highest calorie foods, such as sugar and fat, and that an app cannot motivate some people have nearly doubled – by no means a behalf of capitalism. amongst the most deprived groups in does all it can to store them when they to change their diet in positive ways, but good thing for the nation’s health. The This is a malady that will continue society. Children in the most deprived are available in abundance in preparation for some it can encourage a pathological ingredients on a can of a sugar free soft until we are able rid ourselves of that parts of the country are more than for spells of imposed fasting. relationship with food. Every meal can drink is a scary read, it’s a long list with underlying disease l twice as likely to be obese as their In our calorie-abundant modern become an exercise in feeling guilty and an array of sweeteners, E numbers, peers living in the richest areas. society this had become a maladaptation trying to balance numbers, turning meal miscellaneous acids, colourings and Notes - meaning that the body of someone time into an ordeal and often leaving preservatives. 1. www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling- obesity-government-strategy/tackling-obesity- The admission that poverty and who has been obese since a child or people easily disheartened or, worse, The crazy thing is that the sugar tax empowering-adults-and-children-to-live-healthier- inequality are the biggest determinants young adult, and then loses weight by with disordered eating. and the new obesity strategy are actively lives. for a person’s risk of obesity seems dieting, adjusts its internal mechanisms The second part of this new ‘call encouraging food manufactures to use 2. www.kingsfund.org.uk/press/press-release/ bizarre in the light of the rest of the in order to maintain its obese state. It to action’ claims that the Tories will these types of toxic ingredients in more excess-death-rate-ons-mortality-data. 3. www.rcpch.ac.uk/key-topics/nutrition-obesity/ document, which not only fails to pay does this by slowing its basal metabolic “expand weight management services, foods and allowing them to be marketed about-childhood-obesity. lip service to tackling poverty, but rate, encouraging more fat storage and so that more people get the support as ‘healthy alternatives’. Be suspicious 4. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ essentially blames the poor themselves increasing hunger hormones. Even more they need to lose weight”, by offering of any product that advertises itself as S0002822307014836. for being obese. unfairly, the body often overcompensates “Primary Care Networks the opportunity low in fat or sugar! 5. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4422872. The link between poverty and and fixes its new metabolic set point to equip their staff to become healthy The final proposal of the 6. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43372295. obesity obviously goes beyond the above the original level, meaning the weight coaches”. Given the Tories’ government’s obesity strategy manages 7. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7880101/ inability to afford nutritious, quality dieter has a net gain in weight, which in systematic and vicious campaign of to be the most meagre of all - a ban on Britons-consumption-sugar-dropped-teaspoon-day- food. It also includes a lack of access to turn leads to disheartenment and loss of cuts and privatisation of the NHS over advertisements for food high in sugar, tax-sweetened-drinks-launched.html. 8. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ adequate cooking facilities and to green motivation. the past decade, these statements can fat or salt on TV before 9pm. Little uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ spaces for exercise, having less leisure I must clarify that this does not mean only be read as some kind of sick joke. more needs to be said about this than file/786554/advertising-consultation-impact- time for exercise, having less time for that some people cannot successfully Weight management has, like most that on page 75 of the government’s assessment.pdf.

WW1313-18.00h.indd 9 03/09/2020 19:43:26 weekly 10 September 3 2020 1313 worker USA Assessing Adolph Reed Jim Creegan looks at the thinking of the American left’s foremost anti-identitarian

Adolph Reed cancelled by the Democratic Socialists of America because of intersectionalist objections

round-breaking” and contained the same racial, gender and out. governments, the Montgomery decade morphed into the somnolent “momentous” were sexual-orientation ratios as those of As a young man, Reed entered bus boycott, grassroots campaigns 70s, the militant’s pose became “Gadjectives gushing forth society at large. Thus characterised, politics through the black liberation for voter registration and welfare more and more a camouflage for the from the liberal media to describe identitarian discourse, by occluding movement, and went on to become an rights agitation as politically social climber’s appetite. Appointing Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala capitalist society’s most fundamental organiser in the US Socialist Workers meaningful forms of resistance.2 themselves spokespersons for an Harris as his vice-presidential cleavage of class, itself contains an Party and the anti-war movement internally undifferentiated entity running mate. But neither Harris’s implicit class politics: those of self- of American troops. Although Reed considers the more recent black called the ‘black community’, newly record as a tough law-and-order appointed minority-group influence- personally successful as a professor cultural turn to be one symptom of arisen layers of professionals, elected district attorney in California - where brokers, who accept the class order at three prestigious universities since the decoupling of the cause of black officials and civil servants were parents in poor black neighbourhoods - because either they occupy a entering academia in 1972, Reed has emancipation from the working class. inclined to measure the progress were prosecuted for their children comfortable place within it or aspire remained politically active, and is To examine how this came to pass is of their people by their own career being truant from school - nor her to do so. among the minority that did not join one major purpose of his writings. success, and that of strivers like determined resistance to the reversal It is arguments like these that have the rightward drift. His two volumes themselves. They, in turn, could only of wrongful convictions broke any earned Reed - along with academic are essentially a series of polemics Careerism advance by making their agendas new ground. Neither her failure co-thinkers Touré Reed (his son) and against the retreats and conceits of the The aim of the civil rights movement broadly compatible with ruling class to investigate questionable police Robert Ben Michaels - the epithet of long night of neoliberalism. of the 50s and early 60s was full interests. In the meantime the large shootings, nor her refusal to prosecute “class reductionist” in some leftwing Reed concentrates his criticisms equality under the law; black people segments of the black population still the shady estate speculator, Trump’s quarters. His opposition to reparations on the political regressions of the of all classes, being equally deprived mired in a ghetto existence - now treasury secretary-to-be Steve to black people for the crimes of black struggle. Much of what he aims of democratic rights, were more or expected to participate through a kind Mnuchin, for fraudulent foreclosures, slavery and Jim Crow reinforces the at, however, are the reflections in less united in the struggle. With the of vicarious racial pride in the good were of any great moment. accusation in his detractors’ eyes. His black attitudes of larger trends. One victories of the movement marked fortunes of those who had escaped In these respects, Harris is cut politics have become so controversial example is the substitution of cultural by the passage of the Civil Rights - were otherwise left to their own from the same cloth as Biden himself, that a scheduled talk to a New York poses for political action: Act (1964) and the Voting Rights Act devices. who as a senator pioneered the chapter of the Democratic Socialists (1965), however, the movement faced Accompanying this turn was present carceral state by promoting of America (DSA) on the inadequacy The thrust of much of … a choice of two possible paths. the rise of a school of thought that draconian criminal penalties, and did of racial disparity measures regarding ‘cultural politics’ … is to [redefine] The first was marked out by the attributed the plight of the ghetto the bidding of the credit-card industry Covid-19 was called off in May people’s routine compensatory Washington March for Jobs and to something called the ‘culture of that dominates his home state of after Reed refused to share a virtual existential practices - the everyday Freedom in 1963. Best remembered poverty’: the absence of black fathers, Delaware. The momentousness of platform with his ‘intersectionalist’ undertakings that enact versions for Martin Luther King’s “I have a families headed by single mothers Harris’s nomination in the eyes of critics. This writer thinks their of autonomy and dignity within dream” speech, the march was mainly with too many children, street crime, her liberal boosters rather consists strictures are unwarranted. But the context of oppression - as organised by black social democrats A drug addiction and dependency in the fact that - as the daughter of Reed’s thinking can perhaps be better politically meaningful ‘resistance’, Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin; it on government welfare. These a Jamaican father and Indian mother understood by examining its origins. thus obliterating all distinction was a racially integrated event, which, phenomena were viewed not mainly - she is the first woman of colour between active, public opposition as its title indicates, linked the cause as responses to economic deprivation, to occupy second place on a major Against the drift and the sighs accompanying of civil rights to that of economic but as ingrained habits that prevented presidential ticket. Reed’s two most prominent books - acquiescence. The effect is to equality. poor blacks from making the efforts This appraisal of Harris’s Stirrings in the jug and Class notes - avoid grappling with the troubling The second path - the one that more needed to pull themselves up by their significance exemplifies much of what are compilations of essays and articles reality of demobilisation by simply militant elements of the black struggle bootstraps, and resisted amelioration is wrong with identity politics in the written mainly in the late 80s and 90s christening it, Humpty Dumpty- ultimately chose for reasons examined through redistributive government eyes of the man who has emerged in - the most dismal period for radical like, as mobilisation.1 below - was that of separation from programmes or job creation. recent decades as its leading leftwing politics in recent memory. Under the ‘white movement’ and adopting These notions originated in a 1965 critic, Adolph Reed Junior - a black the Reagan-Thatcher onslaught, This ‘cultural turn’ amongst leftwing a nationalist perspective. This is the report, The negro family: a call for professor emeritus of political science and the discrediting of Marxism academics and others had many turn that Reed and his co-thinkers action by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, at the University of Pennsylvania. He with the collapse of the Soviet bloc, specifically black variants: lament. the future New York senator who was argues that emphasis on ‘diversity’ in there occurred a wholesale falling The ‘black power’ slogan, under then assistant secretary of labour in the upper reaches of power conceals away from the revolutionary and Participating in youth fads (from which the likes of Stokely Carmichael the administration of Lyndon Johnson. an acceptance of prevailing class even liberal-reformist politics of the zoot suits in the 1940s to hip- and H Rap Brown assumed It was actually a call for inaction: hierarchies. To speak as liberals often previous decades, and from politics hop today), maintaining fraternal leadership of the Student Non-violent Moynihan famously advocated a do of racial and gender disparities in general. At the same time, many organisations, vesting hope Coordinating Committee (SNCC), policy of “benign neglect” in relation alone, he argues, implies that their rebels of the 60s were scrambling to in prayer or root doctors, and was amorphous. In the hyper-charged to black poverty. But elements of goals would be achieved if the make the accommodations - practical even quilt making thus become atmosphere of the 60s, it was widely the ‘underclass pathology’ trope composition of all hierarchical strata and intellectual - necessary to the indistinguishable from slave assumed to indicate a revolutionary were, according to Reed, echoed in - from the prison to the boardroom - respectable careers they were carving revolts, activism in Reconstruction content of some kind. But, as that the writings of the prominent black

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sociologist, William Julius Wilson, outsourcing. class, such as those advanced by federation, headed by the notoriously looking elsewhere for inspiration. and often found a friendly reception Hence the US found itself with Bernie Sanders in his two presidential anti-communist George Meany, as his An activist during the 60s, Adolph among black influence brokers. a population that the 20th century campaigns: Medicare for all; a hike principal change agents. Making sure Reed is no doubt aware of this history. Although the proponents of this capitalist economy could not fully in the minimum wage; free public not to offend these perceived allies, But one wonders if his sneaking ideology did not harbour notions of absorb. And it is by no means university tuition. As Touré Reed Rustin not only refused to join King in admiration for Rustin is not unrelated black racial inferiority, Reed argues mysterious that the poverty of this writes in his book, Toward freedom, denouncing the Vietnam war - which to a subsequent political involvement. that their thinking often produced population leads to street crime, Johnson waged with Meany’s support In the 1990s, Reed was an important the same end result: the idea of static substance abuse, family instability The bottom line is that is that, - but actively red-baited anti-war player in the attempt to found a union- patterns of behaviour, impervious to and a number of other symptoms because blacks have borne a protestors, and ultimately refused to based US labor party. The project political or social action. inimical to middle class notions disproportionate share of the participate in the Poor People’s March, represented the collaboration of union Reed also claims that the few of respectability and striving - damage inflicted on working led by King’s lieutenants after his officials, disgruntled that the neoliberal remaining currents of black radicalism all of which tend to reinforce people by deindustrialisation and assassination, whose demands were administration of Bill Clinton no - Afro-centrism and self-styled existing racial prejudice. Racialised the subsequent neoliberal economic adopted from the Freedom Budget. longer offered them a ‘seat at the Marxism-Leninism - responded to poverty, moreover, presents consensus, African Americans Rustin was afraid of alienating the table’, and leftwing activists inside the decline of 60s-type militancy by endless opportunities for rightwing would benefit disproportionately Democrats. and outside the unions, who hoped retreating into an ideological purism demagogues - one of whom now from Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 Rustin had earlier fallen in to nudge these officials into breaking that serves more as a refuge from the occupies the White House - to portray platforms despite the absence of with Max Shachtman - the former with the Democrats. The Labor Party problems of daily black existence this marginalised demographic as the reparations ‘brand’.5 disciple of Trotsky, who was then was stillborn at its founding in 1996, than an action programme. composed of shiftless parasites, eating in swift rightward motion. By the because union leaders, in the face up the hard-earned tax dollars of solid Most capitalist countries contain 60s, Shachtman fully supported US of deindustrialisation and shrinking Demonology citizens in the form of social-welfare a lumpenised underclass. That the imperialism in its global struggle with union density, lost any taste they may It is hardly astonishing that those subventions. bottom social rungs of American what he saw as the Soviet totalitarian have had for political independence. who speak of unchanging black With the progressive abandonment society are disproportionately black is menace. The alliance with Shachtman The efforts of leftwingers involved behaviours should ascribe a similar of 1960s government anti-poverty a result of the country’s sordid racial launched Rustin on a political in this project were completely stasis to whites. The Reeds - Adolph programmes, culminating in a fully history. To deny that black people of trajectory from which he emerged honourable. One wonders, however, if and Touré (who, with his father, has fledged neoliberal attack on an already all classes face special impediments a neoconservative. By the end of they did not overestimate the potential now become a leading proponent of inadequate welfare state, harsher by virtue of simply being black his career, he had become a fervent of even the most left-inclined of their jointly held views) - do not deny police tactics and mass imprisonment would indeed be colour-blind. supporter of Israel, an advocate of labour bureaucrats. that centuries of racial oppression were expanded to keep this ‘surplus Democratic demands, including American aid to South African forces have had lasting effects, or that population’ in line. Neoliberal those for affirmative action - special battling anti-Portuguese guerrillas Diversion parts of the European-descended capitalism, not eternal racial animus efforts to promote people of colour in Angola and Mozambique, and a Reed, however, is not being opposed population remain committed to in contemporary form - not the “new to higher education and better jobs - proponent of escalation of the nuclear by identitarians because of any soft white supremacy in varying degrees - Jim Crow” of Michelle Alexander4 - are intended to overcome specifically arms race. spots for bureaucrats or rightwing Adolph Reed grew up in New Orleans is responsible for increased reliance racial barriers, and are not opposed More was involved than an social democrats, but for his when segregation was in force. on repressive methods. It is these by Adolph or Touré Reed. Arguably, evolution of Rustin’s views. He insistence on a class-centred politics. The Reeds are unfairly accused of methods that inflame relations Adolph Reed bends the stick too far headed the A Philip Randolph Here it is important to appreciate class reductionism, when what they between the police and communities in his recent disparaging of attempts Institute, the civil-rights arm of the the ruling class ideological disarray emphatically reject is the assumptions of colour, and make police forces to measure racial disparities in the AFL-CIO. Rustin was only too aware accompanying the economic and of many black intellectuals - Ta- attractive to many whites predisposed effects of Covid-19 and other blights; that taking any political position social crisis triggered by the pandemic. Nehisi Coates, Nikole Hannah-Jones to racism in the first place. One result it is undeniable that blacks and offensive to George Meany would One bourgeois aim on the ideological and Michelle Alexander come to is the episodes of police brutality minorities always get the worst of result in the discontinuance of his front is to preclude the development mind - that white racism is a supra- - now electronically recorded and the sufferings of the working class. pay cheques. It is understandable that of a class politics by means of mass historical phenomenon. These disseminated - that have given rise to But greater black distress does not the Reeds find the Freedom Budget diversion. Mitt Romney’s 2012 thinkers argue that slavery, Jim Crow the biggest wave of demonstrations in automatically point to the necessity of commendable in and of itself. But it presidential campaign represented segregation, mass black incarceration American history. black-specific remedies. was half of a social democratic devil’s the last gasp of neoliberal attempts and police brutality are all different The Reeds help us understand the The principal injustices now bargain: support by certain bourgeois to sell the masses the ‘magic of the instantiations of a single essence fruitlessness of any counterposition of commonly treated under the head of parties for reform at home (which the market’ - now an impossible feat in called white racism - the innate hatred the abstract and vacuous categories of racism - police brutality and mass Democrats eventually abandoned) the midst of a collapsing economy. of whites toward blacks - that remains ‘race’ and ‘class’; that contemporary incarceration - are not afflictions in exchange for complicity in the The Republicans have thus resorted constant throughout American history racial politics are the result of complex of the black middle class, but of global defence of private property to the only strategy left to them - the despite its many guises. The Reeds interactions between economic forces the black poor, both working and that was the cold war. The Reeds’ mobilisation of white resentment insist that the black question cannot and a history of black oppression, chronically unemployed. That their favourable mentions of Rustin would against immigrants and blacks. They be understood apart from history and itself rooted in economic exploitation. condition can best be addressed by be less irksome if they would include will continue along this course for the political economy. And, just as they refuse to see this demands aimed at lifting the working some acknowledgement of his larger foreseeable future, with or without a Take, for instance, the present history and politics as a morality poor and unemployed as a whole, reactionary arc. less erratic and more capable leader concentration of approximately play, in which the only actors are without putting the accent on race, In opposition to Rustin’s brand of than Donald Trump. one fifth of the black population in white racists and black victims, they with all its divisive pitfalls, is not reformism stood sections of the black On the other hand, the Democratic deprived urban areas. In his The case also reject the moralistic demand for colour-blindness, but a corollary movement that considered themselves Party, which counts among its for reparations, Ta-Nehisi Coates reparations. to the Marxist aim of uniting the in some sense revolutionary - the voters more of the masses in need of tends to explain ghettoisation by This writer has no doubt that, working class. black nationalists the Reeds decry. A diversion, has recently been haunted the refusal of the government and under a regime of socialist planning, revolutionary working class politics is by the spectre of a class-based banks to extend housing loans to a major effort will be required to Caveats what Marxists strive for, then and now. movement in the form of Bernie black families, and the existence of redress the historic deficit in income In addition to evaluating the kinds But history does not always serve up Sanders and successful insurgent restrictive covenants, forbidding the and opportunities that the African of demands the Reeds argue for, one political elements packaged together campaigns for lesser offices. The sale of suburban homes to blacks.3 American population has incurred may enquire as to the process by in an ideal way. During those years, party leadership, along with more The Reeds would probably counter over the centuries. At the current which they envisage the demands as key unionised segments of the US astute corporate representatives, that, harmful though these things moment, however, the reparations unfolding. The question posed over working class - still overwhelmingly have latched onto identity politics as were, black residential patterns demand is being presented as the a century ago by Rosa Luxemburg - white - were enjoying the unequalled one response to this challenge. We cannot be explained by racial animus payment of a moral - and financial reform or revolution? - is considered prosperity of the post-war boom, and have been treated in recent months to and deliberate discrimination alone. - debt owed by the white population largely irrelevant in a contemporary were indifferent or hostile to radical everything, from the spectacle of the One factor in ghettoisation was the as a whole to the descendants of American left dominated by a militant politics. The locus of revolutionary/ Democratic Congressional leadership mass emigration of blacks from the slaves. It is of a piece with attempts social democratic reformism. For emancipatory energy largely shifted taking a knee clad in Kente cloth, to south. In the late 19th and early 20th to point an accusing finger at ordinary Jacobin and most of the DSA, the to the anti-imperialist revolts then Lloyd Blankfein, the chairman of the centuries, European immigrants filled Caucasians for enjoying ‘white skin possibility of revolution is seen convulsing what was called the third leading investment house of Goldman American industry’s growing need for privilege’ because they do not share as either non-existent, or a distant world. More than domestic labour Sachs, talking about the need to combat workers. Yet, as that need diminished the adversities of the most oppressed. bridge, to be crossed (or not) when the struggles, the Chinese, Cuban and “structural racism”. Relegating in the 1920s, concerns for maintaining White shaming may tweak the working class comes to it. This was Vietnamese revolutions were the stuff the party’s left to a couple of brief the ‘ethnic integrity’ of the US began guilt feelings of liberals (for whom not the political sensibility that held of far-left consciousness. token appearances at the Democratic to take priority, and a strict quota it is largely intended), but will fall on sway in the long-lost 1960s, when to In the context of the time, it is National Convention, and saying next system was enacted into law. deaf ears among white workers, who avow being a reformist was to place understandable why the more militant to nothing about measures needed Yet there was one immigration consider their existence to be far from oneself on the rightward side of the elements of the black struggle - to combat the economic devastation stream that legislation could not shut one of privilege. Many will answer - left political spectrum. Malcolm X, SNCC and, later, the caused by Covid-19, the party went off: that of southern blacks, who acted not without some justification - that One decidedly reformist figure Black Panthers - were inclined to take out of its way to foreground women against poverty and lynch law in they have never done anything to that the Reeds, father and son, refer to as their model third-world liberation and minority politicians willing to toe the only way left open to them - by harm blacks, and are not collectively approvingly is the civil rights leader, movements and regimes, which at the centrist line. moving to northern and mid-western responsible for the sins of their Bayard Rustin. They commend best professed nationalist-tinged In this climate, the need is greater cities. Between 1916 and 1970, forbears, who, in many cases, took him for perceiving the necessary versions of Marxism, as opposed to than ever for a class politics like that nearly seven million relocated, in the no part in the oppression of black linkages between black emancipation what was seen as a sclerotic labour promoted by Adolph Reed and his biggest migration in the country’s people either. Put in terms of practical and economic equality. Rustin movement. Most nationalist groups co-thinkers - this time free, it is to be history - larger than the influx from politics, any project aimed at levelling emphasised the need for expansive also rejected the liberal-pacifist hoped, from the fatal compromises of any European country. Many hoped down - the idea that one section of federal efforts to overcome black commitment to non-violence under social democracy l to - and did - fill the industrial jobs the population must give up part of poverty. In conjunction with the trade all circumstances, and asserted the vacated by white workers during the what they have to put themselves on unionist and civil-rights leader, A right to black self-defence, placing Jim Creegan can be reached at two world wars. But, having been a more equal footing with those who Philip Randolph, Rustin promulgated themselves further beyond the pale [email protected]. deprived in the south of education have less - is a politics with no future, the 1965 Freedom Budget - a series of mainstream respectability than and opportunities to acquire skills, especially at a time when the entire of proposals for legislative action, King. And, most importantly, they Notes black workers could only fill the working class is facing hardships including a big federal wage hike, and denounced the Vietnam war, in 1. A Reed Stirrings in the jug London 1999, p118 lowest-paid, least skilled jobs, and on a scale unknown since the great job and income guarantees. marked contrast to the right wing (emphasis in original). 2. Ibid p151. there were many more migrants than depression. The Reeds neglect to mention of the union bureaucracy, to which 3. theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the- openings at the factory bench. There What the Reeds propose as an the political allies Rustin looked to Rustin was captive. If the alternative case-for-reparations/361631. thus came into existence a permanent alternative is a politics of levelling for the budget’s passage. He viewed to black nationalism was the kind 4. M Alexander The new Jim Crow New York black underclass, rendered even up, consisting of demands for the Democratic Party of Lyndon of labour-oriented strategy Rustin 2010. more precarious by automation and improvements for the entire working Johnson and the AFL-CIO trade union represented, one could be forgiven for 5. T Reed Toward freedom London 2020, p120.

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OnlineDespite the lockdown, reports Daniel Harvey , Communistsuccess University featured fascinating debates and a vigorous exchange of views

his year’s Communist Communist University if we really a professional caste of careerists implied creating illusions in the University had a different feel want to get to know where people are We do not want online to wanting to use the party as a platform Labour Party and simply ended T to it, thanks to it being hosted coming from politically. for their narrow aspirations. in creating a lot of “Keir Starmer entirely online instead of at our usual There were some advantages become the new normal Comrade Conrad emphasised supporters”. Anne McShane stated venue in south London. The booking as well, however. We had far that, even if Corbyn had won a that she did not fully understand the there had to be cancelled because of more participation from comrades ... but nor do we want parliamentary majority and been position we had taken with respect to the ongoing pandemic, but we were internationally than we normally do, allowed to take office, this would Corbyn partly for this reason. determined to provide the space for as well as a higher attendance than to discard the obvious not have offered any kind of Comrade Conrad replied that our the left to debate its ideas openly and normal. In addition to which, as I prospect for advance. In fact, with position was not about Corbyn being in detail, in the CU tradition. write, almost 1,000 viewers have advantages of online the Parliamentary Labour Party elected leader, or being deposed, Unlike many other groups on the watched some of the videos online. dominated by the right, combined but about a long-term strategic left, which unfortunately use their Go to communistuniversity.uk if you when the normal returns with opposition from the entire orientation to Labour as a “united summer schools to put on a series want to join them. capitalist establishment, he would front of a special kind”, with its of rallies, with top-table speakers either have been quickly removed historic link to the working class. At talking down to the faithful, we Crisis from office or seen his manifesto the same time, whilst he agreed with emphasise genuine debate - and Jack Conrad opened up the event pledges moderated even further. a contribution from Stan Keable that disagreement. The latter being by placing the current period in The organised left was hardly in a the “fight continues” in the Labour especially encouraged, because if a political context, describing position to do anything about it. Party, like Mike Macnair he stressed there is anything the left needs more the profound crisis in which the Most of the organised left - that we could certainly lose the than ever it is critical thinking and reformist left has found itself. He put including the two largest groups, Labour Party in a similar fashion to a breakdown of the sectarian silos ‘reformist’ in inverted commas in the the Socialist Workers Party and the what has partially taken place in other in which most socialist activists title of his talk, because what much of Socialist Party in England and Wales countries like France and Germany. unfortunately find themselves. the left would describe as ‘reformist’ - actually viewed Corbyn’s election We are not “programmatically tied” That said, there were some does not actually conform to any as Labour leader in a negative way. to winning Labour, but, whilst its limitations to this format. Instead of Marxist definition of the word. We The SWP knew that many activists structures and mass membership having as many sessions as possible are not talking about a programme would be drawn into Labour and exist, it is essential we take the fight like we usually do when we meet in that wants to utilise state power to away from extra-parliamentary within it very seriously indeed. a physical space, sessions were pared take us to any kind of ‘socialism’, demonstrations, while SPEW’s long- down to two per day - although this even one based on a Fabian version term project of setting up a Labour United front did make the event less exhausting of nationalised industries. What we Party mark two via the Trade Unionist Other talks provoked debate on a for participants. Neither could we are really talking about, he said, was and Socialist Coalition would be whole spectrum of topics, often provide for fringe meetings, as we support for minimal reforms under completely redundant - which it had related to this. Of particular relevance normally do. In the past these have capitalism. always been in practice. In reality, was John Riddell’s discussion on the provided a platform for a range of This has been dealt a severe Labour remains a “site of struggle” development and implementation of different groups and individuals blow by Jeremy Corbyn’s defeat - the party must be transformed into the united front policy of the Comintern wanting to discuss their ideas with in the December 2019 general a permanent united front for the immediately after the Russian us. election, while his preferred entire workers’ movement. as part Revolution. This was primarily a And, of course, meeting online successor, Rebecca Long-Bailey, of a long-term strategy for working strategy for communist organisation in radically reduced the opportunity for was way behind Keir Starmer in class power, within which the need what was seen as a defensive struggle, comrades to discuss ideas informally the subsequent leadership election, for a mass Communist Party would as opposed to those who favoured a in and around the different sessions, indicating a shift to the right in the be paramount. revolutionary offensive. However, and actually get to know each other Labour membership. He emphasised Plenty of comrades contributed social democracy, having betrayed the properly, as would normally be that Labour remained a bourgeois from the floor, including two working class by sliding into social the case. This sort of discussion is workers’ party, in which the trade comrades from the Platypus group, chauvinism in World War I, still held really important for a successful unions still held sway - alongside who thought that the CPGB position the leadership over the majority of the

WW1313-18.00h.indd 12 03/09/2020 19:43:29 weekly 13 worker 1313 September 3 2020 What we fight for working class. formal and informal alliances between threats, and situated this in relation n Without organisation the Comrade Riddell demonstrated the Gulf States and Israel, of which the to earlier ‘collapses’ in organised working class is nothing; with how the united front was a strategy recent overtures between the United societies. the highest form of organisation that allowed communists to unite with Arab Emirates and Israel is really just In the ensuing debate the problem it is everything. social democrats in those defensive the “tip of the iceberg”. Furthermore, was posed by speakers, especially tasks - with the specific aim of comrade Yassamine said that the comrade Alan Gibson and myself, that n There exists no real Communist gaining the ear of the working class apparent conflict between Shias and the threat of climate change could not Party today. There are many and exposing its social democratic Sunnis is really a proxy for competition really be compared to earlier forms of so-called ‘parties’ on the left. In leadership as inadequate in practice. between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and collapse, as it represented a permanent, reality they are confessional sects. The communists could then win that the funding of jihadi groups in and indeed existential threat. Comrade Members who disagree with the workers over to a revolutionary the region by Saudi Arabia and others Macnair did not dispute this, but said prescribed ‘line’ are expected to position. This was not without should be seen in this context. There that in his opinion the threat of war gag themselves in public. Either difficulty, given that the social has been a ratcheting up of sanctions, posed more of a threat to human that or face expulsion. democrats were seen by communists which has ruined the Iranian economy. existence than that of global warming. n Communists operate according as ‘agents of the bourgeoisie’ and It has also had the effect of increasing Comrade Gibson also pointed out to the principles of democratic were in fact the ones shooting at them corruption, and consequently there has that the greatest problem posed by centralism. Through ongoing debate in practice - in the German context been an upsurge in protests, to which Despite the limitations underdevelopment was the massive we seek to achieve unity in action especially. The discussion brought out the regime responds with repression. loss in creativity this represents. and a common world outlook. As the divide between this and the way in There was also Moshé Machover CU 2020 was clearly a Then there was Ian Wright’s long as they support agreed actions, which ‘united front’ and particularly on ‘Illusions, solutions and demands’ talk, titled ‘Marx on capital as a members should have the right to ‘transitional demands’ are deployed by relating to Israel-Palestine. The success. Plans are now real god’. He felt that capital, in speak openly and form temporary much of the left today as an excuse to greatest illusion in the opinion of abstracting value from concrete or permanent factions. hide its own politics, or excuse it from comrade Machover was that the Oslo afoot to have a long labour, represents a co-determining n Communists oppose all impe- supporting basic Marxist principles. Accords somehow laid the basis for a relationship and, as a result, appears rialist wars and occupations but This tied into the session from ‘two-state solution’, even though this is weekend CU in January to act as an entity in its own right constantly strive to bring to the fore Marcel van der Linden, who discussed not even mentioned in that agreement. - with its own consciousness and the fundamental question–ending war what he described as the paradox He said that he and Emmanuel Farjoun 2021 desires that are separate from and is bound up with ending capitalism. between workers being able to make had as early as 1976 written a set of antagonistic to our own. Contrary to n Communists are internationalists. revolution more easily and readily in theses, laying out that Israel would the opinions raised following Mike Everywhere we strive for the closest the earlier stages of capitalism and the not permit a genuinely independent Macnair’s talk, comrade Wright felt unity and agreement of working class relative paucity of examples in the more state of Palestine. The discussion, that capitalism could continue to and progressive parties of all countries. recent context of mature capitalism. In he felt, was not about two states, incorporate and neutralise outside We oppose every manifestation relation to this he posed the problems but “a state and a quarter”. What threats to its stability, either from the of national sectionalism. It is an faced by the working class during the is the purpose of this illusion? It is working class or nature, and saw no internationalist duty to uphold the development of advanced capitalism. really about allowing Israel to get on reason why it could not continue for a principle, ‘One state, one party’. The first was the “transition dip”, as with annexation without too much very long time yet. This talk was seen the early state changed from being protest. Similarly ‘peace process’ is by many as the most enjoyable of the n The working class must be something that only took from the a term “without any product”, since week. organised globally. Without a global population in the form of taxes and “colonisation would continue apace”. Communist Party, a Communist bodies for wars, to one that provided In effect the “peace process” ended in Regular International, the struggle against services which the working class 2014, when US secretary of state John Of course, no Communist University capital is weakened and lacks came to expect. There was also Kerry acknowledged that negotiations would ever be complete without coordination. “deflection” - the development of very had ended. Now we have the prospect the involvement of comrades from n Communists have no interest large intermediary institutions, such of the annexation of perhaps the whole the Radical Anthropology Group apart from the working class as transnational corporations. Thirdly, of Palestine. and in this case comrades Camilla as a whole. They differ only in comrade van der Linden believed that Comrade Machover discussed the Power and Chris Knight both recognising the importance of Marx had underestimated the ability of problem of a ‘one-state solution’, talked about the issue of gender in Marxism as a guide to practice. capitalism to incorporate the working saying that it cannot be dismissed by original communism and whether That theory is no dogma, but class as a component of civil society. Marxists simply because it would be egalitarianism in itself was the must be constantly added to and Mike Macnair and Jack Conrad a bourgeois secular state, but because initiator of the ‘human revolution’. enriched. both challenged this position. Marxists cannot put forward utopian Both these talks went a long way n Capitalism in its ceaseless Comrade Macnair set it in the context solutions. That is to say, there is no in undermining political narratives search for profit puts the future of the ‘Kautsky debate’ in the United social force that could bring about about human nature tending towards of humanity at risk. Capitalism is States. While workers may accept such a solution in practice, as the dominance, hierarchy and selfishness. synonymous with war, pollution, that revolution is possible, they tend Israeli working class does not see it as The human revolution was precisely exploitation and crisis. As a global to believe that socialism is utopian. being in its interests. against these traits in practice, and system capitalism can only be Comrade Conrad posed a number returning to them under class society superseded globally. problems, particularly in relation Economy represents a major regression. to the absence of leadership - or There were three excellent talks on Despite the limitations n The capitalist class will never misleadership. There was also the political economy, but unfortunately of organising it under these willingly allow their wealth and problem of “example”: eg, the Soviet Hillel Ticktin was unable to speak on circumstances, Communist power to be taken away by a Union could hardly be held up as a ‘transition’ because of illness. University 2020 was clearly a parliamentary vote. desirable alternative. Firstly we had Michael Roberts success. We got through a great n We will use the most militant The intricate nature of the discussing the economic fallout of deal of discussion and debate. There methods objective circumstances relationship between the working Covid-19. He said that since 2015 he was universal praise for our Dutch allow to achieve a federal republic class and the institutional forms had already been predicting a major comrades, who did so much on the of England, Scotland and Wales, and structures of capitalism were recession due to the ongoing fallout technical side, as well as comrade a united, federal Ireland and a explored in different ways in four from the 2008 financial crisis and, of Mather for organising such an event. United States of Europe. other talks over the week, and set in course, he had not expected that crisis It could be that CPGB online events n Communists favour industrial very different historical contexts. The to emerge through a pandemic. But will become a more regular feature unions. Bureaucracy and class first was Lars T Lih’s talk on ‘The capitalism had never fully recovered in - we are now planning a ‘weekend compromise must be fought and unwritten constitution and birth of terms of lost productivity since 2008 - CU’ in January 2021 l the trade unions transformed into Soviet Russia’. The second was Daniel or, for that matter, since the 2001 slump schools for communism. Lazare’s interesting discussion on the before it. There would be no V-shaped n Communists are champions of role of the constitution in framing recovery because of the reduced level the oppressed. Women’s oppression, political development in the USA. of productive investment. combating racism and chauvinism, The third was Jack Conrad’s opening He blamed this situation on a Online Communist Forum and the struggle for peace and on the formation of the early CPGB drop in the rate of profit across the ecological sustainability are just in Britain and the fourth was James advanced economies, which had been as much working class questions Harvey’s detailed consideration of the trending inexorably downwards since as pay, trade union rights and effect of Brexit on the prospects for the 1950s. There was also a big rise demands for high-quality health, Irish re-unification. In separate ways in corporate debt and a halving in the housing and education. these talks really got into the granular growth of world trade since 2008. detail of this question with excellent Comrade Roberts concluded with n Socialism represents victory debates in each case. the assessment of United Nations in the battle for democracy. It is secretary general António Guterres the rule of the working class. Middle East that the pandemic can be likened to Socialism is either democratic or, In the international context, Yassamine an X-ray, “revealing the fractures in as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it Mather spoke on the situation in Iran the fragile skeleton of the societies we turns into its opposite. and the wider Middle East. This has have built”. n Socialism is the first stage been largely dominated recently by Looking at the wider context of of the worldwide transition to Donald Trump tearing up the Iran this was Mike Macnair with his talk communism–a system which nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama on ‘Growth, degrowth and planning’, Sunday September 6, 5pm knows neither wars, exploitation, administration. Comrade Mather which took on the thinking of A week in politics money, classes, states nor nations. pointed out that in large part relations environmentalist greens. He explored Communism is general freedom between the Arab states, Israel and the notion of ‘degrowth’ as a way Political report and discussion and the real beginning of human the US have been determined by a out of the environmental crisis and from the CPGB’s Provisional Central Committee history. paranoia over Iran’s influence. She the problem that this posed to the If you wish to take part in these Zoom meetings, The Weekly Worker is licensed by stressed that this was in large part legitimate needs of the global working email Stan Keable at: [email protected] November Publications under a Creative a direct result of US intervention in class. He said it was not possible to Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk and 4.0 International Licence: the region and especially the US-led dismiss as stupid ‘deep green’ notions creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ invasion of Iraq. of a collapse in capitalism brought Labour Party Marxists: www.labourpartymarxists.org.uk legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. More recently there have been about by climate change and other

WW1313-18.00h.indd 13 03/09/2020 19:43:33 No 1313 September 3 2020 Little doubt that elections were rigged Return of the Denim Revolution Have no illusions in the western-backed Belarus opposition, warns Eddie Ford ver the past few months, there have no illusions in the opposition - it have been massive protests is thoroughly pro-western and pro- Oagainst the regime of Alexander liberal, exemplified by Svyatlana Lukashenko - referred to as the “last Tsikhanouskaya. Her economic dictator” of Europe. Many thousands platform, such as it is, stresses the have been arrested and detained, and importance of increasing the role of often brutally treated. Though opposition small and medium-sized businesses. to Lukashenko remains fierce, the She plans to offer them interest-free protests appear to be dwindling a bit. loans, cancel state inspections of private What kicked off the protests was entities and provide “legal protection for the election authorities crediting foreign investors”. She has also spoken Lukashenko with 80% of the vote in the about allowing “profitable” state-owned August 9 presidential elections, which enterprises to continue to operate, while uses a two-round electoral system like requiring the rest to obtain help from France. This gives him a sixth term “outside professionals”. Naturally, her in office, making him the continent’s western friends will encourage her to go longest-serving president - he first took much further in that direction. office in 1994 amidst the chaos caused What this liberal economic agenda by the disintegration of the Soviet would mean for a country like Belarus Union. would not be Swedish-style living It need hardly be said that the result standards and social security - that is is highly implausible. If anything, it for the birds. Rather, Belarus would was probably the other way round. Intimidating riot police be turned into a basket case. It would Indeed, the opposition leader, Svyatlana result in mass migration, mass closure Tsikhanouskaya - now holed up in her as the winner. Membership of the culture and history. Russia and Belarus and carrying an assault rifle, as he flew of nationalised industries and a general Lithuania - says she had won 60%-70% CC, or transitional council, is open to are members of the Collective Security over the protests in his helicopter. A decimation of the working class. of the vote, based on results that had any Belarusian citizen who recognises Treaty Organisation, made up of a man of action. Of course, that does not mean that been “properly counted”. Frankly, if that the presidential election was number of post-Soviet countries, The Belarus president has stated communists stand with the Lukashenko Lukashenko had really won with 80% falsified and is “trusted” by virtue of and formed a union in 1996 that that he was ready for dialogue with regime - it is repressive and anti- and the opposition put 100,000 people being an “authoritative figure”, such promoted greater integration, as well “labour collectives, student collectives democratic to the core. The working on the streets he would not need to beat as a doctor, teacher, business leader, as guaranteeing citizens the right to and farmers”, but not with the leaders class should be organised to overthrow down the protestors in the way he is author or sportsperson - a novel way work and reside freely in both countries of the protests. According to the it. It is just that communists recognise doing, with such a high level of support of approaching things. Interestingly, - almost sounds like the EU’s single Belarusian state news agency, he the real nature of the opposition as in the country as a whole. But in reality CC presidium member Pavel Latushko market. described them as “rogues, who are currently constituted. Lukashenko is deeply unpopular - there has stated that the opposition does not Putin said in an interview last week committing outrages, roaming the The protest against the outcome was almost certainly ballot-rigging on a want to radically change the course of that he had put together a “special police streets and shouting that they want of the March 19 election began as huge, systematic scale. Belarusian foreign policy - “friendly reserve” ready to intervene in Belarus at dialogue” - but “they don’t want any soon as polls closed, with more than The demonstrations have seen and profound” relations with Russia very short notice if the situation “gets dialogue”. He declared that “no-one 10,000 people gathering in the capital. extremely large numbers of riot police need to be maintained, as well a “good out of control” - he is “obliged” to do so from the authorities is sitting down There were smaller gatherings for facing off against lines of protestors working relationship” with the EU in under the two countries’ security treaty with street protestors”. Lukashenko the next few days, then an upsurge on carrying balloons, flowers and 1918 order to act as a “bridge” between the apparently. But, he remarked, that point has painted the protests against his March 25, when approximately 45,000 version red-and-white national flags. east and west. However, Lukashenko “had not yet been reached”, because “on rule as part of a “Nato plot” to carve protestors in Minsk confronted state Demonstrators have laid down on was far from impressed: his prosecutors the whole the situation now is levelling up Belarus, accusing neighbouring forces - until the riot police eventually the road to hold back the riot police, opening a criminal case over the out”. Hypothetically, he added, the countries of beginning a “hybrid war” dispersed them. More than 100 people chanting “Disgrace!” and “Go away!” formation of the CC and called its tipping point would be when “extremist against Belarus and darkly claiming were arrested, including Alexander Others mocked Lukashenko on his leaders in for questioning. elements using political slogans as that Poland has plans to take over a Kozulin, a former government minister 66th birthday, carrying a puppet and Obviously becoming something of a cover cross a certain boundary and “chunk” of its territory, having put the and a candidate against Lukashenko. chanting, “Happy birthday, you rat!” rising star in the west, Tsikhanouskaya start armed robbery, setting fire to cars, military on full combat alert on the He was badly beaten and sentenced to There have been repeated sightings of will address the United Nations security houses, banks, try to seize government country’s western borders. five-and-a-half years imprisonment for armoured personnel carriers in Minsk, council on September 4 via a video link buildings and so forth”. The Russian But, as the old saying goes, just “hooliganism” and “incitement to mass although they have not been deployed at the invitation of Estonia - though at president and Lukashenko are now in because you’re paranoid it doesn’t disorder”. against the crowds of protestors ... yet. this stage it is not clear whether Russia discussions about the refinancing of mean they aren’t out to get you. If they What we have in Belarus right will try to stop her speaking. She will $1 billion of Belarusian debt to Russia could somehow pull it off, the leading now is essentially a classic western- Pro-west then address the Strasbourg-based - the Belarusian rouble having slid imperialist powers would love to do a backed colour revolution - the return Inevitably, the European Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council rapidly amid the political turmoil and Ukraine and prise Belarus away from of the failed Denim Revolution UK, Canada, etc have refused to accept of Europe next week. Previously she uncertainty. the Russian orbit, whether by promoting which followed the 2006 Belarusian the result of the election. The EU told the European parliament’s foreign Maybe in a propaganda stunt, or an internal protests or by various forms of presidential election - jeans being an has imposed sanctions on Belarusian affairs committee that government effort to intimidate the opposition, last economic warfare. Having said that, it is obvious symbol of western culture. officials deemed to be responsible intimidation would not stop the protests week a Russian plane used to transport hard to imagine Vladimir Putin, or any The success or failure this time seems for “violence, repression and election - “We will not relent” and “demand all the leadership of the country’s FSB Russian leader, allowing that to happen. to hinge on the loyalty of the army - if fraud”. Mike Pompeo, Trump’s secretary political prisoners be free”. security service made a trip to Minsk Having Belarus as an ‘associate’ it splits, Lukashenko will probably go. of state, issued a press statement saying The opposition is now waiting for the second time in little more than a member of the EU or even Nato, for Then there is the Russian option. But that the US administration was “deeply nervously for the response of ‘great’ week – conveying the distinct message example, would feel like a direct threat Lukashenko should be careful what he concerned” over the conduct of the Russia, as it is certainly the case that that Lukashenko has the full backing of to Russian state interests. wishes for, as military intervention by election - whilst the president himself Vladimir Putin would dearly like to the Kremlin. Towards the end of a large the Kremlin could lead to a whole host has said that a “terrible situation” was bring the ‘white Russians’ back to anti-government demonstration on Basket case of unintended consequences l unfolding in Belarus. At the beginning the fold of a united motherland - both August 23, Lukashenko was pictured Just as with Ukraine and the Maidan of the week, Estonia, Lithuania and peoples having a very similar language, dressed all in paramilitary-style black protests, it is vitally important to [email protected] Latvia announced travel sanctions on 30 Belarusian officials, with Subscribe Name:______Standing order Lukashenko topping the blacklist. The 6m 1yr Inst. To ______Bank plc ______three Baltic states are now urging the Address:______UK £30/€35 £60/€70 £200/€220 west to take “firmer measures” against Branch address ______Europe £43/€50 £86/€100 £240/€264 ______the Belarusian authorities. Rest of £65/€75 £130/€150 £480/€528 Post code ______Account name ______Meanwhile, rather optimistically, world ______Sort code ______Account No ______Tsikhanouskaya’s campaign team have New UK subscribers offer: created a 600-strong Coordination 3 months for £10 ______Please pay to Weekly Worker, Lloyds A/C No 00744310 sort code 30-99-64, the sum of ______every month*/3 months* Council to facilitate a “transfer of UK subscribers: Pay by standing order and Tel:______until further notice, commencing on ______This replaces any previous order from this account. (*delete) power” - the suggestion being that she Date ______could become “national leader” in a save £12 a year. Minimum £12 every 3 months... but please pay more if you can. Email:______transitional government that would Signed ______Name (PRINT) ______hold power until new elections can be Send a cheque or postal order payable to ‘Weekly Worker’ at: Sub: £/€ ______Address ______held, having already appealed to the Weekly Worker, BCM Box 928, ______‘international community’ to recognise London WC1N 3XX Donation: £/€ ______

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