Agitprop's publicity team, composed designers, artists, journalists, photographers. and other publicity people, was formed with of providing a professionally qualified publicity service to left-wing activists.
As a first project, the group decided to try out a full-scale publicity 'package' geared to a specific political issue. A prefabricated package (consisting posters, leaflets. stickers, handouts, etc.) would be devised - on housing. It would be adaptable to the varying needs of different factions within the overall political struggle - to squatters, tenants' organisations, GLC committees, and so on. The political points would remain constant, but their emphasis would be altered to suit the particular needs of 'client" activists.
Thus the task was set to the team: each member was to devise, in terms appropriate to his own skills, a contribution to such a model package.
The decision to take the housing struggle as pilot project was reached with -little disagreement. Given the attention which the housing problem has aroused, it offered much SCUUC for political education. And other advantages were immediately apparent.
The first such advantage lay in its domestic nature. Unlike Biafra and Vietnam, on which the new left has tended to concentrate ite ettorts. the problem was importance to the British working class. Youthful militancy wonie sose much ot its vicariousness if it could be linked up with the struggle. John Hoyland, of Agitprop, expressed a particular concern that new left protest be made more relevant to the situation at home.
The sccond such advantage lay in the visible urgency of the housing problem: ramifications were felt by almost every member of the working class (private tenants, council tenants, and homeless). It was a superb means, ERCICIOIC. HUSLEdLLILE the HaLUIC capitalism — the social tragedy of housing could be easily and effectively revealed as a direct consequence of the system. Public projects and literature could be systematically drawn up to clarity the connection between the resources poured into office block building, ana une housing situation; to illustrate the direct effect of a monopoly of private wealth on property speculation and its consequences for council rents, the state of private housing and the CHE GUEVARA'S BOLIVIAN DIARIES, 5s post free from The Black Dwarf, 7 Carlisle St, London WIl 4PZ.
RANK AND FILE: militant teachers' journal. Available quarterly trom Brooke Road London N16. Single copy: 1/2; 9/0 per dozen. Annual subscription: 4/8.
SMASH CAPITAL NOW. Christopher Logue oster 5/- post free from The Black Dwarf, Carlisle St., London WIA 4PZ FLAGBAGS. Carrier bags in NLF colours. 2/- each from Wild Enterprises 20 Chalcot Road. London NWl. Proceeds Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam.
STUDENT INTERNATIONAL: BULLETIN OF STUDENT POWER. Available (post inclusive). Bulk terms available. POEMS PUBLISHED. sae., Ken Geering, D/Breakthru, Lindfield, Sussex.
L'Enrage. ..satirical Luxemburg journal of • . 4/- the revolutionary French students, 5/-. Castro denounces bureaucracy and sectarianism, 4/6. Culture and Socialism. . Trotsky, 3/-. All p. pd From Pioneer Book Service, 8 Toynbee St., London E.l.
ROMANCE/MARRIAGE: INTRODUCTIONS EVERYWHERE, ALL AGES. SEND S.A.E. FOR FREE DETAILS TO ALPHA CORRESPONDENCE AGENCY, 30 BAKER ST. LONDON W1.
FINISH THE DWARF! SIX PEOPLE NEEDED TO FOLD AND COLLATE THE DWARF. ABOUT TWO DAYS FORTNIGHTLY. MONDAY AND TUESDAY - £2 Per 1000.
ereDnone CA CUEKA UKSAN MARTINE at 253 8869 or 253 9577.
URGENTLY NEEDED. CECUN TD A NEPADB CAD/VAN CAD CACTED of | availability of mortgages. We felt that it was of utmost importance to politicize the campaign to increase working class awareness of the fact that all factors of the issue were, in fact, parts of the same struggle. This would work against the moral blackmail utilized by the social democratic power structure in pitting one MaCBOT against another. e.g. telling council tenants that they don't know how well off they are - that they should be grateful not to be in the clutches of private landlords; in implying that private tenants should be happy to have homes at all; in quelling protests Dy homeless with the suggestion that they ought to be glad that there are welfare state hostels to care for thém.
An ad hoe committee would coordinate the project. It would be composed, hopefully, of representatives (not necessarily in the official sense) from all or most of the different parties involved: from squatters' groups, GLC tenants' groups, private tenants' organisations, local IS groups active in housing, and so on.
Its work would centre on information, class families with the intentions, aims, and procedures of activists like squatters; on helping this could be done to urbanise Puvate tenants by leaflet, poster and sticker campaigns (two leaflets already produced) followed up by personal immediate advice and help from a team of visiting housing campaigners recruited by the ad hoc committee tor this purpose: arranzing co-ordinated events (rallies? demonstrations? exhibitions?) with the intention of illustrating the common cause behind all the various housing movements acting as a clearing-house for information on all aspects of housing so that various groups are not out of touch with what comrades in other fields doing, and that such communication between projects can be readily available. A chief feature of such an approach, it was felt, was that it should avoid lett-wing jargon and the more banal sorts of sloganizing Words like capilalsm - "exploitation" and "repression" were to be avoided in the publicity material in favour of much more specific and evocative references.
was provided by the publicity team.
Janet Daley.
Research by Roger Hudson.
ADVERTISE IN THE BLACK DWARF CLASSIFIED RATES 6d per word business, 8d David Kendali, The Black Darart, 7 Carlisle St., card available from London WIA 4PZ.
SOCIALIST WOMAN is produced by a group of socialist women of the Nottingham Socialist Women's Committee. A subscription costs 4/for 6 issues (bi-monthly). Send to 16 Ella Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5GW. MOZAMBIQUE 20 minute film shot in liberated areas, for hire. 16 or 35mm. £2/10/0 O.N.O. Pamphlet available 1/4. rite to Committee for Freedom in Mozambique, 1 Antrim Road, London NW3 or ring 01-722-9030.
SOCIALIST WORKER THE WEEKLY PAPER THAT CAMPAIGNS FOR WORKERS POWER ANNUAL SUB. 30s. PAXTON WORKS, PAXTON ROAD, LONDON N17. WHATS BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER? POSTER 2s POST FREE FROM THE BLACK DWARF, 7 CARLISLE ST. LONDON WIA 4PZ.
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DUREX Gossamer 7s DOz. 75s. gross. remerte.us. boz oos. nait aross. buar brand new. Confidential service. Post free ano under iain cover COLNE VALLEY MAIL ORDER CO. COU 126 The Rock, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, Yorkshire.
S.L.A.P. Screen and Litho Art Printing. Posters, Handouts, Stationery etc. Fast at lelt wing prices. Phone BAY 8816.
"THE Current issue of I-KON is devoted to Art and Revolution. bxtract trom prize-winning reports international Cultural Congress at Havana. Order from DUSTBOOKS BCM/Oracle London WC1 (5/- post free). Venceremos!".
SOCIAL INTRODUCTIONS ODIENNCUID/MADDIACE WORI DWIE The Housing Problem: An Answer?
The monstrously ugly structure photographed abover the product of CUILC Architectural Association The construction is conceived to be an answer io the problem of homelessness. Shelter plans a promotion campaign with the A.A. students inthe hopes of encouraging the use of the "house' as an aid to the housing shortage.
This is one more attempt by wide-eyed; technocratically obsessed social engineers to see the political dilemmas of our society as curable purely by technical innovation. The idea that genuine social progress could be achieved WIHLOUL fundamental Changes ll the power carried away by the tide of modern capitalism.
We are now on our way to recapture our hopes. remote part of the world.
WRITE TO US ABOUT IT.
OVERSEAS ADVENTURE CLUB 21a Chicksand St., London E1.
RATE SIZE
Full Page £100 17 x 11½"
8½ x 11½"
Half Page £75 Quarter Page £50 Eighth Page £25 structure of a classridden society is not o misguided but pernicious. of This reformist red-herring is an anti-ideoli expressed in another form by Des Wilson Shelter: the solution to inequality in hous (and in other areas) is thought to reside technical accomodations The auswe homelessness is more effective mass-producti the answer to exploitation is social work. ] delusion that politics is avoidable in matter: systematic oppression and injustice is causin Bical many well-intentioned and CUCH totally to evade the genu responsibilities of revolutionising society.
Janet Da OVERSEAS ADVENTURE CLUB 21a Chicksand St. London E1.
We are a band of frustrated people whose youthful hopes have been If you are getting bored with the life you have made for yourself after the dissolution of your youthful hopes, then your only cure is to join us to venture out of this civilisation for a year or two on an exciting humanitarian work or a useful and adventurous expedition to some The Black Dwarf Publication: Fortnightly Copy Date: 14 days before publication 17 x 5%" Series Discount: 6 insertions or more 10% 8½ x 5¾" Publishers' Discount: 10% 4¼ x 5%" Agency Commission: 15%
For some time, Britain has been exporting specially made nooses to a number of countries including Africa and Nigeria. These nooses - made to careful specifications by DWARF Arrests for political offences continue to grow: fines and prison sentences are escalating wildly. from magistrate to AGIT-FRUP NEEDS A HOME NOW. IT IS RUN FROM A PRIVATE HOUSE AND IT MUST HAVE ITS OWN PREMISES. PREFERABLY CENTRAL LONDON BUT ANYWHERE ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT WILL DO. ENOUGH FOR A LARGISH WORKSHOP AND OFFICE FACILITIES. CONTACT 607-0155. ANGRY ARTS FILM SOCIETY announces its 3rd season. April 21-22: Le Joli Mai. May Revolution. All shown at Unity Theatre. Season membership 2/6. Tickets 5/. Information and bookings from Angry Arts Film Society, Sue Crockford, 6 Bramshill Gdns, NWS. Tel: 01-263-0613.
FREEDOM IN MOZAMBIQUE. Mondlane has been assassinated, but the Portugese information contact Polly Gaster, 1 Antrim colonialism connues.
Road, NW3. tel: 722-9030.
END OF A TACTIC? This film of the October 27th demonstration has a sound track which includes discussion on the effectiveness of mass demonstrations here. It is 16mm and lasts 16 minutes. Available from Newsreel, 10 Downside Crescent, NW3. Tel: 01-SW1-3228. They also have the Columbia Revolt, Black Panthers, Riot Control Weapons, and The Pig Film. DEFENCE FUND: A fund has been set up to cover defence costs for the 32 people arrested House and South Agrica House on January on the Zimbabwe demo outside Rhodesia 12th. At least £200 is needed. Contributions to Anti-Apartheid, 89 Charlotte Street, London BIAFRA PROTEST CO-ORDINATION: Nigel Wright, 1 Colville Houses, Talbot Rd, London co-ordinate the existing student groups working N.I1. (tel: 01-727-5524), is trying to for a cease-fire in Biafra, and to help students start new groups.
PEOPLE WANTED: A new acting group, based at Unity Theatre, 1 Goldington Road, London NW1. (EUS 8647), has formed and will be producing original plays with 'socialist intent, fight into Brecht, etc. They need more actors and helpers, and would welcome scripts for , forthcoming productions.
TIME OUT: What's on in London - it's becoming indispensable. almost all newsagents and newstands, and wants avallable irom meetings and demos. It appears every 3 Weeks to include more information on and copy date is 10 days before publication. What you advertise (all free) reaches a very wide audience, so contact 70 Princedale Road, London W.Il. tel: 01-229-1121/1131/1141.
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Posters: Viva Cuba !?" x 22" 22 31; Rosa
Late News: leaflets and other material tor Ağll- Prop's Centre Point demonstration on March
19-20: The Organiser. June 16-17: Before the 7.30pm