Socialist Challenge No. 113, 13 September 1979
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Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge
THE 'constitutional conference' on Zimbabwe is now under way. But the dice are heavily loaded in favour of the white settlers and their favourite pawn, Bishop Abel Muzorewa. For their close friends are now in power in this country.
There can be little doubt that the Tory leaders are strongly attached to their 'kith and kin' in 'ZimbabweRhodesia'. Thatcher's first inclination was go. for Smith/Muzorewa and the rapid lifting of sanctions.
The war IS going however, that there is little chance of the regime surviving in its present form. Hence Thatcher's about-turn at Lusaka and the holding of the present conference.
But while the means of achieving it have changed, the aim remains the same: to protect British capital and British profits at the expense of the people of Zimbabwe. And it is an aim in which many Tories have a direct
as new Counter-Information shows.*
114 Tory MPs sanctions after the Commons debate in November 1978. Eight of them are now in the government, and one, Nicholas Ridley, is a Minister of State at the Foreign Office.
Many MPs against sanctions nave a personal financial interest lifting of sallcuols directors (and companies with subsidiaries Zimbabwe: Sir Frederic Bennett and Tom Normanton are both directors of Commercial Union Assurance which
Hands Off Zimbabwe!
THEIR
KITH
THEIR
recognition of
there; firm
badly,
Anglo-American apparent maustrial giant Is
facilitated the sancions.
report by Services several voted to lift Zinc, who Several other direct in the Zimbabwe:
Some lucrative of
account by Lonrho.
has property and insurance interests
while John Osborn's famis subsidiaries both Limbabwe and South Africa.
Julian Amery, that most vociferous supporter of the Smith regime, is a director of two companies in the
empire. South African associate of this mining and
Freight Services Limited, one of the companies that
busting of the oil
The Foreign Secretary himself, Lord Carrington, is an ex-director of
the most important companies in Zimbabwe: Rio-Tinto
Barclays Bank, CadburySchweppes, the Australia-New Lealand Bank and the British Metal Corporation, and he retains substantial shareholdings and connections in these firms. Ministerial appointment prevents him from continuing these directorships for the moment.
MPs are *consultants' to companies with interests in
it was one of these advisory posts that got ex-Tory MP Duncan Sandys so much unwelcome publicity back in 1971; in his case the best part of £300,000 was paid into a tax-free Cayman Island
Bishop Muzorewa,
KINGER
John Farr, Tory landowner, holds 12,000 acres spread over Northamptonshire, Ireland and Zimbabwe, while family firm, Richard Limited, in which he is a shareholder, has a Rhodesian subsidiary building a police station with heliport and cells in central Salisbury.
If sanctions are lifted all these peopie stanu to make a lot or money. Dividends paid over the years have been blocked inside Sanctions lifting will release them in addition to boosting the value of shares and future dividends.
*Sell-out in Zimbabwe. 85p plus p&p from CIS, 9 Poland Street, London W1.
clasps the hand of a major shareholder in Zimbabwe's most important companies, Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington
MP
Albert Costain's Costain Rhodesia.
CAPITAL
MPs who voted to lift sanctions
John Osborn
Daniel Awdry MPs who abstained on s David Crouch
Anthony Royle
No. 113 13 September 1979 15p TABLE TWO perating in Zimbabwe's with interests in fi MPs who voted to lift sanction Eldon Griffiths
Commercial Union Company Grindlays Bank Deep Levels
Samuel Osborn Limited
Ons, which ha
Page 2 scan of this page
What do we do about
OUR POLICIES
Capitalsmss in cris, Ibe leaders of the Lahour Party and the trade unions ober solutions mai are in the interests not of the workers bur or ine capialist class.
Socialise Challenge believes that
contronting revolutionary socialists are:
• To build broad-based class struggle tendencies in apposition
daw coaborationism in the labour movernent. These should
anaratier. grouping together militants holding a wide range of political views.
•o begin to fiohl for the creation of and democratic revolutionary socialist organisation which can, through an application of united front lactics, begin to be seen as an alternative by thousands workers engaged in struggles.
Such an organisation should be based on the understanding that:
The struggle for socialism tale me workers against the bosses with that of other oppressed lavers of sociely - women, black people, gays struggling their liberation. This socialism can only be achiered by creating new organs of power and defeating with all necessary means the power of the
2 will
infinitely more democratic I than what exists in Britain today. with full rights for all political parties and currents that de vee take up arms against the socialist state. The Stalinist models
'socialism' in the LSSK and Fastern Europe have discredited socialism in the eyes of millions of warhers throughout the world. We are opposed to them and will offer fall support to ail those üighting for vocialise democracy
3 The interestsat workers and
on a world scale. C'apitalism has created a workd marhet. is tras created world politics. I hus we light for working class units on an international scale. This unit! will in the long run he decisive in defeating both the imperialis regimes in the West and the brutal dilatorshios they
Africa
In Britain it implies demanding the immediate withdrawal of British troops from Ireland and letting the Irish people determine
The Communis parties in ¡urops art in crisis. Neither the Eurocommunist
meaningtul strategy The verthrow di hr toilalist sate. des resolationary socialist parties
(inditions than preventing torer demandes. But sach
an!: truilt telli remo bearab ad second internaldeneres not as a lorary butied sitad necessits. This nreads the righe do organise factions and tendencies.
" on agree with these principles and 16 be involved ilivities be Morialist dhallenge apporfers in your area, Will on the
interestedd shore itorsation about activities in im
• I would like additional liter sure inni routese Sep 1o conser costs. feete a not applicated
Name....
Address..
and in bocialis d hallenge. 328 %
Socialist Challenge 13 September 1979 Page I
EDITORIAL
Ireland?
THE KILLING of Mountbatten and 18 British soldiers by the IRA in one day has sparked off the biggest debate for ten years in British society about Ireland.
For all the screams of outrage in the British media, that debate has not been reduced to simply how many members of the IRA should be hung, drawn and quartered: In part this is because the debate on Britain's presence in Ireland was already underway. It began with Amnesty International's report on British torture, was fuelled by the Daily of Mirror's that Britain intention to leave Ireland, accelerated with the intervention of American politicians.
Support for such a withdrawal has also been expressed by a number of Liberal politicians. The
August demonstration important turning point in this respect, mobilising more people to demand that Britain leave Ireland than at any time since y!z
All this adds up to a considerable crisis for British imperialism reland. primarily go to the Provisionals. Their ability to resist British rule is what discussion on that rule has not been reduced to a whisper.
Many, however, have wished to hush up debate on the irish national question, andamone the chas been the British Communist attitude is typified Myant, assistant editor of the Morning Star, at the Communist University in July. Explaining why the CP did not sponsor the 12 August demo, Myant said that the demand for British withdrawal is not the key and central demand which should be raised within the labour movement'.
Socialist Challenge
TROOPS OUT OF IRELAND NOW!
END
THE
WAR
SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE IRISH PEOPLE!
Even after the killings of the 18 soldiers and Mountbatten the Morning Star continued to insist that the call for 'democratic reforms' in the North of Ireland was the priority. Ths analysis has now lost all touch with reality. reformism as a cure-all is like using a nut to crack a sledgehammer.
The views of 'left leaders' is not the only reason why little has been built on Ireland in this country. Real difficulties have existed for those committed to building an anti-war movement, not least the economistic and chauvinist traditions of the British working class.
But it is self-evident that today there are new opportunities for building something substantial on Ireland in Britain. opportunities? This is a question which is attracting a good deal of discussion at the moment, both in the Irish Republican press and in the British left.
First, a note of caution. It would be wrong to assume that withdrawal is around the corner Just because a significant section of British bourgeois and world imperialist opinion is now expressing its worries about British policy in Ireland. being canvassed is that new political structures, involving both the North and South of Ireland, should be considered by Britain. The fear is that unless Britain acts soon the interests of imperialism could be permanently damaged. This is the prime motivation for the Americans' intervention instance that of New York Governor Hugh Carey, who has recently tried to organise a joint American, Southern Irish summit on the North
Writing the Guardian,
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street. London N1 2XQ.
should declare its and was further
London
Credit that
adviser, has ensured that
the comment by Chris
the
To pose democratic Hou we take these
T
What is
— TOI
Carey's principle
Socialist Challenge
TROOPS OUT OF IRELAND NOW!
END
THE
WAR
SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE IRISH PEOPLE!
•Kevin Cahill, talked of his fears that British intransigence is 'leaving the field wide open to intemperate and evil forces', and of Britain having 'played into the hands of the hardliners'. A similar opinion was expressed editorially in the Guardian when that newspaper urged support for the Carey initiative: Such opinions see a political restructuring military withdrawal, not as a defeat for imperialism but as a means of avoiding defeat.
The same concern is not present in the general feeling in Britain of war-weariness' detectable in opinion polls, 'phone-ins', and letters
newspapers But more often sentiments behind 'war-weariness' are confused and apolitical. An example is the following letter, signed by 'a soldier's mum' and printed in the Daily Mirror: Fetch our lads home, for their sake and for the peace of mind of their parents, wives, children and sweethearts. Let the stupid Irish bigots blow themselves to pieces.
The person who wrote that letter is unlikely to be willing to go into the streets to demand that Britain gets out of Ireland; and this is a general problem when it comes to transforming "war-weariness' into effective political action. Ways of relating to such 'wear-weariness' can and should be explored, but it would be wrong to imagine that a general lack of support for what Britain is doing in Ireland means that a mass anti-war, Anti-Nazi League movement on Ireland is around the corner.
Most of all, it would be wrong to assume that Thatcher is preparing to withdraw because of increasing disquiet about British policy.
A further observation can be made. For those whose 'war-weariness' would drive them to become involved in an anti-war movement it matters little if
aemand is for hiltone withdrawal; all they want to see is an end to it all, as soon as possible. A. watering down of "troops out now' will not suddenly ensure a quantitative growth in the numbers prepared to take action on Ireland. This was clear from the 12 August demonstration, when five times as many walked behind the 'troops out now banner as marched behind the vaguer 'withdrawal' banner.
Socialist Challenge
TROOPS OUT OF IRELAND NOW!
END
H
WAR
SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE IRISH PEOPLE!
This is not a criticism of the basis of the 12 August protest. The demand on which the march
Editorial: 01-359 8180/9. Distribution/ Advertising: 01-359 8371.
was called withdraw
La massive ot
bourgeois quarters
END
THE
British
which WAR
than not the
building an anti-war
for the Irish people'
to broaden itself: to Irish armed struggle
phased Bigger
getting out now,
grasped resources behind UTOM.
supported AS showed, they
single anti-war movement
present themselves.
- that Britain declares its intention to • did allow wider discussion, wider sponsorship, and a greater variety of participating organisations. But what the demand did not do was to change a small demonstration into a massive one; and there is no sign that in the near future such a tactic can change a small anti-war movement into
The truth is that there is no evidence to suggest that 'troops out now' is a barrier when it comes to building a movement to get Britain out of Ireland. On the other hand, 'troops out now is liable to become more and more important as cas trom
for 'political solution increase. Any political solution other than that of immediate British withdrawal could open up the 32 counties to a political restructuring which could put off genuine Irish national liberation for years. The planned, phased removal of the British Army is no guarantee of Irish independence and unity.
Socialist Challenge
TROOPS OUT OF IRELANDNOW:
SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE IRISH PEOPLE!
For these reasons we re-state our commitment to
movement the twin demands: "troops out now' and 'self-determination
This is not to say that the existing organisation which bases itself on these demands - the United Troops Out Movement — must stay as it is. But rather than water down its demands, UTOM needs
ways of relating to to establish a national head quarters, and, if possible, take on full-time staff. The structures and organisation of the National Abortion Campaign are a useful model. It is also worth emphasising that UTOM is not in business to act as a recruiting ground for left-wing organisations or to act as a public relations office for the
opportunities are opening up today UTOM has found an increasing response for local labour movement conferences. These conferences have established that there is an audience - a growing one — in the trade unions and the Labour Party for a serious discussion on Britain's presence in Ireland. These initiatives have to be built on -discussion turned into support for the troops
and that support turned into The openings for mass work have to be
So we declare once more our determination to build the United Troops Out Movement and we declare once more that those who accept the UTOM demands should be in that movement and help to broaden it out. Especially we appeal to the Socialist Workers Party to throw its full and considerable
Actions for troops withdrawal which stop short of an 'out now' perspective should continue to be
the 12 August demonstration can swell the ranks of those supporting the right of the Irish people to decide their own affairs. But the aim must be to build a
- a movement pledged to Troops Out Now. Right now that means building the UTOM and grasping the new opportunities that
TROOPS OUT OF IRELAND NOW!
SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE IRISH PEOPLE!
Socialist Challenge
Page 3 scan of this page
They signed our petitions, but will
By Celia Pugh
A SPLASH of colour was introduced
at this year's Trades Union Congreass
as delegates wore bright stickers and
badges opposing Corrie's
abortion Bill.
A. Tobacco Workers Union resolu
tion calling on the TUC to campaign
against measures which seek to deny
women their right to free contracep-
tive and abortion on request, was
passed overwhelmingly.
In the debate, Dougie
general secretarv of the Tobacco
Union, warned that Corrie's Bill was
amca al aestroying Ine or aDornon
Act,
'Our argument should be how to
strengthen the Act and now weaken it.
Women should have the right to
COSE
Judith Hunt of TASS, whitecollar
section of the
backed this with
delegates to build for
demonstration against the Corrie Bill
on 28 October.
Wherever delegates turned - in:
the pubs, cafes or the entrance hall —
they met leaflets, petitions,
and sticks from pro-abortion cam-
paigners.
Clive Jenkins, Arthur Scargill and
Frank Chapple were among
who signed the petition.
Statements of trade union support are a step in the right direction, but we
cannot afford to be complacent.
When
umon icaders News nowhere
One
fewer
for dinner
ASITSOWN tribute to Mountbatten, News from Nowhere this reprints a glowing obituary by Brigadier' published in last week's An Phoblacht/Republican News.
I WAS at Balmoral when the dreadful news came, and so it was my painful task to break the news to Herself. 'The fiends have pranged Dickie, Maam' I muttered, as ashen hued from the phone.
And it was then that I saw the true mark of royalty. Not a drop of the Lap Souchong was spilt; a look of annoyance flickered across her brow
Lobbying the TUC on abortion
they fight?
doubtful smiles.
anu- had any demonstration
vote or sign
Grieve, have to could demonstration trades councils branches call
October.
However,
lobby of parliament Engineering Union, February third reading a strong call for
the TUC
tinions now.
badges
conscience.
those and whether to have a child.
childbearing oppression, asked
from
and she rang for the butler.
evening, said it all for me.
lady.
room behind me.
blow me, shatter all over the floor.
much time
week "The was very proud
Windsor, pathetic old snob.
He came from
was torpedoed I returned
sunk under him,
with after each fiasco.
jokingly offered to
what they would be doing to build the demonstration they responded with
They weren't even sure they would be on it themselves.
Many delegates said they had not
information about the unions nationally. Obviously it's one thing to
petition but quite another to actually organise some
The Campaign Against Corrie and the National Abortion Campaign will
that the October 1s a success. Local and trade union be approached organise transport and support for 28
opposition to Corrie cannot end there. After the October demonstration there are proposals for
during the
Ideally, a countrywide strike would be called to coincide with the third reading — this is the kind of action we have to be arguing for in our trade
The argument that we have to win in the trade unions is that abortion is a right and not a question of individual
Attacks or threaten a basic democratic right -the freedom of women to decide when
Women's inability to choose about fight.
has underpinned their forcing them out of the workforce, into unskilled and casual
'Benson, there will be one fewer for dinner this
please inform cook." That hadn't The dignity, poise and regal splendour of a truly great
Blushing, I backed out and would have made a dignified exit had not that old fool Benson come into the
Standing ир, either, banged my head on the tea tray and,
didn't the Meissen teaset
So now it devolves upon me to say a few words about Dickie. Personally, I must confess to never having had too
for the old fool, but noblesse oblige and de mortuis nihil than nisi slobber, as the poet has it. Dickie
of the fact that Charles, henceforth the Royal weans are to be known by the surname Mountbatten
but then he would be, the
La long line of German thieves and looters, and was one of the most incompetent naval and military figures of his generation
dive-bombed, had his ships crippled and a destroyer
but a grateful nation always gave him a new boat to play
I was recently talking to him and I
take him
jobs, and limiting them to their roles
as wives and mothers.
Many male trade unionists
resistant to changing this. They accept
that 'women's place is in the home! or
they may be prepared to do something
for the "little woman', but won't
commit themselves to a consistent
Many believe that
women at home cooking and cleaning
for them is in their best interest.
We have to argue that it is in the
holiday to Canada. He turned white and then red and admitted that he
been back there. ever 1942, when his military genius led to 3,363 Canadians getting wiped out in one hour at Dieppe.
Come to think of it, the Indians don't have too much to thank him for
what with two hundred thousand of them getting killed in the riots after he left as the last Viceroy.
I suppose there must be something good I can say about him, but, dash it all, it's hard to think of anything.
He was a mean man, surprisingly since he was a millionaire who married a woman even richer
himself, and this is characteristic he passed on to young
is a tightfisted little Scrooge if ever there was one.
He claimed to have a great affection for the Irish peasantry, I'm sure this was true - after all he had been screwing land and money out of them for years.
Not much of a tribute, I grant you, but then, he always was an obnoxious old fool, and I'm in a bad mood. I've just got back from Thiepval Barracks to find a letter from Hér, docking me two months pay for the broken teaset I can tell you, it's no fun being your old chum,
The Brigadier
A SILLY QUESTIO NE MIGHT JUST 1 TELL ACROW MAr WOMEN MUST DIE AT THI BACKSTREE ABORTIONISTS+...
interests of the whole working class that women are able to play a full role
are in the workforce and in the labour
movement. So that women's low pay does not undercut the wage levels of the whole class, so that women cannot be used as a reserve army of labour" to weaken and divide the class having Moreover, this
women is just the thin wedge, Women are weakly organised so they can be defeated most easily.
Centre, since
unwaged
demo at
Centre,
rather
RSITY
50C
and
CERTAIN MEMBERL PARLIAMENT AS LUNATICS"!!
The
Jorv attack prevented end of the
MANCHESTER National Abortion Campaign benefit bop 20 September. 8pm,
Carmoor Rd,
MANCHESTER coach leaves for 28 October
8.30am St. Peters 061-224 4392 for tickets.
BRIGHTON Campaign Against Corrie. Next meeting Wednesday 26 October, 8pm. Resource
North Rd, Brighton.
After women, it will be blacks and the working class as a whole.
Labour Abortion Rights Campaign is preparing to fight the 'conscience cop-out' at the Labour Party conference to ensure that all Labour MP's vote against the Bill.
It was trade union which
abortion becoming question of Labour Party policy in the past. Make sure that your trade union is not going to do the same again.
West Indian
Longsite. 80p/50p
Square. Tel.
NO RETURN ID
BACK STREET
APRATIONS
FREE, BARTON ON DEMAND NeW
A Declaration of Wa THE PRIOR PROPOSALS Available from The Other Bookshop 15p plus 10p postage.
Socialist Challeage 13 Seprember 1979 Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
In the name of unity!
Blackpool '79
By Jonathan Silberman
ARE THE shaping Callaghan's a replay this questiona being asked tators at let vecks the in Blackpool.
Lionel Murray and the TUC tops did their damnedest to ensure that as few possible provided. Congress proceedings were conducted by and large monotone, interrupted only by the occasional anti-Tory remark to the effect that this. the reactionary government since the war and we haveso be united in the face of its attacks:
LEN MURRAY
One thing was clear, however. The sort of unity' that they talked about was a million miles from the united working class action that destroyed the Heath government in 1974. That unity was forged by the unofficial strikes. called by the Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions against the Relations Bill; by the official strikes called by the AUEW that followed; by the factory occupations and work-ins against redundancy and closure 1971-2; by the 1972 miners' against the 7 per cent norm; by the strikes to free the Pentonville Five dockers in July 1972. struggles were launched within first two years of premiership.
IT WASN'T only on the
industrial front that peace-
ful coexistence was offered
as the main strategy at the
TUC. Composite 19, deba-
ted on Thursday,
concerned with peaceful
coexistence worldwide.
Moved by Harry Smith
on behalf of AUEW
(TASS), it was one of the
chief planks of the Com-
munist Party's interven-
tion. Now, course,
everyone's in favour of
peace, so the CP was onto
a winner in this Congress
where unity TaS СОВ-
sidered so highly.
The problem was in
how comrades Smith and
Gill thought that world-
wide peace was to be
achieved. What was really
touching was their faith in
American imperialism and
particular in Carter's
Salt 2 agreement with the
Russian government.
This agreement is not
concerned with the present
Socialist Challenge
prepel
such action.
• 7C10
After massive wilheidwa
most
calling goverment's moans within their power cres demens
It wad been spon Communist Party, and witha
AUEW delegations i had chance of being sur defeated ba one card million); with Joe Gormley
against.
On the delegation had been amendment
this wasn't manaren to
unity, too. interests of 'unity' that they
Collecice
Tory attacks.
Liaison his silence was
Terry Duffy.
Industrial
mention.
In strike LUSY conterence
genuine feeling for a stage-managed All these cannot hide that.
But the Heath's what was
outside the
Of peace and other matters
arsenal of nuclear weapons assembled to date by the US war mongers.
it's supposed reduce the threat of war is not clear. anything Salt by proposing development of nuclear firepower to tactical weapons
likelihood of hawks in the US military mand being allowed to use them.
The only this is taking forward the International struggle for
But thịs conNicts with peaceful coextet ence, so it must sacrificed by Russian bureaucrats...and by the British CP.
They did achieve their unity, though. Even Frank Chapple's EETPU- voted for the composite. We say 'even' after the anti-com munist tirade from Eric Hammond, a member of
13 September 1279 Page 4.
But the appeals for unity that were
indole the Winter Cardars lst week
acht in the opposte direction to
Bring such strugsies, Insteed they were the banner under which Murray, Basnett and Jackson hoped to prevent
The first victims of their kind of "imity" were motions from UCATT andthe Bakers' Union. These motions called for the talks with the Tories to be broken off and for a national day of action against the Prior proposals.
pressure they were
Similar pressure - again in the name of 'unity - was applied to the now famous Furniture Union amend ment to the main General Council
unions, to resist policies by
Despite the t dent was not withe
Left majority in the big TOWU
Tho HarTe west of vote. (61,000 om using tile interpretation of 'unity in the miners. delegation to ensure that they voted d been told that um NUM was going to be withdrawn, When it turned out that
the case, Gormiey
how to cast the union's
stevoted for the amendment had their own ideas about
Doubtless it was in the went along with the majority decision of
not one general secretary so much as whispered to the press any intention of pushing ahead to promote mass action to resist the
The leader most conspicuous by ALEW president The fact that his members form the major part of the two million-odd engineering workers now taking strike action didn't get a
Yet the engineers strikes show that in the real world outside
halls there. Is light. The unity of Congress
contradiction between tion. happening inside and Winter Gardens does the EETPU executive, during the debate private medicince. In the true stule of his leader, Eric threatened to list the if names of trade unionists and politicians who went to the Eastern Bloc for medical treatment!
Congress loves to hate the of the electricians. During the debate on abortion, someone rose to oppose the motion. All around the hall, you could to hear delegates joking 'It's bound to be a member of the ETU!':
Not so. In fact, Frank Chapple signed the aborton petition circhthe lated successfully amongst delegates. Asked by petitioner if
contid be briton a ble
contingent along anti-Corrie demo, Chapple replied 'I doubt it.' 'Don't. you support TUC policy then?
onstration against the crucial
the enormous potential power of the
aes, it takeş more than fighting spirit to win genuine . and
The employers understand this. Frightened by the militancy that was demonstrated last winter, they have been prepared to grant significant wage rises to those workers at the end of the pay round. And they'll be trying to bumer end as beal nave means this time round. already offered 17 per cent their financial state (and have seen it rejected).
But they will combine this with a complete intransigence in the face of any demands such as the 35-hour week which wolle seriousy beem to challenge their plans for rationalisa-
There was no answer political problem at the TUC, even
petitioner questioned. don't support TUC on most questions'
Frank replied 'except on duclear energy."
Congress supported nuclear energy, needless to say.
The second most hated institution was the press.
Well almost. After
tub-thumping act NUPE general secretary Alan Fisher, who gated not only the barons but more loudiy the Journalists who had christened him, 'Hitler' during last winter, delegates then went on to thank the press for covering the • conferевсе.
be Well, are
brotherly, aren't we? In fact, almost completely.
the Out of the 1200 delegates,
only 120 were women though apparently this was the highest proportion in
«Dis history.
policy on the economy.
lasting strategy which recognises the need for
cooperation in economy, which involves workers and unions at every level and challenges hem to accept new responsibilities, strategy which recognises the need fo government control of key decisions. and which social priorities right.'
despite to this from
casti. press very
must iDe As Murray explained: 'Ours is a
managing
schemes. gets the economic and And he went on to 'recognise that
BEFORE
RESULT
SOF
SLABOUR!
AFTER
FRESULT OF ELABOUR.
The importance of unity — a cartoon from the TGWU's Record in the early '20s
ACTS
market pressure the ride fo have or elsewhere; we know that industrit
viable where they • are competing in world markets...
But the acceptance of this means the acceptance of capitalist rational-
only strategy that can urst open the blockage imposed t the TUC tops is one that challeng the very heart of the collaborationist
action for •socialist policies is what's needed. And the fight for a new leadership committed to such a strategy is vital
18 HOLLAND
Page 5 scan of this page
The axe meets a very
By Geoffrey Sheridan
DAVE Bloom and John -gardeners and trade union activists at St John's Hospital in Lewisham, are the first to admit that the hospital's hundred or so staff will not be able to prevent its closure on their own.
So they are more than gratified at the help which the local anti-cuts campaign is marshalling, in Lewisham itself and in the neighbourLamber Lewiseam, and Southwark boroughs served by Area Health Authority.
St John's has the distinction of being the first hospital scheduled for
commissioners, suitably gentlemen installed by ment.to. axe. ESm, declined to carry out.
To be frank, Dave Bloom and John Cox. aren't certain when their hospital will close.
The staff were told at the end of August that it would close on 1 October, duly held a meeting week at which they voted to work-in from that date, and then they received
district which hinted that maybe the closure date would be later.
Dave and John aren't quite so silly as to take that seriously.
Options
True, they have got into the habit of expecting contradictory messages from their bosses. A few days before the announcement of the axe, instance, a news sheet put out by the health district arrived in the stating that the long-term plan for St vill s was Inal 1 snouid become a geriatric or psychiatric hospital.
Those options the staff are willing to consider, but they enough about the
anyone to even observe their meetings
believe that the announcement means what it says.
And thus it is that on Saturday 29 September a march will take place through Lewisham Hospital bearing a simple message for the commissioners: Get lost.
And that march, preceded by much petitioning and
Edinburgh
CUTS in Scotland
beginning to meet united opposition from the labour
movement.
Edinburgh Labour Party has called a demonstration and rally, to be held on 22 bentember. has come from the Scottish
well from Edinburgh Trades Council and Lothian Labour Party.
A conference is planned for next month to discuss
combat the Tories' cuts. Lothian Labour Party has so far taken au decompromising stand, relusing implement either the cuts or rates increases.
Rank and file groups have agreed to make a joint intervention in the demonstration and conference.
At a meeting of the Edinburgh branches of Rank and File Teacher, NALGO Action Group, and Hospital Worker it was decided to campaign for: industrial action against
cuts; opposition
South London health cuts
Cox,
La little
what was
secretive
the governwhich the AHA
last
management put back' -
administrator on the help everyone here.'
post,
have heard newly-installed
health
closure surprise.
St John's Lewisham
which will be its
rates increases; no special cases and no talks with the Tories, and for a public East London NUPE members at the London Hospital will be among those to take strike action today and lobby the City and East London Area Health Authority in protest against proposed health service cuts of f5m.
The decision was taken meeting thousand ancillary workers at the hospital.
Council workers in Hackney are also taking part in the demonstration and lobby, as are trade unionists from private industry and groups from the community who see their health service under attack.
NUPE area officer lan Barber says: "The lobby is seen by NUPE as the first
blunt instrument
ST JOHN's hospital workers Dave Bloom (left) and John Cox
'HERNIA operations and surgery that can wait will be
- comment from Lewisham's district health planned closure of St John's Hospital. He should tell that to William Black, who had Just had a hernia op and was sitting out in the sun on the day Socialist Challenge paid a visit.
'I couldn't have waited any longer,' he says. 'Close this hospital? I'm totally opposed to it. It's different to other places you go in — much more personal, you're not just one of a number. Everybody seems to want to
Dave Bloom and John Cox couldn't agree more. Both gardeners and trade union activists (John is a steward for COHSE), they are in no doubt that the closure of St John's would mean patients having to join already lengthy queues for health care elsewhere.
With iwo of the hospital's wards 'temporarily" closed a few years ago, and never re-opened,
health commissioners considered that closing the remaining two will not meet a mountain of opposition. They are likely to be in for a
leafleting, has been called by the
Campaign Against the Cuts, which is no mean campaign. model Malcolm Richardson, who is on
as delegate from Lewisham and / Deptford: Trades
CUTS BRIEFLY
step in a massive campaign health which would result in the widespread closures of wards and entire hospitals throughout East London.'
Ancillary workers at London Hospital will be holding a series of lightning strikes against atCHION staffing levels. *Marchers are assembling at Ockway house, Stamford Hill at 12.30pm to lobby the Inner London Education Authority against school closures before. marching Leonard's Hospital, Kingsland Road for a rally at 1.30pm.
Islington
By Adrian Yeeles
A TEMPORARY halt in proposed CUS in the Camden Islington
St John's Hospital-from backwater to front line
small, but for
Besides, the
abortions.
trade unionists.'
the probably
Council, and is no stranger to f campaigns, suggests that it is the very
of what such campaign shorld he although that isn't his precise phrase.
A brief history: When the AHA
health area in That the
paign against health cuts and a 100-strone picket o he AHA last Friday Cuts amounting to 10 discussions per cent of the health budget had been scheduled | sion.
Already the staff have voted to work-in from 1 October, and the porters have resolved to move nothing out of the building. St John's, with its 74 beds, might be
its staff and beautiful, not least because of the spacious gardens.
hospital treated • over out-patients in July, and it is one of the few to do
'Everyone wàs dumbfounded at the news of the closure,' says John Cox, 'although I've been expecting it since I came here 30 years ago. But we're a very small unit, so we have to get support from other hospitals and
"And that's starting to come,' adds Dave Bloom. "Through the meetings of the local and area campaigns we're making contacts. Elliott Automation with 2,000 workers is across the road, and they're sending over a deputation of stewards to see us. And then there's the demonstration on 29 September. From being a quie backwater, all this has sprung up in a few days."
was suspended last month, Rushey Party held a public meeting people turned up, health workers and unionists. They decided to launch a NURSES and pensioners were among those who picketed last Friday's AHA meeting
North by the authority's finance sub-committee but pres sure from health workers and the community persuaded the AHA meeting on Friday to continue its rather than take an immediate deci-
meeting February. son.
Opposition
IMG
patients that means
thousand
by health
demonstrations
leaders.
commissioners'
well Fields
ward of Lewisham Labour
- 35| St Albans many of them Lambeth,
• local C
in NO. after Camder Labour I councillor Derel God- passed, frey put forward a motion opposing all cuts in gervices demanding full information from the administration, and stating that there had to be know - now
campaign, and almost half put their name down on the "I want to be involved' sheets. Ong, 50d opted a committe
" elected-a
Which has co-opted a delegate fron the local abortion • Laulpaign, and includes delegates from the area-wide Campaign Against Health Cuts in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. The latter was set up by the trades councils in these three boroughs last
It was the resistance to the cuts by the AHA and the rapidity with which the commissioners have moved in, without any consultation health workers, that has sparked the level of opposition we are now seeing, explains Malcolm Richard-
He also points to the unity that has been established, involving organisations such as the Labour Party, CP,
and SWP who are agreement on the policies required. A meeting of the area-wide campaign last Friday, attended by 150 people, unanimously called for:
Opposition to all health cuts; more money and resources for the health service; the reinstatement of area health authority members, and no co-operation with the commissioners; full support for any action taken
The campaign further committed itself to any action needed by way of lobbying, leafleting,
and the like, reverse the cuts. It has also called for support from the labour movement
The 29 September march defend St John's Hospital is the first initiative. It won't be the last, because the next hospitals line for the
bulldozers are: St Olaves, St Giles, Belgrave..
*The demonstration leaves Lady.
adjacent to Ladywell Station, at 11am, Saturday 29 Sept.
*A conference to discuss now to fight the cuts is to be held by the Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham campaiga on 10 November, at 11am,
Hall, Penton Place, SE17. Details from th campaign secretary, Janet Maguire, tel. 01-407 7600 ext 3164.
these proposals could lead to the sus pension of the AHA. |IS your community taking the curs lying cownt ll not, let Socialist Challenge
. Socialist Challenge 13 September 1979 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Thousands more jobless in BL's search for Japanese levels of efficiency
TWENTY THOUSAND jobs have been axed by British Leyland in the last iwo years, and now it looks as though will Cut 15,000 more, including several piant closures. A crucial test of the unions' ability to resist them is the strike by 4,000 workers at the SD1 plant at
Solibull, which Wednesday 5 September.
Pat Hickey, Deputy Senior Steward for the T&GWU, to explain the issues
bisno redundancies Management recently declared cutback in the production By Alan Turner WORKERS Dundee's Caledon shipyard voted last Thursday to continue to resist the closure of the yard and the resulting loss of 1,000 jobs.
The move vane insistence of the union leadership that not only must the closure of Robb Caledon be accepted, but so too must all the cuts announced three weeks ago by British Shipbuilders and the Tory 6,000 jobs are at stake.
The decision to accept the cuts was made in Blackpool on 4 September at a 600-strong meeting of delegates. The meeting voted to lift the sanctions, including an overtime Socialist Challenge 13 September 1979
The
HE HE least
shared without loss of pay. tunately the meeting split fifty-fifty over this. began on
Harder
We asked
Slump sum
deepening
due to fighting
proRobb Leading ine
and Engineering Unions despite the
He said unions would be Overall at least ipproach
Increase" the term
shipyard
thousands Page 6.
response of the stewards was to unanimously support
For the senior stewards to oppose all redundancies
Unformass membership by 50
I think one reason was that many wanted to leave the company with a
redundancy payment.
That's been a general pattern. The
economic crisis means gets harder, and redundancy payments corresponding-
Shipyard unions surrender
ban, which had been imposed after the announcement of the cuts.
John
Chalmers, the general secretary of the Boilermakers Society and chairperson of the Confederation of Shipbuilding
Chalmers
persuaded the delegates that British
Shipbuilders. had agreed to try to avoid compulsory redundancies.
that management and making a joint the government to of redundancy payment to make job losses more
attractive to older workers'. But even
if the government agrees to such a
of jobs
ly more attractive:
The mass meeting did however decide to oppose compulsory dundancy, and only accept voluntary staff cuts in line with the programme cuts. Management are trying to go a lot further, in some areas cutting staff
per cent, and the assembly systems which are maintaining the same rate of production they want 150 jobs chopped.
Under existing agreements, such cuts have to be mutually agreed but management are just going ahead They say that 'excess labour' shoukt be cut and afterwards discussions held with the unions about whether any is - Scotland, an dica which already suffers from high unemployment.
The union leadership has made a vague promise that alternative work will be found for those who don't opt for redundancy, but these assurances were not accepted by workers. Robb Caledon Bob Barty said that promises of work in oil-related industries were industry were stready being aid ofi. words' because workers in the Barty said the overtime ban and the non-release of two sulles due launching would continue.
As Socialist Challenge went press workers at the Glasgow yards carmarked for closure were meeting i to decide their attitude.
replaced.
The membership know that if the mutuality agreement is thrown manggement wil iust co ahead with any cuts it wants to make, so the mass meeting voted to oppose this. only two against. two This was despite the really difficult situation where they have had less than two beginning of August due to strikes and lay-offs. The management have been engaging
lay-off money and imposing tighter discipline.
Behind all this is probably their plan to restructure the company. It is likely that the SD1, which is Leyland's most modern but least efficient plant, will be earmarked to produce another model taken from another part of British Leyland. Hence management determination to impose plant director calls "Japanese levels of efficiency'.
Offensive
It's vital we spread the action. Last week's mass meeting took no decision on picketing the other 2 plants. Rover Selihull. agreement also applies to them, and despite inelt producuon programme being expanded management will be looking for
support in a common struggle,
of SDis from the dealers or the docks.
are not prepared to be kicked around.
If we win confident that it's possible to go on
offensive redundancies and win. convenor
'empty
for
pamphlet
WIDGETS out
. with
Strike funds. weeks work since the
number what Picketing.
The mutuality
speed-up and statting We have to win their and The union. compounds to
The membership have shown they Negotiations.
this they will feel more
against
Defending picketing rights
THE TUC may have rejected any Tory 'trade union reform', but it's the joint stewards committee of Wandsworth Direct Works department which is taking the lead in action. They are fighting the attempts by the Tory council and the High Court to stop effective picketing
They have been told that they cannot picket two council building sites at which private contractors are doing the work normally done by them. So they responded in just the same way as the dockers did when the Industrial Relations Act was used against them — they are making their picketing even more effective.
A massive show of support is requested for a 'day of action' on Wednesday 19 September. A mass picket of the two sites starts at 7am, and this is followed by a lobby of the council meeting at 6.30pm at Wandsworth Town Hall. Meanwhile the pickets are daily at: Bellamy House, Garrett Lane, SW17. Croudace, Upper Tooting Park, SWI7.
Learning
to strike
HOW to win a strike is not something you are taught at school. The Oper University doesn't run any courses or the subject. Even the unions tend to concentrate on negotiations and your rights under the law.
So Rank and File has produced a
called 'Going on strike' which draws on widespread experi ence of strike action. It has sections
PLUTONIUM -COMPLAINT ABOUT A HEALTH HAZARD...
WORKS
TRY BUCKET COLLECTIÓNS AT
FACTORY GATES...
TAKE YOURE NORELIAL TO THE
Available from Rank and File, c/o
265 Seven Sisters Road, London N4
ZDE. Price 25p.
Page 7 scan of this page
SPG: and now back to the Irish
By Oliver New THE Southall show trials started last Monday. The main trial, Clarence Baker of postponed till later on and a few defendents were fined. But the two hundred pickets outside made sure that their voice was heard inside the court.
The picket was attended by a number of groups. were visible: Ford Langley Stewards Committee, Council, RAR, Blair Peach Memorial Fund, Harlesden Group, ANL and others.
Support for the Southall itself was Indian Workers Association is busy with internal electioneering and the Southall Youth Movement is opposed to picketing the courts.
The trials will be throughout the needs money and support. Build local meetings in support of Southall and the Defence Fund. organised by the Nottincham and Luton, raised for the Defence Fund.
FIGHT PACK
AGAINST
THE FASCISM
OF THE STATE
SPG B! David War
put Stroud Orcen Road, Fintury Park Hornses Crouch End in North London. It isan
heavily populaled by Creeks. Wirl Indians, and Irish people. Police patrol are theretore a regular sight.
The Stapleton is a popular pub lor young people as it has live music. On a
summer evening more pleasing sights is large numbers di loung people enlovine themseres on the pavement outside the pub.
11 August was one such evening. Suddenly a group of people finishing their drinks Stapleton discovered that a large contingent of police had turned up.
the group were Maloney, 20. children's theatre and her younger sister Nicola Maloney, 18. worker in South London. With them
another friend, Kevin Logether with his brother and sister. Complaint
Diane told Socialist Challenge: 'It was about Ipm. A hundred police officers were there with dogs. claimed that neighbours plained about the noise. This was odd bevause there wasn't that much noise. No more than usual. And in anycase a hundred coppers are rarely sent investigate a noise complaint.
1 soon became clear that it was an SPC raiding party. A senior police officer stood pointing people.
Says Diane: 'Two walked insulted Kevin. He kept Disappointed being provoke him, they arrested him for obstruchon. I was shocked and tried to drag Kevin back, so 1 was arrested as well.
'They flung us in the police van. Kevin was beaten and abused.'
nicola inen tried to get
She was obstructed
that
Misty, was Many banners
Shop
Barnet Trades
Asian Womens
picket from limited
continuing Southall
At two meetings ANL recently in
£80 was lies which linki
and ond oi ha
outside the
Diane Kevin Codd works for
a social
Codd,
vile sexist remarks.
well.
They
had com-
sister (height
6it.-rall constable
arrested. They were Irish. several
policemen
verbally
cool. Strip-searched
nIs unable to
Nicola were
past the
tv a
outside the courts. number of policemen. Her top fell off and two policemen grabbed hold of her so she couldn't get it back on. All the time they were commenting on the »t vi ner orcasi, and makie ornei
Finally they let her put her top on. but lor good measure arrested her as
Kevin's brother was walking away from the pub to the chip hop. He was
and Kevin's fins) was arrested and charged with assaulting a
soon became obvious why the C'odds and the Maloneys had been
When the Maloney sisters gavc their names at the police station there were nudges, anti-Irish remarks, and pulled taces.
In the police station both Diane and
strip-searched. They protested, but to no avail. Nicola told us: "i couldn't untie the knots on my dress. My nails are too short. When I told the policewoman she threatened lo call iwo male coppers to tear it off.'
tound it intimidating go by airin
STOP THE SOUTHALL SHOW TRIALS!
RELEASE THE SOUTHALL 342!
On 23 April the police rioted in Southall. Blair Peach was killed, dozens of brothers and sisters were wounded. 342 people, predominantly black workers, were charged. Some have already been sentenced, but the majority will face show trials from 10 September onwards. Regular picketing is being organised You can raise the plight of the 342 in your trade union branch or trades council. You can donate money.
For further details ring: Parita Trivedy [01-574 1325]
We want your help We want you there
Nicola Maloney
searched', says Diane. "No one else was and the object was to humiliate and insult us. I had a bottle of Petulia pertume on me. One of them said, 'That could be liquid cannabis", but they decided not to push that one.
Abused Kevin Codd was constantly abused insulted. and threatened lence. Though once in the station he was not actually physically assaulted.
Diane is a member of Haringey National Abortion Campaign and a LTOM supporter. She was on the big Irish demonstration last August. The Coddsare a known Irish family.
Kevin Codd's lather received an "anonymous' phone call at home and was told that his children had been arrested for shouting 'Up the IRA' outside a pub. He was also told that he would be SHOL 'Politics was discussed at all that evening', says Diane. 'It was a lie.
The question arises: Who rang up Mr Codd and why? It doesn't require too much thinking to work out that the phone call must have been made
Diane Maloney
had been made and why. indicate that the phone call was made by someone connected with the police torce. worth Superintendant Keegan, chief of the SPG for many years, has moved slation. Hisarrival has coincided with a major operation by the SPG with vio- North London police Hornse! Journal, the SPG are cutting
down burglaries in the area.
Codds and forgiven for not accepting that story.
betore magistrate (where eise?) they got a further taste of British law and order.
Barred
visiting the Stapleton Pub till the trial not restarted.
difficult to or witness goury
given record magistrates it is dubious if that would help them very campaign is being mounted. *If you know
This would
that Chief WOO was a
to Hornsey police
According 1o the
Young blacks in Tottenham and the
Maloneys could be
When the six Irish people appeared
Highbury
The magistrate barred them from
This makes it extremely though
much. A local
about other SPG
Blair
Peach-
who is
the
SPG
ripper?
By Paul Harbour
REMEMBER BLAIR
PEACH? He : was killed
during the police riots in
Southall en 23 April. Thal
four and half
months ago. The SPG
Ripper who coshed him to death still remains at large.
A number of identity parades se papise place.
supposedly
attempt to discover the identity of the SPG
Ripper.
But as has been said by all those who were either with Blair on that fateful day or observed the events
in Orchid Avenue, it is impossible for them 10 identify the killer, so the motive for the parades is somewhat obscure.
Mrs Atwal, who lives in Orchid Avenue and whose family tended Blair in his
moments, said: can't identify the murderer. They all look the same to me.' Given that everyone on the street was trying
get away from the police, this is hardly surprising
may? Thia would pend to
the most logical ex-
the mid October date for the official inquest approsch-
Despite all the publicity; despite protests by numerous Labour parties and trades councils, could the verdict of "accidental death' or 'killed by "person persons un known' (or some other legal phrase) be returned?
The Yes, unless we make it clear that our campaign against the SPG and the cover-up will continue.
The police aim is simple. They are hoping that the long delay will mean that the campaign will simply fade away except on the pages of Socialist Worker, Socialist Challenge, etc.
Our aim must be equally simple. To ensure that the exact opposite happens. There are two levels which WYE have to act
now and the inquest.
The TUC motion on the SPG has to be taken into every trade union branch and trades council, and meetings organised on the lUIC of the SPG (the Grunwick film both brief and to the point).
Secondly. the ANI branches should start ganising a torchlight pick. et of police stations on the night before the inquest to show that we have not forgotten what happened in Southall last April and to draw attention to the
which is under way.
A peaceful evening picket in all the major cities would haye a dramatic effect nationally would lay the basis for a real • campaign after the inquest, should this be necessary.
ber 1919 Page 1
Page 8 scan of this page
WAR AND F by Fernando Claudin
THE JUDGEMENTS of historians and politicians who ate champions of the 'free world' and enjoy pointing out the "tricks' by means of which Stalin obtained his satellites and the strategy, while idealising Roosevelt, show not only a lack of objectivity but also ingratitude.
It can certainly be argued that Stalin, with the help of Western Communist leaders who faithfully applied his invaluable contribution to solving the difficult problem which faced Anglo-American capitalism from 1939 onwards - how to defeat their dangerous German rivals while still avoiding the danger of revolution in the vital centres of European capitalism.
Trotsky took an excessively optimistic view of the revolutionary situation which would be created in Europe as a result of a Second World War. This optimism derived from his view of the state of capitalism, the historic capacity production, etc
Second World War revolution on a European scale was not an extremist fantasy. possibility, and one wilch realised from the first day of the war.
This possibility arose not out of the fact that the capitalist system had reached the limiting stage postulated by Trotsky repeating the mistake during the First World Wat
out a 'readjustment' of its structures and pass on to a new stage of development.
The Second World War serious crisis which the imperialist system had experienced in its whole histery. Yet at the spectacularly, even while the war was on, even more afterwards, the vitality which the system considered as a whole still possessed, the enornous polenual or is maustra, leconica. and scientific structures, manipulate the masses and subjection the political attitudes necessary for the survival of
It demonstrated the political intelligence of the ruling classes, manoeuvre, the fruit of centuries of experience. Like the war of 1914-18 and the economic crisis of 1929, the Second World War showed — on a much larger scale — that the 'death-throes' of
lying capitalism would last a good while longer
included ossified structures which came into sharp conflict With system, which was based on centres — Germany, United States.
Anglo-French capitalism over territories ana over „Tne southern and eastern Europe was a obstacle to the expansive potential of these
Anglo-French capitalism, threatened in its most precious interests, yield without struggle. capitalism, which had expansion at hand in Latin America and could more easily advance into the colonial territories, the problem did not present itset as one involving war, hor German and Japanese capitalism, however, open was the traditional From the point of vie of tar
capitalist powers, the Second World War, like the first, was a war for markets, colonies and raw materials, and at the same time it meant the transition of the system as a whole to a new phase, that of state monopoly capitalism. The three powers which were in the lead in this new phase had designs not only on Anglo-rrench territory (in addition to the colonial territories of Holland and Belgium), but also on Soviet territory. The fact that the United States tried to achieve this objective by alliance with its future victims, while its dangerous rivals tried to do it by military. political and military advantages to the former, but made no essential difference to the nature of the aims of one side or the other.
After the experience of the years 1917-20 the bourgeoisie in all countries was fully aware of the dangers involved in the terrible operation which the horrifying logic of the system now again made necessary. The danger appeared all the greater in view Soviet state with its army and the Communist International.
It is true that by the outbreak of war the European revolutionary movements had been defeated and forced underground in almost all the countries of the European continent, but how would the masses react to the effects of this new slaughter? Would not the Communist cells which still existed be able to take advantage of the situation? After all in 1917 the Bolsheviks had only been a handful of revolutionaries.
Each bourgeoisie looked at these unknown factors differently, in the light of the internal situation of its own capitalism was sure of itself, once the labour
octalist C ize 13 September 1979 Page 8
certain Western
of his world the policy of
policies, made an
the leaders of exhaustion of its to develop the forces of However, his prophecy that
could
expressed real the bourgeoisie
- who was here of Lenin's analysis - but out of the
was the most capitalist and
same time it revealed
but
its. ability to keep them ideologies and
and ineir
the movement of the
three Japan and, above all, the The control exercised by old
vast colonial backward areas of serious
was not prepared to For American large field for
Anglo-French
the only way
of the five main Europe.
conquest, gave great
rrance. of the existence of the
of
labour party? country. German
movement and the Communist Party had been crushed in its country. It thought that military victory would allow means any seeds of revolution in the rest of
Japanese capitalism took similar view, since it too had reduced its labour movement to impotence.
On quite a different basis — a reformist integration of the proletariat unequalled in the capitalist world - the United States was in a more favourable position than any other power to face the test of war. The British bourgeoisie could not feel the same confidence, as the great strike of 1926 had emphasised, but the Labour Party at least offered a fairly solid guarantee.
This situation looked very
It was clear that in the system industrial capitalism France was the weakest link. Added to the obsolesence of its political and economic structures was the radicalisation
the proletariat, shown by explosion of 1936, acquired by the Communist Party within the • не
movement and the Communist influence among large groups intellectuals and other social sectors. French Communist Party's exemplary moderation during the period of the Popular Front was not enough to dispel the fearsof the bourgeoisie: was it a temporary tactic or a basic change in the
Italy, which had undergone considerable capitalist development under fascism, was an
it to destroy by similar situation
very any Communism. world
different in
of
the social
position
spread of operations
of The
everywhere.
unknown from the point of view of the solidity of the bourgeoisie. i offer ed sec that its
could not offer the security Germany, but equally visibly, it did not contain
element as disturbing as
Outside the industrial capitalist zone, situations capable of turning into revolutionary crises under the impact of the world war were numerous: the Asian colonies, the republics of Latin America, the backward states of eastern and southern Europe. The most serious and most obvious threat from the point of view of
however, apart from the cabilalsil. entry of the USSR into the war, possible coincidence of fascist defeat (and Soviet victory) and a proletarian revolution in France, which would mark the beginning of a process which could end in revolution, over the whole continent of Europe.
The British and American bourgeoisie were fully aware of this danger, and their whole policy, all their strategic plans and military
throughout the war, profoundly influenced by it, particularly in the last stages of the conflict, when the presence of the Soviet Union, now the first military power in Europe, poised for victory, made itself felt
period the resistance appeared a considerable force, led largely by the Communists, the possibility of revolution could be clearly,seen in Italy, and it became a fact in Yugoslavia and Greece.
industrialist French They
other parts of the world, China.
their views were identical.
rather than
aims, empire's heavy dependence States wa.
Anglo-American
were
European revolution.
A similar problem
The Americans and the British were agreement on two fundamental aims: the ne to defeat their rivals and save capitalist al
Europe from proletari. were also naturally agreement about the need to forestall or crus as the case might be, any threat of revolution
and especially They might differ over the means achieve these ends, but on the ends themselv
Contradictory interests came into pl above all in connection with the colon problem, but that was a question for the futu
an immediate problem. community of interests in the most importa
together with the crumbling Briti the Unit a solid bond for alliance The _diffic problem lay in the contradiction between th two principal aims, since the defeat of Na Germany was a necessary condition for revolution in Europe and the internal logic the anti-fascist war pointed the peoples of t
continent in the directiol
faced the Angl American alliance in the Pacific war, especia in connection with China. In the minds of t leaders in Washington and London, howev the Far Eastern problem was less dramatic th the problem in Europe. At that time th
Page 9 scan of this page
EVOLUTION
underestimated the Communists and the other movements in Asia
The necessity to forestall revolutios if Europe logically forced the governments Great Britain and the United States to seek a compromise with Germany; and, known, they devoted all their efforts to this right up to the outbreak of war.
But the logic of German imperialism was quite different. For it, military victory on the European continent and in the British Isles would enable it to achieve simultaneously two aims: to remove for an indefinite period any threat of revolution in Europe and also secure an economic and political basis for future expansion. This programme of German imperialism represented for the British and Arriericans no less a threat, and above all a much more immediate and precise one, than the possibility of revolution in Europe.
Faced with the unavoidable necessity of defeating Germany in order to protect its vital interests, the Anglo-American alliance was obliged to explore another course which might combine the defeat Germany preservation capitalism wide-ranging agreement with the Soviet state and the Communist movement. This possibility showed itself first at the time of the Popular Front, but its first important demonstration, which showed how far the Soviets could go in this direction, was the German-Soviet pact, in support of which the Kremlin did not hesitate to
chances of the Chinese
revolutionary anti-fascist strategy.
conclusive,
as Is well its duel with Germany. with the France: France, Italy,
force the Communist parties to abandon their
Nevertheless, this action was not entirely
because the Soviet Union had signed the pact with Germany in a position of weakness, and it was not therefore a sufficient basis to predict Soviet behaviour in a position of strength, such as they. would enjoy if the
were defeated. Rut the Rritish and Americars had no alternative to this course, though they combined it with the elementary precaution of acting in such a way that the USSR would be weakened to the maximum in
Experience was to show, as we have seen, that the compromise desired by Washington and London was perfectly possible. It enabled them to overcome the underlying contradiction between their main European aims. the dereat of Germany and the prevention of continental revolution. They were less successful in Asia but the responsibility for that was not Stalin's
From 1943 onwards, the possibility of a revolutionary outcome to the anti-fascist war in Europe was clearly visible in four countries
Yugoslavia and Greece. The defeat of Germany came into sight at the same time, together with the important part to be played in that defeat by the Soviet armies, whose general offensive developed rapidly on al wrons auring me summer ol lilal ycal
i was the year when most of the British an American press shouted its warnings, and when
the leaders of the Anglo-American coalition demanded the dissolution of the and the clear acceptance by the Communist parties of a political line excluding any prospect of revolution. It was the year in which Stalin willingly accepted these demands, did not affect his strategic and political aims, and indeed could be useful to him as bargaining counters in the great negotiation with the Allies
The Yugoslav Communists Moscow's instructions; the Greek Communists hesitated, and during 1944 made concessions to Moscow which were to prove fatal to them.
and Togliatti the neo-reformist turn in these leaders' political views which had begun at the time Popular Front. The leading groups in these two parties, which had been formed in these views offered no resistance
From this the revolutionary development in France and Italy was seriously threatened; the position was as it would have been in Russia in the course of 1917 if Lenin's 'April Theses' had been rejected by the Bolshevik Party. The bourgeois revolution would have consolidated itself, one way or another, but the proletarian revolution would
have taken place, and revolutionaries would still be arguing whether the possibility had really existed and whether or not Lenin was a leftist adventurer, as they are now about France and Italy.
the course it did? And
one-time
available in English.
CHRONOLOGY
European
war in Spain. throughout France. A
The Communist Parties
tion.
1938: Britain
we know nothing.
1939: In non-aggression
their Fuhrer'. sues for peace.
British Empire'.
1941: Hitler Communist Japan and Italy).
1942: Japanese
and half of New Guinea.
1943: The tide turns.
Comintern
German troops.
German
since they
resisted
similar advances.
1944: accepted Stalin's line
of the
possibility of
Greece.
and
• should be used'.
over.
FORTY YEARS AGO, in September 1939, the Second World War broke out in Europe. What was the meaning of this war? Why did it take
what role did the European working class play in it?
On these pages we reprint a passage from The Communist Movement by Fernando Claudin (Penguin Books £4.75), a book partly devoted to answering these questions.
leader of the Spanish Communist Party, Claudin under-estimates the crisis of capitalism and the strength of the revolution during and after the First World War. Yet the book contains some of the finest Marxist analysis of the Second World War 1933: Hitler comes to power in Germany.
ruling class is apprehensive, :but breathes a sigh of relief that the spectre of revolution has been exorcised in Germany. 1936: Popular Front victories in France and Spain. General Franco rebels and starts a civil
Factory occupations spread , victory for the workers in both countries would put the workers on the offensive against Italian and German fascism.
restrain the struggle within the straitjacket of bourgeois democracy.
937: German imperialism re-arms. French an
ritish ruling classes attempt collaboratio
and France accept Nazi occupation of Austria and Czechoslovakia British Prime-Minister Chamberlain declares on the German entry into Prague: *...a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom
August Stalin signs a treaty OI with Hitler. Stalin declares: 'We know how much the German people love
In September Hitler invades Poland. Britain and France declare war on Germany. The Second World War has started.
1940: In April the German imperialist armies occupy Denmark and Norway. In the following two months Belgium and Holland fell. France
British Expeditionary Force evacuates at Dunkirk. German troops march into Paris. Field Marshal Ironside, Chief of the. Imperial Staff remarks: "This is the end of the
invades the Soviet Union. •Parties throughout occupied Europe join or launch a resistance against the Nazis. From now on the USSR will bear the brunt of the war against German imperialism. After à period of debacles the Russian armies fight back. Japanese armies occupy Indochina. Pearl Harbour is bombed and the United States declares war on the Axis Powers (Germany,
imperialists defeat British imperialism in vital sectors of Asia. Singapore and most of. Burma is occupied by Japanese troops. The Japanese are also in occupation of large parts of China, Indonesia, the Phillipines
The Germans are defeated in the Soviet Union. The epic Battle of • Stalingrad results in the surrender of 91,000
It is a decisive defeat for imperialism •The prestige of Stalingrad is reflected in the enormous growth of CPs throughout the world. In China the Communist partisans under the command of Mao Tse Tung, begin to inflict reverses on the Japanese as does Ho Chi Minh in Indochina. In Yugoslavia the forces led by Tito register
The British and American armies cross the channel and open the Second Front. There is a race for Berlin by the Russian armies from the East and the Allies from the West. The Red Army takes Vienna in April and by the end of the month has reached the suburbs of Berlin. At Yalta there is a meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin where Europe is divided into 'spheres of influence. Stalin pledges to prevent revolutions in France, Italy and
1945: In a Berlin bunker the German Fuhrer commits suicide. In Asia the Japanese are on the verge of defeat, but American imperialism wishes to test a new military device. Atomic bombs are used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. American President Truman says: "I regarded it as a military weapon and never had any doubt it
British CP's Daily Worker defends the use of the atom bomb. The war is
13: ст 1979 рaдe9
Page 10 scan of this page
Latin America up in arms
Leftward lurch in the Caribbean
By Alan Freeman
CUBA's twentieth anniversary rally
Havana went wild revolutionary child — Nicaragua.
In Nicaragua today buildings still lie in ruins from Somoza's bombs, as he tried to justify his boast: "I'll bring peace if I have to kill every other man in Nicaragua'.
Instead, a new wave of revolt is under wav in Latin America. against the cruel dictatorships that imperialism keeps in place through-
Twenty ago the revolution changed the face of world politics. It kicked out not just the imperialists, and the dictators, but the capitalists too. The revolution kept its promises to the Cuban people. That is why Western rulers fear it so much.
wave of struggle followed the Cuban tragedy is that at the end of the day. revolution
the Cubans stood alone. Fifteen years later we had seen not two. three. many Cubas, but a succession of bloody defeats.
The Cubans were popular heroic. They supported veloped leistance, sians. But they proved unable to give the political lead the Latin American people needed. Their effort went into guerilla movements -even gave his life - bụt they didn't link up with any mass movement. gun in the hand is not enough to fight imperialism. , The problem organise the people to take up arms.
Moreover the Castroists and their followers did not understand could be relied on and who could not:
'Left' capitalists like the Argentinian Peronists, and left militarists like the Peruvian generals, prepared to fight when their interests were threatened. They ended up doing imperialism's dirty work.
Socialist politicians, like Allende, Ted lo disaster. compromised with the capitalists and generals, even while they got ready for a coup, rather than abandon the 'parliamentary road to socialism'.
Mass workers' parties organising the people to take power themselves could have changed this.
There were tremendous waves of
Castries (ST LUCIA.
ST, VINCENTS BARBAROS CARTBEANS GREN
SEA "TO BAGO
TRINIDAD
VENEZUELA
O MUES 109
By Sheila Malone
'OUR revolution is irreversible, and I say to the over ento ter avoid
you wall avoid revolution yourselves, lib-
erate your peoples'.
This was the warning issued by Maurice Bishop
when he overthrew the
Gairy dictatorship in Gre-
nada last March.
In the months follow-
ing, right-wing Burchul
ments have been ousted in
the IWO islando int Windward islands Dominica and St Lucia
Grenada itself, although
limiting its policies
nationalisations and
system of 'democratic
assemblies, has since
Soctallet Challe • 13 $
20 years after Cuba
1964, Chile and Uruguay lor a new
Cone came
Nazi Stroessner in Paraguay. In Central America, 'Papa Doc's'.
Salvador, Guatemala Nicaragua
aimed 10 sure
Santo Domingo in 1965.
Cuban between imperialist
socialist revolution A left nationalist
SUCCLOU. compromise bosses. and tellto a coup in 1964
the
up huge debts. austerity and repression.
and and de- "terrorists', unlike the Kus- 'hundreds of oppositionists.
the dictatorship,
Che Guevara
is
who
were not
own
Chile's
He
looked to Cuba for aid and
has warned against any US
intervention. St Lucia has
also reportedly sent
hundred men to train in
Cuba as the nucleus of a
peoples' revolutionary
army.
Little wonder then that
US Secretary of State
Cyrus Vance now calls the
Caribbean 'trouble
spot', and looks worriedly
to see how far the ripples
of revolutionary change
may spread.
Burnham: facing mood oj
discontent in Guyana
10
• popular revolt, but they were crushed.
There were military coups in Brazil
1973, and Argentina 1976. The whole Southern
under military rule, alongsidethe 25-ycar rule of open pro-
but regimes like rights.
Haiti, Honduras, and of course administered repression with US State Department backing. police
safe, the US sent marines into the
Attempts to run a middle course
control and union came to grief. government in Bolivia, set up in 1952 on the back of
could longer between workers and
Governments run by left militar- union ists, like that in Peru, could not match imperialism'sthirst for profits and ran
They had to turn to
Now even the 'democratic" government of Colombia is using its fake security law, supposed to be directed
to imprison
But the tables are turning. In Brazil
backbone of secret slate
PUBLICMEETING
Defend the Nicaraguan Revolution!
Eyewitness report from CLIVETURNBULL Speaker from Nicaraguan
Coordinating Committee invited
Friday 14 September, 7.30pm Friends Meeting House, Euston Rd, London NW 1 Organised by International Marxist Group Grenada, Dominica and St Lucia were all islands directly dominated propped up by imperialism through right-wing puppet TELLS But in the Caribbean there are also regimes, notably in wuyalla Jamaica, which call themselves 'co-operative socia list' and 'democratic socialist'
The Peoples National Congress government Guyana, headed by Forbes Burnal, actually brought to power CIA aid in 1953 to prevent the pro-Moscow Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) under Cheddi Jagan coming to power. It bureaucratically and corruptly, relying heavily on International Monetary Fund loans, despite populist and sometimes Marxist jargon.
Although Michael Manley's Peoples National Party in Jamaica had a large majority at the last elections, similar hance the IMF discredited its 'socialism' in the eyes of the masses.
The failure of either
police networks in Latin America and
of imperialist control, crumbling. There have been strikes in the suburbs of Sao Paolo involving some 200,000 metal workers, demanding not only wage rises
democratic trade
Riots broke out in Belo Horizonte
striking VILI CLIVI 'took' the town and fought it out with
Even Pinochet and Argentina's Videla are feeling the pinch.
The trade unions are reorganising. In Chile there is now a permanent
co-ordination and campaign for trade union rights, the CODDESH (Committee Defence of Trade Union and Human Rights).
Both are pursuing an active fight against continued attempts to outlaw
organisation, and there have been several successful strikes. May Day demonstrations have taken place on two successive years.
Both Bolivia and Peru have been forced to hold show 'elections'. spite of the fixing that went on, the people used the elections to show their disgust with the regimes.
In Peru over 12 per cent of the vote went to the FOCEP, a united front
headed by Trotskyist government to break with imperialism has left the
and masses in both countries at
the mercy of continuing economic crises dictated by imperialism and the world market.
There are movements of discontent making ana and Jamaica a second headache for imperialism
Headache Imperialism, however,
with is not the only one with a
headache over these developments. They light the illusion of any "half-way house" to socia-
rules lism.
The movement of the urban inasses themselves, as happened in Grenada, has posed a possible alternative pattern to the failed and already rotten reformism of the Manleys and the Burnhams.
More than this, it has pointed up the bankruptcy
те- of the policies of 'critica
has support' for those regimes
pursued by the Stalinist led parties such as the PPP in Guyana and the Workers Party of Jamaica.
Blanco.
But in Central America the most huge dramatic breakthrough
place in Nicaragua.
The Nicaraguan sparked off mass protest and action in El Salvador, Dominican Republic.
The new wave of revolt is not just a workers re-run of the last. Imperialism is much
weaker. The US got little backing for an invasion of Nicaragua. A second world slump looms.
The working class is moving to the centre of the stage. In Nicaragua a real popular insurrection, above all in open the towns, brought down Somoza In Brazil, calls for an independent
working class party on the model of the Labour Party are winning union support.
FOCEP's result in Peru shows that the mass of the people are prepared to back a line of class independence after their experience of military reform• ism.
The new wave challenge to the labour movement.
In Aller the emican coup
British labour movement realised for the first time that it could also happen here. Our own rulers were strengthened while we were weakened.
This was why such a huge Hugo campaign was built. It was able to Guyhigh-
Maurice l
Britain.
Now,
Socialists imperialists room for "hands has taken
revolution has
Guatemala. altu
best way people. movement. being made
being harassed
were
of revolts is a unions and we 10 the
solidarity Chile
No Betrayalof Chile!
No Deals with Pinochet!
Freeall Latin American Political Prisoners!
NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION
Sunday 16 September Assemble 1pm Clerkenwell Green (Farringdon tube)
Marchto Trafalgar Square
Speakers Michael Foot MP; Moss Evans (Gen. Sec., TGWU); Jonathan Dimbleby; a representative of the Chilean people. Organised by Chile Solidarity Campaign (tel. 01-272 4298)
-looksto Cabaforai
stimulate effective boycott action and win places for some 3000 refugees in
when the working class of these countries has a chance to get moving, solidarity is more vital than
have gIve the the smallest possibie massive off Nicaragua' campaign could show the kind of support thai the workers movement can offer, We should fight for the resources and consciousness built up in the Chile campaign to be turned to the defence of all Latin American peoples
to defend the Chilean
And we should fight, in the new climate, to set up direct links with
class trade struggles in Latin America, to build real working class unity.
The Tory government has created huge new problems for the solidarity
Already overtures are to rebuild diplomatic links with Chile. Refugees in Britain who have no right of asylum, are
pressure group tactics that used under the Labour governent are not cutting much ice any more. We need a mass campaign, which all Latin American movements could co-operate in, involving the
Labour Party, for the release of all Latin American political prisoners, for adequate facilities and rights for refugees, and to build
with everyone the continent of Latin America fighting against repression and exploitation.
Page 11 scan of this page
THE campaign to win the release of the ten
Charter 77 supporters
arrested and jailed in May has been taken up by
the Labour Party NEC. A resolution from the
NEC describes the arrests as 'the most serious
acts of repression seen in Czechoslovakia since
the 1950s'. The
charges carrying sentences of between three and
ten years in jail.
The NEC also added its support to
international appeal against the trials which has
already been signed by 77 Labour MPs and
decided to send an official delegation to present
its protest to the Czechoslovak Embassy. The
delegation included Joan Lestor, Alex Kitson,
and Tony Benn, but was refused entry to the
Embassy the
represented a gross interference in the internal
affairs of Czechoslovakia.
chairperson the
committee, said later that the Labour Party
on in Iran
By John Leadbetter
A LONG and bloody guerrilla war is in the making in the Iranian province. of Kurdestan. As government troops and Islamic Guards, Phantom F4 jets and gunships, marched towards the main Kurdish town of Mahabad, a column of 20,000 Kurds streamed out into the surrounding mountains, promising to return as 'nightly guests'
I ne government's superior
ana transport made it difficult for the Kurds to hold on to the urban centres. But their local knowledge of the mountains northern Kurdestan gives them an inpenetrable base from continue their resistance against the Ayatollah Khomeini, now commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Brutal
Military occupation repression have been response to the lust demands of the Kurdish people for autonomy in the running of the province. The project
the Khomeini-Bazargan ment — to rebuild a capitalist state machine in Iran - has been seriously threatened by 'the spread peasant revolution in Kurdestan.
In the areas around Bowkan and Saddeq, village councils have been growing up in the last few months. These councils have refused to recognise the landowners, and have been organising the sowing haryesting of crops and the distribution of the produce among the peasants.
Area councils, based on representatives of groups of villages, have been coordinating activities on an area basis, including the organising of armed self-defence groups.
Self-defence has been necessary, first of all, against attacks by landlords, who have been provided with arms by Ine lenran government for severa months. It has become all the more necessary since the all-out launched by Khomeini at the end of August: Province
Military occupation of the province may for a time prevent the development of the councils. cidence that Khomeini has directed his assault precisely against areas with the highest level organisation.
His executioner in chief, Ayatollah Khalkhal. has already summary justice in Saddeq and Paveh with arbitrary executions of Kurdish capitves, and is reported to be moving towards Mahabad. But occunations and executions cannot rundamenta causes ollue swuggie -the need and desire of the Kurds, and of all the Iranian participate actively and directly in the tuning ol tuch own dilalls. ferocious hysterin atonest Persian. Khomeini whipped
in Czechoslovakia
defendants await trial
Rights
an that the
Joan Lestor,
party's
Kurds fight
threater the
their struggle as ary' is covered by
helicopter Liberate Ali Mahmoud, secretary for air Kurdish Students facilities has
Washington that • have to
liberate the areas
which to
cannot be established.'
Iranian (Socialist
and brutal They
Khomeini's
other nations,
governDIUVILLE.
of the
Mahabad,
and
elected war
THE latest
17, No. 32)
Its no com-
those of struggle. It also continues to
wielded his
much cheaper at fll for a remove the
people, to Box 6D, London N1 2XP.
would continue to pursue the matter.
The case is also being taken up by a newly formed Lawyers Committee to of Political Defendants in slovakia, which includes the President of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Platts-Mills, and the Solicitor-General in the last Labour government, Peter committee intends to take up the legal aspect of the case and do what it can to ensure that the accused are adequately defended. 'At the same time the committee is aiming to establish links with the Committee Defend Those Prosecuted (VONS), to which accused belong. This poses particular problems for the Prague regime, because it will have 1o speaking people against the Kurds.
His claim that they wish to secede and
integrity of the Revolution' and his description of
'counter-revolutiona vile slander. The Kurdish demand is for autonomy within Iran.
foreign relations the Association of Abroad (AKSA), explained this at a news conference in
recently: "We believe live within the countries we are part of in order to
we live in. We believe that unless the countries in the Middle East are liberated, Kurdestan
Trotskyists. of the HKS Workers Party) have consistently defended the rights of the Kurds to recognition of their national
nation cannot be free if it oppresses
and supported the demands of the Kurdish people for full control over the affairs of their
Intercontinental Press
ARO ber,
had
serrational outery demands:
STOP EXECUTION
OF SOCIALISTS of
IN IRAN!
dad.
issue of, the weekly Intercontinental Press Inprecor (Vol.
contains full
paign against the repression in Iran,
develooments in Nicaragua. as well as
Individual copies cost 30p plus 10p post but subscriptions work out
year (48 issues). to for six months (2o issues) Should be made onCho enter poi
"Interconti- NO nental Pruss' and sent to: IP/I, PO
Labour Party lawyers back Charter77
explain why
Defend the Czecho-
John
Archer. The Europe.
built upon
Czechoslovak
Unjustly all the ten members and the like
AMNESTY International has received a reply from the Iranian Foreign Mini-
the samente protest at the sentences passed on 14 members of the HKS (Socialist Workers Party) in Ahwaz. The minister also appeared on TV on Sunday 2 Septem-
and admitted that he been besieged by enquiries from abroad about the tate of the 14.
The reply denies that the death sentence was ever passed on members of the HKS, and states that their
is still However, it adds that two
the 14 have been sentenced for charges including 'blowing up an oil pipeline in Khuzestan'.
This certainly
• „villar diets information received by Socialist Challenge and substantiated in the Tehran daily newspaper BmWomen
This stated that two women members, Fatima Fallahi and Mahsa Hash-
had been convicted on charges of 'anti-Islamic activities', slanders against the government. (such as that there is repression and the suppression of demo- of cracy) and being members of the Executive Committee of the SWP of Ahwaz'.
mention of any charges of sabotage was made in Bamdad.
Confirmation that all 14 socialists are still alive is certainly welcome news. The fact that the govern-
it is imprisoning people in Czechoslovakia for activity very similar to that of the Haldane Society in Britain — which is praised in the official party press.
The movement of protest against the trial has been the most significant to date by the British
The Labour resolution particular is a real breakthrough which must be
There are already signs that the volume of protest in the Western labour movement has surprised the Prague regime, whose international position is especially weak because of its • origins in the 1968 Soviet invasion. There are reports of divisions within the ruling group over the handling of the opposition, and this would A guard explains there is no room for a Savak torturer because the jail is filled with oil workers, HAS
Solidarity works!
HAMID SHAHRABI
ment has been forced by international pressure to intervene in the trials which are being conducted and without legal representation, proves the vital impor•proves the vital importance of internationally coordinated defence activity in support of the struggles in Iran Nevertheless. international pressure must be Kepl up. Reports from Tehran indicate that harassment of the left is still. continuing House searches for opposition literature are conducted by armed Imam Guards. Danger Furthermore, the lives the HKS members remain in danger. Two lawyers who visited Iran in August at the request of the International Federation for the Rights of Man went to Karoun jail Ahwaz, where the HKS members were at that time being held.
The lawyers, Mous
seem to be postponement of the trial.
which the oppositions in Czechoslovakia
taking on the most
effective disruption
production.
for the defence.
Gardens, London Defence Committee, Montpelier. Road, Londor Charter Defence Fund, House of Commons, London SW1. Oussedik and Michel Zavrian, described the prison as a concentranon camp, operated outside of any judicial control'
The HKS members, they brutal treatments theid said 'had political maturity, •their refusal to compromise and the intuence they laye
their fellow WOl prisoners through dignified comportment have won them the hatred of the Islamic Committee.. they are the ones who risk the most.'
Immense
Protests from around the world have pul mense pressure on the Iranian government. Trade union and about leaders from France, Swe-
Spam, West
land, Spain, Germany, Australia, Canada and the US have sent telegrams to the Khomeini-Bazargan ment:
In this country a letter of protest handed in to the Iranian Embassy in London was signed by Labour MPs Tony Benn, Reg Race, Ernie Roberts, Michael Meacher, Stan Newens and Alf Dubs.
A petition circulated at last week's TUC won broad support.
• A series of meetings are being organised in England, Scotland and Wales around the question of Khomeini's repression, in particular that against the Kunda
out b! the indefinite
The attack on Charter 77 appears to have been conceived as the first in a series of trials in
and East Germany would be cleaned up prior to
developed opposition movement of all — in Poland. Through its
of the first act of this performance, the Isbour movement is now calling into question the future of the whole
Socialist Challenge urges its supporerters to get resolutions passed and organise collections
. Copies of resolutions to the Czechoslovak Embassy, 25 Kensington Palace
W8, and to Charter 77 14 Elgin 16 W5; money 1o c/o Reg Race MP, *Picket the Iranian Embassy again this Satur day 12 to Ipm, 16 Princes Gate, London SW7.
left.
Organised by the Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Democratic Rights, these meetings hope to explain what the labour movement in this country could and should do halt the attacks on the nationalities, the Ien and the
out Iran their whereabouts should be
Hater 24 toshtian Tehran Iran CHE BAYAD KARD [What is to be done) paper of Iranian Trotsky Kurdistan des articl Includes articles or clas nature of the Islamic Republic plus news jrom Iran. Available from the Other Bookshop, Upper Street, London N 2XO
Page 12 scan of this page
The politics of Tom Nairn WETTIN
By George Kerevan
ON 2 JULY the newspaper gave Tom member of the New Left Review editorial board and author of The Break-up of Britain, Iwo-page spread to argue his views on Scottish politics after the collapse of devolution.
It is a telling comment on the separate nature of the Scottish politics that a self-confessed Marxist such as Nairn can be taken seriously by the bourgeois press: Unfortunately far left has so far ignored the realities of Scotland under the Tories.
The crux of Nairn's thesis is that the collapse of devolution was a good thing for the nationalist movement. The TeFeren TECHIT. subsequent electoral setbacks of the Scottish Nationalist Party, will pave the way for the emergence of 'a more mature, hardened National ment located, on hilary sues, Labour's left.'
Nairn . • sees the basis ideological regroupment in the call for an independent Scottish republic, as against the current SNP line of a Scotland under the Queen and within the Commonwealth:
Is nor in any case Just a proposat lo retire the Windsors and elect a Head of State: it is a minimum institutional manifesto, and one which ought to constitute the base-line of any new Scottish political identity.? Group has adopted the call republic.
Tom Nairn has now decided that the struggle for socialism is not on the agenda. Nowhere in a host of recent articles scotsman, Statesman or Voice of the Unions does he even pose the question of the struggle for working class power. Instead he has retreated
18th programme of radical democracy,
independence, republic.
This is the end of a long line for Nairn. He exemplifies a current which does not believe that the working class can inrow on te snackies Of Labou Party reformism. This sees Labourism as a series of powerful political, social and cultural institutions which so fragment and alienate the working class as to outlaw any
of assault against capitalism.
Most follow the Eurocommunist line, exemplified by Dave Purdie the Stuart Holland Labour party from of "democratise' within Labourist institutions mobilise the working class on class struggle issues. Nairn at least has the virtue of still wanting Labourism and the British imperial state. But he goes in the direction in trying to find social forces outside the organised working class to do the job.
Tom Nairn first looked to the student vanguard of the 1960s, when
Then he saw the EEC as a way of
little-Englander ism, only to see the Common Market help strangle the Portuguese revoluDon. Finally, Nairn has become besotted with Scottish nationalism as the only social force which seems to have made any dent on Labour's hold over the working class.
But the obstacle over the past ten years to socialism was not abstract 'Labourism' 'the bourgeois political institutions'. The abstacke was the very İcadership of the working class. It was Caliaghan, Jones and Murray who permitted the Tory victory. It was the failure of the Labour •bich allowed the right-wing petty bourgeois SNP to seize the banner of self-derermination in Scotland when the slogan of 'home rule' had been on the books of the Labour Party and the Scorish TLC for half a century. It as the Tribunites who sabotaged the teres decisions of Labour and TUC
anfertaces by nox fighring for th
Scotsman daily
Nairn,
massive and the
move-
of this
'Republicanism
The 79 for a
clearly
in the the classical frontal
in Assembly.
In the
seeking the history
these self-organisation than record
to smash
opposite 1931
College of Art. 5,000 votes
Labour-
as they were,
broke Bovernment in 1972. back
Scottish workers Labour's cuts
concrete
confronting class. leadership
Sillars from the left.
Undoubtedly, that the ideological ultra-left philistinism
13 Septesaber 1979 Page 12
'Scots workers have shown themselves ready in the past to break with labourism.
This record is in stark contrast to LUCT
of working class in Scotland; of originality and sacrifice consistently ignored by Nairn in his Scottish writings. It was the largely Scottish-based Independent Labour Party which broke with the official MaDonald's betrayal in entering a over Ramsay coalition with the Tories. It was the Fife miners who broke en masse with the Communist Party in 1956 to form the Fife Socialist League, polling over
programme of 'industrial democracy and selt-government for Scotland. root
It was the workers at UCS, ill-led
who were the first to stand up to Heath and win. It was at Longannet power station as much as at Saltley Gates that the mass pickets
the Heath It was the who said no to and formed the Scottish Labour Party in 1976, of which Tom Nairn was a member.
Nairn tries to sidestep the issue of job.
the misleaders of the He has made this mistake before. In 1976, Nairn sided SNP wim Ine oureaucraac icadetsip the SLP to expel over half the party's not activists who were challenging Jim
The felt sincerely left carried t0o much baggage from either towards the national question (which was true) or
SIP
76
left social-democracy (which was also
But rather than hein ideological clarification of which were committed in practice to class struggle - - they were leading the Cumbernauld dustmen's strike and the education college occupations Tom Nairn sided with Jim Sillars.
Alas, Sillars turned out to be an unreconstructed example of a trade union bureaucrat and Labour Party hatchet-man. Nairn R has had the honesty to retreat on some of the positions he held in 1976, but it looks as if he has not learned any of the political lessons
The question of leadership is at
the question of programme Republicanism is an insufficient basis for a political assault on Labourism. Scotland is not peasant society struggling against imperialism. Scotland is the Clyde shipyard worker faced with redundancy; the Glasgow woman trying to get an abortion on London; wit line vinket in to London; the line worker multinational company fighting for a living wage; the unemployed kid in a housing scheme who has never had a
The day after the general election,
chairperson Willie admitted that 'we were seen as simply
relevant' in the face of anti-working class attack of Thatcher. But Tom Nairn retreats into metaphysics rather Wolfe's acid judgement. Nairn says it was not simple fear of Thatcher that led to the referendum debacle and the growth of Labour support in Scotland
in May. Instead he invents something in the known as 'numbness and reluctance forces before the prospect of self-govern-
ment'.
Tom Nairn should ask himself the following question: if the workers gravitated back to Labour at least in part because of hostility Thatcherite Toryism, relate to that 'populist' tradition of anti-Toryism? The crucible in which the fight against leadership of the Scottish working class will take place is in this anti-Tory struggle, not around abstract repub. licanism.
The Labour leadership in Scotand have a huge conular mandate to fight the Tones, but because they wish to 'inherit' the capitalist machine they will back off from leading a genuine fight against the most austerity programme since the 1930s. This can be exploited by the left. Tom Nairn, attention to the concrete features of the Scottish political situation, would see that this time round some of the foundations of Scottish Labourism nave been undermined. ten-year debate about self-government has educated Scots workers into Wolfe a higher awareness of politics.
Secondly, Labourism's lieutenant the in Scotland — the Communist Party
- has been seriously weakened. The CP has long claimed fully a quarter of accept its total membership in the
Scotland. But its failure to challenge the betrayals of the Wilson-Callaghan years has drastically weakened the CP organisationally and
OUR
1976
Scotland
Scottish
List leadership.
how do we
the Labourist
autonomously, greater
horrendous
were he to turn his of a republic.
At
dates. won First, the
remembered uncompromising
West of
politically in
The CP's remaining influence lies among the union full-timers rather than in the shop stewards committees. A small chink thus appears for class struggle forces in the industrial unions to take action against the Tories in defiance of the bureaucratic Labour-
Given proper leadership the Scots workers have shown themselves ready in the past to break with Labourism. The fight for self-determination has created a climate in which Scots workers might be prepared to ac
especially given the impact of the Thatcher austerity measures in Scotland.
The key. to the situation is to ally class struggle demands to the support of the right of self-determination, in
concrete form Scottish Assembly free to determine its own powers. Tom Nairn fails to see this in his abstract embracing of the slogan
the • May elections, the all-but-defunct SLP ran three candi-
Jim Sillars in South Ayrshire over a third of the In Paisley an unknown SLP candidate polled over 8,000 votes compared to the CP's 145 and the WRP's 122
The Scots working iS Class voters
the for stand against Labour's cuts; for its total hostility to incomes policy; for its support of the
Despite Sillars' destruction of the SLP, the voters were still looking for a genuine leadership to the left of Labour. That is the key to defeating Labourism.
Page 13 scan of this page
Getting into men's jobs U.S. style
Women miners can dig too!
By Valerie Coultas IF YOU are a wòman 'and live in the United States you can work as a miner or a steelworker. Not so in Britain, where protective legislation and timid equal rights legislation ensure that many industrial jobs are still exclusive to men. Why the difference?
Artmal ve action means taking measures to overcome the unequal position of blacks, • women, and oppressed nationalities, which in the case of the ÚSA means particularly people from Mexico and Puerto Rico.
There are preferential programmes in the USA, relation to admission to universities. duced in the wake of the black civil rights movement in the early '60s. strengthened 1972 Employment Opportunity (EEOC) was given enforcement powers.
Quotas
Today every company in the USA employing. moré than 50 people is affirmative action récruitment women and Employers are obliged to meet set quotas, and face heavy fines and the loss of government contracts if they fail to achieve these. The EEOC is considerably stronger than its counterpart in Britain. against the American Telegraph and Telephone company, the firm had to (£17.5m) comensation to ployees. This company 400 middle managers exclusively to implement Lic ul nulativc aut blokeauic.
Before 1973 there were virtually no women coal miners. Women took legal action against a number of mining companies. Last. year they obtained court ruling Consolidated Coal Company of which compelled it to hire one woman for every four men until women reached 32.8 per cent of the workforce.
Rather than face Cl balcILONA GERSH took advantage of affirmative action when she started work as a labourer on the iron range in Minnesota, USA, eighteen months ago.
She is now an electrical apprentice, an active member of the Organisation of Women union - the United Steelworkers of America.
Liz Lawrence interviewed her af the. 30th convention of the Workers Party and found out what life is like for women miners in the •Lales Af Affirmative action
creased opportunities® women in industry.
For instance, where I work in US Steel iron ore mine the number of women is now about 10 per cent - 450 out of 4,500 — and it's more than tripled in the last year and a halt.
The company complied with the 20 regulation yet through and this is one thing that women in industry are fighting fortoday.
Independent
Women are concentrated in the labour crews at the bottom of the pay serles. They sweepers, they hose mud, they shovel rocks, they drive service trucks, they work in the warehouse... last year larger numbers of women have become apprentices in the killed crafts.
There are quite a few electrical apprentices and some are becoming mechanics and welders.
Entering non-traditional areas of female employment has tremendous impact on women. one thing, for the first time they're economically independent because of the large incomes they receive. They
Cd t suppol themselves
families. So many women don't feel as tied to marriage as they did before. Plus it's given women a tremendous
sense of confidence and that's why a
large number of women
special
training; jobs, and
They were intro-
Legislation was when Equal Commission programmes for
their training.
When it took out à case
pay out $35m women em-
now employs. some
against the Tennessee,
awards. similar action, other had "voluntarily" begun hiring
National
and of her
Socialist
has Infor certainly haven't
per cent
Janitors,
but in the
forward.
attitudes changing.
had for women.
For
do.
Men have generally been and their
pregnant.
A female plumber is still a karity women as miners. By 1978, the number of women in the coal mines had risen to more than twothousand.
How does this compare with the situation in Britain? Lost Yara total of 35 momen, ece vin between More than half of these awards were les aan discrimination at OnC SOLLUli
WOMEN
MINERS
CAN DIG IT
TOO!
ILONA GERSH — iron ore miner
industry are becoming interested in all kinds of political ideas - because for the first time they have some control over their lives and want to move
women are Five years ago, when women first came into the mines, It wasn't established that it was a place
But today there are so many of us that men generally accept that we can do the same jobs as men
supportive in showing us the ropes. There are some exceptions and those are usually the right wingers who are opposed to women's rights and those who think that women should be barefoot and
. WULCLE
legislation
whole group of women.
The company bears .a lot responsibility, for male hostility. The company doesn't like women moving into the mines.
When women are on probation, a period when they can be fired for any reason at all, the foremen usually give women the hardest jobs and use the excuse that they think the women want to prove that they can do as good a job as the men.
This tends to discourage women. Women have also been SETTEY discouraged by foremen from entering the skilled cratts and are told that they won't be able to get through the technical schooling or that men in the craft won't accept them.
Women who do enter the crafts and become electricians or welders find that the workers are supportive and
£200. Only two women received more than $1,000. Hardly a big pressure on employers who don't have to make these payments to
affected the discrimination, as there are no provisions in our 'class action'. These enable a woman to take a case on behalf of a
that they can make it through.
We've found department in the women have been harassed by their male co-workers ¡directly to the foremen's attitude towards women and their discussions with male workers.
In my union local the number of women participating in union activities has increased When I started there were maybe two or three women Ilactiles.
Feminism
Hin ye aern. Wee got usues
within the union.
Amendment, for abortion rights, for childcare, for affirmative action which the union had abstained from until then, although union members were very interested in these issues. The National Women has had quite an impact on American unions.: Quite a few miners are members of NOW. In fact it was primarily women miners who helped to establish a chapter of NOW on the iron range, with other women on the range.
They see NOW as a real ally in of bringing issues to the union because
they recognise that NOW, with over 100,000 members across the country, is extremely powertul, has authority and that people in the union are going to listen to that kind of organisation.
A move bv women into basid industry is important in the struggle for women's liberation. In fact I think the new rise of women's liberation today around questions like affirmative action is due to more woniel getting IntO independence They feel that they have power as working people who run the country to change things. And that they have allies backing them up the unions.
tribunals in
30 September
men!
Counter attack
the ability IcislaLIOll.
The National Organisation of
working as stevedores!
happy with this
Again admittance medical school.
The bosses implications
TESCILSS.
While government
American experience
CHICAS
same discuss Sex
would union and women's movements.
Novembér. Details from: ROW Rd, London WC1. Tel 01-2786349.
NAC &
that every
mines where
YoNL Ol
it can be traced
INi. Adm:z>p
September phone 01-359-8371.
tremendously.
attending union
feminist issues
Equal Rights back
Corbishley, .
UDILI
'FREE Organisation of
London N1 2XP
HULI •UClalS
industry and gaining
recently obtai Merseyside.
Women have been so unsuccessful at the
Britain that applications are delining rapidly. Betweeen 1 October 1977 and
1978 nearly a third of the applicants who claimed sex discrimination were
Affirmative action in the USA has made a small dent in ine nuge aiscriminatory Darriers ma education and employment for women and blacks. The funds which back up the equality
•compel fırms to introduce quotas, and the provisions for 'class action', have torced reluctant employers to act.
Women has sought out male bastions to invade - even in the New York docks there are now women
But therulingclass and some members of the white male working class in America is not
legislation. The counte! attack has come with reverse discrimination — legal action to claim that it is white men that are being discriminated against, as in the case of Allan Bakke, a white engineer who failed to
LO California University
are not happy . with the of affirmative action on class consciousness. They are not pleased at women miners' attempts to improve safety conditions
Affirmative action will make it more difficult for the employers to fire women as the effects of the economic recession worsen.
legislation has less importance in Britain than in the USA and the trade unions are stronger, it is high time the
was looked at more closely by the women's movement and the
*Rights of Women is holding a workshop to
Discrimination Act and to onsider statie orss hirte y de
Saturday , 374 Gray's Inn WHAT'S LEFT
• ROCK AGAINST SEYISM Gi . West Indian Centre, Carmoor Manchester, Thur 20 Sept 8.00pm. Adm: 80p waged
HACKNEY WRITERS Workshop & Hackne * Islington Music Workshop present a joint SOLS SEOTICS sonucar culune cure. weus y sed. om arır Duke of Wellington, Balls Pond Road, London
IMG TRADE UNION fraction metings: 23 ARSIMD September NÀLGO, CPSA. For details write to Centre or
EALING CAMPAIGN AGAINST CORRIE planning meeting to organise acuvity agalls ithe Corne Hil includine mobiasing Demo. Ealing Town Hall Wed 19 Sept 7.30pm TOT
COULD ANYONE Give-lend-sell Hull IMG a manual for a Roneo 750 electronic duplicator If so ring Angie (0482) 4441922
WORKERS ACTION public meting "Fight against the : Tories Speaker: Stephe CPSA NEC (in personal "Metropolitan 95 Farringdion Sept 8.00pm Rad, Lon the means No Bolges are again avalade from "N ABORTION on Demand'
Week. PO Box 50. London N1 2XP. Singly 231 each, bulk 12p each. Make cheques or POs ou
KGLA LINu teminisc ano cana ureelul need room tortwo monis. none Ulunal 0v2 14 or Freeman 852 1671
ROOKS for Southern Africa comrade money is desperately needed for this vital ficid of international activity. Or send any books Books for Southern Africa, Bon , Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London
POLITICAL PRINTSHOP, London, person for design work. Printshop ехрегса
would be useful asset. Applicants must has experience design, although would given plications BE Challenge (Print) BOx
UNIVERSITYT FI Societ!
Challenge supporters Paspa in Mideton Hall, Hul nigde Patriot Game' (Tirst time in Hull) colunenam ko, rul • HICACES DO IO• TE Ae sellet, socialst books, of
sales o Socilist hallenge (Box 64l, PO Bo SсunY,CIc. grätefully I CONCON NED
inlist Challenge 13 September 1979 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
the Trotskyists.
By Pierre Frank.
Ink Links 1979, hbk £6 pbk. £3.50. 1979 marks the centenary of Trotsky's birth. Ironically it is also Stalin's. When Stalin was fifty the occasion was lauded by orciestate press aggrandisement and Birthday wishes filled a special 250 page book distributed by the million.
It is certain that this year neither Stalin's nor Trotsky's birthdays will be Moscow. But while they've tried to push Stalin into obscurity Trotsky remains a target for slander and political vilification
In the last decade thirty anti-Trotskyist books have been published in the Soviet Union! The soviet bureaucracy spectre of Trotsky and more importantly still fears his ideas for democrațising the regimes in Eastern Europe.
Trotsky founded the Fourth International forty one years ago in 1938. members in over 60 countries. the world Trotskyist movement is told for the first time in English International, The Long Trotskyists, by Pierre Frank. Published by Ink Links it is now available in paperback.
Pierre Frank became involved in revolutionary politics 54 years ago at the age of 19. He is uniquely placco to
PIERRE FRANK was born in 1906. He iomed the ranks of the French Communist Party being expelled in 1929 for supporting the left opposition he devoted his energies to founding the first, French, Trotskyist paper, La Verité.
Ligue Communiste, French section of the Fourth International.
Trotsky's secretary Between 1935 involved in an internal debate in the French Trotskyist organisation which led to his expulsion.
The became again a leading member of the French section.
Britain for three years. Since 1946 he
HOJABR KHOSRAVI, a member of the political committee of the HKS, Iranian sympathising section of the Fourth International, and ex-political prisoner of Khomeini in Iran, speak at the rally to centenary of the birth of Trotsky in London on Friday 21 September. strong revolution to overthrow the Shah, Hojabr Khosravi was Khomeini for agitating in favour of
Camden Socialist Challenge.
Organised by
iacialist Challeage 13 Seplember 1979 Page 14
Pierre Frank to speak at rally
Trotsky's legacy
- the Fourth
International
The Fourth International, The Long March of | Trotskyist movement which he spent his life
150 pages.
He
well campaign of personal self historical distortion.
celebrated following
is still haunted the
Today it has variculal The history of NOYCHCHE
in The Fourth impression March of th Trotskyism.
Communist
write a history of the
Pierre Frank
1925. After
He was a founding member of the
From 1932 to 1933 he worked as in Turkey. and 1936 he was
The differences were resolved and
During the war he was interned in
Iranian Trotskyist
will whom celebrate the
supporter of the
arrested by
COME TO THE
SYMPOSIUM
SOCIAL
building. His views are succintly explained in
outlines the struggles opposition from 1923 onwards within the Third International and details why International was required after the seizure of power by Hitler in 1933 in Germany. From that date the campaign for the Fourth International was waged and finally founded in 1938..
Frank briefly, but systematically, covers the work, debates and crises of the movement in the
four decades. The supplemented by an interesting essay by Ernest Mandel on the Second World War.
Obviously in a book of less than 200 pages many details have been omitted. This is not intended to be the definitive work on the history of the Trotskyist movement. would run to several volumes:
Frank only has space to outline the most important events in political response of the Fourth International. Hence there is very little material on the life of
national Tessin strikie historico cotinky the
When the Fourth International was founded in the 1930s several relatively large
existed to the lett or Parties. Then times larger than the Trotskyists, but today they no longer exist. has been a leader of both the French section and of the International itself.
He has iust completed a maior two volume study of the history of the
Third International, which will be published later this year in France.
freedom for the Kurds and Arabs and for a socialist revolution in Iran.
He was arrested at the same time as other members of the HKS - 12 of
have subsequently sentenced to death and two to life imprisonment for expressing the same political views.
He is in Britain to help organise the international campaign for freedom
Bedford House, Lambs Conduit St. Holborn Community Centre
(5 mins from Red Lion Square)
7.30pm Saturday 15 September
Drink, food and music provided.
the left
new
volume
Such a study
world politics and the
within the
COLBELY
the they were many
DAYONE
10.30-1.30pm Perry Anderson
2.30-5.00pm Workshops
7.30-10.00pm RALLY
BIRTH
DAYTWO 10.00-1.00pm
Workshops
Frank
2.00-5.00pm
Francis Mulhern
been
DAYTHREE
10.00-1.00pm
John Ross
Workshon:
in Eastern Europe
Bailey
2.00-5.00pm
THE FOURTH
NATIONAI
MARCH OF THE
UROTSI
KYISTS
FR
BY PIER
In comparison to parties like the POUM (The Workers Party of Marxist Unification) in Spain or the ILP (Independent Labour Party) in Britain the Fourth International has survived as a world political force. In façt since 1968 it has
CURRENTISSUES OF MARXISM
The Debate on English History, Alternative
Economic Strategy. Banros Marxisn
Speakers include: Perry Anderson, John Ross,
Alan Freeman, Gunther Minnerup
100th ANNIVERSARY OF TROTSKY'S
Speakers include: Pierre Frank, Tariq Ali, the
Voice of deon Trotsky and Hojabr Khosravi
(political committee HKS Iran).
IS LENINISM OBSOLETE?
Dodie Weppler and two of the authors of
Bevond the Fraement:
Class Analysis and Political Strategy, Kautsky
and Eurocommunism, The Communist
Speakers include: Robin Blackburn, Pierre
CUITURE AND POLITICS
THETRADE UNIONS TODAY
Richard Hyman, Steve Jefferys • SHP
Sofihul! - in personal capacity)
Workshops include youth and revolution
TWO TRADITIONSOF MARXISM.IN
Workers Plans and Workers Control, Women
Speakers include: Hilary Wainwright, Dave
THE REVOLUTIONARY LEFT IN
Chris Harman (SWP]. Tariq Ali [IMG]
21-23 September 1979
MARXIST
SYMPOSIUM
influence.
an international organisation.
It the discussion and
As capitalism further,
an international party.
International has never been greater
Fourth International with militants. Trotsky
the International:
more important than 1917, than the epoch of the civil war.'
While Stalin's agents cut
ever.
FRICSISSONS
Creche facilities
Refreshments available
£l a session
€5.50 six sessions excluding the rails
fl for rally.
London
socialist anallenge
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| increased its numerical size and its political
Frank's book highlights the errar of the view that the first job is to build strong national sections and only at a later date unify them into
existence of international support that played an important role in building the national sections. This allowed political errors, which every party inevitably makes, to be corrected more rapidly.
internationalises itself still both via institutions such Common Market or through multinational firms, a world party is more than ever needed.
A European-wide campaign for the right to work and the 35 hour week can only be set up by
Attacks on abortion rights are not just a British phenomenon. Successful anti-imperiwithin the boundaries or banana te within the boundaries of a nation state. need for a unified, democratic, revolutionary
In the '30s Trotsky was criticised for wasting his time and energy in attempting to build the
small groups of • strongly rebutted opinion. In March 1935 he wrote of his fight for
"(this is) the most important work in my life,
more important
short the time Trotsky could devote to this task the movement fighting for his ideas lives on stronger han
21-23 September 1979
MARXIST
SYMPOSIUM
• £5 for all the sessions except the rally (£6
including the rally it baid before 20 septem ber
VENUE: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square;
Make cheques and Postal Orders out lo
Symposium, 328 Upper Street, London NI
..Session/s.
Page 15 scan of this page
What the papers really say
By Jude Woodward
'ANXIOUS police warned yesterday. that no woman was safe out alone at night.' That's the message the press has been concerned to deliver since the death of the 'Yorkshire Ripper's' 12th victim last week.
Babs Leach died after making a "fatal mistake' - that of going for a walk on her own at night.
If you go swimming on a full stomach and drown with cramp, or if you drive into a brick wall without looking where you are going, then you could be said to be making a fatal mistake.
Ordinary commonsense tells you it was a silly thing to do, consequences are tragic, but that it's your own fault for not taking more care.
This is precisely the judgement of the popular press on Babs Leach tragic, but her own fault for being so silly as to think a woman could walk the streets in safety at night. must go out late, have an escort?.
It's such an obvious conclusion, really — impose a curfew on women, for their own safety.
Yet it wasn't only Babs Leach who made a iatal mistake.
Evening Standard told us 'Ripper' himself had made a deadly error' — an error which was slightly. different from the mistake made by Babs Leach. had ordinary respectable girl rather than a prostitute.
Of course, the 'Ripper' has done this twice before, So error. His did not leaving clues around. The implication is that. no one would have bothered doing much about him merely satisfied himself with killing prostitules.
Unclean: women, not fit to mothers, not really women at all... By Geoffrey Sheridan
AN UNCONTENTIOUS cultural page in a socialist newspaper would be hard to imagine. even a dearth of controversial material, little debate, and a distinct lack of imagination would lead to a fair amount of contention!
Under Review comes in for fewer brickbats than it did in its first six months.
Hopefully this reflects the fact that the Editorial Board has responded to some of the criticisms and suggestions made in the early days, and not that people felt their criticisms fell on stony ground.
As a result of all that debate in the early months, what is the current thinking behind the page?
If we take a broad view of culture to include social aspects of life under capitalism as well Interature and the arts there are two aspects of culture which socialists particularly need to examine.
dominant one is that stemming from the bourgeoisie's ideological
- Hollywood movies, television, much of sport, and the rest.
Then there is what might be termed cultural resist• all. in such forms alternative theatre, leftwing and feminist films,
The "Yorkshire Ripper'
and fulfils a cruel boast
and the
'If you
The London
that the
HUSBAND ALAN. He is des killed an
it's his third
involve
if he had
be the police
Under Review under review
ANL-Rock. Against Racism carnivals, new
wave music, worker writ-
ters' groups, photography
workshops the list
grows all the time.
Our approach to the first was expressed by Terry Eagleton in issue No
3 of Socialist Challenge,
when he wrote: 'Art quite often provides us with an
insight into the way
ideologies actually work which is available to us in no other form'.
To the resistance we take a different approach: to examine it critically and do everything we can to defend and encourage it. Herein lie the feelers
towards culture under
socialism (it would be to put MOIC strongly than that).
Although as yet on a tiny scale, it is these activities which provide part of the challenge to the bourgeoisie's domination of the cultural terrain — a stranglehold that will not broken without
Defense of these activities, especially those which receive state funding, will
sary under the present government and its chums in the shires.
Here wered several notable criticisms about Under Review in its early days. The language of a
INTO THE
RIPPER'S
CLUTCHES
SOS FOR IV ELSIE
THE Daily Mirror's version of Babs Leach's murder
Even Oldfield, the officer in charge of
investigation, had apologise for being concerned about
number of the contributions, we were told, was inaccessible We have made efforts to correct this.
Another criticism was that too many of the events . reviewed were performed or presented only London.
We have tried to change this, but London does have a monopoly of much cultural activity this country, and some is too important to ignore.
A useful addition to the coverage would be regular round-up of the fringe theatre plays, many of which tour nationally.
One inadequacy has clearly not been satisfactorily dealt with - the lack of television cover1 nere is a practica. problem about previewing programmes, namely that we don't as vet have the resources to attend the screenings for the press held at the TV companies.
But we badly need reviews of TV programmes readers.
This goes for all other review material. We hope that the kind of articles that we ave published show that you do not have to be an expert to put forward your views and comments! coverage Socialist Challenge is not
Naion Hiding cilb.
Septive
• & stray ahe lied ju
now you can us
from head
Beat that! Cop wins
Simple Soap
491402Mm £693,000
NOT PERFUMED - NOT COLOURED - EST KHD
the victims' fate.
Some folk may sa "It's only rostitutes" but each of these girls i
restricted to Under Re
view. Recently, the •Ti strike, the question of a TUC-Labour Party daily paper, and so on, have all been discussed the home news pages.
But since Terry Eagleton's full-page article on 'Art and Revolution' 'have not carried a lengthy article of this kind. That would not go amiss We also need to main tain our coverage debate on contributions that feminists and others are making to left-wing cultural analysis.
In this context we might immodestly mention Media, Politics, and Cul ture a Socialist View, JUST published by Macmillans at £3.95.
Edited by Carl Gardner, the book is based on a series of forums organised by media workers in the International Marxist Group, and includes articles by several Socialist Challenge journalists and contributors (to be reviewby ed shortly).
Lastly, whatever your views on Under Review we would like to hear from Without your comYUL. ments and criticism cannot hope the page, which is now to be edited by (Martin in Meteyard and Valerie
Coultas.
Mirior
mistake
«respectable
A trihr.. •• pictures and words
to mark sies
the burial of LORD
LOUIS «Bestrump
«foolish for
togo
alon
Simple
somebody's daughter', was how he explained it.
Oldfield's concern sounds fine and full of feeling, but what is he actually saying? That the prostitute is not of concern as the premature death of an individual, but because someone else will be upset.
Prostitutes in many ways express the epitome of male sexual exploitation of women. forced to sell themselves as objects to gratify male sexual society, having degraded women to and
Eleven we
women for it.
Traditionally, been SCI
every
men.
killings.
jeans which
woman the
she was.
the the outrage
there at all.
might
told-you-so victims
line
attitude women. organised
stay at home murder
fear.
These women are
desires. This answer to the police.
HAPPY BABS'
GRIN
S4TH
GALLE
OF DE
this absolute extent, then blames the
prostitutes have as the opposite of everything the real woman should be Yet at the same time the degradation of 'whores' is presented as the fate of
woman who enjoys her sexuality; who tries to live independently of men; who won't play the properly submissive part in relation to
There is a real element of gloating over the gory details of the 'Ripper's
The one thing we can be sure to find in every newspaper report of the murder is the fact that the body was severely mutilated.
The other detail no one missed was that Babs Leach had a patch on her
read 'Best Rump'. A guarded hint, perhaps, that she ever so slightly asked for it?.
There's no smoke without fire. If voung girls will go without bras, in tight jeans, seethrough shirts, then... And when all's said and done, a nice girl wouldn't want to go out walking the streets alone at night.
The Sun made a great point out of
that Babs Leach was definitely not drunk; a point that is only of significance if you think it would have made some difference if
All in all, when you look beyond
and shock-horror there's not much anger
Instead there's a grim fascination with all the details of the killings,
attitude towards the and a warning to women about what happens if they step out of
There has to be a stop to this
toward violence against Bradford Womer have a protest against the 'Ripper' killings, but also against the police response of telling women to
A spokesperson for the group said: 'Why should women stay at home when they have done nothing? We should have a curfew for men and the right to defend ourselves so that all women can walk at night without
Women organising in their own defence would be the beginnings of an
"Ripper' and to the
Ihre
of error
TEAR YBUR TY?
CAN LIL
Be 13 September 1979 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
Defend
the
Leyland
25,000
YOU'VE PROBABLY noticed that we returned to 16 pages a fortuight ago after spending the summer at 12 pages.
The decision to reduce Socialist Challenge was based on consterations as wel as staff on the paper to take summer holidays.
We had always planned to return to the normal size produced for the TUC, but when the time came we weren't sure that we could afford to.
Sales declined more than usual over the summer, and in a situation where costs of paper and printing equipment are rising faster than most other prices, this almost spelt disaster.
However. we decided we would take the risk of returning to 16 pages, trusting that our readers understand the need for a fight to keep it at that size. It hardly needs to be said that with those additional four pages Socialist Challenge has the flexibility to cover a wider range of issues and deal with them in greater depth.
In the coming months
Resistered
Socialist Challenge
AMEL
UNITY IS C STRENGTH
SOUTHALL DISTRICT
FUND DRIVE
financial paper WIll allowing important role to play.
from the issue
way), and so on.
as necessary. will
Winning new readers for
Do you know of a
with the Offlor
THE BOSSES of British Industry have added a new, macabre twist to their much vaunted 'competition'. Now they are competing as to who can sack the most workers.
Three weeks British Shipbuilding put in their bid when they said that anything up to 10,000 jobs had to go.
Michael Edwardes, head of British Leyland, has outdone Shipbuilders. A total of 25,000 jobs will be lost in the next two years if Edwardes has his way.
Both British Leyland are part of the engineering industry in which 42,000 people lost their jobs last year.
That is one reason why engineering workers, in common with many others, have been demanding a 35 hour week: and taking strike action to back that demand. Their argument is simple. If capitalist economic anarchy and management's mistakes that less work is available, then what is available has to be shared out with likely development of big struggles against the Tories, the need to build a strong movement against the Corrie
Dil, the devełoping debate inside the Labour Party — our
have particularly
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Problahed by
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But now
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Shipbuilders and
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And it has been the bosses failures which has led to the crisis at Leyland. Even the Financial Times says the root of the problem is 'the lack of a competative model range', right wing Daily Telegraph reports that Leyland's "technical triumphs' were badly exploited' by ment. None of this is the fault of the shop floor workers. They have every right to say, cut hours, not jobs.
The second demand of the striking engineers is for & national minimum rate. Whilst many get more due to locai agreements the minimum rate is important in defending the organised sections in the engineering
Each year they have put forward these demands, and each year the employers have rejected them. Each year the union leaders have forgotten the demand for shorter hours, and accepted far short of the minimum rate demanded. Now this year even
Terry Duffy forced to take action. DE "communist dominance' 'Engineering Union's delegation to the TUC. After all, if you go calling for such hot-headed demonstrations backs, you must be extremist!
'shop floor revolt'
engineer's strike action then you're just honest, hard working people demanding nothing more than your : right to vote. Or are you?
about some of the leaders Longbridge revolt that fizzled out' was that previously they had tried to lead a return to work despite a mass meeting decision to strike. So much
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328/9 Upper St. London NI.
and the to
blocked at the manage- Committee. least has. been pay, cut the hours.
March of the 'moderates
MUCH WAS made in the press of | for simply demanding the right to
within the
militancy as members against Tory cutmeeting
. On the other hand if you launch a September
against the
been laken.
What the press did not mention
of the "back to workers'
But
multitude of sins.
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But Duffy and friends cannot be relied upon to lead a fight. Already the demand for one hour off the working day has been dropped to one hour off the working week. Attempts
drop the demand for an £80 minimum skilled rate were only just
AUEW. National
The employers are trying to sit it out, hoping the rank and file will start drifting back to work thinking that the gains are not worth the sacrifice. The best way to strengthen the action is for the rank and file to press ahead now with action on their local claim at the same time as the national claim is being fought for. Regional and area meetings of engineering stewards to unify the strikes are needed.
The leadership of the stewards in Leyland must be taken to task for its failure to prepare a fight. They have let thousands of jobs go already. It's time there was a national fight in Leyland. It's time Leyland workers said: share the work with no loss of
Tv nal also 1s not mentioned Is tnat National Front and British Movement were among those who the AUEW stewards in Birmingham on 4
Is this the voice of moderation?
None of this means that mass meetings and votes should not have That is after all the best means of explaining why the strike is needed and takes the wind out of the
it should remind. us that words like "moderate' can cover a
Primied by East End (offsel) Lild.
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← Socialist Challenge No. 112, 6 September 1979Socialist Challenge No. 114, 20 September 1979 →