Socialist Challenge No. 60, 24 August 1978
The scan: sc-n60-aug-24-1978.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.
Page 1 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge
LOBBY TUC 6 SEPTEMBER
PUT THE HEAT ON
No. 60.24 August 1978 15p
THE TUC
Tom Robinson will join the march of the unemployed in Crawley and accompany it to Brighton. [Details back page]
No Phase 4-35-hour week now
Page 2 scan of this page
Lobby for an alternative
OUR POLICIES 2
EDITORIAL
Challenge,
THREE HUNDRED and seventy people died in a cinema in the Iranian oil town of Abadan. The Shah's government claimed that the cinema had been set on fire by "treusonous elements' inspired by the religious opposition leaders. What is more likely is that il was an act of provocation by the Iranian Gestapo, SAVAK, to discredit the opposition.
The British press has been at pains to stress the character of the opposition. The aim is to portray the Shah as a
off by spontaneous mass mobilisations, which brought together all those fighting for democratic rights including sections of the ciethe reason for continuing demonstrations is nor difficalt to understand. The Shah has presided over one of the most repressive regimes in Asia. His secret police — SAVAK world reputation for unbridied savagery. heen greatly appreciated by its admirers in the Chilean DINA and risewhere. One of these was to toast prisoners alive on an electric iros grill.
What we are accumulated response to a brutal dictaforship. propounded the now familiar line of liberalism (Shah and friends] versus obscurantism [the opposition]. Furthermore the latter were saggested to be in the pay of either Moscow or the Libyans, admirers in Britaio. Tehran was still normal: *... in the Hilton Hotel up on the cool heights of Shemiran the oriental dancer in the
space to de a PR Job for the Shah.
the Labour government.
slippery slope. The ultimate aim of the
in the near future.
considered as a potential police force for the whole region.
Marriage matters
movement for its own uses.
by appointing a Minister to presch the virtues of marriage.
ОНІВСя ДНО таЛЬ
traditional as the Tories on this question. desinnel 10
the going gets rough.
that they will fight Callaghan ull the way.
If you agree with these principles and want
to be involved in activities by Socialist
Challenge supporters in your arse, fill in
the form below and send it to us.
* Lam Interested in more information
about activities in my arep-
* I would ilke additional literature and
enclose s0p to cover costs.
¡Delete if not applicable)
NAME
ADDRESS
Send to Socialist Challenge, 32819 Upper
S1, London N1.
Socialist Challenge 24 August 1976 Page 2
The Shah's poodles
religious
against obscarantist oppositionists.
The truth is simpler. The struggle aguinst the Shah was sparked
- has acquired a
It has pioneered a number of new torture techniques which have
For 25 years now the Shah has maintained his rule through
seeing in Iran today is un
Chalfont's apologia for the Shah in The Times of 21 August
However there were some crumbs of comfort for the Shah's
Persian Garden and a llvely pop group in the Cascade restaurant continue to play to packed houses'. And in New Printing House Square political contortionists continue to be given acreages of
The record of the Labour Goverament on Iran is atrocious. Soccessive Labour ministers have kow-towed hefore the Shah and continued to provide him with advanced weaponry. Labour supporters can now see the use which is being made of these weapons. The tanks "keeping order" in Irun have been supplied by
The streagth of the opposition to the shah's government has forced the dictator into making a number of concessions, but as experience elsewhere has shown this is only the beginning of the overthrow of the Shah and a dismanding of the SAVAK and other repressive bodies. Despite the uneven and even confused nature of the struezle the chances are that the Shah could well be overthrown
His removal would not only mark an importaet step forward for the oppressed masses in Iran, but would destabilise imperialist planning in the region. The Pentagon considers Iran as one of its most important relays in the Near East. The franian army has been
IN AN attempt to co-opt the womens liberation movement and to deflect it towards truditional bourgeois polities, a number of capitalist states have uppointed advisers or ministers on Womens Affairs'. The American ruling class has probably been the most demagogic in trying to harness the energies of the womens
In Britain the social crisis is so advanced that the ruling class cannot afford such laxuries us a token nod in favour of womens rights. Accordingly the Labour Government is attempting to combat the impact of the social crisis and the wens movement
In a number of speeches Callaghan has placed a stress on the importance of the family as a unit which could resist the shocks of a crisis-ridden society. The Government is reportedly extremely worried by the growing number of divorces, single-parent fumilies and the growing refusal of increasing numbers of young women to be legally tied and subordinated to men. It is also worried by the continuing alienation of youth from ail forms of traditional
This reactionary offensive by Labour is un altempt to curry favour with the forces mobilised by the Festival of Light and the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child. It is an electoral
demonstrate that Labour is every bit as
Meanwalle the victims of Laboar's offensive will be women. It is they who are expected to pay for the crisis of the system by continuing to he domestic slaves, with a little help from Vullium if
There are many feminists in the Labour Party. A number of them are even Members of Parliament. They must muke it clear
HOME NEWS
*THIS CONGRESS affirms the support of the trade union movement for the Government at the next General Election with a working majority. minority Government on its achievements since 1974 which have been made possible by the spirit of cooperation within the whole Labour Movement?
This motion to the Trade Union Congress from the Engineering Union what we can expect of the union leaderships when they meet in Brighton on 4 September. With a general election on che cards. the rallying call is loud and CELA All shoulders to the wheel', forger the kins of the Labour Government. Any idea of head-on collision with the
• like the Post Office Engineers dispute out of the question. Let's close ranks and show 'united movement'"
Unity is vital, but around what policies? The public employees won, NUPE. giver the "left-wing" answer to the ALEW's cringing endorsement of Callaghan's policies.
MANIFESTO
It calls on Labour to adopt a manifesto including increased public ownership, controls over Private Invesment, puce controls and public ownership of LUCINE The unions certainly should
demand Labour adopts socialist policies and fights for them
general election. But Callaghan's government has no intention of adopting - let alone implementing - such measures.
an independent campaign for a Labour Government, promot ing policies it its own interests, inslead of backing the class collaboration of the minority Lahour Government
NUPE's suggestions for a Labour manifesto are unob-
jectionable — as far as they go.
But more worrying is the silence on unemployment and incomes policy. These are the issues which will the Congress, yet NUPE isn't making any proposals for these issues to be included in a new
APEX, the Clerical Workers Union, goes all the way in backing the Government's incomes policy, Its motion to TUC recognises the value to the trade union movement of the reduction in inflation' and argues these trends need to he continued by further policies SHOCESE reducing inflation'.
More of the same wage
Most rank and file union members don't welcome such brazen support for wage curs so
the motion from the G&MWE
necessary means the power of the cupitalist site
Grumbles at the TUC
return of a Labour
"In so doing, Congress congratulates the present
will probably be the one to wit the hacking of most of the union burcaucracy. The sacrifices' already made will nican a recovery in living standards for workers, the resolution main-
Drop the charges!
people from their homes in Huntley Street in centrul London.
September.
other occupations.
Council but single people will be left to fend for themsches.
churges dropped.
August, 7pm, at 8 Chemies Street, Loodon. capilalise in insis. The ladens of the Lahour Party and the invies unin ter solutions shad are in the ielerests, not of she workers, but of the capitali daccaller. Chienge lties that dr tow sial unks confrinting
• To build broad-tand ces streak tendencies in apposities! class collaborationiem in thic laboor muvement. These should be not-esclush, in choracter grosping impelher milliants holding a wide range of poliseal viens. • To begin so fight for the crration of a anified and democrats nevolemner socialist ergenation which can, through an application of aniced front lacti hepa in ticseen nes an alteratie by houseads of workom engaged in strugele
Such an ergestsation should he lased on the understanding that
The negle for socinlisme seeks lo unite the Tight af the workers apsinst he bosses with that of other apunssed laser of socie women.
Mach perple. pars struggling for ther Mberation, This social en
enly be achieved hy creating new organs of power and defeating with all
by RICH PALSER must be DUEL TUP and sustained by the operation or voluntary collective bangaining within an improving coonomic climate'. politely warns the goveroment that responsible voluntary collective bargaining 15 DOSE achieved by the UPSHICTE refrainine direct interference in negotia tians'
The trade utions, through the Should establish bargaining priorities EARLY last Wednesday, 500 police urmed with riot shield: ledgehammers, truncheons and gruppling books drove out 16
Cürteen squatters have been charged ender the crimin espass law. Their next court hearing at Bow Street is set for
Without a doubt this massive operation — estimated at a cust of well over 150,000 — was used as a training exercise for the Specia Patrol Group and other police in preparution for future attacks on Sisteen families involved are to he re-housed by Cumden
The Campaign Against a Criminul Trespass Law immediately condemned the police action and called for a campaign to get al
There will be a meeting in defence of Huntles Street on Friday 25
in the eyes of the millions of murker theoughout the wurld. Were ope
America, Africa anil Asia. frum Ireland nod letting the Irish people determine their men future The Communis Parties me Enrops are in
HOCHEL.
for the coming wage round". In other words, the TUC should responsibly moderate their wage claims.
A more honest baince sheet of the social contract is drawa by the Civil Servants' Union believes That the current problems of relativities of the failure to maintain living standards, and of low pay. cannot, as the past three years have shown, he resoived t government guidance or inter ference, direct or indirect, in the usual process of industria bargaining. paign against any wage Limits including practical support for workers fighting such restrict ions is called for by the CPSA resolutioll.
WEEK
The SCPS. another civil service union, explicitly 're gress the General Council decision not to support the firemen, and *urges the Council to aid such workers in the ruture.
The most popular policy ro deal with onemployment is the reduction of the working week to 35 hours. Mations range from the Steel Workers Union's call for a three-year phased introduction of the shorter working woek to the Transport Union's motion for hours carnings to be top prierity in resolutions are familiar. They have been passeu at the IL before, only to be forgotten.
Democratic menis will be another arca of concern for delegates The Journalists" Union wants the charges dropped against Aubrey, Cam the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act Another molion welcoitics the formation of the Anti Nazi League, and the wtion, the ASTMS, backs the Women's TUC resolution for a TUC demonstration before the futuri restricrive abortion legislation.
POLICIES These are the police armed which the should conchucting its own indepen dent campaign in support of the return of a Labour Government. I could best lead the fight for them by throwing its weight behind all workers taking action TOl those objectives Instead. we can confidents expect the trade union leaders to a Peone Es reach and its policies. The bUT TeJUS to break ranks' The lobby of the TUC on the 6 September is Important. It can show there is socialist alternative Labour's class collaboration. "scialism in the tISSR and Fasters Europr have decreiled wristien chem and will offer tull support to all those lighting for socialist demeract. The ladereste of workers and capitalists are irrecuncilable on a wirel cale. Capitalism has not only created a world market, if his corate «cake. This unity will in the long run he decisive in defeating both the Imprrialet regrecin the West and the hrutal dictacursauge they wastein in Latin In Britain it Implies demanding the immediate withdrenal of Heichk Troup
Neliher the Kar-communis" not the pro-Miscen wing have an assiglu serale for the overbrom uf de copier stare, New reseatintat socialist parties are mur necessary than ever licfere. Conditiuns today Are more favnurable than uver ihe preseding three decades. But such partins can only he buile he nefecting sectarianism and treng intersal democrig moth luxury but an a sital necesley. This meons the right to organhe hickom a
Page 3 scan of this page
Now the only hassle is with the police
HOME NEWS
He is charged with "malicious wounding'.
it's the last thing the police would want!
Challenge.
Tell as about yourself.
Well, I've got three sisters and one brotber. One of my sasters has her own house. Two live at *l left school in 1975 or 1976
one of the two. Since then 1 have had about three johs de-greasing: loading and load ing off, and that, then 1 was on the Council picking up paper and stuff in tin bins- - you have to ger up really early in the morning. job entere are and There just weren't any couldn'tstick the jobs, so bow 1 am on tlie dole, I go out in the day to my friends, to my sisters or ney giel's because she doesn'! work Then at night there's discos, blues, and some
blues
THE FAILURE of the police to
avoid and fear the police.
pamphlet about blacks and the police.
Talking Blues is a collection of interviews with youths, black parents and some
Church people. The section where the Souls speak of their experiences up against the lan.
Young blacks are seldom given the opportunity to speak directly about their
In this pamphlet they talk
ahout harassment and brutal ity, They show how eyes of the police to be black
is to be a suspected person.
D. we will call him, is 18. One of a family of seven. Black. He was arrested after the arrest of Dave Stevens on the 11 March demonstration in Wolverhampton.
Ar his commital proceedings, some 40 pickets protested his arrest - further angered because the Wolverhampton police force has managed to arrest him yet again on charges of theft". Let's hope such pending charges won't influence the jury. We're sure CHRIS ROSEBLADE interviewed D for "Socialist
What people say about black kids hanging around on the sircets Just isn't true, There aren't enough jobs around but they mainly just drop in in the Some of them just give in.
They just don't want to work anymore because they think it'S
the strets,
ThE POINT BAT AUT
In fact they are always having hassles. That happened to me. you know, I was just walking. down the street and they came and hassled around me. Thes wanted to search me, and all 388800303-
Talking
defend black communities from racist attacks; the use of the now notorious "sus' laws, and other examples of racist treatment from the law have all encouraged blacks to
LEROY GORDON reviews Talking Blues, a
Many of them express the growing militancy in the black community. this oppression any more. can't stand this pressure either get out or we fight back Gl us boin here.
So the only thing we know is to fight and we will fight'.
Oras another said: war a go hot in a Babylon. black against white. Just bke people South Rhodesia; black agaist white, wou kncw.!
ORDEAL Young blacks cannot trost black the police. One told of encounter with a police officer. best He was riding his bicycle past the police station. 'A police walk never have nothing to da, 80 dida't run anything, I just went скрег- to him.
That was the beguine of an south being pushod about in unemployed and black you are
That. They're always trying to scare un. They just don't like the blacks and that sit.
The hassles are in the tow more likely to be harassed by
'As lar as I can see the mon down and oura black man is, or the black youth is, the more we cant stand
advantages the police will take of you,
around mid day i
mid day should he working, the more the police harass you. or else
ILLUSIONS Airica, Many ol
interview ed, although aware of of maintain Blusions goodwill of the hence in change itself. Some felt that the
an young blacks
rebelling and adjust themselves cousin's to the realities of life in this
country.
expressed what stumbers of black parents have to admir: 'Years ago, when we used to hear about the police arracking black with the could net believe it.
We believed that the youths were making it all up. But after years al experience come to realise that it is true.
ry they talk to you, and Southall Youth Movement contingent on last Sunday's Brick Lane march.
terrorise our children.
if you happen to look
walking and beaten un when You
the parents
the polioc,
police, and
parent's words increasing
youths Talking AFFOR.
Price 60p, plus p&p.
WILL Centre. They Just pick you up and then they say you've done this, and they say you've done that, and you've got no choice; THIER'E you just got to say you've done it. And sometimes you manage
it out and say you
that the police are selting out to
This same parent went on lo
say: We must make sure chat the state realises titar we hase
intertion of siting back
while we are being victimised
All incentre pare es
increasing black milirancy and
TALKING The
borouglis.
Blues, from Finch Road,
Lozelks, Birmingham B19 1HS.
I was ut the bas stop the other night. You know it's very heavy ГАСЛІ in lown at the moment. And six cops suddenly piled and of this van and wok off a hiuck kei
walking down the road. Ten minutes luter he was walking down the street again. They just decided to scare him. Is that the soet of thing thul
Well, I heard about it from my fciends. Everyone was talking about it, so 1 said I would go. They said they were just going to defend the people, to show what's right. So there 1 was on the march, talking to them
It was the first march I had ever been on It sai great I ed it. Except for the fact 1 gor arrested. I dido't think Fo ger
Interjects:
Well the march was against
118473109836 followed a lot of racist ailacks.
STOR
THE NAZ
IN BRIEF
Notting Hill
Carnival
THE BLACK Youth More
ment (BYM] has called on
black swith und all sections of
abe black cinmunity to attend
the Nodding Hill Carnival on
21/28 August rather than the
rival Finsbury Park Carnival.
JATES IS organised
Pastor Morris with the support
of local Community Kelations
Councils and three London
The BYM point out that the
Finsbury Park Carnival las
ubso been endorsed by the
Greater London Council with
the aim of getting as many
black youths as possible away
from the Notting Hill Carnival.
Lots of my friends bave been in borstal, Some of the seres not all of them, bot most el
- were National FronL My friends say they pick on the back kids. That's why I don't
go to prison. scared. Well, not scared, I just don't want to go.
In Wolverhaioptoo, I have at neard be sly areas for d his. That's cooled down. Thai part has. The wise lads the big white lads - they've cooled down a bit.
The black people — the only hassle we have at the moment is with the police. That sall. Is like in Handsworth. I've got a e lot of friends there, it ast the
Ail l say, now the only hassle I with the police.
HE Lun
heard about the
Is it going to be a march by blacks? Greal!
You shoukin't be on it!
And they note the heavy police
involvement:
beh the help ofte
Park with of the
"slewands" will he police Irom
Hornsey, Wood Green, Hack-
Bey. Totteaham.
Ingron, and Holloway. All the
focal police. Their presence is u
formula for violence
area of
Finstury Park the police will
have no trowhle in surrounding
it. There will be no escape. Al
the Notting Hal Carnival we
will have the freedom of the
fenced-in
SHITS 118I5
enclosure surrounded hy
Trilice.
Socialist Chullenge 24 August 19T8 Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
It's good to breathe
Everyday problems
been held in prison awaiting deportation.
stamped on his passport.
prison cell. JOHN SALMON reports.
Saced Rahman was thrown | normal: into prison on 14 June. He had gone lo Bradfond Town Hall for what he thought was an interview about an application he had made for LIK citizenship so cy can preously.
cells in Bradford Central police
illegal immigrant. A couple of bours later handcuffed to Armicy prison.
When he arrived at the prison ne was immectater controntec with the regime of mindless витенетасу anu oven racsn that he was soon to accept us Central Committee
revolutionary strategy for black liberation.
In only three years, 1974-77, unemployment amongst black people went up by over 300 per cent more than twice the overall rise. Thousands harrassed, detailed and hlack have ported under the immigration laws. Hundreds of black youth have been summarily convicted under the 'sus laws.
Yet these sorts of issues have tended to set lost -In coacentration of the growing anti-racist movement problem of fascism and the ris of the National Front. An
by the hysteria of the press and
THESEL political establishment, poses
thrcat to black people's rights than the thugs of the NF.
That's the first socialises have to get right: the need to light the racisms of tbe state, employers and landlords. as well as that of the fascists We can learn a grear deal from the black movement in the USA. It has fought for
TELEST grammes of "positive discrimi-
people in jobs, education and housing Affirmative action as it's called, has become a real locus costume.
Soclalist Challenge 24 August 1978 Page 4
ANTI-RACIST NEWS
In prison for being black
fresh air
ON 2 August, Saeed Rahman walked out of Armley jail in Bradford. It was the end of what he has since described as 'a bad dream'. For six weeks Rahman had
Apart from a two year gap he had lived in England for 11 years. In the end, the threat of expulsion was lifted and the Asian had 'indefinite leave to remain'
But Saced Rahman was one of the lucky ones. He was one of the few who has survived and can now talk about the ordeal of facing deportation in a crowded
1 was called to sign for my. personal property, asked ques ions relevant to my detention and fingerprinted. I was told to sit in a room where there were other people going through the
where I was Told to remove my clothes and then given a towel. I was told to wash myself and when I came back I was sued with prison clothin The trousers did not fil so 1 complained to one of reception officers who replied by telling me to sit down again.
I was taken to another room
Black Liberation and Socialism 4
In the final article in our series on the anti-racist movement and the left, COLIN TALBOT from the
of the International Marxist Group spells out the fundamental aspects of *
racists and Chicanos (Mexican-Ameticans) and anti-racists.
Reformists hold up the Race Relations Acts as the solution boen to the problems can fobted bi de- blacks, But the discriminatory TISC I DHCk undiplosment speaks for itself — these laws don't SHITE action by black people and the unions will force emblovers to the end discrimination and insti propranes to copies the black people.
Trade union leaders are. of coone, prepared so make all and fascism. But when it comes actions — well. that's some cisc. self-organisation of people is so vital thing Black caucuses can help black people organise themselves to Tighe the action of bureaucrats and can make sure their white sisters and brothers take their responsibility fightand ing discriminatory classas a whole.
Naturally, the reformists are apposed to any idea that black geone should orasnise thern selves and take the initiative in
where I was given something 1o
"After this 1 had to sign another form. I was called by
bastard, what are you waring
room where there were three
Rahuman and another immi-
cell 13 feet by seven feet. There were three bunks in the cell but as well as the two, there were six
description of the conditions is
We had to eat seated on our bunks. In fact conditions were so bad that if everyone stood on the floor space there was no room to move. "If someone wanted to go and excrete in the plastic pan was lingered. In fact if was so bad that we didn't use the pan, There was a bell in the cell which was meant to summon
the problem was that you
Bring the bell for hours before an officer came, It was sometimes
can't be forgotten
Or ourside of the Although the Party, tanced to unot apposition to self-defence it still attacks "black self-defence the blacks, as divisine
These ideas are echoed by the ultra-lefts who counter-pose "workers self-defence' - something which doesn't exist and isn't likely to in the near future - to binch which can and does exist The second, and vital, aspect Only of any revo utionary aonroach
to black liberation is the need lo CHECHEE each mateing then bick els organising themselves natural and part of the radicalisation o black people will be a prowth o black natiocatism.
Again. formists denounce divisive and racism, Socialists back welcome the prowth of black
naticnalism because it has an inside the enormous progressive eflect on
the morale, organisation and willingness to fight of the black the And
detentination which can. force sections of the white working class to come to terms with its practices own chauvinism.
programme co titsmal TALISH self organisation I sulace in the anti-racis! movement. Yet chey are
Rahman's
terrible and
bad, 24 hours. duty. could prison ofiscers. , for example, has been anti-fascist commitees.
its outright
while dominated
self-defence
racisE resolve to go forward. and groups national Socialist inevitable that
sectarians and re
this as
even "reverse
should problems
90.3L5
school will It's this discussion.
fight institu
black have hard
Member,
Scene from last Sunday's demonstration in defence of Brick Eane you could clean the room. We were kept in these cells for 23 In his memary: hours a day. If the weather was
What made the situation the bloc. worse was the attitude of the
Rahman de scribed how be was frequently suhject to racist abuse. One
happened. He have
prison officer.
against the National Front taken up by the ANt and
The growing militancy in the black communities is beginning
there you aspects of the fight - parth because of the failures of the
anti-fascist the problems that black people hase to lace every day. So this is not some abstract theoretical debate, but it's the essential and practical questions the anti-
movement has to
Only a few of the far left
-the IMO, the Inter- August.
Alliance, and Big Flame — have seen the Britain, need io build the existing movement and begin to tackle these vital questions. Wedo not and so Socialist Challenge and drufting CHINE OLE HAVE OTEBISL
school, We hope lo discuss •CID
and have invited a number of black individuals to participate Our
The the modest The beginnings of this much-needed
Voice joint school on rucium * Socialist Chullenge/ Socinlist London and black liberation is at the Polytechnic of Central London on 2/3 September. The school is open to all supporters of the two newspapers and begins ut community. Tams oil Saturday 2 Sept-
incident in particular stood our
There was a place in the prison known to everybody a
this was where. thi prison officers look troublemakersto be beaten up.
One day afier being away sceing the assistant governor came back to find the cell door locked. Sol went to this prison officer and asked him if he
and "Indian cunt" I went strangh: back to the assistant Gover nor's office but he was noc there. 1 talked to officer and told him what
said I would to make fornial anolication in the mornine Alter going back to the cell 1 was approached by another
The warder askod Rahman if he was going to report th incident. Rahman told bum h Then he hit me, saying. *You bastard, if you go down
will face the
IN BRIEF
National Bengali Convention
NATIONAL convention held in Leicester on Sunday 15
attended by all the Bannia Deshi organisations in
creuted national
the Banglu Deshi community in all national and local meedines
The committee will also he
LORSHILOD policies. Furthermore it has the
of organising all Bangl Deshi organisutions in the UK
conference in London where a national council will he elected.
Fi meeting passed resolution condemning recent speeches by Margarel Thatcher and Enoch Powell, and the deaths in the East End
were emotionally Tn attacks it WUS arused at the confereore thal the time was right for organised self-defence hy memhers of the
Reports reached the con-
conscquences
After being approached and threatened by another warde Rahman decided to drop the complaint.
Then, quite suddenly, the altitude of the prison authori ties changed. There was a large prison to demand Rahman's
The whole attitude of the
the cell I was in. Everything could col normally get 1 got when 1 asked. I got intimediate altension wlien I rang the bell.
The request the wardens had of Rahman was he should tell any visitors that he was being treated fairly.
FEne protests about Rah man's arrest — be is a well known militant in the loca labour movement - also wor his release, But there are at least 25 others facing deportation in Armles prison. Few ofthem are likely to be as fortunate as Saced Rahman who now says simply E's good to breath fresh air! ference which showed that fascists are attucking Bengali restaurants Conference aimed fo this hy all means possille and culled upon the British working class to helpin this.
HOUNSLOW Anti-Racialism
*Fesrival Against Racialism', 30 Seprenher 11am-11pm. Cranford Com munity School, High Street. Cranford. Films, rally, debate. RAR in evening.
BIRMINGHAM Anti Nazi League is organising a raily and
the Nazis an Saturday September. assembles at Handsworth Park a: 12.30pm and will march to Victoria Square in the CiTy centre. Speakersat the rally will include Tom Litterick MP Paul Holborrow, and Tarig
Page 5 scan of this page
Making concessions that aren't
Striking for the underprivileged
HOME NEWS
Post Office dispute
and so preventing redundancies.
behind the McCarthy report.
result of mediation' between the Post Office and the POU. 'Mediation' is not as compli cated as it sounds, Really, it's for just another name for making concessions that are not really concessions at all.
Any POEU member who has had the luck to see a copy of the LODIL ALL TUNE SECE BOW ITE union Icadership came to ассері proposais
rinciple. Furthermore, union HOURS
cadets have been alempting t
void a real fight for the 35
sour week from the beginning.
The first "concession" to the union which McCarthy pro poses in his report concerns the
hours. The Post Office says to
should ower (sic)
deal: savings in man
culated, then any savings split
union on a lifty-fifty basis.
Ine union conceded the principle immediately. It stated that cat hours should not result
loss INCESSE productivity, as the same work would be done in less time. In other words there would be no work-sHanny, no more 100s
Social workers
NALGO member explains the background.
At the NALGO conference of 1977 the local sortion he called on the union "negotiate abolition of the national social worker scale since it has in the past kept the gradings of social workers
comparable local government.
Behind the resolution was the growing TESTALES social workers with both the
THE POST Office Engineers" claim for a 35 hour 1 week would kill two birds with one stone, as the saying goes. It would increase the leisure time of workers, and - with the new technology which threatens jobs — it would be one step towards sharing the work available,
RICH PALSER looks at the wheelings and dealings
The McCarthy report is the productivity deal: a 35 bour
week could be achieved without loss in productivity, and so miere would de no extra costs
union conceded this principle.
McCarthy casily that hours should be cut on a "sharing" benefits of increased productivity. management.
The scoond concession of McCarthy's report concern reduced. Management argued im the negotiations that hours should be cur one stage at a time. After each productivity could be ored and if: increases in productivity finled to keep pace with the reduction the cede in our could the halted With the concession of a 3712 hour week in McCarthy "conceded" that the second stage in reducing hours should not he denendent how the first stage goes. He wants to guarance coat toe cal in hours can be malched by
That's why be call "concede" that there should be no delay in IN NEWCASTLE and the London borough of Southwark social workers have been on indefinite, all-out strike since 14 August. On Monday they were Joined by 220 social workers in London's Tower Hamlets, where 84 per cent voted for the action.
Other social workers in such areas as Liverpool and Lewisham are expected to come out soon and are already taking selective industrial action. A London
annual | grading system which covers Deir pay, and the low pay itsell.
The union leadership showed the little enthusiasm for the 1972 conference resolation and was censufed for its inaction at this year's conference until & Augest that they fimally met the national employees to request the abolition offte national scale and the opening of local negotiations on waces The employers turned the
OFFICIAL
DICKEL
of the 37%a bour week, so long as it stops at 37%i hours.
Measures needed to increase productivity will include more Nexible lunch times, eight or
and ains a hair hour late
and starting a What productivity increases are not achieved? This still has to be nescusated. dently thinks these matters can iraned out once agreement is reached on the main issues.
McCarthy has given some "concessions for the union "conceded" leadership
members. But they came only
are
stage, the monit-
hand
postal engineers today?
Last Wednesday, we were informed by Setter from our union that we were to stop our action — the work-to-rule and implementing the second stage leaders have basically accepted
request down flat in less than
There's been no improve. ment in Pradines for over ten wear although the job has expanded LODESTSI Re-organisation. new legisla
created by falling living standards and th cuts in public spending have all added to the work load of social
Ironicaliy it is the very policy of culs in social expenditure which explains the resistance of the employers to agrecing to the It was not social workers
labour intensive, the cost BIONEERE claims would be
authorities
DOC CLAI
the required
the enterprise McCarthy confi
1o sell lo their
Branches
rebelling
POST office engineers — angry with the sell-out by their union leaders — lobbied the national offices of their union in Ealing. West London, on Tuesday.
"Socialist Challenge' asked DAVE WARD - of Horsham POEU — about the next steps in the dispute. What is the situation facing the McCarthy Report
OLEN SOLESE OMINE be Implemented December The union the rank and file? workers
LONE
Just how
rising to 2100 lot workers with
demands. as excessive social services are
-HOKIES pay policy on all outside араті ALEUTE
INCREASE strength.
themselves,
movement.
once the union leadership had thrown away the main poists of
As he says in the report:
truly be said that, in the words of the White Paper (on wage restraint), benefits are being
chared between "the workers.
In short, the engineers wil
get a cut in hours, the Po Office will maintain producti vity, and the Government will maintain its wages! limit. The Secretary of State for Industry is well pleased with McCarthy
LAC BOT MOCK AT
at the 35 hour week we'v
from
What has been the response of
-For the Government there Is the added difficulty that any by significant cash increase would
: embarassing during a period next? of pay restraint. A successlul outcome of the social workers strike could also unleash a wave of sintilar claims from other
underpaid the agreement social workers are as talustrated by the claim suhmitted by the strikers in Tower Hamlets They are asking for a bet
of 160 per week qualified seven ycars experictce. By any standards this could hardly be described
But the Government's determination to impose a rigid
workers
worthies as the police or the bosses of nationalisod indus-
ensures that the socia workers' claim will not be won
Already the ruling class press is startine to pour out horror stories of how people will die as a result of the social workers
Ar this stage the important point to stress is that without a
wirbout an increase in public expenditure the whole future of Charler' the social services if threatened, of Already Tower Hamlets saffing levels are 20 per cent under
In this sense the social workers are not just striking for
but TOr unemploved, the mcntally Ill, in Leyland. the elderly and all the under privileged. They desceve maximum support from the labour Leyland
Seplesher,
GIVE THEM
BUZBY
CAVENDISH Angry Post Office engineers pleket their union offices last week.
I don't think you'll find one member who isn't furious. It's a blarant sell-out. The branches are rebelling. In the City of London branch, a mass mectice voted on Wednesday
comply with Instructions but to continie their action by calling for a work-to-rule and in overtime ban on a local basis,
And Tuesday'slobby was the result of telephone calls made
Coventry branch members. What will the union leaders do
Their action isreally a stab in the back. They are bound by a national conference decision to call a special ution coeference ut a month 5 tune to have any
racified by the members. I don't think they'll ges through the deal they've made n mediation.
But if the conference throws
IN BRIEF
Leyland Charter
Sham
©Charter
The int ins gor ta augh
FIGHT BACK THE first isse of 'Leyland
put out by a group Lesland WEEKEN from Birbingham, Cawley, Preston. Coventry, and Southull now available. organise an open democrutie opposition to the disastrous policies of the union leadersbip
The hulletin also announces a nutional meeting open to all
workers 16 Ham, the
35HR WEEK
our the settlement we'll be back to square one. We'll have to stan an over acao to outa up the pressure. Our action wan just beginning to bite. Al Shepherd's Bash. for.coample our members made it quite clear that there would be m clection broadcasts as long as our demands weren't met.
And HOw lots of the equipment which has been witheld from the Post Office and others have been relcased.
Obviously the union leaders have been under chormous pressure from the Government and from the City. But our action put them in a strong negotiating position, and they ve thrown it away.
However, regardless of the rank and file are not ready for nor at all in sight.
Digbeth Civic Hall in BirmingTher it Crates from Further information from Salisbury Moseley. Birminghum.
Housing Action A HOUSING Action Conventice will be held ar Sheffield 8-10 September, writes STEVE PLATI
The first of its kind in this country it ail babe togethe squatters, short-life housing ing rights activists, tenants, and Cuners to dIscuss the forward in action over housing
The non-residential charge is 13: fees to include main meais and accortiodation are C15
paid group workers and individeals 00 00 above the average wage, or E5 for poorer groups andrindividuals.
Bookings should he SCDE immediately lo: Self Help Housing Rewarde Library, Ladbroke House Highbury GrOve. London N5 2AD (te 01-6OT 2789, ext. 5027).
Socialist Challenge 24 August 197k page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Classical Marxism and Contemporary Politics The Crisis of the Far-Left in Europe
OPEN FORUM
journals claiming that 'classical Marxism' by Lenin, Luxemburg and Trotsky
today's conditions. of those forces which reject it.
The ten years since the General Strike o1 May 1968 in France have seen the definitive end of the post-war period of relative class peace in Europe. Major events and shifts in the class struggle have taken place.
As always, such developments have brought about significant changes not only in the reformist Communist and Socialist parties but also among the Torces to Encir IcT
In the years after May 1968, the sections or the errene
the TUTTERS RESULT OU CUE SELEC hands of mass working class struggles - May 1968 had been followed by the "hot autumn' of 1969 in Italy, the big strikes against the Tories in Britain, the death agony of Francoism in Spain, the class struggles in Portugal, etc.
New movements of immigrant workers, in the communities - had developed. The mass reformist parties had frequently been by-passed by such struggles.
This also made the question of revolutionary strategy seem very simple to many organisations of the left. Forward from strikes and autonomous movements, to much bigger strikes and autonomous movements, bigger strikes and mo cmcots, and soonto me TO DIaLE - that was a widely held model, development of the cat strucele wes definite advanced bere. The reformist organisations would decline. The extreme left would E1139
No major political problems anc
boices would be faced in the ongoin advance. Revolutionaries plistically link up with the masses who were rapidly, and semi-spontaneously, moving towards revolutionary positious.
Periodic modifications of particular aspects of this stracey were made. For cxample, much more emphasis would oc pacco on toç womens moreasil coday than was ten yeurs Nevertheless the busic framework wa relained intact.
I guided the theory and practice of organisations such as Lotta Continua and Avanguardia Operala in through the vacuum ou concepts of the current which became tbe Socialist Workers Party in Britain,
Socialet Challenge 24 August 1978 puge 6
A NUMBER of articles have recently appeared in left-wing
starting point for developing a revolutionary strategy adequate to
JOHN ROSS points out that this does not correspond to the real changes which have been taking place to the left of the Communist and Socialist parties. What the last years have in fact seen in Europe is a big strengthening of those forces which base themselves on classical Marxism, and a marked crisis and decline
biccups and "disturbances'
large left'. The to come.
representing
bases of
women, liberation.
1976 in Spain biggest working history.
there will even autonomous single extreme
reformism.
of the warther
traditional line cannot he condition of the become oppressed alone,
cold simof all classes and masses operating'
Those who simply
ALYSTICE agp.
merely much colonial conniry, bat also formidable than
the left
• as developed notably
- should be abandoned as the to similar organisations in France, Portugal, and muny osher countrie
Now this "strategy" was based on one
and one that has to be constantly pointed out and defended against those in the Communist and Socialist parties who attempt to deny it.
This fact is that the class struggles in Europe following 1968 were not mere
sormal functioning of capitalism. They were authentic mass upsurges which are the hurbingers of even bigger struggies
against social oppression mushroomed on a scale
really important
bourgeois power and furthering the struggle for human
Ten million strikers in France in May 196R, 15 million in Italy in the summer of 1969, the class struggles of 1975 in Portugal, the huge strike wave of early
these were some of the class struggles in
The present scate of capitalism means
be no long term return to Dormal following these events. Every
left organisation was correct to emphasise this fact against
But to grasp one fact of the situation is not enough in politics, It is a basic principle of Marxism that a political
derived from the NOCKIMA CUSS OL but only from the inter-relation of all classes in capitalist socis Lenin put it, Marxist politics 'demands chat acoount must be taken
the faroes, groups, parties,
working
also failed to grasp a second key fact
Ibis is that the ruling cluss in the
imperialist countries possesses colossal reserves, resources, and deficaces of lis power. These are not
greater than in any smore those faced by the revilation of October 1917 In Russia.
Chief among these defences are the Dueaucratic lendershios of the mas reformist parties of the working class
and the mechanims of bourgeois
Lenin, in fact, had already pointed this out when he stated that it would be far more difficult to conquer power in Western Europe than in Russia. Lenin's time the experience Stalinism, and ib effect On consciousness of the working class, has multiplied many of the probiems.
The level of development of politics Which could conquer power in Russia, let alone China or Vietnam, is too low for the tasks of France, Italy, Spain, Portugal or Britain. Against primitives of the extreme left who fall far below even the political devclopment had been achieved by the Bolsbeviks in 1907, the ruling class and reformists have few serious problems.
Against even the biegest purely spontaneous upsurge of the working class and oppressed, the huge politica resources of rulin class power in Western Europe will win every time
DEFEATS
From 1975 onwards the working class and 'extreme left' throughout
Its most dramatic expression came in Portugal where & boweru working class movement, facing a weakened state apparatus, was defeated by Socialist Party which was certainly prepared to use the army but which had essentially utilised the weapon bourgeois democracy to isolate the extreme left and militant workers
The 25 November 1975 coup was merely the mopping up operation of an already achieved political victory.
Developments other countries since 1975 look place which had different forms but essentially the same coltient.
In Italy the working class fought a seven-year struggle from 1969 on a level Vet after the elections of June 1976 the Teformist Communist Party was able to use the historic compromise to throw the working class on the defensive and impose sethacks on it
In France the split berween the SP and the CP led to a victory by th parties of the bourgeoisie in the Marc 1978 elections.
10 SOAD. too, the ruling class таларса 10 coptain the situation following the r death of Franco. parties won the Erst elections, and the delenin free tree wit
Why the signing
at the divisonist line of ihe Cland Moncloa Pact austerity
In Brilain the Labour Government inflicted significant defeats on the
of its incomes policies from 1975-78.
Although the nowhere Europs succeeded pushing back the working class to the situation before 1968, nevertheless
setbacks have been suffered by the masses.
The fact that possesses powerful political defences and apents - in the Since movement has of giving a major insight into the problems the CONCEIL development of the class struggle in Europe
The effect of these events on an extreme len which had completely failed to understand the extent of the defences possessed by the ruling ciass and its agents defeats were brought shout not by
surprised the through the utilisation of the political strength of the ruling class, and particular its reformist agents in the workers movement.
What caused the crisis of so many of the organisations which had emerged out of 1968 was not that defears were
only too often occur but the fact that I was Blatanty 0090u sections of the
of the bourgeoisie and reformists.
*In Portugal ompanisanons such a the PRP and MES confront the offensive of the Socialist Party, waged under the banner of "democracy, "Soviets without parties", Parliament' of Sacredited see tally deed. discredited, influence, and were reduced to shells of their former selves
•In Italy, the probably the largest in Europe -tens of thousands of members, three daily papers, and even its own radio stations. But is main organisations had no answer to the policy of the historic compromise because distinguish between the class hase of the Communist Parry and Socialst Party on the one hand and the Christian MONS OR TOC BELI
So they either became lett critics of the C.P. TENS EL 'Government of the Left avoided ruling out a compromise with the Christian Democracy on principle or they doclared that the question of who formed the government irrelevant
Either way they were totally unable Its to deal with torn apart. Two major organisations, Asanguardia Operaia of the Manilesto, DOLL SPHI Continua disintegrated as an orpanised force.
The large publicity drawn b politically 'autonomists" and
the advantage of the ruling class by ise Fand the Communisi Party
In Franee, the fact that the chief oryanisations to the left of the Socialst and Communist parties are Trotskyist
the ruling class disastrous errors. But working class been clearly shown
EAC • TELLIE
dramatIC
Europe,
was traumatic. These
left but From Socialists completely Large 'extreme left' had no
attempled 50
with slogans such as
Down with Social democracy
BOSE their
extreme left' was
With of which 1968 the T5
was amEl
politics reality and were literally
and PDUP/ those Lotta PRP etc
the policies -the the terrorist SWP embraced.
easily be turned to The
allowed them to take up the problem of the Union of the Left without making
the larpest non-Trotskyis organisation, the OCT, lost 40 per peni of its membership in a split, because i had note the pole and
and counter-offensave of the ruling class
In Britain, the change was not so
Ane CASTRIC GRACEL reached the same level as in Southern
extreme let organisation, the IS/SWP, maintained far greater elements of the traditional Marxism' of Lenin and Trotsky in its
almost completely dominant to the left of the Eabour and Communist parties. The IS cantained not only by far the largest number of individual Marxist political cadres, but also a modest but increasing number of militants with influence and a hase in industry. In particular it was almost
unchallenged Milan students resist police occupatio significant force to the left of the CommunIst ran 1 oc trans onions
Four years later the situarion has
THE HICC was developing towards Leninist and Trotskyist positions and away from those it had held in the 1950
1960% But SOUL CHI elements of syndscalism remained in its
Hy 1974/75 these were lending it to n line with considerable similarities
of organisations such Avanguardia Operaia, the OCT,
INTED it developed organisational links. These provided an alternative lo the positions of classical Marxism, and one which the
result was prosound the swe -translociabon or anable to draw the lessons of the event:
senses of purges and splits which altered ibs composition in a profound way. A
Page 7 scan of this page
very large part of the accumular political cadre was lost.
Its base of militants with influence in the trade unions actually contracted despite its numerical growth. Alternative currents, both political and in new social movements, began to devclop outside the SWP.
Ten years after 1968 the SWP is still very much the largest organisation of
longer completely dominant as it once WRES
The net result of the shift in the forces to the left of the Communist and Socialist parties has therefore been to bring about a major recomposition of the 'extreme left' on a European scale.
and immediately after-
on classical Marxism (and that does not include degenerale offspring kuch as Healyism) a tiny
countries such as Spain they didn't even
Those who announced their rejection of the state university. of the "dogmas of traditional Marxism were overwhelmingly dominant. Ideas
international current, 815001
represented by the link Portuguese PRP-Italian Avanguardia Operaia-French OCT-British
Today the Maoist and 'movementist" forces have undergone massive decline.
Those forces starting off from classical
rejecting it far weaker.
Only in one country, Italy, where forces basing themseives on Lenin and
Trotsky are very weak, has that change heen brought about solely
decline of self-defined "new currents'. It has not boen classical Marxisin but
those rejecting it in favour of new thinking' who have already
Increasingly hy-passed.
The reason why this shift in the relation of forces in the extreme left in lafour of classical Marxist currents
"dogmas', magic words
Bunreus or manons of people.
the working redundant
encapsulate no longer exist.
assassinated
the
minonity
and new taken place within them.
those rejecting
difference between
bourgeoisie, irrelevant whether
The very relevant indeed
such positions
but in avoiding reality
New Left Review 100:
Lukacs. STATELIN 'non-Stalinist
TICES up of the
SWP.
bigger, and those
beent
sook place is in fact very dear, Marsist ideas and categories are not arbitrary
on pieces of encapsalations and debates
forces Involving
The classical Marxist analyses of the state. imperialism. Staunism, narties of
class, only become mere dogma in the real when the social forces they
Naturally it is not the case that nothing has changed since 1924 when Lenin died, or 1940 when Trotsky was
organi
historical dustbin along with the other have yet
most fundamental questions, the central forces analysed by the classical Marxism of Lenin and Trotsky are still very much with us. This is true even though these forces are now frequently combined in new
developments have Lenin?
Contrary to what was anticipated by
traditional Marxist dogmas', questions such as the united front of workers organisations, the
Socialist and Communist parties and parties of the
the fact that it is not
under bourgeois democracy or fascism,
CARTO by-passed but must be worked within,
with THICS bourgeoisie are a deadly threat to the
'dogma
Those who turned their backs on mine
succeeded not in escaping "traditional Marxist dogma"
Perry Anderson, although he draws the wrong political conclusions, put it Per wen In an are on canese to
The international disputes which united and divided Luxemburg, Lenin,
trotsky... represent the last great strategic GEORTE European
movement... The classical
the most advanced limit of reference we
the strateRm confrontations occurred four or five decades ago. To reappropriate them, on the contrary, l a step towards a Marxist discussion that has the necessarily modest — hope of assuming an "Initial shape correct theory today
'Kegis Debray. las spoken, in
mous paragraph, of the consta difficulty of being Have set to be surice ty come at least, we
10 bc porary with our past.
Does this mean, however, that thos forces basing themseives on classica Marxism believe that we may now sit back because all significant problems have been solved? Do we need now merely to read more carefully the 45 volumes of the collected works
Not at all. First, no matter how right they were on general Issues, axiomatic that Lenin and Trotsky were wrong on particular questions. Wher this is the case, revolutionaries must not DC SITE 0 S SO USE OSCI Trotsky were prepared to say
considered that Marx or Engels had been incorrect.
CREATIVE
But generalised innuendoes against
, designed merely to underprevious positions without putting anything positive and coherent in their place, merely replace thought
demagogy. certain specific positions with clearly defined alternatives is one of the ways Marxism has always made progress.
Secondly, the Marxist. principle that reality is in constant change means that major shifts have necessarily taken place since the deaths of Lenin and
Trotsky. These require new analysis and new work.
It is imponible for revolutionarie today to pesitions of Lenin or Trotsky raore than the lutier could confine themselves to merel Lenin, Trotsky and others achieved was not a mere repetition but a gigantic development of Marxist theory Any new wave of revolutionary struggle will have to go
beyond what they solve a whole series of new probiems to which they did not provide any full awers but, at best, outlined someo the contours and particular issues. However, the very example of Lenin and Trotsky's development of Marxism shows the relation political and theoretical problems anc classical' analysis. Precisely becaus Marxist concepts aren't just arbitrary ideas floating around in mid-air, but are the expressions of real social forces, of the previous positions of Marxism
insofar as they express forces which continue to exist, are not redundant but I IS are built on.
Revolution. for example, Sar able id Lenin, writine base himself on Mark and Engels not because he wiis unaware of the many where concrete changes
since Engels" death, but because those changes had taken place within the fundamental forces analysed.
The stale had changed in many respects, but "bureaucrate military apparatus hated its basic in the last analysis on 'armed bodies of men. has not qualitatively altered Lenin understood perfectly well the need not to content himself repeating old truths. understand new developments such as sovices, the importance of new tasks in fighting the bourgoossie, right through State and Revolution But showed developments Daseu in, lou tundament forces
DAILY MIRROR HAS REVEALED STREN TO BOUR PARTY !!
Those
wanted
because orthodory.
creative completely one? Few Criticism"
observations
limit themsehes to
Many in What & to
ILis successful
accomplished and
Marxium'
developments problems
between new
reached
State
and developments
countries most radical Marx had therefore
with
The necessity to
TACI SLE
etc. seem an how were related to, and
the future.
analysed by Marx and Engels. Previo "classical" analysis wasn't an obstach but an aid in analysing new realities
like Kaursky and Mensheviks, who urged new critical thinking" towards the state, in reality
Ibew developments to extend, develop and instend to use all the new features of the
MARIALUE TAE TERANCIA nature of the state as it had bee correctle analysed by Mars
Mark and Engels were relevant no
they represented holy but because the basic concepts they had developed expressed the real fundamental social relations
The fact that State and Revolution is at one and the same time a tremendous
guide to action in and unparalleled situation of the Russian Revolution und an extended orthodox literal quotations from Marx and Marxism itself really develops
Whar appliesto State and Revolution applies to every single major work Lenin and Trotsky. Take What is to B
works of Marsism have seen more radically innovative and creative. The starting point of an entire
development of the Marxist part: and Marxist politics is concained in its
Yet what is the starting point of Wh is to Be Done? It is a savage defence of
ported the lost of treble ho
raised the slogan of Freedom
Its theory of the party develops ou of fundamental observations of Enge on the questions of Marxist theary.. Passed on conclusian of the even cartie which themselves Communist Munilesto.
It B impossible LO ERY where ortbodoxy cods and innovation begins
Be Done?, precisely because in real Marxism, as opposed to dogma, there is no counterposition between the two. On thecontrary, strict orthodoxy is precisely the condition fo radical innovation.
the basis of tha understanding that we can developments since 1968, or since 1940
which require new analyser and ae SAVE RUDE CHES
by Marxism? Abso lutely. Are the answers to all these
contained previous Marxist positions? Definitely no
Wecan go further. We can point out as Lenin and Trotsky did, that thi whole development of Bolshevism, not to speak of Mars and Engels, only
point too crude inadequate for the revolution in th advanced capitalist countries
But where can the tools be found to build a Marxism which is adequate to this task? Precisely in Lenin and Trotsky, just as they found theirs in the even 'cruder" Marx and Engels!
The politics which will lead the revolution in the advanced capitalis.
will be simultancously the and innovative, and the most and classical, which has ever been seen.
What the ten years since 1968 have shown is that it is those who rejec 'traditional dogmas" who have become the most old-fashioned and out contact with new realities. Those whe base themselves on classical Marxisin are actually the most up to date and in touch with the real changes which have
To those who think in termis o "dogma" versus objectivity" that will
Impossible paradox.
Marxism it is merely the most natural thing in the world and the foretaste of Socialist Challenge 24 August 1978 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
= Wiping out discrimination
stamps out components make up the windscreen-wiper blades and the other wiper parts Trico turns
My job is to set up the tools that form the pressing, and then feed the materials through.
I've worked in the same shop for eight years. It's a really boring job,
It's not as boring as some jobs because there's a bit of Rexibility, Once you've set the job up you can sit down for a bit, and you have to fiddle around on the machine. It's a bit of a skilled job.
There are no women setters in the press shops There's only one woman setler in the whole factory, and she's a Jrainee who just got the job. The only other woman in a skilled job is an inspector, who is also just now being trained up ARGUMENT
Management's usual argument is if women want these jobs let them apply and we'll treat them like anyone else. It was a big step forward when the woman who was an operator applied to train as a setter, fook a test, and passed.
There is still hostility from some of the her he was well.
were, patronising. We'll train you, lus".
No other women had applied, It's so ingrained, the consciousness of women's traditional role. don't apply for skilled jobs.*
Management's line is that they want people WTHE
for a long time, and women aren't the sort of people you can depend on to do that are in effect cheap labour.
I camn E70 for a taking home 147, Toolmakers are on E86, then it gradually goo grading. Most of the women will be taking home 35-E40 a week. They te on plece rates, and with the drop in production waiting time has shot up-
Trico wase't well organised before the strike Union membersho was 7. per cent but there was no trade union conscicusness Obviously the union was strengthened
After it there was a tendency to sit back; an attitude of That's over, all get back to normal: decisions made at the end of the strike - to bring out a factory bulletin, to hold monthly mass meetings. regular levy of 5p a week — the only one carried out was the levy.
EQUAL PAY
The strike was over equal pay. Women machine operators being paid less than men doing the same: ob. The men had come onl night shifts to work on days and they were given a special allowance; that was the excuse for the pay differential DE BOOLZOA WEEK.
The strike began in May 75 and went on for 11 weeks.
One of the most important things to come out from it was the feeling that you could take on the management Before the strike it was unhelievable
you couldn't argue management about anything.
The union was strengtened, with some departments achieving hundred per cent membership, with the feeling thar the union is us. That's a very positive step. There was a definite growth in confidence.
NUHIT WED!
WARRINGTON Soolalisi
061 - 235 2352 GREATER MANCHESTER Socialist
get insaived
PaiNs Plas a Tart hours mering. "No Fhase 4, now
MANCHESTER group meets every erne
Socialist Challege 24 August 1978 page 8
SURPLUS VALUE
strike. *Women
will stay in the
eic. Trainees
40-hour weck,
during the strike
meetings.
factory. attendance
CInE asserted themselves , let's Of the their families and so on.
the time of the meetings. and a
invited speakers at meetings:
workers at Trica.
routine.
with The Sittle different.
If something on cxample.
non-union body. kanonesier Socianel cribes. eich-ase 1952 or by writinp Centre, c/e 14 Picoseilly, Mane wale a ven lo laming a sailora
2630.
NORTH EAST
BOCHIIST in them, phane Fate on 1832:
DURHAM Socialist Challenge Surpur ters aroup Forcerall center 1 Began.
Saturdayn
CASINOM 1305020831-3018219
on the shop floor
OKELMEASDAE
DISTRIC! EQUAL TRADES CU PA
A lot of organisation look place
- the picketing. producing a bulletin, speaking at
After the strike there was a regular meetings, with 30 or 40 going along.
That women couldn't go out at nights because of
There weren't any moves to change
We're in the Engineering Union's Brentferd No. 2 branch, which 15 predominantly Trice. One development of the strike is that we have
the branch clected WOEE Germany, local anti-racist work, the
Bur the attendance has fallen off to an average of'a dozen, There are 1,300
The branch leadership is, I guess. fairly typical. Older workers who are just going through the motions. Very
Di's only since the strike that we've been able to get other issues discussed in the branch. In the past it was: •We don't talk politics here. In the shop stewards committee the formality is a
racism, for from Hounslow Trades Council it will be discussed, but not if it comes from a
When we were discusssing the annual wage claim on the stewards
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE EVENTS
LONDON Chilange HARROW Bocialist Challenge
HOEN HAMLES Son Col
Sun malaten ar -6.350m.
SOUTH WEST Landan discuss Soo alist siralegy in the Irate
Chailange
THEN HAMED BARY C
Chal-
Socinist claiat Challenga supporars
'One of the most important things to come out of the strike was a feeling you could take on the management.' The speaker is B, a worker at Trico, the West London factory where two years ago workers won a historic equal pay
SOLIDARITY
WOMEN SUPPORT
WORKERS S - TRICOWOMEN S
EQUAL PAY
RICO
STRIKE
committee, the convenor introduced it by attacking the Government's wages policy, then the Tories
One of the stewards said: "1 thought we were discussing the wage claim. This is political. was not & problem until a few years ALOADE aDIg turnover at Trice, The union wasn't that well established.
But when jobs became scarce and people stayed on, the factory began to be more organised. The strike, of course, sped this long.
Immediately after the strike, all the departments in which women work
shop stewards. Half the stewards now are women many women stewards than there were before the strike.
LACK OF WORK
Left forces are very weak in the factory. There are two Communist Party members, who have decided not to bring our cach owe propaganda two Socialist Workers Party members and me in the International Markis!
1 big probler al the moment is the lack of wark in the factory. At first management said we'd be over it by last April, then it was September, then October, cow it might be carly next year. Aller the strike there was a false boom hecause they had to catch up on all the orders
lot of overtime was tackpiled. worked, Once they
Supperars' -ants Pext 30 Aupast
YORKSHIRE BUCER
NO CUTS management cut back on production. Now we're running at around 30 per cent cupacity. His really bad.
Definitely we should be caking up demand for company's books, know the facts and the plans.
Jabout West Indian,
numher of people who were hostile from the time of the strike.
In my shop there is one person who has heen there 30 years; he was one of the first union merbers. He refused TO TaLK ble. everythine else — because I'm black and left-wing Most of the West Indians at Trico - twice as
are middle need A lot ol wine West Indians wouldn't work in a factory or
They think it's Bolike them parents: they have more pride in themselves 1 had no alternative! All my family went back to Jamaica in 69 when 1 was 15, so 1 had to get a job to live. That was it.
In the canteen, the West Indians sit together, so do the Asians. Most of the West Indians are planning to go back; 1 doas well.
They're caught in a contradiction.
At home they wouldn't get a job hecause there's so much unemployment, but they preter the whole socia. atmosphere, as opposed to here.
Decing the strike, strikers went to speak at the on be senspice southall, the TWA raised money for 12-3 on Ihe Gamers picket a
Greenuch and Lowisham supcerins SOCIALIST CHALLENGE MIDLANDS
SOUTH WEST
me mall 423243. Hase
SOUTH EASI HUEDETEFIELD Socialist Challenge COLCHESTER Sala our ross Trai
For anyone cise.
There are five
Asians.
them.
FORS LABOL GOV RESIG
them.
rarciy happens
sympathisers. anything the NEersare. opening SO THE BE CaT bulletin ELOUISERA except from a smal Committer,
debate
TAILS beneath them they consider
cut the bulletin
workers family.
(TUE yourself! 930-18 Vardrugs College SatuecarS 0°1.301.301 al Dores Stre
For details of scismi suppo lers Itro-shout ine
Side
SOUTHAMPTON Socialet sales every Saturaly. com
mercia Read Precinc
Challenge
05. Unhke the West Indians, the
they've come to England and they
It's a problem that if they lind something wrong in the factory they complain among themselves, but ches won't take it to a white shop steward
West Indians are more forceful
West Indian shop stewards out of 25 in all, but no
There are various reasons for this. Black people are nor all that active in unions unless there is an issue which directly affects them and aso if they see the union is doing something for
LaIS we're fighting for at the moment
The workforce al Trice is 25 to 30 per ceot black, predominantly women and almost entirely unskilled. Most of the black men are labourers.
'BLACK BASTARD
The women operate machines and
the skilled areas, such as the toolroom which has over a hundred workeis in I1 — there are just two black workers there, and they are both apprentices who have only heen taken on in the past couple of years.
The more skilled the job, the fewer the mumber of black workers doing
We don't have open racisn in the factory. An individual might say •Black bastard' to someone, but that
I know in the toolroom there are al Jeast two or three NF members on
but they don't sas
There are others on the shopiloor. They don't openly come oul and say they are Front merbers. But they act in a very patronising way, especially tothe biace women
They talk and joke with them — the usual talk you get in every factory. very sexist. And then these racists will
We're not going to talk to you"!
We're bepinning to do some work on this, Jetting the women know who
acem. There wis an article in th
about the Anti-fascist
stewards connette beenuse her didn't wan! that issue distributed because of the anti-racism article.
'NO RACISM'
They were saying we've got 10 Tacism and if the article went out there would be a big stir in the factory, If people are not hochered about racism at work, ler's leave it ast 1.
The convenor was good on this. He
The personally would give it out. All the stewards in the toolroom refused to handle it, and the convene
went inta the toolroom and handed
The workforce isn': openly racist,
but if you come in and say this or that if racist, they say you re bringing politics in or trying to stir up the
and we're all one big
*This contribution by Bis taken from
SHERIDAN. It is part of our serie conversation with GEOFFREY
in socialists (and others] ut work. I
know sonacone - who would make u good subject, let us know.
CRAWLEY Sa: non Rand 1 Supremte; 1976 •BRIGHTON Socialist Challenge sals i Saturdays saw Marvel. Road, lo 1a
SCOTLAND
die, Pitar are Salutay alansen
EDINBURGH Challengi
DUNDEE intertation aboul Socielist Challenge schiv cies tromed Queens
Page 9 scan of this page
COMMENT
Workers
plan
Steve Potter's argument for a 35 hour week to cure unemployment was well put
But by itself, the 35 hour week does nos always sound featible to workers as a real solution. We mail look at th reasons tor to. Otherwise. campaign will not inspire the workers movement as a whole.
Firstly, as Steve stresses, the demand for a 15-hour week demand It must operate throughout industry. On this basis, cranky Do possie to apore sac unemployed.
A quick bit of arithmetic shows this. if there are 20 million workers in Britain today. and unemployed, the working week must be reduced by roughly one-tenth to absorb the two million. That means if we reduced the average from 40 to 35 (that is 12% ts) we would more than absorb the unemployed.
Ar this level, the demand tor a:35 hour weck is a co of work sharing with no lows of pay. Take the total m amber of workers and share our the available work among them.
arises. Some ind extra bankrupt ALUOSOM perhaps 20 or 30
Thing why tel
WOTEE WEEN Contemporary Arts in London. to).
Those on the left who call for ine Dannie or nickeung oF Allen Jones work side with petty bourgeois radical moralism. and not Marxism.
Martist. any -Berson showlo spring not from the debate to b3n Or 10i to ban, out trom a historial-materialist critique of the social relations which load Jones work.
Any other approach means the attitude of the left looks like that of the Festival of Light
WHAT'S LEFT
TO DAY IN
N.RELAND._
THE ABOVE and eter baopes in tec
Economy.
releases workers
much of its Concarde,
the
is a national the workers themselves. would DELIEETTOUULE demand for 300891 else
million unemplosment. Yel,
working week acquiesce to the dole queue.
cretliation of the iden
Tries could absorb
on the capitalists.
(ed for a hour
Led by
UNDER REVIEW
The works of Allen Jones
A feeble comment
but it stands
THERE HAS been fierce opposition from some feminists to the exhibition of Allen Jones Graphic Works 1958-78 presently on at the Institute of
Opinion is divided as to what our response ought to be: to welcome the exhibition as an expose of male erotic fantasy; to demand that such rank sexism be shut down; or that an alternative, women's exhibition also be put on [which the ICA has nominally agreed
PAUL TICKELE contributes to the debate.
At their most naive, Jones' "Birbe images are part of the For traditional way in which artists under capitalism have depicied women: as passive objects, scrictly for consumption by the male mys, the nude poses in angres As Jobo Berger
are the same as those in soft porn.
A crisis faced this artistic tradition in the "60s, Then the
TOWER HAMLETS Socialist Linity i
Bookseco
HE'S CHURNCCOURC
end of August. The only skill requined 15 0lCH9. arty to drive an advantage. Pay ES I pete on 01-268 a ply to REVOLUTIONARY Communist Par
Oreques and FOs
INTERVENTION NC.
the idea of a Workers Plan for the industry to meet the needs of Soviet
The Lucas Acrospace workers have pioneered the was bere. Just as Steve
potentially from toil and potentially means more leisure and time
or cultural and political activity, so the workers at Lucas argue that, society no longer needs to spend sc
work time producing CHICHHI and bombs, then that frees society to turn to other tasks — such as producing better equipment for hospitaks, schools, and a
production ar Lucas Acorspace → a pian worked out in concrete detail by
The advantage of the Lucas Plan in that it frees workers from a "fetishism
If there is no more ships or planes, then can he produced Instead. Redundancy need not lead to
many workers. faced with the bosses telling them tha there in declining demand for cheir product, all coo otten see no reply anc
What E needed is ford nian along the lines of the Lucas Plan on a national schic. us could oc orawn opay sroop
of workers throughout the whole br
platform by the trade unions. Milions
then the irrationality of unemployment and the Technical simplicity of the solution. The political responsibility for continued unemployment would devolve squarely
put forward something
smilar for Germany in 1931. Faced with several milbons unemployed, he urged the workers movement to draw up a plan for the re-tooling of German the price of three beers, two cigarette
the female image in advertising expanded, the crotic element in films increased and pornography spread.
A questioning of the family and capitalism and the arrival of a politicised feminist consciousnesa was parallelod by "pertnis. siveness. Permissiveness was how capitalism blocked this emergent
Semale sexuality In order to sell MOTE COMMODIES As if threatened, response simplistically invert the artist's tradional Image at women Women now became Strong
castrators: hence Jones? fasci with boots, masks, and so on. But if Jones' womeit are active, they are not free; they have swopped their customary bondage for kinky one of leather, rubber and plastic:
Another of Jones' inversions is to use stark colours and bard
Kroc bale lunka
intervention London SWit
defend works
NEW BADGE a-bilatle. Defore Dract Vince 10
For the sash for sides o0 er
agriculture. Heeven went to so far as to say that such a plan could form the basis for the seizure of power by the working class in order to organise its implementation.
DAVE BAILEY (East London]
Back with
vengeance
THIS IS an open letter from one Socialist Challenge supporter to all otber readers and supporters of the newspaper. As you know there is
expand our paper, and among variou
deas put forward is the crucial one o hankers orders.
The editors sent an appeal to all sunscribers 1o give at least El a month, and the results have been encoura ging. More than t250 will be received. this month, so the paper is on its way to its target of $450. From the paper's point of view the steady income of a known amount is an ideal form of financial support because it allows for proper planning point ot view it the caviest term o From our supporters contribution because it is painless youwill notice El deducted
He even between female
like shoes. emerged COLDESUS
lithographs figures sexual relations under front of a blank space.
whal Jones
biguity
tolerantly con
reluge from Jones' aestbeticism.
relations between potentia. like
whips,
deviant
the PICKET GARNERS
SilenCin tuteambe St Feicsster Sa
direct N020 3012
NATPHI
Ian Hach Clus i
packs, one cinema seal. We don't hexicate when purchasing any these, donating El to an organisation wo would far rather support than Allie breweries, Imperial Tobacco or th Rank Orpanisation?
But there is more to it than this.
Comrades, it is our socialist duty to busld out paper into the most effective and offensive weapon in this country.
While a newspaper militancy and agilation in the field'
coordinating that militancy,
theoretical stiffening Some comrades might object thai they don't have a bank account, O.K.
None of us likes to depost money it these authoritarian and moribund capicalist institations Hollywood interiors of marble and gilded metal (a palatial bourgeois tantasy). But now you have & good reason to open an account, consoling
every time Nat. comribution it is nibbling away at its own foundations.
For those recalcitrants or purists who still won't deal with a bank or Post Office giro, why not purchase three El postal orders every quarte and send them one by one on the firs -bf each month.
While it is our collective duty to support Socialist Challenge, there is also the individual satisfaction of knowing how vital our contribution really is without it the paper would cease to exist, fullstop. have used the figure of El because cvery reader and supporter is capabil donate this, the target would be
pop" style is the exact opposite to the soft focus of most porn
the "commodity" sexuality and other commodities by dismembering the female form or by bolating some of its fetishistic attributes
these inversions Largely sense In thr especially. the have no real back ground of context: they exist it
This means by his exploration of spatial am
By reducing his work to the
time (that is, without bistory) and by insisting on the primaci of the solitary image, he take:
history mation
The first chapter of Capital says how under capitalism the
people behose between commodities become fetishistie, Jones only comprehends fetishism in its naughty, mos
aspects. He leaves untouched the real sruptication of his subjeet matter, that is
Mi: in winch die publ should stand. world of conuriodities effects
war li doc. sexual fetishism is only one part
•Lewishim supporters be organising eumble sale! i you have any jumpe
La Henrietta S all the best in
CHALLENGE
2 September
of here? why should we hesitate contribute
- then
For E3
propa BERKETS it and civine it critical
contribution with their
rementber
den, calculate our West forwards your press harder.
FIll of this wider fetishism, but it is the part where the transfor-
Jones' work is voyeurist and sexist but I hope the analysis has shown that some of it - in spite of is apolitical aeschercism and its parasitism upon images drawn from advertising
- is enough renoved to be a comment on SEASE CUE all its feebleness, this comment
But it should oor sand the
al the ICA. Just inside the exhibition is a picce
Festival Socialist Booklar
Salutas 2 Mr
nutatiat publishing adm. 30p
"CAPITAL' forinight y
LONDON accommodation
BiNGLE parent, Tatterin Ic snare rouse of Pal in Soal Lond
more should do 50
we me Mans mam - Pro each ascording to hist/her) means" and what better occasion to practice 11
there is neither stigma attached To inose tor whom a L contribution is their limit, nor is there elory foc those who can well afford t
There is probably a large number of comrades who have now been paying
UTLE without having bothered to increase it. Yet in the past year many comrades must have received a pay rise or an income tax allowance which would chable them to slightly increase their
And for those who are preysing their bosses for an increase in wages,
SUNRISES bear disproportionate cost-of-living bur-
Socialist Chullenge contribution as a Mandard exa. si
The Fund Drive colunt of the paper will keep us informed of the progress of their bankers" orders. I
im sure we can surpass the target; bu if the pace slows down I will be back on this page with a vengeance.
PAUL.RUSSELL. (London
-In your hunkers order immediately! [That means NOW!] Turn to back page....
the desianer typical bourgeois cribicism: totally uncritical belles-lettrism. If the JCA is to more than a bourgeois art-house, its task should be to give a critical direction to. its exhibitions. means more than leaving crucial questions for come dicussion group should candles and sed in ICI püblicity met head on in the 'criticism' which leads the viewer into the exhibicion. The ICA must think that the sexism in Jones' work is extraneous"
Replys ho Secisial Challange CHICK LONE sedy
NATIONAL Aborion Ca
conterence rationa dar of action tar Internaticna actille general 30 Camde ad. London NW NAC: Nations
. Furtner details from NAC rice, Dt-485 4300 arter 29 August) Dul Movemen BrES Debate followed by planing echody. Open 1t
Roc _ on Saure, Heltam, WC
Socialis Chullenge 24 Angust 197H puge 9
Page 10 scan of this page
A tarnished Silver Jubilee
The march the press ignored
Bahro appeal rejected
Crisis in Iran
survive to see another anniversary.
The Shah's army wasn't able to celebrate the anniversary with its usual military purades. Instead the troops
in action enforcing martial law in Isfahan standing by in or around other major cities in their attempt to ensure the survival of regime they brought to power.
HOPE
For the Iranian masses there Is at last hope after a quarter of a century of ruthless suppres sion and despair. For the first time they are on the offensive and the dictatorship in retreat.
The wave of protests which began towards the end of last year in the universities and spread throughout the country ME the beginning of this year nas grown at a speed which has surprised the regime.
Anti-regime demonstrations have become almost a dally event. Despile all its armoury of repression the regime is no longer capable of suppressing opposition.
Violent police and arm actions against denionstrators, SCENES from Sunday's lahour movement march to the Soviet and Czechoslovak Embussies calling for the remoral of Soviet troops from CrechoHovakiand for had the repression activists in that country.
The march followed a rally at Speakers Corner, addressed hy lan Mikardo for the NEC of the Lahour Party], Jiri Pelikun, leader Czechoslovak Socialist Opposition abroad. Bob Wright of the AUEW and Tariu All of the International
Group, others.
demonstration
JIRI PELIKAN RUDOLF Bahro's against his eight gear prison sentence for espionage been turned down.
An East German court told the opposition economist that
corresponds 1o SCHICOL the gravity of thus crime:
the East German Criminal Code 'espionage is
defined as the contmunication
of facts, articles, findings or other bews to be
kept secret in the political or
economic interest of, or for LiC
Socialist Challenge 24 August 1978 page 10
INTERNATIONAL
LAST Saturday the Shah celebrated the 25th| been forced to promise that anniversary of the military coup which put his dictatorship in power. It wasn't a very happy Silver Jubilee, for lurking at the back of the dictator's mind must have been the question of whether he would
and thousands injured since the
only led to further protests.
political propaRanda campaiens have proved even less successful.
The Rastakhiz Party, crealed
the in 1975 as Tran's sole legal
organisation, failed to gain any popular *The Shah's promises as "liberalisation are not likely to havc much chlect einer. Thes are difficolt to believe when at the same time one or the country's laruest cities is pur under martial law and tanks arC brought onto the streets of Tehran-
VAGUE Although the promises made so far are rather vague and do
nevertheless significant that the TELE IS DENTO OTHE
At a press conference in June the Shah told reporters quite firmly that the one party system was to slay.
Only two months later he has jointly Committee to Defend CzecheSocialists Eastern Europe Campaign, and sapported by the Labour Part?, the Voung Communist Leugue and the IM6 - the Communist Purly leadership refused its support.
Despite the fact thut the demonstration hy about 300 people was the lurgest labour appeal protection of.
Democratic Repuhlie"
has "imperialist secret agencies or
other orpanisations, tions, groups or persons whose activities are chrected against the German TONG DEDUCE PORCO LOYaLE peoples -The vagueness definition TOTTSOUL ONSCIE -made this an ideal charge was bane.
next year's elections will be :100 per cent free and that political parties other than Rastakhiz will be
He has even had to say that
Tudeh (Conmunist) Party but decided thal it wold be unwes because of "geopolitical" rea SUES
OBSCURE In its usual way the regime has aso attemnied to hide 10c real reasons for the unrest behind obscure explanations Having gone through the full list of the usual conspirators foreign agents, disguised as religious fanatics.
that the Palestine Liberation Organisation -15 Hatred of the regube built up as the result of 25 years of ruthless oppression and deep discontent arising from enormous inequalities and growing social and economic problens are the real motivating forces behind The short lived blessing Iranian regime. It didn't solve any problems bur only gave rise unfulfilled The Shah promised a Great Civilisation but instead deliGreat inflation, shortages of food
the movement protest
repression in Eastern Europe and the since 1968 it was still fur smaller
thun it should have been, even officially though it colecided with the
Brick Lane demonstration. The reason is that the Labour Party and trade union leaderships still refuse to take repression Eastern Europe seriously.
They remuin content to let the Tories, tion on Sunday was some 2,000 burcaucratic IП5ULU- searching
Trotsky's The Betrayed, Democratic Re- And then he had the temerity
to get it published by a West German trade union publishing of this house! as well as the fact Bahro's
exactly been plastered all over the bourgeois press, but still tberc has been His actual offence was to l campaign.
parliamentury communists
- it has now discovered the demonstrations. other oil boom was a very
ELECTIVES.
expectations. glaringly conspicious Barbarism: of people oreatised
from whose demonstruMedveder. subjected from trade regimes to the munist Party leaders.
Revolution Socialist
East German sentence hasn '1
strang available his
shortagesel housing, shortages
corruption and
between rich and poor made
obrious hy the -and the luxury conswopthe rich and tbe desperate situation of the poor Civilisation'
The
nOr control. destroyed.
Peru
strong, use Stalinism in Eastern Europe as a weapon ugaiast the labour movement in Britain.
Oo Saturdas evening 100
attended a meeting by the Eastern Europe Solidarity Campaign in London with films of the events in Crechoslovakia and speeches
Jirl Pelikan und the Russian socialist exile Zhores
faces
throughoul Western Europe:
uniciLists. socia democratic MPs. even Com
There is still a chance lo sign developing
Challenge's Орен sector.
Letter to Bast German Party leader Erich Honecker. The letter will be handed in to lit
Embassy coineide with the publication of The Alternative in English in
frant Socialist what price? The
Iran is the largest buyer of Chieftuin tanks. This one is guing into Isfahan last week to restore 'arder in the shanty towns.
Now the oil boom is over. The limited benefits which it brought are gone and ony the problems remain. The Iranian
probleses can only go from had to worse.
The Shah's promised Great
looks further away than ever.
Moslem clergo has
played a prominent role in the recent struggles.
The regious establishment is the only large organised force
has neither been able to destroy
bring •ILS
ASSEMBLY
The mosques are the only places of assembly which the regime has not neen able close down. The pulpit is the only place where freedom of speech hasn't been completely
But what is most significant
clergy hasn't mobilised the masses by raising
some of the important political
Strike adds to
government
woes
SINCE 2 August, the Peruvian government has reaffirmed the пипета ило тесшичнеть нате heen on unlimited strike.
just еслс declared this strike illegal and gave battle sumist for the 1977 miners to go back to work. It is Hardly necessary to add that the
white Petulan secti
Peruvian goveranent how particular dit ticuties
It hasn't yet been able to attack the miners but has hir ar the banks: nine leaders of the Peruvian federation of hank workers have been arrested. while strikes for wage rises are
the government is continuing its
Inter national Monetary Fund
Latest news is that-they have reached an agreement which would give Pera new credits. At
Morales Bermudez
speaking out a ainst repression and socia inequalities and by calling for democratic righes etc
Despite major advances serious problems still face the mass strugele in Iran. The demonstrations have been Largely spontancous and lacked a clear diroction.
ROUGH RIDE
The demonstrators know what they do not want → their most popular slogan of down with the Shah clearly expresses their rejection of the present reparc - our they are Tar ten: clear ahout which way they
far the working cia a has not CHICTITE I SITUATE organised force entry would undoubtedly change the situation considerabls,
Bul whatever the immediate outcome given the growing radicalisation of the Iranian masse: and the economic problems ahead, the Iraman regime faces at least a very rough ride in the coming I period. teed to reduce public spending as antlation is running at 90 per
Whe one remembers that in
prices tose by 50 percent and that in May od went up too per cers and bread and flour
dramatic will be the
ment is certain to propose.
In this contexr the strike of 15,000 beaith workers and 45,000 metalworkers, miners and bank workers immediately takes on the character of central confrontation with the goverantent.
*This report is from the special correspondent in Peru of Rouge, the French Trotsky-
will be able to bring sou up to
oF Peru from this source and from the correspondent of the US paper The Militan:
Page 11 scan of this page
Is victory in sight?
lives on
*ELEVEN members
imprisonment.
latest wave of repression in South Africa.
so-called crimes such ""forcing" workers to stay
from lemonstrating for the release excuses by the regime to try to demoralise those who are still outside the jails.
BANNING Arian Suden ovenent These TOLOW
Movement and South African Student
black reopic Convention and other organisalons oi ine black conscioin
Others named in the trial as "co-conspirators" include exiles such Tsietsi Mashinini, Drake Koka (founder member of the BPC), Khotso Seatholo, Trofamo Sono (last person of the SSRC before it was banned), and the current
IRELAND
as the "whiff of danger'.
That is one small indication
what is increasingly acknowledged the weariness' in Britain over the the Six Counties of Ireland. A much larger indication was the three-quarier page editorial in the Duly Mirror oris Auzusi calling on Britain to "Bring
INTERNATIONAL
Despite jail threats
'Spirit of Black
Consciousness
the Soweto Student Representative Council (SSRC], aged between 18 and 23, are coming up for trial on 18 September in South Africa. They each face possible death sentences or life
Exiled SSRC member Majakathata Mokoena talks to a 'Socialist Challenge correspondent about the
They have been accused of Chairperson, Sechaha Mont-
and mentioned, sad lasakanaa.
Ift was in South Africa today.
I would probably be number twelve on the list!" "Since the banning of the ANC and PAC, Consciousness Movement has been and still is in the forefront of the struggle against the racist and fascist Vorster regime.
They thought they could step us by banning us: they can ban OrgAnISatoRs Suca as SASU and so on, but they can't ban a Black consciousness is a sation. The spirit of Black Consciousness lives on.
This is formation of the Black Consciousness organisations like the Azania Peoples' Organichair- sation, Soweto Student League (the successor of the SSRC) and otbers.
In July the Royal Ulster Constabulary spent £10,000 in a recruitment campaign in the North of England. Lavish advertisements were placed in local newspapers in an effort to tempt men by what the RUC described
But apparently the whiff became a stench; not one suitable applicant was found, writes GEOFF BELL.
Neither is the attirude towards Ireland in the Media conlined to the Mirror.
The decision of the BBC in finally transinit the excellen The Legion Hall Bombing on Tuesday; the relentless investigation the Sunday Times has taken into the ArMY yard killing of John Boyle -proving he was unarmed and
H
"By bringing these militants to trial the regime thinks it can TUS COC BOSCHICCHANT it could demoralise it - but the only way to nrevent that is for an international campaign to release these and other political
charged only for fighting for their rights. All we demanded was justice
member of the she til be guy, eye he the people
Every black person in South Africa hecause our demands
the same as those of
ple, we as the SSRC sim articulated of the people the Black "But we took action instead ot 1ust ta king, In any case we
up non-violent which wasmet with the violence of the trigger happy police. BLOODSHED
•Weasked our parents to stay away Irom work in ordet to avoid bloodshed people milling around in the streets making themselves easy targets for the bastards; we by the asked them to stay indoors, but the police even went into the houses to shoot people down.
'If the regime tries these
actions and ALL 1S. SIREE shot in the back; the recent publicity given in the Guardian to a number of legal abuses practised by the Ireland: all are examples of a greater willingness of sections of the British establishment to erticise more freely what its Government and Army are up change of to in the North of Ireland,
How deep does this feeling to go? When the Mirror's editor Mike Molloy was questioned on BBC Radio he editorial did not come from any
*grave? consultations about the editorial.
Nevertheless the unswerving allegiance of the Mirror to the Labour Party. witich has pronounced in the run up tothe general clection, is bound to raise suspicions that the Mirror was reflecting the views of an influenrial Labour Party.
There is other evidence which
Tely Labour's NEC tbrew out a lengthy report on the North of Ireland which submitled appointed study Iccontmended local poveranient powers in the Six Counties to a tep-lier of local governient
Ver any sugeestion that the Labour Goverament opposed to sectionsof the party
is willing to follow the
SENTENCO
people have been
HIS COUNTRY
these grievances Mahlange.
Mahlangu was: state repressi was sentenced to death f On 15 August ch action with the release these prisoners. "We
out by the South repressive system.
the "legal"
date for
British
other Government
laws on divorce
said le Great Britain and the
abolished discussions Such
an allegiance become more
the REFORM
had been
group
transferring
repression of the other.
To this bs
British Army top
21 HAS BEEN DEATH
IN BOUTH AFRICA
A RECENT picket of South Africa Ho different to the Nazi regimes and other oppressive regimes.
LET INDELEELAOH organising urgently is a mass campaign in Brain and internationally 10 not have the force the Vorster regime to organisationa
appeal to all people internationally to come out on 18 September to show their solidarity and prevent the child slaughter which is being carried from
African
need demonstrations and alley woung upto that Mirror's advice and name a
withdrawal is in conflict with the evidence of the Northern policies currently being fol
In the past year Mason and
ministers the election have introduced and have had adopted a series of social and political reforms. For instance,
and gay oppression are both to be brought into line with the mon liberal rules which apply to
11+ examination is beine gradually
reforms have the advantage that they don't cost much: Mason has not had the same success on the economic tront. Luemployment remains at 12 percent, and much higher in Cathole areas, whic las weck a report from the Child Poverty Action group testitied that one in three children in the
Six Counties live in poverty:
But some of the social and economic policies being initi contingent. ated by Mason do not sugges any impending withdrawal. Or Provisional
he contrary, there is a returns to the policy of the 19th century British administrators in Iro laad — a bit of reform on the one band and a lot more stopped
very much the of Mason and the Montgomery, brass, and Nason is not tor the North cH Ireland much longer. Whether in Glasgow.
ATONAL
STOP THE
EXECUTION
DF
SOLOMON
MAHLANGU
ane 1977 after a gun battle with police. On 2 March this year ha . Yet his only crime is to have fought against the apartheid system
• Parade in London to protest against the sentesce. Assemble 5.45pm at Hone Guards Avenue and march to South Africa House and Downing Street.
day involving as many people as we can. But we need heip in
[be campaign because in tbis country we do
resources and facilities to mount such a campaign on our home. We appeal for solidarity and for help in mounting this
of solidarity trade unions, student unions eic should be sent le Majakathata c/o 1, Cambridge Terrace, London NI.
Those accused in the trial are: or not Labour win the coming election there will be a new
Secretary
There is also every indication that provided the protests are maintained and Labour
NICH "Irish Minister will offer a com promise on political status
A lot more pressure needs to be applied before this Nuid situation is decisively resolved in favour of of the irísh people;
IN BRIEF
Glasgow march DESPITE pouring rain, 700 demonstrators marched, wilh out opposition, through Glas gow streels lust Satanday to demand political status for
prisoners. MARTIN O'LEARY reports.
A large contingen, marched from the Irish Defence League
"(rom tbe Socialist Workers" Party, Two hundred were in the Socialist Unity
present Sinn Fein and individual Clann na b'Eireann members. The latter arpanisaspeaker at the raily, bet were
when the national leadership intervened
hrief rally, Marr chairperson of the Irish Defence League, said *This march is the fire of many
We wan
OF
I esecation of 21-year old Solomon
the African National Congress in response in
Sechaba D. Montsitsi. [chairperson SSRC], age 22 Sandile Seth Mazibuko (founder member of SSRC), 19 Wellie C. Twala, 18 Khotso J. Lengaane, 21 Sibongile S. Mihemhu (foun der member SSRC), 22 Malison Morobe (Vice Chair
verson), 21
Thabo Ndabeni, 2 Kennedy Mogami, 19 Teboho Magomezulu, 21 Michael Khiba, 20 Singe al, 43 pressure which should seck as
ta do everyinin, posseble to deepen and make more public the divisions in the British establishment, and the Lahour Party in particular.
It would be naive to say chai British withdrawal from treland is now on the agenda. That it is now possible to talk in these:
what progress has been made in the last 1H moaths.
increase the numbers of those protesting the treatment
irish political prisoners. We want all those in Glasgow who claim to be republicans on the Streets in future marches, so the people of Glasgow show what side they are on in the war between Britain and Ireland
As Montgomery also stated: *The large republican conunu nity in Glasgow should put the commitment that goes into football into Trish politics."
Socialist Republic The recent British Army ruids on the Belfast offices of Socialist Republic has meunt that the paper has lost' in lis of suhscribers. The Army look the list away and has, an set, failed to return it.
If you ure a subscriber to Socialisi Republic please contact the newspaper's Dublin offices at 38 Clanawicy Rd,
Socialist Challenge 24 August 1978 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
dished by Reigocrest Led. for Socinist Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London NI. Printed by Goodbead Press Erd., 25 Murdock Rd, Bicester.
15,16817 September. The dates to remember for the second
MARXIST
SYMPOSIUM
The Englich Bourgeois Revolation -
Class Amalysis and Political Strategy Blackburn Scoltish Natonalism — Tom Nair. Neil
The Party and the Women's Movement
speakens invited.
Karocommunism — Round Table discussion on CINCH VADOCS THAIS Eurocommunism' — Ernest Mandel ANGER ON THE ROAD 2 September 6 September. From Brick Lane to Brighton. If you want to join the march and put the heat on the TUC write to: RTW, 267a Seven Sisters Road, London N4.
NAME
AdDResS
IT'S BEEN a sad week at the Socialist Challenge offiers. times we have wondered if our supporters are still with us. Last week we estimated that to keep to our fund drive target we not even
TO
as per details given.
A/Cto be debited
Our sorting code number: 30.94.57
First Payment Due
Amount.
Registered with the Past Office:
Save £1till 1 September
and Socialis Revolution
- Perry Name Addres "Fin
OUR FUND DRIVE
would need £220 each week, antil the end of the quarter on
This week's totul of E59.60 brings as up to only £1024.40 half
STANDING ORDER AUTHORITY
[Branch].
Dear Sirs, Please make payment to the debit of the account specified Payee: 0179678 [Our account number] at Lloyds Bank, Islington Branch, 19 Upper Street, London NI OPJ.
Frequency
This order cancels all previous orders to the same payee and will continue until written notice to the contrary is received by you.
Socialist Challenge
Creche provided.
Cost: E4 for all three days if you pay belure.
September:
ES for all three days if you pay after 1 Septesaber.
Any single sevine E1.
Make Cheques and Postal Oeders Socialist Challenge".
PHErn the form below and send tet sympos 328 Upper St., Londus N.I.
Enclosed 50p
ASE
target, yet we are over half way through this quarter.
Of course, some supporters set a fine example, But of our €2500 Charlie van Gelderen's con-
Name of your bank [Your account number] And continue until further notice
registration fee
Right (initiated by not
who signed the
anniversary
months now.
Mike Tucker,
• [Address]
and added a
more
[Your name] porter
the two years he has
includine. match this?
Lions. that the socislist
make this
are a result of offcr.
subscription Even paper the Your signature
Anger on the Road
Lane to
Brighton
opment has been the decision to make it a united march. The Campaign Against Youth Unemployment (initiated by the Communist Party) and
to Work Campaign the Socialist Workers Party) have issued a joint call to all local labour
5r tribution of t40 several weeks ago — El for every year he has HITC
been a member of the Fourth post office. International — has been taken up by several supporters. One.
letter 'A revolutionary socialist', sent f7 to commemorate the fortieth TICKETS
of the Fourth International. This reader ha
unemployed JOT
anorber taemployed supporter, respon JELLE STULS USELE
to can afford ts on the dole, 1 hope employed comrades can afford
Finally, an Edinburgh sup- would
who is employed sent in ES per year for each of would
been a supporters member. Can any readers
those overseas
We now have 960 subscrip
Readers will remember conference set a target for 1000 by January 1979. We can easily Gerald Young
on one condition.
Over 100 of these subscriptions Алон
the special take out this special effer, se have
Pimlico reader appeal to you to renew your Martin Eady
in September. J. Sylvester if you can buy the Зол Sprase street sellers Waliners regularly, if you want to help realist good way to do t subscriptions
WE THICKET A. Tortorella
If we reach our subscription taper we will also be able to Total
From Brick
HUNDREDS and hundreds of unemployed youth are preparing to march from Brick Lane to Brighton on 2 September. The aim is to make the Anger on the Road' march to the TUC Congress in Brighton one of the largest manifestations against unemployment.
The most significant devel- | movement bodies to support
the action.
supporting the march. the councils
Said.
special wrappers printed by thi TEMPUTEC by getting That means many of the boring hours presently put into gelling out subscrip tions can be done away with
There is one other way you can belp the paper in the next few weeks, and help yourself at That's b sending today for some of our summer lottery tickets, And if you can sell some for us, so much the better! We can make over E100 just from this source.
When we decided lo contatue to appear in August we knew ir be a bad month with bolidays. Bur we didn't think it be this bad! Some groups forgotren the paper, Hounskre supporters had a social which brought in E15. Write and tell us about your plans:
Dur thanks this week to: £1.00 Haunsw socia E15.00
'Revolutionary socialist* €2,00 Airierican visitor 51.00 25.00 12.00
12.00 Bestol supporters Edinburgh supporter £10.00 11.00
159.60
Rock against Racism ana School Kids Against the Nazis are also
A growing number of trades
and trade branches are supporting the march and providing financial
Summer lottery READERS have only three CLAN RESUMENTSMAM for the 'Socialist Challenge summer laddery. The draw is c 18 Seplember and the big prize is u top quality Vacht Bay (sic] 110l trunsistor rudio made by Grundig, or if you prefer, a 254 book token.
Tickets are 10p each or El for 12 tickets fron The Other Bookshop. 328 Upper Street, London Ni or by ordering fro the paper. The Winner will bi annonaced in lenge of 21 September.
Orgunised by D. Weppler, 328 Upper Street, Landen N12XQ
← Socialist Challenge No. 59, 17 August 1978Socialist Challenge No. 62, 7 September 1978 →