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AUTUMN 1984 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW 87

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Organised Crime in N.S.W. Uranium and Labor Noel Couniban interview Tribune The best paper

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PRINTER AND PUBLISHER: Uranium Art and Politics Red Pen Publications P/L Socialist Feminist Uranium and Labor 4 Dixon Street, Sydney 2000. Twenty Years of '84 The Labor policy on Rock and Roll in uranium has changed EDITORIAL COLLECTIVE: Medicare Under Wollongong considerably from its Brian Aarons, Eric Aarons, Hilda In the last 20 years Siege original principled Andrews, Malcolm Andrews, technology has al­ 2 stand. Ronald and Barrie Blears, Steve Catt, Mark Leeks tered the face of the Discussion and Mark Hayes outline and Cole, Chris Dodds, Mike Australian music in d ­ Reply criticise the justific­ Donaldson. Gloria Garton, Phil ustry. Arnle Olbrlch and Beyond Simple ations used for these Nell Porter talk with Gissing, Mavis Robertson and changes. Linnell Secomb. One-to-one Mike Donaldson about 12 the effects of these Alternatives Roundtable changes. THANKS TO: Dave Davies, Arthur Rudkin com m - Redback Graphics, Tribune. Prospects for 38 ents on Bernie Taft's Art and Politics article "After the Socialism ACCOUNTS AND Excitement: Eurocomm­ Why is there a crisis in The b'oht icsof DISTRIBUTION: Hilda Andrews unism at the Cross­ socialism and what are Despair and Malcolm Andres (Sydney), roads" published in ALR the issues and history Raymond Southall looks Olga Silver (Melbourne). 86. behind the crisis? Eric at the political effects 4 Aarons chaired a and intent of George DESIGN: Mark Cole, Linnell Art and Politics roundtable discussion Orwell’s Nineteen Secomb. w ith Linda Carruthers, Elghty-coui. A n Ambition to Phil Hind, Bob Makln- ______42 TYPESETTING: Gloria Garton. Disturb son, Joe Palmada and Joyce Stevens to A Careful Analysis cover PHOTO: Self portrait, examine the causes. The Stumblebum Syn­ Noel Counlhan. Anti-uranium 20 drome. Reviewed by demonstration April 1978, Economic Notes Steve Catt. Sydney, photo from T r ib u n e . Floating the 46 Australian Dollar North-South, ALL CORRESPONDENCE & What have been the East-West ENQUIRIES: Australian Left consequences of the Kissinger's Kingdom? Review, Box A247, Sydney floating of the Australian Ryviowed by Peter Ross. South PO, Sydney 2000. dollar by the Hawke 48 government? Tad Arm s Race Wheelwright explains Greatest Danger the issues. 28 Taking Australia Off the Photoessay Map. Reviewed by Bill Photo record of Inter­ Gollan. national Women's Day 52 ALR welcomes contributed 1984 by Peter Murphy, articles and reviews within the Looking Again framework of an open concept of Noel Counlhan talks to Fiona Moore and Wendy at Markets marxism. Contributions should Oave Davies about his Rew. Thb Economics of be typed, double-spaced, on A4 art and politics — his 32 Feasible Socialism. size paper, or smaller. ambitions and inspir­ Organised Crime Reviewed by Eric Manuscripts which are not ation. Rigntwmg Labor Aarons. clearly typed and easily legible and Crime 54 will not be considered for Internationa Organised crime in NS IV Masses the Makers publication. Unused manu­ Sinn Fein has links with ‘legitim­ scripts wilt be returned if Gerry Adams' speech as ate1 capital and the of History accompanies by a stamped incominq President to Labor right. Denis Rebels and Radicals. addressed envelope. Maximum the Sinn Fein Annual Freney outlines the Reviewed by Drew word length for articles is 4,500 Conference. connections. Cottle. words, and reviews 1,500 words. ~ 10 34 60

Australian Left Review 87 1 workers'. Another banner, which was wrenched from BRIEFINGS demonstrators after it had focus for activity, a source- system has more openly smashed through a glass Socialist of information and a forum become a tool of economic partition read: AusTrade unionists and the allocation of $20 million to idea. The conference rank and file of the ALP account The Council of the states earmarked organising collective is to expressed strong support Action 'or Equal Pay was specif icially for community co-ordinate ongoing for Medibank and comm­ originally formed in 19?7 health. A third feature of discussion around this unity health. These groups Medicare's implement­ and was active until the idea. led opposition to Fraser's ation is the insistence on e arly '70s attacks on the reforms, limiting charges by Tweive years later, it is attempting to maintain the specialists in public clear that tne legislation on social wage in the face of hospitals to the scheduled the books has changed cutbacks, freezes, and a fee. little. A meeting to aiscuss regressive tax system. In It is this third and the possibility of relaunch­ addition, the women's seemingly minor aspect of ing the Council of Action lobby of the A l P has Medicare that is the pretext for Equal Pay will be held consistently supported for the present militant on A piil 14.1984 at 1 pm, at community health ser­ outburst by some of the the Mechanics Institute, vices. most highly paid special­ Cnr Sydney and Glenlyon When the Fraser govern­ ists in the country, in Roads, Brunswick. The ment set about its major focus for action support of their continuing systematic dismantling of could be around the re­ right *o profit from the use Medibank, the union evaluation of the worth of of publicly funded hosp­ women's work in tradit­ movement responded with itals. An alliance of a 24-hour general strike. A ional female jobs which are medicos, private health dramatic raid on the notoriously iow paid. The funds and private hospitals Socialist Feminist Sydney stock exchange concept of comparable has, for some months, been Conference participants. following the federal worth will be used to make running a series of media For more information, Dudget of 1978 led to this clear that traditional remale propaganda campaigns report in the Australian occupations have been the Socialist Feminist against Medicare in Financial Review the next support of private health undervalued and therefore Conference organising day: underpaid and should collective can be contacted insurance and medical C/- 6 Council Street, practice. be adjusted to come The trading floor, warned into line with men's wages Clifton Hill 3068. Although the public is far Linnell Secomb minutes previously, was more sceptical about the in comparable occupat­ barricaded but glass doors ions. This campaign Medicare were kicked in by demon­ motivation of the medical strategy follows from strators. During the melee profession than ten years ouccessful cases using Under Siege a protestor armed with ago, the impact of these these principles in the spray cans wrote 'Make the scare tactics has been Health issues have oecome rich oay' on lift doors .... noticeable in the numbers USA. a political battlefield over of people maintaining Among the leaders of the Another important focus the past decade One of the private health insurance of debate at the conference charge on tne stock major developments in that exchange trading floor which they can ill-afford was round the idea of period has been the were two men carrying a and may not need. forming a women's union changing terrain of that targe red banner with the For all this, Medicare is a which would provide a battlefield itself. The health words 'ICI construction far from ideal health 2 ALR AU TU M N 1984 the base of community under increasing pressure strings be tied with — - - lm services would also serve to provide medically guidelines for a national to consolidate the gains in oriented curative services preventive and educational public opinion that will be and to integrate with strategy. But support for necessary to protect future hospitals. Victoria's community health and HEALTH developments against community-controlled salaried doctors in health further rounds of cutDacks health centres maintain centres also seems to mean Hill M and attrition. their pre-eminence in an increasing integration RATES There have been import­ community involvement, In with hospital services. On ant developments in New South Wales, virtually the other hand, the area of com m unity services in the all money being allocated community control is relat­ last decade that now need for community health, ively under-emphasised, to be consolidated and whether through realloc­ and the continued domin­ built upon. ation or from Medicare, is ant role of the states is, at HOTS UP There is now a consistent being given to hospitals to this early stage, too program. It is less and coherent set of policies spend on community difficult to tackle head-on. comprehensive than the with broad support among outreach programs. The Caucus sub­ original Medibank, and its a range of interest and Women's health services committee has reported its effect is more regressive at consumer groups, and are receiving no additional findings to the Health the extremes of the taxable these policies, as they support, despite ALP Minister who now has to incomes. It largely bolsters develop, point beyond promises, and together argue for the development the existing fee-for-service hospital dominance. There with the original commun­ of the program in the system of health care, and are proposals for area ity health centres they are future. The political excludes most paramed­ health board structures to feeling increasingly commitment required for ical (e.g. dental, chiro­ move towards community- besieged. building on Medicare will practic) and preventive controlled and more The federal ALP and be generated, in part, by services. accessible services. New Health Minister Neal the outcome of the battle "Medicare", according services would be funded Blewett are aware of the against the medical to the Australian Council of through Medicare 'ear­ need to taxe some action specialists and private Social Service, "sits marked' monies. Future on community health. The health funds. Although it is perched on top of an federal guidelines for the Labor Party was to develop only a minor skirmish in entrenched structure of allocation of this slice of its community health itself, a victory for private medical fee-for- the Medicare pie will need policy in 1983, but was entrenched interests and service payment, run-down to emphasise accountab­ overtaken by the election privilege at this early stage community and preventive ility to the local community and the immediate need to of Medicare would dampen services, a struggling through monitoring at a get Medicare running, as enthusiasm for more system of convalescent local level. This is a base on well as make some imaginative and farther- and community care and which a national preventive reaching reforms. the largely ad hoc health strategy can oe So far, Neal Blewett has geographical distribution built, and it would be one stood his ground and is of health services." that won't wither away at ^flvpflispr successfully implementing The key to Medicare's the first change of political one of the few reforms of promise lies in its potential climate. MEDICARE IIPSFT the Hawke government. to further improve access What is needed is a The unions and the left and equity in the health consciously planned social have been surprisingly services, and to provide intervention into the quiet on the subject. While real alternative^ to the organisational and econ­ I HEWEltl Medicare appears to be a current system of medical omic structure of the health genuinely oopular scheme, and institutional domin­ care system itself, using it may be that widespread ance. The Australian the community health ACCUSED or perceptions of its limit­ Community Health Assoc­ program to both strength­ ations have dampened iation has proposed that en Medicare and reorient public enthusiasm. community health ser­ the priorities of the health As ACOSS has said, vices, now receiving just system. BUM Medicare can be the start of $20 minion out of the Despite a lot of rhetorical something better. We support for community headway in their other vast Medicare budget, should not allow tne loud health services, they are constitute the embryo from priority areas of aged care protests of the privileged to currently at a historically which a new ordercould be and occupational health. In distract from its wider low ebb. Each state has developed. November, the Caucus potential for promoting adapted in its own way to Medicare is a potentially Social Policy Committee equity, access, and the rigors of the Fraser powerful tool for gradually set up a task force, under accountability in the health federalism strategy and bringing about a redistrib­ Senator Rosemary Crow­ system. A clear victory for now the imagination that is ley (S.A.), to report on ution of resources and Medicare and a strong required ‘or service priorities in the health community health. Early follow-through from system. The movement development has been indications are that this progressive consumer stunted by years of ad hoc from reimbursement of task force will have two- groups and unions could changes and 'attrition' bob each way in some privately-produced serv­ have some chance of ices to the provision of policies that have left the important areas. redirecting the health community health program salaried practitioners can There are certainly system. 1984 will be a in the bottom drawer, as far strong recommendations be a parallel development crucial year for such a that a federal monitoring to a redistribution from as priorities go. program. institutional to comm unity- In most states the function be re-established based care. Strengthening community services are and that federal purse- Rick Mohr and Alan Owen

Australian Left Review 87 3 DISCUSSION AND REPLY

BEYOND SIMPLE ONE-TO-ONE Arthur Rudkin comments on Bemia Tafts article ",After the Excitement: ALTERNATIVES Eurocommunism at the hat peaceful, care-free lives Comintern tried, whenever possible, to Crossroads" which was we could all lesd if every reach unanimous corsensus, and published in ALR 86. ooiiticai problem couid be avoid public debate — perhaps solved by such simple, one-to-one unwisely, as it tended to create the alternatives as Bernie Taft oresents in impression that divergent views were his article on Eurocommunism [ALR. never given a fair hearing within the No. 86)! And what an incredible toad of parties, either. ineffectual nuts the pre- Eurocommun- Despite distortions ol democratic ists must have been if they really chose centralism by some parties, it was not the alternatives Comrade Taft seems to invented to create "unlimited power for attribute to them! the leadership of the party but to In fact, of course, despite the dismal ensure that democratic decisions, record of the Comintern after Stalin once arrived at, were put into effect, was persuaded to annex it to the USSR not everlastingly recommitted for as part of his personal estate, none of further consideration, or stymied by the four Internationals was set up with obstinate opposition from aisaffected the object of imposing "any outside minorities, have the Eurocommunists influence or pressure" on their really developed an equally effective national affiliates, but for purposes of but more democratic means of consultation, co-operation and mutual ensuring that they will not degenerate aid. Why. indeed, must an international into mere loose confederations of organisation curtail the "inalienable debating societies, devoted to neither rights" of its affiliates, any more than a interpreting nor changing the world, national organisation the "inalienable out only talking about it? rights" of its local branches? Does Eurocommjnist rejection of omrade Taft has surely been a internationalism mean that every small leading member of the CPA nation trying to build socialism must long enough to remember that be prepared, if necessary, to face the neither the CPA nor any other combined military and economic C professed marxist party, except a few mignt of the capitalist world unaided, tiny terrorist splinter groups, ever lest international solidarity be advocated "insurrection and minority interpreted as an attempt at "direction rule" as an intrinsically better way of of the party by an outside body''? achieving socialism than "winning Rather ironically, the Eurocommun- majority support". The point is, as ists must thank Stalin for their Marx predicted long ago, that "complete autonomy". Dissolution of socialists have no need to initiate the Third International was his violence, even if they want it: the personal decision, announced at a bourgeoisie can always be relied upon press conference in Moscow, without to fire the first shot. This has Deen consulting anyone. The first we knew confirmed historically time and time of our "democratic" decision to be no again, from the Paris Commune to the longer part of an international present day. as in, for instance, pre­ movement was when we read about it war Italy, Germany, Austria and Spain, in the capitalist press next morning. in Indonesia, Ghana, Korea, Viet Nam, Very probably, the genera! Chile, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and acquiescence in Stalin's ukase, and Grenada, to mention only a few of the attempts to justify it on "historical best known examples, and saying materialist" grounds, were due less to nothing of the many countries where genuine conviction than to reluctance there are no elections, or wnere Arthur Rudkin to start a public braw! with Stalin and socialist and other progressive parties the CPSU. The parties of the are not allowed to contest them, like

ALR Au tu m n 1984 Bernie Taft

the Philippines, East Timor and West but for 40 years it did inspire millions of Irian in our owr region, or Soutn people, not only to vote for communist Africa, where the last free elections candidates, but to put in enormous 1 gave communists an overwhelming everybody knows1 what the amounts of hard worn and personal majority of the popular vote, but only Eurocommunists ano their allies are sacrifice to advance the communist one seat in parliament, thanks to against, but many are not so clear cause. complexion-based suffrage. about what they are for, and how they What is the use of majority support hope to achieve it. m g owadays, in some countries, for a broad alliance or "parties, communist party members movements and organisations" in n pre-Eurocommunist days, we § V hardly dare hint that socialism countries line the USA and the UK could point to the amazing ever nad any positive achievements at where the electoral system virtually / economic, Industrial, social all to its credit, les' they be suspected bans effective representation for more cultural, scientific, medical and of whatever is the current jargon than two parties, and the very military successes of the Soviet Union for Left Sectarian deviation from the existence of more than one as brilliant examples Of what socialism Party Line. The cornerstone of progressive party splits the vote and can achieve, while stressing that communist propaganua in those renders continued minority adoption of a socialist economic countries thus tends to become breast- reactionary rule almost inevitable. system did not necessarily entail beating confessions that communist No doubt the Eurocommunists are accepting tne Soviet political system, rule has always been an unmitigated sincere in their determination not to try and that its political shortcomings disaster in the past, and fervent to establish Stalin-style dictatorships, were due partly to its rather recent promises to do better in future. Though but can they predict with equal emergence from absolute monarcny conceivably more logical than the old confidence that their policies will not and a predominantly peasant gospel, and undoubtedly less offensive leaa to more Pinochet-style economy, partly to the need tor strict to tne bourgeois Establishment, this dictatorships? Do they really believe internal discipline while surrounded by seems somehow strangely less tne bourgeoisie will agree never to use hostile powers poised to seize upon inspiring: and, of course, it suffers the violence against them, if they and exploit internal dissension for their embarrassing defect, that the safest undertake never to use violence to own ends, as they did in Hungary, and way to make sure the Eurocommunists defend themselves? tried to do in Czechoslovakia and keep their promise not to repeat the The failure of the Eurocommunist Poland Some people might even have blunders of the Russian, Chinese and parties to answer these and similar considered some restriction of Poiish communists, might seem to be questions may account for their personal liberty a small price to pay for not to vote tor them, or support them, decline in popularity after promising abolition of poverty, unemployment, in any way. beginnings, and for the failure of some homelessness, economic insecurity, Few people would argue that communist parties with similar and racism, the world's first and only communists should return to their old policies, such as those of Australia, the completely free and universal health quasi-religion, with Karl Marx in the UK and Japan, to gain even temporary service, steadily rising living role of Jesus Christ, and the General new support by their vigorously standards, anu a genuine struggle for Secretary of the CPSU as the infallible publicised renunciation of stannism. world peace; or even that the Soviet Pope, but they do need a more Perhaps some older comrades attitude to some oissident minorities convincing and inspiring alternative forget that Stalin died before most would not be a bad swap for the "free than they have yet put forward. I have people now living were even born. For world" practice of granting hinted broadly enough what I think the many of the younger generation, unrestricted freedom of speech — well, alternative should be. I leave it to stalinism and anti-stalinism must seem not terribly restricted — to dissident younger and more active comrades to more like historical relics than sound majorities, with absolute freedom of work out the details. main planks in the platforms of popular the politicians not to take a blind bit of political parties. The novelty has worn notice, as with the installation of of) the spectacle of communists Cruise and Pershing missiles in fiercely denouncing nearly everything western Europe, uranium exports from Arthur Rudkin Is an actor and was that once distinguished them from the Australia, and the annual baby seal editor ol the MA Workers Star reformist Labour and Social massacre in Canada. during the 1930s and early 1940s. Democratic parties. Bv now, nearly There may be flaws in this argument,

Australian Left Review 87 5 An exhibition of Noel Counihan's work was held in the National Gallery in Melbourne from 4 October to 5 December, 1983 in connection with the artist's seventieth birthday. A long-standing member of the Communist Party of Australia, Counihan's art has always responded to the great social and human Issues of the times. But in October 1981 he suffered a heart attack and stroke and it was feared that his artistic life may have ended. But he has resumed work. . Basil Basil Monson In this edited interview, conducted by Dave Davies a t Noel Counihan's AN AMBITION Melbourne suburban home in October 1983, he looks back on m any TO DISTURB decades of activity and Many years ago I recall your saying Can you give an example of this from tells of the influence of his that you had "an ambition to disturb". one of your own works? confrontation with death Is that still true? I had one striking experience tn the on his life and work. studio within the last 10 years. I had I Yes, that has been pretty constant, painted a picture which is very much Iff 7 AND POLITICS out not in simple blacK-and-white an image arising out of my childhood, terms. A statement like that could be which I retain vividly. It was not a interpreted in a very simplistic way, like happy one and the atmosphere of the old "shock the bourgeois" idea domestic discord, violence and which has played a part in modem unhappiness played a very big part in artistic history, It was the bohemian my life. Through my work you can find revolt against bourgeois convention, evidence of it. You find images which the stance of shocking the respectable are really childhood memories, many and the established. I mean something of which go back to my mother. more subtle than that. In the late 1950s ! painted a picture I have tried, particularly In more which Ailsa O'Connor described in an recent years, to find images which article in our press as a pioneer would disturb people because they feminist painting. It’s called "The Wife" would be on some common level. I and it is a statement of sympathy for have tried — no use an old expression and solidarity with the position of of Buxharin — to socialise feelings. women. It's a painting of a domestic Bukharin, being a Russian, used a term scene, simply a man and a woman at that probably had its origins in the dining table, obviously a painting Tolstoyism although Tolstoy wouldn'i of intense discord There is nothing have used it. Tolstoy's view was that art between tnese two people to bring was essentially Dound up with them together, there is only the communication on the level of the distance between them feelings and the emotions. In the early 1970s I painted an Now, there is something in that. extension ot that which was much Artists don't necessarily just give more violent. I called it "The Parents" expression to their own feelings — and it is a picture of a struggling pair. they give expression to widely-felt It's quite horrible because it's a emotions. Somehow through their horrible situation. Interview by imagery they correlate their A youngish couple, looking for a experiences with other people's. They work of mine, came to the studio and I tap other people's experiences by showed them this picture that I was just Dave Davies probing into their own. finishing. I turned to see the young

ALR Autu m n 1984 woman with tears streaming down her brought back as notations and working face That picture had rocked her drawings the images to be developed because it was a picture of her family back here. They formed the basis ot an background. exhibition before my illness. You have spoken of probing your own On our recent holiday visit we took experiences. Obviously the with us an exhibition ot works on paper Depression was one of them. What showing life in the village and they were some of the others? were shown in the town of Perpignon, near Opoul. The French critics said The Depression was of profound that the peasant theme had been importance. I grew up and my worked to death in French literature education commenced then. It’s hard • -*-1 and art. and it had taken a person from to pinpoint anything quite as definite the other end of the earth to come and as that period when I was being give a fresh picture of a way of life that strongly conditioned and moulded by was passing. That was what I had set my environment out to do. But the Viet Nam war — in which, of Perhaps my greatest admirer was the course, I didn't take part — included a viliaqe Daker. I spent some time period of about ten years during which studying him at work at 6.30 in the I painted and drew nothing which morning. The village bakery is didn't give expression to some aspect disappearing with bread coming from of that war hanging over us like a big the big cities, but the one in Opoul has black shadow. been maintained. you didn't paint demonstrations or When you were In Paris over a decade anything like that? ago you spent some time depicting the derelicts — the ciochards — and you No, and I didn't try to paint war have said that the Insulted and scenes. But I tried to say something humiliated, the outcasts of the world, about our civilian life here in the are sublects for you. shadow of the war m Viet Nam The "Good Life" series and the "Laughing Yes, I still respond to that theme, f Christ" series each included a number haven't been working on it in the same of images which were statements way in the immediate past, But I did about the war, the hypocrisy and cant find earlier this year that I was bugged of our position here, the despoliation by the constant repetition on TV news and corruption of masculine virility in of scenes in Beirut of shattered streets the sense that we sent very young men with heaps of tattered clothing and one who hardly knew where Viet Nam was. knew that in those little heaps were They went off with faces like babies' bodies. bums. It was the same with the news pictures from El Salvador. I found That was the "Boy In a Helmet"series? mvself identifying with those heaps of Ves. In the National Gallery only last clothes. Trying to do something about week I heard an education officer it, that is, to make an artistic image talking with students in front of the big M il based on it, brought me back into linocut and she must have spent about painting after a period in which I had 20 minutes proDing them about it, From the Boy in the Helmet' series been unable to paint or draw because making them analyse it and relate it to of my illness themselves if they were in the position aspect of European peasantry and see For the greater part of 1981 I could of that boy. It interested me that I had what I could do w«th It. neither paint nor draw at all. The made an image that she could base a Opoul is a small Catalan-speaking doctor had said that I would never lesson on. village in south-western France. They paint again because of the combined are mainly underprivileged vine effect of the heart attack and the Before your recent Illness you spent growers, separated from the Spanish stroke. This time last year I thought he some time In a small village In France. Catalans across the Pyrenees We lived could be right. I was told I had lost half Why did you go there? there for about six months in 1980 and i my range of vision, but that was not I went there because I felt that I could drew every day. I think I was right. But it is what goes on behind the deal with a theme that doesn't exist in profoundly affected by the experience eyes — you don't paint with your eyes, Australia. W t have rich farmers, poor in the village and when we came back I But every effort I made to paint or draw farmers, agricultural labourers, but we brought my drawings with me. was a total failure, in some cases haven't got a peasantry with a peasant The village was a microcosm of a because of physical pain. tradition. I was getting the feeling that much wider range of life, but because it I had a brief return to Opoul last year the peasantry as it is understood in was so small and a village of battlers I didn't do any work but I regained a lot Europe was possibly a class on the way you could see things clearly and of my healtn. In my own mind I was out of history. sharply there that you couldn't see in pessimistic about painting because I Modern capitalism with its m ulti­ a bigger and more complex social feit empty. But then m Paris I felt the nationals was in effect destroying setting. I madeasuiteof 12lithographs need to get home because I felt the peasant life and having always been on the theme of lile in a small village need to do some work. The images that interested in laoouring people I and also a number of paintings on the got me going were the ones of human thought f would have a good look at an same basis. I regarded the drawings I wreckage in the streets that we got

Australian Left Review 87 7 every night on TV. I dia some drawings and two paintings which pleasantly surprised me and I felt that I hadn't lost it all. Then, with seme confidence from that. I went back to something I had tried 12 months before with total failure. I tried to paint some of the experience in the hospital, not as a hospital scene so much as what happened to me following the heart attack. I tried to get an image out that would have some relevance to a sudden and unexpected confront­ ation with death. That's a very personal and intimate experience, but is shared by many other people, in one way or another. The Beirut and El Salvador images helped me to paint that. As a result, I made a painting which I regard as one of the most important that I have done. In some ways it is tne most original. It disturbs people who look at it. Sometimes it horrifies people because it contains a death image, but not the conventional one. That brought me Dack tnto painting. Some things work on you like acid. Images, things in the news, burn their way into you and that was an example. It shows how complex the image- making processes really are They take on more flesh and blood the more deeply they are felt within your psyche. There is a big difference between the artistic image and the illustration, the anecdote, no matter how skilful. You have said In the past thal you are never satisfied with repetition, and that is perhaps where you find yourself at odds with those who expect you to repeat your Depression pictures such as “At the Start ot the March". In what way are you not repeating yourself today? Are the Beirut and El Salvador Images a repetition?

They can have a lot in common without being repetitious. They are seen in new ways, in new terms. One must consider the artistic, the aesthetic evolution. 1 think they are more complex, more subtle statements From the 'Good Life series than those I have done before. This is what I am on about — that if in your late sixties you are only doing what you did 30 years earlier then there is something fundamentally wrong. It is stagnation. It means, to use Picasso's term, you are your own mutual admiration society, you think what you have done is pretty good and you keep on doing it. No progress comes out of that. Why do you say that subtlety and complexity are virtues? Does this not lose some of the Impact? I don't really think so because I think

a ALR Autumn 1984 anything that can be assimilated in a composers have the same sort of retrospective, not a complete one, but brief look is hollow, superficial. The struggle with the problems within the it was important for me at that stage of enduring things in art are very complex medium and I find myself more and life dnd development. It took place in and profound. It is amazing that more concerned with such problems. the face of some considerable images created three thousand years But I don’t believe that this is at the opposition from the artistic ago are still found to be moving today. expense of the significance of the Establishment, from within the Sculptures and paintings created image. I think it intensifies the image. Trustees of the National Gallery for thousands of years ago can stir the The more one can enrich one's art the instance. A number of them were imaginations of people today because more the image is likely to opposed to it. But the then director felt there s something that's eternally communicate and to work on the levels it was high time I was paid some human in them. of the imagination. This does not recognition That's what I love about great art. I happen in a simple way, but you are am impatient with all theories that more likely to say something that will What plans have you for your work? reduce art to the level of the consumer penetrate people, disturb them and I haven't got any big series planned. I society I don't believe in a throw-away move them. am still convalescent and working my art. I believe in permanence and at a way back into painting. I've resisted Over the past few years a number of time when it is unfashionable to do so, I propositions for exhibitions in the near publications have come out on am a defender of what the impatient future because I don't feel up to filling Australian art. For Instance, there was young somethines call high art, which galleries witn new work. I'm going Humphrey McQueen's The Black they dismiss as the art of the about things in a slow sort of way, Establishment, the bourgeoisie. I think Swan of Trespass, Richard Haese's that one must learn from works of art book Rebels and Precursors a .a the Some things are constant in my art. I which reach over the centuries, to Catalogue Raisonne of your own work watched an ABC Spectrum show touch and move people. by Robert Smith. Do you have any recently which was devoted to the That's like the consolidation of thoughts about these books and the English sculptor Henry Moore. He human experience. The artist has controversies they may have came from a mining background and found some permanent form for generated? never lost touch with certain aspects of human experience. Aboriginal art, everyday reality. Time and time again I think they are an expression of a which is thousands of years old. stands he came back to the question that all period of aroused interest in the up liKe that and lots of supposedly his imagery was based on the human history of Australian art. a new sophisticated art today won't stand up figure, in particular the female figure. generation is looking at the past in new the same way. He regarded these as the most terms. Many of the most exciting and So I have been trying for the latter important forms in life and everything lively things have happened in my part of my lire to create more complex he did, no matter how abstract it lifetime since the days of the early images, but I try to give them the looked, had its roots in the human Heidelberg and Box Hill schools and I simplest form. I believe in both form. just happened to be arouno when all simplicity and complexity and think I find a strong bond of solidarity with there is a dialectical connection sorts of things were fermenting and I took part in them. So that now I have him there, because that is exactly how I between the two. I am not a lover of approach my work. Everything is obscurity. It pleases me that people teen decked out a bit in terms of history — an historical curio. based on the human face and figure can walk in off the street to my and on relationships between human exhibition in the National Gallery and It's strange reading the works of a new generation of historians who are figures. So that I will go on painting feel themselves in touch with a lot of and drawing the human figure, human experience spread out on the writing from an academic point of view about the situations in which we took particularly the female figure, until I walls and have no great difficulty in part and which had such flesh and drop coning to terms with it. The general blood significance for us. We were so experience is that the message comes Some of the new things I’ve made deeply involved and now you read a across very clearly. this year since resuming painting are cool appraisal from a remote point of Bui that doesn't deny what I have Dased on the female nude, sometimes view. I find myself irritated by someof it just said. It simply means that I have in relation to a male figure, sometimes and sometimes I think the historians been able to find the means of saying just in its own right, and I think they are are very good. rather directly some complex things. the best things of their kind that I have But it's amazing how an apparently done. I couldn’t have done them before You have said that your last ten years objective writer can still get things I was ill — not on this level anyhow. have been your best. In what way? cock-eyed. They are not as objective as they think they are. Pure objectivity The illness has left a strange stamp It flows on from what we have just is unattainable and one gives on my work whicn is hard to pinpoint, been talking about. I think my work in expression to a conditioned viewpoint. but other painters coming here sense artistic terms is on i much higher level. it. I show what I have been doing and Your position has often been It has taken me decades to work out the they say it's different. Now, the subject presented as a kind of war between ways of saying what I want to say and matter isn't particularly different — the yourself and the rest ot the artistic as I get older I am more and more difference is in the work, in the colour world. My understanding, however, Is concerned with the aesthetic problems harmonies, in the orchestration of the that you have a unique position, having of my work. Problems of organising colour, a new richness. had a retrospective exhibition In your colour harmonies, richer harmonies, own lifetime In 1973 and now, on the I think it's a fact of life that a the problems of colour, problems of occasion of your 70th birthday, profound experience leaves its mark the internal energy of the image — all another major exhibition in the on your psyche and that is what art is of these things are what it is about. National Gallery. How do you see this about. We have a statement to make about yourself? _ life and it's how to do it in terms of your Dave Davies Is a journalist, humorist medium. I'm sure that poets and The first one was a fairly limited and linguist.

Australian Left Review 87 9 INTERNATIONAL

The recent attempt on Sinn SINN FEIN Fein President Gerry Adams' life highlights the importance and effective­ ness of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland. Apart from successes in Belfast t would be fitting and appropriate murders, or show trial and hired for me to take this opportunity to perjurer strategies, or the victims of and Derry, Sinn Fein has / make a few personal observations shoot-to-kill policies, are the victims of polled well In local regarding my election as president of a decadent social and economic elections In 26 counties. Sinn Fein. system which is glared nol in Irish When I heard of Ruari's (Ruari interests but in the interests of foreign Here, ALR publishes O'Bradaigh) reluctance tostanr) for re­ and native capitalists or in the military extracts from Gerry election, and when my associates and strategic interests of a British Adams' address to the commenced lobbying me to stand for government and its super-power allies. Sinn Fein Annual Confer­ the leadership position, i( will come as I would like to take tms opportunity no surprise lo many of you to learn that to apoeal to those Protestant people in ence. I was extremely reluctant to let my the six counties who have justifiable if name go forward My reluctance does misguided, fears about their future in not stem from any false sense of an independent Ireland. modesty, bul from what I believe are I know the leaders of ioyalism will practical problems coupled with some dismiss my appeal, as will even the personal observations. I already have a leaders of the SDLP but nonetneless I heavy workload and 'eel that the leader direct a sincere appeal to working- of this party, at its present stage of class Protestant people who have been development, needs to be able to give Oadly served and misled by these same the many tasks facing us, his or her leaders over tne years. undivided attention. The emphasis We seek the unity of all our people in needs to be upon the 26 counties and an independent Irish democracy thus I would have a preference for a shaped by all its citizens to fulfil their leader who was based in this area. needs. We, as republicans, have a My election as president has. as is lo decided preference that this society be expected, led to media speculation should be a democratic socialist of a 'Northern taKeover’ or domination republic, but we accept that, in a post- of Sinn Fein, and to quiet little rumours British withdrawal situation with Irish that I am about to lead you into democracy restored, we will be bound Leinster House. My election means by the democratic wishes of the Irish neither of these things There is, of people. course, as is natural given the nature of Political Protestantism is based our struggle until now, a predomin­ partly on the fear that Irish Home Rule ance of Sinn Fein people from the six is Rome Rule . Protestants need to be counties in the ouDlic eye, but we are reminded that the Catholic Hierarchy not a Northern nor a Southern party. has seen fit to attack Sinn Fern more We are an Irish republican party often this past year than it has ever organised throughout Ireland, and we attacked rabid anti-Cath ol ic are the only party with a membership in demagogues such as Ian Paisley. all thirty-two counties. Republicans do not seek a sectarian We have broadened our struggle, state. On the contrary, we seek a and we must continue to broaden it so secular, or at least a pluralist, society. that our Darty can become the focal We in Sinn Fein remember with pride point for all those who suffer under that our republicanism grew from the British rule. That suffering is not separatist roots of the mainly restricted to the victims of direct Presbyterian United Irishmen. They Gerry Adams British military involvement. Linked are as much your heritage as ours, and with the victims of plastic bullet much more our common legacy than

10 ALR A utu m n 1984 / v

f the Siege of Derry, or the Battle of the ■ M M hat hope then have the people r . Boyne. We have aespite the imposed M ru g of the twenty-six counties divisions, tragedy and suffering of the " W who are faced with Tweedle­ last 60 years, more to unite us than to dum and Tweedledee parties as divide us alternative governments? Even as unemployment continues to he twenty-six county state, Lite In Northern Ireland Is a constant creep up, and even as public spending partitioned to suit British state of war. is throttled to the tune of 500 million T interest? for all its such chaos that it not only cannot feed pounds, the political preachers of constitutional declarations, failed to itself but hap potatoes as one of the financial oelt-tightening and establish an ability to act largest Irish food imports. monetarist rectitude cynically independently in the interests of its How far have we come in this so- awarded themselves salary increases people. called independent state? Not even a of 19 percent to cushion their already- The centrality of partition to the potato republic! cushioned and luxuriously pampered maintenance of that evil social and The social system which exists lives. econom ic system Is not a>one amidst all of this is one which has as its At the same time, worxers at highlighted by constant republ.can values the alien values of capitalism. Clondalkin Paper Mills are thrown out rhetoric. Figures recently released by So the 196,309 official jobless, up of jobs cheated by false promises and the Dublin Forum estimate the cost to again this montn by 3,070, are not forced to take the terrible and ultimate the Free State of maintaining partition allowed to get to worK building homes form of protesl — the hunger strike. over the last 14 years to be £2,30u or hospitals or providing education or Workers such as those at Ranks million. How much in the same period supplying health services but must doggedly attempt to stem the tide of was spent in attempting to end stand idle in the dolp queues whilst one redundancy, and vital centres of work partition? third of the population lives below the around the twenty-six counties, like In the economic area the Free State poverty level in need of all these basic Dunlop's in Cork or the Snia factory in also lacKS the will to pursue an social rights and plagued by such Sligo, close with immeasurable independent course. Having thrown symptoms of that poverty as drug aamage to local communities, but with itself open to the multinationals with abuse and vandalism. hardly a shrug from those responsible. the most abject pleas and attractions of Also in the social context, useless Furthermore, I believe we should fiscal allurements, the Free State Victorian notions imported and also be mindful of Connolly's clear entered the EEC on the coat-tails of accepted a century ago as economic understanding of the need for Britain. The people of the Free State and social controls of the sueject republicans, socialists and progressive are now reaping the whirlwind. The nation remain enshrined in nationalists to find unity on democratic multinationals have followed a conservative confessional brain­ republican demands. We must be predictable pattern, using up their washing which inhibits the natural mindfui ol the aangers of ultra-leftism benefits, pillaging natural resources, spirit of the Irish people. and remember ai all times that while and then culling out for pastures new, The disenslavement of women, the our struggle has a major social and leaving jobless and demoralised right to family planning and economic content, the securing of communities behind them, contraception, the question of divorce Irish independence is a prerequisite for Agriculture, which was to be the and marital breakdown, the invidious the advance to a socialist republic golden miracle of EEC entry, has social distinctions which surround the society. foundered. Money may have gone in question of illegitimacy, one-parent large quantities into the pockets of the families and so on, are questions which few hundred big ranchers, but the we should be mature enough as a twenty-six couniies is not allowed the people to decide and settle for independence to process its own food ourselves without fear of croziers in a so-called agricultural state. It has waving in the background and without Gerry Adams is president of Sinn so little control over its own economic pretending that suchrproblems cannot Fein. destiny that its farming sector is in exist in Ireland.

Australian Left Review 87 11 On 7 November 1983, the Hawke Labor government, at an ALP caucus meeting, voted to allow the develop­ ment of the Roxby Downs uranium mine in South Australia and to permit the continuation of the Ranger uranium mine In the Northern Territory, This decision represented a significant departure by the ALP government from what many people thought was the stated ALP uranium platform, phasing out existing mines and not allowing any new mines to proceed. In this article, Ronald Leeks and Mark Hayes argue that, despite Sydney, April 1978. government rationalisat­ ions to the contrary, Australian uranium ex­ ports will contribute to URANIUM AND nuclear proliferation and render support for the status quo of the nuclear LABOR arms race. .

n 7 November 1983, the ALP These papers were: — H I I IIH I caucus voted to allow the 1. "Background Paper on Australia and development of the Roxby O International Nuclear Issues", Downs uranium mine in South prepared by the Department of Foreign Australia, which can produce gold and Affairs. Resources and Energy, and copper as well as uranium. At the same Trade, and sometimes referred to as time, the Ranger uranium mine in the the Hayden Paper Northern Territory was allowed to continue, out other Northern Territory 2. "Review ot the Australian Uranium mines were denied permission to Industry — Caucus Discussion Paper continue. No. 1" — apparently prepared by the Prime Minister's office. This paper will This decision on 7 November 1983 hereafter be referred to as the Hawke represented a significant departure caucus paper. from what many people believed was 3. A Case for Honouring Labor's the stated ALP plptform with respect to Platform to Phase Out Uranium Mining uranium mining: upon attaining and Export", an alternative position government, the ALP would phase out paoer prepared by a number of ALP uranium mining and not allow new members of the H ousp and the Senate mines to proceed. and dated October 31 1983 The decision also represented a victory oy 'actions in the ALP led by the A fourth oaper circulated in October Prime Minister, Mr. Hawke, and a 1983 ana prepared by the Australian number of Commonwealth depart­ Democrats, "Why We Must Keep It In ments which appear to have significant The Ground: A Case Against Uranium bureaucratic 'capital' invested in Mining and the Nuclear Industry and Ronald Leeks promoting the mining and export of the Alternatives for Australia and the Australian uranium. World’ , is also worth noting in this and Pnor to the 7 November caucus context. meeting, a series of discussion and A close reading of these papers M a rk H ayes position papers were circulated widely reveals much about the government's among caucus members. decision.

12 ALR Au tu m n 1984 he Hawke caucus paper clearly Withdrawal will bring no benefit to the Whereas the longer-term consequ­ indicates that the Prime Minister1 broader questions of non-proliferation ences of the plutonium economy could Twants to connect his position on1 and the future direction of the industry be catastrophic, the immediate uranium mining and export with and the arms race benefits of Australia's alleged growing public concern over the threat Currently, whatever the limitations are increased influence by maintaining of global nuclear war: in terms of controls and safeguards uranijm supply appear minimal and they are much tne better for the elusive. The objectives which should be involvement of Australia, who has common, in order of priority, are to The onus of oroof therefore rests supplied ana will continue to supply, with the government. This paper concentrate our efforts on reducing even more stringent safeguards.7 the possioility of nuclear warfare of contends that it has not proven its bringing about nuclear disarmament; case. of turning around the expans/on of he limitations of those An additional and key issue turns vertical and horizontal proliferation; of safeguards have Deen docum ­ around whether or not the non­ tackling the problem associated with T ented elsewhere and were proliferation regime can endure the the peaceful use of nuclear power sufficient for the Ranger Report in 1976 changing pressures being brought to including the associated waste to give its well known assessment: bear against it. At the end of a detailed problem.’ The Commission recognises that these examination of this issue, Donnelly Given the fragility of world peace and defects, taken together, are so serious concludes thus: the potential for nuclear warfare our that existing safeguards may provide To evaluate the changing pressures view is that our priorities should be only an illusion of protections focused on the use to which uranium is upon the non-proliferation regime is a put rather than eliminating our The essential point w>th regard to subtective matter. It appears fo the supplies from the world cycle.1 safeguards under the IAEA is stated by author that the balance of forces Donnelly: opposing the regime is rather greater The main thrust ol the government than the balance sustaining if.,? position, as approved at the 7 Its safeguards cannot control the November 1983 caucus meeting, is Not least among the pressures future policies of states, but only verify opposing the regime is the total lack of that a withdrawal by Australia as a present activities. The Agency cannot uranium supplier would adversely serious and meaningful disarmament physically protect anything but only initiatives by the nuclear weapon affect the international non­ report diversions.'1 states. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation proliferation regime. Treaty (NPT) commits these states to Although there are many scenarios effect measures to end the nuclear THE NON-PROLIFERATION proposed lor diversion of small and large amounts of nuclear material into arms race. Unless significant serious REGIME AND SAFEGUARDS a weapons program this represents disarmament initiatives occur, the NPT only a part of the potential problem. A itself is under threat of not oeing he nature of the non­ renegotiated when its term runs out. proliferation regime has been maior issue turns around the implications for ourcivilisation of large Thus, the global arms race directly Toutlined by Warren H. Donnelly: threatens the likelihood of success of amounts of. separated or separable Today the world depends upon a loose plutonium accumulating as the the aims and institutions of the non­ structure of treaty commitments nuclear industry expands. As proliferation regime. verified by international inspection, Donnelly points out: no r to acquire nuclear weaons; hus it can be argued that the informal and voluntary under­ To give some idea of the quantities of impact of the arms race itself standings of nuclear supplier states to plutonium that could be involved it was T undermines the non-prolifer­ limit certain nuclear exports, to require estimated in *9S0 that as much as 50 ation regime to sucn a degree that safeguards for others, and to lim it their tonnes of separated plutonium could withdrawal of Australia's uranium from nuclear co-operation to the least be on hand hy the year 2000. At 10 kg the global nuclear fuel cycle is a dangerous nuclear technologies; per explosive, this amount could necessity. This would be a clear signal bilateral agreements between some produce 5.000 warheads.'0 nuclear supplier states and their to the world that Australia is serious in clients; and a general predisposition its statements to the effect that the against nuclear weapons ' t must be acknowledged that global nuclear arms race and the Australia's support of safeguards is escalating threat of nuclear war The International Atomic Energy / essential for as long as the industry represents an intolerable! situation. Agency (IAEA), based in Vienna, is the exists. The real question, then, is this: Recent studies released in the major operating arm of the non- Is the increased measure of influence United States, which have indicated proliferation regime." Its primary (if any) over safeguards and controls that even a so-called ’limited nuclear mandate, however, is to promote obtained on the basis of our export of war’ could do irreversible catastrophic nuclear power worldwide. The terms of uranium sufficient to justify the damage to the planetary environment, the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation support Australia thus renders to an place the nuclear debate into a new Treaty assign to the IAEA the industry with all its accompanying level. It is now humanity versus the responsibility over safeguards of problems? global nuclear system.’3 As Jonathan fissionable material used in civil Not the least of these problems turns Schell put it in The Fate of the Earth: nuclear power programs. The IAEA around the nature of our civilisation in "Extinction is not something to also co-operates with certain regional the future as the global inventory contemplate, it is something to rebel groupings and individual nations in plutonium escalates. Already, clear against." providing safeguards.’ glimpses of that future can be seen," The rhetorical connection of the A major argument presented in the Australia's blanket reprocessing Hawke uranium policy with nuclear Hawke caucus paper for continued approval also ensures that a fair disarmament joins with the earlier Australian uranium supply is the proportion of that global inventory of propaganda ana sophistry of ’Atoms leverage Australia could apply in pluronium will come from Australian for Peace' which, according to J. promoting safeguards uranium. Robert Oppenheimer, have only an

Australian Left Review 87 13 ee Murphy Petei

Sydney, April 1978. (Above and next page.)

"allusive and sentimental" rather than employment benefit to South Australia weapons acquisitions which are a "substantive and functional" link to and the country in general.,r mainly political relative to the height of which prooonents of nuclear power It must therefore be an im plicit part the barriers which are political, make ritual obeisance 1S ot the Hawke policy to employ wnat- economic and technical,M ever means are available to actively In short, to prevent or minimise the THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY stimulate the global nuclear industry to risk of proliferation, measures which AND PROLIFERATION gain as large a share as possible of the limit or even reverse development of resulting demand for uranium from the global nuclear industry are he Hawke caucus paper reflects Roxby Downs and Ranger. desirable. The strengthening of the a deterministic resignation to This position must be contrasted non-proliferation regime is essential nuclear power as a fact of life: T with that suggested in the principal and can be most effectively The position we adopt is not really findings ana recommendations of the accomplished in a contracting rather affected by the arguments of the Fox Report than expanding international nuclear degree of expansion that may take industry context. The Hawse policy, by place over the next 20 years. Whether 7. Policy respecting Australian uranium exports, for the time being at granting permission to Roxby Downs, there is one new station ora thousand thus totally contradicts its stated is not relevant to grappling with the least, should be based on a full recognition of the hazards, dangers desire to strengthen the non­ central issue of the existence of the industry and its most certain and problems of and associated with proliferation regime. the production of nuclear energy, and continuation, m some form, at some should therefore seek to limit or In essence, the Hawke policy argues level, for a considerable period of restrict expansion of that production.,s that uranium exports enhance our time.16 position in non-proliferation forums. Yet, witnes the approval given to the Similarly Donnelly cites as major This is the same logic used by nuclear Roxby Downs mine and the factors which he assesses as weapon nations to justify their concomitant approval given to Ranger supporting the non-proliferation escalating arsenals to enhance their to continue mining and export, the regime: position — negotiating from strength government is actively supporting the A slow-down in nuclear power .... — at arms control talks. nuclear industry. Ranaer has some Weaknesses in world nuclear 80,000 tonnes of uranium to sell. The industries .... Nuclear difficulties of Roxby Consortium anticipates sefling threshnoid states [and] Diminished DETAILS OF THE HAWKE 1.2 million tonnes of uranium. The use of highly enriched uranium. URANIUM POLICY Hawke caucus paper essentially reiterates earlier arguments in favour Likewise, Holdren examines barriers he formation of the Hawke of mining made during the 1970s: to proliferation and suggests that: policy on the mining and export In not proceeding with Hoxoy Dnwns The rate of increase in the number of T of Australian uranium rests on a we would be denying the potential of nuclear armed nations depends on the number of major and minor an enormous economic and strength of the motivations for nuclear hypotheses:

14 ALR Au tu m n 1984 P*}1ar MutpJ'ty Petor M u r p h y and lessening influence on safeguards on influence and lessening discussed in this paper. The second discussed.. second be now The will paper. third and this in discussed testing dumping. and nuclear waste French as such areas possible the obviates Withdrawal 3 offer only would Withdrawal weapons. nuclear make to the governments and of ability uranium of irrelevant supply to world the technically Is Withdrawal 2 in voice of regime the working the hence and government's those forums the weaken A that: observes paper caucus Hawke in 'related' non-supply in of negotiations threat international a of use lessersafeguards. with trade uranium n tio ra life ro would -p n o n supply of the Withdrawal regime. of the in forums position Australia's strengthens ssaky lutae yteattd of attitude the by illustrated isstarkly h ptnil o waeig controls weakening for potential The uranium of export Continued 1. ustralian The first point has already been been already has point first The In arguing the second point, the the point, second the arguing In L eft R eview 87

utai my n at oc other force fact in may Australia must be made that competition with with competition that made be must tnad fr upis rm South from supplies Namibia. or for Africa standards South Africa, Namibia and Niger Niger and Namibia Africa, Alreadv, South examines. are facts the when be and will controls it lessened saying with are we supplied rather will, else but someone it supply not do we if i lry n wud o epc high expect not would one ilarly Sim supplier over a less strict supplier supplier strict less a over supplier a that believe to illogical is It Table.) responsibility our be will that devil. weapons would choose Australia as a nation. as Australia choose and would uranium weapons requires which country ht t ol spl uaim o the to uranium supply which would it Government that Niger the has a desire to acquire nuclear nuclear acquire to desire a (See has Taiwan. Iraq, and as such Pakistan risk, a Libya, having as proliferation regarded high Australia, those than including countries more supply This is not a simple argument of saying of argument a simple not is This Also, the im portant observation observation portant im the Also, This cannot, however, be sustained sustained be however, cannot, This sfafes sfafes

clients.’6 solidarity such other, seek each to solidarity and cartels for odity m prices to com together better banded form producer have World seeking commodities Third time. nations to and From one. time is a— sorry commodities activities trade similar specific in supply, of boycotts withholding selective against tests.16 dumping as weapon nuclear such a intentions a as in selective f be o nation's threat not the use non-supply would to We position supply. from The risk. proliferation term short risk n tio maintain ra life ro p and ith w seek cts to tra n o c suppliers that. examined been already elsewhere.*4 have which the international debate if we withdrew we if debate international the s to c k p ilin g o r the se e kin g of of g by kin e se eroded the is r former by o supply of r o sources g alternative ilin d p e k c to rt-liv o s h s is a where even Invariably, prices. higher with continuing or pacific the in waste not is industry cartels,23 in operate to supply unknown lower a major of uranium are from which users available uranium were whatever of out market squeezed were they if number of nations pledge strong strong pledge nations of number result likely more would This nations.” We 'leverage' position, the deficiencies of of deficiencies the position, so-called the is 'leverage' policy uranium Hawke Supply Countries Countries Supply n Ter rets arke M Their and Source: Source: Japan Belgium Finland Sweden USA France F.R.G. Japan Libya Spain Niger The Hawke Caucus paper argues argues paper Caucus Hawke The Australia Pakistan Italy France F.R.G. Iraq h hsoy f uh ciiis — activities such of history The The third substantive point in the the in point substantive third The would effectively be forced out of out forced be effectively would Appendix. Hawke Caucus paper, Caucus Hawke Japan ot Africa South F.R.G. USA Austria Taiwan France Belgium o estic Dom Namibia Spain France U.K. Japan F.R.G.

15

he most telling case against the possibly lead to pressure tor Australia hat successive Liberal and now leverage argument, however, to accept waste for disposal a Labor government allowed an comes from "Background Paper T Economic factors atso play an T industry to develop which they on Australian and International important part m the pressure to argue cannot be terminated because it Nuclear Issues". The high interconn­ continue supply Indeed, every time would seriously affect Australia's ectedness of the international uranium this issue is raised, the uranium mining international economic standing, in supply routes and the very naiure of industry responds by claiming that the light of the above recommend­ bilateral and multilateral safeguards ceasing uranium supply would ation, undermines the very credibility agreements impede the unilateral adversely affect our good international of government institutions. leverage actions implied in the standing as a trading partner.31 A point raised earlier but which was leverage argument: Similarly, the Hawke caucus paper not adequately discussed concerns ,4s a major supplier of nuclear services develops the same theme: the interconnectedness of the military to all end-users of Australian uranium. and civilian nuclear fuel cycles. France has a pivotal role in the existing At the IALP1 National Conference of Exporting uranium to nuclear weapons safeguards network undar which m1982, during what was a very traumatic countries raises serious questions Australian uranium is exported. 'debate, concerns were ac#eguafe/y about how much direct and indirect France's continuing co-operation is expressed about the effect our support is rendered to their military essential to the uninterruoted How of withdrawal of supply could have in AONM (Australian Origin Nuclear terms of our economic relations. Views nuclear fuel cycle and weapons Material) through that network.17 were expressed that if we were production system. As the case of Withholding uranium supply to France perceived as unreliable suppliers India demonstrates, acquiring fuel- for end-use in France in response to because of decisions simply not grade nuclear material may well French nuclear testing in the South understood by other countries, then release weapnns-grade material which Pacific would be on grounds unrelated our reliability as a trading partner can then be diverted to a weapons to observance by France of the would be undermined.31 program.35 Similarly, as nations such conditions in the Australia/France and Aside from the implied lack of faith in as the USA and France continue to Australia/Euratom agreements. It would involve disrupting the Australia's diplomatic representatives escalate their nuclear arsenals, A ustralia/France, A ustralia/E uratom to adequately explain Australia's purchasing uranium from nations such and Australia/UK agreements.™ position overseas, the inadequacy of as Australia for civilian use could well release local nuclear materials for 5 domestic reprocessing and tnence into I weapons. Alternatively, in increasing 10 Australian uranium supply by allowing Roxby Downs to proceed will result in further over-supply of the market resulting in both increased availability t* generally and 'ower prices for military- destined uranium from less strict suppliers such as Namibia and Niger. Blanket reprocessing of Australian uranium must, in general, help the plutonium market such as exists between the USA and the UK, though it is claimed that this trade serves only I * ■ ; civilian nuclear power development. Accurately assessing tne risks involved in this trade and the T i stockpiling o< plutonium is difficult & because the IAEA Statute precludes the release from that source of any information concerning the status and Roxby Downs, 1983. quantities of weapon-grade material this argument has been establ;shed such as plutonium in the civil nuclear The "Background Paper" also fuel cycle.36 observes that 2,600 tonnes of elsewhere.51 However, it raises a yellowcake ordered from Australia fundamental question with respect to This discussion about the plutonium could easily be obtained by France the Comonwealth’s capacity to act as economy highlights the tragic fact that from other sources and represents an independent and sovereign entity the real responsibility of disarmament only about 2 oercent of its civilian among the worla community of is seen as virtually non-existent. It is for requirements.29 nations, not to mention debate on how this reason that there is no felt need in It thus appears that Australia's far a government will go to accede to the political debate for consideration participation in the nuclear fuel cycle industry pressure. In 1976, the Ranger of the option of a transfer of plutonium puts substantial pressure on Australia Report made the issue very clear ano highly enriched uranium from the to continue supply and often relatively indeed in its recommendations: military to civilian nuclear cycles. little pressure on other countries from A decision to mine and sell uranium Such ultimate pessimism about the withdrawing that supply. should not be made unless the possibility of disarmament as a real Indeed even the threat to withdraw Commonwealth Government ensures and viable option is reflected in the supply can bring as much or even more that the Commonwealth can at any "Background Paper" pressure to bear upon Australia, as the time, on the basis of consideration of the nature discussed in this reoort, "Background Paper" points out: It cannof be conclusively demon­ immediately terminate these activities, strated that the supply of Australian Total opposition by Australia to the sea permanently, indefinitely or tor a uranium to the civil cycles of the dumping of radioactive waste could specified period.34 nuclear weapon states wouid not

16 ALR A u tu m n 1984 'release other origin uranium, not here are five measures which research therefore need not be subject to a peaceful non-explosive can be simultaneously connected in any way with suDport for pledge, from the civil cycle to the T undertaken bv Australia which the nuclear fuel chain, though the military. It is difficult, however, to form the basis of a viable policy to Hawke policy does imply such sustain any argument that it could so reduce the risk of nuclear disaster. support. The abandonment of uranium 'release' other origin uranium, supply would also eliminate inevitable principally because the particular These are: pressure for Australia to become a requirements of the nuclear weapons 1. A moratorium on any new uranium radioactive waste repository. states, both in terms o f quantities of mining developments and the export of nuclear material required and the need uranium. This can be justified to the 5. The Australian Government can and for absolute assurance of suprly< international community on the bases should continue support for the non­ would demana that they obtain that material from sources which provide of all the oroblems associated with the proliferation regime. This is possiole long-term security and reliability of nuclear industry, and in particular the for ar>y nation with or without nuclear supply and which do not attract adverse impact of the arms race on developments. As it stands Australia safeguards at any stage of its measures to limit nuclear proliferation will have a vested interest in the non- processing and use.37 and the catastrophic consequences proliferation regime because which would result from global nuclear Australian uranium is already in the In accenting the military nuclear fuel global nuclear fuel cycle, and also and weapons cycle as an immutaole war. because of continued research into and unchallengeable fact upon which 2. A reaffirmation and extension of radioactive waste disposal and the the supply of Australian uranium can measures to effect recommendations long-term maintenance of uranium have no effect, the Hawke policy 13, 14 and 15 of the Ranger Uranium mine tailings. supports what amounts to a Environmental Inquiry. conspiracy of silence which stifles 13. Steps should be taken public debate on a critical connection ithdrawing Australian immediately to institute full and to the nuclear arms race. uranium from the global fuel energetic programmes of research cycle will not end the arms and development into (a) liquid race or end the risk of nuclear AN ALTERNATIVE fuels to replace petroleum, and (b) proliferation. However, such a URANIUM POLICY energy sources other than fossil withdrawal would be part of a process fuels and nuclear fission. already under way to reduce national Mk well-known statement from the 14. A program m e o f energy reliance on planned nuclear power, not Ranger Report has as much conservation should be instituted least for environmental and economic relevance for us today as it did in nationally. grounds.43 1976: 15. The policy of the Government It would provide inspiration and The nuclear powe industry is should take into account the suggestions for action to people unintentionally contributing to an importance to Australia, and the throughout the world involved in non­ increased risk of nuclear war. This is countries of the world, of the governmental activities which nave the most serious hazard associated position of developing countries with the industry.36 caused them to dedicate their lives and concerning energy needs and energies to the cause of peace. W.th the release of the US reports on resources." It would also be a source of the long-term environmental effects of 3. The establishment of an inspiration and the cause of reflection global nuclear war in late 1983, the Environmental Inquiry on Roxby by critical thinkers, scholars and issue is increased in urgency.39 Downs in accordance with the writers throughout the world, as well as Simultaneously, the global nuclear Environmental Protection (Impact of tne Australian community as a whole, arms race has significantly escalated. Proposals) Act of 1974 to be on the vitally important issues of The "Background Paper" contains a corductea under terms of reference at looming nuclear war today. section headed: least as broad as those of the Ranger Degree of Australia's influence on Inquiry. Particular reference should be THE HAWKE POLICY AND non-proliferation paradoxically relates made to the impact of the escalating THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE to role as urctnium supplier under strict arms race and related issues conditions subsequent to the Ranger Inquiry, and MOVEMENT Similarly, the Hawke caucus paper the viability of Roxby Downs without his paper has argued strongly notes that .... uranium processing. that the Hawke policy Having supplied uranium, we have the contributes to nuclear Catch-27' situation of beu}g morally 4. The affirmation of a continued T proliferation and fails to institute responsible for Australian uranium emphasis of Australian research into measures which could have an currently in the world fuel cycle.'" radioactive waste disposal, in particular the safe and secure disposal influence on the cause of world peace The critical and growing danger of of high level unreprocessed waste. and disarmament. The Hawke policy global nuclear war impels this country must therefore be opposed by the to avoid paradoxical and 'Catch-22' It should be noted that a 'so’ution' to sections of the peace movement which situations inherent In the continued waste disposal is unattainable as any agree with this argument. However, mining and export of uranium. method developed involves risks and the terms in which the policy is formed It has already been argued that a costs. However, the large quantities of by the Prime Minister offers an moratorium on uranium exports radioactive wastes which have been additional threat to the peace consistent with ALP policy would and will be produced by both the movement in Australia. signal to the international comm unity civilian and military nuclear cycles The rhetorical connecting of his the seriousness with which Australia must eventually oe disposed of. as best policy with moves to bring about non­ views the escalating arms race. This as possible, for the safety of humanity proliferation and a reversal of the arms policy would also place Australia in the into the future for the reauired race, may find some root in a largely context of supporting non­ thousands of years for long-lived supportive and uncritical d u d Nc . If the proliferation. wastes. Australian participation in this public believe, or are led to believe,

Australian Left R e v ie w 87 17 rniu Lms me. CLOSE..eB t b Z iUif KOCRE it, w W i m v® m u

Sydney, April 21. Hawke Caucus paper, p. 13. that the government is doing all it can 1. Hawku Caucus paper, p 9 22. This point is expanded In the paper.'The in the cause of peace — although it 2. Ibid.. p. 15. Case lor Honouring Labor’s Plattorm p, actually supports the status quo — 3. Donnelly, W.H.. 'Changing Pressures on 29 ff. the Non-Proliferation Regime1, in they will remain inactive regardless of 23. See Pringle P. " Spiegelman J., The Stockholm International Peace Research Nuclear Barons, New York: Avon/Discus, any personal fear or concern they may Institute (SIPRIU Worid Armaments and feel. 1981, p. 404: Mikdashi 2 ... The Internationa! Disarmament Yearbook. London: Taylor & Politics of Natural Resources, Ithica & The Hawke uranium policy Francis, 1983, p. 69. London, Cornell University Press, 1976. effectively clouds and confuses the 4. ibid. pp.108-110 issues, maxing the public debate both 5. Some of the agreements and treaties 24. The Case for Honouring Labor's mucn more d ifficult and retarded in the which form the basis of the non­ P la tfo rm ..... p. 27, Fox Report, Chapter 13; development of its focus Many people proliferation regime are: The Partis' Test Australian Democrat paper, pp. 26 ff. will suffer an almost schizophrenic Ban Treaty (1963), The Treaty of Tlateloco 25. HHwke Caucus paper, p 14. (1967), The Nuclear Non-Proliferation debilitation as they try to reconcile 26. See for example. Mikdashi A., op.cit.; Treaty (1968) and The Convention on the Hveem, H., 'M ilitarization ol Nature: what common sense demands with Physical Protection of Nuclear Material contrary government actions Conflict and Control over Strategic (1980) Details of how co-operation on Resources and Some Implications lor defended by loquacious government safeguards operates, see The Fox Report, Peace Policies', Journal of Peace Research, spokespersons. The political effect on Op. c‘t., pp. 119-138. Vol. 16 No. 1 (1979), pp. 1-26; Wallenstein 6. Hawke Caucus paper, p. 4. the peace movement of a victory within P. ’Scarce Goods as Political Weapons: The the ALP at its forthcoming National 7. ibid. p. 11 Case of Food', Journal of Peace Research, Conference in July 1984 by the HawKe 8 Fox Report, op.cit., Chapter 13: A Case Vol. 14, Nc. 4 (1976), pO. 277-298; Barnet. for Honouring Labor's Platform p 21: policy and its supporters is beyond the R.J., The Lean Years: Politics in the Age of Australian democrats paper, pp 26 Ft Scarcity, New York: Simon & Schuster. scope of this paper. ------9. Donnelly, W.H., op.cit.. d 72 It is clear, however, that the peace 1980, esp. Chapter 8. 10. ibid., p. 73. 27. Background Paper, p. 35. movement will su^er a significant loss 11. For example, see Jungk P ., The Nuclear 28. ibid.. d 36. State (Tr E Mosbacker), London: John of support within the community if 29 ibid.. p 39, Calder. 1979. the Hawke uranium policy wins the 30. ibid., p 39. day. 12. Donnelly, W H . op.cit.. p. 78. 31. Nuclear industry literature provides 13. See Harding J. & Shuman M.. T he We believe the peace movement many examples of this. e.g. ERA Environmental Catastrophe ol Nuclear War, must lace this challenge urgently Prospectus, or many statements by Not Man Apart, Vol. 13, No. 10 (December) t i t twc published In uranium mining companies in Australia as TMt C/e been Me 1963. pp. 16-18: McGrory M., ‘Biologists reprinted in the national press. CANP Ncw*lett*f. PO Box 235. North Paint Picture of How World Could End', The Quay 4000 and C»«/n Reaction, 32. Hawke Caucus paper, p. 21 Guardian Weektv, Vol 129, No. 20 (Week 33. The Case for Honouring Labor’s Room 14, Floor 4, 37 Swtmaton ending November 13) 1983, p 16; Pitiock Platform p. 27. B.. 'On the Beach Revisited: Atmospheric Sfreef. Melbourne 3000. ___ 34. Fox Report, p. 185. Ronald K. Leeks, B.Sc., M.Sc., Consequences of Nuciear War’, Peace 35. Howe, R.W., op.cit., pp. 290-291. Vol. 2, No. 9 (November) 1983. pp. Dip. Ed. has worked as an organiser Studies. 36. Wholsetter, A., et.al., op.cit p xiii. lor the Campaign Against Nuclear 25-26. 37. Government Background paper, p. 21. 14 Schell, J.. The Fate o ' the Earth. New 38. Fox Report, p 187. Power (Qld.). Mark D. Hayes, B.A. York: Knopf, 1982. p. 184. 39. See. above, note 30 {Hons.), M.A. Is currently 1E Oppsnheimer, R.J., cited in Lovins A.B. completing Ph.D. studies In 40. Background Paper, p. 22. & L.H., op.cit., p 10. 41 Hawke Caucus paper, p. 19 Humanities at Grltlllh University. 16. Hawke Caucus paper, p 11. 42. Fox Report, d 186. Mark has worked as a freelance 17. ibid., p. 23. 43. Despite the rhetoric of the nuclear journalist and researcher for print, 18 Fox Report, op.cit, p 1B5. industry, the indsutry is in deep trouble radio, television and film 19 Donnelly, W rl op.cit.. pp 75-76. econom ically and environmentally; See, for 20. Holdren, J.P., 'Nuclear Power and organisations. They both maintain example. Brooks, G.. 'Investors Force an active Interest In the global Nuciear Weapons: The Connection is Nuclear Shut-Down where the Dangerous'. Bulletin of the Atomic nuclear system and the anti-nuclear Demonstrators Failed’. The National Times, Scientist, Vol. 39, No. 1 (January j 1983. p. January 6-12, (No. 675) 1984, p. 14. and peace movements. 42. 18 ALR Autumn 1984 20 YEARS OF ROCK AND ROLL IN Nell: I don't think that we're going to WOLLONGONG lose jobs out of this though, The high- from page 41 tech bands still have four, five, six Amie: Oh, yeah? And tell me, how do musos, the same as we've always had. you do that without money? But, of course, they sound like 15or20. Neil: You worn part-time jobs until As it currently stands, the technology you've got the money. Dedication, is enhancinq, not replacing musicians. ferocious dedication, that's what it Arnle: When The Beatles played at the requires. I Stadium, they weren't miked up, they Amie: We had all that. We had an I just had raw vox amps, like a p.a. at a album In the can, we had arranged speedway. These days, the top bands some guy from the university to 1981: Nell Porter In New Beginnings. have a million bucks worth of gear and finance us to the tune of $10,000. We that were left played Shellharbour pub. you're supposed to compete with that, had a film clip that Donny Sutherland The point is, they're just hanging in; The discrepancy between Ihe top played two or three times, we dropped guys who have had top records. and the bottom is much greater now the single out, all fine and great. And Mike: Getting back to the tools of the than it was 20 years ago when we what happened? We end up back at the tr^de, tell me, Amie, what’s the started. I mean, 20 years ago we could Oxford (Hotel) getting the sack tne first difference in the hard gear that you emulate The Shadows quite easily, if night for swearing. We had to crawt have to play successful rock and roll you had the talent and an echo back and say, "Look, we’re really sorry today, compared with what you had chamber to do the Hank Marvin bit. for swearing, we won t do it any more, wnen you set up your first one? that's allyou needed, right?Avox amp, just give us another gig, this is the only Arnle: The essential eauipment is a a Burns guitar and an echo chamber one we have to go to." Look, I’m just decent p.a. system that is capable of and the ability. What can we do? We saying it s not all simply a matter of mixing the whole band, music ana can'r even afford a snort; just sit here commitment. Commitment has a way vocals. You need about a dozen mikes and drink beer. of running dry, especially when you've just on the drums. To buy a system like I don't know how the kids today do it. got a family to support. A family man the one we can only hire, would cost When we were young, you always can't afford to hump gear around till 4 $30,000 — that's the mikes, the p a., the knew you could get a job, a skid am in the morning and then start down desk. That still leaves you to find the strapper at Lysaghts, maybe, but at at the steelworks at six. How can you lights and the truck. least you could get a job and pay off the do that for more than a few years? How Nell: The current style is such that modest amount of gear that you long can you live in absolute poverty? keyboards and synthesisers are really needed. Now there are no jobs and the Yoi1 need more than the songs and the big. Australian Crawl went back into amount of stuff you need is simply drive, you need someone who can the studio and remixed theiraioum. On outrageous. Sure, there will always be push, and it's money that pushes stage, they use four guitars, and then bands, but the problem is that the big songs. the lead singer would pics one up and bands are just getting so much bigger, Now, here's a good example of kick in, too. So what do they do? They turning into music multinationals. albums and successful people — so go back into the studio and pull down It was easier for a band to come up called, I was hanging around with The the guitars so that you can hardly hear before than it is now that's forsure. We Masters' Apprentices, rehearsing in them at all; learned how to play or got tight playing in backyard barbies London. So we're sitting around, we'd program keyboards and mixed that and school dances, but how do you rehearse for a while, have a cup of tea sound in. Now, what's that mean to a pay off all this gear you've gotta have or someth.ng, go downstairs to the pub musician9 You pay $8QO-$1,000 now. while you re doinq that? And how kitchen and ponder the day, and think, for a guitar, but a synthesiser costs can a bunch of young kids hope to "Well, what are we going to do?", and $5,000 You need, at a minimum, an sound anywhere near like the super- somebody would say, "Well, let's electric grand and a synth All up, $10- dooper, extra-special, dubbed-over, check out the Melody Maker again, $12,000 and that's the basics. Now a cleaned-up, teched-out tapes and there might be some options in there, Fairlight CMI which is what you would records that are around today9 so we all go through the Ciassifieds. like to have if you could, runs out at Nowadays, you listen to The Beatles Everyone's sitting there with no money $30,000. Whatever instrument you can and you think, "Christ, how did they to spend, all pretty down and out — in care to name can come out of that get away with that?" The Beatles the days when tight jeans were in machine. It's not only instruments, but would have had a hard time getting a you can create animal sounds in it by fashion they were still wearing flares. job today.. Here they are, sitting there, a programming it and playing the keys. Another thing. I'm dead. Lead successful band, they recorded an Stevie Winwood's last three albums guitarists are finished. We're trying to album at Abbey Road, they had three were all done by him on one of these play some of this modern stuff that's or four number one singles in things, almost. around, and I'm up tnere hanging Australia, and two or three albums out, Arnle: Yeah, but the Stones still use around waiting for the lead guitar and they're still on the compilation two guitars and a set of drums, and break that never comes. I don’t play a Jagger. A macnine doesn't sweat. albums that come out here every six chord in this Top 40 stuff. That's what people want to see. months. So here we are going through Nell: You’re living in the ’seventies, Another thing, you ever seen someone the ads, and suddenly here's an ad mate. Wl.y don't you get yourself a try to sing to these programmed which says Masters' Apprentices synthesiser and learn how to play it? machines? I tell you, if they mpke one album due to be re-released. So Arnle: Yeah, and why don't I get a job mistake, miss a beat, the machine rolls someone says, "Shit, better phone the so I can pay it off? What am I going to on, no mercy, So you've got two record company up, we might get do? Trad« myself in for a machine9 some royalties out of this". So we did, vocalists and a pack of machines and got two and six, or something. I taking the place of five or six musos, Mike Donaldson Is a lecturer In mean, there's a band that got but they are so sUrung out trying to Sociology at Wollongong somewhere, with no work, no money, keep up with the machines, that they University. nothing. A month ago. the two of them look like robots themselves.

Australian Left Review 87 19 ALR recently organised a Eric: To Kick the thing off — major round-table discussion on manifestations of the crisis which I believe exists in socialism today in ’ ROSPECTS the problems facing Australia and other countries mcluae: socialism today. It was not Firstly, the lack of moral ascenaancy expected that conclusions of socialism over capitalism and of an would be arrived at, nor overall offensive spirit such as existed FOR in previous times. This is given added were they. The purpose, point by the fact that we’ve had ten rather, was to have a years of capitalist depression along relatively informal ex­ with mounting problems in other aspects of social life. SOCIALISM change of views to stimulate Secondly, the lack of a uniting vision the thinking of the 0^ understanding among socialists. participants and, we hope, There is a parallel, though not identical division among the many people who of our readers, as well as are engaged in rine struggles, but providing some back­ mostly have no vision of transforming ground to the many society as a whole, being mainly concerned with their particular issues. discussions on the future of Among reasons for this situation is socialism now taking place. inadequate understanding and If you think suoh exchanges presentation of the socialist vision. Especially, the impression is conveyed are helpful, please let us that socialism is purely an economic know, and perhaps suggest system and that economic conditions topics tor future round­ are causal of everything else. This does not adequately relate to the many ways tables. people reject and struggle against Those taking part were Eric what is happening to them at present. Part of this is the longstanding Aarons, Linda Carruthers, problem ot how to transcend Phil Hind, Bob Makinson, economism or narrow trade union Joe Palmada and Joyce politics within the labour movement. Stevens. And even the economic side of socialism is often misunderstood) see my review of The Economics of Feasible Socialism in this issue). [NOTABLE Then there is the political and economic practice of the countries where capitalism has been overthrown, which does not now inspire great confidence or enthusiasm. Further, marxism has been subjected to an increasing number of different interpretations, so that there are now few generally accepted reference points which might facilitate the settlement of differences. And t do not believe that anyone in the foreseeable future is going to come up with a version which will serve in that way. Lastly, related to views of how society changes and of the economic as the basic cause, there is the lack of development by socialists of the moral-ethical or social philosophy side of their vision which I believe to be in a sense the most fundamental, and which contains the possibility of overcoming both the lack of moral ascendancy by socialists and their lack Rdunatable of unity. chaired by Joe: I think those questions provide a background to the things we need to discuss, and probably there are others. Eric Aarons For a long period there has been a crisis in marxism, with problems

20 ALR A u tu m n 1984 arising in socialist practice, not only in than in other countries. If the the countries where social ownership methodology of marxism were correct was established, but also as a result of then there would not be the sort of the distortions of dogmatic marxism crisis in socialism that we have, which which has displayed an inability to is not to say that there is nothing in solve problems in the more complex class analysis or class conflict. social conditions of today. The other side of the coin, of course, Joe: Given that the working class day is is the fact that the continuing crisis of largely integrated, and class lines capitansm has also seen a resurgence obscured, isn't it a question of a of interest in marxism by progressive transfer of power. forces trying to come to grips with the Joyce: We are trying to biing about a problems. revolutionary transformation in the Marxism is more a methodology of economy, in the state as a focus of examination and interpretation of capitalist power, in social relations and events for the purpose of effectively in personal life. intervening to bring about change. It The issue is not so much what doesn’t seem to me to be more than needs to take olace but, rather what is that I agree with Eric that there is not the motivation, the motive force of going to be a single interpretation. social change and is it class struagle In saying that we need a philosophy which arises at the point of production, or ideology that is going to motivate or is it a range of other things. people we have to inculcate this idea of Even to secure the potential that is in marxism as a method. class struggle, marxism has to change The forces which react against the the prioritised position it gives to class worst excesses of capitalism are much struggle, to see the other fundamental wider than the forces whicn exist in conflicts that exist, and to find the socialist political formations. What is connections between them. While lacking in the organisations that anse people will acknowledge some "Even to secure the in sucn struggles is the capacity to link problems in marxism, it is very their particular struggle with the potential threat that is difficult to get over such concepts, broader issues of altering the system of held in holiness. in class struggle, production and social relations, and to marxism has to change help them do that we must redefine the Linda: I'm concerned at the idea that objective which cannot be done by a class struggle is seen as just the prioritised position particular individual or political party. concerned with the point of it gives to class Joyce; I'd like to take up the pomt production. I've always understood it about marxism as a methodology. I as all the contradictions that capitalism struggle, to see the think one of the problems is in trying to throws up. For example, those which other fundamental see what it is that marxism contributes put tremendous strains on families. to revolutionary practice. I. too, have The post-war period which drew conflicts that exist and believed that you can discard all sorts practically every woman at some point to find the connections Of things from marxism but then of her life, into production put huge it comes down to the core of method, strains on ideological notions of what between them." and that if you can only penetrate that, was proper for women, for children, for Joyce Stevens is an activist and il gives to you all sorts of clues to men. This was more revolutionary than writer In the women's movement political practice. But i don't really anything else I can think of and is a member of the CPA know what that means any more If it immediately. Na tionalCommi ttee. means that you are a materialist and My understanding of class struggle proceed from a whole set of objective would encompass the events and circumstances to try to analyse processes which drew women into something, you don’t have to be a production and drew forth the marxist to be a materialist. contradiction between the traditional By marxism as a methodology, I ideology about femininity and always understood that you could motherhood and pot millions of predict how society could be changed women worldwide struggling around and what forces snould make those definitions ol motherhood, definitions changes. But marxism has not been of what is oroper in being a woman, able to do that. One of the most difficult control over their fertility, arrangement things to come to grips witn is that the of working time and questions about predictions marxism made about class the arrangement of tasks in the struggle and the working class being household, etc. And far from that being the motive force for social change have a social struggle, and what happens at not come about. the workplace being an economic I believe this is crucial. In struggle, most social and economic technologically developed countries and class struggles are struggles where the working class is the which come out of acute contra­ overwhelming majority of the dictions which capjtaiism throws up at population, there seems to be less a particular time. possibility of revolutionary change I think of the struggle for peace in a

Australian Left Review 87 21 similar way, bringing into debate, for countries, one needs to recognise that example, questions around resources. in the Soviet Union, for example, there isn't an imminent crisis. A social Eric: But why do you call it all class system has evolved which has basic struggle? If it embraces everything .... I differences with the historically held agree with what you say, but don't see values of marxisin about individual and why you call it class struggle. What is collective freedom ana the ability to the definition, then, of class .... if it progress on material and cultural embraces everything? levels. But it is showing no immediate signs of fundamental fracture, and we Linda: Unless you have some analysis have to come to terms with that fact. of (his social formation which allows This is not true, of course, of the you to see how if produces and is satellite countries. reoroduced, then you have no explanation at all of why anything I think, in their situation, and ours, it happens except when ideas spring up comtis back to ideology. Someone said in people's heads. Very simplified, my marxists have got it the wrong way understanding is that you have a very round. It’s not economics that small group of people who own the determines in the last instance, it's means by which all of this is economics that determines in the reproduced. They make decisions first instance and is then overlaid, about what is going to happen, and modified and occasionally reversed by "... there is a crisis that others won't, irrespective of the needs ideological considerations. extends far beyond of people who oroduce and who lack We have in Australia at the present power not only to participate in moment not simplv a crisis and that of socialism — decisions, but even to define their own shakeup of the socialist forces, but there is, in fact, a needs. This produces struggles in also a shakeup right across the various areas, and one of the things political spectrum from far right to general crisis of about these struggles, as Eric far left including the much more stable politics and ideology in mentioned, is the problem we have of centre - the ALP and the conservative making the connections. Not coalition. advanced capitalist everybody feels the same connections at the same time. We are seeing the beginnings of the countries which can be breaking of the mould that has been in seen in the level of Bob: To backtrack a bit, I think we have place for 30-40 years since the war. and non-participation, and to use the notion of crisis with some what socialists do now is going to set caution. One of the criticisms of the options which are available for the elementary level of socialists is that they're always socialists in the coming generation. To what popular particip­ blethering about the crisis of this, that engage that problem we need a or the other issue. broader view than that there is a crisis of socialism and what are our ways out. ation does take place... But for socialists in advanced There is a fundamental realignment of countries there undoubtedly is a crisis social values and beliefs beginning to Phil Hina is a disarmament activist of botn theory and practice, in the happen in society and we have to look who has worked In a full-time intersection they have with the mass for the footholds in diverse areas of capacity tor the peace movement. politics of their countries. It's a crisis in social life which provide jumping off our case because we’re oppositional points for the future. and have that much less room to manoeuvre. But there is no less an Phil: I agree that there is a crisis which impasse, not necessarily a crisis, of extends far beyond that of socialism — capitalist democracy as well, there is, in fact, a general crisis of Particularly in the last 20 years, its politics and ideology in advanced moral ascendancy has been eroded, its capitalist countries which can be seen claims to be a responsive, progressive in the level of non-participation, and system which is capable of increasing the elementary level of what popular both spiritual and material progress participation does take place. It's have come in for increasing disbelief. evident in the swings to the left and to But, of course, in countries like ours, the right and the re-emergence of old that system has state power, it has dogmas such as monetarism. It's ideologicla hegemony and that counts evident in the failure of leading forces for an awful lot. And its impasse in to solve social problems, including resoect to the values of freedom and those connected with the economy, progress is not necessarily reflected in people at work, or much wider the instability of its hold upon society. questions such as war and peace. But it is nevertheless there, and there is I'm not sure that I would agree with widespread cynicism and distrust Bob that there is not a crisis ol about its direction. socialism at an international level. It is The question is, of course, whether true that the Soviet Union is not facing people see an alternative to that. a crisis internally, that there are no In a similar sense, when talking signs of imminent breakdown. But one about the socialist or socialist-based could argue about the degree of

22 ALR Au tu m n 1984 apathy and non-participation in that asserted power for very good country. purposes, while in others they have But more importantly, I think the asserted some degree of power for Soviet union, along with all the other quite bad purposes. For example, on existing socialist countries faces a some environmental questions. crisis which is partly of its own making, Linda: I think this is a really important but largely something which confronts question. Power is not a thing but is a it externally — the cold war and the relationship. I would pose the action of threat of nuclear war. workers regarding the environment in And the sorts or fissures and cracks a different way from you. At a which have built up in some socialist particular time, workers had a countries — Poland being the biggest particular ability to do something example — with a heavy-handed about the environment because of repression of solidarity, all have an complex relationships. Just as impact on how people see socialism. examples, there was heightened Concerning the basic understanding public awareness, a strong labour of what marxism is. I agree with Joe re market, there was a particular marxism as a method, as the kernel of leadership, and the experience of what it means to be committed to previous struggles, etc. Those, and marxism. But I have some problems in other relationships, enabled things that, if that is our understanding, then it to happen.. is somewhat limiting - a method only at An opposite example is logging on I agree, of course, that the analytical level, where it informs the North Coast, at a time of a bad capitalism faces a our intellectual work, how society fits labour market, the leaders of the union, together, etc. I don't think that tehs us whatever their own perspective, could crisis, and certainly how to go about changing society. not control the situation. If jobs were Marxism represents something more don't want to down­ lost they could offer nothing in return. than a method. It is a theory of social There was no way out of that impasse play that. But it seems change or, as Gramsci described it, a This is a case of the class's philosophy of praxis. It's as much to me that, capitalism powerlessness. about how one works politically as it is I suppose I take a rather determinist being m that position about understanding component parts attitude in that what you can do in any points up even more of society, what it is that motivates situation by good work, or having the people, makes them think, that right ideas, is, in many ways, very th e problems of engages them in struggle, and from limited. It's a matter of understanaing socialism." that and from our own practice, we can all the relationships and seeing how learn something about the possibilities you can intervene at a particular of social change, Eric Aarunt, mbs formerly Joint moment. You can say. even if National Secretary of the Eric: I agr<*e of course, that capitalism something reactionary happens in the Communist Party of Australia. faces a crisis, and certainly don't want working class movement, part of that is to downplay that But it seems to me the powerlessness of people in that, capitalism being in that position particular situations to break through point up even more the problems of that contradiction. socialism. Capitalism is in this m ulti­ Eric: I agree with that. But if you take it dimensional crisis, but socialists are to mean that if only they had the power not well armed to take it on. they would use it for the good purpose, I agree with Bob to a certain extent I must say I don't find that very about the Soviet Union, though I don't convincing. know exactly what he means by a basic crisis. But there is a crisis of, shall we Linda: I don't think that follows from say, belief or vision, and that applies what I said. also in China and other countries. In a Eric: It seems tc mo that it does; or if it way, they also need to redefine doesn't that it is still important to make socialism. They are not providing, as the ooint. Part of the struggle of they did once, a vision that gave great socialists is around a body of ideas that inspiration to socialists elsewhere. has a future, in that it deals with the They can't even do it for their own things that need to be done, have to be peopie. done if the problems tnat face Power, as Joe raised, has a humanity are to be overcome and dimension we in the past, disasters which loom over us are to be underestimated, but have developed avoided. recently in that we see struggles as not And this struggle goes on also witnm just about ownership, but also about the working class, by any definition. power, about control. But there is another aspect here Linda: It seems to me that what you're related to what Linda was saying. It's saying is that when a bad decision is also a question of power for what. It is made that's the result of the bad ideas true workers lack power to dec:de they have about (J. What I'm saying is whether they will do this, that or the that they may have many lueas about it, other. But, in some cases, they have but in the end what they actually do

Australian Left Review 87 23 about it is a result of what's available the end, what he's actually doing when for them to do, given that tney need she's out at work too and nas the ability jobs, for example. What you're saying to change power relationships in the is that the ideas «ome first and that's family, is being forced to do some of what you struggle around, whereas I the domestic chores. I wonder what say you struggle around what's real #orce his ideas about his available to you and that the ideas relationships with his wife actually come out of the struggle itself. have in that changed relationship Eric: This is an important point. I don't between them. And even if he is stuck with ideas about the relationships and say that the ideas come first in the that's a powerful force, I'm not sure general abstract sense, People are not how you'd decide how powerful that born with them. They imbibe them out force is w ithout looking at the reality of of what exists around them. But once the relationship, the power between an ideology or a particular view has them. come into existence, it can have a very Joyce: Pretty powerful, by all of the long life, beyond the conditions under indications of what happened in the which it was born For example, the Soviet Union. Despite 67 years of there attitude of men to women. And this will being not only a social acceptance of exist even after all sorts of power the fact that women are equal and it relationships have been changed. And being written into the constitution and k ' i the women's movement is rignt in women being massively engaged in fighting on this issue and in not the workforce, women there still do as believing the proposition that it will be much of the housework as women in "The difference bet­ resolved just because some other the United States, or Australia, where ween feminism and things are resolved. there's a larger percentage of women stifl engaged in fulltime domestic moraiism on the Linda: But if you're going to have some labour. woman question is that historical explanation for the struggle I think there are unresolved issues of women, rather than the germ theory about the relationship of ideology and y o u analyse the of ideas you have to have an material practices, both in materialism relationship between explanation for why, at some particular and feminism, and most social moments, that struggle erupts,_ an theories, but it's difficult tocontest that men and women in analysis of the forms that it takes^and they both have powerful roles to play. ways that show there an analysis of why it sometimes dies I can see the point you’re making, down. The difference between Linda, about workers in a particular a re real, material feminism and moraiism on the woman situation and a woman in relationship privileges and benefits question is that you analyse the to a man. Issues are not just resolved relationships between men and by what is in the woman's head, but that derive from women rn the ways that show there are aiso by what power relationships exist masculiunity and real real, material privileges and benefits in a whole range of material things, into that derive from masculinity and real which I would put iaeoloqy. oppressions that result oppressions that result from But it also seems to me that in the from femininity femininity. The relationships are potential for resolving the struggle grounded in real things and not just in an important element is what workers Linria Carruthers is a socialist the ideas, but in specific practices. have in their heads. In that sense I feminist and union activist who is a agree with Eric that you can't say that if Bob: Is it not the case that those library worker at the State Library of workers had more power and practices are often matters of custom NSW. circumstances were more favourable, which are themselves material and they would necessarily resolve a incredibly strong because of the struggle in a particular way. identity which people draw from them, If you look at some of the and that a threat to those customs is a relationships in the union movement at threat to the identity those people the time of the first Green Bans, it was have? That is an ideological factor, but because of reformist, economist and I would suggest it is as strong as any non-socialist ideology in the union material factor or relationship. movement that the builders labourers Linda: Oh, indeed, and I think that the were left isolated in manv instances, contradictions posed between the which is not to suggest that no ideology of the way women were mistakes were made. taught to see themselves and the But what motivates workers, or reality of their actual existence in the anybody, when they go into struggle is past thirty years has had a tremendous part of the material nature of that effect in helping smash through a lot of struggle. that ideology. You can have some As for economic in the last or the first ideas in your head but I don't know instance, and whether the contradict­ how long you can afford to Keep them ions which arise from the ownership or in your head if, in practice, you re non-ownership of the means of having to do something else. A man production are the crucial or over­ can hang on to the iaea that itjs a riding factors in relationship to woman's place to look after him. But, in socialist theory and practice, it is 24 ALR Autumn 1984 extremely difficult to explain racism or control and for the maximum sexism on the basis of either a first or development of human potentiality, last instance theory, or that the and so on. relations of ownership are the crucial thing. They are all, of course, crucially Linda: What then, is the difference inter-connected. between marxism and Christianity? It is clear that the origins of women's Christianity is also against oppression predate both capitalist and exploitation, and talks about pity for class society. the oppressed and so on. Isn't the I am not arguing that there are no difference that marxism is grounded in material factors in the oppression of that philosophy which grew out of the women by men, but they are as much 18ih century which said that there are related to the esteem afforded to the only human events and that human reproduction of the species as to the events are potentially able to be economic divisions between women controlled by humans and that things and men. don't happen by magic, but because There is no point in analysing people make decisions and act on women's oppression outside the social them and can make different relations and economic formation decisions? But the conditions have existing at the particular time. But it is a arrived within capitalism for that to be struggle in its own right, with its own done on a world historical scale under area of concern, just as it is in the case the full consciousness of human of the struggle around wages. understanding, without illusions. To conflate all these and otherforms of struggle into some notion of class Eric: Agreed. I think you've put it well. doesn’t increase our ability to You speak of human respons.bility and understand why these struggles exist, choice, but that is a moral question. If what we're talking what are their motive forces, how they there is no choice then there is no " ... are connected with, or sometimes in question of morality. But when there about is what is it that conflict with each other. are choices — do this or do that, permit has the capacity to It is more important to understand this or permit that intervene or not. those connections and contradictions that is a moral issue. motivate people today. than to shove them all into some total Certainly, the great feature of In many third world category for the sake of being able to marxism is that it is materialist. But hang onto something in socialist materialism, as Engels said, also needs countries, struggling theory which doesn't help you. to cnange with each new discovery. for independence and Yet the materialism that many marxists Eric: I don't know precisely have in their heads remains the against tremendous what people mean by the "marxist materialism of the 18th century, which ■ method". I don't know if there is a exploitation, and one is way out of date. specific marxistmethod beyond takes up arms to passion in the cause and a scientific Linda: I agree. attitude. change it. But, for us, Bob: The substance of Eric's point as I Thai is not to downgrade Marx. get it is that marxism's strength is in the the position is much There is still more mental nourishment combination of social justice and about human society in what Marx more complex. You've ethics and the historical side of the wrote than in the works of any other analysis, it's the link between the two single person. I call myself a marxist got a sophisticated which has been considerably eroded. because of that, and because Marx, society where exploit­ along with Engels, was the founder of Joe: I substantially agree with that. But ation exists but is the modern socialist movement. what we're talking about is what is it I recently read a bad book (Wesson's that has the capacity to motivate disguised." Why Marxism?) which, after claiming people today. In many third world that marxism was a failed theory, seeks countries, struggling for independ­ to exolain why it continues to be so ence and against tremendous successful. And I agree with his exploitation, one takes up arms to conclusion, though not his point of struggle to change it. view. That conclusion is that marxism But, for us, the position is much is so successful because it embodies more compelx. You've got a what people who are oppressed and sophisticated society where exploited look to, though not exploitation exists but is disguised. necessarily — not mainly — from a And there's a tolerance of a situation theoretical point of view. They struggle where 800,000 are unemployed and because they think what is happening more than a million are below the to them is bloody wrong and they are poverty line. But everybody goes about not going to put up with it any more. their business, to all intents and The standpoint, the social purposes ignoring that. I piace a lot of philosophy Marx was putting forward importance on the moral values in that, was against exploitation, against all on people's attitudes to one another. forms of oppression, against the Because there is no way for change to concentration of ownership and take place unless people concern

A u s t r a l i a n L eft Review 87 25 themselves about the problems of Perhaps from necessity, we now see others, with the injustices that occur. it differently. Accepting the fact that True, groups of workers determine the revolution is not just around the that logging is going to take place corner, as we used to think, we are because their livelihood depends on it. faced with a long-term struggle. But others take a moral judgment This, in itself, poses a problem as to which is much more fundamental in a how socialists can, in this long-term long-term sense, i.e. what this means struggle, sustain themselves, maintain for society as a whoie, be it the their morale, etc. You can. if you think preservation of the Franklin or that the revolution is around the whatever. They make a judgment ana corner, even if the corner is distant, but are prepared to fight for it. more difficult if you do not — and I We have the problem of creating the think few think that way now. sort of vision, the set of values with Our interventionist strategy comes which people are going to identify and to grips with that, in that we engage in become committed to. Easter said than struggles with a view not only to done, of course. The complexity of this changing what is in people's heads society obscures the connection of but also changing to one degree or one set of problems with another. This another, the actual power relations is also done deliberately and, to an within society. extent, most of us don't even It is not that one preaches that "The big acknowl­ understand. How you overcome that I people ought to think in a certain way, don't know. though one may do that, but that the edged difference Eric says that marxism was able to issues people face are tackled from a between what the express in all-sided ways a vision of socialist ideological pomt of view and society with which people could with a view to changing the actual marxist left is prepared identity. For example, the Manifesto, power relations whicn exist within to do now and what it which moved millions. society. On the question of power. When Some may see this as a new form of was prepared to do marxism spoke of the historical role of gradualism, and maybe it is. But the before, is to regard the the working class, that class was point is that you don't put every regarded as decisive because it had the change in power relations off until that state apparatus as an relationship at tne point of production, aay when state power is seized. You area of struggle. To see thus wielding potentially tremendous wage the battle within society now, economic force. thus preparing both the ideological it as an arena for The big problem as I see it is that, and material or relational conditions. struggle, for gains while that capacity remains today, In that sense, one is creating a bit of the both the opportunity and the will to new society within the shell of the old. which can be held." exercise it are largely absent. which we always used to reject as I agree with Eric that power has a impossible. Boo Maklnson Is a 'blologisi who Linda: Could you liken that to giving up number of dimensions. The radical nas, till recently, been an activist In the warfare of mass formations in transformation of society is a transfer the Young Communist Movement. favour of guerrilla warfare? of power rrom those who exercise it now to those who have little or none. Eric: I suppose you could. But we are also talking about the Bob: You can take that a bit further. alienation of people and their The D o w er that one w ie la s is conditioning to accept the exercise of determined both by the forces you power. dispose nf and the terrain you are able Again, with sexism and racism it is a to control, or at least contest. question of power relationships. But, The big acknowledged difference in this case, we have a power that is between what the marxist left is exercised voluntarily within society prepared to do now and what it was and cuts across class boundaries. It is prepared to do before, is to regard not realfy a class issue. the state apparatus as an area of On ideotogy and practice — it is a struggle. To see it as an arena for question of both. It we seek to create a struggle, for gains which can be held. new set of values or a new morality To participate in certain elements of then we have also got to integrate a the state apparatus in a contest'itory practice which has that sort of vision way, in a way that fights the e xisting into the day-to-day work of socialists. mode of state domination The other element to be looked at is Eric: Earlier, when socialists talked how to assemble the kind of power about power, they meant specifically base needed to do that, what are the state political power There were elements of the coalition to do that. Not struggles around all sorts of things, but simply a political coa'ition but an not about power. Through the ideological coalition within the society struggles, peoplemight learn theirown which will make it possible to strength and so on, but nothing else challenge elements of the state power would change. In that sense it was and private power within industry as purely an ideological outcome. well.

26 ALR A utu m n 1984 The left has found that it's not just whole relationship between the way they're massively struggling the industrial working class that is societies reproduce themselves, the everywhere. needed for that. There have been long­ ideas people have, and the possibilities standing debates about the necessity of opposition to that. of intellectuals and on what terms Eric: I think that's precisely the point. there can be an alliance between Capitalism is producing all these intellectuals and workers. There's Phil: I have a problem with the way you struggles. What we were arguing about been equally long-standing, though put that question. You seem 10 say that before was whether we labelled them less explicit, debates about the role of capitalist society just reproduces itself, all class struggles, not whether they small business, small farmers, and full stop. But I think it's clear that existed or whether they were the basis others; about what sort of coaliuon can capitalist society both reproduces on which we could work. How you be put together in society which itself and doesn't reproduce itself. It designate them is more a theoretical enables you to challenge that sort of doesn't reproduce itself perfectly, in point. power. fact, it's largely because of the But taking these struggles as being It’s not just a matter of saying what contradictions within capitalist society produced by the various contradict­ sort of political forces are available to that it's incapable of reproducing itself ions ol capitalism, the real point for form a coalition of the left, because perfectly. socialists is how to intervene in them with a view to developing socialist that's governed by those who define Thus, there has to be a political ideas on a wider basis. themselves as left. What we're talking struggle conducted by ruling classes about is a more long-term strategy of and their intellectual forces to try to Socialists have a particular role to trying to penetrate all such areas of cement the bits together and play, and I see nothing unmaterialisl in society with both ideas and reproduce it at a higher level. that. Far from it. It also accords with organisation in order to try to assemble The inverse of that is that there are a historical experience. Certainly, if the the elements of the new society and to whole lot of elements of capitalist conditions weren't there, things demonstrate tc people that there is a society which are reproducing wouldn't have haopened, but I think coherence about socialism, that it can different things, wnich are not just that is rather trite. There have also provide not simply as gooa, but a simply capitalist relations, but different been circumstances where conditions better way of living and a more human ideas, different forces. It is these that were there and things weren't done. society. are the basis on which we have to work. We have the example of the Long This is a great problem which March (that's a oarticular example, of Eric: Tne elements are already there, in structuralist theory and marxism got course, but it's only one), where a the struggles taking place. itself into, and the idea has become relatively small body of people quite prevalent that capitalist society changed the situation. Joyce: In a way, it's the striving to find reproduces itself absolutely. And if we see a role for socialists, the in te r c o n n e c tio n s b e tw e e n Therefore, the notion of struggle or whether they are organised in this way struggles that politicises the various where struggle comes from can or that, the point to discuss is: in these movements, that takes them beyond become nothing other than circumstances in which we find the particular struggle itself. determinrst. ourselves, where socialism is Even though I don't see working somewhat down compared with class struggles at the point of previous periods, wnere socialists are production as the motive rorce for Linda: Yes, but I thought that I said the flying apart rather than coming social cnange as Marx saw it to be, I struggles we see all round us arose together, and don’t feel themselves on still think it's a crucial form of struggle, precisely out of the contradictions that the up, on the offensive, what is it just as a whole range of other forms of capitalism throws up. For example, socialist should ao in order to struggle are. contradictions arise out of the fact that overcome this when, in other respects, And the point about the you have an ideology about femininity with the capitalist crisis, the interconnections is not to try to find at a particular time when capitalism is circumstances are favourable? some world view for the sake of naving drawing masses of women into the a world view. The point is how you workforce and doing more to smash realise the potential of the struggles the family, as somebody said, than a that exist. whole bevy of feminists. Eric: I don't think Marx ever said that It's precisely those contradictions change in society would come about and the struggles that tney engender by the struggle of people at the point of that are the points of intervention, of production. On the contrary, he said guerrilla warfare. that those struggles were skirmishes, But what I was getting at was that were defensive struggles and that the people are talking about ideas — what working class had to assert itself on ideas can we get to motivate people. Well, what ideas did people have when a wider stage. Lenin put it even more strongly, saying that the struggle they were thrown into struggle around between workers and capitalists was the women's movement? I don't know too narrow to engender socialist what ideas were in people's heads. consciousness, at most giving rise to Perhaps they weren't so different on the Monday from what they were on trade union consciousness. This is important because a lot of the Friday, but there came a particular time when they had to do something. misconceptions about what class We talk about ideas motivating struggle even is, are based on that erroneous view. people, about how we get people going, but it seems to me it is not a Linda: We seem to be having difficulty question of how we get people going, in coming to grips with what is the but how we intervene in the ways A u s t r a l ia n L e f t R e v ie w 87 2 7 FLOATING THE

The floating of the AUSTRALIAN Australian dollar by the Labor government in December 1983 was totally DOLLAR out of keeping with Labor ideology of attempting to control the economy in the It is not overstating the daring nature foreign exchange market much more of the decision to say that Keating has often, and to h gieater extent than the interests ot Australian placed his political future in thr hands present arrangements envisage. This workers. In this article, of the intermediaries and the traders is what is called a 'dirty float', in who operate in the cut-throat world of contrast to a 'clean float' — which which has been widely the international financial markets. means no government intervention. distributed among union­ It was an action which was completely Very few countries have 'clean floats'. ists, Ted Wheelwright at odds with Labor's platform This point will be taken up in a later commitment to government control of paragraph. explains the consequ­ the economy, and Labor’s long and deeply held suspicions of the market ences of this action. here is something to be said for place and its belief that market farces allowirg market forces, suitably do not share resources equitably. T modified to affect the exchange Geoff Kitney, National Times, 16.12.83. rate significantly as a result of flows of money resulting from exports, imports he floating of the Australian and genuine investment, during times dollar is probably the most of political and economic stability, T fundamental single cnange in depending on the ability of the the management of the Australian Australian economy to respond to economy in Deace time by any federal price changes of imports and exoorts, government, certainly since the Great and how the world economy responds. Depression of the 1930s. It is totaily out Bui we qo not live at such a time; the of keeping with Labor ideology of world economy is unstable, the attempting to control the economy in recovery is fragile and very patchy, the the interests of the working people of world political situation is more Australia, and makes the Australian serious than It has been for decades, government even more of a hostage to tension is high, and the danger of war international finance capital than it considerable. was before, as the above quotations In such a situation, international indicate. capital flows are extremely volatile and It makes nonsense of industry Dolicy sutyect to political events, in the world and attempts to increase exports — at large, ano in our region. Recent what happens in these areas will be years have seen substantial flows into more by accident than design. It makes our money and securities markets by a mockery of EPAC, whose advice can Japanese institutions, and into our be negated overnight by the gyrations stock exchanges by American and of the exchange rate, ana it threatens British investors They have also seen the accord, as pressure will mount to large sums flowing in from Hong Kong, remove full wage indexation so and from Chinese minorities in that real wages will fall it devaluation Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. In causes higher import costs. These addition, there have been massive points are expanded in subsequent outflows during the Whnlam paragraphs. government, and jjst before the The gravest danger comes from the election of the Hawke government, increasing volatility in the value of tne wmcn had to be reversed after its Ted Australian dollar which is bound to election by a substantial devaluation. result, unless the Reserve Bank uses us On top of this there has been large- Wheelwright powers of intervention by buying or scale speculation for non-political selling Australian currency in the reasons, and movements across the 28 ALR Autumn 1984 exchanges for reasons of company and Debts''.) Such a continuinq ► borrowing to pay taxes, and to take depreciation of our dollar, if sustained, advantage of interest rate differentials, wouio benefit export industries and * e.g. cheaper to borrow abroad than import competing industries in the here, etc. Floating the exchange rate The Hawke government must do short run, as it is tantamount to a leduces only the speculative element nothing to upset the high priests of subsidy on exports and a tax on of all these flows, as it means that those international finance. imports Its effects would depend on who bear the cost are other cost which is used to amploy even whether, as a result, exports were speculators and currency holders, not more financial parasites than exist in increased, and imports reduced; but as the Reserve Bank. our already overblown finance sector many imports are essential it would Consequently, as speculative forces Not only that, but large, wild swings send up the costs of all industries and o pe ra tion s have increased in the foreign exchange value of the dependent on imports, and this would dramatically over the last decade or so, Australian dollar, sustained for a work its way through to the export a significant degree of speculation will longish period of time, may destroy industries. The consumer price index continue, and in the present world entire industries, hor example, if there would be affected, the cost of living of context of 'alarums and excursions' was a stampede of capital from Hung working people would be increased, will act as a destabilising influence. As Kong in the next few years — which is and if the accord were implemented, Keynes remarked: not unlikely — much of it would come there would be full indexation. to Australia, and would force up the However, there would be tremendous Speculators may do no harm as pressure — which is beginning to bubbles on a steady stream of value of our dollar on the free market enterprise. But the position is serious for some considerable time. The effect develop nnw — to break this link when enterprise becomes the bubble would be to reduce the income of many protecting the workers standard of on a whirlpool of speculation. When exporters, in our money, and living, and abolish indexation as the capital development of a country encourage a flood of cheap imports incompatible with market forces. becomes a by-product of the activities which would compete away much of The above illustrates the importance of a casino, the job is likely to be ill- what is left or our manufacturing of the exchange rate as a tool of done. (J.M. Keynes, The General industry. If sustained, such price economic policy; given Labor's Theory of Employment, Interest and changes could irrevocably destroy philosophy it should be set at a level Money (Macmillan, London, 1936), p. some industries in both the export 1E8) which maximises full employment in sector, and the import competing export and import competing This means that capital flows which sector. An upward revaluation of the industries, minimises inflation, and have little to do with real economic currency is equivalent to a rax on prevents too much of an increase in forces such as exports, imports, and exports ano a subsidy on imports. foreign indebtedness, and hence actual investment, and which occur Conversely, a substantial and reduction in independence. This is through a variety of motives, often to sustained outflow of money from difficult enough to achieve even with do with the situation in other countries, Australia would cause a devaluation competently enforced exchange will cause instability in the foreign of our dollar. Th's is more likely in the controls (as distinct from incredibly lax exchange value of our dollar, which is longer run as the economic forces ones of recent years, for whicn either inimical to both our export industries operating on Australia are such as to the Reserve Bank or its political (except those where contracts are in increase our indebtedness, reduce our masters, or both, must be held other currencies such as the American export income in relation to /mport responsible), but it is impossible with a dollar, as is often the case in minerals) costs, increase our payments for 'clean float'. The exchange rate is then and our manufacturing industry. Such shipping insuranceand debt servicing, sel at a level which maximises the industries, in these circumstances, can causing us to anproximate to a Third interests of international capital, in its only plan ahead bv usina forward World country in these respects. (See various forms ana conditions, around exchanges, which means, in ettect, Australia: A Client SNfe by Greg the world — if these coincide with the that they need to insure themselves Crough and Ted Wheelwright, interests of the working people of against unfavourable changes in the Penguin, Melbourne. 1982, Chapters, Australia, this is by accident and not oy value of our dollar, at considerable "Out of Control — Trade, Payments design.

Australian Left Review 87 29 he political component of all this is very important, as spelled out T in the opening quotations referring to the political future of Keating (and by implication of the labor Party/ being placec 'in the hands of the intermediaries and the traders who operate in the cut-throat world of the international financial markets". It means that the Hawke government must do nothing politically to upset the high priests of international finance lest they take their money out of the country: this has a bearing on such matters as admitting foreign banks, foreign investment policy, giving unions a greater say in economic policy formulation, consumer and environmental protection — virtually anything which could reduce the profitability of capital and reduce its managerial prerogatives and privileges. It also means that the ability of the Hawke government to reduce interest rates will be circumscribed, asnotonly does finance capital profit from higher real interest rates and therefore have predilection for them, but also it will be necessary to keep ours higher than elsewhere to attract foreign money and prevent it leaving. Even with the recently laxly enforced exchange controls, it was difficult, for this reason, to achieve lower real rates of interest. Now it may well o impossible, we could be locked into a high real interest rate syndrome. This is particularly likely, given the very small nature of oureconomy, trade and.

money flows in relation to tnose of the 'big league', in world economic affairs — the Americans. Japanese and Europeans. We are attempting to plav first grade league football with the Paul Keating, and the Labor size, resources, and expertise of the government, In the hands ot third division. Intermediaries and traders who Talk of Sydney or Melbourne operate In the cut-throat world ot becoming a financial centre of international financial markets. 30 ALR Autumn 1984 S.E.Asia and the Pacific, perhaps by other activities of the expanded Australia.) But once the market is so replacing Hong Kong, is fanciful, to put financial community, such as tne widened there is no guarantee tnat it it mildlv In the first place, to compete exDort of capital from industrial areas, will stay so. the whole history of the with them, Australia would need to and high interest rates which attract merger movement stands mute adopt their economic and social large inflows of capital from abroad, witness to the contrary, and the conditions, which involve much lower thus keeping the US dollar at a high evidence in the USA shows that even taxes on corporate profits, no value, which inhibits exports and there foreign banks have been more particular taxes on the finance encourages imports, helping to cause aggressive, have taken business away industry, no unemployment pay and an enormous trade deficit. In both from local banks, and also taken them no wage indexation, with trade unions cases, the UK and the USA, the issue is over. (See Robert B. Cohen, The which are creatures of the state. In the much more complicated than space Impact of Foreign Direct Investment second place, they are both small allows, but the essential point is that on JS Cities and Regions, The enclave' economies which have been neither of them provides evidence that Ana'ytic Sciences Corporation, used to generations of free trade, and freer foreign exchanges and entry of Virginia, 1979.) on which financial activities have a foreign banks contrioute to higher This should not be allowed to minimal repercussion. In the third overall employment and a higher happen here. No more licences to place they are hardly democratic standard of living for working people. trade in roreign currency should be models of polities which most Even in Switzerland, which is issued; if new foreign hanks are now Australians would wish to follow in probably the best example of a allowed in, these licences would be pursuit of economic gain, successful financial centre, because snapped up by existing merchant While there would be some gain in its history and geographical location, banks, wh.ch appear to be the main employment because of the expansion money naa to be prevented from source of currency speculation. of the finance sector, these would be flowing into the country some years Trading in foreign currency should minimal, due to the very capital ago, because it was forcing up the remain the preserve of existing banks, intensive technology used in this type Swiss franc to levels so high that they snould be strictly supervised by the of ’wholesale banking', There would were inhibiting the export of Swiss Reserve Bank, and excess profits from not be much extra employment for the manufactured goods. Consequently, a this activity should be suoject to tax. traditional bank-clerk type of activity; negative rate ot interest was imposed There is no presumption that more most of it would be taken up by the on such tunas, i.e. foreigners had to banks mean cheaper money, more high powered money changers who pay to have their funds located in access to it by those who need it, or would inhabit a few more Temples of Switzerland. more stability, certainly not in the long Mammon which would spring up in the loating the dollar and abolishing run. The evidence seems to suggest city centres of Sydney and Melbourne. exchange controls also makes it that more and bigger banks mean more However, even if there were a net gain more difficult to detent offshore debt, more instability and higher real in employment there, it would be more tax avoidance schemes, according interestto rates. More control of financial than offset by the unemployment the director of taxation services withinstitutions is required, not less. This is caused elsewhere in the economy by FPriceWaterhouse. The exchange the lesson of the history of their the requirements of the financial control regulations often provided a evolution ever since the South Sea sector. paper trail that assisted the Taxation Buoble (which is upon us again, in One example of this is Britain, where Commissioner in tracing taxable a oifferent form). London is still reputed to be the income. In his last published report, Finally, a word on ’dirty floats'. This financial centre of the world, although Frank Costigan recommended the used to be called government Ihis is open to dispute, particularly by tightening up of exchangp control intervention', orgovernment 'counter­ the Americans. London and the 'home regulations, and suggested that speculation'. This last usage was counties' are relatively prosoerous, Singapore should be added to the list coined when governments were much and the middle classes are of recognised tax havens. Obviously stronger vis-a-vis large corporations concentrated there, but much of the this will not happen now, so that to the than they are today. Now they cannot industrial heart of the country in the billions of tax dollars lost to the match the resources available to the midlands and the north is dying on the Treasury in 'bottom-of-the-harbour giant global corporations, especially vine, with very high levels of schemes', we must now add untold the transnational banks Any notion unemployment. One maior reason billions to be lost in 'bottom -of-the- that governments can operate for this is the high value of the pound Pacific schemes’, with the result that successfully in the market place sterling, which hampers manufactured working people of Australia will have to against them is a delusion. What exports and increases manufactured pay even more tax, while the rich governments can and must do is fo imports, thus emasculating the financiers go scot free. Is this Labor control access to the market place by industry. Another reason is that the party policy? (Mansn Wilkinson, licensing and policing the operators, abolition of exchange controls National Times, 16.12.83.) Even that is not easy, hut unless the facilitates the export of capital which The next step is obiously to license Labor government attempts to control should have been used to re-equip more traders in foreign exchange and the activities of international finance decaying manufacturing industry to admit foreign banks. The argument for capital in Australia, they will inevitably help make it more competitive. Since is that the existing market of a few be controlled by it. They might not the removal of exchange controls in Australian banks is too narrow for it to mina this, but the people they purport 1979, it is estimated that about £30 operate properly, and hence it must be to represent will suffer. billion have left the UK. widened; aiso the new system will give Another example ts the USA, where these banks a semi-monopolistic advantage because they are so few. the development of New York as an Ted Wheelwright has been teaching international financial centre rivalling (The Campbell Report showed that the Political Economy for 30 years In a four largest banks and the four largest London may have created some hostile environment at Sydney employment and other benefits there, insurance companies accounted for University. but these have obviously been offset about 80 percent of financial assets in

A u s t r a l ia n Left Review 87 31 PHOTOESSAY

Organised crime is an integral part of present capitalist society. In this paper, which was given at the 1984 Marxist Summer School, Denis Freney explains how predominant organised crime is in Australian politics and why you should be concerned. Tl'burw ORGANISED CRIME RIGHTWING LABOR AND CRIME

would like to begin looking at this first issue of the new US magazine The wide-ranging subject with a very Rebel. Waas' article was a case study / appropriate quote: "The primary of organised crime in one US city, goals of organised crime ... are the comparable in size to Sydney or maximisation of profit. In order to Melbourne. Elsewhere, Waas achieve the greatest possible return, commented: 'Like the rest of big organised crime has found it expedient business in America, the mafia has to invest some of its capital in the realised that it has to engage .n good government." public relauons to be accepted in their communities, to expand and grow ... This statement comes not from a The only difference is that it is not marxist, but from a recent US federal routine policy for oil companies and task force on organised crime ano it is other corporations to routinely kill Denis Freney quoted in an article The Mob in people as a normal course of everyday Philadelphia by Murray Waas in the business." (Well, not in the US ot A, at

34 ALR Autumn 1984 least, and not there with guns .... ) has become multinational, spreading areas while others are new. All are I'm reminded as far as the first point its empire particularly to the highly profitable. In each area, we have of that sentence goes of the generosity Philippines, Thailand and, to a lesser a mirror copy of the functioning of exhibited bv the Abe Saffron winci at extent, other countries in the region 'legitimate' capitalism. We have the big the Mcriah War Memorial College in In the vice districts of Manila, business ‘organised crime' executives; Vaucluse, named after the alleged according to latest reports, Australian the medium-size 'entrepreneurs' and organised crime figure. organised crime is now even better the small-time operators — the last are entrenched than the US mafia As the ones usually caught. The 'big WHAT IS Douglas Meagher has said, 'close business' operators ao not do the dirty ORGANISED CRIME? relations' nave been found to exist work, they have their 'workers’ or hire between some Australian criminals out independent 'contractors'. They efining organised crime has and ruling circles in the Philippines — also act as financiers for small or almost become an academic jp to and including the Marcos family. medium-size operators outside their D industry. The fact is that it is a Fifth, as part of the last, Australian own organisation. A reasonably-sized very imprecise term: when two people organised crime figures have forged drug importation could cost a million get together to 'organise' a bank the closest possible links with the big dollars to mount. While one financier robbery, is that organised crime? By Ub crime families and, beyond that, may be willing to finance such a deal, it some definitions it is, as it is with the Sicilian mafia, the Naples is more likely a number will combine, 'organised'. But it reduces the Commora and the Calabrian Honored both to spread any possible loss, and definition down to an almost Society. Australian organised crime to share the profits, which are meaningless level. The only valuable has time-honoured links with iti. British enormous. way to examine the question is to draw counterparts and, in more recent the parallel between crime and decades, has forged links with French, ORGANISED CRIME ^ND 'legitimate' capitalism. Comparing the Corsican, Chinese, and other ’mafia' LEGITIMATE BUSINESS' two-person robbery of a hank with the syndicates. It is also in constant operations of the Nugan Hand ’bank' business with the Lebanese apitalism, in Its early or the alleged Abe Saffron empire is Phalangists who combine fascist terror beginnings, and each budding like comparing a family corner store with high-level drug trafficking and C capitalist today, must go with BHP. other crimes. through a process of primitive When we — and others such as accumulation of caoital. As often as Costigan and his counsel. Douglas WHAT FIELDS DOES not, such primitive accumulation has Meagher — speak of ‘organised crime' occurred historically through criminal we are talking of the top end of the ORGANISED CRIME COVER? activities. As author Richard Hall said business, of the BHPs of crime not the ouglas Meagher, the senior at the National Crimes Commission corner stores. counsel assisting the Costigan Conference last July "I suppose the Second, let's accept a practical Royal Commission, has listed first organised criminals were the definition of 'crime as all that breaks the main fields of organised crime.officers I of the Rum Corps. Perhaps the laws of the Commonwealth, States D will repeat them with only a Governor few Bltgh needed a Crimes and Territories of Australia. That's not passing comments: Commission to solve the problem." to say we need endorse all those laws, •systematic robbery The descendants of these first for, as we know, many of them are • organised shoplifting (including Australian organiseo crime figures are unjust, able to be applied and directed major items such as fridges, TV sets, today the doyens of high society. against the poor, the sick and the etc.) Douglas Meagher, in his recent minorities, such as Aborigines. But •theft from wharves (not just pilfering, ANZAAS paper, lists the criminal some laws would exist in any society of but of whole containers) activities of Morgan and Vanderbilt scarcity, while others have been won • motor car theft (not for joyriding, but who had amassed enormous wealth by by w o rkin g people, fo rce d on systematic sale as spare parts profiteering from the American Civil capitalism fo regulate big business’ interstate, and even in the USA) War. We could add the names of other rampage of the workforce, the • credit card theft (often an overseas infamous 'robber barons' from environment, and to finance social operation, with the cards stolen here, Rockefeller on. welfare. Capitalism has also adopted then used in South East Asia) Today, the multinationals break laws laws ana regulations for its own good • SP bookmaking around the world. Just as Morgan in health, particularly since the Great • illegal casinos and gambling 1856 staged his own revolution in Depression, as a matter for its own • prostitution Nicaragua to get control of survival. •pornography VanderDilt’s holdings there, and Third, we should realise that •drug trafficKing Vanderbilt got the then President to organised crime in Australia, • lean sharking (Frank Hardy's latest send in US troops to defeat Morgan's particularly since World War II, and book deals with one aspect of this) 'revolutionaries’ and regain his especially since the early 'seventies, •protection rackets holdings, so, today, multinationals has been increasingly monopolised •arson have little respect for laws and legally into relatively few hands, and taken on •bankruptcy fraud (Bernie Houghton established governments. all the structures of a big corporation. of Nugan Hand fame was an expert on Meagher also notes: And just as the directors of BHP ao not this) dirty their hands at the blast furnace, • union racketeering (small-scale here, One of the earliest American fortunes was a massed bv John Jacob Astor. His but likely to spread. We'll deal with this so the lop levels of organised crime do money was originally gained through not dirty their hands with robbery, drug in more detail later.) lawlessness and violence committed trafficking or fraud. Rather, the top •taxation fraud by his agents against Indians in the directors of these corporations are the • computer fraud western fur traae. At the time he lived in investors, the organisers of the and so on, in many varied forms and Ne w Y o rk as a re s o e c ta b le organisers of the actual crimes. combinations. businessman. The money was used lo r Fourth Australian organised crime Some of these are 'traditional' crime real estate speculation in New York

Australian L e f t R ev ie w 87 35 where easily corrupted officials helped connection between legitimate government" This is not something him become the richest person in business and organised crime. new since, tor as long as crime has America. He crowned his successful In the same respect, I'm sure you are existed, corruption has existed. It business by becoming one of all waiting with bated breath for Kerry might be slipping a copper a few quid Americas greatest slum landlords, Packer to explain himself before the to turn the other eye. I think the extracting money from the poor for the Costigan Royal Commission. Costigan excellent ABC TV series Scales of privilege of living in the vilest of Justice said it all by tracing the tenement housirig. has been investigating two Westpac branches in Brisbane which had bPen evolution of corruption from the small- used to launder millions of drug and scale to the top-level. I think that very n Australia, it can be argued tnat the other 'llegal money. While few people today would believe conscious actions of BHP, James investigating, Costigan found that corruption does not exist with.n parties / Hardte Asbestos, the uranium Queensland property developer Brian and governments around the country, miners and so on in breaking health Ray, a good friend of Joh Bjelke- and not just in police forces. and safety laws and environmental Petersen, had withdrawn $225,000 Some may think the last episode of controls is more serious in its social from one of the banks for Kerry Packsr. Scales of Justice in which the young impact than the depredations of Ray said it was an interest-free loan, Attorney-General was subtly 'organised crime'. That may well be so. although Ray was in a scheme with blackmailed was exaggerated. It is but nevertheless it should not be used creditors under which he was paying therefore worth quoting Douglas as an excuse to ignore the very real them one cent in the dollar. Ray's Meagher in his ANZAAS paper on this problem posed by organised crime. associate, Ian Beamps. however, told question. But we don't have to go back to the Costigan he personally took $100,000 Corruption may be achieved in several last century to see how criminal in cash to Sydney airport and handed activity gave budding capitalists the ways. The most obvious and frequent it over to Packer's chauffeur It was means to become respectable way is by simply paying money. This part of a tax minimisation scheme, may be done by a payment to hidden businessmen, knights of the realm and Beames said, for which Packer had bank accounts, but other means are household names for their recei/ed $293,42b. available. A house may be made philanthropy. Packer at first agreed to give available at a particularly cheap price; I will mention only a couple of evidence on this affair, but then took overseas travel may be made at no cost .... Sometimes .... the corruption is examples. The first example is one ol Costigan to the federal court to stop achieved through a weakness in the the Hungarian mafia’ who arrived in him investigating. The federal judge Australia in the 'fifties along with such character of the victim, which is ruled against Packer. The judge said viciously exploited. The film of deviant people as Alexander Barton, Bela Costigan was trying to find out sexual practices; the loan to meet the Csidei and Peter Abeles. This person whether the $225,000 paid by Ray to gambling habit. made his millions in real estate Packer was "anything to do with the Meagher ther, refers to the Nugan speculation and property develop­ distribution of drugs in Queensland". ment. He could never have done so Now, Packer may be entirely attempt to frame Frank Walker by without the aid of his corrupt friend, innocent. He may have only been setting up a secret Swiss bank account for him in an attempt to then threaten NSW Premier Sir Robert Askin, who involved inataxavoidancescheme. He used funds held by state government admits to having been a 'client' of the him with exposure. instrumentalities to helD him on his tax scheme, ana claimed the tax INVESTMENT IN way. This person also used the abilities commissioner got $600,000 out of it of Bernie Houghton, of Nugan Hand from him. THE STATE' and CIA fame, to carry out several t is only natural that organised profitable arson and bankruptcy want now to return to the quote crime should 'invest' in both the frauds which are ably described from the US federal task force on / parties able to form governments. (without naming names) in Meagher's / organised crime with which I Therefore, it is naturally interested in paper to the ANZAAS conference. This began. "Maximisation of profit" is the the ALP with which it has had long individual developed close links with primary goal of organised crime, as it is historic connections. It should be alleged organised crime figure Abe for any capitalist enterprise. But. like recalled that Albie Stoss, the Labor Saffion and the Kings Cross scene. He any capitalist, the wise top criminal member for the Kings Cross area for also forged a close relationship with aims to maximise profits over a period years, was present at the Double Bay the Griffith marijuana empire and its of time, not necessarily going for Summit' attended oy all alleged major principal, Robert Trimbole. maximum profits over one year or so. organised ciime figures (except Abe particularly when (he land boom 'Legitimate' Dig business 'invests' Saffron) in 1972. That 'Summit' collapsed and this person’s financial substantial sums in political parties marked a qualitative leap for Sydney empire in property development and the government and bureaucratic organ,sed crime, after some gangland collapsed. apparatus. They pay large sums to killing in the late 'sixties. And there was In Western Australia, millionaires major political parties, hire expensive Albie Sloss sitting in on thecarve-upof were born from fraudulent exploitation lobbyists, influence the media, and will organised crime between the criminal of the mining boom One of them pay high 'expenses' for a oligarchy of NSW And Labor, it should worked in close liaison with Saffron parliamentarian to speak at a be recalled, was in opposition at the and tne US mafia. Frank Nugan made convention or whatever, big business time! his first million witn a very doubtful con will think carefully about an outright The Askin years were the heyday of trick in a WA mining company. He beat bribe because of the danger of organised crime, when it really up the share values with talk of a muiti- discovery, although such scruples developea very rapidly from the million dollar Japanese mining certainly do not apply when aoing corner-shoo style of operation to that contract, wnich was never on. then business in Asia or elsewhere. of big business. Every police cashed in his shares at a huge orofit. As the US federal task force on commissioner under Askin was, Nugan went on to use this million to organised crime saio. "organised allegedly, corrupt to an extreme and, launch his huge fraud. In the case of crime has found it expedient to with the corrupl Askin himself, keot Nugan, we see the very obvious invest some of its capital in the NSW safe for organised crime. Things

36 ALR A utu m n 1984 have been so bad in NSW that we've bar owner, Sal Almarino, was. But the House, the powerful tentacles of nad a system operating of mutual person who gave him the introduction organised crime reach to the top, blackmail. The Libs and Labor both to Tham certainly knew. although there are strong couter- have so many skeletons in their closets I naven't got space here to detail all vailing forces. that each could blackmail the other. Of the other signs of penetration by Organised crime has often provided course, in recent years, the Lids have organised crime already visible at the the shock troops for reaction and, ih been so wiped out electorally, and level of federal politics. Suffice it to say South America, and in countries like have faced so many resignations, that that it is a matter of very real concern, the Philippines, it is difficult to most of those left are probably too new not only for the corruption it separate fascist military dictatorships to have too many skeletons around to represents, but the lorg-term and even from organised crime. They have worry about. short-term effect it can have on the become almost identical The CIA and Under Wran we’ve had the whole labor movement. other intelligence services have had resignation of Police Commissioner long and continuing working relations Merv Wood and the Bill Allen scandal. WHY WORRY? with organised crime. We've seen form er Chief Stipendiary Organised crime operates outside, Magistrate Farquhar before a court he 'Ned Kelly' complex remains or on the fringe of 'legitimate1 Now we've got the Rex Jackson affair strong in Australia, and no more capitalism and, by its nature, it has which has much wider implications T so than on the left. Historically, it scant regard for democratic rules. The than are generally realised. I don't may go back to our convict ancestors, same can be said, of course, for the want to take time dealing with these or what we may consider our convict multinationals and big business as a scandals which have already come to ancestors, but the parallel, ano the whole. But it would be completely light. It is beyond doubt that organised myth, is false. I hark back to what wrong to equate the two — organised crime has ’invested1 in NSW politics at Richard Hall said at the National Crime crime is qualitatively different in the all levels. Commission Conference; our first way it operates politically. organised crime figures were the The Left and, indeed, those ut what of federal politics? Until officers of the Rum Corps — the ,ailers genuinely dedicated to bourgeois recently, federal politicians had and the torturers of the convicts. democracy must understand the full Blittle to do with organised crime Today, when we taik about political and social implications of because the laws affecting the organised crime, we’re not talking unchallenged organised crime. operation of organised crime were about Ned Kellys or Robin Hoods. Another argument advanced is that state laws and the police forces We're talking about our present-day because organised crime is now so concerned were state ones. But, in Rum Corps — the BHPf of crime. But sophisticated any real challenge to it in recent years, we've seen a quiet even those who have no time for the big the framework of this society will revolution in this regard. Pederal men of organised crime sometimes mean, of necessity, the abrogation of police are now playing a major role in argue: organised crime doesn't affect civil liberties traditionally respected investigating organised crime. The tax me. And this may be so directly, but under law. Now this is undoubtedly laws are now a major threat to organised crime does affect the labor c o rr e c t. Any National Crimes organised crime whose principals movement and will do so increasingly. Commission coulo, as Justice Kirby remember that Al Capone and other Even if you consider the billions in tax told the National Crimes Commission mafia figures never went to jail for lost through organised cime, you'll Conference, end up being another murder, but ror tax evasion. And maybe understand why your tax ASIO. (No one at the conference, by another royal commission like the burden is so heavy. And if you find that the way, thought that having another Costigan one would be distinctly rightwing candidates in your next ASIO was a good idea!) unpleasant, to say the least, for union election are awash with money, But if there is a problem of possible organised crime. And it now emerges you might wonder whether some of it limitations on civil liberties for those that the federal government can play a came from a siush fund to which who are investigated, that is no excuse role in deciding wnether there is going organised crime has contributed not a for the Left or civil libertarians to to be a casino in Canberra. That little. And if your union sets up a ignore, or wish away the fundamental proposal has been killed for the pension fund shortly because of the problems arising Irom the giowth and moment by the defection of two ALP changes in superannuation laws, you sophistication of organised crime. members in the ACT House of snould not be surprised 'f organised Before concluding. I want to stress Assembly who voted against the crime begins to pay very particular another reason why socialists should casino bill despite Hawke's attention to your union, tempted by take up the issue of organised crime. championing ot it. those millions sitting in the pension Most workers have an implicit faith in One can expect organised crime to fund, able to be loaned at very low the capitalist system, even if it is mixed play a much more active role in federal interest rates for some organised crime with a great dealof cynicism. They also politics in the near future project .... have an underlying fundamental faith It is, therefore, disconcerting that But the issue goes deeper than that: in capitalism's institutions, no matter our Prime Minister, a few years ago in Italy, the Communsft party and the how cynically they may express when he landed in California, phoned Lett in certain areas dominated by the themselves about them. one Rudy Tham, a top mafia hood who mafia. Commora and Honoured Fully exposing organised crime's also doubled as a union official with Society are literally in a life-and-death nature and its links with political, the Teamsters (or Transport Workers) struggle with organised crime. police and top business circles can Union Tham told Hawke to go to a Because, in these parts of Italy, help creak the illusions. The 'rotten sleazy bar in San Francisco which was organised crime is the Establishment; apple’ theory is generally accepted by a mafia hangout, and whose owner had it is the government. And increasingly, most working ppople when it comes to shortly before squired ex-NSW it has penetrated through all Italian corruption in high places. Sure, in policeman Murray Riley (now in Long society, including into the Vatican, as NSW, I think workers now think there Bay for drug offences) around town. witnessed by the Elli-Sindoni-Calvi are a lot of 'rotten apples' in the oolice Now, we can accept that Hawke did affairs. Similarly, iiT parts of the USA force, and politics generally. 8ut they not know who Tham was, or who the and under Nixon, even in the White continued on page 59

Australian le f t Review 87 37 The heart of the rock and ART AND POLITICS roll industry Is the thousands of men and women who rock It out night after night in the pubs and clubs across Australia. NEIL PORTER and ARNIE OLBRICH live and play in Wollongong, a bastion of heavy metal. Here they speak to MIKE DONALD­ SON about the current state ot the rock Industry, and reflect on the 22 years their careers span. Neil: I first seriously picked up a guitar Nell: Nobody from Wollongong in the Look, who's the leader in that band? In 1961. learned to play E, A, B7 wnich hard rock scene has ever "made it". We You've got to have someone to hold the is about par for most guitar players and aon't even know of an individual thing together. joined my first band In 1962. I person, let alone a band, that has made Arnie: I tell you what. I'd hate to work performed pretty continuously until it out of steel city. But it's just not true for a rock and roll musician. They treat 1980 when I gave it away. I played with that all the best musicians are in you like shit, and I’d be working for a famous Wollongong mid-sixties Sydney, Melbourne and the capital monkey's shit. I wouldn't be getting band. The Marksmen, until 1968 We cities, so why hasn't Wollongong any overtime or any of the other then had a name change, became produced any significant music? The benefits. Look, the overwhelming Imagination and went on to Sydney for bands in Wollongong that have made majority of rock musos have got two years playing full-time and living their own singles. Reverend Black and absolutely no commitment to anything hand-to-mouth, stealing fooo where the Rocking Vicars in 1967, my band, except the individual road to money or we could get it. We played every major Imagination in 1969, a great huge gap fame, and that s it. They have no time venue in Sydney and a few other states until Tarquin/Gangsters in about 1978, for trade unions, and no sense of class and put out two singles. The first single and Arnie's old band Hard Grind in solidarity at alt. got to number 80 nationally, scoring a 1982. Four bands in 20 years. What Mike: What were the toois of the trade 13 on a country station in Queensland, happened? Why didn't they get like that you starteo off with? and 25 on another Queensland station. famous? We call it the Wollongong Nell: I boughl myself a twin 12-inch That caved in due to starvation and syndrome, but we don tknowwhatitis. speaker amp and started olaying bass other financial problems. I decided It's discouragement, despair and through it — bass didn't go very we’l that it was better to be a big frog in a slackness all mixed in together, which through those sort of speakers — so we small pond, than nothing in Sydney, so stops Wollongong musicians fium gradually tried to build upourgear, but I moved back to Wollongong and ever really making it. you tend not to, thinking that you'll playeo out the rest of my career here in Arnie: It's not lack of talent. If you take only be playing rocn and roll for a Music Co the working class suburb of Berkeley, couDle of years, while you're an Arnie: I've be-3n playing 20 years. I one small area of Wollongong, it had a "immature teenager", and then you'll began with The Coffin Cheaters with greater concentration of musos than grow up and do snmething else. So it whom I toured Leeton and Griffith anywhere, and that's no shit. Heaos goes on for a few more years, and you (laughs). It's hard to believe but in one and heaps of players and bands, all suddenly think, "Gee, I've played for night we made a hundred bucks, each. from Berneley. five years on this rotten dud gear". That was unbelievable for those days, Mike: Maybe the problem is that it's We saw The Executives playing out and is bloody good money today. After also got the highest concentration of at Wollongong Showgrounds, and that, I spent a short time with The communists7 they had these beautiful amplifiers Solomon Right Crusade, another Arnie: Yeah, it's probably all your fault. called Leonard amplifiers, so we found Wollongong band. I had a break in '68, But maybe it s that we prefer to be big out where to buy then, went up to coming back in '72 with a band calleu fish in a small pond than a sardine in Sydney and spent a thousand bucks Gas sfove. tne remnants of which the ocean. each on these new amps and went full­ became the three-piece that Neil Nell: The five top Wollongong bands time. ft did look impressive, with big worked with in his closing seven-year that had a single and toured have all walls of amps stacked up behind you A stretch. Then came Tree with whom I had one individual who has been wrile up in Go-Sef, Australia’s only played Checkers and all the major maniacally single-minded, and has rock magazine at the time, said that we Sydney venues. driven the rest of the band. I drove my were so loud that you had to go four AC/DC were playing at Checkers at band, .nade them practice seven days a blacks away for the sound to come in that time too and we used to do half week, They jacked up, hated me, said focus — we were ahead of our time hour about. When the special guest that what I was expecting of them was with regard to booming volume. So the band came on, we d sit down together humanly impossible. Arnie drove his point about equipment back then was and I'd say to Angus (Young), ''What're band, but not hard enough in my that through the 'sixties it got bigger, you guys going to do next set7' He’d opinion. Billy Mawer of Tarquin used and more and more expensive. say, "Aw, sh?i .... Jumping Jack Flash, to diive his band hard and sometimes But the equipment was for Wishing Well, AH Right Now .... I'd seemed cold-blooded in the way that instrumental music. What was a say, "Christ, you can't do them, that's he would sack someone. I used to say microphone? You never made any what we were going to do ... " "Ahh ... tohim, "Sack 'em now, mate, don't wait announcements you just got up there OK. we'll play the first set agein." We for five years regrelting that you and played. did that for about four years. And then hadn’t”. So he turned into a Of course Thf> Beatles came in and that band merged with Freshwater bloodthirsty slave driver. kicked the bottom out of the bucket. which was al ready an establ isheo band Arnie: Yeah. I've been catching so Overnight, we had to learn how to sing. with a top ten national hit single, much shit lately, too. Like at rehearsal, Six guys singing through a six-inch directed by Peter Sheen. I say "Pretzel, what the fucking hell are speaker. The feedback! Then it just I left them to it and started a band you doing? Last time you sang in that grew like crazy, the amps got o.gger called Fools Theatre, which didn't last song, now you're not Singing, what are and bigger. Now, of course, they have a long. Then came Cloud. Then I went to you doing?" He gets all petulant and one-foot square amo, like the one I the UK and played around a bit. doing drops his bottom lip, "You know, well started with, but with unbelievable some time with the guys from the ... , it just didn't sound right" I'd say quality. Tne quality these days is Masters ' Apprentices, Nashville Teens. "Look, man, we got two rehearsals to incredible. You can hear every When I came back I started Hard Grind. go. Are you going to sing, or are you instrument. And mixing became put out a single, and I'm now in the not going to sing? I don't like surprises crucial. Before, if you had a solo, vou process of kicking oft The Warns. on the first gig." "Look, Arnie " he'd turned yourself up and set new settings Mike: Neil, why's Arnie going around say, 'I'm just trying it out." on your guitar and tnen, after tne solo, again? Nell: Sack him, I’m serious, sack him. you readjusted. I reckon we worked Opposite page: 1974 (from left) Arnie Olbrlch, Jim McCallum. Lou Bellanclc and Pete Mazzloll In Tree.

Australian Left Review 87 39 that no one will hire them because they play their own music. So they start playing 30 percent of their own songs, so someone books them and says, "Look, you need 50 percent covers", so they learn 50 percent of other people's songs, and so they're ud to 80 percent. By then they're five years oider, got a wife and kids, and think, "Gee, it's easier to learn other people's songs than to write your own", and so the originals disappear, and they become a bland, boring, tame club band. Arnle: But I suppose that there is some room for optimism in all this. Thgre is simply such a vast diversity of music around today — you’ve got your jazz freaks, old time rock and rollers, heavy metal, the so-called ounks, the new wavers, and popular music. It’s so diversified I think that you couid find a niche for yourself and almost survive. h * n a g e d a b s o l u t e A lot of yes's ago everyone soundsd •IMAGINATION' ■ o o n t o SOUNDS J 1 - U S I like The Shadows, th«n it was The Stones, and The Beatles, but the 1969: (From left) Lyle McLalne, Nell Porter, Max Stefanovlc, and Geoff Foster In range of choice around now is so much Imagination. greater today. hard for our money. trebling and quadrupling, but you're M ike: Isn't that the same as saying that Arnle: I don't know. I think you work a still making the same money in the you have to become more specialised? lot harder now. If you're in a band pubs, in the hope of maybe getting If you put all your eqgs in one basket that's on a shoestring budget like most there one aay. and become a highly proficient of us still are. you’ve got to hump gear. Another really big change in music specialised musician, and put all your You can't afford roadies, so you've got that we haven't spoken about yet talent and money into one style what to hump half a tor. or a ton of gear to concerns original music. With The happens if you’ve chosen wrong? the gig. Beatles we had to start thinking about Neil: You cry a lot and get old quick. You've got to get there about four writing music too Australia didn't Mike: How do you get your little niche o'clock, set up your gear, have a quick really come into its own with local to become the Hordern Pavilion? sound check. Then you work while songs until 1970/71, but now original Neil: Radio Birdman, when they first you're still sweating, knackered, stuff just can't be played in clubs. came out, sounded absolutely absolutely tired out. At the end of the N e ll: Wollongong Bands get abominable to the average ear which night, after you've finished your gig, disheartened because they get all fired had been trained on Abba at that time, instead of sitting down and having a up, buy their gear practise for six and trie Ramones. they '"ere playing nice beer and driving home, you've got months without agig.get their first g ig. punk in the sixties, and just kept on to have a real quick beer and then wail six months for another one, find playing it, until someone picked upon hump your gear out to the truck again and then drive home. It's no fun. Roadies are a luxury, without them we’re on overheads of $350 a night. In a pub you only earn $250 a night — you're paying to play. Nell: To play a four-hour gig takes you from 2.30 in the afternoon to 2.30 at night — and you might come home with $15 or $20 apiece, if you're lucky. In the 'sixties, a four-hour gig would only take you six hours maximum, and the money was more or less the same, maybe a bit less. Mike: Well, why aren't you making more money? Arnle: I just, think it's a matter that you've got to have the technology. Your overheads have gone up, but the wages that you get from the pub haven't gone up at all. Ten years ago, you were making $150 a night in a pub, without overheads. Nowadays you've got heaps more overheads, but you're still earning basically the same wages. If you want to get better, you've got to get better gear. Your overheads are 1967: Arnle Otbrich (left) and Henry Emerich In Coffin Cheaters.

40 A L R A utu m n 1984 rt Like Birdman — roaring chords — and 1978 wasjust great to dance to. So, greatly in favour of the current some kids saw in that style of music a of course, the bands started playing technology. It is absolutely need, and supported them, is it luck or funkier music, and they got their jobs magnificent, and I can't over-praise it. what? Who knows, they got cult back. Arnie: Yeah, but it's not just foot enough to be popular, and Birdman is Arnie: It's really hard to criticise a pedals, you know? The whole thing accredited as being the precursors of disco, know what I mean? A record, has become so professionalised now Australian punk, and they did pretty you hear it, you liKe it, you don't. What that it's not funny In order to step out well between 1974 and 1978. is there to talk about? People were on stage now, it seems that you've got Playing covers is a funny business, getting sick of disco — they liked to have a choreographer trained in the too I mean you have to be good to play human musicians, up on stage with USA to tell you where to stand and how them properly, and it's easy to tell a their own personalities and to move. bad band by listening to how they play idiosyncrasies. Nell: Ah ... come on. Sure, there is covers. The guitar player In The Mike: After the disco flare-up in the professional choreography, but look, Marksmen used to write a lot of original mid-seventies, bands adapted their you take someone like Ross Wilson instrumentals, for the truth was that we music to get back to dance music, but from Mondo Rock. You can't tell me weren't good enough to copy The at the same time the speea of anyone is pulling his strings. From the Shadows, so we did a lot of originals. technological change in the industry first moment he walks on stage he is Later, of course, we got good enough. seemed to be accelerating — with quite brilliant. He is just there. Original stuff was pretty unheard of in marked effects on social relations Arnie: You’re putting the chicken in those days. Even The Beatles didn't inside the band — increasing use of front of the egg now. He's already produce an LP of all their own stuff keyboard, lead guitarists starting to famous; he’s already made it. If he got until Revolver. The only Australian move away from centre stage, wind out there with a bunch of guys that band to producp all their own stuff was instruments starting to come back. weren't famous and tried to do his The Easybeats. Right from their first There's been massive changes in stuff, everybody would scream out album, they did hundreds ot originals, technology on stage — fool pedals, "Bullshit, bullshit; fuck off. W" want ana I don't know anyone who can say equalisers and offstage — mixing, Mondo Rock". that. phrasing. Did you have to re-learn, re­ Nell: No, a brand new band can walk on Mike: Disco was a major technological educate yourselves? stage and if the players have got real innovation that was said to be bad for Nell: Yeah, I've undergone a fair bit of presence and charisma, and precision rock and roll. I guess it hit in the mid­ retraining Take a graphic equaliser. timing to back it up, they'll get their seventies, but live bands are still Bass guitarists like me might once following. around and seem just as popular now have said what on earth's a graphic Arnie: But what are the kids going to as when we were young. equaliser? And yet most stereos and think? They can go up to the Neil: By 1979, bands were back in even car stereos contain these things Entertainment Centre, or Horderns in discos, and the band got paid its full now. What it does is to adjust the Sydney, and see this super tech-ed up price, and the oisco got paid its full various frequencies in the sound band, and then they come back home price, but they both only worked half a range of that instrument, and colour and go down to the Heaaies (Hotel) night each, so really the musicians got the tone of the instrument in a beautiful and check out the local band, what are it better. 1976/77 when disco peaked, way, so that with a couple of switches they going to tnmK? were worrying years, when disco your guitar can sound like a heavy Nell: OK. so how do you cross that appeared to be taking over, but it was metal instrument, next song, jazz. gap? How do you go from a local band just a fashion. But you see, the bands Before, you had to work a lot harder to to the Sydney Entertainment Centre? weren't playing good music to dance get those sounds, and couldn't just flip There's only one way to get famous, to, whereas disco music between 1975 a switch. Speaking for myself, I'm have an album and a film clip.

Above: Tree. Right■ 1981: (From left) Bert Matteschek, Brett REcanDB Cooper, Peter Ryan and Arnie Olbrlch in Hard Grind. continued on page 19

A u s t r a lia n L e f t R e v ie w 87 41 George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four was written during a period of anti­ communist hysteria and is a highly sophisticated attempt to influence the political attitudes of its readers. In this article, Raymond Southall exam­ ines the devices which Die Demokratie muB Orwell used to achieve his political purpose through the fictional literary form. gelegentlich in Blut gebddet werden.

Junta Chef Pinochet

THE POLITICS ART AND POLITICS OF DESPAIR

eorge Orwell had already although socialism is a beautiful idea it established himself as an anti- cannot be realised because human G Soviet writer when Nineteen nature is too beastly. This, incidentally, Eighty-Four appeared in 1949. His is the bourgeois attitude towards beast fable, Animal Farm, which was Christianity and towards any other published four years earlier, has been doctrine which assumes that humans described by Penguin Books as a are something more than vicious, self- "satire upon dictatorship, the history centred animals. It is a r attitude which of a revolution that went wrong — and was being suoported by 1945 by of the excellent excuses that were references to what had happened in forthcoming at every step for each Germany under fascism. "There you perversion of the original doctrine. *' are,” it was being said, "You see what The success of Animal Farm is largely people are like. They may appear due to the manner in which George decent enough on the surface, but Orwetl translates a trotskyite critique underneath the thin veneer of Raym ond of the Soviet Union's attempt to build civilisation human nature is still as socialism in one country into the kind Hobbes described it. red in tooth and Southall or cant which leads the bourgeois to claw." This is a view which presents a agree with socialism in theory but no* pretty picture of bourgeois humanism in practice and to maintain that in the twentieth century! 42 ALR Autumn 1984 In Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell appears to see him. Apart from the ways, they are released to await jettisons the beast taole and elaborates ’black-haired, black-moustachio'd" assassination. the 'message' of Animal Farm into an face of Big Brother, the bill-boards are horrific vision of the future. Following a plastered with the three Party slogans n a period of growing antir period of atomic war and revolution the — "War is Peace” , "Freedom is communist nysteria N ineteen world in 1984 has divided into three Slavery", "Ignorance is Strength”, E ig h ty ^o u r was naturally taken up which epitomise DoublethinK, the / power-blocs — Eastasia, Eurasia and and popularised by the media: it was Oceania. The international political intellectual methodology of the Party. condensed in Reader's Digest, scene is composed of the shifting Except for the billboards, which bear selected by the Book-of-the-Month alliances and the mutual betrayals of such slogans and ever-new pictures of Club, had eight pages devoted to it in these three blocs as they wage Big Brother, and the smart modernity Life magaz.ne and was turned into a constant war for control of the of the telescreens, the urban scenery is film. Of course, there were some very underdeveloped territories which grey, shabby, anapidated. nasty things said about it by those orovide them with a source of slave The full horror of life in 1984 is opposed to Cold War propaganda, but labour. Perpetual warfare has become revealed to us through the these opinions had a very small the foundation of economic life in each consciousness of Orwell's central market. Howard Fast, for instance, of the blocs and in each of them character, Winston Smith. A member described it as "garbage" and "filth'' provides the necessary psychological of the Outer Party, he works in the from "the cesspool of fascism".3 An condition for the dictatorship of the Ministry of Truth, where his job is unaerstandable reaction, no doubt, Party In England, a part of Oceania continuously to rewrite history, fitting but not really very helpful or known as Air-strip One. the* form of Ihe the records of the past to the latest turn enlightening, and one which lost face Party is Ingsoc and society is divided of Party policy bv destroying every when Fast went on to refer to ''the into three groups: the affluent, policy- record which disagrees with it and absolute consistency with which the maKing Inner Party the oureaucrats substituting forgeries. He himself, like reactionary writer plumps for the who comprise the Outer Party; and the everyone else in 1984, has lost all sense separation of 'art' from politics".* The Proles, the work force. The children of Party members, dressed in "blue "In a period of growing anti-communist hysteria shorts, grey shirt, and red neckerchiefs"/ are organised into the Nineteen Eighth-Four was naturaliy taken up and Spies, so-called because their role is to popularised by the media: it was condensed in spy upon their relatives ano friends for the Thought Police. Women Party Readers Digest, selected by the Book-of-the- members also have tneir own Month Club. had eighty pages devoted to it in Life organisation, the Anti-Sex League, the role of which is also explicit in its title. magazine and was turned into a film." Party members, dressed in black uniforms, are all employed in one or other of the four ministries. The of the past, although he, is visited truly reactionary writer does nothing of Ministry of Peace directs the war; The occasionally by elusive memories of the sort. In an essay entitled "Why I Ministry of Love controls internal childhood. Through this conscious­ write", which appeared in 1947 and in security througn the Thought Police; ness we view the daily ritual of the two- which he refers to his next book the Ministry of Plenty is dedicated to minute hate and the frenetic Nineteen Eighty-Four — "I do know reducing home-consumption and preparations for Hate Week, the annual with some clarity what kind of book I boosting war production Finally, there festival of Air-strip One. It is a want to write"6 — Orwell explicitly rs the Ministry of Truth, which is consciousness which is slowly driftinq mentions political purpose as one of responsible tor mass-producing into heresy against the Party ana his motives in writing. He defines culture, developing Newspeak (the Ingsoc. The deviation begins with the 'political purpose' as a "Desire to push official language which aims at keeping of a diary, develops into a the world in a certain direction, to alter eliminating the EngJish vocabulary so rather sordid love-affair with another otner people's ideas o' the kind of as to make thought impossible' and Outer Party member and prompts society that they should strive after". rewriting history every time there is a Smith to seek contact with The change in Party policy. He then goes on to say that "no book Brotherhood, a resistance organis­ is genuinely free from political Dias. Members of the Inner Party live in ation which is probably a pure The opinion that art should have luxurious flats, have servants, drink invention of the Party. Finally, it leads nothing to do with oolitics is itself a real coffee and real wine, eat real him to O'Brien, a membei of The political attitude". That is a statement butter, smoke real cigarettes. Outer Brothei hood who it turns out, is a with which every marxist would agree; Party members occupy broken-down leading member of the Thought Police. it is plainly not that of a writer who, in tenements, drink synthetic coffee and Winston Smith and his girl friend are Fast's words, "plumps for the synthetic gin, eat synthetic butter and duly arrested, taken to the cellars of the separation of art' from politics". smnke synthetic cigarettes All Party Ministry of Love, subjected to horrible Orwell is one of those artists who, as members live under the constant and tortures and finally denounce each Christopher Caudwell remarked, omnipresent eye of the telescreen from other. They then proceed to confess to "cannot be content with the beautiful whose ever-watchful glare only the crimes they have never committed and art work, but seem to desert tne proles are free. Almost as numerous as are brought to a condition in which practice of art for social theory and the telescreens are the gigantic they actually love Big Brother tor become novelists of ideas, literary posters depicting Big Brother, leader prophets and propaganda novelists".' of the Party and the People, an all- having saved them from further crimes powerful, all-knowing, ail-seeing Full of genuine gratitude and love Nineteen Etghtv-^ourisa novel with father figure, whose existence is an towards Big Brother-and the Party tor a detinue and fully realised political article of Party faith since no-one ever having taught them the error of their purpose. Its overt effect is that of "a

Australian Left Review 87 43 * i.e. Russian, system. This implication is 2 5 Jah re £ contained most powerfully, of course. ” in the image of Big Brother. Big 5 Brother is quite plainly not a latter-day 6 Harry Pollitt but a latter-day Stalin; not only is he the object of a fervent personality cult, Dut he has the unmistakable black moustache. Menschenrechte Perhaps for a German reader I would not need to argue the fuller implication of this imaye of Big Brother; in Australia the implication operates but operates unnoticed. It is that the 25 lahre Fblter description of the venerated, black­ haired, black-moustachio'd leader could equally well apply to Hitler. Australian people are inclined to consider tnrs far-fetched until one explains in more detail the subtlety w'th which Orwell creates an image of ; > socialism which is a monstrous hybrid ot socialism and 'national socialism1. Members of the Party, for instance, are dressed in black uniforms; the program of the Party is war; the purpose of conquest is to obtain slave labour for the munitions factories; the arch-villain Goldstein has the face and doctrines of Trotsky, but he is also Jewish, and the mass hysteria of the daily two-minute hate is intended not only to suggest Soviet attacks upon Trotsky but also Nazi anti-semitism. This deliberate confusion of socialism and fascism directed the deep and fresh horror of fascism which spnngs directly from a failure to revelations of Nazi brutality, against the possibility and desirability of a socialist future. It is a confusion which proved very serviceable to those responsible for spreading anti­ communist Cold War hysteria and one which springs directly from afailure to make sense ot the modern world. For the bourgeois nowadays socialism ana 2b years ot Human Rights. 25 Years ot Torture 1974. This poster was fascism are conveniently lumped published 25 years after the writing ot 1984. together under the general title of piercing shriek announcing the advent windows broken and boarded up; the totalitarianism and Orwell's intention of a black millennium . as Deutscher marked public interest in the progress and performance in Nineteen Eighty claimed * This effect, however, is very of the war; the war effort in the Four needs to be viewed in the light of carefully created; it is not the shrill factories; the synthetic foodstuffs; this confusion, for as ht; nimself utterance of a madman, obsessed by a rationing; the occasional and confessed in 1947, Every line of terrifying nightmare. On the contrary, inexplicable shortages of razor blades, serious work that I have written since Orwell's novel is a highly sopnisticated darning wool, shoe-laces, buttons, ail 1936 has been written, directly or attempt to influence the political of which are on offer on the black indirectly, against totalitarianism and attitudes of his readers. This he market. The suggestion that a soc.alist for democratic socialism".® attempts es’. we are told, comprise we can plainly inspect tne emotionally in tune with the anti­ B5 percent of Oceania's population — consequences of such a notion. Here communist hysteria of the Cold War is characteristic of bourgeois egoism. sensuality is itself, of necessity, also period. The undermining of sanity By 'democratic socialism', therefore. corrupt and finds its natural which takes place in Nineteen Eighty- Orwell is referring apparently to the expression in sadism — in the Four is primarily a social event and not rule of those who believe, like Flaubert, spontaneous desire to rape, murder an individual misfortune. It is the "that the mob, the herd, w ill always be and smash In a particularly horrific kind of insanify which led Dulles' hateful" and that "What counts is only passage, for instance, O’Brien asks predecessor to commit suicide by the small group of kinared spirits, ever Winston Smith what acts he and Julia lumping out of a window screaming the same, who hand on the torch from are prepared to undertake against the that the Reds were after him and one to another."1® And his attitude to Party. placed so much power in the hands of the working class arises from the same "You are prepared to cheat, to Senator Joe McCarthy Orwell himself source as Flaubert’s; as Raymond forge, to blackmail, to corrupt the is best seen as a victim of social forces Williams has pointed out, Orwell's minds of children, to distribute ne never properly understood. We 'way of seeing working people is not h a t) it forming drugs, to might usefully say of him, therefore, encourage prostitution, to from tact and observation, but from the what he himself said of Salvador Dali, disseminate venereal diseases — pressures of feeling exiled" which to do anything which is likely to that his "fantasies probably cast useful leads the miodle-class w r'ter to see cause demoralisation and light on the decay of capitalist other people as "an undifferentiated weaken the power of the Party?" civilisation. But what he clearly needs mass” .13 is diagnosis. The question is not so "Yes." The same contempt for people is much what he is as why he is like If, for example, it would that" , evident in the handling of Winston somehow serve our interests ro continued on page S1

AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW 8 7 45 a s m s

A CAREFUL

T H E STUMBLEBUM ANALYSIS SYNDROME by Laurie Aarons. Red Pen Public­ ations, Sydney, 1984, 85 pages, soft cover, $4.95. Available from Interven­ tion, 4 Dixon Street, avid Combe's fate at the hands "exoecteo to make a fortune quickly of the Hawke Labor govern­ from big and 'respectable' Sydney; International, ment is an issue which has corporations, he was not in any First Floor, 17 Elizabeth touched deeply people's sensefinancial of difficulty and was inundated Street, Melbourne, and injustice: there is substantial suspicionwith clients". Mr. Justice Hope saw no thatD he has been "dumped” with no problem in this. other good bookshops. justification. Secondly, Comhn was supposedly But at the popular level it is only "bitterly anti-American" (and thus suspicion. Among other considerat­ prone to subversion of Australia?). ions, disbelief that a Labor government Again. ASIO had it wrong; they hased would destroy its ex-secretary causes their judgment on Combe's criticisms doubt about the conclusions and the of the CIA's role in the destabilisation secrecy surrounding the evidence ot the Whitlam government and the before the Hope Royal Commission Kerr coup. Combe is not alone in this, makes it difficult to patch together a but ”ln ASIO's eyes, this issufficientto convincing nommonsense explanation prove 'bitter anti-Americanism' and of extraordinary events. even significant evidence of being a But still the suspicion exists. The potential traitor". Stumblebum Syndrome takes us Combe, of course, rejected the beyond suspicion into careful analysis assertion in detail in his evioence: of the evidence that is avauaDle. there is some small distinction Although the bulk of the book is between the CIA and the USA. Hope about the Combe-lvanov Affair, the concluded that ASIO was wrong. central theme is ASIO: under the guise The third strand in ASIO's case is of "national security . Combe's "apparent enthusiasm for things Soviet”, amounting to an The ASIO outlook, moulded from its origins, its history and its tasKS ideological commitment. assigned by anti-Labor governments, Combe claims that he was only remains deeply suspicious of trade concerned with developing closer unions, the Labor Party and relations, mutual understanding, the Democratic Socialism, however development of trade and, above all, moderate and reformist this may be. peaceful relations between East and When it come to Labor's left .... the West. Security mind sees little or no He was, in fact, "highly critical of the difference betwepn them a n d Soviet System". Character witnesses communists. And as the case of David Combe shows. ASIO can find dangers from the ALP supported him on this. even in people from the ALP's centre ASIO embellished its case with gound. embarrassingly mistaken accusations of free trips on a luxury liner and to the ASIO's doubts about Combe have a Soviet Union. Again, Hope was not number of strands. impressed by ASIO's case. ASIO S CASE INTELLIGENCE LOGIC AGAINST COMBE he crucial issues in the case lie Reviewed by he first doubt about Combe is beyond these absurdities. money: he planned to make a T However it is i m po rta nt to see i n T lot. AS!0 saw him =ts being these and later arguments more than Steve Catt greedy and thus vulnerable to KGB that they are just wrong. The crucial funds. Unfortunately for ASIO, Combe point consistently brought out by

46 ALR A u tu m n 1984 U

Aarons in the treatment of all ASIO's he appears to be'. Matheson says he allegations is that did not ask what Combe meant by this because he considered that it meant Everything is circumstantial 'Combe believed Ivanov was a KGB everything depended on accep’ing man'. their premises and following the Intelligence logic, wildly different from Hope rejected Matheson's ordinary logic and certainly unsuitable interpretation of Combe's remark but to prove a case in any court. then concluded that Combe believed The evidence is tailored to support a that Ivanov probably was a KGB position that is predetermined on the officer. Aarons suggests basis of institutionally deep-seated “not from evidence but from his own prejudices. It is difficult to grasp the pre/udice and afreadv-formed extraordinary reality of these practices opinions about Combe and his attitude without seeing how it is consistently to Ivanov.... Hope appears to be saying presented in the detailed dissection of that Combe ought to have known Ivanov was a KGB officer, therefore he the ASIO case. This brief summary can dia know. state it, but cannot drive the point home. atheson apparently is also the source of the clandestinity THE REAL ISSUES M proposal and appears to be ASIO's chief informer in the Affair. 4SfO's case really stands or falls on possibility that any Soviet dipiomat Tnere is even a suggestion that he whether or not: may be ... a KGB member") and from acted as an agent provocateur. The ■ Ivanov was a KGB operative two witnesses. extensive treatment of the ' Whether Combe knew he was The clandestinity sugestion arose extraordinary figure of Matheson is ' Whether, knowing this, Combe was from Ivanov telling Comoe on April 3 prepared to sell himself to Ivanov fascinating ' That Ivanov suggested and Combe that he (Ivanov) could be expelled, that Combe's great attribute was his accepted that their relationship should Combe's phone was tapoed and that access to Labor ministers. Would be 'become clandestine'. he could be implicated. Ivanov betray them and would they let him? suggested that any further contacts Most of the evidence on Ivanov as a Security hopefully makes such matters should be made by one contacting the difficult. Where is the evidence that it KGB agent is censored. Without other at home. "ASIO claims that this was on the cards ... or even a access to it, we cannot decide whether meant Ivanov was proposing a possibility? It obviously doesn’t exist he was or not. On the evidence 'clandestine' relationship which because, as the ASiO head says: available, some doubts are suggested; Combe accepted." Nothing had cross-examination by Combe's happened; ASIO feared it might. On fortunately it never happenod due to counsel of the ASIO operatives what basis? Under cross-examination, Ivanov's expulsion but we were scared produces some interesting holes in the virtually none. it would happen. view that Ivanov was a professional, Of the two witnesses relied on by The chapters on Combe and dedicated KGB agent. From this ASIO, one is entirely unreliable. The ei/idence. Aarons concludes: Matheson constitute the bulk of The other. Matheson, has a lengthy chapter Stumblebum Svndrome. Ivanov may be a KGB man, of course, devoted to him. He has a strange Some of the other chapters proceed but if so he was not very capable, background; ex-naval intelligence, to address broader questions related effective or careful incredibly rich after trade deals with to the cloak of security. Mr. Justice the Soviet Union, etc. He is the only rankly. the more crucial question Hope comes under fire in Chapter 4 as one to claim that Combe knew that is whether Combe knew. ASIO's an apologist for the security mentality Ivanov was KGB. Fevidence is indirect ("his alleged In Chapter 5, the cult of security — attempt to make their relationship On March 7th 1983 ... he alleges 'clandestine' ... his acceptance of the Combe told him 'Ivanov is more than continued on page 5 1

Australian Left Review 87 47 REVIEWS

NORTH-SOUTH,

KISSINGER S KING­ EAST-WEST DOM? A C O U N TER - REPORT ON CENTRAL AMERICA by Stuart Holland and Donald Anderson. UK, 1984, 73 pages, oaperback. Avail­ t's a common observation that account. tourists can learn as much in their The Kissinger Commission was able from the AMFSU, 136 / first day in a strange country as can established in July 1983 as a bipartisan Chalmers Street, Surry be learnt in a week or a month. The body to study the Central American Hills 2010, and PND, PO quality of their perception has more to crisis and produce a report that would do with the quality of the ideological gain wide support from Republicans Box A243, Sydney South baggage they carry about with them, and Democrats. The commission was 2001. than with the actual assault on the composed of 12 men, ranging from AND senses afforded by the foreign university presidents and professors, environment in which they land through politicians and businessmen REPORT OF THE NAT­ themselves to one sole representative of labour, IONAL BIPARTISAN Central America has become a new AFL-CIO president Lane Kirkland. The COMMISSION ON CEN­ mecca for the tourist of the genus commission, quite clearly a TRAL AMERICA 'politico'. Two accounts by such representation of the governing class tourists have recently been published in tne United States, interviewed The first, entitled Report of the former US presidents, secretaries of National Bi-partisan Commission on state, ano other ’experts’ before Central America (more popularly winging its way through Central known as the 'Kissinger Report') was America and producing its report in released in January 198* It gained a flurry of dissension, arm-twisting and wide publicity in the Western media, confusion. not only in magazines such as Time Kissinger's Kingdom?, on the other and Newsweek, out aiso in most hand, is the work ot two Labour Party serious daily newspapers. men, one of whom (Holland) is the The second report, Kissinger's shadow minister for Overseas Kingdom? A Counter-report on Development and Co-operation, while Central America by Stuart Holland and the other (Anderson) *s the shadow Donald Anderson, two Englisn minister for Foreign Affairs. British members of parliament, was also Labour Party policy is already released in early 1984. As its subtitle progressive in regard to the struggles Indicates, it is an answer to the of the people in the region since it Kissinger Report although its authors pledges support "for all those radical note that this was not the onginal and democratic fcces currently intention. Rather, they had been striving to bring dictatorship and commissioned by Neil Kinnock, leader foreign domination to an end in of the British Labour Party, to Central America". Obviously, Holland undertake a fact finding mission on and Anderson approached their task Central America. However, since their with a vastly different perspective from findings were so radically different that of the Kissinger group. from those of Washington's Bipartisan Commission, they couid not help but ow then do th« two shape up? write what was, in effect, a counter­ The Kissinger Report is report. H characterised by: While the two groups wore 1) An abysmal level of analysis which, concerned with the same area of at times, would not be acceptable from investigation and spent roughly the a first year university student, e.g. same time in the region (about six "Perhaps the United States should Peter Ross days), differences in rationale and have paid some attention to Central organisation must be taken into America sooner. Perhaps, over the

48 ALR Autumn 1984 years, we should have intervened less, individual chapters of Kissinger's or intervened more, or intervened Kingdom? are devoted to El ! differently." I Salvador, Honduras and Nicar- 2) A predilection to blame the Soviet agua. Of these, those dealing with El Union and Cuba for fomenting dissent Salvador and Nicaragua are excellent and revolution in the region without introductions for those who know little offering any proof to substantiate this of the area or for those who wish to claim. bring themselves up to date. The Sandlnlsta In a home In Estell, ' 3) A blurring of the truth that borders Nicaraguan chapter in particular is Nicaragua, before the liberation In July I on straight out lying as, for example, quite full, covering such subjects as 1979. The Nicaragua economy Is doing i ignoring the fact that the 'reform' democracy, elections, pluralism, trade better than any other In the region government brought in by the 1979 unions, censorship, minorities, social despite the efforts ot the US to welfare, the economy, peace j coup in El Salvador had disintegrated destabilise It militarily and negotiations, and destabilisation. The Dy January 1980. Or claiming that the economically. ’young officers' who overthrew problems and policies of the Sandinista government are discussed General Lucas in Guatemala in 1982 Some of the phrases which have been were/are reformists, when all the in a commonsense fashion that relies used, by left and right, at best as a kind substructurally on the authors' [ evidence indicates that repression has of shorthand, at worst as self evident commitment to socia! democracy and j increased from that date, Or stating truths, are examined closely. The pluralism. While these types of I that Nicaragua is characterised by concepts of backyard’ and 'frontyard', argument might not please every poor economic performance when, in ’another Vietnam', ’the Balkamsation marxist, they are certainly an fact, its economy has been performing of Central America', and 'satellite effective response to tne crude better than any other in the region country’ are placed under the dualism (right versus wrong, freedom despite the efforts of the US to microscope to test their validity. It is versus communism) which pervades destabilise it m ilitarily and refreshing to find the Vietnam analogy the Kissinger report and W hitt House economically. Etc, etc taken beyond the realm of a slogan so foreign policy statements. 4) An underlying assumption that the that the similarities and differences But it is the chapter on Honduras US should pursue a military course to between the conflicts in Vietnam and which is most valuable in terms of j resolve the crisis. El Salvador are laid bare. giving information. In part, this is due 5) A poorly thought out resurrection of Particularly telling, coming as it does to the paucity of news on this country past US policies: notably the from a European perspective, is the which has only recently been recommendation that a Central authors' portrayal of the regional cataoulted into the worlo s press by the American Development Organisation conflict as being more akin to the pre- US policy of transforming it into a (CADO) be established along the lines Worid War I crisis in the- Balkans than military base and, in part, to the of John F. Kennedy's dismal failure, to US involvement in Vietnam: "If authors' ability to concentrate on the the Alliance for Progress. anything, fthe US) record in the region key issues f>) An unquestioning belief that Central has been less principled more self- The hypocrisy of the US government America is a US sphere of influence in interested and more repressive than in advocating land reform in El which the White House has the right to that o* the Austro-Hungarian regime in Salvador now that the FMLN threatens decide who will, and who will not, the Balttan countries. We are surprised to overthrow the capitalist structure govern. that this obvious analogy escaped itself, but not land reform for Honduras Henry Kissinger, granted the influence where ownership is possibly even i M Kissinger's Kingdom?, on trie of Metternich and the Austro- more concentrated, is underlined. So, I a K other hand, is not encumbered Hungarian Empire on his own version too, is the appalling condition of the I fm by the imperialist assumptions of 'Realpolitik'. One would like to add people. Honduras is not only one of the and aspirations that underpin the US the caveat that the USA in 1984 poorest countries in Central America; project. In its overview of the Central remains a powerful force and is not it is one of the poorest in the world. American crisis, the historic role of the analogous in that sense to the failing Holland and Anderson give a US is analysed clearly and precisely. Austro-Hungarian Empire of 1914. thumbnail sketch of the economic

Australian Left Review 87 49 Honduras — ownersnip is concentrated and the people live In appalling conditions. dependence of Honduras on the world are wary of putting money into such a Anderson do, however, attacK the market and of its failure to develop a volatile region. concept of ’conditionality' which the viable national manufacturing sector. US attaches to its aid, i.e. that recipient The inability to direct national and he two British members of countries must ally themselves with international capital into the parliament see the inequalities the interests of the United States — manufacturing sector, and the T and structural deformations in surely a new form of national suicide. problems related to graft and the region as emanating from the At this time, too. the recommend­ corruption are also sketched in. The dominance the developed world nas ations of Holland and Anderson have current economic crisis (a foreign debt over the third world, a view quite at no chance of being accepted. Even in of US$1.65 billion, a recurring balance variance with that of the Kissinger government, the British Labour Party of payments deficit and growing fiscal Report which expressly paints the could only pressure, and not direct, the deficit) are traced back to the crisis as one more example of East- US to change its ways in Central structural and political deficiencies West conflict in which the Soviet Union America. Moreover, to redress the that have for so long characterised is seeking to establish a strategic and imbalance of power between North Honduras, and also to the present military base in the back yard of the and South, more is needed than pious world depression which has seen the United States. Whether Kissinger and words from the North. Ultimately, only prices of primary exports plummet on his fellow commissioners seriously the power of the people in the the world market. believe that this is so s open to doubt underdeveloped nations will overcome The authors outline the nature of the since the evidence they muster is the inequalities within their societies present government which, on the US pathetically weak. ana between themselves and the analysis, is a democracy but which is Be that as it may, the two reports use developed countries. Still, the more accurately described as a their respective interpretations as the proposals aavanced by the British civilian-military cabal in which the rationale for the strategies they shadow ministers are certainly military have the upper hand. The advance to solve the problems. The worthwhile as a basis on which to evidence for the grow.ng power of the Kissinger report opts tor huge develop strategy. military over the government and the dollops of aid (US$8 billion over five judiciary is presented, as also is the years), much of it military to defeat the issinger's Kingdom? packs a lot government's increasingly repress,ve communist threat. Tne British report is information and analysis into its response to the social unrest extremely critical of their approach, ■ m 73 pages. It's recommended generated by the inequalities of the arguing that it will neither be reading for the newcomer to the system the economic crisis and the successful in stopping the bloodshed, Central American crisis and, indeed to growing militarisation. Simply having nor useful in reorienting the anyone interested in the developing to play host to over 5,000 US marines economics. Rather, they base their debate around the global inequalities engaged in apparently endless war economic and political strategy on the and structural deformations generated games has destabilised the economy recommendations advanced by the by the growth of capitalism. The book further by creating artificial shortages, conference of North Americans, will shortly be available from the driving up orices and augmenting Central Americans and Europeans AMFSU. 136 Chalners Street, Surry uneven regional development. held at the Hague in June 1983. Hills 2010, and from PND, PO Box The executive power, which follows Unfortunately, Kissinger's A243, Sydney South 2000. the dictates of the army which follows Kingdom? does not elaborate Apparently, the US State the orders of Washington, has, by its sufficiently on the proposed "new Department is none too proud of the Emergency Economic Law, assumed model of develooment" which includes Kissinger Commission s Report of the complete control of the economy so a strengthened public sector, National Bipartisan Commission on that economic legislation is no longer redistribution of wealth and income, Central America. It's not for sale in prssented to Congress. Public improved welfare services including Australia You can read it, however, at spending, particularly on health and housing, the encouragement of co­ the reference library at the US welfare, has been slashed, overseas operative activity and the diversif­ Consulate in Sydney. investment encouraged and wages ication of exports. It sounds, in fact, frozen. Holland and Anderson point very much like the new Nicaragua out that such measures, even Nor does the British report really get assuming that the US comes good with its teeth into the proposed economic its promises of massive aid, will not model of the Kissinger Report which Peter Ross Is a student of Latin solve the structural problems of the bases itself on the encouragement of American affairs and an activist In economy. Moreover, foreign investors local businessmen. Holland and Latin American solidarity groups. SO ALR Autumn 1964 A CAREFUL ANALYSIS THE POLITICS OF DESPAIR from development ... before he ever from page 47 page 45 begins to write he will have internationally — is elaborated on and The answer to that question is to be acquired an emotional attitude criticised. found in isolation and loneliness, the from w hich he . will never cultivation of art as a substitute reality, completely escape.10 art of the new ASIO Act of 1979 the use of art as a weapon against the We cannot ignore Orwell's own is examined in Chapter 6. Steve life which has rejected the art-st, the insistence upon the importance of his Rix is an Australian government feeling of contempt for others who early development; nor can we ignore P that description of the emotional employee who was given an adverse comprise that life and the viciousness security report in relation to his that results as the artist takes his attitudes tow ^as life and other people, employment on the basts of his revenge upon them. Indeed, it is formed in childhood, and from which, membership of the Communist Party. significant that Orwell should look in his own words "he will never He appealed successfully. Through back upon his childhood and see it as completely escape" He w af, t believe, the examination of this case and the an enactment of this modernist unable to escape from those early way ASIO defines its powers - often in predicament: attitudes because he failed to rise to an contravention of the Act which is the I was somewhat lonety. and I understanding ot the nature ol modern theoretical source of its legal powers soon developed disagreeable life, of its qualities and possibilities, — Aarons mannerisms which made me and was unable therefore to grasp the unpopular throughout my great liberating ideas of the times in reveals the very serious extension of schooldays. I had the lonely which we live. He had made contact ASIO's powers and tne surreptitious cnild's habit of making up stones with these ideas, but he was unwilling erosion of civil liberties which and holding conversafi'ons with to accept them and the view of life occurred wnen tne Act was passed. imaginary persons and I think The Act means that all people from the very start my literary which they represented: as hR himself employed directly or indirectly by the ambitions were mixed up with remarked, "I am not aDle. and I do not Federal Government are now the the feeling of being isolated and want, completely to abandon the subject of ASIO assessments. All these undervalued I knew that I had a world-view that I acquired in people are now placed at risk in facility with woras and ? power of childhood".He did not wish to relation to their democratic right to facing unpleasant facts, and I felt abandon a view in which his "literary freely associate in lawful social and that this created a sort of private ambitions were mixed up with the political activity. world in which I could get my leeling of being isolated and own back for my failure in undervalued" and in which art became All under the pretext of "national everyday life. r9 security". It is a common charge against marxist "a sort of private world in wnich" he Finally, the argument is drawn criticism that it attempts to ''could get" his "own back for” his together in the seventh chapter on the characterise a writer’s work in terms of "failure in everyday life".™ It is this security services and the labor his background. But while it is not in sense of personal failure coupled with movement. The Combe-lvanov Affair the spirit of marxism to descend to this desire to be avenged upo.i life is not an isolated crucifixion of one such crude determinism, it is quite which is protected in the failure of person. The orientation of the security evident that a writer's background Winston Smitn and the sordidness and services is established: cannot be entirely ignored. This is brutalities of his world. But the success which attended and continues to ASIO faithfully followed the particularly so in Orwell's case, for Security/Intelligence tradition, oating having himself reminded us of his attend Nineteen Eighty cour gives it a back to 1916, of seeing the left as the childhood he goes on to explain, wider significance and places it as a main danger and almost ignoring the I give all this bacxground fantasy which, as Orwell said of Dali, right. information oecause I do not casts "useful light on the decay of think one can assess a writer's capitalist civilisation". ______A picture is built up. Whitlam is motives without knowing Raymono Souths is a lecturer In elected and Security checks on staff something of his early English at Wollongong University. are vetoed at first. Attorney-General Murphy "raids" ASIO. Accusations fly FOOTNOTES about CIA-ASIO involvement in the fall 1. George Orwell, Animal Farm (Penguin 10. Nineteen Eighty-Four. p. 59. of the Wnitlam government. State 1951). police Special Branches are disbandea 11. Nineteen Eighty-Four. pp. 60-61. by Labor governments. 2 George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (Penguin. 195^). p, 22. 12. Gustave Flaubert, See 4. 35n Faced with a new Labor government, 3. Howard fa st. Literature and Reality (New 13. Raymond Williams, Culture and Society including ministers who had been York. 1950). p. 97 critical of ASIO and ASIS, the Security 1780-1950 (Penguin, 1963), p. 284. Establishment may well have felt some 4. ibid. 14. ed.cit.. p. 99. concern for the future ... the issue 5. George Orwell, "Why ) write". Decline ot could and should be put to the test, the the English Murder and Other Essays 15. ed.cit., p 140. Security Establishment lelt. The (Penguin, 1965), p. 187. Comhe-lvarov mattsr, almost routine 16. ed.cit., p. 230 on 3rd February 1983 with Fraser in 6. op.cit.. p 184. 17. ed.cit., p. 215. office, suddenly became a matter of 7. Christopher Caudwell, StudiP-S in a utmos1 urgency on 5th April, with Dying Culture (London, 1938). p 48. 18. George Orwell. "Benefit of Clergy'' Labor in office only a month. 8. Isaac Deutscher, ”'1984'' — The Decline of tne English Murder, p. 27. A plausible scenario? The details are mysticism of cruelly1, Russia in Transition interesting: read them. (New York, 1957), p 245 Reprinted in 19. "W hy I write", o. 180. Twentieth Century Interpretations ol 1984, 20. "Why I w rite", p. 182. ed. Hynes (Englewooa Cliffs, N.J., 1971). pp, 39-40, 21. Why 1 w rite", p. 1U6 Steve Caff Is a lawyer and member 22. "W hy I w rite", p. 180. of the ALR collective. 9. "W hy I w rite'', p 186

Australian Left Review 87 51 REVIEWS

ARM S RACE

TAKING AUSTRALIA OFF GREATEST DANGER THE MAP — FACING THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR WAR by Jim Falk. Penguin B o oks, Victoria, 1983, 290 pages, paperback, $6.95. he economic, social and comprehensible to the lay person. political crisis that has engulfed In his analysis of the background to T the world has its sharpest and preparations for nuclear war. Jim Falk raitrsU? most dangerous expression in the traces the development in nuclear- Cold War, the arms race, and the weapon strategies from Mutually system of militarv-political blocs. Assured Destruction (MAD) and the These phenomena are qualitatively balance of terror to the new level of different from other dsoects of the danger involved in the more accurate crisis; they occur not from failures of missiles and the doctrines of "first the productive-distributive system but strike", "theatre war” and "winnable" from conscious political decisions nuclear war. taken by governments. The militarisation of the world Given the political will, they can be involved in the expansion of nuclear checked and reversed in the same way. arms on the ground, in the air and But with the USA and tne USSR unaei the sea is intensified by the inextricably involved in the arms race export of armaments by the major and the bioc system on spurious powers to the smaller deveiooed grounds of "defence", the politica’ will nations and the third world, rapidly can be created only through the converting the earth and space into an I pressure of a popu.ar disarmament arsenal. movement of unprecedented Simultaneously, attempts at control r dimensions. of armaments by the major powers In the next two decades, with the have failed as each power projects J ' M FA l k TO expansion of the nucleai economy and plans to meet its own 'security" needs, its link with nuclear weaponry, the best and expands its military and political informed forecast is that the nuclear control over regions considered vital to weapons"club" will have increased its interests. from five to eighteen, including such The author makes the point that it is trigger-happy governments as those of of no importance to engage in a debate Israel ano South Africa, wmch may on the degree of responsibility to be already have nuclear weapons, Iraq, attached to one or other of the major Pakistan, Libya, etc. powers for the crisis. It is part of history as the bloc system assumes a global that the USA initiated the arms race by pattern, no nation anywhere is immune using its exclusive possession of the from the danqer of nuclear attack. atom bomb as a political weapon and Australia has placed itself in the front qjite openly aeveiopea the hydrogen line of danger by its bi-partisan bomb for the sane purpose. alignment witn US global policy. What is critical now is that, while each concedes that nuclear weapons t is facing and analysing this provide no defence because of the situation that Jim Falk's Dook is of retaliatory power of the other, both / particular value As a theoretical continue to develop and expand physicist, historian and peace activist nuclear arms capacity at ever- he is exceptionally qualified for the increasing velocity. Reviewed by task. In Jim Falk's words: Punctiliously researched and Together the weapons and thoroughly documented, this buok is strptegies are moving in a Bill Gollan written in a direct and lively style, the direction in which their role in scientific explanations being readily deterring war is being

52 ALR A utum n 1984 'ARRANDYTE

outstripped by a new capability superpowers) have the potential to put and a new form of planning. C~jl‘ ) ^ * pressure on them and adjust the Increasingly the new nuclear V) \ / political constraints within which they arsenals are being oriented not (Oft x manoeuvre. Together with other non- to deterring nuclear wars but to V aligned nations, througn support fighting them. offered to or withdrawn from either AO ElfuO E superpower as necessary, we can ver half the book is concerned 0 J assist in providing the counterweigh! with Australia's place in the that will draw them awav from the next O global network, the suicidal W . stage of the nuciear arms spiral. policy it is following as a satellite of the MOUNT b a r k e r On the w.der question of changing USA, and proposals for policy changes i the direction of world politics away which could have a posilive effect on from preparations for nuclear war, the world politics and enhance Australia's author points to the need for security, broadening the decision-making in this respect Jim Falk asserts: process and for decentralisation of There is one central theme that political power and control. runs through this book. It is that a Says Jim Falk: in this rapidly changing world old By encouraging an obsessive assumptions, old policies and ^ \ old reactions, even if they were UMANTIE fear of the otherbioc, by pointing effective in the past, no longer to the global reach of the other's add to Australia's security. % influence each superpower is able to bend its allies to its Based on this concept, a penetrating policies, and justify to its own Zones ol destruction from a 1 analysis is made of Australian foreign population intervention in the mega tonne bomb. Within the Inner 5 and defence policies. The bi-partisan affairs of any country. It is only km circle there would be total dependence on "'great and powerful by refusing to accept the present devastation, 8 km circle: high friends", totally irrelevant even lethally division of the world between devastation, severe bums to all blocs or between peoples that we dangerous when it becomes a partispn exposed, high winds and fire; 20 km can mould a secure future. Involvement in US global po'icy, is circle: light to high damage, slgnlllcant subjected to devastating criticism. blast. Hash burn and fire. "Taking Australia off the Map" In particular, the writer disposes of contains extensive illustrations, the myth that Australia can depend on He then turns to the nature of the diagrams, statistics, factual the US for assistance in time of need or popular global disarmament appendices and a list of national and that such assistance is guaranteed by movement, its difficulties and its state peace and disarmament the ANZUS pact. In the era of nuclear potential, including a description of organisations and nuclear energy and weapons, every nation in the event of the beginnings of a non-governmental anti-uranium-mining groups, with nuclear war would be in a desperate popular movement in the USSR ana addresses and telephone numbers. position and its only concern would be Eastern Europe, Jim Falk has written a book of to ensure its own survival immense value to the peace and On the issue of defence of the he book ends with an disarmament movement, both Australian homeland, given that the US examination of the critical nationally and internationally. alliance is irrelevant, Jim Falk makes T nature of thp uranium debate in some interesting comparisons with Australian politics and the possibility small European countries such as of the withdrawal of Australia from the Sweden, Austria and Switzerland, with "nuclear connection", so providing a "third voice". emphas«s on civil defence and Bill Gollan Is a former headmaster "Third voices",- unhampered by mobilisation of the whole community and long time peace activist. m time of need. alignment (to e ther of the

A u s t r a l i a n L e f t R e v ie w 87 53 dt Tudor-Hart Edith The Economics of Feasible Socialism

Alec Nove

THE ECONOMICS OF FEASIBLE SOCIALISM by Alec Nove. George Allen and Unwin, Lonaon, 1983, 244 pages, paperback, S 13.95.

'On her way to collect garbage after the market has closed' from National Unemployed Workers agitational oamphlet. LOOKING AGAIN AT MARKETS m t present socialists in all traditionally claimed particular countries face many perplex- superiority. Nove's criticisms, if sound, ^^^ities. The concentrated are especially wounding. expression of these is Ihat, at a time His central conclusion is that a when capitalism is experiencing crisis feasible socialist economy needs a and humanity faces unparalleled market. 8y "feasible he means one we menaces, socialism has not been able can reasonably envisage as possible in *o establish its moral ascendancy or the foreseeable future, not one based develop a general oolitical-ideological on unreal expectations of material, Reviewed by offensive. political or psychological conditions. Alec Nove throws light on this in that This conclusion does not come Eric Aarons his oook deals with defects endemic in primarily from theoretical consider­ most socialist economies. And sinre ations, but from close examination of this is the area in which socialists nave the experiences of socialist economies

ALR A utu m n 1984 over many years, and extensive study account the interests of future The reader may care to apply such of data and conditions "on the spot". generations being served. The mining monstrous "principles" to the field of Indeed, on general theoretical companies' central complaint, tor nuclear weapons ana industry, for grounds Nove's conclusions may example, is that while the market says example. seem strange because socialism and "rip out this (mineral or whatever) There is also the fact that the world market have long been seen as here, now", environmentalists and market is now dominated by mutually exclusive opposites. Defining Aborigines say otherwise and organise corporations so large that even whole the movement to which he and Karl to that effect. nations rind it increasingly difficult to Marx contributed so much, Frederick The market determines what will be assert their independence. Engels opens his book Anti-Duhring produced by recognising the primacy All this — and more could be said — with the following sentence: of money ("effective ciemand"). is indictment enough of the market to Capitalist ideologists claim that this is make socialists' rejection of it Modern socialism is, in ils essence, the direct product of the democratic, because the "vote" of your understandable in the present as well recognition, on the one hand, of dollar is worth as much as the vote ot as the past. the dollar of the millionaire. the class antagonisms existing in fow then, can Nove and others But now does tnis square with the the society of today between draw, as their main conclusion proprietors and non-proprietors, principle of equal rights for persons, or from the experience of Soviet- oetween capitalists and wage­ in general allow human beings to be H i type economies, the need for a workers; on the other hand of the put first? And how can other desirable market? The main reasons he gives anarchy existing in production. social considerations not backed by are: This anarchy, reflected in ups and money oe put into effect —forcxample downs in the market, and especially in the different priorities advocated by ’ It is impossible to effectively plan the periooic world economic crises the women's movement, centrally the twelve million different from 1825 to the present day, was to be The ideology appropriate to and products and components made in the overcome by supplanting the market fostered by unfettered pursuit of Soviet Union, even with Digger and with planning, possible once private ' His central conclusion is thai a feasible socialist ownership of the means of production was abolished. economy needs a market. By feasible' he means This would likewise end classes, one we can reasonably envisage 3S possible in the exploitation and class antagonisms since conxroi of the production foreseeable future, not one based on unreal process and of the surplus generated expectations of material, political of psych­ in it would now lie with the producers themselves or with a government ological conditions." which was truly "theirs". Other oppressions, such as national oppression and the subordinate position of women would consequent­ private interests can and does develop more efficient bureaucracy than tfie ly and subsequently vanish. into such repellent forms as contempt present one. The socialist case against the for others (bugger you. Jack or Jill capitalist market is a telling one. no disdain, exploitation or hatred of other * The general, or social interest is not less today than previously. The basic peoples, arms production for profit so transparent, even when private capitalist assumption (assertion) is and, ultimately, even wars. ownership and profit seeking is that by following private interests the Part of the iaeology of worshipping abolished, because of the complexities social interest will be served through money and the ’invisible (non-human) of a modern economy, because people the ’invisible hand' of the free market hand" is to bow to the supposedly have different situations, perceptions mechanism. 'natural', 'objective', or ’inevitable', and desires, and because of the Apart from the fact that in Adam thus rejecting the moral dimension — inevitaoie separation of decision­ Smith's classic definition, the market is reiecting human responsioility for making units. Add self-interest, not "free" when monopolies and things that are happening or the need particularly the self-interest of the very multinational corporations (which for action to change them (for large bureaucracy and there remains, have themselves arisen from the free example, "technological” unemploy­ in Nove's view, a role for the kind of play of market forces within ment). imoersonal economic influence capitaiisml dominate, the last decade provided by a market. of capitalist crisis provides clear Or. since tfje moral dimension can’t evidence that market mechanisms do be done away with so easily as far as ‘ "There is abundant ev.Jence of not ensure that social interests are the majority of people are concerned, poliution of air and rivers, and local served we have such moral deformations by soviets have at least as much difficulty the free-marketeers as the following: he anarchy of production in enforcing zoning and other town remains, with occurrence of If a chemist feels it is immoral to planning regulations as the authorities Tboth over- and under* mat

Australian Left Review 87 55 c chairman and the committee) are still 5 'elected' on the nomination of the party authorities. Indeed, the tendency is to try to incorporate agriculture more closely into the centralised planning system, with much talk of 'agro­ industrial complexes'. Given the nature of agricultural work, there is a major difficulty ot ensuring supervision. It is unnecessary to follow a peasant proprietor or working farmeraround to ensure that he does his job properly, as he is directly interested in its outcome. But the many and varied tasks on a mixed farm can be done well or badly, and this may remain unnoticed, the consequences unforeseen ... The large size of the farms, and the sad history of the treatment of the peasantry by the Nikita Khrushchev surveys a sea of wheat on a sovkhoz In the "Virgin Lands " ot Soviet authorities, contribute to a Kazakhstan in August 1964, two months before his ouster as First Secretary of strong sense of alienation, of lack of the Soviet Communist Party. commitment .... Incentives exist, of makes it all too easy for the producers development because of the extra course, but repeatedly produce to neglect the requirements of the profit to be made by those who first perverse results." (shallow ploughing, users." (Shortage, says Nove, is the introduce it. Marx repeatedly for example). form taken in the Soviet Union by the 'celebrates' the capacity of capitalism forces which appear as inflation in the to develop the material forces of he problems discussed in this capitalist world.) production. book are of long standing and ''Indeed, the numerous lacunae, But without a market (including T not unrecognised by various inconsistencies and uncertainties in relations with the international market) leaderships I can vouch for this from the plan, especially the unreliability of there is no direct economic stimulus personal experience Along with Pete material supplies, lead not only to'self- for this. Consequently, socialism Thomas I visited the Soviet Union supply' (i.e. wasteful duplication) but actually lags behind in many fields, nearly twenty years ago (1965) when also to unofficial links between with damage to its image, especially economic reforms associated enterprises, a network of personal since its ultimate theoretical particularly with the name of E.G relationships, supply agents known as justification was supposed to be that it Uberman (Professor of Economics at lolkachi ( pushers' or expediters') and would accelerate progress by Kharkov University) were being also corrupt practices." removing capitalist fetters to the discussed, * Departmentalism and localism are development of the productive forces. We had the opportunity of constantly criticised, but as constantly As Nove points out, new interviewing a number of high survive in the Soviet Union. technological developments have to economic officials, factory be consciously introduced — and managements and Professor Uberman * Due to lack of "feedback” to often are not. (There is a potential plus himself. Typical comments were: producers from those who use their for socialism here in that human artificially set prices which did not products, the producers, even with the beings should treat technology and its accord with actual expenditures; best of intentions, cannot tell directly use with discrimination, nof as enterprises consequently concentrat­ whether the quantity — and especialy 'inevitable' whatever its nature or ing on profitable items and quality — of their production is really social consequences, but this is not the underproducing others; lack of what is wanted. And if they don't care, reason for the present lag in Soviet involvement and interest by workers in as is often the case because they are technology. the activities of the enterprise: not really involved, the result is even slackness in the early part of the month worse. ' Agriculture is a subject in itself Nove and a rush at the end to meet the quota; Complaints about the quality of recognises the progress made, but inefficient use of fixed assets; old goods, and services, are endemic. points to the aggravated problems of machinery used because it was more Says Nove: "One can issue an order - central planning in this area and the profitable than to get new (when produce 200,000 pairs of shoes and cfrseconomies of scale it is liable to quotas and some state charges could this is indentifiable and enforceable. display: go up). To say 'produce good shoes’ .... is a "In the last two decades there has Professor Liberman's comments much vaguer, non-enforceable order. been a very substantial increase in were particularly revealing for the * The efficient use of capital goods is a agricultural procurement prices and in present discussion: major problem when these are peasant incomes. Over haif of all arable land is now cultivated by state There has been underestimation supplied free by the state and without ol economic education by the some form of market feedback to the farms, and the collectives now pay a guaranteed minimum wage' to their Ministry of Higher Education. In enterprises producing them (this our University, the Economics members. Yet the practice continues of applies even more to properly faculty was liquidated seven imposing compulsory delivery quotas estimating the costs of alternative uses years ago. It w ill now be restored. and issuing operational orders to the ot given resources). Speeches of various Party farms. State farm management was leaders have spoken ol the * Another feature of the market is and is appointed from above, and importance ot economists but in stimulation of technological collective farm management (the practice this was neglected. If

56 ALR Autu m n 1984 you use administrative methods former Soviet leader, Yuri resources, or overproduction and a instead of economic stimuli, then Andropov, indicated his support possibility that investment cycles you need economists only to for change in a numbei of count not to invent.... There are would develop to a certain extent. speeches, including one in June 1983 good economists but if you have There would be a continuing role for no field in which to operate then in which he said that changes in thesmall businesses as well as co­ Feconomy were "inevitable" and that operatives. you can't do good economic work. Many also prefer to Keep to the economy was managed on an Nove stresses not only that the easier, safer job of (for "irrational trial-and-error" basis. administrative means are inadequate, example) interpreting Das But the resolution of social conflicts, but also that democratic political Kapital, rather than the more particularly where a large stratum of means such as voting cannot difficult job of tackling the people has a vested interest in substitute for the economic means existing problems of socialist maintaining the status quo cannot involved in the use of a market: society. occur withoul political mobilisation of These reforms of 1964-5 were in fact the mass of people and the right to To intluence the pattern of basically aborted, in my opinion production by their behaviour as publicly advocate alternatives These buyers is surely the most because the decentralisation of power democratic requirements have not genuinely democratic way to required (even if only to managers of existed, with only a brief and partial give power to consumers. There economic units and not the worKers thaw in Knrushchev's time, so one is no direct'political' alternative. therein) involved political consequ­ cannot at present be sanguine about There b e in g hundreds of ences unacceptable to the the outcome. And while one should thousands of different hinds of bureaucracy. not have a closed mind, most goods and services in infinite in April last year, it is reliably informed opinion considers that the permutations and combinations, a political voting process is reported, a confidential study on the new leader, Chernenko, is much less impracticable, a ballot paper Soviet economy was presented to a likely to challenge the bureaucracy special seminar organised by the incorporating microeconomic Academy of Sciences, sections of the Of course, consequences flow from having a Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union with market and from institutionalising self-managing economic responsibilities and the rights, and not all of these may be congenial to State Planning Commission. Trenchant criticism of the economic socialist expectations or desires." system as a whole were made: The current system "was a social system in which the people were consistently regarded as ’screws' in the economic mechanism and they behaved almost as obediently (and passively) as machines and resources than his predecessor— indeed, isseen consumer choice unthinkable. This system was corrected, by many as representing it. Majority votes are in any case undesirable as well as renewed and improved but it was Of course, consequences flow from n o t o n ce subjected to a unsuitable. What of minority qualitative restructuring .... (it is having a market and from rights in matters of consump­ unable) to ensure a full and institutionalising self-managing rights, tion? sufficiently effective use of and not all of these may be congenial society's intellectual and labor to socialist expectations or desires. There are, of course, opponents of a resources .... (The Soviet Nove does not shirk these problems: socialist market other than self- economyJ has long passed the interested bureaucrats, both on the point where it is possible to Competition among suppliers of kinds of general grounds stated at the regulate it effectively From a goods and services is reauired to beginning of this article, and on single cenfre. ensure meaningful choice by particular aspects such as the The study challenged a number of purchasers and necessary to achieve generation of inequalities. ideological dogmas, including the view economic feedback. But this means And put in a general form — market that, under socialism, change can be that some enterprises will do less well or no market — the problem seems effected "w ithout social conflicts": than others, or even fail altogether. insoluble. But if approached more And the workers involved in these less concretely, the paradox looks less A fundamental restructuring of successful enterprises will therefore formidable. (Boris ^rankel in an th e system of economic suffer reduction in incomes, and there otherwise valuable book Beyond the management touches signific­ will be inequality with other workers. antly on the interests of many State, for example, seems to forget his social groups, some of which see Similar considerations apply to the own strictures on over-generalised in it hopes for an improvement of risk involved is introducing favored and a-historical approaches when it their positions while others see a n«w technology — some rewards for comes to the market. I hope to review worsening. success, some penalties for failure. his book in a later issue.) And the main opponent of such THE MARKET" is not an reform? The state bureaucracy itself: Nove also points out that there would need to be some degree of unchangeable absolute, irrespective of (They) say that the changes envisaged its scope and of surrounding social would "w eaken the ce n tra lise d income differentials for different kinds of labor — the existence of "(a species conditions. It makes a great difference principle and the real importance of whether private ownership and the the plan". This is the "good reason, of labor market as) the only known alternative to the direction of labor". private profit motive dominate, or says the study, but the real reason is social ownersnip and recognition of that they are afraid of losing their There would also often oe a degree the primacy of social need is the major power and positions, of under-capacity use of capital element. Au s t r a l ia n Left Review 87 57 n aking all the above and more ? a into account, I do not think it m possible to state in advance the ® scope ol the market which should exist = under socialism at a particular time in a "p a rtic u la r country. It will depend on the international and national conditions prevailing including, crucially, the degree of development of a new socialist morality and set of values. And if there are more difficulties than so far perceived in using a market under socialism within certain limits, I am convinced that there are far more in allowing concentration of economic power centrally. For such concentrat­ ion, on top of the political and ideological power available at the centre, is too dangerous to permit, Moscow shoppers look over displays ot high-priced liquor. even if there are genuine electoral and he general ideology prevailing while allowing variation of a certain other democratic constraints An will influence what is possible, percentage above that. economic counter-weight in the shape r even under capitalism. Twenty A distinction should also be made of some form of self-management years ago, for example, or even ten, it between particular consequences of rights in enterprises and institutions is would have been unthinkable that technological development and more essential. arguments about the economic general ones, As mentioned earlier, Nove has performed a valuable benefits of hydroelectricity (even if there should be social consideration service for socialists by exposing the accurate) could have been over-ridden and decision about major technolog­ unreality of much of their Ihinking and by the values of wilderness ical changes And where far-reaching predictions about the economy. This is conservation, as was the case with the change is agreed upon, with such so whether or not one accepts all of his Gordon below Franklin dam. consequences as displacement of points or his definition of "feasible labor, society should pick up the tab. socialism". Many means are also available for As R.M. Titmuss observes in resfricting adverse consequences to Commitment to Welfare: But his overall framework shares manageable or acceptable dimensions The emphasis today on welfare' other unrealities in the thinking of (acceptable to both public and and the benefits of welfare'often many socialists today in that he socialists). In other words, the market tends to obscure the funda­ virtually restricts the definition and can and should be used mere to "fine mental fact that lor many discussion of socialism to that of an tune" certain aspects of the economy, consumers the services used are economic system. rather than being used to select the n o t essential benefits o r channels of development. increments in welfare at all; they Besides the failures in expectations represent partial compensation and practical shortcomings in For example, one may decide that a for disservices, for social costs socialist economic performance, steel industry of a certain size is and social insecurities which are socialism's failure to gain the moral necessary in a socialist Australia on the product of a rapidly changing ascendancy at this stage of capitalist industrial-urban society. grounds of providing a material base crisis and multiplying menace, is no for asserting national independence, They are part of the price we pay less affected by its downplaying (in providing defence capability, to some people lor bearing part of the costs of other people's theory at least) of other dimensions of employment, etc., yet to allow progress; the obsolescence of human life, often with the underlying competition between different skills, redundancies, premature assumption that they will in any case steelworks or even with the retirements, accidents and follow from the economic project. international steel market, in order to handicap, urban blight and slum prevent bureaucratic inertia in clearance, smoke pollution, and Socialism, in fact, needs to redefine management, low technological level, a hundred-and-one socially itself all along the line in accordance and poor overall pertormance. generated disservices. They are with experience and the present social caused diswelfares, the situation if it is to grasp the initiative Similarly, income differences* may losses involved in aggregate and regain the momentum it had in be restricted by various means such as gains. (Quoted by Bruce Harnett previous periods. This is necessary not maintaining a base income level in The Socialist Objective, ed. from the narrow point of view of through a form of social insurance, Bruce O’Meagher.) socialists' own success, but as an expression of their dedication to Socialism, of course, has never promised morality, Marx envisaged a change to work such equality, but payment according to according to ability and recompense human well-being and progress, which work done. But the actual social value of according ot need, and the abolition of otherwise faces in coming decades work done cannot readily be measured money as well as Ihe market But restraints greater dangers and difficulties than directly even in production of material on a higher level of material abundance evern before. commodities, not to mention services and than on average existing in advanced state activities of various kinds. 11 requires countries today are great on resource and some sort of economic mechanism such as environmental grounds atone, let atone Eric Aarons was formerly joint is provided by a market. when an internationalist view is embraced. National Secretary ot the At a higher level of material abundance Consequently, abolition of money etc does Communist Party of Australia. and development of a new socialist not seem realistic in any foreseeable future.

58 ALR A utum n 1984 ------"TWO YOUTHS”------POSITION VACANT Offered for sale by the Tribune Artwork Fund. Edition of 350 Australian Lett Review is looking for a signed by the artist. Print size 34 x 47 cms, paper size 57 x 78 cms. $20.00 plus $3 postage and handling. Send cheque or full-time worker (or equivalent) to money order to Tribune, 12 Exploration Lane. Melbourne co-ordinate production, promotion 3000 Or call at either 12 Exploration Lane, Melbourne 3000, or and content of the magazine 4 Dixon Street, Sydney 2000. together with an editorial Silkscreened collective. The work would include reproduction co-ordinating and liaising with the of collective and convening meetings, liaising with voluntary production linocut workers and with printers, etc., by seeking contributions, seeking advertising, and implementing a promotional campaign to increase sales. Administrative skills essential, layout and design skills and previous experience on public­ ations an advantage. Previous experience with political groups or the labour movement essential. Written applications should be sent to the Selection Committee, ALR, Box A247, Sydney South PO, Sydney 2000, by 5 pm on Tuesday 1.5.84. For more information, ring Brian on (02) 264.2161. Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Name ...... Jo b share applications also welcome. Address ...... Postcode

RIGHTWING LABOR AND CRIME information through leaks, etc. capitalist press, for that matter) have from page 37 The Left must see the challenge been deafeningly silent about the mass are still seen as individual phenomena, posed by orqanised crime as one execution of criminals, or alleged isolated from one another. It remains prong of the attack by capital c*nd criminals, in China in recent months. I an illusion reaction on the labour movement. In think the Chinese actions are as addition to the ideological attack despicable as the death squads do not have the opportunity here to through the media, there is the operating in Indonesia today against discuss ways and means of organised attack through the alleged criminals (at the bottom level / combatting organised crime, or rightwing of the labour movement. of course. Suharto is still untouched). *iow worthwhile a National Crimes That organised attack has its financial A post-capita,.st society, let aione Commission would be, or what support from big business, from one worthy of the name of socialism, measures can be demanded. overseas sources such, as the CIA and has to find better wavs than exist in I believe very strongly that, at tnis other such sources. But it also gets its capitalist democracies to tackle the point, the major thing the Left can do is money from organised crime. problem. Reverting to the mediaeval lo raise workers' consciousness about On that level alone, the left needs to ways of Imperial China, Tsarist Russia, organised crime ana its connections come out fighting on the issue of or of Koranic Islam, is the opposite to with the labour movement, organised crime. what socialist should do But how a government and society as a whole. To Of course, under socialism, or in any socialist society should and could do that effectively, we need to know post-capitalist society, crime will not combat this ongoing problem is, again, much more and grtting that disappear and, because there are another, topic. knowledge depends on investigative societies of scarcity, crime, and even journalists being encouraged and organised crime, will be continuing supported by the Left in the laDOur problems. Some of the same problems Denis Freney Is a journalist, author movement. There are enough honest will arise, for example, on the issues of and sleuth. cops around to feed the necessary civil liberties ! think the Left (and the

Australian Left Review 87 59 REVIEWS

MASSES ARE THE

REBELS AND RADICALS MAKERS OF edited by Eric Fry. George Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1983, paperback, S8.95. HISTORY

tudents, teachers, researchers Black Australian warriors not only and writers of Australian labour ensured that colonialism was never S history owe a great dobt to the totally victorious, but also engendered work of Eric Fry. A foundation member and inspired a long tradition of of the Australian Society for the Study Aboriginal resistance to capitalist of Labour History, Eric Fry has spent a oppression and exploitation. lifetime selfessly devoted to the Biographies of those who rebelled promotion of Australian working class against the blood-soaked tyranny of history, in all of its many aspects. But, Biitish penal servitude are more importantly. Eric Fry, like the late compassionately recounted by Alan Marshall, identifies most strongly Gordon Neil Stewart, John Meredith with the driven, the battlers of and Rex Whalan. Like Bruce Shaw in Australian history. his depiction of 'Rebel' Major, Stewart In Rebels and Radicals, Fry has been adopts a Hobsbawmian aoproach to given the opportunity to assemble the the 'primitive rebellion' of tne Bathurst writings of like-minded souls to Ribbonmen and their tribune. Ralph produce a highly readable document Entwistle. A strong sense of time and in Australian popular history, of which place is evoked in Stewart's account of there are far too few in these dolorous the Bathurst convict uprising. We are days of corDorate consensus. shown the calculating ferocity of the All the essays contributed to Rebels colonial floggers ana their red-coated and Radicals take up the political minions; the continuous brutality of position of the oppressed and the the conv»ct masters which detonated exploited, whether they be Black the convict outbreak; the pluck and Australian guerri'la leaders like ingenuity of the 'impossible revolution' Musquito. or 'Rebel' Major, convict of Entwistle’s rebel band. One can only poets, oamned democrats, Eureka hope in this time of approaching ruling rebels, radical women or I.W.W. class bicentennial forgetfulness that members who refused to cower to state Entwistle and his insurgents are not repression. Fry and his fellow expeditiously passed over by those contributors have made a valiant who are genealogically fixated with the attempt to tap that rich vein of radical fasionabie possibility that they may opposition to colonialism, capitalism have a convict ancestor as long as he and imperialism which ofttn doesn’t or she is of the calibre of a Francis even make the footnotes in most Greenway. A vain hope. conventional narratives of Australian history. This alone is a great service to he heirs of the master class can radical Australian historiography. have their Simon Lords and The chapters of Rebels and Radicals T Francis Greenways; the which investigate the episodes of the Australian working people have the Black Australian resistance to the convict poet who would not be heinous brutalities of British silenced, Francis MacNamara. colonialism make powerful reading. Floggings, the treadmill, the killing Christine Wise and Bruce Shaw labour of the colonial quarries never Reviewed by provide, in their separate essays on broke the defiant tongue of Frank the Musquito and Majoi, moving Poet. John Meredith and Rex Whalan testimonies to the struggles of these trace out the life of this convict rhymer Drew Cottle black heroes, in fact, the boldness of who was transported to British Musquito, Major and countless other Australia for the capital crime of plaid-

ALR A u tu m n 1984 stealing. MacNamara's sharp, satirical r. fully independent Australian republic. voice and unrepentant behaviour saw F Though some purists, cocooned in him sent many times to the triangles to r their own historical present­ suffer the whippings of Lord Lash. But ly mindedness, may scoff at the his mocking verses against the hated suggestion that J.D. lang was in any colonial oppressors and their penal „ „ way a radical, D.W.A. Baker, by system were known word-perfect by The 80-year-old Catherme Helen investigating this wayward Scottish every human being who was forced to Spen 3 distilled her many activities Presbyterian in his owr historical endure the brutalities and indignities Into a single assertion■ i am a new context, presents us with the political of British convictism. The enchained woman, and I know i t . transformation of an unquestioning inarticulate' were given the tongue of Deniehy's fight against W.C. conservative into a republican an antipodean Shelley. MacNamara's Wentworth's caste of 'bunyip thunderer. brand of committed poetry would gain aristocrats’ for greater Australian a ready audience in the factories, the democracy, whatever its bourgeois a ennifer Lorch's portrayal of mines, the building sites and the dole limitations. ■ Raffaello Carboni adds queues of the present wage-slave That unlikely Australian republican, immeasurably to our knowledge system. And, no doubt, at any workers' the Scottish Presbyterian minister, of this complicated son of an Urbino smoko the spirit of Frank McNamara John Dunmore Lang, is examiend by shopkeeper who wrote as an insider at will be present. Those generations of D.W.A. Baker. Like Deniehy, J.D. Lang the base headquarters of the Eureka working people who built but never was a brilliant publicist. Lang's rebels. Carboni appears as a gifted but owned Australia find comfort and political views underwent a sea change frustrated radical intellectual. He was a inspiration in MacNamara's epitaph: when he toured the Australian capable linguist, widely read in the countryside. He moved from being a European classics an amateur "... Sworn to be a tyrant's foe pristine examole of reticent Scottish dramatist, served with Garibaldi's Red And while I've life I'll crow ... " conservatism to become a fervent Shirts and, thankfully, was on the The tragic Dan Deniehy is Gerald Australian republican. His conversion Ballarat goldfields when the diggers Waish's biographical subject. Deniehy was slow but irrevocable. His visits to took their stand for liberty against the railed against 'the Botany Bay the corruption and repression of Old draconian rule of imperial Britain This aristocrats' and their high-handed England and the assumed freedoms of short, flamboyant Italian radical efforts to stifle an emergent Australian the emergent bourgeois republic of the reminds one of Al Grassby in his democracy. He would have no truck United States of America convinced passionate defence of individual with the Geebungs' visions of paternal Lang that his newly adopted home of liberty. And, like Grassby, Carboni, if despotism. At street meetings, on the Australia snould be free of British alive today, would bean implacable foe parliamentary floor and through the capitalism's ills and pursue an of those splintering fascist grouplets pages of the Southern Cross, he independent path similar to that of the who try to taint the Eureka flaq with campaigned against the infamies of American bourgeoisie. Frequent tours their 'White Australia' bile and divide the squatters and their English of the Australian countryside the Australian working people along overlords. confirmed Lang's republican the lines of social darwinism. The land-owning class moves swiftly convictions. Lang took up Dan As Lorch links Carboni to his against this eloquent preacher of 'mob Deniehy's cudgels with a vengeance. chronicle of Eureka, the diggers are rule'. By the end of his life, the radical His former eminent Tory friends saw reduced to human proportions; they democrat wat> delivering rambling, him as a mob orator who chanted the are individuals, complex in their racist speeches against the Chinese seditious message of universal weaknesses and strengths. Their just and giving up his body and soul to the manhood suffrage (Lang opposed stand was not taken lightly, they lost world of grog. Although Deniehy votes for women on the basis of the responded collectively to an died destitute and broken, many of the quaint notion that it was never intolerable situation Carboni catches labouring classes ar.d not a few of the advocated in the Bible), land for the these all too human foibles in his more independent-minded members people (this demand earned Lang the Eureka writings. Lorch's Carboni is an of the urban bourgeoisie took up lasting enmity of the squatters) and a intellectual who attempted to live out

Australian Left Review 87 61 Australian first wave feminism.

arley Kelly has set herself the more difficult task in her study of that largely unknown feminist radical, Brettena Smyth. Unlike the Magarey and Matthews comributions Fon Catherine Spence and Louisa Lawson. Kelly has had to painstakingly drag the strands of Brettena Smyth's biography together. She presents the reader with a fine example of committed history. Smyth emerges as a remarkable 'forgotten' radical, one whose entire life was committed to progressive social change, Widowed during 'tne white plague' of tuberculosis in 1873, this North Melbourne woman was left to her own scant resources to bring up her family of six. In her greengrocery-cum- confectionary-cum drapery shop, Smyth eked out a living for her young family. Bearing all of the 'male's' responsibilities, but being denied the right to vote or transmit property, Smyth began to critically question capitalist social relations. She broke wuh the Pauline rigrdities of Catholicism, mingled with the Victorian Women's Suffrage Society, joined the Australasian Secular Association ana developed into a formidable polemicist firing salvoes against religious bigotry and 'male bias', social and political inequality between the sexes and the need for democratic marriages. She became a strident temperance campaigner, seeing the destruction excess alcohol wreaks on working people s material existence and believing, wrongly, that a 'dry' Melbourne would somehow escape the ciass ills of capitalism. A social ’wowser’, Brettena Smyth, however, was not. She alienated much of respectable Melbourne by her Above: Musquito: From March 1820, dozens of huts and houses were attacked, championing of the sexual and social stripped and fired, and the occupants speared and clubbed. rights of the ooor. Baby farms, Below: The Rubei' Major: Aboriginal captives in chains during the taking ot the infanticide, rape, prostitution and the East Klmberleys. chronic ill-health of the working class his beliefs like his fellow diggers and valiant band of wcmen attempted to could, the radical Smyth argued, be not the comic opera sentimentalist full win the vote for women of whatever presented by steady work, better of excessive hyperbole as depicted by class. housing, the condom and the wide more conventional historians. For this As a first-wave feminist, Spence dissemination of practical sex alone, all Australian republicans def>antly carved out a radical life manuals. Although idealist solutions to should be thankful to Jennifer Lorch. devoted to electoral and social reform, the harsh realities of capitalism's 'free Corns on male chauvinist feet are critical journalism and the demand that enterprise', Smyth's radical demands rudely stepped upon by Susan women take an active part in public life. threw down an ideological challenge Magarev, Farley Kelly and, to a lesser Although never a class traitor in the to the safe lives of 'Marvellous extent, by Brian Matthews in their same way as Rosa Luxemburg, Melbourne's' high bourgeoisie. essays on Catherine Spence, Brettena Alexandra Kollontai and Constance de If Brettena Smyth is a little known Smyth and Louisa Lawson. Each of Markievicz were, Catherine Spence did nineteenth century radical fighter, these radical women challenged, and attempt to give substance to the Louisa Lawson's name (but perhaps sometimes triumphantly overturned, bourgeois homilies on democracy and not her life) is remembered by the patriarchal conventions of late individual liberty. Susan Magarey has most students of Australian labour nineteenth century Australian rescued Catherine Spence from the history often only as the mother of a capitalism. Catherine Spence suffered patriarchal silence and condescension famous radical writer, or an in-law of a the abuse, scorn and apathy of much of of bourgeois historiography and demagogic Labor premier hailed as Australian manhood as she and a placed her rightfully at the crest of being 'greater than Lenin The

62 ALR A utu m n 1984 uncompromising radical, Louisa Burgmann and Eric Fry, their work was his last published work, written in the Lawson has been made 'the madonna a labour of love. Winspear, as depths of the 930s Depression: of the sink', to employ a Stuart Hall Burgmann demonstrates, formulated Sing a song at sixpence, ohrase, by most orthodox labour his own variant of 'socialism' from the And sound financial rules, historians; the 'little woman' behind hard school of class struggle Denied Drawn up by the bankers. the great labour men. Matthews contact with European marxism, To govern all the cools. examination of Louisa Lawson's Winspear and many other colonial ' Dawn C rusade' is mercifully free of radicals were set the task of building The banker's in his counting house. Making heaps of money; while people 'the great male' syndrome's principal their own socialist doctrines. starve wno cannot buy errors. Utopianism, fabianism, anarchism Their milk and bread and honey. and. later, syndicalism, were the hrough Matthews' pen, Lawson theories which informed not only the This last published poem illustrates merges as a woman constantly debates about, but also the practice of, that Winspear even in his mid-70s had T at war with the suffocating an emergent Australian socialism. lost none of the proletarian clarity in patriarchy of late nineteenth century exposing the political power of the rich In such a situation, Winspear and a capitalism. Her creative potential and their fraudulent schemes for host of worKer-nitellectuals became seemed thwarted at every turn. Her 'recovery'. self-taught socialists. The pamphlet, unhappy marriage to Peter Larsen was the broadsheet, stump oratory, but the beginning of her problems; the n the last decade of a radical life, satirical songs and cartoons were their first of many soc:al constrictions. She Winspear could look back on the means by which to broadcast the craved to be in intellectual company; to I great class battles in which he message of socialism to a mass exercise her prodigious intellect on all vigorously participated. Perhaps none audience still largely denied even the was more momentous than the anti­ manner of controversial subjects, rudiments of an elementary education. conscription campaigns of World War particularly those which directly Winspear devoted his mighty pen to I. His white-hot pen denounced the concerned women. Her 'neurosis' led this daunting task. imperialist war and the Australian to the establishment of Dawn, the first defiantly feminist press in the "The Dawn addressed all of those problems Australian colonies. The pages of Dawn sparkled with the biting articles constantly reproduced in the social relations of ano editorials of Lousia Lawson and capital — domestic violence, sexual exploitation, her radical colleagues. The Dawn addressed all of those problems . . . . which some sections of the constantly reproduced m the social contemporary Left grandly designate as relations of capital — domestic violence, sexual exploitation, the secondary contradictions and consign to the tyrannies of a propertyless, maie- after the revolution ’ category, Louisa Lawson and dominated marriage, women's physical and mental health problems her co-feminists would remain unimoressed." which some sections of the Burgmann follows Winspear on his ruling class' willingness to send young contemporary Left grandly designate evangelising peregrinations through Austrairan men to De killed for the glory as secondary contradictions and his disputes with compromisers, of the British empire. consign to the 'after the revolution' opportunists and vacillating Utopians He actively supported the 'Wobblies' category. Louisa Lawson and her co­ and his evolutior into an uncomprom­ in their syndicalist ef'orts to turn the feminists would remain unimpressed. ising member of the Australian bosses war overseas into a tit-for-tat The Dawn crusade petered out in the Socialist Party. By adopting this class war at home. While Winspear first few years of the twentieth century. biographical tack, Burgmann also may have been honoured with the Matthews provides few reasons for the provides her reader with many fine epithet 'socialist', he was, like so many paper's closure, apart from Louisa examples of Winspear's oamphlet- rebels of his generation, neither a Lawson's running cattle with the petty eering skills; a proletarian literary marxist nor, more crucially, a leninist. caesars of the Post and Telegraph form which, in Winspear's hands, His socialism was grounded in the Department. We learn nothing of the bursts with mocking contempt for the writings of that important American Dawn's circulation figures, the boss class, their Tartuffes, their social socialist Daniel DeLeon. Much ol character of its popular audience, its system and the bloody monster, Marx's and Engels' writings were financial position, its internal battles, imperialism. Two examples of simplified and transformed by the De its relationship to the fledgling labour Winspears irreverence will suffice. Leonites. Lenin's theories concerning movement or its effect on the social life Fragments from Winspear's Ten the revolutionary party, the state, of its rebel editor. Presumably, Commandments of Capitalism': 'open' and 'secret' organisations, etc. Matthews will investigate these were, unfortunately, absent from the 1. I, the Capitalist, am the Lord thy De Leonites and their fraternal questions in his awaited biography of God. Thou shalt have no other gods Louisa Lawson. Hopefully, such a before me. organisations, such as the Australian study will reveal far more about this 5. Honor they father and mother, and Socialist Party and the Australian ’forgotten' radical declared by the toil like them for Me, that thy days be section of the Industrial Workers of the state to be 'insane' and, at life's end, long in My land, which the l ord thy World (I.W.W.) laid away in a pauper's grave. Goo i»ndeth thee in return for rent, Perhaps it was this factor as well as a interest, profit, etc. host of doctrinal differences which he final chapters ot Rebels and 8. Thou shalt not steal — from Me; but later prevented Winspear from joining Radicals are thumbnail sketches tnou shalt not complain when I steal the Communist Party Perhaps of two battle-haraened, from thee, nor when i command thee to Winspear a born rebel with a strong r go forth and despoil mine enemies — unrepentant rebels, W.R. Winspear anarchist bent, could never accept the on my behalf and Monty Miller. For the authors of iron discipline and perseverance these too Drief rebel portraits, Verity And two stanzas of an unnamed poem, needed in leninist vanguard parties.

AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW 8/ 63 JOVE, COURTSHIP the working class. He helped organise unions among 'the less skilled' of the V MARRIAGE. labouring classes. He lectured on secularism in prim Melbourne and camnaigned for the Sunday opening of public libraries and art galleries so that the masses, too, could consider the books and paintings of colonial bourgeois culture. He threw his considerable energies behind the movement demanding women's rights. With the formation of the I.W.W. in the U.S.A.. Monty Miller drew deeply on their theoretical arguments and practical politics. Miller was in the van. form ing I.W.W. clubs and propagating syndicalist solutions to end the rule of capital.

■ M M ith the advent of the first \m mm imperialist war and the Labor WW Prime Minister Fisher pledging Australia's 'last man and last snilling' to British imperialism, it was oniy a matter of time before Monty Miller and other 'wobblies' with their determined anti-imperialist war position wou'd be in the bosses’ courts or His Maiesty s jails. Fry’s account of § tne reDel, Monty Miller, is as lucid as it is inspiring. Rebels and Radicals deserves a wide popular audience. It is the stuff radical Left: Brettena Smyth emphasised that women must take charge ot their own Australian history is made of. It should destinies, In the matters of health and reproduction as well as politics. Right: Not be the impetus needed for a vast only an Indefatigable campaigner of womanhood suffrage, and marralge and dictionary of forgotten labour radicals divorce reform, Louisa Lawson hada vision of the role women could play In a new and rebels along the lines of the British order. Labour Dictionary to be started. This is Whatever the reason, Verity forever the fighter, did not want the not because the white Bicentennial Burgmann's instructive summary of judge's mercy, but social justice, it was ominously approaches. Instead, it is an W.R. Winspear is in the best traditions an evergreen characteristic of Monty appeal, a Mayday, to preserve the of history-from-the-bottom-up. If Miller, a trait first formed during those memories of all those rebels and Francis MacNamara was the voice of climactic months on the Ballarat radicals who stood up for their rights the oppresses, W.R. Winspear was goldfields in 1854. against the tyranny of caDital. their hand; both were blessed with As Eric Fry carefully explains, Finally, a minor complaint, a quibble. Blakeian 'eyes of fire'. And so, too, was although Monty Miller could look back Rebels ana Radicals requires a better Monty Miller, a worker who never gave on a long career devoted to the cover. The reproduction of Grace up the slruggle against the class people's cause, he was not a rebel Cossington Smith's Strike will never robbery and oppression of the rich, as given to nostalgia for a golaen do. Cossington Smith as Humphrey Eric Fry's final chapter makes victorious past. Rather, Miller's cool McQueen informs us in The Black aoundant'y clear. head ruled his passionate heart. He Swan of Trespass (p.66) feared and iller, the 'life-long radical’, made incisive assessments of past was fascinated by the political powei' travelled the length and struggles; the victories, the of a combative working class.Petit M breadth of Australia camp­ unpalatable compromises, the bitter bourgeois voyeurism need not grace aigning for the rights of Australian defeats. the covers of books devoted to social workers. His lengthy term of active He was a significant working class rebels. Surely an appropriate Wobbly' service in the class spanned the Eureka intellectual. Everything of importance cartoon from Direct Action could Stockade and the state terror against to the Australian working class was replace the painterly efforts of Ms the I.W.W. (of which M iller was a assiduously studied — English Cossington Smith if Rebels and member) during the First World War. chartism, American democracy, Radicals runs into a second edition? Typically. Miller, when before the European socialism, British Rebels and Radicals amplifies that beak in the state’s show trial against imperialism, the Westminster marxist aphorism, that the masses are the I.W.W., used the court as a platform parliamentary system, a th e ism , the makers of history, even il not of to denounce the bourgeoisie and their anarchism, syndicalism. Miller's desire their own choosing. Fry and his co­ grubby wartime conspiracies against for theories and practical information authors have provided a lasting text in those who refused to obey their class pertinent to a revolutionist was Australian popular history. laws. inexhaustible. He harboured no. Miller, eighty-four, a hero of Eureka, illusions about the nascent Labor Party was first sentencea to jail fortwo years, but. instead, worked persistently in Orew Cottle tearhes In General but the sentence was waived because Victoria and New South Wales during Studies at the University ot New of his age and frail health. Miller, the 1890s to give it a mass base among South Wales.

64 ALR A u tu m n 1984 FEMINISM EDUC/I HISTORY POLIT ECONOMIC? GAY LIBEr PSYCK curr

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