Socialist Challenge No. 226, 17 December 1982
The scan: sc-no226.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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.
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Challenge DEFEND POLISH WORKERS DEMONSTRATE SUNDAY 20th DECEMBER 1PM, SPEAKERS CORNER TO POLISHEMBASSY
17 December 1981 25p
Socialist Unemployed and strikers 10p
SOLDARNOSC
Inside our special 20 page Xmas issue Defend Polish workers, P.2-5 Interview with Peter Tatchell, The witch hunt in the Labour Party, P.6-8 Review of the year, P. 12-19
Page 2 scan of this page
DEFEND THE
Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Phone 01-359-8133/8180 (editorial and distribution)
THE POLISH WORKERS are in danger. General Military Committee are out to smash the strength of the independent union movement, Solidarity. The defeat of the Polish workers would be a huge setback for the workers of the whole world. Workers power in Poland and international workers' solidarity are the only effective answers to the regime's counterrevolution.
Jaruzelski's Military Committee for National Salvation, comprising 15 generals and 5 colonels, military/political coup to smash the workers. Undoubtedly it was carried out with Tunes! co-operation bureaucrats: Warsaw Pact commander Marshall Kulikov was known to be in warsaw last weekend.
The martial law measures they have introduced made by the workers in the last 16 months: civil rights suspended, six day working reintroduced, a night curfew, the banning of all union activity and gatherings, military courts and the death penalty for those disobeying military instructions, including sectors of the civilian population.
Worse, have been rounded up, have been broken up. and all press links with the outside world cut to cover the sion.
Although the bulk of Solidarity's national and regional leaders are in jail or under house arrest like Walesa, fighting back. A national co-ordination was being set up in the Gdansk shipyards as we went to and spreading. But with the Military Committee set on a course of smashing the union, any workers' resistance will be fiercer repression -security forces or from Soviet and Warsaw Pact tanks.
The Kremlin, which still has blood on its hands from the invasions of Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, has expressed its strong approval of the crackdown. Warsaw Pact countries have followed suit.
The response of the imperialist powers has been equally predictable. intervention' was how described the Tories' mild remarks were made by the Reagan administration. This is hardly surprising. As one London banker explained in last week's Sunday Times: 'Speaking only would be a good thing if Russia invaded, because then she would be obliged to honour Poland's debts'.
Gone are Ine. days media rallied to the cause of workers. the rule of the bureaucrats than with an emerging workers' power. The only real friend of the Polish workers is the international labour movement. It is on its shoulders that the full responsibility for solidarity How taus
In the next few days and weeks the Polish workers will need the maximum support in their confrontation with the armed might of their bureaucratic rulers. This is a struggle for power. All intermediate solutions such as governments of national unity can only mean in the present context the crushing of the independent activitv of the Polish workers
Socialist Challenge calls for the unconditional alease Lech prisoners in Poland, for an end to military rule and for the restoration of all civil and union riahts. Anv moves towards militarv intervention by Warsaw Pact troops must be opposed.
We appeal to all our readers to campaign as vigorously as possible to build a massive solidarity campaign with the Polish workers.
particular the Labour leaders should be forced to lead this campaign. We would propose the following simple resolution for discussion at every labour movement body and workplace to stimulate an enormous campaign of marches, rallies and This branch/ meeting. expresses it.
branch/meeting full solidarity We call for the ending of military rule and all restrictions on Solidarity's right to organise, Walesa and all union prisoners. We demand that there should be no external military intervention into the Polish crisis.
Socialist Challenge r17 December 1981, page 2
great Jaruzelski and the will
launched a well-organised
of the Soviet
overturn at a stroke all the gains
may at least 3000 Solidarity activists
factory occupations the repres-
the Polish workers are
the strikes were
met with yet either from the Polish
Other
'Strict nonLord Carrington Similarly approach.
as a banker, sion.
when Western the Polish They feel much more at home with
with Solidarity
tne and the
Party and TUC expresses
with the Polish workers.
and for the release of Lech own
and politica/
By Davy Jones
MILITARY RULE POWER is the choice facing the Polish people. Don't believe the assurances of Jaruzelski and the military — there
be no return freedom of the last 16 months, unless the military crackdown is defeated.
The ruling bureaucracy Poland launched the military of-
defend their crumbling The totalitarian regime lea by the Communist Party had seen its rule systematically undermined by emergence genuine workers' power. They have turned to the naked force of and security forces. Next they
call Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops.
From the formation ol
independent union movement Solidarity, major confrontation was inevitable. The bureaucrats regime was only able to defend enormous material and political privileges by retaining complete MORODOIV of political power over the working cass
While it rested on collectivised property Tedtions the regime in no way
oe sorking people ests
working people Poland There was workers' democracy before the emergence of guenay there and consequently was no workers' planning of the
Rather Courtly regime relied on its network of party members in the enterprises
The result iS well-known: bureaucratic corruption and mismanagement, and Stalinist repres-
That's why the Polish workers rebelled in summer 1980 to set up independent unions to fight for their own interests. Crisis
But the Polish system has no room for such independent activity by the workers. Al every stage the workers' struggle for their rights led to a further crisis for the regime and
collapse of their power. Almost consciously the Polish workers were drawn increasingly to challenge the overall power of ine bureaucrats.
Solidaritv never called for a return to capitalism,
challenged the basic economic structures of the system. It did fight for better conditions for its members and was confronted by the regime with
economic LOIS responded by demanding workers' control over the
through the establishment of workers' self-management councils
Solidarity demanded the right to its own press to counter the lies of the ourcaucialy was creasingly led to challenge the regime's control over the whole media.
Solidarity drew up its
proposals for economic reform and found this blocked by the Polish parliament. It therefore demanded the right to stand its own can-
OR WORKERS'
to the relative
REPRESSION AND
RESISTANCE
EVENTS are moving very quickly in Poland,
and all communications are cut as we go to
press. But the following is already clear.
In the crackdown at least 3000 Solidarity activists at
a national and local level have been arrested. The Na
tional Commission of Solidarity was arrested after its
meeting in Gdansk on Saturday
arrested in their hotels late at night. Other key Solidarity
leaders were arrested outside Gdansk,
leader Zbigniew Bujak, who was arrested in Warsaw.
workers
significant scale have been the response to the military
repression. On
Wroclaw smut down
works in Krakow and Katowice, but in both places the
strikes seems to have been broken by troops.
officials present at the Krakow plant were arrested.
Gdansk shipyard,
Solidarnosc,
its 37 regions to urge delegates to come to Gdansk and
ser madona sarke committee
In Warsaw the Fiat Polski plant is closed, as is the
Ursus tractor plant.
strikers were ejected by riot police.
Precision Instrument plant was shut down and the oc-
cupiers placed a crane across the entrance. The complete
closing of all communications, together with the closing
of Reuters agency on tuesda)
preventing Western journalists witnessing troops evic
ting strikers from the factories
Martial law suspends all
transport and other key personnel under direct mılitary
command. There is a curfew from 10pm to 6am. All
persons over 12 years need identity cards.
All trade union activity is banned, as are all gather-
ings except religious ceremonies.
law can be punished with the decth penalty or years of
morisonment The
charged under martial law regulations in Lodz.
didates in the national and local elections.
every SLeD took the workers further down the road to establishing their own power and overthrowing the ruling bureaucracy. The regime's own power base the ruling Communist Party
had been ravaged by the crisis. Almost one third of its three million members joined Solidari. ty, and hundreds of thousands members deserted the party after the defeat of the democratisation current, before the special party congress this summer.
With the party discredited by revelations ot corruption and Illas. desertions the regime turned to two other institutions shore up power. General Jaruzelski was made prime minister and then party leader as the army was drawn into the centre of Polish politics.
Patrols
Conscuption was tended and army patrols stepped uo through the
cities in an attempt to Photo: ROY CUCKOW
custom the people to army's presence.
Polish Army has
among Polish people whose hollansm and respect I01 their army's role is strong.
It is also army more than 50 per cent of conscripts, many of whose members are in Solidarity.
The regime also turned to increasing reliance the Church a0 -visors have consistently cautioned moderation from Cardinal Wyszinski's appeal tor a return to work during the August days of 1980, through to Archbishop Glemp's . appeal the military • most of them were
like Warsaw
occupations and strikes on a limited but
Monday all production in Poznan and
Workers occupied ine steel
All union
nistoric Dirin place of is occupied. Solidarity has sent couriers to
Warsaw National Library hundreds of
The Swierczewski
morning is aimed at
civil rights and places
Breaches of martial
first Solidarity leaders have beer
takeover for the Poles to "turn the other cheek'. regime had tried to establish a government ot national unitv with the Church, The Army. the ruling Communist Party and Solidarity. The aim was to force Solidarity a minority force in the government to take responsibility for the crisis and to discipline its own militant members.
Although some union moderates influenced by the Catholic hierarchy in cluding Walesa toyed with this idea as a wav out ot the crisis the manoeuvre W as transparent to
The Gdansk shipyards - birthplace of Solidarity the union leadership to accent. As the union's malor regions announced their intention to contest next Spring's local elections and as they developed the workers' self-management councils, the negotiations for a government of national unity broke down
It was then that the regime decided on military force to crush the workers. Plans were laid
Ine were brought in to advise. It is unc ear now muca warn ing the imperialist powers
given of the folding crackdown, although uncannily Chancellor Schmidt was in East Berlin for talks at the time of the military takeover. The West German prime minister was last in East Germany for talks eleven years ago, the time that the Polist dorn in December 19104t workers revolt was
There is no going back
the days before the militarv coun. While the regime may have hoped to split Solidarity and to win its moderate leaders to a 'compromise' deal involving drastic curtailment of the union's rights in return for *participation an authoritarian government, that perspective looks in. creasingly unlikely
The Polish rulers have opted counterrevolution, and bloody counter-revolution Demonstrators outside the Polish Embassy last weekend
necessary The decisive question now is whether
Solidarry, with their sa
Solidarity, tional leaders imprisoned. can develop a strategy and tactics to lead the Polish workers, farmers and
social to challenge for power.
twelve million workers and farmers organised Solidarity and Rural Solidarity have learned to rel on their own strength and organisations over the past 16 months. ferences naturally emerg ed over the best : way fight for the workers' interests.
It is no secret tha Walesa and moderates were strongly influenced by the Catholic hierarchy and hostile to any notion of the workers taking power. Such political tendencies began to develop into embryonic pontical partie. past few months, with the growth of the right wing nationalis KPN, Jacek Kuron's Clubs for a Selt governing Republic, and other, more socialist currents.
These latter forces concentrated on the development the workers' councils organs of workers' power.
will be these councils and the national strike coordination which will play the key role in fighting to
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POLISH WORKERS
defend the workers and to defeat the military clampdown.
The events of the past few
Have demonstrated yet again that the so-called socialist countries are nothing of Ine kindnev nav lave overthrown capitalism but their bureaucraud will stop at nothing to smash any development of workers' power.
The of the military and the bureaucrats must be broken. There is an alternative to Stalinism and capitalism: system socialist democracy. allowing full political rights to all parties and individuals prepared to ac cept the socialist constitution, will econome. social and political decisions through democratic system of workers councus
Real workers'
Poland democracy would be an enormous attraction to the workers suffering unger Ine Stalinist and capitalist systems of the East and West. Defeat for the Polish workers would set back the international labour movement enormousiy.
Socialists should do everything in their power over ine coming weeks I0 help the Polish workers to
struggle for power.
world march
against military
takeover
By Toni Gorton
West Germany, France, and Italy.
for 'solidarity with Solidarity', the
Communist Partv demonstration in Paris on Italian Rome on the 15th.
Britain: 1000 people demonstrated in front of the Polish embassv on Sundav 13 December. and turinel demonstration is called for Sunday 20 December
Len Murray TUC General The aUc condemns of the says.
Lies acis or reoression, enie net fer, on European
Solidarity should allowed to continue as an in acoenael. lauc union
that Military Council should be ended quickly and civilian rule restored, and that Torelen interventon should take place.
The Morning Star, paper Pars me British Communist
that what is needcreation political partnership between ine Party. sorearry ana other institutions'
It states that this 'cannot be achieved military means France: Liberation, an independent newspaper estimated that 100,000 demonstrated throughout rialle In Paris, the Socialist ParCommunist trade unions in a joined the main non 50,000 calling for 'Liberty for
alla union rents in roland
L'Humanite, of the French CP said that it was
all, resses ver Solidarity destroved the hope that was norn tor an morovement oi life in Poland.
Italy: Work stoppages took
Monday throughout the events. Some 10.000 vouth marched Illan and thousands in Rome
Italian Communist Party said: The blow struck against
political solution
be con-
FREEDOM FOR TRADE UNIONS
Thousands around
HUNDREDS of thousands in the US and Western Europe immediately took to the streets to protest against the declaration of martial law in Poland.
Demonstrations took place in Sweden, Greece,
While the international labour movement called
various communist parties took a mixed view, with the French
boycotting the 50,000 strong 14 December and the CP supporting the huge demonstration in
demned. The party asks that civil and trade union liberties restored and guaranteed.
USA: Tens of Inousana.
Americans or Polish. origin organised protest marches in Front ori the Doled Narions United York.
China: ire foreten minister said that China was firm opposed to any joreign in terference in Polish affairs Switzerland: The consulate Berne socialist was mantants Czechoslavakia: General measures saluted as "the only way tor stopping the rise of counter. revo unon ano tor brevenuing imperialism from putting into d of breaking up the unity of the Warsaw Paci 'The fact that the cousn covernment nos cecioed to find a solution by its own resources good thing. on Eastern Europe. ly Campaign and Eric Heffer MP.
Warsaw devastated by the war Poland since the war
Poland was devastated by the war. One in five Poles died in the war, forty per cent of the national wealth was destroyed, and the whole country ' WI MOVE two hundred miles to the West!
The Communists led by Wladyslaw inherited power after the Soviet Army drove back Hitler's troops. Gomulka WUn ousted in 1948 by Boleslaw Bierut, hard line Stalinist, who set Poland on the course followed by the rest of post-war Eastern Europe.
Protestors outside the Polish Embassy in Rome
Coming events Manchester Public Meeting 7.30 Friday 18 December Central Hall, Oldham St, Manchester Speakers: Bob Litherland MP; Ken Easthan MP; Ewa Barker, Polish Solidarity Campaign; Oliver MacDonald, Labour Focus
London Revolution International Solidarity Rally Friday 18 December at 7.30 Conway Hall, Red Lion Square Tickets £1.00/50p unwaged or YOPs National Demonstration Sunday 20 December Assemble 2pm Speakers Corner to march to Polish
Called by Polish Solidarity Campaign, East European Solidari-
1956: Polish October In the years following the
of Stalin many of the East Euro pean regimes experienced crises. The workers at the ZISPO engineering plan in Poznan, Poland struck
1956. A protest march of workers into the cuy centre on to dune was shot down by riot police. Fifty died and hundreds were injured.
An intense political crisis followed throughout the summer, both colone and Hungary. led to a Soviet invasion in
Hungary to put down the workers' councils, and a change of regime Poland. Gomulka was brought back as party secrelary pleugea I •eXtend workers democracy
But he incorporated the workers' councils into the 'official' unions and the liberalisation the regime was short-lived 1968: The student rebellion.
intellectual circles had developed in the 1960s. Jacek Kuron and Karol Modzelewski published their Open Letter to the Party' in 1964, for which they were imprisoned. When the
RPACK OF
studerts launched lests in 1968 the: repressed.
The crackdown linked to a vicious anti-
the authorities who blamed Jewish intellectuals. Hundreds of students and lecturers were expelled fron the universities. The stu dents recerved no help from the workers — a fact tha was to have drastic implications two later 1970: Workers attacked Gomulka's regime finally attempted to deal with the growing economic CrisIs. Meat and foodstuff prices shot up. But the workers' response was unexpected: widespread strike action and open revolt, particularly in the Baltic ports of Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin. Hundreds workers were shot down The students failed ao aid ine ponce ana army their worker comrades
But the shock of the everts led to the downfall of Gomulka, the cancella-
ROY CUCKOW tion of the price rises and
, a new regime under Ea ward committed to full-scale industrialisa• tion. 1976: Workers Revolt The government had borrowed huge sums of Western money to finance the expansion and modernisation of Polish industry. In July 1976 the authorities tried to with the problems agriculture through food price rises of sixty per cent. here was a wave 01 factory occupations and work stoppages evel more widespread than in 1970
This revolt confirmed the and self confidence of the • Polish workers. It also saw the beginnings of attempts to link the struggles of the workers with the intellec tuals. Dissidents like Kuron formed the KOR to protect workers victimised after ine 19/0 everts
Over the next four years there was a stead) growth in organisation of
workers round journals like Robotnik. The workers were preparing for the Polish August.
Socialist Challenge 17 Decerber 1981 page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
REVIEL
the year
AUGUST 1980. An enormous strike
wave engulfs Poland. The workers
demand the reinstatement of
victimised militants like Anna
Walentynowicz, improvements in
living standards, and the
establishment of independent trade
unions. The head of the strike
movement is the Lënin shipyard in
Gdansk. Delegates assemble here
from workplaces across the country
in a mighty democratic workers'
revolt. The government grant all
Solidarity's demands.
AUGUST 1980. The Catholic
Church offers Walesa and the Polish
workers the bitter pill of
compromise with the system.
Cardinal Wyszinski's appeal to the
workers to return to work I
ignored. But the influence of the
Church hierarchy remained as a
block on the development of
workers power.
KOBIETY
Socialist Challenge 17 December 1981 page 4
DECEMBER 1980. Reluctantly the government has conceded the
unions. On 16 December a monument to workers killed in the 1970 revolt is unveiled to a mass commemoration ceremony in Gdansk. The authorities try to turn the ceremony into one of national unity - the Church, the Party and Solidarity. Within one month another strike wave had broken out over free' Saturdays for the CZY GROUNE ULI CE
ZARZADY
TE:
1980-81 POLITICAL
registration of the independent trade
SOCIALIZ
SolD
MARCH 1981. Party hardliners organise a provocation against Solidarity. Union activists are beaten up in Bydgoszcz by the political police. The threat of a general strike
INALNEG
GLODN
Page 5 scan of this page
ARNOSC
forces the government to back down and concede the registration of Rural Solidarity. Another two million people are now allied to Solidarity's ten million workers.
SOLiDARNOL
THE POLISH REVOLUTION
elections.
JULY/AUGUST 1981. The rank and file democratisation current in the ruling Communist Party is roundly defeated at the party congress. Hundreds of thousands of members begin to desert the party Solidarity's congress on the other hand appeals for support to the East European workers. It calls for an end to censorship and for free
SUMMER/AUTUMN 1981. The government allows the economic crisis to let rip. Queues lengthen still
77791
further and the first hunger marches take place. In Katowice the authorities attack Solidarity activists distributing leaflets.
DECEMBER 1981. The authorities use selective repression at Warsaw against the firefighters' occupation. The aim is to accustom the workers to the military police and to test their reaction.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1981. The Polish rulers propose a government of national salvation of the party, the Church, Solidarity and others. The aim is to make Solidarity take co-responsibility for the crisis. Solidarity counterposes the development of workers' selfmanagement councils in the major workplaces. When the talks break down, the bureaucrats begin to prepare another solution - martial law and widespread repression of the union. What to read
on Poland
Many of the pictures on these oute laken from two DOOKS.
Poland, Solidarity Walesa, Dobbs, Trevisan; Pergamon £8.75. reup, well-proauced packed •WIT good good on history,
Gdansk 1980, pictures of suctions Good black and white pics from August 1980, nore anti-Communist intro. ciner DOOKS worlY Solidarity Poland's dependent trade MacShane, man. £3.50. Good basic trade UnIONISIS quae to sonaarily. packed with useful info.
The Polish August, Penguin, history roush events uo io end 1900.
Poland, the state OT Republic, Pluto malaise and crisis 11 50101 Road paniel ress, 8.
Review Press,
the Duckeronic events. 'on Eastern Europe, Box Kingsland High St, best journal on the Polish events Socialist Democracy, Fourth available Other 328 Üpper Street, London N1 for 35p. rey stonary • CRETS struggle for : genuine workers' democracy.
& Karole
wonky on
reading
in-
Spokes-
Neal
£2.50.
£4.95
Gdansk, Monthly Brilliant
(/i6
Miner we rudo choose
136 Londor
We have to say,
Inter- Soviet Union of course,
'Since the start it was clear that we couldn't avoid a struggie, and that society would understand us.
We must not shout from the rooftops that confrontation is inevitable.
"we love you, we love socialism and ihe party, and the
" and pre-
Lech Walesa, , less than one week before the introduction of martial law.
sent them with a fait accompli..
'But confrontation is inevitable and it will come... . I have no illuNons any more Things have gone so far that we must now tell people everything, nothing less will change reality. No change of the system will come about without trouble. The key thing is to win.
Socialist Challenge 17 December 1981 page 5
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LABOUR PARTY CRISIS®
A CRISIS is gripping the Labour Party which will have profound implications for the future of the labour movement.
As we go into 1982 facing an increasingly discredited besieged Tory government, and the threat of the SDP. leadership of the Labour Party has started a vicious witch hunt against the left.
Unless this witch-hunt is
Labour winning the next election; it threatens to wipe out all the gains for democracy and left wing policies which have been won over the past few
paralyse the party's campaigning ability with a wave of local party disbandments and the expulsion of members. The stakes involved
Why does the leadership want this witch-hunt?
At the Tribune rally
conference Michael Foot promised witch-hunts'. The fact that he made it clear that he wanted Eric Heffer to continue as Chair-
Organisation Committee was also widely interpreted as meaning that he
policies. But Foot's promises have been worthless.
While much of the publicity around the witch-hunt has been directed at the Militant tendency, the fact that Foot singled out Peter Tatchell for a lynchlaw attack, shows purge is directed at the whole of the left. Tatchell is far from being a revolutionary socialist; there are tens of thousands of people to his left in the party.
The meaning of the witchhunt is that the right
which now includes Michael
Foot and his cronies like Kin-
nock on the NEC, want to re-
assert their control
bureaucratic and ministrative means. Control of
the apparatus at the top is to be
used to thwart the
wishes of the rank and file.
Foot calculates that the left*.
wing can be defeated and the party can be 're centred'. Effec-
Socialist Challenge. 17 December 1981
whole
tively this is a strategy of trying that his to make the party
much of the political ground of the SDP as possible. would mean approaching the next general election manifesto in essence no different to that of the SDP. This is formula
wing, catastrophe.
The only way to counter the Tories and the SDP is to present by a programme of anti-capitalist ad- measures which can solve the economic and social crisis.
Thatcherism has failed. The socialist
price of monetarist policy has been the wholesale destruction of even profitable industry. There is no end to the slump in sight.
Without a
page 6
Labour Party
An appeal
»e to the Labour and
Trade Union
movements
adopt as
It terests
with a
for certain will have been lost.
stake
Conservative
clear socialist
wing the mass
holding attacked ship's
through
Photo: JEREMY NICHOLL
fensive.
policy, Labour will fail to present a radical alternative which got can solve the crisis in the in-
of the workers. An branch. historic opportunity to transforming the catastrophe of Thatcherism into its opposite - a bold step twards socialism -
The future of the Labour Party is at
The battle over the past few years between the party's left and right has been fought by a long drawn-out war of attrition.
Now the right wing has decided
on frontal assault. In doing so. it puts the whole future of the Labour Party at stake.
For years the right wing have argued that Labour is a 'broad church', in which dif. ferent currents right and left could be tolerated. But the toleration only lasted so long as the right were in control.
What is being posed now is whether socialists can continue to work and fight within the framework of the party. Now the Labour Party can go two ways. It can become a right
dominated rump aping
SDP or it can become a
campaigning left wing party. But there is no chance of
on to the left wing gains of the past period without the left itself now going onto the offensive. Organise a mass campaign in the Labour Party and the Trade Unions
Tony Benn got it right when he
the Labour leader. moves at the London Labour Briefing rally. The right wing of the party would rather go into a coalition with the SDP than allow the left to carry
socialist policies in a new Labour government. The stakes are so high that only a massive reply by the left can throw back the right wing of-
The first task is to defend Peter Tatchell and the Militant supporters who have been adopted as parliamentary candidates. Resolutions should be
through every possible trade union and Labour Party
Joint Labour Partytrade union rallies must be held in every part of the country to mobilise working class opinion.
A campaign based just on the consituencies will never be adequate. The deputy leadership election showed that the unions are still a decisive arena for the strength of the right wing. Foot and company must be attacked from the unions as well as the constituencies
Every section of the Labour left is under attack. If Militant is attacked today, every part of the left wing will be under threat tomorrow. There is no time to lose.
Page 7 scan of this page
PETER TATCHELL is interviewed by Brian Heron PETER Tatchell is a middle of the road Bennite party member, who has got in the way, in his
words 'of a tempt to reverse the gains of the left in recent years'.
Foot's decision to aldidate sienanled tar he Bermondsey's
(cill-
rigi wing Labour leadership have the Bennite base
the party as their ultimate target.
'Here we have the right wing preaching tolerance and unily_ in one breath' explains Peter Tatchell, 'and next doing
damage Laboul s Ciciion prospelthat does he think is behind the move against himself and the successful Bermondsey Party?
Hardy
'If myself and the Bermondsey Party are not legitimate then Keir Hardy and George Lansbury would similar criterion. This attack represents a complete turning away trom the Labour Party as a force
radical change society; complete capitulation mixed economy consensus, whose greatest advocates are the SDP.
Fighting
Heseltine
ON Saturday 12 December, London Labour Party special conference on how to defend local government. Socialist Challenge talked to TUCKER, a delegate from Vauxhall CLP.
This conference has committed the ondon Labour Party io a campaign againsi Heseltine. Il agreed to organise a selteo oj evers bullalng u London demonstration. organise a conference of local govern. meni traae umonisis lo co-orainale inıs campaign of action. good and making the party stick to its guns should be a major priority.
However. ference let local councils off the hook by passing an electricians' union amendment which ensured that action shoulo 'stay within the law' and removed the call or any tulure Labour cancel penalties imposed on counciliors.
As delegates were quick 1o point out this meant that the union leadersnips nad voted to let councils make thousands of their members redundant. What is more, conference couldn't agree strategy and rejected Vauxhall's proposal for a 'no rent or rate increase, no cuts position' in favour of 'no budget on Heseltine's terms. This Knighi, leader of Lambeth council, 'no cuts, no rate increases, but for others it meant making socialist cuts.
This ambiguity any campaign. We in Lambeth have seen
Bennite target
in witch-hunt
general and desperate at-
Michael Foot has led ihe right wing arack. position in the party as the builder of bridges' has collapased reveal stalking horse for the righn Wing. 'Michael Foot, points out Peter Tatchell, 'can attack inose poried him through rebel vears at the behest et those people who victimiseo ves ce v] In the background of the right's wilch-lule the more sinister project of link win the SDP/Alliance to form a with Labour uyetilcll backing after the next election. the right engage McCarthy style witch-hunt, carry it through there will De cavlaivus aamage the Party's prospects for which they will be responsible.
Coalition
Peter Tatchell con-
ine anem hend up
with another 1931, which a section of the party will sheer away to form LOaaLO government. the held
GREG : to an all-
It agreed to
Which is all to the
someume cor-
government
Burly
meant for Ted
will be the death of
Peter Tatchell: a McCarthy style witch-hunt Whilst I wouldn't wish it LU DUC force it .. but in turn such what happens when you try to take on the government without putting your own house into order firsi. Ted Knight
Labour Party
events could perhaps lead to a 1945. Only this time we will stand by election says he has learnt his lesson. Let's hope the London Labour Party can learn its lesson quickly.
Not going back to policies that have failed pledges and carry through
real distribution wean and power favour of working people enu nedes
How then does he see the role of
cali an parliamentary action? "The same kind of movement for democratic ac-
By Tessa van Gelderen
party, to
calition
agreed at conference.
Tony Benn's speech London meeting on
fight openiy against the hunts in the party.
Ted Knight, Lambeth council, the meeting Party members
with the
false membership Knight argued
of the storm, meetng inat ne
for London Labo 'stated the obvioi
being denied to the
countability must now be carried into the trade union movement. to link political and industrial struggies lo bulia up Mass popular moverent for a real transformation ot British society.
Referring to the recent article of Alex Kitson,
Benn, Brifingand
Bermondsey
'THE proposed purge is really directed at all those who support tion. party policy so as to drive gooc democratic socialists out of the
pave the way for a coalition between a right-wing we Labour Party rump and the SDP after the next election. Such a
wouo aso provide a way of ditching ail the policies
by at the Labour Bri ting Saturday December, was a declaration of rights. war. Il was a declaranon to lake on the party leadership and to
witchbans of icaac , had earlier in called for Labour to 'stand shoulder to shoulder with Bermondsey, shoulder to shoulder
Militant tendency.'
There was a 'political necessity to fight this battle now' and no-one should be asked to swear a ment
oath, Ted
Peter Tatchell, at the centre TOnY
told the packed well: nearly hadn't defeat
Submitted the offending article
Briefing .. He went or Clo-Lo to say that in the circumstances where fundamental rights were stituency
working orebalce class, women, ethnic minorițieș,
Socialist Challenge
leader of Peter Tatchel! : union, the TGWU, whict called for industrial actier: sumed Une Thatche government Tatche. agrees, ine lormer cha: of the party is quite righ: maxe suca siaremens The whole history of the Party has included extra parlamentary activity. it was absolutely correct to as
extra parlamentary
'Do they want us to accept th s
without a tant Tatchell asked, 'simply bacaus=
don't have majority ir parlament?
Tony Benn also took up this theme when he pointed out tha'all our battles have been fough:
people demanding their rights'. Now the battle is taking place inside the party itself and people are demanding their
As Tony Benn pointed out 'an overwhelming the party is equally opposed to
proscriptions and vestigations into the opinions held by party members, and the many groups which exist within the party and enrich its life.'
What all the speakers made clear at the meting was that the fight now taking place inside the party is about what policies are needed to oppose this govern-
and how to get those policies accepted in the labour movement as a whole
Benn summed itid 'After the catastroph! the Labour goverr ment in 1979 which followed the
pation of SDP policies and the pact, neither the af filiated trade unions nor the con
Labour Parties are go back policies that have failed.'
17 December 1981 page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
STRIKE
Ford's 54,000 manual workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action from Tuesday 5 January in response to the company's offer of 7.5 per cent with strings.
Although two small plants in Southampton voted to accept this, the
the mOod glant Dagenham and Halewood plants was militant and enthusiastic. 'Raring to go,' was how Halewood body plant steward, Jimmy Atkinson, described the mood of the Merseyside workers. And Dagenham even the radio news admitted that the on-
discussion about the strike call was whether inere naa been yo or yy per cent in favour.
The size of the strike vote, although not the outcome, surprised many stewards allu shook the company. has been scrabbling around for any old excuse to explain away. First of all, Ford accused the Halewood sewards of 'stampeding' the vote by holding their
meetings before other plants. Then, after the Dagenham votes, the company cancer LIE inions had 'misled' -ambers about what the after meant.
In fact, a leaflet issued
a bitter prospect
by Pat Sikorski
Scott workers last August.
LO Gormley. Recently Alex Ferry, of
societaly Lue Engineering Unions Con: ederation, informed the miners' union executive that the Scott's dispute had been terminated since he end of July, was totally unofficial and should not he supported.
Scott's workers now ae spec. even more bitter than the Arctic conditions ot the Doncaster picket line. They approach ine court hearing being =rought by boss Arthur Snipe, under the Tories'
:981 Employment Act,
blacking camin the pits under severe attack.
It is a bitter irony and an ominous bolter to le future that all this took place as ine newly elecied miners' president, Arthur Stargill, Ilauc likening 1981 and the fight against Tebbit to 1971 and he fight against Heath's Industrial Relations Bill.
The record shows that Scargill has ignored the Scott's dispute from moment the picket started in Doncaster.
An open commitment :rom Scargill, giving the tall backing of the whole Yorkshire area NUM for
blacking and for regular delegations to Socialist Challenge 7 December 1981 paged.:
FORD WORKERS
by the trade union side of the rora National Joint Negotiating Committee spelt it out very cleaniy. I return for a money offer, 4 per cent below the current level of inflation and that was before the mini-budget and twelve
off the working Hillules day in 1983, the company were demanding unconditional acceptance of: 1. An end to any demarcation between jobs and grades 2. An acceptance of any new work system devised by company 3. An end to ALL local agreements which Ford thinks are inefficient
mobility of "OLdI labour.
The trade unions emphasise that this slaves' Charlei. alc lut vave lc quirements. Every clause will be implemented by the company and will affect all grades of Ford workers.
As Socialist Challenge has stressed in recent weeks, choice lacing Ford workers was not between wall and bcacc.IL Was between an all-out strike
Scott's workers face
There has been a vicious twist to the knife that was plunged into the backs of the Laurence
picket lines would have transformed the situation and Torced Snipe negotiate from a position
pit leaderships are now completely exposed their area managements who are threatening large scale lay offs if blacking Conculues
In this situation and with massive fines or even
Scott's workers, and especially the six strike leaders named, do not feel they can defy the High Court inmunction
Even support trom Labour MP' has been sabotaged by the engineering union's head office. They have put enormous
on their sored MPs, especially following the defeat of the Scott's appeal the recently recalled National Committee. top of this, the MP's have been mesmensco that, with the House of Commons
Spending, the matter is 'subjudice'.
apparently has prevented them raising the
the House of Commons or coming on the picket line.
It is a step in the right direction that Michael Meacher and Charles Morris have pledged to get one hundred signatures for an
BY Mick Drake, Dagenham Assembly Plant
now to smash Ford's efficiency demands and win the f20/35-hours claim, or never enaing surikes and lay-offs as Ford implemented efficiency plans section by section, plant oy plant.
The company is now determined to play it hard. No further negotiations are scheduled and Ford announced on 14 December that
It Will be locking the workers out on Monday 4 January. This is the day before the strike begins and normally the qualifying shift for pay ment for the three bank nondays over une Xmas break. At the time of
PrOTO made it clear whether they intend to pay these.
Ford workers will have to be equally determined and organised will Around the clock picketing of plants, docks and depots needs to be organised from day one of the strike with all workers involved pIckeling rotas. And the size of these pickels and wicle incy dic
By she needed make nee
the need to make ine strike effective, not the Tories' anti-union law
Contractors working
Tory government
thur!
early day motion, if anc
when the court's judge
ment becomes clear.
Trade Unions
in plants to prepare them for new car models must be removed. And the support of other workers won through surancis and delegations IO factories, trade union and Labour raly branches rancial effort needs to be made with other workers like the miners, who may be going into struggle agamst the Tory attack on jobs and wants.
To get this level of involvement, Ford workers should have every opportunity through regular steward, trade branch and mass meetings to find out what is happening That means no more secret talks between top otticials in the company, and all negotiations beins conducted through the full national negotiating comwith backs afterwards. After the experience of Leyland, Terry Duffy and Moss Evans have to be told very firmly to keep their noses out of Ford By building on the um demonstrated in the strike vote, and by winning the support of other
show that they have the power to win
The two faces
of Arthur
ARTHUR SCARGILL, president elect of the miners' union, will have the eyes of many militants turned upon him in the next year. His overwhelming election victory on a left wing platform indicates the possibility of organising a real fight to kick out the
But, reading the following articles, his recent actions seem contradictory. Perhaps Arthur Scargill may be willing to set the record straight by making his first act as President elect the call for full support of the miners to the Scott workers? Your move Ar-
There will be a picket of court nearing from 10am onwards on Friday
18 December. Phone 061 231 4434 for further details.
Scargill says
miners
enough
By Alex Baillie
this government.
the centenary of the birth of Willie Gallacher,
Scargill said,
ourselves to a campaign of mass opposition cluding extra-parliamentary action government.
He continued,
could provide the turning point in British politics.
and elect a Labour government pledged to socialism.
many of the present labour leadership were not.
in Poland. He remarked,
British trade union movement.
emergency had been
leader elect of the British miners.
ing?
have had
ARTHUR SCARGILL has made his first major speech since his landslide victory in the miners' presidential elec. tion. In it he argued that only complete rejection by Bri tain's 230,000 miners of the National Coal Board's pay offer would show that British miners had had enough of
He was speaking to a packed meeting at Lochgelly in Fife, organised by the Scottish area of the NUM io mark
the cantankerous communist MP for West Fife from 1935-1950.
I believe that my election last week and the decision of the NUM to consult their membership marks the start of a new campaign of mass opposition against Tory government policy. We must all of us pledge
yes, against the Tory
'The scenario facing British working people in the closing months of 1981 is the most optimistic in the history of the socialist movement. The year ahead
1982 will mark the start of a campaign to get rid of the Tories
Peter Tatchell's only crime, as far as he could see it, was that he was in favour of a socialist Britain, while
Scargill gave an ambiguous comment on the situation
It is ironic that at a time when the Tory press are singing the praises of the Polish working class, here in Britain they are loudly hailing the introduction of legislation aimed at the emasculation of the
Surely on 13 December, nine hours after the state of
declared ir the Polish workers deserved a rousing call of solidarity from the
Or did the celebration of the centenary of such a well worn Stalinist as Gallacher preclude the mention of inter. manna sonary primary commune tarly gamer
Page 9 scan of this page
Labour's extra-parliamentary
By Geoff Bell Peter Tatchell has been judged unfit to be a Labour MP because he wrote an article in support of 'extra-parliamentary action'. Yet compared to some tactics which have been either adopted by the Labour Party, or suggested by its leaders in the past, posals for a sit down in Westminster and large demonstrations are mild.
There is the following example: 'No parliamentary effort could do what we are asking you to do, and desperate our measures are, dangerous as they are, we believe that the disease is so desperate and dangerous that it is only desperate and dangerous methods that can provide a remedy.. means a chalente to the whole constitution of the countrv.'
These remarks were made 1920. The 'measures' being advocated were an indefinite general strike aimed stopping British military intervention against the Soviet government revolutionary Russia.
But what perhaps most remarkable about this speech is who made it.
NOT some communist agitator, not even member of the left wing of J H Thomas - to the left of Michael Foot? the Labour Party, but one
H Thomas, leading
tradition
Peter Tatchell's pro-
member of the Labour's right wing leadership who ten years later was to join Ramsay MacDonald® splitting the party.
Thomas made inis speech when the government of the day, led by Lloyd George had more or less ruled out possible military intervention against the Soviet government. respect Thomas's words were
for knew it was unlikely that he would ever be asked to carry out the threats he was making
Nevertheless, that Thomas was obliged sound militant says much about the period of history in which he spoke, for was a ume which established a very different sort of tradition in the party than that which Michael Foot and his cohorts are swearing by today.
The demands that were then being made in lne party for 'direct action' were NOlusi possible British interven-
against sovie Union. There was also MUCH talk ot a strike to secure the nationalisation of the coal Illics.
Action
The whole debate came
Party conference in 1919. The key
ICSUluLIOR was one which instructed the Labour Party and TUC leaderships to take 'effective action.. to enforce their demands by the unreserved use of their political and industrial power'
The party leadership, especially the parliamenMiners' leader Robert Smillie, advocate of extra parliamentary activities.
1912 Transport strike — only for industrial ends?
tary leadership was hostile • to the COLOR. During the debate the chairperson of the party, J McGurk of the miners? union. , sounded like Michael root sounds today.
'We are enner constitutionalists or we are not constitutionalists' 5210. If we are constitutionalists, if we believe in the efficacy of the political weapon then it is both un-
and because we fail to get a maonly al tie pols call round and demand that we
industrial SUDSLILUEC tion. Weapon
Finally, J R Clynes, who was also to go with MacDonald in the split of
insisted he believed in the use of the 'great union weapon' for industrial ends. but that he retused to use that weapon for so clearly and political purpose as that mentioned in the resolu-
would, said Clynes and again the phrase is familiar — bea blow to democracy'.
anese right wingers were well answered. Robert of the miners' union maintained
Labour Party
JOIN
THE
NUC
that the party national ex. ecutive 'feared more thar
Cisc whal had come to be called direct ac. ion and thus it had 'taker up exactly the position of
and capitalist and politician at the present time'
Bromley, a delegate from the train By Tom Marlowe WITCH-HUNTS are new in the Labour Party. • very nature of the Labour Party tends to make evitable. This is because of the dual nature of the party.
On the one hand it is made up of tens of thousands or party activists and trade unionists, who are proud to call themse ves socialists on the other the party on a day-to-day basis, controlled by small and unrepresentative elites most notably parliamentary party
It is when this control is challenged that the elites seek to drive out of the party or silence those who question their privileged position. evitably as well. such begin on a small basis, against the most identifiable targets. But eventually those who direct the purges cast an ever widening net
Such trends are illustrated by the last time the party leadership attemp ted a major witch-hunt. The first vic
1951 were fry, the Socialist Fellowship This grouping was established in the summer of 1949 by MPs Ellis Smith and Fenner Brockway.
It sought to link up in the party
activists, MPs and trade unionists. Trotskyists played an important part in the running of the Fellowship but it sought to unite all those, in the party who agreed with 'socialisation, workers control, ding the gross inequalities of incomes, a socialist Europe and freedom for the colonies
As the Fellowship grew and the Labour government lo le rigal a clasn between ine two was inevitable. In April 1951 Fellowship was proscribed
The same day Labour's executive had approved a budget from Hugh Gaitskell which imposed cuts in social spending and an increase in military spending The success Fellowship, especially its opposition to the Korean War, had made it necessary for the party leadership to try and silence the grouping
But Fellowship was larger left wing in the Labour Party,
drivers' rammed home this point. He called
the rank and file a lead.
They were waiting for it. It was the leaders who were too respectable, who did not like to be roasted in the capitalist press, who liked to be called level-headed trade unionists.
The last inquisition
nothing
refused to The government
them in- them.
party Bevanites alleged willill une Darly, The PLP agreed to membership against the government.
the
Inwitch-hunts
directed
comparatively
currently much in vogue: en- check the Bevanites
press moved steadily Bevanites followed.
the Fleet Street rags joined in.
the offensive was the Bevanites'
unions
of the Bevanines gave to the biue annoyed
TGWU only part of a Arthur Deakin
DEMAND
UPFICE
INSPECTION
By a iwo-to-one majority the advocates acci acuon won une con ference vote. Threats of a
transport workers the following vCaI alsu secured an important vic-
It would be wrong to argue that the advocates of under the leadership of Nye Bevan.
And when the Bevanites and others
support the Labour in a defence debate in March 1952 the knives went out for Fellowship
ganised', A ame ine, teterania no are
referring a special group organised, secret Tories' i spend from rebels WRO voted Nye Bevan with young Harold Wilson
One historian has recorded what happened next, in language which is to
'Held in Commons the expelled from Bariamentary acentrate and so cara- concentrated extra-
sUllit into collision with big trade unions.' Bevan's rescu ollowed against News Chronicle complained that the group was a 'party within a party', and othe
But what By really made the Labour right go on Gaitskell,
campaign in the constituencies and the
tality
The party leadership was especial- allegation
support the 'dockers' union against the 'white' union of the spiracy,
led by Labour right winger
When Tribune attacked Deakin,
CLERKS
'direct action are more representative of the history of the Labour Par than are the Michael Foots of this world they have a place in the party's history, and in that respect they are are part of traditions. It l those traditions that need defending today.
and supported the blue union it was censurca Dy lne Labour ICC
Side by side with this, CLPs which had shown a willingness to defend the
For other slogans of militancy were disaffiliated and 'reor-
The climax of the purge came in March 1955 when Bevan and 61 other Labour MPs abstained on a Labour opposition amendment to the
white paper. The vicwcu the white paper unamendable and argued instead for outright opposition.
The Labour shadow cabinet voted
withdraw party whip from Bevan and hinted that he should be
the party. A massive campaign in the constituencies and ir
unions eventually came The NE decided not to expe him, but only by the narrowest of majorities. It was nine more years before Labour was returned to office
then Bevan and Hugh demanding Bevan's head, were dead But Gaitskell's witch-hunting men
can be summed up with the lossian: Bevanis is a conspiracy Richard
. it has three essentials of a conSpranisation run by Mikardo, and a leader Bevan. newspaper run by Foot.
The Foot in question was Michael
Socialist Chállenge 17 December 1981 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
'THE historical material and fine art have chosen to honour those men and women
and sacrifice have socialist struggles around the world.'
Christmas TV WATCH out for some real goodies among the films screened over the holiday. and Rhett in Gone with the Wind on BBC1 on Saturday and Sunday 26 and 27 December.
January along with a profile of the Polish film director Andrzej Wajda.
day 20 December. ITV is running Close Encounters of the Third Kind on Monday 28 December at 7.30.
Enjoy! Enjoy!
Heartfield cards f1. 20 per set of eight inclüding postage. Trade terms available. dale Road, London SW4 **************
Socialist Challenge
A Socialist Calender 1982 been whose illuminated labour and Of course we'll all be glued to our seats for Scarlet
The nice surprise is Man of Marble on Friday 1
Then there's The Man who Fell to Earth on Sun-
Order from Rhinoceros, 22c Fern-
page 10
With 12 full colour reproductions, including Sylvia Pankhurst's 'girl working in a pottery
Available from Journeyman Press, Rd, N8 (248 9261) for £5. 65 & 85p VAT
Looks good in London - a completely biased selection Goya's Prints, British Museum Great Russell Street WC1 (636 1555)
The Great Japan Exhibition Part 1: unti 20 December. Part 2: 28 December - 21 Feb.
Admission £3. Royal Academy Burlington House, Piccadilly W1
The Other
Bookshop
The place for your Xmas reading and shopping Books on Marxism, reminism, Black Liberation, Ireland Diaries, Calendars, Postcards
Open until 4pm Xmas Eve 328 Upper St, London N1 (near Angel tubel
97 Ferme Park
(734 9052)
Asante: Kingdom of Gold, Museum of Mankind, Burlington Gardens, WI (437 2224).
Maddox St, WI (499 6870).
El Salvador: Repression & Revolution, until Sat Camerawork, , 121 Roman
London E2 (908 6256)
Badges, Xmas
**
Books of the year
CHRISTMAS is the friends and loved ones the books that you want to read yourself. gests the following, as the key books of the year for socialists.
Bevanism, Spokesman, £4.95 Mark Jenkins tries to explain Bevanism in terms of its relationship with Stalinism. Nonetheless, packed with factual information about the witch-hunts and the divisions in the Labour left. Essential reading for anyone contemplating entrism.
Comrade and Lover, £4.50 Rosa Luxemburg's love letters edited by Eliza Ettinger. All the questions of combining full-time revolutionary activity and personal life are posed here. Highly recommended, despite the very silly introduction. Inside BOSS, Gordon Winter, Penguin £2.95 Gordon Winter was a journalist and agent of the South African security service BOSS. work (and probably still is). But fascinating insights into how our enemies work.
Food Without Frontiers, Gerard Chaliand, Pluto, €2.50 Marxist cookery from dishes. filtrators with little time between meetings. Long Waves in the History of Capitalism, Ernest Mandel, CUP, £7.95, troduced by Ernest Mandel, Penguin, £6.95 Long Waves is a tour de force, situating the present crisis and the prospects for the future.
Volume Three is mainly remarkable for Mandel's 80-odd page introduction, in which he delivers the polemical karate chop to opponents of the law of the declining rate of profit. Classic stuff.
Tell them Everything, Margaretta D'Arcy, Pluto; £1.95.
The struggle of the Armagh women.
and Nicaragua, Writers & Readers, £5.95p.
Weber's book is a little speculative and uncritical, but is packed with the facts. Meiselas's book is a coffee-table picture book, but the pictures are beautiful. Sour Cream 2, Sheba, £1.95.
A second volume of very funny feminist cartoons. The Politics of Combined and Uneven Develop. ment, Michael Lowy, £4.50 The theory of permanent revolution brought up to date Essential for all those currently debating Iran and Cen tral America -which includes at least 55 of our readers. The Dollar and its Rivals, Ricardo Parboni, NLB £3.95.
Parboni traces the struggle of the dollar against the yer and the Deutschmark, and monetary order after the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in the early seventies.
Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh, Penguin, €2.50.
Compelling. help but be fascinated by the long and difficult struggle of the bourgeoisie to find things to occupy their time Pulls at the heart strings.
socialist
wishes all
a happyh
revolutiona
time for giving your
PHIL HEARSE sug-
Labour's High Tide, Mark Jenkins,
Rosa Luxemburg, Pluto, A very nasty piece of
Gerard Chaliand. Single pot Just right for Marxist bed-sitter subversive in-
, and Capital Vol 3, K Marx, in-
Penguin's Capital Susan Meiselas, the new international
Anyone who has seen the TV series can't
Spot the The top helicopter scabbed on th ed Polish riot police on the roof
Christmas picket line IT'LL be Christmas LSE workers as th struggle against th his flying scabs.
They and their rific fight against a
For most of thi on what you in t given them. Their in the back by wit!
You can make fight by giving ther setting them up fo tions wherever yo you can.
Rotherham
steelworkers have tions of f500 each. Please send your dona Stewards Committee › Connolly, Convenors C Ick/es, Rotherham, So
Page 11 scan of this page
ifference? it workers while the bottom one landarsaw firefighters academy.
• the
he picket line for these bad into a new year of oss Scrooge Snipe and
lies have waged a terds to save their jobs. le they have depended bour movement have a leaders stabbed them wing official support. al contribution to this ood holiday season and New Year. Take collecand give as much as
South Yorkshire ted off with two dona-
: Laurence Scott Joint Shop Appeal Fund, c/o Bernard CEW, Rotherham BSC, The arkshire.
challenge
ur readers
liday & a
y new year
Challenge? How well do you
Challenge during 1981. January 1) Which European political party assault with bulldozers, wire-cutters and clubs on a hostel for immigrants, declaring: "The people are fed up... out of every inhabitants. two are migrants'.
2) It wasn't the Cup Final, but what did lonv Benn describe turning
British history'? 3) Richard Giordano became the highest company executive in Bri tain with What salary £271,400. was his company?
February 4) What did Weinberger, US defence
describe valuable addition to forces, which we shall probably want to use?' 5) Which union launched a campaign for 'positive action' employment back workers. 6) In an exclusive intervew OOOC219 Challenge how: "The first bullet nt me in une back. then the second one hit me
Farm.. bullet hit me in the head 7) 'I haven't changed my politics', she said, as this Nationa presidenio LOTTICE of the
Union
How carefully do you read Socialist
remember what happened in the last 12 months? Test yourself with this quiz. All questions are based on information contained in Socialist
Students swopped parties. an Who was she, and what did she leave and join?
March 8) A 'Black People's Day ten of Action' ended with cenHI - tral London being taker by black demonstrators. What was the protest about? 9) After a tive Call. paign who won the right to ive with ner children? 10) Ten million Polish workers W Will on strike after police attacked paid Solidarity members, which town? of 11) Which 27-year member of the National Union of Vehicle Builders announcea nis mention lo stand in a by-election?
Carl
April our 12) Which 56 year-old member of the Transport and General Workers Union announced his in. tention to stand in another for election, and for what? 13) An estimated 40,000 women went on strike Amsterdam. Over what? 14) Which occupation began under the slogan, We want to be Mannext chester workers not Doncaster Rovers'?
M Who defeated Gerry
of Fitt in a council election in
THE J
SPECI
ECHO
ХтС.
STRAI
Quiz' of the, year
Belfast? 16) In a referendum, which European did 70 per cent vote against what? 17) What lid din ocialist politician did Challenge reveal was being paid f8,616 a year by the Daily Express? 18) Who told Socialist Challenge: 'I don't think import controls would solve the crisis, any more than devaluation or wage controls'?
vune 19) Who joked at the start of an inquiry: 'I was told as a child to always agree with the police. safest course'? old 20) What happened when the Foreskins played at the Hambrough? 21) Who won 38 per cen in the first round?
July 22) Who announced his support for an independent Northern Ireland? 23) Who seized whose coffin in Belfast? coming from oilside por 24) Who blamed the youth uprising in Manchester? 25) In an opinion poll in the Sunday Times what needed e said Britain needed revolutionary change'?
August 26) John Boyd of the AUEW wrote: 'We have therefore instructed our
Spures
N THE EUROPEAN THEATRE
AIRS ALL RECORD ROYALTIES DONATED TO: CND FRIENDS OF THE EARTH, KUROPEAN MUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, THE ANTI-NUCLEAR CAMPAIGN, dk INTO A JOINT FUND FOR "NO-NUKES" PROJECTS. ACCESS TO ALL ON MERIT
members to work.' Who ignored the instruction? 27) After seven months, what ended in victory? 28) What was the significance of the figure 31. /0! in 29) Where was a second state of emergency within three months declared?
September
30) What did EP Thompson and Edward Heath have in common? 31) Who didn't heckle Denis Healey? 32) Who was refused entry into Spain?
October 33) What did Derek Foster Tom Graham, John Smith and 59 others not do? called for •decade of confrontathe 35) Where did PASOK win 47 per cent of the vote? 36) Who was ousted Communist Party leader?
November
37) Who said: "There seems to be some confusion about whether NATO has a contingency plan to fire a nuclear missile first'? 38) Who wrote, I want to Foot tribute to Michael and then left the Labour Party? 39) Who There is another option to that of alTe understanding namely, controntation'
December 40) Who said, 'Confrontation inevitable and confrontation will take place'?
and Revolutionary
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The compiler, Guy Brett, has drawn together from twenty countries ex amples of the Art of Resistance as varied as woodcuts from China, pendants from El Salvador and embroidery from PaleSune
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***************** 17 December 1981 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
THE BLACK PEOPLE's DAY OF ACTION in March this year was an historic event. The call came from the New Cross Massacre Action Committee in response to police and press attempts to cover up the real story surrounding the fire at 439 New Cross Road, in which thirteen black youth lost their lives.
The determination of Britain's black population to defend themselves against all comers - be they police, fascists or Tory policies - has made its mark on the major political events of 1981.
In April, when the police launched a special operation against the black community in Brixton 'Swamp '81' - black youth were joined by whites in
War in street battles unprecedented on
the British mainland this century.
Nobody in the black com munity in Brixton was prepared to condemn the young people.
The Brixton events marked a
the inner historic break with British socie.
ty by large sections of the most oppressed of the inner cities. Three months later, in July, the pattern was to be repeated up and down the country.
As the year ends, Tory Bri-
cities tain has come no closer to solv-
ing the probiems of Britain's inner cities.
The Scarman inquiry into Brixton has been greeted with derision from the black community and local council leaders alike.
While the savage attacks on inner city councils are stepped up with the Heseltine Bill, and rising unemployment continues to be a cornerstone of Tory policy, the stage seems set for a further escalation of the inner ci ty war in 1982.
Photos: Pete Grant Sidelines CIS Hou
Socialist Challenge • 17 December 1981 • page 12
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RHYTHM OF TIME
Bobby Sands
By Bobby Sands, MP
There's an inner thing in every man, Do you know this thing my friend?
It has withstood the blows of a million years, And will do so to the end.
It was born when time did not exist, And it grew up out of life, It cut down evil's strangling vines, Like a slashing searing knife.
It lit fires when fires were not, And burnt the mind of man, Tempering leadened hearts to
CAB SOM
Francis Hughes Raymond McCreesh Patsy O' Hara steel,
began.
Babylon,
loss,
agony,
the Cross.
sword,
'Spartacus', Along the Appian Way.
From the time that time
It went by the waters of
And when all men were a
It screeched in writhing
And it hung bleeding from
It died in Rome by lion and
And in defiant cruel array, When the deathly word was
heel.
TOREVIEL
the Year
Joe McDonell Martin Hurson It marched with Wat the Tyler's poor, And frightened lord and king, And it was emblazoned in their deathly stare, As e'er a living thing.
It smiled in holy innocence, Before conquistadors of old, So meek and tame and unaware, Of the deathly power of gold. It burst forth through pitiful Paris streets, And stormed the old Bastille, And marched upon the serpent's head, And crushed it 'neath its
Kevin Lynch It died in blood on Buffalo Plains, And starved by moons of rain, Its heart was buried in Wounded Knee, But it will come to rise again.
It screamed aloud by Kerry lakes, As it was knelt upon the
And it died in great defiance As they coldly shot it down.
It is found in every light of hope, It knows no bounds nor space,
Kieran Doherty Thomas McElwee
dead,
skies. right!'.
Micky Devine It has risen in red and black and white, It is there in every race.
It lies in the hearts of heroes
It screams in tyrants' eyes, It has reached the peak of mountains high, It comes searing 'cross the
It lights the dark of this prison cell, It thunders forth its might, It is 'the undauntable thought', my friend That thought that says 'I'm Socialist Challenge 17 December 1981 page 13
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THE YEAR PEOPLE
MILLIONS unemployed... but millions on the streets showing their anger and determination to fight this government. Jobs for vouth, jobs for women, jobs for all - that was the message that
TRICO
he w ade by whi All otis e judged 'Socialist Challenge 17 December 1981
came loud and clear from the Labour Party marches in Glasgow, Cardiff, and London, the People's March for Jobs and the Jobs Express.
FOR A I
page 14
BR
GIVE US A
FUTURE JOBSI EXPRESS
Birmingham
LEEF
7 0 NUTS W
REVIEL the year LEE
for jobs
TEANS
V.F.
3IT- IN
WOMEN have the right to work 400. That was the message Lee Jeans workers took round the country in their victorious fight
EiGHT months on strike and still going strong. Laurence Scott workers have led the strug gle for jobs in 1981 against their boss, the police and bailiffs, and against Boyd and Duffy. Now they face Xmas and New Year on the picket line
SOLIDAR
WITH
LAURENCE
MACTICE
WHAT
OU PREACH
REDUNDANC
Page 15 scan of this page
ARCHED FOR JOBS
MAGNIFICENT! The miners opened the year by forcing Thatcher to make a U-turn when they struck against pit closures. And they went out of the year with a bang when Scargill was elected president by a landslide.
1982 and the battle lines are be ing drawn. The miners and Ford workers are preparing the ground. Women are campaigning for the labour movement to take up their right to work. Youth will not be satisfied with trips on trains or Youth on Poverty Schemes. Black people are fighting back too.
be.
PREVIEL
the year
ROVERS FC.
UNITED FE ADULTS... £2 YOUTHS... €1•50 CAPS.... €1.50 UNEMAOTED.
PISS OFF
TAL
BL and Edwardes may have won a battle but they haven't won
national strike, the Longbridge workers showed they were not ly. demoralised when they walked
ROVER
TALBOT
SHOP STEHARDS
COMNITTEE
Socialist Challenge
out for four weeks in an attempt to get a 39 hour week without strings. What BL workers want for Xmas is a new union leadership, both locally and national
17 December 1981 page 15
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OF ALL the countries in the capitalist world, Britain in the last twenty years has suffered the most acute economic, worst social, crisis. that period was nothing like so acute. The certainties of the British politics -alternation of Labour and Tory governments of a 'moderate' character The 'social democratic' consensus established after the second world war around state intervention in the economy, limited nationalisation and the welfare state continued unabated.
The dominance of the centre in British politics was broken in the 1970s by twin phenomena Bennism and Thatcherism.
The crisis became so acute malu bou une runne class and the working class, radical
Solutions WCC popularised.
The crisis and recomposition of British politics las come to a head in 1981 around the establishment and growth or the Socia!
Democratic Party, the simmering crisis Ill the ory Party and the erupion of civil war inside the
politics will never be the Sallic azall. the year the mould broke' Acute
The turmoil of British politics, symbolised by the growth of the SDP is the joint product of the problems facing the ruling class and the labour bureaucracy.
For the ruling class Thatcherism posing acute political problems.
Socialist Challenge
and increasingly the But the political crisis in
the steady
- appeared to hold
The deflationary strategy - putting the emphasis on combat17 December 1981 page 16
ting inflation, creating 'slimmer but healthier' industrial base and attempting to break the working class through unemploy-
Taned Unemployment, despite intlicting some important defeats on the workers, and despite a drop of one million in the number of trade unionists, has not crushed the organised combativity of the working class.
More importantly the short term, the depth
of
theyear
of the crisis has meant that formerly profitable Industry, especially engineering has been bankrupted. Important sections of the ruling class are turning to the SDP for an alternative.
For the labour bureaucracy, both in the Labour Party and the trade unions, the problem
Bennism Benn's base wants to break with the social democrauc consen
impose radical policies through a new
Labour government.
The fight waged for democracy has weakened the control of the bureaucracy over the Labour Party apparatus and threatens to spill over into the trade unions. The
British politics in 1981
THE YEAR THE
SOCIALIST
CHALLENGE
response of a section of the nour tarly right-wing has been to give up the struggle in the Party and form the SDP.
The struggle in the labour movement in 1981 was started by the special
Wembley conference January to discuss the con
The adoption of the 40-30-30 formula for electing the leadership was
stinging blow to the right, victory for the Bennite left.
Page 17 scan of this page
The left's victory created the excuse for the Gang of Three ' (later the Gang of Four Williams, Rogers and
• LO sel up tel 'Council for Social Democracy' stage in splitting from the party. But it was excuse: the split had been
with Roy Jenkins.
Tony Benn's decision to test our 1e 4 mechanism through the deputy leadership contest threw the right wing into
that Benn had no chance. But as the campaign bro ceeded, taken into the unions and sweeping the constituency parties, the right panicked: The TGWU conference was only just prevented from mandating its delegates to vote for Benn.
But the deputy leadership canilvalu hastened the differentiation inside the Labour left itself. The emergence of John Stikin
the third candidate backed by a goodly part of
Tribune group led by Nel Kinnock. to the open conflict
Tribunites and the Ben-
— a division consummated at the Labour conterence itself when. some Silkin supporters voted for Healey the second round.
The defeat of Tony
MOULD BROKE
Benn in the deputy leadership fight — by half of one Lab our right's fight back. Celli started the
Their defeat of number of left candidates in the NEC elections, their viciory in control of the election and now their opening up of a full-scale WELCH hunt against the Left in the par-
Was based defeat of Benn the deputy leadership election.
The crisis in both the abour and lory was compounded by the
successes art nestion.
successes SDP. Roy Jenkins' near miss in Warrington Lictory ey Williams' victory Crosby, and the generally high standing of the SDP in the opinion hastened Ine differentiation in both parties.
'Wets'
Unfortunately the SDP represents nothing new for ellnel une bureaucracy or the
They have ransacked the last twenty
British ycais Dullical history for some ideas. The few they have found are the policies capitalism in boom, not capitalism in crisis.
the response to the SDP
nas been to stiffen the determination of the 'wets' challenge oppose
Thatcher.
Risking temporary unand calmou have tome with
out in open opposition. They are swimming against the stream today in the hope that ignominous defeat for Thatcher in the
next election will sweep them back into power in the Conservative Parti
At the end of 1981 British
_pollics greater state of flux than at any time for forty years. At the next general elec. tion it seems likely that there will be three major parties in parliament and not two. While the fight
which is developing in the Tory party is just in an embryonic state, that in the Labour Party is reaching a crucial stage. posed is estion The being
whether bureaucracy will re-assert its control through expul sions, the disbanding local parties and proscrip-
Socialist Challenge
tions, or whether the Labour Party will consolidate its move to the lef: and become a differen: type of Labour Party.
The stakes in British politics today are extreme ly high the left today will affect the outcome of the strug gle for many years ahead 17 December 1981 page 11
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Central America: THE HOUR
MAL
GUATE
EL SALVADOR 1981 announced itself with fury in Central America. On 11 January the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front launched its 'final offensive' in El Salvador. Guerillas swept into the suburbs of San Salvador, dozens of barracks in provincial towns were attacked. Santa Ana was taken and held by the guerillas for a week.
But the FMLN, despite striking hard blows against the dictatorship did not succeed in ousting the military junta. The cities, and especially San Salvador did not sufficiently respond to the general strike call. American military aid helicopters, guns, and military advisors — poured in to relieve the beleaguered regime.
Central America has become one of the two central arenas of struggle for the world workers' movement, along with Poland The outcome will depend on the evolution of the struggle in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and on whether the Socialist Challenge 17 December 1981
CHARIS
MK
BELIZE
HONDURAS
NICARAGUA United States can be prevented from intervening to crush the
The El Salvador regime's counter-offensive has come unstuck. By the middle of the year, industry in San Salvador was grinding to a halt as the FMLN sabotaged the nation's power supplies. The liberated zones remained intact, subject only to occasional government airborne attack.
The guerillas renewed their military attacks in the summer. Mexico and France severely dented the US's attempts to get international support for the junta by recognising the FMLN/FDR as a legitimate political current.
Meanwhile in Nicaragua, the revolution has been subject to internal sabotage and economic bockade. The cutting-off of US credits dealt a hard blow to the economy while the Sandinista government was forced to take emergency measures against the sabotage of the bourgeoisie. page 18
COSTA RICA
Capital flight and an effective investment strike forced the government to intervene against more and more private enterprise. The struggle against imperialism and the local bourgeoisie is inexorably forcing the FSLN to take power -political and economic - from the bourgeoisie. A workers' state is emerging.
The war in El Salvador and the struggle in Nicaragua has tended to overshadow the revolution in Guatemala. But in 1981 the war, led above all by the Guerillas Army of the Poor, left thousands dead on both sides.
1981 concluded with the threats from the United States to take military action against Cuba and Nicaragua and the heroic revolution in nearby Grenada. The whole of Uncle Sam's 'back yard' is under threat from the revolution. In these decisive hours international solidarity is more vital than ever.
PREVIEL the Year
OF THE
FURNACES
Above FSLN fighters in Nicaragua. Above left: National Guard in El Salvador
SUNTA
SALVADOR
Nuez/Granma
Page 19 scan of this page
The year 2 million marched against the bomb
WHATEVER the language, two million marchers across Europe were saying the same thing: no to Cruise, no to Euroshima, no to the US war drive.
Their voices made the White House tremble. Reagan scrambled to regain some degree of credibility in the propaganda war with his 'zero option' proposals.
But it is too late to wipe out the almost universal fear that he is preparing for a limited nuclear war in Europe, and conventional war in Central America, which could provoke a nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union.
In Britain, the revulsion against becoming 'Uncle Sam's aircraft carrier' brought a quarter of a million onto the streets in the largest anti-war eden scho
SCHAFFEA
OHNE
demonstration ever.
The Tory party and its shamefaced cousin the SDP, share a common approach to nuclear weapons. They support them along with the nuclear alliance, NATO. LAUTERBACH SOZIALISTEN
REVIEL
the Year
titiit
: DE VARNITUNG DEMENSIN THROR MAR
• RAUS AUS DER BRD AFFENFREIES EUROPA
GRACIAS
Although the fight to be won in the labour movement, both the Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress have been firmly committed to the next Labour government
withdraw from NATO has yet to from Britain.
NO
CRUISE
UM LEAR FINAL
CRUISE
withdrawing nuclear weapons
This should be coupled with vigorous fight against any attempt by the right wing of the labour movement to ditch opposition to Cruise and Trident.
TIONAL
What is needed in 1982 is a building an international demonstrati of massive pre portions among the youth and working people across Europe Protest and survive: throw the war-makers out.
Socialist Challenge 17 December 1981 page 1!
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Help us to defend
By the Editor SOLIDARITY with Polish workers! That's the battle cry of Socialist Challenge for the New Year. But without your immediate support very future is threatened.
So far you have been quick off
Support Socialist Challenge by
taking out a standing order
Your Bank
Name of Account to be debited ..
Account Number...
Our Bank.......Socialist Challengé...
Account No............0179678...
Sorting Code.........30-94-57.
Amount to be paid.
First Payment due....
Signed.....
in the form below
Name...
Address
Age...
Union/CLP (if any)
London N1 2XP.
Patien ease Endear Tri Led. London Condon it
the the Polish Socialist
our Polish workers!'
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. Monthly
...And on the same date in the month thereafter.
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or would like more information fill Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50,
SOLDAR OS
the mark with your support for
workers. It was banner.
Challenge supporters who made up the largest left contingent of the crowd of 500 people that gathered outside the Polish Embassy last Sunday, chanting:
Defend Solidarity. Support the
pean
Now it's all out for next Sunday's demonstration. We urge all
London WC2
our supporters to march with our
Socialist Challenge supporters too were first off the mark in Manchester organising a united front rally with labour movement speakers and circulating a patition started by the Eastern EuroSolidarity Campaign trade unionists condemning the government crackdown
Next issue of Socialist Challenge will appear
on 7 January 1982
Revolution
Youth Rally
Friday 18 December
Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq.,
7.30pm Solidarity with
'Solidarity'
and
Solidarity with the
struggle against
imperialism
Speakers from the New Jewel
Movement of Grenada, the El Salvador FDR/FMLN, the FSLN of Nicaragua, Peoples' Democracy
from Ireland, Young Socialist Alliance from the United States plus a speaker on the situation
in Poland Tickets £/ (50p unwaged) from Ry rally, PO Box 50, London N1, or on door.
pledging trade union support.
On Friday in London's Conway Hall Socialist Challenge is jointly sponsoring a rally with the paper Revolution highlighting the Polish events and against oppression world-wide.
Revolutionary abroad also organising the demonstration in Paris and one of a similar size in Milan.
Your paper is at the heart of all these developments. why this week it's coverage has been expanded to 20 pages to bring you all the latest news and analysis and maintaining all our regular features.
But to get the truth out on Poland needs money. Lots of it. In co-operation revolutionary Marxist papers in Western Europe we are maintaining a team of reporters in Poland. When communications resumed hope coverage will be the best on the left. To maintain this team costs us £50 per week; to get out our extra four pages costs us f300.
This is why we are appealing for f500 to get the truth out on Poland over the next month.
Contrary to the claims of the witch-hunters, support is from donations from those active in the labour move ment. We receive no backhanders for from shady foundations or trusts, SOUL the massive backing of the and media like the SDP traitors.
STOP
TRIDENTRY
AND
CRUISE
VOW!
Socialist
Challenge
struggle
Marxists took the lead in 5,000 strong
That's with other
are that their new.
Rush all our financial out do it today!
Don't die for Thatcher!
WE
WONT
DIE FOR
FREEDTHATCHER:!
Come to the
Revolution Youth
Conference
19/20 December. Phone (01)359 8371 for details.
STOP THE
MITCH-HUNT
In the New Year we will be launching our next major fund drive appeal. But let's finish the old year as we mean to begin the
us your donations before Christmas, better still take
standing order... but
Socialist Challenge Fund Appeal, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP WE
WONT
DIE FOR
PETRATCHE
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