A paper of Marxist polemic and Marxist unity

Blairites who prefer Johnson n Letters and debate n Palestinian resistance to Corbyn. Hardly a surprise, n Chris Williamson’s stand they were Tories in disguise n Michael Roberts on profit No 1275 November 14 2019 Towards a Communist Party of the European Union £1/€1.10 NOT THE END OF HISTORY weekly 2 November 14 2019 1265 worker LETTERS

flourished under president Jacob Zuma seriously. The applies today. The Weekly pupils in school admissions. No child Letters may have been Keep it up shortened because of might still be a problem, “The meeting Worker can play a major role in rearming should be discriminated against because space. Some names reiterated the alliance’s unwavering I can well understand Jim Cook’s the labour and trade union movement of their parents’ religious beliefs. Faith  may have been changed commitment to fighting corruption … trajectory from revolutionary politics in with a correct revolutionary theory. schools should be stripped of their across the entire state, economy and the form of membership of the Workers The Weekly Worker continues to get ability to discriminate against pupils society at large”. Revolutionary Party to his exit (Letters, better with every new issue. However, in admissions - and against teachers in African Trotskyism What about the workers? Well, October 31). I had a similar experience, there are a few suggestions I would like employment, too. John Smithee rightly notes that the certain (unnamed) “alliance components starting with my joining the Peterborough to make: 3. Abolish the collective worship revolutionary (Trotskyist?) left has very appreciate the historic leadership role of branch of the Revolutionary Socialist  I would like the Weekly Worker to requirement. The law requiring children little presence in the African continent, the working class as the main and most League (better known as the Militant have more, shorter book reviews. The at all maintained schools “on each school and he mentions groups in just four reliable motive force of our revolution”. Tendency) in 1981 to my exit from the Leninist (forerunner of the Weekly day take part in an act of collective countries: Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa So, in view of that, “the meeting also Socialist Party of England and Wales in Worker) usually had three or four short worship” is as ridiculous as it is outdated and Zimbabwe (Letters, October 31). In reiterated the absolute necessity for 2001. book reviews in each edition. I’m sure and unjust. Even in schools with no fact one of the largest African Trotskyist the implementation and therefore I left SPEW after they spiked an Gerry Downing, Tony Greenstein, and religious designation, the worship must groups is the Workers Party in Algeria, compliance with the national minimum article I’d written, where I called for Steve Freeman would be happy to help be “wholly or mainly of a Christian whose leader, Louisa Hanoune, was wage” (my emphasis). In other words, the legalisation of prostitution (SPEW out here? character”. There should be a duty on recently jailed. The Workers Party is part in several sectors of the economy the opposes prostitution from a rightwing,  I would like to see a series of articles schools to ensure that assemblies are of the Lambertist Fourth International, (pitifully inadequate) minimum wage small ‘c’-conservative, point of view). on Antonio Gramsci, giving a genuine respectful and inclusive of all pupils, which is currently in the throes of a legal requirement has simply been As the ‘What we fight for’ column of Marxist analysis of his writings. I’m regardless of their religion or belief, major split, following a rupture in its ignored. But the Political Council the Weekly Worker clearly states: “There currently reading An introduction to including non-belief. The same should French section. And, on the topic of “reaffirmed the firm commitment” exists no real Communist Party today. Antonio Gramsci by George Hoare apply to religious education, which splits, it is worth noting that Trotskyism made in the ANC’s election manifesto to There are many so-called ‘parties’ on and Nathan Sperber. Unfortunately, should be suitably reformed to ensure it in South Africa comprises no less than 11 advance “towards a living wage”. the left. In reality they are confessional it’s written from the perspective of a is never used to indoctrinate or promote organizations, attached to nine separate You might have heard that the sects. Members who disagree with Eurocommunist - the late Stuart Hall. a particular worldview. ‘Fourth Internationals’. SACP at its 2017 congress agreed the prescribed ‘line’ are expected to  I would like to see some articles 4. Promote free speech as a positive John Kelly to go for a “reconfigured alliance”, gag themselves in public. Either that about how robots, lasers, artificial value. A healthy democracy is Author of Contemporary Trotskyism: whereby the Communist Party would or face expulsion.” The legalisation intelligence and automation will affect underpinned by the fundamental human parties, sects and social movements in contest elections under its own name of prostitution was then, and still is, a future society and the world of work. I’m right to free speech. The conflation of Britain (Routledge, 2018) and then take part in a subsequent very important issue for me. Hence my currently also reading Fully automated criticism or mockery of religion with governing coalition - what some hoped disagreement with SPEW over the issue luxury communism by Aaron Bastani. ‘hate speech’ is threatening everyone’s Reconfiguration would be the first stage of the SACP led to me resigning my membership. Unfortunately, it’s written from the right to speak freely. According to a statement from the breaking with the ANC in order to It was only in 2003 that I came across perspective of Paul Mason and Owen 5. End non-stun slaughter. Stop allowing African National Congress’s ‘Alliance genuinely champion the cause of the the CPGB/Weekly Worker website. In Jones. religious considerations to compromise Political Council’, consisting of the ANC working class. Well, this statement 2004 I plucked up the courage to travel to The Weekly Worker is an excellent animal welfare. The religious exemption itself, the South African Communist has a whole section entitled “Alliance London to attend its annual Communist paper. So I say to the production team: that permits certain religious groups to Party, the Congress of South African reconfiguration, organisational renewal University, attending again in 2005. The keep up the good work. slaughter animals without prior stunning Trade Unions and others, it “held a and unity”, but the “reconfiguration” openness to debate - following years of John Smithee should be repealed. Ending unnecessary plenary session” in Johannesburg earlier seems to consist initially of measures keeping my mouth shut as a member Cambridgeshire pain, suffering and distress to animals is this week. like “a targeted common programme to of SPEW - was a revelation. Since then a reasonable justification for restricting The council says that it “reaffirmed unify and strengthen the South African I’ve become a supporter of the CPGB’s Weep religious freedom. the continuing strategic relevance of National Civics Organisation (Sanco)” Marxist unity project. Proudly self-declared anti-imperialist 6. Review laws on assisted dying. the national democratic revolution” and “unifying the South African Student I have recently started selling the president Evo Morales now has The law banning the terminally ill and (NDR), with the Freedom Charter Congress (Cosas) and the Congress of Weekly Worker at the monthly meetings been ousted in Bolivia - also the first people facing intolerable and incurable as its “lodestar”. Of course, in its South African Students (Sasco)”, since of Fenland, Peterborough and King’s ‘indigenous’ occupant of that role. suffering from being helped to end their original form the Freedom Charter was these comparative nonentities are “part Lynn Unite Community branch and This follows a well-rehearsed pattern, lives must be reviewed. The debate over supposed to mark the first, short-lived of the organisational motive forces of Wisbech, March and District Trades as enacted by oligarchical/reactionary assisted dying in the UK is still unduly stage of the two-stage revolution, after the national democratic revolution”. Union Council. I would sell the Weekly forces within other Latin American influenced by religious dogma. A full which, under SACP leadership the More vaguely, “the alliance must Worker at Labour Party meetings, but countries, in varying formulations or review needs to cut through this and working class would quickly overthrow move with the times and thus take into the Corbynistas who control North degree always with the direct, but hidden, reach conclusions based on evidence, capitalism and start to introduce USSR- account the continuously changing East Cambridgeshire CLP rejected my involvement of the USA gangster state. compassion, ethical principles and style ‘socialism’. But now it seems strategic challenges facing our application to rejoin the party. Leftists of the world should learn, respect for patient autonomy. the “motive forces of the national democratic transition”. There will be Over the last 27 years I’d upset the absorb, remain furious, weep! Then 7. End all forms of non-consensual democratic revolution remain essential “further discussions” about a possible Old Guard too many times, starting immediately we must remember how genital cutting. No-one, regardless of age, for the realisation of our national vision new framework “in the various alliance with my support for Militant Labour, Bernie Sanders calls for “political sex or religious or cultural background, of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic components” and the Political Council followed by SPEW, and ending with the revolution”, whilst leaving the should undergo non-therapeutic surgery and prosperous society, underpinned by will then “consider consolidated Socialist Alliance. The Corbynistas want fundamentals of a capitalist economy without their express consent. Religious systematic elimination of inequality”. outcomes” and recommend a position me to cease all my writing of letters to in place. Equally so, we must remember freedom isn’t a licence to violate the All very vague. for adoption some time next year. the Fenland Citizen and the Wisbech what’s coming Corbynism’s way - rights of others. But not to worry: after a quarter The ANC as a whole says it is for Standard/Cambs Times - something I’ve that’s to say, if either of those notionally 8. Outlaw caste discrimination. The of a century the aim is “to move our “building a widest possible worker unity been successfully doing on a regular socialist developments on offer actually next government should ensure there democratic transition on to a second, in general” - so long as it doesn’t go too basis for the last 25 years. Ceasing to stick to their guns; if either of them is appropriate and proportionate radical phase” of the NDR, in order to far, of course. And the Political Council write letters was something I couldn’t continue along any truly liberating legal protection against unlawful “radically reduce the persisting high “reaffirmed its commitment towards agree to. Hence the rejection by the pathways for the “many” with real discrimination because of a person’s levels of inequality, unemployment, the common cause of the struggle of Corbynistas of my application. reductions for the “few”. perceived ‘caste’. poverty and rising social insecurity”. the millions of the people of the world However, as Lenin famously wrote, Meanwhile, Julian Assange 9. End “the advancement of religion” as Now apparently South Africa is going against oppression and exploitation. Our “An ounce of experience is worth a ton languishes in Belmarsh prison at the a charitable purpose. Unlike the relief of to see a “broader social transformation” struggle is about the unity and cohesion of theory.” Lenin was also very fond of whim of US imperialism, de facto poverty, the promotion of good health, in order to “achieve structural economic of our people for an achievement of the Russian proverb, “Life teaches.” I’ve tortured whilst awaiting extradition. “It’s saving lives and protecting the environment, transformation, development and a better world for humanity.” Not learned my lesson. I know when I’m not a messy world!” - as first black American the public benefit of “the advancement of national prosperity”. Personally I can’t just “worker unity” then, but one that wanted. So the Labour Party and I have president Barack Obama said to some of religion” is highly contestable. Removing see the difference between that and what encompasses all classes. parted company for good, even though his critics very recently, doing so with it as a charitable purpose would require was supposed to happen before. In fact, In line with SACP wishes, in the I joined the party aged 18 in 1978 and undiluted perniciousness. religious organisations to demonstrate far from such a course taking place, international field the Political Council was a member until Tony Blair became Bruno Kretzschmar a tangible public benefit under another we have seen the above-quoted “rising “expressed support for the people of leader in 1994. email charitable purpose heading. social insecurity” - in other words, a Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua against Whilst I support the CPGB/Weekly 10. Guarantee secular public services. huge increase in poverty and inequality. imperialist aggression”, not to mention its Worker’s Marxist unity project and Secularism Public services should be provided in Yes, “The official unemployment “solidarity with the people of Palestine, agree wholeheartedly with its call for the The UK today has more religious a secular context, open to all, without figure of 29.1% or 6.73 million the Kurds, Saharawi and Vietnam”. legalisation of all drugs, I disagree with diversity than ever before and, for the discriminating against anyone on unemployed South Africans actively And, to aid this process, it called for “the the Provisional Central Committee’s first time, a non-religious majority. Yet grounds of religion or belief. Where looking for work is a cause for concern reform of the United Nations security current emphasis on Labour Party work. the formal relationship between religion religious organisations join others in for the alliance”. But the alliance is now council” so as to include “the African The PCC should be building the CPGB, and the state has remained more or less delivering public services, they should be going to adopt “a holistic approach that continent on a permanent basis”. not the Labour left. This has not stopped unchanged in the past century. obliged to do so without discriminating involves all stakeholders and seeks to Finally, the Political Council me from selling the Weekly Worker Reform is long overdue. The 11 against their employees; withholding unify a widest possible range of South “congratulated our national rugby team, to Labour Party members in Fenland, policy proposals below would promote services from users on the grounds of Africans to address this crisis”. Not the Springboks, on the World Cup whom I meet at Unite Community a freer, fairer society, where everyone religion or sexuality; or proselytising much working class-based advance victory and our national netball team, branch and trades council meetings. So has common rights and responsibilities when delivering that service. envisaged there then. the Proteas, on winning the African far, my limited experience of selling the regardless of religion or belief. 11. Separate church and state. The No, instead there will be large-scale championship”. But, of course, it also Weekly Worker at these meetings has 1. No more faith schools. Faith schools next government should disestablish “investment for increasing the levels of wants to see the “transformation of been overwhelmingly positive. have a negative impact on social the Church of England and abolish the national production” under capitalism. sports” - to bring together people of all Whilst the failure of SPEW and the cohesion, foster segregation of children automatic right of Anglican bishops But rest assured: “the Alliance Political ethnicities, so that “social cohesion and Socialist Workers Party is a failure of on social, ethnic and religious lines, and to sit in the House of Lords. A national Council reiterated common perspectives national building” can be “deepened”. theory, when it comes to the Labour undermine choice and equality. Children religion which retains archaic and unjust against privatisation of state assets Well, obviously the SACP is really Party and trade union movement, it is from all faith and belief backgrounds privileges is iniquitous to the rest of the and retrenchments in our economy”. doing a good job in the alliance, isn’t more a lack of theory, rather than a failure should be educated together and population. Removing all symbolic and Well, that will make a change from it? Not long to go before we see the of theory. As the late James Callaghan, allowed to develop their own beliefs institutional ties between government the full-scale neoliberal programme of “socialism in South Africa”, towards when he was prime minister in the independently. A pledge not to open any and religion is the only way to ensure privatisation that has been ongoing for which the NDR provides “the shortest 1974-79 Labour government, famously more state-funded faith schools would equal treatment to citizens of all religions the last couple of decades. route”. remarked in 1978 at his Constituency be a tangible first step towards building a and none. And, for those who might think that Gary Mutane Labour Party meeting, it was only the more inclusive and cohesive society. Stephen Evans the corruption and ‘state capture’ that email Militant which took political education 2. End religious discrimination against National Secular Society BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX l 07903 054393 l www.weeklyworker.co.uk l [email protected] weekly worker 1275 November 14 2019 3 PALESTINE

London Communist Forum Sunday November 17, 5pm: Weekly political report from CPGB Wider transformation Provisional Central Committee, followed by open discussion and reading group: study of Abram Leon’s The Jewish question - a Marxist What is the way ahead for the resistance? Lorna Anderson interpretation. This meeting: ‘A biographical sketch of Abram Leon, by Ernest Germain’ (1946). concludes her report-back on a recent visit to Palestine Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. Organised by CPGB: www.cpgb.org.uk and y initial aim was to give (Fida) and the Palestinian National Labour Party Marxists: www.labourpartymarxists.org.uk. readers an impression of Initiative. Whilst all are critical of Mwhat I saw and what I the PA and the Fatah leadership to Radical Anthropology Group heard during my time in Palestine. some degree, many of these groups Tuesday November 19, 6.30pm: Series of talks on social and biological In this concluding article I hope to have something of the status of a anthropology, Daryll Forde seminar room, Anthropology Building, 14 Taviton outline what I have learnt from my tolerated and licensed opposition. Street, off Gordon Square, London WC1. discussions with activists and discuss The PFLP has been the most critical This meeting: ‘Human evolution: where are we now?’ Speaker: Chris Stringer. how they see the way forward. These of the Abbas regime and subject to Organised by Radical Anthropology Group: observations must be, by their very both Israeli and PA repression, but radicalanthropologygroup.org. nature, somewhat limited, but I hope the nature of its opposition to the that other comrades, both within ‘two-state solution’ and its attitude Palestine: from apartheid to justice Palestine and further afield, will towards rapprochement with Hamas Saturday November 16, 10am to 4pm: Conference, stage 2, respond to my report and contribute remains unclear. These groups have Northumbria University, 2 Sandyford Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1. to the necessary discussion amongst an historical base in the West Bank To examine the realities of Israeli apartheid on the ground and discuss Marxists about future perspectives for and can draw on established networks what is driving them. Tickets £8.14. the Middle East. of militants for elections or agitation. Organised by Newcastle Palestine Solidarity Campaign: This international context is central Some of the militants I met www.facebook.com/events/2233441680098436. to any discussion amongst Palestinian were loosely affiliated to these militants about their struggle. On the organisations, either through family or Undercover policing and trade unions one hand, this is a realistic appreciation other local connections, but the depth Saturday November 16, 10.15am to 7.30pm: Conference, University of the wider geopolitical situation: the of their ideological commitment to the of Greenwich, Stephen Lawrence Building, Park Row, London historical and contemporary role of stated positions of, say, the DFLP, was SE10. Exposing the political policing of trade unions and progressive the great powers in the Middle East less than clear. What brought these movements. Registration free. and the strong grip of the Israeli state militants together was their opposition Organised by Police Spies Out Of Lives: upon the West Bank. On the other, to the status quo - both the occupation www.facebook.com/events/474999329994353. it reflects an understandable sense and the PA (which many saw as the of isolation and weakness amongst same thing) and their activity in The big socialist weekender many Palestinians. The role of the the various protests and ‘popular Saturday November 16, 11.30am to Sunday November 17, 4pm: Arab states and the collaboration of resistance’ against settlements and Conference, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London the Palestine Liberation Organisation the Wall. They are organising local WC1. Debate, culture and workshops for students and young workers. leadership and Palestinian Authority Unequal contest committees and linking up various Entrance £16.76 (£11.37). (PA) in containing the revolutionary districts to generalise their struggles. Organised by Socialist Workers Party: struggle reinforce these moods and home: their central task is to build a However, whilst it is clear what www.facebook.com/events/699298027147691. encourage the hope that either forms movement based on a revolutionary they are against, they have yet to of diplomatic manoeuvre or direct programme that challenges both develop a positive programme of Solidarity with the Kurdish people Saturday November 16, 2pm: Public meeting, Quaker House, international solidarity can break the the occupation and the existing their own. At this stage the focus is 74 Mutley Plain, Plymouth PL4. With Mayer Wakefield (Stop the War deadlock. Palestinian leadership. on ‘action’ and forms of protest that Coalition) plus Plymouth Kurdish community speakers. There are few illusions that the As my previous articles have draw on the model of the first intifada. Organised by Plymouth Stop the War: United States - even under the most indicated, there is plenty of raw These activists correctly see that those www.facebook.com/groups/141963062489638. ‘liberal’ of Democratic presidents material and discontent to draw forms of mass action and deep-rooted - will shift its strategy away from upon. The PA is a ‘failed state’. The resistance posed a real challenge Save London Overground ticket offices support for Israel. However, there is leadership under Mahmoud Abbas to Israel’s occupation in the late Wednesday November 20, 9am: Demonstration, City Hall, Queen’s a belief that some European states survives through a combination 1980s. They can see how the strength Walk, London SE1. Stop London Overground slashing ticket office might be induced, through internal of clientelism, cronyism and the of that uprising was turned back hours by 80%. These cuts threaten the safety of staff and passengers. political campaigns, to support the repression of opposition. It is a against the Palestinian masses by the Organised by RMT: www.rmt.org.uk/news/events. Palestinian cause and apply some partner in the occupation, acting as collaboration of the PLO leadership form of moral persuasion on the a mediator between, on the one side, with Israel during the peace process. Stop privatisation of GP services ‘international community’. Hence American imperialism and the Israeli Above all they can see the endless Thursday November 21, 2pm: Protest, Newby Place GP surgery, 21 the hopes invested in Jeremy Corbyn, state and, on the other, the Palestinian cul-de-sac that Oslo has produced. Newby Place, Poplar, London E14. Protest against privatisation of GP seen as the most pro-Palestinian population, through the distribution As long as this ‘stable instability’ of services. Stop private companies creaming off the fittest NHS patients. political leader in Europe, and the of aid, the management of economic occupation and repression continues, Organised by Unite the Union London and Eastern: anticipation that his election could resources and maintaining access to so will protests. But, as long as the www.facebook.com/UniteLondonEast. mark the beginning of a decisive political influence in its own hands. PA remains in existence, it too will turn in the attitude of European states Although the Fatah leadership repress and act as a brake on the The working day towards Palestinian rights. promises fresh elections or appears Palestinian struggle. Thursday November 21, 6pm: Capital study session, Jack Jones The calls for boycott, divestment to support ‘popular resistance’ to A programme and an organisation House, 2 Churchill Way, Liverpool L3. and sanctions are central to the occupation, these are simply for real revolutionary struggle can Organised by Merseyside Socialist Theory Study Group: this diplomatic strategy. These responses to pressure and blatant emerge from these currents if the [email protected]. demands provide a focus for attempts to manage growing calls for experiences of the past 30 years of Palestinian solidarity movements change and real action. the peace process and the failures of Merseyside Marxist books to apply pressure on governments the existing Palestinian left are fully Saturday November 23, 11am to 4pm: Bookfair, The Casa, 29 Hope internationally by mobilising Opposition explored and discussed. Central to Street, Liverpool L1. Find out more about Marxism and Marxist ideas. support for the campaign and, of The PA is preparing for life after Abbas building these new revolutionary Stalls and workshops, admission free. course, such international protest is and it is already evident that a younger politics is to look beyond the West Organised by Merseyside Marxist book fair: important in drawing attention to generation of Fatah politicians is Bank and to see how the struggles merseysidemarxistbookfair.weebly.com. the occupation and the demands for being lined up to step into the old against the PA and the Israeli Palestinian self-determination. From guard’s shoes. Whilst refreshing the occupation are intimately connected Don’t attack Iran my own experience, the visits by line-up at the top, and making radical to other movements and dynamics Wednesday November 27, 7pm: Public meeting, St Helens church, ‘internationals’ to Palestine and social speeches pledging that the struggle in Israel and throughout the Middle St Helens Gardens, North Kensington, London W10. Say no to Donald media coverage of protests in other will continue until final victory, may East. If a ‘two-state solution’ is Trump’s escalation of conflict with Iran. countries are genuinely welcomed as buy some more, albeit limited, time impossible, a ‘one-state solution’ is Organised by Stop the War Coalition: tangible signs of support. Direct links for the leadership, the fundamental equally utopian. www.stopwar.org.uk/index.php/events/local-stop-the-war-events. of this type between the international contradictions and instabilities in the The Palestinian revolution can workers’ movement and activists in PA remain. For younger militants the only ultimately succeed as part of a Global strike 4 climate Palestine represent real solidarity, ‘two-state solution’ is dead: it has wider revolutionary transformation Friday November 29, 11am: UK-wide (and global) student and school based on common interests and failed to deliver either a sustainable of the Middle East and the Arab student demonstrations. Take direct action on the climate crisis and joint action in struggle rather than economic ‘peace dividend’ or a viable world. Despite the apparent strength ecological catastrophe - system change, not climate change! humanitarian gestures or diplomatic Palestinian state, free from occupation. of the United States and its Israeli Organised by UK Student Climate Network: calculations. It can only survive as an oligarchy allies and the disarray of the forces www.facebook.com/pg/UKSCN/events. It is important that this type of beholden to Israel and propped up by in opposition to imperialism, the solidarity, which links struggles aid from capitalist states. However, if future of the region remains one of From Balfour to Banksy globally against the common enemy - there is understandably widespread instability and turmoil. The historical Saturday November 30, 2pm: Film showing, Shere Village Hall, imperialism and capitalism - is clearly cynicism about the Abbas regime, experience of the masses generally Gomshall Lane, Shere GU5. Covers views from occupied Palestine distinguished from the politics of how important is the opposition and throughout the Middle East has and asks what change must come. Producer Miranda Pinch will compromise and capitulation which what does it propose to do about it? been one of struggle and a heroic introduce the film and answer questions. Admission £7.50, including produced the peace process, the Oslo There are a number of ‘left’ and willingness to resist feudal reaction refreshments. accords and the collaborationist PA. opposition parties that are formally and imperialism. Nowhere has this Organised by West Surrey Palestine Solidarity Campaign: In my discussions with activists, these organised and have contested PA been better demonstrated than by the www.villagecinema.org/from-balfour-to-banksy. international dynamics, alongside the elections, such as the Popular Front Palestinian workers and peasants. CPGB wills experience of other struggles, were for the Liberation of Palestine It is only in these traditions and in Remember the CPGB and keep the struggle going. Put our party’s name eagerly followed and increasingly (PFLP), the Democratic Front for this revolutionary programme that a and address, together with the amount you wish to leave, in your will. understood. Above all, for many the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), way ahead can be found for the next, If you need further help, do not hesitate to contact us. Palestinian militants, as for all the Palestinian People’s Party, the emerging phase of the Palestinian revolutionaries, the real enemy is at Palestinian Democratic Union struggle l weekly 4 November 14 2019 1265 worker LABOUR Former ministers show true colours Blairites are really Tories in disguise. If we are going to transform the Labour Party we must get rid of the lot of them, writes Eddie Ford here can be little doubt that for many on the Labour right T getting rid of Jeremy Corbyn takes priority over beating the Tories or winning an election. They were dismayed when Labour did unexpectedly well in the 2015 Oldham West and Royton by-election with a 7.3% swing, and then when Jeremy Corbyn out-performed expectations in the 2017 general election - both times thinking this was going to be a golden opportunity to stage a coup against him. Being a member of the Labour right must be very frustrating at times. With the December 12 election campaign up and running (and the result anyone’s guess), sections of the Labour right - including those now in exile - are once again actively trying to sabotage the party’s election chances. First off the blocks was Ian Austin, a former minister under Gordon Brown, and an independent MP since February (he had refused to join the newly formed Independent Group, as it was anti- Brexit and wanted another referendum). Outlining his reasons for leaving at the time, he apparently “could not stand by, as the Labour Party has been poisoned by racism, extremism and intolerance” under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership - which sounds exactly like the Labour leader, doesn’t it? Clearly Corbyn is a foaming racist. Even though Austin is They prefer Johnson to Corbyn not a party member any more, naturally enough he remains a member of Labour echoed by John Woodcock, the former Scottish National Party. And - would Of course, Brexit complicates on one level, given the trumped-up Friends of Israel. Indeed, in July he Labour MP for Barrow and Furness, a you believe it? - both Harris and the issue. There is a minority of the charges and crap thrown at him by was appointed ‘prime ministerial trade shadow minister under Ed Miliband - McCann are LFI members as well. Labour right - and the establishment the party bureaucracy, which must be envoy’ to Israel by Theresa May - nice remember him? - and now a member of Which, for the suspiciously-minded, as a whole - that is prepared to put up an appalling personal experience, his work if you can get it. The Independents groupuscule, which might look like a pattern. with a Corbyn-led government, as decision to stand as an independent Anyhow, last week Austin is not a registered political party (the The joint attack on Corbyn by least for the time being, if that acts as a candidate for Derby North in the announced he would not be standing other member being Gavin Shuker - Austin and Woodcock came on step towards the cancellation of Brexit general election is thoroughly at the general election in his West previously part of Change UK, which the very day the Jewish Chronicle through a second referendum or some misguided - if not disastrous. There Midlands constituency - telling the after a comical legal dispute became published a front page urging “non- other means. But the overwhelming is a strong likelihood that Williamson BBC’s Today programme, which no The Independent Group for Change). Jews” not to vote for Jeremy Corbyn, majority are irredeemably hostile to could split the vote and let the Tory doubt was delighted, that Corbyn Woodcock’s only claim to fame, such as citing an unsourced poll that 87% the Labour leader, who is deemed by candidate win - after all, he only won was “completely unfit” to lead either it is, was being suspended and having of British Jews believe the Labour the establishment to be completely by a majority of 2,015 in the last the party or the country. Instead he the whip withdrawn in 2018 following leader is an “anti-Semite” and 47% unreliable, given his past record of election. What would be the point of recommended that Labour supporters allegations of sexual harassment - it was would “seriously consider” leaving opposition to war and imperialism. that? should vote instead for Boris Johnson, claimed that he sent “inappropriate” the country if Corbyn wins on In this context, the resignation of More importantly still, any Labour who obviously is superbly fit to run text and other messages to a former December 12.2 Yes, a minority of Tom Watson is interesting. The former member seen campaigning for him - or both the country and the Tory Party. employee, refusing to cooperate with Jews, along with a similar proportion deputy leader said in a letter to Corbyn supporting his candidacy in any way - Expounding on this theme, Austin the Labour Party investigation on of the population as a whole, will that his decision to quit was “personal, will be expelled, meaning that valuable said - or ranted - that Corbyn “always the grounds that it was “politically have been taken in by the scurrilous not political”. The fact that he had comrades will be lost, when they picks our country’s enemies, whether motivated”. What a terrible thought. It ‘anti-Semitism’ campaign directed become “healthy for the first time” should be part of the ongoing fight that’s the IRA during the troubles, or almost also goes without saying that he against Labour, but who seriously had “transformed” his life after he lost for positive change in the party. The describing Hamas and Hezbollah as too is a member of Labour Friends of believes that almost half of them seven stone and reversed his type-2 place for all socialists and partisans his friends” - not to mention “parroting Israel. would actually react so absurdly to a diabetes - now he wants to become a of the working class is in the Labour Putin’s propaganda, when the Russians Like Ian Austin, Woodcock said Labour victory? full-time “advocate” for healthy eating Party, especially given that we are sent hit-men to murder people on the Labour supporters had to “face up” to We are informed by the paper that and exercise, and will perhaps even in the midst of a civil war. If we see streets of Britain”. the choice between Jeremy Corbyn or “throughout his career” Corbyn “has retrain as a fitness instructor. This is all the election of a government led by In fact, the Labour leader’s crimes Boris Johnson - no contest for most allied with and supported anti-Semites, complete nonsense, of course. Watson Jeremy Corbyn - not an impossibility are even worse than that: “Most readers of this publication. But for such as Paul Eisen, Stephen Sizer and jumped before he was pushed. - that would greatly intensify the civil shamefully of all for a party that’s got a Woodcock the party was “no longer the Raed Salah” - having “laid a wreath to This shows that there is still war, not only in the party, but beyond. proud record of fighting for equality and broad church it has always been”, but honour terrorists who have murdered everything to play for in the Labour As the sudden departure of Tom opposing racism,” Austin remarked, rather had been “taken over by the hard Jews”. Even worse, we read, “he has Party - good riddance to deputy leader Watson demonstrates, the balance of Jeremy Corbyn has corrupted the party left”, thanks to Corbyn’s leadership. insulted ‘Zionists’ - the word used by and the ‘vote Tory’ gang. But this is power on the NEC and in the party as with - you guessed it - “anti-Jewish Speaking in Westminster, he went on to anti-Semites when they mean ‘Jew’, precisely why many on the right were a whole could change very quickly in a racism”, which hits you in the face say that “we have arrived in a campaign because they think it allows them to get appalled by Watson’s move, thinking he leftwing direction. every time you go to a Labour meeting where one of two people are going to be away with it - as lacking understanding has deserted the field of battle. In many Hence we need comrades like Chris anywhere in the country. Or so we are prime minister” - therefore “the choice” of ‘English irony’”. In this complete ways they are correct, especially as it is Williamson inside the party to take full led to believe by the anti-Corbyn right. he thought we should take was to “keep reversal of reality the Jewish Chronicle more than likely that a Corbynite of some advantage of such movement, perhaps Not to mention the entire bourgeois Jeremy Corbyn away from Downing shamelessly decontextualises the facts. description will be his replacement. by standing for a position on the NEC media. Street” and to “stop him getting his It also laments that, “instead of listening David Blunkett, for instance, now a peer against Momentum’s Jon Lansman Austin, the MP for Dudley North, hands on the levers of national security to and learning from mainstream Jewish for services rendered, wants the right to - who has played a shameful role by also gave his outstanding local and defence”. Boris is the man for the bodies [sic] such as the Board of Deputies “stay and fight” to ensure that “reason” supporting the witch-hunt against newspaper, the Express & Star, a recent job. and Jewish Leadership Council, Mr prevails - as opposed to the radical Williamson and others like Jackie lead story, which went into great detail Two former Labour MPs and Corbyn has treated them and their left’s “irrational views” on security Walker, Ken Livingstone and Marc about a “millionaire who left girlfriend ministers have also openly backed recommendations with contempt”. and international issues, which makes Wadsworth. to die after ‘rough sex session’”. So now the Tories - Tom Harris and Michael Unfortunately, the exact opposite him “despair”. Then again, in the same The aim must be to transform Labour the paper’s readers who are “decent, McCann. The former used to be the is the case. Right from the very article for The Daily Telegraph, he says into a genuine party of the working patriotic Labour voters” had no choice MP for Glasgow South and is now a beginning of the ‘Anti-Zionism equals the party is rife with “anti-Semitism” class, open to all tendencies within the but to vote for the Tories. In response, columnist for The Daily Telegraph, anti-Semitism’ slander campaign, and “thuggery” - which makes you workers’ movement. Yet, by leaving the an outraged Rebecca Long-Bailey, the which about says it all, and is Jeremy Corbyn has conceded far too wonder why anybody would want to party, Chris Williamson is effectively shadow business secretary, declared strongly pro-Brexit - he also claims much ground to these reactionary vote for such a party unless they were leaving the main field of battle l that Corbyn is “a patriot, as we all are to own every issue of the Doctor Who organisations - pathetically believing an anti-Semite or thug themself. With within the Labour Party” and “we are Magazine and adamantly opposed a that appeasement would make the ‘supporters’ like Blunkett, why does the [email protected] very proud of our country”. That is female actor playing the role, saying accusations and lies go away. The plan Labour Party need enemies? certainly hard to disagree with even “Keep your hands off the Doctor’s failed. And you can see why the Labour At this point it is worth mentioning Notes under Corbyn’s leadership: Labour has genitalia”1. McCann was the MP right are avid readers of the JC, nakedly Chris Williamson as an object lesson 1. www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/02/16/doctor- provides-plenty-female-role-models-keep-hands- always loyally served the interests of for East Kilbride, Strathaven and weaponising “anti-Semitism” to attack in how not to transform the Labour doctors. the British state. Lesmahagow and lost his seat in 2015 and undermine Jeremy Corbyn, and the Party, or conduct political struggle 2. www.thejc.com/comment/leaders/to-all-our- Austin’s comments were quickly as part of the landslide victory for the left in general. in general. Though understandable fellow-british-citizens-1.491812. weekly worker 1275 November 14 2019 5 ELECTION Socialists should support Williamson The left is not obliged to abide by rules which the right holds in such contempt, argues Tony Greenstein ith the unexpected victory Sedley, a Jewish former court of such predictions was “to counter The Tories have gone easy on Jennie Formby’s apparatchiks simply of Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 appeal judge, wrote that the IHRA the ensuing demoralisation of Corbyn and his comrades to date resuspended Chris, anticipating the the question of whether “fails the first test of any definition: those who thought that a Corbyn- for the transparently obvious verdict. W 3 socialists should be inside or outside it is indefinite”. Hugh Tomlinson led Labour government was the reason that they want to keep them In a situation where the Labour the Labour Party was settled amongst QC declared that the IHRA has “a ‘big prize’”, made no sense. If you in charge of Labour. In an election, right show a complete and total the socialist left - with the exception potential chilling effect on public thought a Corbyn government was they would tear them to pieces ... disregard for even the most basic rules of the Socialist Workers Party and the bodies, which … may seek to sanction possible, I argued, why dampen down Will there be 150, 125, 100 Labour of natural justice, it takes a particular Socialist Party (and even in the latter or prohibit any conduct which has people’s expectations? It was “a non- MPs by the end of the flaying? My form of legal cretinism to suggest that there was some dissent). been labelled by third parties as anti- sequitur”.8 To which Jack replied: advice is to think of a number then the Labour left should abide by the However, people are in danger Semitic without applying any clear “Comrade Greenstein criticises us for halve it.12 very same rules that our opponents of mistaking what is a question of criterion of assessment”.4 taking opinion polls seriously. OK, if observe in the breach. We are in a tactics for one of principle. There is Geoffrey Robertson QC bluntly he has another, better, more accurate war, comrades, and in war there are no automatic reason why socialists described the IHRA ‘definition’ as method of judging the public mood Finishing touches no rules. should operate inside the Labour Party. “unfit for purpose”.5 Even the person outside a general election, he ought to We may well see the culmination Chris Williamson’s decision to If, as has happened in other European who drafted it, American academic let us into the secret.”9 of Corbyn’s refusal to call out the stand in Derby North is a brave countries (for example, France), Kenneth Stern, has described it as My response was: anti-Semitism smear campaign for decision. Of course, it is unlikely that the working class should abandon having become “a tool to target or what it is, coupled with his failure he will win, but he will probably gain the party of social democracy, there chill speech”.6 It should be clear that If we don’t understand the to take a clear stance in opposition a respectable enough vote to make it would be no question of socialists the anti-Semitism smear campaign movement that has grown up to Brexit. Instead of temporising, clear that the right cannot simply tear clinging to the rotten corpse of New was not based on logic. It had become around Corbyn, then we will not apologising and promising to do up Labour’s rule book when it suits Labour. a crucial part of ruling class ideology, understand its strengths and its better, he should have nailed this them. The allegiance of the trade unions possessing a material and social weaknesses … [Opinion polls] fake and false anti-racism for what In a calculated insult the NEC has - in practice the trade union leadership weight of its own. reflect the volume of propaganda it is: support for the world’s most imposed a Labour First candidate, - would be an important, but not The reason for this attack was not that is directed at the populace. racist state and its barbaric backer Tony Tinley, on the Constituency decisive, factor. In the United States hard to find. Corbyn came to power These polls were skin-deep ... in Donald Trump. Labour Party.16 We should demand the majority of unions support the on a wave of popularity amongst all there was a built-in assumption Instead we have had an ever that the right should not split the Democrats, but this does not mean that sections of the labour movement. His that young people who were increasing witch-hunt since the Labour vote and withdraw him. Chris socialists should embed themselves opponents fooled themselves into overwhelmingly pro-Corbyn adoption of the IHRA. There is no Williamson is the Labour man and the in what is an openly bourgeois party believing that the Labour Party had would not vote. Of course, one longer any pretence that anti-Semitism only reason that he is not the official - although tactically again they may been the subject of a mass Trotskyist doesn’t ignore them, but nor is the problem: the expression of even candidate is because of the right’s choose to operate within it. takeover, that those who had entered should one live by them either.10 mildly critical views of Israel can disregard for basic democracy. I make these points because the after 2015 were unrepresentative of render you a target. At the same time It is no surprise that the Morning deselection of Chris Williamson has anyone but themselves. On my blog I had predicted that there is a total abandonment of any Star, which has the strongest links on thrown them into sharp relief. What has Corbyn could even win outright and criticism of Zionism and the Israeli the left to the working class and trade happened to Chris has raised questions Predictions certainly a hung parliament was a state. We have the absurdity of John unions, has come out in his support about the whole Corbyn project and Anyone who watched the BBC probability.11 Mann, the ‘anti-Semitism tsar’, being and run Chris’s excellent article. In where it is heading. We have seen, documentary, in 2017, Labour: the Today we are in a different situation interviewed by the police for a rabidly an echo of Tony Benn’s statement as I predicted three years ago with summer that changed everything, will and I am doubtful that Corbyn can racist, anti-gypsy booklet, yet being that he resigned from parliament to Jon Lansman’s coup in Momentum, remember the shocked countenances repeat what he did. Today the election left untouched by Labour general spend more time on politics, Chris an increasing differentiation within of rightwing Labour MPs, as it is much harder to predict. The wind secretary Jennie Formby.13 tells us that he “resigned from Labour the Corbyn left - such that Lansman became clear that, far from heading has gone out of the sails of the Corbyn Momentum and the left removed to spend more time fighting for and his acolytes can no longer be towards a Michael Foot-style defeat, movement. The movement itself is the hated Iain McNicol, yet Formby socialism”.17 That seems to be a pretty considered part of it, even if they have Corbyn had actually increased divided and demoralised. If I were has become transformed into a far good reason for me. not broken formally with him yet. Labour’s number of seats by 30 and to hazard a guess, then the choice more deadly version. The targeting Comrades should not allow their There is also a danger in this period achieved the biggest swing to Labour will be between a majority Tory of Chris Williamson by the Labour thinking to mimic that of a train that socialists within the Labour since 1945. government and a hung parliament at right, the Zionists and the ruling class which is constrained by the tracks Party will adopt fixed positions and, Lucy Powell was “seen gasping … best. My preference is for the latter, has put the finishing touches to this from changing direction. We are free instead of thinking strategically ‘Oh my God ... that’s unbelievable. but I fear the former. I also fear that campaign. The one socialist MP who to get off, to reassess our position and about the position of the left, will Oh my God. That’s [a] 30-seats many people are going to wake up has dared to stand up to the anti- our tactics, because we are waging simply subordinate their thinking to gain’, … as BBC anchor David disappointed on what is going to be Semitism smears has been branded a war. Abiding by the rules that our fixed formulae, without assessing Dimbleby announces that Theresa an unlucky Friday December 13. a “Jew baiter” and “anti-Semite” opponents have such blatant disregard the overall position where we find May appeared to have squandered But in 2017 the ruling class not only by the Labour right, but by for is not the road the socialism. ourselves. her parliamentary majority.” Stephen was taken by surprise. They were Lansman and his cohorts. Not one Socialists should go up to Derby In the past four years the ruling Kinnock was famously shown intoxicated by their own rhetoric. single Campaign Group MP - not and give Chris Williamson their full class has waged a bitter and unending looking totally stunned, as his wife The most extreme expression of this even Dennis Skinner - has protested. support l war against the left in the Labour advised him to say nothing until he was given by that court jester to the Corbyn himself has not dared open Party, using ‘anti-Semitism’ as its had collected his thoughts.7 British establishment, Nick Cohen, his mouth in support of his comrade. Notes primary weapon. ‘Anti-Semite’ has Of course, the reaction of New who advised us: Instead we had the obscenity of John 1. https://labourlist.org/2019/03/siobhain- replaced the taunt of ‘communist’ - Labour MPs was completely McDonnell laughing and joking with mcdonagh-links-anti-capitalism-to-antisemitism- almost literally at times. In the words understandable. They had Alistair Campbell, whilst reassuring in-labour. 14 2. ‘Will Britain’s new definition of anti-Semitism of one of the more stupid New Labour been looking forward to him that “all is forgiven”. help Jewish people? I’m sceptical’ The Guardian MPs, Siobhain McDonagh, if you are the electorate doing what The high court decision made it December 28 2016 (www.theguardian.com/ anti-capitalist you are anti-Semitic, on they had been unable clear that the suspension of Chris commentisfree/2016/dec/28/britain-definition- the basis that all Jews are capitalists!1 to achieve with Owen was unlawful.15 But, when the NEC antisemitism-british-jews-jewish-people). 3. ‘Defining anti-Semitism’ London Review of Contrary to the belief of many, if not Smith’s full-frontal panel came to the ‘wrong’ decision, Books May 2017: www.lrb.co.uk/v39/n09/stephen- most, on the Labour left, the battle charge at Corbyn in the leadership simply repeated the sedley/defining-anti-semitism. around the International Holocaust 2016. It was a severe exercise. Even the bourgeois courts 4. https://freespeechonisrael.org.uk/ihra- Remembrance Alliance and ‘anti- disappointment. found that impossible to uphold, but opinion/#sthash.3vEkSPWu.dpbs. 5. https://freespeechonisrael.org.uk/wp-content/ Semitism’ has never been about Jews, And it was not uploads/2018/08/Geofrey-Robinson-QC-opinion- but capitalism - and in particular only a surprise on-IHRA.pdf. the Atlanticist foreign policy of the to Corbyn’s Echoing Tony Benn 6. Written testimony of Kenneth Stern to the House British state, of which Israel is the opponents. After saying he’s resigned of Representatives, November 7 2017: https://docs. visible symbol. the 2017 election house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20171107/106610/ to spend more time HHRG-115-JU00-Wstate-SternK-20171107.pdf. That is part of the reason why the I argued that the 7. The Independent November 20 2017: formation of Jewish Voice for Labour CPGB’s theses and on politics, Chris www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ - although a good idea in itself - has the admission of Jack jeremy-corbyn-general-election-labour-mps- Williamson claims he reaction-results-video-theresa-may-prime- made no visible impression. It was Conrad that, although minister-a8065796.html. never about Jews. Jews were merely his predictions of has resigned to spend 8. ‘The Corbyn phenomenon’ Weekly Worker July the alibi: the metonym for the interests an increased Tory 6 2017. of capitalism. majority were wrong, more time fighting for 9. Letters Weekly Worker July 13 2017. socialism - is this an 10. Letters Weekly Worker July 27 2017. That is why the whole ‘anti- the purpose of making 11. http://azvsas.blogspot.com/2017/04/labour-can- Semitism’ moral panic has taken on example to follow? win-if-corbyn-is-bold-key.html; and http://azvsas. the form of a McCarthyist witch- blogspot.com/2017/06/general-election-is-labour- hunt. And why, when a whole series on-threshold.html. 12. ‘ Don’t tell me you weren’t warned about of academic and legal scholars Corbyn’ The Observer March 19 2017. criticised the IHRA ‘definition’ 13. https://skwawkbox.org/2017/08/27/moderate- of anti-Semitism, it still sailed labour-mp-interviewed-by-police-over-hate- through Labour’s national executive incident-pamphlet. 14. ‘Labour should have a female leader if Jeremy committee. It was backed by the mass Corbyn loses next election’ GQ Magazine October ranks of the bourgeois press. 11 2019; https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/politics/ Professor David Feldman, vice- article/john-mcdonnell-brexit-interview-2019. chair of the Chakrabarti enquiry and 15. www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/10/10/ dont-let-the-media-fool-you-chris-williamson-got- director of the Pears Institute for the a-big-win-in-the-high-court-today. Study of Anti-Semitism, described 16. https://labourlist.org/2019/11/unite-regional- the definition as “bewilderingly officer-chosen-to-replace-chris-williamson. imprecise”,2 while Sir Stephen 17. Morning Star November 8 2019. weekly 6 November 14 2019 1265 worker THEORY Marx’s double-edge law Despite the arguments of David Harvey, writes Michael Roberts, Marx’s law of the tendency of the rate of profit to fall is fundamental in understanding capitalist crises

his year’s Historical Materialism reviewed this book before and wrote Marx’s law is logically valid, hence the absolute magnitude conference in London was a foreword to the new edition.2 And Capitalists are interested empirically supported and even if or mass of the profit produced apparently attended by over Josh Watterton’s work will soon be in one thing: money in large Marx continued to support it in his by it - can therefore grow, and T amounts 850 people, with some 400-plus available too, so I will not go any later years. I will not go over old progressively so, despite the papers presented over three days.1 further in reviewing that session. ground here and you can read these progressive fall in the rate of HM brings together radical and Instead I want to concentrate various issues on my blog in many profit. 6 Marxist academics and activists to on my second session: namely David Harvey rejects the view posts. discuss and debate issues covering the discussion between me and that Marx’s law has much to On this occasion, DH entitled his the spectrum of socialist issues: professor David Harvey. David do with changes in a capitalist presentation ‘Marx’s “double-edged Mass or rate? philosophy, culture, science, Harvey (DH) is one of the world’s economy or is a cause of crises law” of the falling rate of profit He then adds: “this not only can, history and economics. This year’s pre-eminent geographers and a and the rising mass of profit’. He but must be the case”. The same theme was on climate change prolific writer of books and articles kindly sent me an unfinished paper laws “produce both a growing and ‘extinction’. But this article on Marxian economic theory, as of his that outlined the argument absolute mass of profit, which the will concentrate on the Marxian well as on the structure and trends he was going to make. The gist of social capital appropriates, and a economics sessions and, within in modern capitalism. For his latest it was that many Marxists pay too falling rate of profit”. And then that, only those sessions at which view on that, see his book Capital much attention to the rate of profit Marx asks: “How, then should we I presented or attended - and thus and the madness of economic in looking at capitalism and not present this double-edged law of a only scratching the surface. reason. what is happening with the mass decline in the rate of profit, coupled My first presentation was to Over the years, DH and I have of profit. And yet Marx’s law is with a simultaneous increase in the help launch a new revised version debated and discussed issues on double-edged. Marx spells it out in absolute mass of profit arising from of Invisible leviathan, a book by Marx’s law of value and his law of volume 1 of Capital: the same causes?” professor Murray Smith of Brock profitability.3 DH rejects the view Thus DH argues that it is really University, Ontario. Postgraduate that Marx’s law of the tendency of ... despite the enormous the mass of profit and capital that student Josh Watterton also added the rate of profit to fall (LTRPF) decline in the general rate we must look at for an indication some new insights on the empirical has much to do with changes in a of profit … the number of what is happening in a modern work on the US rate of profit too. capitalist economy or as a cause of workers employed by capitalist economy. At the HM Murray Smith’s book is a must-read of crises.4 He has criticised capital - ie, the absolute session, he pointed out examples of for those who want to understand me and others who hold that mass of labour set in motion why mass was more important than Marx’s law of value (the ‘invisible view of being ‘monocausal’ by it, hence the absolute the rate of change in the mass. leviathan’) and get a clear rebuttal - ie, obsessed with one cause, mass of the surplus labour Quantitative easing (an of all the distortions and mistakes when crises are the result a absorbed, appropriated expansion of the mass of money made by Marxists and others about multiplicity of causes.5 He by it, hence the mass of supply) used by central banks since the law since Marx died. I have also thrown doubt on whether surplus value it produces, the end of the global financial crash weekly worker 1275 November 14 2019 7

to save the financial system and when the increase in mass of the mass of profit, investment and there are studies on Sweden, economy booms, but the rate of profit the economy with floods of money profit is not large enough to GDP, as shown in chapter 1 of Germany, Italy, Korea and South falls; then, as we go clockwise, the was one example. Central banks cover the projected increase in the book World in crisis (London Africa. rate of profit eventually slows the were using ‘mass’ rather than rate investment, which is growing 2018), edited by G Carchedi and rise in the mass of profit and then (interest rate). But this had only at a higher rate. The rate of myself. The mass of corporate Too much leads to the fall in investment. At benefited the rich through the stock profit cannot, therefore, fall profits peaks in mid-2006, while In the session, DH brought to our the bottom that triggers a financial and bond markets. indefinitely. Whatever the rate business investment and GDP attention the importance of looking and credit collapse. Then, once the Then there was climate change. of accumulation assumed in follow 18 months later. The mass of at the mass or size of things and costs of capital and labour have So large had annual carbon the model, the rate of profit profits starts to recover at the end of not just the rate of change. That been reduced through the laying off emissions reached (over 400 parts eventually declines to a level at 2008, but the great recession only is undoubtedly useful. But I think of labour, merging companies and per million) that the rate of increase which the mass of surplus value ends in mid-2009, when investment his purpose was also to weaken liquidating weak ones, the survivors was increasingly irrelevant; the is not great enough to sustain and GDP recover. Profits lead belief in the role of Marx’s law of can start the process again, as the damage was already done and that rate of accumulation.8 investment, and the rate of profit profitability and its relevance to rate and mass of profit rises again. cutting back the mass was now the leads the mass. crises. By bringing up the double- DH rejects Marx’s law of issue. It was this mechanism, which he And in every US recession since edge law, it seems to me, DH was profitability as the underlying cause On the economic front, DH saw as intrinsic to the process of the war it is broadly the same. saying that a rising mass of profit, of crises in favour of what he has pointed out that world gross capital accumulation, that Grossman The rate of profit falls before each capital stock or GDP is the problem. called a multiplicity of causes. domestic product had doubled in regarded as “the decisively recession from a peak by between And thus the problem for capitalism He accuses those who focus on real terms every 25 years and so important” factor in Marx’s theory 6% and 20% and the (growth) in is not insufficient profit due to a Marx’s rate of profit law as being even slow growth in GDP was less of economic crisis and breakdown.9 the mass of profit then drops by falling rate, but too much surplus “monocausal”. But he finds it important to analyse than the sheer Grossman spent a large part of 5%-12%. The mass of profits may due to rising mass. How we are difficult to refute the empirical size of annual output and use of his masterpiece creating tables not go negative (although it did going to absorb or cope with ‘too evidence of a falling rate of profit. resources. China was now sucking showing how the rate and mass of before the great recession), but much’ is the problem. So now he has moved the goalposts up the world’s natural resources profit affect each other and so ended it slows considerably, causing an This connects with DH’s view from the rate to the mass. But fast and producing cement at up with a crisis based on insufficient investment strike by capital. that crises under capitalism arise shifting the goalposts just leaves us astronomical levels - not because profit to sustain further investment. This is not really surprising. If because of too much capital or profit with a new goal to score in. it was growing fast (growth is Fig 1 gives you a simple arithmetic company managements see their relative to the ability of consumers Marx’s double-edge law is slowing) but because China was version from myself. profits or earnings slowing, they to use it. Indeed, DH argues that not a refutation of the law of now so large (mass). it is consumer confidence and the profitability as the underlying cause These were very imaginative Fig 1 Rate and mass level of consumption that matters in of crises: on the contrary, it is the insights by DH. But, disconcertingly triggering crises, not the rate or level foundation. And alternative causes for me, he made no further Big ($) Small ($) Total ($) RCP % Chg ($) of profits and investment. But the (like underconsumption, ‘too much explanation of this theme in relation y1 100 10 110 10 evidence on that does not support surplus to absorb’, disproportion, to Marx’s law of profitability y2 110 11 121 5 11 DH’s thesis, as I have shown before. financial fragility, etc) remain (LTRPF) or, for that matter, the Y3 115.5 11.6 127.1 2.5 6.1 In every US recession since 1945, unconvincing and unproven in l double-edged nature of Marx’s law, Y4 118.4 11.8 130.2 1 3.2 it has not been a fall in household comparison as expressed above. I had prepared consumption levels that has emerged 119.6 a detailed response to the arguments Y5 12 131.5 0.5 1.3 before a slump, but a fall in business Michael Roberts blogs at in his paper, most of which he had Y6 120.2 12 132.2 0.2 0.7 investment levels. Consumption https://thenextrecession.wordpress.com not mentioned in his address. But Y7 120.4 12 132.5 0.2 0.3 may be 70% of US GDP on official I decided to plough on regardless Y8 120.7 12.1 132.7 0.1 0.3 accounts (it is actually much less), Y9 120.8 12.1 132.8 0.1 Notes and try to answer his new critique but it is the 15%-20% of GDP 1. www.historicalmaterialism.org/sites/default/ of what I called the work of ‘we in capital investment that is the files/2019-11/HM_2019.pdf. falling-rate-of-profit boys and girls’ Here we have two capitals - one reduce their investment expansion swing factor in causing slumps. 2. https://thenextrecession.wordpress. (and there are girls). ‘Big’ ($100) and one ‘Small’ ($10). and employment hiring and even Consumption hardly drops - because com/2019/04/06/invisible-leviathan-marxs-law-of- value-in-the-twilight-of-capitalism. As Marx explained and DH The whole economy totals 100+10 reverse it. households have to go on paying for 3. See https://thenextrecession.wordpress. quoted, the LTRPF has a double = 110. There is an average rate of Indeed, we ‘falling-rate-of-profit energy, food and basics, running up com/2017/09/23/capital-150-part-two-the- edge. As the rate of profit falls in profit that applies to both capitals. boys and girls’ have been well debts and running down savings. economic-reason-for-madness. a capitalist economy, it is perfectly I start this at 10% and reduce it aware of Marx’s double-edge law, It was argued from the floor in the 4. https://thenextrecession.wordpress. com/2016/08/09/the-great-financial-meltdown. possible - indeed likely - that in each following year. The rate even if DH has only just discovered debate that consumption has stayed 5. https://thenextrecession.wordpress. the mass of profit will rise. It is of profit falls, but the mass of its importance. For example, in our up because households borrowed com/2015/04/02/david-harvey-on-monocauses- arithmetical really: a falling rate profit (the profit for big and small World in crisis book, in one chapter, (particularly mortgages for housing) multicauses-and-metaphors. still implies a rising mass. But a capitals combined) rises each year. Jose Tapia from Drexel University in the neoliberal period, and, when 6. https://thenextrecession.wordpress. com/2018/04/02/marxs-law-of-value-a-debate- double edge cuts both ways. As So that by year 9 the mass of profit shows the close connection between that borrowing got too high, then between-david-harvey-and-michael-roberts. Marx goes on to explain in volume is $132.8 compared to $100 at the the changes in the mass of US the house of cards collapsed and 7. www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1894-c3/ 3 of Capital (chapter 13), start of year 1. But note that the corporate profits and investment, this caused the great recession. This ch13.htm?fbclid=IwAR1MQiowpPpii5mdO4fPm rise in the mass of profit is falling leading to successive crises. As thesis was expounded by several WDnu9lhhqOfapbOQBCIyz2Xfh8n_5syYD9oIxY. 8. H Grossman The law of accumulation and breakdown The two movements not only towards zero. Indeed, the growth Tapia concludes from his empirical post-Keynesians and mainstream of the capitalist system (1929); The change in the original go hand in hand, but mutually in profits for the small capital in analysis, economists like Mian and Sufi in plan for Marx’s ‘Capital’ and its causes (1932). influence one another and absolute dollars is infinitesimal by their book, House of debt.11 It has 9. H Grossman The law of accumulation and are phenomena in which the year 9. And with a slowing rise in ... the evidence is quite been dealt with by me in posts on my breakdown of the capitalist system (1929). 12 10. See my article measuring the US rate of profit same law expresses itself the mass of profit, investment will overwhelming that profits peak blog, so I will not go into it now. in 2018, leading up to the great recession: https:// ... there would be absolute also slow and, Grossman argues, several quarters before the Marx’s double-edge law of profit thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/us- overproduction of capital as soon would eventually stop, triggering a recession. Then profits recover is actually the basis of the profit rate-of-profit-measures-for-2018. as additional capital for purposes crisis of production. before investment does, as cycle that leads to boom and slump 11. See https://thenextrecession.wordpress. com/2014/03/11/is-inequality-the-cause-of- of capitalist production = 0. illustrated by the investment and then boom again in capitalist capitalist-crises. at a point, therefore, when the Reality trough that occurs around the economies. 12. See, for example, https://thenextrecession. increased capital produced just This is a very unrealistic example, end of the recession or the start Starting at the top, the capitalist wordpress.com/2014/06/28/its-debt-stupid. as much, or even less, surplus however. In the example, the rate of the expansion, but following value than it did before its of profit falls from 10% to nearly the profit trough for at least a increase, there would be absolute zero. That does not happen in few quarters. overproduction of capital; ie, the any capitalist economy. So let us Fighting fund increased capital C + ΔC would consider a real example. And G Carchedi in another chapter produce no more, or even less, In Fig 2 we have the actual of that book shows that, when total profit than capital C before its figures for the US rate of profit and new value (mass) in a capitalist expansion by ΔC.7 the mass of profit (as calculated economy starts to fall, along with 10 Every penny by me). The rate of profit rises a fall in the rate of profit and So the mass of profit can and will from 2002 to 2006 and then starts employment, a slump in production omrade BC, who this week was another cheque - from RL, rise, as the rate of profit falls, keeping to fall, reaching a trough in 2009. follows. C added a handy £40 to his who contributed £40. All that capitalist investment and production The mass of profit also rises, but DH commented in the discussion £60 annual subscription cheque, means that our running total went going. But, as the rate of profit falls, then contracts in 2007 (one year that I and other LTRPF exponents says in the accompanying note: up over the last seven days by the increase in the mass of profit later than the rate) and in 2008, only ever seem to concentrate on “You’re worth every penny!” And £277 to £596. will eventually fall to the point of coinciding with the great recession. the US for data and ignore other RN, who also sent in a cheque Mind you, that’s quite a ‘absolute overaccumulation’: the So the falling rate of profit countries. Anybody who reads (for £25) obviously agrees - way below our monthly target tipping point for crises. eventually takes the mass of profit World in crisis will find analyses although he is too modest to write of £2,000, with almost half And it is not true that the LTRPF down, leading to an investment from scholars on the US, Canada, anything (apart from signing the November gone already. But supporters ignore this ‘double- collapse and a slump in capitalist Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Greece, cheque!). Anyway, it’s very much I’m not downhearted - I know edge’ law. On the contrary, the most production: Marx’s double-edge Spain, the UK, China and Japan. appreciated, comrade. that the third week is when important exponent of the LTRPF in law. At HM itself there was a paper that As for standing orders, this is those substantial standing orders the 1920s, who virtually revived this This is seen much more clearly looked at the LTRPF and the mass the time of the month when not start to come in. But I’m not theory of crisis against alternatives, when we use quarterly figures for of profit in Finland! In addition, too many of them land in the bank complacent either - we still Henryk Grossman, built his whole account for our fighting fund. We need a good number of one-off theory around the double-edge law Fig 2 The great recession received six of them - from NH donations to make sure we reach and what happened to the mass of (£30), GD and DV (£25 each), that target. profit, as the rate of profit fell. I 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 SM and SN (£10) and MF (£5). Feel free to help us out! l quote: ROP (%) 17.4 17.8 18.6 19 19.2 17.4 15.9 15.5 Plus a more than generous £50 Robbie Rix bank transfer from comrade TP. Not only does the rate of profit Mass ($bn) 3208 3391 3685 4043 4407 4292 4103 4118 That was also the amount Fill in a standing order form fall, but the rate of growth of ROP ann 2.1 4.3 2.2 1.0 -9.2 -8.6 -2.8 13.5 donated via PayPal by comrade the mass of profit … also falls growth (%) RL, while DB came up with his (back page), donate via our behind the rate of growth of the usual £7 using the same method. website, or send cheques, total value of production. So Growth in 3.5 3.4 8.5 9.0 8.3 5.7 6.4 -2.9 Finally, in addition to BC, there payable to Weekly Worker a point is eventually reached mass (%) weekly 8 November 14 2019 1265 worker BREXIT Sinking, but not yet sunk Rex Dunn discusses Brexit, the future of neoliberalism and the system’s potential for disintegration f neoliberalism were The Titanic, transitional phase towards socialism it would be as though it had and communism, but the latter is Ibeen holed by an iceberg called not guaranteed. As István Mészáros rightwing populism, and is about points out, “the truth of the matter to sink into the icy waters of the is that Marx originated the idea of unknown. As a result, a terrible ‘socialism or barbarism’”.2 fate awaits most of its passengers - especially those who could only Tory Party afford third class, who bought their The split in the Tory Party, combined ticket in good faith. with the fact that Labour is similarly But is this the correct analogy? I divided over Brexit, means that shall argue that the bourgeoisie have Britain’s two-party system is been able to patch up the hole in destabilised. At a deeper level, Brexit their flagship, so that it can continue is a reflection of changes within the on its voyage - at least for the time economic base of British society - it being - although there are still hidden is an example of a universal tendency dangers ahead and the waters are within late capitalism: the fact that increasingly choppy. productive capital has been usurped Neoliberalism has to be discussed by parasitic financial capital, but once again, because everything else ultimately it depends on the former flows from it. Briefly it may be (via pension funds, etc - this is what defined as globalisation (ie, the free I mean by ‘old’ money). Whilst movement of capital, labour and this process has been going on for goods inside large trading blocs, a long time, finance capital is now under the domination of finance and becoming more irrational in its modus monopoly capital); deregulation of operandi, as expressed by the rise of labour as a means to depress wages; a hedge funds, which is what I mean by growing emphasis on short-termism ‘new’ capital. Once again, this is an or reliance on parasitic finance expression of the decline of capital capital to achieve higher profits, itself, not just British capital. which takes precedence over long- What follows is taken from the term investment in the productive City-based website, Management sector. Today. It quotes a British government But the financial crash of 2008 was report which states that between a sign that neoliberalism has broken 2005 and 2015 EU regulations in down. This is a profound problem the financial sector (against tax not just for capital, but humanity as evasion and market abuse) increased a whole. As Hillel Ticktin explains, tenfold. This exposed tensions May’s Euro elections are not a good guide: is the end in sight for Farage’s Brexit Party? between productive capital and ... capitalism is in decline when speculative capital. ‘Old’ money the poles of contradiction become populism within sections of the constitutional crisis, because so- of the class struggle in this country. is also represented by established more and more difficult to mediate lower-middle class and the working called ‘direct democracy’ came Arguably there is a danger of the financial institutions, which still see … [Then we get] Bureaucracy class: ie, it is a grossly distorted form into conflict with representative latter, because Corbyn has tried to sit the need to invest in the long term: [or] mediation between use-value of the class struggle. It led to Trump’s democracy or parliament. At the same on the Brexit fence. ie, multinational companies, which and exchange-value … because victory as the champion of ‘new’ time, the executive was emboldened, In the absence of a more have located their plants in Britain all other forms of mediation have money, as opposed to ‘old’ money in claiming to be carrying out ‘the will democratic electorate system, (eg, the Japanese car industry), in broken down. the US, and Brexit in Britain. Capital of the people’, whilst parliament is the existing two-party order is order to take advantage of Britain’s ... finance capital became a new is split between one section and the seen to be ‘obstructing democracy’. fragmenting. Previously elections membership of the single market/ and necessary form to mediate other (unlike, say, German fascism, But, when Johnson tried to shut usually produced a Tory or Labour customs, with its frictionless trade that contradiction [and has been] which won the support of the whole down parliament, the Supreme Court majority in parliament, which in capital, labour and the materials maintaining capitalism for some capitalist class and its state). That adjudicated that this was unlawful. would then form a government. of production. ‘New’ money, as time. War, and the cold war in said, we are living through what I On the other hand, parliament showed But following the 2017 election, represented by hedge funds, lives or particular, are other examples of call the great disruption. that it was incapable of uniting to the Tories failed to win an outright dies in the short term; ie, their owners mediating forms which maintain To make things worse, Brexit has defeat the government; whilst the majority and had to rule with the make a bet either way on, say, a fall in the structure of capitalism [But] descended into tribalism, cutting government was unable to impose support of the Democratic Unionist the pound. Whatever the outcome, the they are extreme forms which across traditional party - and class its will on parliament. Parliament Party. But if the European elections hedge fund makes money! In the 2016 have limited lives ... - lines: ie, Tories versus Labour, refused to pass two EU withdrawal last May are any indication, then we referendum, established institutions What happens, however, if there with the Liberal Democrats trying bills, but was unable to force a vote could have a four-way party split like Citigroup and Goldman Sachs is no mediation possible between to occupy the middle ground. It of no-confidence that would have led in the coming election: ie, between supported ‘remain’, whilst many the poles of contradiction? Then manifests itself within society (even to a general election, which is the Tories, Brexit Party, Labour and Lib hedge fund managers supported disintegration ensues …1 individual families), constituencies, only way break the stalemate. But Dems, as opposed to the usual Tory ‘leave’. as well as parliament, even the now the logjam has been broken. or Labour majority, wherein the Lib Brexit is a cultural as well as an Post-2008, the bourgeoisie tried to government itself (as witnessed in Brexit tribalism has led to a crisis Dems get squeezed in the middle. economic phenomenon. On the one fix the breakdown of neoliberalism splits in Theresa May’s government within the Tories, as well as Labour. In other words, at one end of the hand, it is about fears for British by bailing out the banks; otherwise and now Boris Johnson’s). As a On the one hand, this tendency has political spectrum, the rightwing sovereignty and immigration; on the they would have collapsed, bringing result politics has become paralysed benefited a new, more rightwing Brexit Party will pick up votes at other, it presented an opportunity for down the whole system. So trillions and a large section of the business party (ie, the Brexit Party) and, on the expense of both the Tories and speculative capital to make money. of fictitious dollars were pumped into community is suffering from a crisis the other, to a lesser extent, it has Labour (some pundits predict that Both aspects found expression in the banking system, in order to keep of uncertainty. benefited those of the centre (ie, the this will hurt the former rather than the right wing of the Tory Party or it afloat. This is usually referred to Brexit tribalism was triggered ‘remain’ parties, such as the Liberal the latter); but at the centre, the Lib the ERG. The Tory hard right had as ‘quantitative easing’. But QE had by David Cameron’s referendum Democrats and the Green Party). Dems could be the beneficiaries, at already bedevilled Cameron; hence to be made a material reality, which on Britain’s membership of the Meanwhile the Scottish National the expense of both the Tories and he tried to defeat it by means of the could only be achieved by cutting European Union. A majority of the Party, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin Labour. The Lib Dems have already 2016 referendum. To his horror, it wages and welfare; ie, the working electorate voted to leave, even though are likely to try to take advantage acquired a number of MPs who have backfired - he had underestimated the class had to shoulder the burden. the issues are very complex. At the by seeking independence from the defected from the two main parties, groundswell of support for rightwing This is generally called austerity, same time, there was an outpouring UK. Thus we have two contradictory of course. populism: ie, English nationalism. which is far from over. of disinformation, including bald- political tendencies: on the one This is how Brexit tribalism is As a result, a narrow majority of faced lies spread by the ‘leave’ side, the possible integration of an manifesting itself at the moment. the British people voted to leave. Great disruption campaign, especially within social independent Scotland with the EU, In other words, it will continue to May then had the unenviable task of The crisis of neoliberalism has to media. The Eurosceptics in the along with the Six Counties, as they paralyse British politics, up to and negotiating Brexit with the EU. be understood not just in terms of Tory Party, led by the European move towards economic union with even after the December election. But she was up against the old contradictions within the economic Research Group (ERG), transformed the rest of Ireland; and, on the other, As a result, we could end up with boy network: most of the ERG’s base: these are also reflected in themselves into leavers, who are the possible disintegration of the UK. another hung parliament. Then supporters were educated in private the superstructure, which are both prepared to contemplate a hard To concentrate on the Tories and rightwing populism, Brexit tribalism schools. Today they make up two- political and cultural. The latter are Brexit, backed up by the threat of no Labour, Brexit tribalism will continue and the crisis of the British state thirds of Johnson’s cabinet. His accompanied by the atomisation of deal - ie, a sudden loss of its trade, during the coming election, despite would continue to grow and deepen. register of interests includes a number society - now this is being reinforced should Britain crash out of the EU. Corbyn’s attempt to prioritise the Similarly, given the failure of the of hedge fund managers, who have by social media. This would be extremely damaging contents of his previous manifesto, American left to offer a leftwing made donations of up to £100,000 So far, the working class has not for the economy, which is the fifth For the many, not the few. It remains alternative, it is possible that each! “Ideologues like Cummings been able to develop the necessary largest in the world. Therefore it to be seen if he is successful in Trump will win the 2020 election [Johnson’s chief advisor] think they consciousness anywhere: ie, throw could even trigger another financial this: has the level of working class in the United States. Thus we could are transforming society when they up a Marxist party, which offers the crash. consciousness remained the same as find ourselves in an even deeper are actually doing the bidding of some only a way out of the crisis. Instead The referendum also established it was in the 2017 election or has it crisis, which gives us little time clever financiers”.3 we have seen the rise of rightwing the basis for a full-blown British fallen? This is crucial to the future for reflection. Clearly we are in a The ERG is at the centre of an weekly worker 1275 November 14 2019 9

internecine row between remainers not wedded to freedom of movement enemy: capitalism itself. defend their monopoly of the market. whilst ‘old money’ (ie, finance and leavers within the Tory Party. It for EU citizens as a point of principle.” This problem is exacerbated by So much for ‘free trade’! This policy is capital, which is still aligned with led to the rejection of May’s ‘soft’ Therefore he has committed Labour to social media, which is becoming about to be enshrined in a ‘free-loader’ productive capital) is being squeezed. Brexit, which was replaced by a policy of “reasonable management”, the main source of information for bill. But neoliberalism’s strategy to solve Johnson’s ‘hard’ Brexit, accompanied based on “our economic needs”.5 millions of people. It played a key role It is obvious that the UK will be the crisis - austerity for the working by the threat of a no deal. That Therefore Corbyn finds himself in the 2016 referendum - and will do so the weaker trading partner in any class, which means even more culminated in the virtual expulsion on the same side as those rightwing again in future elections. Whereas the future negotiations. Whilst the NHS inequality - has led to a backlash in the of 21 members of the party, including Labour MPs, along with their broadsheets and BBC news provide at is struggling to drive down the price form of rightwing populism, driven former chancellor, Phillip Hammond, working class supporters in the north least a modicum of debate, social media of drugs, the US is determined to by anti-immigration sentiment and along with Tory grandees like of England, who voted to leave. In relies on targeted messaging, which squeeze this practice out. Contrary to nationalism. This found expression Kenneth Clark. the objective sense, he is feeding into opens the door to disinformation: eg. what Johnson has said, the NHS will in 2016 referendum, and in Trump’s the narrative of English nationalism: ‘Millions of Turks are about to join definitely be on the table in any new victory in the US. On the one hand, Leftwing populism Britain must leave the EU in order the EU’. Thus large numbers of people trade deal with the US. At present he pursued a policy of economic In Britain, as elsewhere, the 2008 to take back control (of immigration have decided that Britain needs to ‘take the NHS spends £18 billion a year nationalism, but, because America financial crash also produced a in particular). At the same time, he is back control’ - not because they are on drugs, but this could go up to £45 is also world hegemon, this spells converse swing: ie, the rise of leftwing alienating his rank and his file, who stupid, but because they are deprived billion. The UK trade secretary, Liz danger for the capitalism as a whole. populism, albeit on a smaller scale. like the idea of freedom of movement of the opportunity to make informed Trust, refused to be interviewed by the On the other hand, Britain descended But it was enough to boost the Labour within the EU. Instead of increasing decisions. programme’s reporter.11 into Brexit tribalism, which spells Party to over half a million members, the support which he had built up The reality is that under Johnson a danger for bourgeois democracy. Thus making it the largest political party in during the 2017 election, Corbyn is post-Brexit Britain will lead to more Labour we are faced with the great disruption. Europe. This began with the election in danger of dissipating this, thus zero-hour contracts; the economy will Corbyn has an uphill climb if is he is From the standpoint of capitalism, of Jeremy Corbyn in 2015, the most weakening his chances of winning the also become more reliant on service to win the election. As for Johnson, he the stakes could not be higher. leftwing leader in the party’s history. election. industries. Ken Loach - who voted will try and sell the idea that a post- Neoliberalism is the final form of His support is based on young But what will happen if Johnson to leave - highlights this in his latest Brexit Britain would allow ‘regulatory mediation for a system which is Corbynistas in the metropolitan areas wins? film, Sorry we missed you. It focuses divergence’, and that would be good increasingly unable to resolve its of the country (along with a few ex- on the father of a typical working class for the economy. Meanwhile he hopes constitutive contradictions. If it Trotskyists). But today it appears to Singapore? family, who works as a delivery driver; to gain support with the promise of a does not do something, there will be be fizzling out, because he has proved Even if Britain is able to avoid but he has to provide his own van and public spending spree. In reality, he is more chaos and disintegration. In to be a weak and inept leader, when it crashing out of the EU, Johnson’s is monitored by a scanner to ensure that trying to soften up the British people, the short term, the Democrats will comes to defeating the Labour right. deal would still make a majority of the he is making enough deliveries; there before the shock of a bad trade deal with try to impeach Trump or, at the very But he may do well once again during British people poorer. It would also is no overtime or Sunday rates of pay. the US sinks in. least, ruin his chances of re-election the election campaign. open the door to a Singapore-style His wife is a care worker, employed by Not only has Corbyn left the working in 2020. As for Brexit, the aim is to Leftwing populism is another low-tax, deregulated economy, which the private sector, who is only paid for class rudderless: he has failed to deal alleviate the dislocating effects for crucial factor, because it has the would be bad for workers, as well as the time of each visit, not for travelling with the Labour right. After years of globalisation, as far as that is possible. potential to offer a way out of the the environment. The national health to and from clients: delay, he has not yet implemented Trump is not opposed to current crisis for the capitalist class, service (which is already staggering deselection in a decisive way, in order globalisation; rather he wants to as well as the working class, at least under the weight of its drugs bill, along In other words, ‘the flexibility and to get rid of both the Blairites and the rearrange this in the interests of US in the short term, via the promise with an inefficient internal market) freedom’ of the gig economy sold Brexiteers within the party. On the capital. For example, he wants a to restimulate the economy in the would be one of the casualties; as to them was a lie. Exhausted, they other hand, if he does win, will he trade deal with post-Brexit Britain. form of state-sponsored investment well as British agriculture, which hardly have any energy to look continue with his disastrous strategy But within this Britain would occupy - eg, a Green New Deal in America depends on the EU for subsidies and a after their teenage children ... “The of appeasement, so that Labour can a much more subordinate role, and Britain. This would create new guaranteed market: reality today [says Loach] is that remain a ‘broad church’? His failure compared to its membership of the technology and jobs to tackle the employment doesn’t guarantee a to deal with the Zionist-inspired ‘anti- EU. At the same time, the EU would climate crisis. But it appears that the An official paper shared by ministers decent life. you may have a job, Semitism’ campaign does not augur be weakened. leadership of the capitalist class is this week ... stated that the UK was even two, and still not have enough well. Sooner or later, the right would But neither Trump nor Johnson not yet ready embrace this ‘offer’, open to significant divergence, to feed yourself and your family.” get the knives out for him again: eg, if/ pose a threat to privatisation and because they are afraid this would even though Brussels is insisting ... The core of the problem is the when the International Monetary Fund deregulation. Therefore the economic lead to a repeat of 1968; ie, a working on equivalent regulatory provisions privatisation of local services and (etc) opposes his public borrowing think tanks of neoliberalism will class revolt somewhere down the line. ... In a passage that could alarm subcontracting from local councils requirements. probably make concessions to Even if this is not a consciously-led Labour MPs who have backed the to companies chosen because they Would a Corbyn victory make the rightwing nationalism: eg, by easing revolt, it could open the way for the Brexit bill, the leaked government are the cheapest - “nobody accepts left’s task of building a new Marxist fiscal constraints on governments. re-emergence of Marxist parties, able document also said the drafting of responsibility for the inevitable dire party any easier? Whether we agree with Hence Johnson’s promise of a public to transform the working class from workers’ rights and environmental consequences of such a system”. the strategy to transform the Labour spending bonanza in the run-up to the a ‘class in itself’ into a ‘class for protection commitments “leaves As for the part played by new Party into a united front of the left or election. itself’, upon which the overthrow of room for interpretations” ... Jenny technology in all this, “It has been not, we still have to break the vanguard On the other hand, what if Corbyn capitalism depends. Chapman, Labour’s shadow Brexit used to lower labour costs rather from its illusions with electoralism as an wins? The IMF and the World Let us now consider the current minister, said: “These documents than to benefit everyone.”9 end in itself - along with the idea that Bank might allow him to tackle state of affairs. I shall start with the confirm our worst fears. Boris Labour can use the capitalist state to privatisation within the NHS (as utter failure of the Corbyn leadership Johnson’s Brexit is a blueprint for In an article for the London Review build ‘socialism’ (aka Keynesianism). long as this does not push public to fight for its own manifesto, even a deregulated economy, which will of Books, James Meek also sorts To return to Brexit, whilst the borrowing through the roof, which is though its main thrust is to defend the see vital rights and protections torn out Brexit myths from reality. He EU has granted the UK yet another what it will take). They might allow working class from the worst effects of up.”6 cites a British hi-tech company extension, until January 31, as things limited nationalisation of inefficient neoliberalism. (In reality the working called Imagination Technologies. It stand, no deal still remains a possibility industries. But they will oppose a class needs a party which is willing to But now the media is saying that developed the Graphics Processing further down the line. If that happens - Green New Deal. As for the EU, it fight for a genuine socialist solution, everyone is suffering from ‘Brexit Unit (GPU) system, which since 2012 to continue with my seafaring analogy might allow its member-states more since that is the only way forward.) fatigue’. Johnson is exploiting this by has been “used in two-thirds of the - it would have the effect of an Exocet control over immigration (it has Corbyn should have made fighting for arguing, “Let’s get Brexit over the line, world’s smartphones”. For a time, even missile hitting HMS Britannia below learnt something from Brexit!) Thus his manifesto his top priority. On this once and for all”. Many people agree. Apple was happy to use Imagination the waterline. Crashing out of the EU Fortress Europe will continue, as will basis, rather than shy away from an But, according to a recent survey, a lot chips; then it “began to poach [its] would severely dislocate Britain’s the worst refugee crisis since 1945. election, he should have been calling of workers are so disillusioned, they engineers” and opened its own design existing trade relations, which means The biggest dilemma for for one at the earliest opportunity. are now saying that they might not centre nearby. Worse was to come: that the economy might crash. This neoliberalism is that it should be This would have given him the bother to vote in the general election.7 could easily spook the City of London, regulating ‘new’ money, which is opportunity to nip Brexit tribalism in If this becomes a trend, it will not help ... within a few months the company even Wall Street, and spark another causing havoc; but it will not because the bud, which would have increased Corbyn’s chances. - a bright star of the kind of British financial crisis. But it would be even ‘old’ money takes too long to make a his chances of winning a majority of The above points to the unresolved technology cluster politicians say be worse than 2008, because the ruling profit. But, whilst the ship is sinking, seats. Then he would have been in a problem of the bourgeois division of they like - was snapped up by a class cannot place additional burdens it has not sunk yet! All this is bad better position to renegotiate Britain’s labour, which has negative effects for Chinese-backed private equity firm. on the working class in order to bail out news for the majority of humanity, membership of the EU in accordance the working class. It separates mental Even if Britain’s politicians were the banks. After all, they have already global warming and the environment, with Labour’s six points that are from material labour, because this is raving about taking back control, tried that solution, which led to the rise along with the mass extinction of designed to protect workers’ rights, the most efficient way to accumulate Britain was losing control to China of rightwing populism. This would give species. along with the environment. Instead capital. As Marx says, the worker and the US over the arch-tool of the latter a huge shot in the arm. Thus Thus the big question remains: he capitulated to the myth that Brexit “becomes more and more … dependent modern control.10 capitalism would be in an even bigger will the transition to socialism/ is the expression of the ‘will of the on a … very one-sided and machine- mess than it is now. communism arrive in the nick people’ and he decided to sit on the like type of labour [which depresses A recent Channel 4 Dispatches Never has the need for a working of time or will it be too late for fence. him/her] both intellectually and programme pointed out that, if class alternative been so desperately everyone? l But there is another reason for physically to the level of a machine”.8 Johnson is able to negotiate a free- needed. But that appears to be just as this abdication of leadership: Corbyn Such a division of labour is trade deal with the US, it will not be far away as ever, since this will require Notes is a left nationalist (like Tony Benn particularly useful to the ruling a level playing field. At the moment the emergence of a new Marxist party 1 .H Ticktin, ‘Decline as concept and its consequences’ Critique August 2006, pp154-55. before him), as well as a ‘socialist’ class whenever it sees the need for the NHS is able to negotiate cheaper in order to lead it. Unfortunately here 2. I Mészáros The power of ideology London 1989, p34. in the tradition of the Second plebiscitary politics, such as the 2016 drugs on the world market. Dispatches in Britain, as everywhere else, class- 3. ‘How the City gave birth to Brexit’ Management International. In the words of Lenin, referendum. But ‘direct democracy’ gave the example of the drug Humira, consciousness has reached a nadir. Today October 2 2019. like its predecessors, the Corbyn is the opposite of genuine democracy. which is used to treat bowel disease. Given the climate crisis alone, how 4. VI Lenin Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism Peking 1969, p10. leadership remains the “principal Millions of people believe that Britain Today the NHS is able to purchase this much time have we got? Unless it 5. See D Adler, ‘Meet Europe’s left nationalists’ social prop of the bourgeoisie”; “the has ceded control over immigration to drug seven times cheaper than it costs moves towards Marxism and the The Nation January 10 2019. labour lieutenants of the capitalist the EU, which leads to job losses, a in the US. But Trump wants to stop working class, the Extinction Rebellion 6. ‘Fears over post-Brexit worker rights’ Financial class, real channels of reformism shortage of school places and hospital this and set up a competitive market movement is likely to go the same way Times October 26-27 2019. 4 7. BBC Newsnight October 25 2019. and chauvinism”. In other words, beds, etc. They fail to realise that such for pharmaceutical drugs, which will as earlier ones, such as Occupy, etc. 8. K Marx, first manuscript Economic and he is in favour of winning privileges austerity is a direct consequence of drive the price back up - why should philosophical manuscripts. from the international bourgeoisie neoliberalism everywhere; that this American patients pay more than Conclusion 9. ‘Tough lives, hard facts’ Financial Times for the British working class at the would continue, once Britain leaves the British people? To this end, he has The financial crash in 2008 was October 26-27 2019. 10. J Meek, ‘The dreamings of Dominic expense of workers in other countries. EU. Hence people are becoming more the full backing of the pharmaceutical instigated by unregulated ‘new’ Cummings’ London Review of Books October 24 For the record, on the question of xenophobic, whereby immigrants lobby on Capitol Hill, which seeks to money (ie, speculative capital, which 2019, p25. immigration, Corbyn says: “Labour is are made the scapegoats for the real ensure that American companies can has become ever more reckless), 11. Channel 4 Dispatches October 28 2019. weekly 10 November 14 2019 1265 worker COMMENT Not the end of history With the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall bourgeois triumphalism feels more brittle than ever, says Paul Demarty here are a lot of commemorations going on just now. There is the Tusual pageantry of Remembrance Sunday, of course; minutes’ silence offered in workplaces, schools, football stadia, churches; pious invocations not to forget the sacrifice of so many ‘for our freedom’. (The Labour Party offered its own sanctimonious echoes to all this, suspending campaigning for a day and then offering vague promises to ensure “our armed forces” are looked after.) And then, of course, there are the commemorations of November 10 1989, when the government of the German Democratic Republic permitted its citizens freely to leave East Berlin for the west. Though the edifice itself stood for many more months, this event is remembered as the fall of the Berlin Wall - the decisive moment in the collapse of the ‘actually-existing socialist’ bloc; what Dean Rusk, John F Kennedy’s secretary of state, called a “monument to communist failure” finally failed on its own terms. The Soviet Union managed to limp on for another two years, but the capitalist west knew it had won. Building a wall to keep people in hardly equates with socialism For those of us who still - in spite of everything - proudly call ourselves mildly, inadequate. In the latter case, one that stressed compassion in the party to government. In origin a fairly west wall has been replaced by a communists, this is a chastening the problem is clear. The societies that face of suffering, and courage in the conventional Christian Democratic north-south wall, longer and higher moment, or at least ought to be. There collapsed in 1989-91 were not, in the face of incomprehensible horror. party of the centre-right, Fidesz was than the Iron Curtain. At the turn of are certainly those whose nostalgia sense we would advocate, socialist, Even with the rather more ‘heroic’ to shift dramatically in the direction the 2000s, the continent began to for the ‘socialist bloc’ leads to never mind communist; but their incorporation of World War II into of authoritarian traditionalism, with close in on itself. The divide is no truculence in the face of the various governments were staffed by people things, remembrance proceedings Orbán promising a new era of “illiberal longer dictated by an ideological commemorations - the Morning Star, who called themselves communists are Janus-faced. We must believe democracy”. Other countries in the old clash between two powers, but by a unsurprisingly, huffs that “some are - often by people who had fought simultaneously that ‘they died for our Soviet bloc were to follow. Blundering fear - economic, political, cultural, using the occasion to celebrate the bravely and suffered enormously freedom’, and that their lives were attempts by the Unites States to further military - of the foreigner from ‘collapse of communism’, seeing the in the defeat of fascism in central senselessly wasted. encircle Russia with Nato members Syria, Nigeria, China, Tunisia, anniversary as symbolic of the triumph Europe. They were not simply liars There was not, in this case, the provoked Russia into a far more Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Eritrea of the capitalist system” - that “some” about their politics (or not always; by same immediate problem to solve assertive strategy in its near abroad. … Before the migration crisis of being the understatement of the 1989, of course, cynicism had long - the fall of the eastern bloc looked A further decade later, things are 2015 is over, Europe will finish decade. The Star prefers to talk about rotted away such political ideals). every inch a victory in the cold war looking pretty bleak for the triumphant barricading itself. a new German government report that The Stalinist regimes of eastern for the capitalist west. In 1989, a liberalism of 1989. The backlash finds continuing wealth disparities Europe no longer oppress, torture and neo-conservative philosopher like against rule-of-law constitutionalism The consequences are non-trivial: between East and West, with well- murder their citizens; but their shadow Francis Fukuyama could declare, in has spread far and wide - indeed, with “Several hundred people perished known political consequences: continues to fall on our movement, a vain parody of Marx, The end of the election of Donald Trump in the while trying to cross the Iron and comrade Tomáš might want to history. Fukuyama’s book is only ever United States, to the very belly of the Curtain. [But] in the last five years, A poll in Die Zeit newspaper pause for a moment to wonder why the invoked ironically today, for a great beast. The lesson of 1989 was supposed 17,419 refugees have died on the showed that 73% in the east small groups of leftwing East German deal of ‘history’ has ensued since, to be that liberal ‘democracy’ was the doorstep of Europe.”3 The Calais believed that their job security dissidents he cites were so easily and the capitalist order that defeated only plausible guarantor of prosperity jungle, the drowned Libyans of had worsened under unification swept aside, or even how it could be Stalinism is not looking very much and liberty; but it failed to deliver on the Mediterranean, the shipping and 70% thought protection from so easy for the Polish Solidarność the better for it. the prosperity, with living standards containers full of corpses and, across crime was worse. It warned that union, which the SWP also feted, to By the 10th anniversary, November stagnating for most in the west, falling the Atlantic, the concentration camps the apparent disparity was “fertile be turned into an instrument of the 10 1998, the fruits of shock-therapy dramatically for those subjected to on the US-Mexico border, in lieu of ground” for the far-right AfD CIA and the pope. It was because privatisation in the former Soviet ‘shock therapy’ in the 1990s, and Trump’s wall: these, no less than (Alternative for Germany) party.1 Stalinist tyranny reflected badly on Union were clear. Multiple currency then once more for those countries the barrier separating East and West all communists. The wall, indeed, crises and broad economic dislocation and demographics who fell victim to Berlin, are monuments to failure. On the other hand, there is a possible was fairly described as a “monument had resulted in the growth of the the great recession. Having failed to The failure is endogenous to ‘Who, me, guv?’ reaction, whereby to communist failure”; for the same power of criminal black-marketeer deliver prosperity, liberty could no liberalism, because liberalism’s self- we explain that these regimes were reason, attempts to sidestep or prettify types - already powerful in the longer be defended; and, while the rise image is false. More unequal societies Stalinist (or Leninist, perhaps, if we the nature of those regimes, like shortage-ridden, declining decades of of authoritarianism and ‘populism’ are worse, from the point of view are an anarchist; or even ‘revisionist’, those in the Star, will be greeted with Stalinism - and kleptocratic oligarchs. is sometimes presented by liberals of human fulfilment, than poorer if we are a Maoist), and therefore deserved contempt by broad masses. Boris Yeltsin, the hero of the west in as a great conspiracy orchestrated by societies. Sustained periods of liberal nothing to do with us. This view is So unattractive was ‘actually-existing 1991, had been reduced to a drink- one Vladimir Putin, in fact it is an capitalist government must give way exemplified by Tomáš Tengely-Evans socialism’ to actually-existing sodden incompetent; a new prime endogenous failure mode of their own to cynicism, and - in the absence of in last week’s Socialist Worker: Germans that, by the time the wall minister - a former KGB agent by project. It just so happened to fail in a feasible socialist project - call forth was built, some 20% of the entire the name of Vladimir Putin - had Russia first. Bonapartism, which in turn ultimately For supporters of capitalism, the population of the GDR had emigrated just assumed power, and was starting collapses under the weight of its own fall of the wall on November 9 - proportionately a greater population to cohere a ruling bloc around him. Back in style corruption. 1989 showed that there was no loss than suffered by Syria in the last Soon he would be president, and And one distinctive feature of this Bonapartism is not the only alternative to their system. Many on 10 years of bloody warfare. act decisively to curb the power of reversal is … well, walls are back thing to collapse like that, however, the left drew the same conclusion, those oligarchs opposed to him, pour in style. Trump promised one on the as the example of ‘actually- because they saw the eastern After the fall encourager les autres. A new state campaign trail, and his beautiful wall existing socialism’ demonstrates. If European regimes as socialist or If 1989 is a sticky wicket for the left, regime was emerging; but it was on the Mexican border still features in communists are to offer a way out of at least more progressive than the however, it is also, increasingly, for not, as some had predicted naively his brinksmanship with Democratic that twisted dialectic of liberal and west. Socialist Worker disagreed. our enemies. In the intervening three in the 1980s, a Scandinavian-style congressional leaders. Europe itself authoritarian rule, we must confront We saw the end of Stalinism as decades some of the fire has gone out social democracy, or even a robust, is a more interesting case, as pointed that failure head-on l offering the hope for the regrowth of bourgeois triumphalism. rule-of-law, constitutionalist regime out in the French paper Libération. of a genuine socialist tradition, in A comparison with the that liberals falsely imagine to be the Having been reunited by the fall [email protected] which ordinary people take power Remembrance Day goings-on is natural political regime of capitalist of one barrier, and having opened … Usually the left takes inspiration instructive, in fact. The shattering society. internal borders in the Schengen area, Notes from revolt, but Socialist Worker experience of the great war posed The swerve away from liberalism in freedom of movement has frayed at 1. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/ was almost alone on the left in serious obstacles to the usual run of the old Soviet bloc was well underway; the edges, to put it mildly: germany-remains-divided-30-years-after-fall- welcoming the collapse of the patriotic folderol; the human cost was in 2009, the 20th anniversary, the berlin-wall. 2 2. https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/49203/ regimes. so great, and the spoils of victory so world was reeling from the great As Europe made its internal When+the+wall+came+tumbling+down. meagre. There thus grew up a more financial crisis, and Hungary was borders disappear, it erected new 3. www.liberation.fr/planete/2019/11/08/en-2019-l- Both these reactions are, to put it ambivalent cult of the war-dead - about to elect Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz ones, facing outwards. The east- europe-compte-ses-murs_1762467. weekly worker 1275 November 14 2019 11 What we MIDDLE EAST fight for n Without organisation the working class is nothing; with the highest form of organisation Met with maximum force it is everything. n There exists no real Communist Party today. There are many Yassamine Mather discusses the popular revolts against corruption, sectarianism so-called ‘parties’ on the left. In reality they are confessional sects. and Iranian influence Members who disagree with the prescribed ‘line’ are expected to gag themselves in public. Either that or face expulsion. n Communists operate according to the principles of democratic centralism. Through ongoing debate we seek to achieve unity in action and a common world outlook. As long as they support agreed actions, members should have the right to speak openly and form temporary or permanent factions. n Communists oppose all impe- rialist wars and occupations but constantly strive to bring to the fore the fundamental question–ending war is bound up with ending capitalism. n Communists are internationalists. Everywhere we strive for the closest unity and agreement of working class and progressive parties of all countries. We oppose every manifestation of national sectionalism. It is an internationalist duty to uphold the principle, ‘One state, one party’. n The working class must be organised globally. Without a global Communist Party, a Communist Leaderless or led? International, the struggle against capital is weakened and lacks he protestors who have been out on Police retook three bridges across might work in the immediate context president Michel Aoun, but so far there coordination. the streets in Beirut and Baghdad the Tigris River that leads to the of the current protests - if, of course, are no signs of any revenge attacks. The n Communists have no interest have two common complaints: fortified Green Zone on Saturday it is true that pro-Iranian militia led shooting came soon after a televised apart from the working class T as a whole. They differ only in 1. While there is economic hardship for and are surrounding Tahrir Square, by Revolutionary Guard commanders interview with Aoun, who told the majority, corruption and nepotism is the central focus of the protests. are involved in the repression - in the protestors: “If you continue in this way, recognising the importance of flourishing amongst those in power. In al-Rasheed Street, close to the long term Iran will lose the support you will damage Lebanon and your Marxism as a guide to practice. 2. Both states are saddled with sectarian square, police set fire to tents set up and solidarity of a large section of own interests.” But, far from calming That theory is no dogma, but constitutions. by volunteer doctors to treat injured young Iraqis, irrespective of what their the situation, the speech sparked fresh must be constantly added to and The first complaint has echoes of protestors.2 government decides to do. demonstrations. enriched. Iran, where the ruling clerical elite faces Ironically Aoun is considered an n Capitalism in its ceaseless identical accusations, while the second Four Communist Party of Iraq (CPI) Corruption ally of the pro-Iran Hezbollah, whereas search for profit puts the future is in fact a by-product of colonial and MPs resigned from the government Corruption and nepotism are high prime minster Saad Hariri, who of humanity at risk. Capitalism is imperialist interventions. last week in protest at the security on the list of complaints made by resigned at the end of October, was synonymous with war, pollution, As I pointed out last week, the Iraqi forces’ treatment of the demonstrators. Iranians against the many factions of aligned to western and Gulf Arab states. exploitation and crisis. As a global constitution written in 2015 had the seal Amongst them are general secretary the religious state. Here we are not Prompted by his western allies Hariri system capitalism can only be of approval of the occupying countries Raid Jahed Fahmi, as well as Taha al- talking of accusations made by the US now wants to lead a ‘technocratic’ superseded globally. - most notably the United States and Difai and Muzahem al-Tamimi, both or pro-‘regime change’ Iranian exiles: government that would resolve the 1 n The capitalist class will never the United Kingdom. I had always members of former prime minister just about every ordinary citizen country’s ‘financial problems’. willingly allow their wealth and thought this was part of a general Haider al-Abadi’s Nasr coalition. will say the same thing. Indeed the But the protestors hate Hariri power to be taken away by a plan to divide and rule, but the British Opposition groups are claiming two main factions of the regime are and his Saudi and Persian Gulf parliamentary vote. ambassador to Baghdad, speaking in that, far from being ‘leaderless’, the competing to expose each other’s backers as much as, if not more Oxford University this week, denied protests are organised by ‘coordination corruption. than, they hate Hezbollah. Iranian n We will use the most militant any such “conspiracy” by the major committees’ composed of academics, With the judiciary continuing to leftist radical Hemad Sheybani, who methods objective circumstances powers and claimed that in the absence university graduates, youth movements, charge close allies and relatives of has spent a considerable amount of allow to achieve a federal republic of Sunnis from the discussions around and tribal leaders. Similar committees Iran’s ‘reformist’ president, Hassan time in Lebanon and is familiar with of England, Scotland and Wales, the constitution, they failed to play a were involved in the anti-government Rouhani, with corruption, he hit the political developments there, a united, federal Ireland and a role in determining the blueprint for the demonstrations of February 2011 and back on November 11, when he said: reminds us that the cross-sectarian United States of Europe. distribution of power. both the CPI and the supporters of Shia “Now that you are pursuing cases unity amongst protestors is a sign n Communists favour industrial Probably there is an element of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr claim to be of corruption involving millions of of hope, given Lebanon’s history unions. Bureaucracy and class truth in this. However, the main point involved in them. tomans, also explain to the people the of civil war, and that US and Saudi compromise must be fought and remains that war and occupation Even if we accept that the above- cases of corruption involving billions of interference in Lebanese politics has the trade unions transformed into paved the way for sectarianism and mentioned committees are playing a dollars.” played a major role in creating an schools for communism. the subsequent horrors of the jihadi leading role in organising the protests, Referring to Babak Zanjani, a close unequal society, where 30% of youth n Communists are champions of ascendency to statehood. These jihadis surely an alliance between one of ally of former president Mahmoud are unemployed, wages are low and the oppressed. Women’s oppression, were finally defeated partly with Iranian the most discredited, opportunist Ahmadinejad, Rouhani stated: “After the gap between the rich and the combating racism and chauvinism, intervention - a fact admitted by the US communist parties of the Middle East a number of years they issued a death poor is growing ever wider. Sheybani and the struggle for peace and media - and this is turn increased Iran’s and an over-ambitious cleric (whose sentence for the case of the individual has written extensively about the ecological sustainability are just interference in Iraq. aspirations of leadership have seen who stole $2.8 billion from the treasury, financial interest of Saudi and as much working class questions Looking at events this week, it is him move from Ghom to Riyadh and but it’s not clear where this money went Gulf stakeholders in the Lebanese as pay, trade union rights and 3 clear that the main areas where Iraqi back again) give little reason for hope. and who else had a role in this case.” economy and believes that calls by demands for high-quality health, protests are continuing are amongst For example, it only needs 50 MPs to According to Rouhani - whose sections of the Lebanese left for a housing and education. Shias, in addition to the capital, call for a vote of no confidence in the brother was recently jailed for five takeover of the financial and banking n Baghdad, where the protestors come government of prime minister Adel years on corruption charges and was system is more important than street Socialism represents victory from diverse religious backgrounds. Abdul Mehdi, yet at the moment there miraculously released on ‘leave’ on protests and occupations.4 in the battle for democracy. It is Repression is taking its toll and there is no sign that al-Sadr will join such a the first day of that sentence - some Sheybani’s interventions are the rule of the working class. are reports of protestors disappearing move. institutions have acquired $964 million very important for Persian-speaking Socialism is either democratic or, (presumed to have been kidnapped by Inevitably western politicians and and have no account of it, while others audiences, who hear contradictory as with Stalin’s Soviet Union, it security forces), as they travel home journalists are blaming the violence are in debt to the tune of some $700 reports from the pro-Hezbollah media turns into its opposite. after protests. However, there seems on the ministry of the interior, which million. inside Iran’s Islamic Republic and from n Socialism is the first stage to be a growing determination to make is allegedly controlled by general So clearly the Shia government in Saudi-financed TV stations abroad. of the worldwide transition to their voices heard. Qasem Soleimani of Iran’s Islamic Iran has exported not just its military According to the latter, the Lebanese communism–a system which According to Patrick Cockburn, Revolutionary Guard Corps. For its forces, but its economic policies - both protests are all about Iran’s intervention knows neither wars, exploitation, writing in The Independent, part, however, Iran claims that the issue in terms of the neoliberalism espoused in the country! I suppose when you are money, classes, states nor nations. is not about interference in Iraqi affairs, by Hezbollah in Lebanon and also the paid by the Saudis all you can produce Communism is general freedom Iraqi security and pro-Iranian but a question of survival. Faced with cronyism and corruption in Iraq’s Shia is fake news l and the real beginning of human paramilitary forces are shooting into severe sanctions and threats of war from government. history. crowds of protestors in a bid to drive the United States, Iran cannot afford to The situation in Lebanon deteriorated Notes The Weekly Worker is licensed by them from the centre of Baghdad and risk losing allies in Iraq or Lebanon on November 12, when for the first 1. ‘Second Arab spring?’, November 7. November Publications under a Creative end six weeks of demonstrations that and the Tehran regime seems to have time since protests started a member of 2. The Independent November 11. Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3. www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/11/ 4.0 International Licence: http:// have challenged the political system decided that, as far as Iraq is concerned, Walid Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist iran-rouhani-economic-corruption-clash-raisi- creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ to an extent not seen since the fall of maximum force is the only answer. Party was killed by a soldier. Jumblatt is judiciary.html#ixzz654mU2U9G. legalcode. ISSN 1351-0150. Saddam Hussein in 2003. However, although such a policy an opponent of the country’s Christian 4. www.facebook.com/hemad.sheybani. No 1275 November 14 2019 Israel, Greece and Egypt form bloc against Turkey Bloodstained sliver of sand Everyone can see that Erdoğan’s military adventure has added to the chaos in Syria. But should the left in Turkey tail the Kurdish movement? Esen Uslu gives his opinion hirty years ago the Berlin Wall Russian-Syrian government forces collapsed, signalling the ‘end of as a ‘safety corridor’. T history’ to some. But since then As a result, now the border zone a 564-kilometre-long wall has been is looking more like a jigsaw puzzle erected along the Turkey-Syria border. rather than a secure area. The Turkish Like the Green Line wall dividing and Russian military organise joint Cyprus into two and the Israeli wall patrols, which are limited in duration encircling the Palestinian communities, and scope, while two towns are the Syrian border wall epitomises our controlled by Syrian Islamist forces, times - and history since the 2011 Arab including ex-al-Qa’eda and IS spring. The logic of that history was fighters, and other towns are under expressed by Donald Trump, in his the control of Russian and official great and unmatched wisdom: “We’ve Syrian forces. secured the oil,” so “let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained Sidelines sand.” While these diplomatic and Actually the border protection military moves were happening, wall was not considered enough by the ‘national interest’ saw the the Turkish authorities to protect their mainstream ‘opposition’ parties “legitimate security concerns” (if we follow Erdoğan’s lead. To date there are to use the byword of international have been no effective attempts diplomacy) and a further 32-kilometre- to oppose the Syrian adventure. deep safe zone was required. Hence While the loyal ‘opposition’ parties further raids into Kurdish territories in have melted away, the pro-Kurdish Syria. HDP (People’s Democratic Party) Nobody in European diplomatic Erdoğan: the Kurds are an enemy within and without remains isolated and subject to circles asks what those ‘concerns’ are, repression, because of its vocal but they repeat the old line: ‘Turkey has been acting as a channel for the funds grabbing land slice by slice. Two tycoon Aydın Doğan - both have criticisms. The main bulk of the left suffered immensely from terror.’ The and material supplied by the Gulf previous operations had brought it a been close friends, helping to fix has crumbled too - abandoning the public stance of its Nato allies remains states and, when those efforts proved sizable chunk on the western edge of things between the US and Turkey. Kurdish movement, when solidarity unchanged, even though the Syrian insufficient, Erdoğan resorted to the Syrian border, and also enabled it Yalçındağ was appointed chairman is most needed. This has created Democratic Forces are no longer military intervention. After Islamic to establish 12 bases in Idlib province, of the Turkey-US Business Council such a rift that it will take quite a regarded as a terror organisation. In State emerged as a serious force, which helped provide security for the after his predecessor was accused long time to heal - if it can be. fact, the SDF has now acquired the he supported it. When the IS thrust remaining strongholds of Islamist of bribing Michael Flynn, Trump’s The rise of a mix of nationalism reputation of an effective fighting reached as far as the Kurdish town radicalism. former national security advisor. and Islamism - with all the entailing force against Islamist radicalism and a of Kobanê on the Turkish border, However, that was not sufficient Their recent activities are xenophobia, anti-western and anti- staunch ally of the west. Erdoğan himself predicted it would to satisfy Turkey’s appetite - after remarkable - they include the democratic sentiment - could give There is not the slightest evidence fall within a couple of days. all, Kurdish forces were in control of sanctions-busting activities of the the Turkish bourgeoisie its long- to suggest that the Kurdish freedom However, it did not fall, and a long stretch of the border and the Turkish regime in collusion with desired unity of purpose. Meanwhile, movement has been involved in cross- Kurdish forces pushed IS away from land behind it, including oilfields, Iran, and the following cover-up of Turkish adventurism in Kurdish lands border attacks into Turkey. While the town towards the western bank of and they enjoyed the support of the Halkbank scandal. Halkbank, has been accompanied by another the repressive internal operations the Euphrates river, where it occupied the US administration. For the last the state-owned bank, the second expansionist move - the drilling of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan the important town of Manbij. But year the target has been to occupy largest in Turkey, was involved in for oil in the contested waters off created not a little resentment, they Kurdish forces were a thorn in the a 32-kilometre strip to the south of laundering the proceeds from the Cyprus. That brought together Israel, were met with futile resistance and flesh of the Erdoğan regime - which the border in order to control the M4 import and export of IS oil. They also Greece and Egypt as a bloc against sometimes unwise counterstrikes. has no “legitimate security concerns”: highway. In this way the oilfields tried to cushion the blow of sanctions Turkey. Eventually the European However, in Turkey the main thrust only the desire to stop the formation would perhaps become a target when Erdoğan opted to buy a Russian Union decided to impose sanctions of Kurdish politics has been fighting of any Kurdish autonomous entity for future military action, with the air defence system, thus calling into on Turkey, and called upon the US to and winning elections. It is clear that ruled by democracy. Had it been a principal towns along the border question the strategic boundaries of follow suit. Kurds in Turkey are not prepared zone to be ruled by a Barzani-type occupied by Turkey. Nato. That exacerbates Turkey’s to accept Ankara’s dictates, yet the regime, that could be accommodated. The US administration and Their magic worked this time too, economic worries. And any setback Erdoğan regime is still trying to But if there were elected councils, military were dead against this, but, Trump being Trump, at the last in his Syrian adventure may be the ‘pacify’ the Kurds within Turkey’s direct democracy, involving the but the private diplomacy between minute he threw a spanner in the beginning of the end for Erdoğan’s borders by force of arms, supported participation of Arab and Turkoman Trump’s White House and works by writing an insulting letter regime. As for his Justice and by draconian legal measures. Elected local people, that is unacceptable Erdoğan’s palace, thanks to the (an unprecedented act in genteel Development Party (AKP), it is Kurdish mayors have been removed - that is what Erdoğan fears. But ‘three sons-in-law’, provided the diplomacy) to Erdoğan, asking - not experiencing some serious divisions. from office by administrative decree - now he is supported by a US-backed green light needed by the Turkish telling - him to stop the cross-border Two alternative parties are being only to be charged with ‘terrorism’ and military force in the shape of the armed forces. Trump’s son-in-law, raid. So, with Congress snapping formed by the former prominent AKP thrown into jail. SDF. Jared Kushner, was acting as a at his heels, Trump opted to cut members. In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Turkish The Erdoğan regime’s Syrian roaming envoy to the Middle East, his losses and decided to heed the Developments over the next army has occupied a 50-kilometre- adventure was transformed into open while Berat Albayrak, the son-in- Pentagon advice to deploy a token couple of months could be very deep zone and built encampments to aggression, invasion and occupation law of Erdoğan, is Turkey’s finance force working together with the interesting indeed, but I am afraid that guard all important highway junctions. of Syrian lands with a view to minister. Finally Mehmet Ali Kurds in the oilfields region, while a left, which fails to act in unison with Bombing raids and intelligence-led incorporating them into Turkey. Yalçındağ, Trump’s business partner leaving the bloodstained land under HDP, looks as though it will remain “surgical strikes” against Kurdish It opted for a ‘salami approach’, in Turkey, is the son-in-law of media the joint control of Turkey and watching on the sidelines l militants are a daily occurrence, praised by the government-controlled media. Subscribe Name:______Standing order But meanwhile the Iraqi Kurdistan 6m 1yr Inst. To ______Bank plc ______regional government under Masouni Address:______UK £30/€35 £60/€70 £200/€220 Barzani is standing by and watching. 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