Socialist Challenge No. 95, 10 May 1979
The scan: sc-n95-may-10-1979.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 No 95. 10 May 1979 15p
SOCIALIST POLICIES ARE THE WAY UNITE TO FIGHT THE TORIES
Page 2 scan of this page
THE WILD BUNCH Tory victory
IF YOU HATE THE TORIES, DONATE TO THE FIGHT BACK
ELECTIONS
P8 NOUROO NOTE
WILLIAM Secretary, Said after the police riot in Southall that Labour Ministers had ofien failed to give their full support to the police and the judges. Defended Thatcher's statement that people in some areas of Britain feared being "swamped by immigrants with the comment: Fran do exist and the Conservatives intend to LORD CARRINGTON, Secretary. His directorships include: Barclays Bank, which has extensive interests in southern Africa
utifully purchased a sheat of Sout Africa's defence bonds; and Ri Tinto Zine. one of Rhodesia's four biggest profit-makers. RTZ's Rossing mine in Namibia supplies Africa with its uranium.
SIR KEITH JOSEPH, Secretary. Monetarist. Says he's sick. of these academics and politicians who have prescribed rubbish that redistribution is on the way. It has already gone loo far and is reducing the standard of this country." Heir to the fortunes of the Bovis construction
Believes 'social class five' showide't have children.
Photo: OM COOKSON Focallet Chi
NORMAN ST JOHN Leader of the House. Ecclesiastical and political correspondent of The Economist. Ferveat anti-abortionist, whose new government post is likely to be of benefit to a Private Member's Bill seeking restrictions on abortion rights. Describes the new government as moderate right wing'
Socialist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 2
Home
remove House of Lords
Foreign
helped to
uniqueness
South
Alliance - EMI.
Industry
tary. which successfully Transport
strike. Said
law.
STEVAS,
has LUTETUSUSEIL
West.*
LORD HAILSHAM, Lord Chancellor. Stated in a previous election that anyone who votes Labour is 'stark, staring bonkers', which shout sums up his view of the working class. His Dimbleby Lecture two years ago was devoted to the theme that the House of Commons has too much
sight, freedom and that the powers of the
should be back
SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, Chancellor of the Exchequer. As Solicitor General in Heath's government he
manage the Industrial Relations Court which Juiled the Pentonville Five. Believes that the
of the individual and day. freedom of choice? will revive British capitulism. Directorships incode Son
London Insurance,
Party.
policies
JAMES PRIOR, Employment Secre-
Director of United Biscuits, prusecuted Union official for organising a 'secondary picket of its factory during the lorry drivers*
during the election
the right' to go to jail if they break the FRANCIS PYM, Defence Secretary Says: 'On the question of Namibia, it seems to me thut the South Africen
shown moderation and good faith in the face
provocation and will prevarication from the other side and accordingly deserves the help of the
SO FAR, no tanks have been spotted on the streets of Great Britain. Margaret Thatcher has not brought generals into the cabinet; the unions have not been declared illegal.
The Tary victory is a setback for the working class but that's not the entire story, nor the end of it. There's the world of difference between talkine politics, be they right, left or centre, and carrying them out.
The working class and the oppressed may find themselves on the defensive in the next couple of months but their capacities to resist remain impressive.
So what is in store for the Tories?
First, there are severe economic prospects for the new government. Certainly no honeymoon period is in
The international cconomic situation will undoubtedly pull the British economy into a downturn by 1980 whatever temporary recovery' we may see in the rest of 1979
And, of course, the Tories will try to make the working oppressed bear the brunt of the crisis.
The Thatcher government is out to turn back the clock on the gains notched up by the working class in the
period. Living standards will fall with Tory increases in indirect
They will attempt to end the right to a wide range of social services
The Tory government will step up an ideological offensive to get womer
in the home probably beginning with an attempt to lower the time share alike recal abortin limit for
people will be stepped up. There will be no let-up in the attacks on the Catholic masses in the North of Ireland, A nore right win and well-armed foreign policy will be the order of th
Above all, Thatcher's government wants to weaken the working class by attacking its mass organisations with its first target as trade union militants and strikers.
When it comes to all these major policies promoted by Thatcher there are no serious objective differences of interest within the ruling class or Tory
The so-called divisions between Heath and Thatcher are of no importance for the working class.
Some ruling class representatives are worried about whether Thatcher will be able to carry through her
without ancontrollable working class resistance, but that's quite a different question.
On issues where there have been some differences in the ruling class — for instance, incomes policy, aspects of monetary policy, on state subsidies to major industry Thatcher will casily be brought into line.
corder to hate their ador ALVETEE Thatcher different tactics than Heath Hmediately after he formed his government, He ventured to openly proclaim. his desire to attack working class. He refused to meet the TUC for the first year and a half after he came to office, for instance.
However, Is policy of confron tation with the working class was not
minimally prepared on political level.
Thatcher will not make a similar error. She has learned from both the defeats of Heath and from victories of Callaghan and Wilson. Thatcher wants to turn consciousness created by capitalism into a weapon against the labou movement, and the Labour Part itself. And because of the relation of class forces she is forced to actively involve the labour bureaucracy in her project, rather than taking on the unions outright.
The familiar appeals Callaghan to rally behind the nation
continue to be echoed by Thatcher, Equally, Callaghan's Talling calls on a variety of other
A battle lost, but not the war
thentes til in with her project: calls to unity, not conflict; for the erosion of classes, class Parhament and common interests. not wreckers; and so on.
Thi kind of ideological offensive. coupled with direct sabotage and working das area bations, sill be collusion used to try and derail and weaken the working class and oppressed.
The economic, social and political policies of Thatcher fornia coberent and polentially powerful reactionary plan. She maintains that the only way forces on the working class is through a challenge to post-war GO BULOUS
In other words, the working class and oppressed must begin to reject the dea that they have the right to a job, to have their illnesses treated, or to have a home. Furthermore, it has to be drilled into popular consciousness that the rising numbers on the dole queucs are really gers*. "Mothers' or "homemakers" will become the order of the day, rather than women trade unionists
And when the working class merely LEASES democratic organise in defence standards through effective picketing. Thatcher will try and present them as "hoodlums and thugs'
To achieve this kind of change in popular consciousness, an intensive ideological campaign whipped up. Its beginnings have been evident in recent months. At every Jevel, Thatcher will try to promote policies of divide and rule
Hearh'sattacks were launched on a different basis. fundamentally challenge the political basis of post-war consensus on the welfare state; "full employment; Keynesian strategy: "liberalising system; and maintaining nationalisations
Indeed, the response of the working class to Heath's administrative and organisation measures was fuelled by existing Labourist policies
The scopeol Thatcher's goals is far broader. And for all these reasons she TELESCUL more opponent in the political field than did Heath, She could well try enhance the use of traditional class methods by using new innovations for reinforcing her attacks,
For instance, it would not be at all surprising if referendums to gain a 'democratic mandate for moves against union struggles and the labour movement. A change in the voting system if the government fails is almost certain.
Having recognised the adop represented by chis coherent political did attack, it would be quite wrong to think it can be carried through by the siring es and testame the dare the struggles and resistance. mood of despair sweeping sections of the left has no basis if it rests on an assesment that the clection represents a fundamental change in the relation of class forces.
Thatcher has not yet notched up any political offensives launch first. True, the policical debate the has seriously shitted to the right. fact, the election campaigns waged by the both the ruling class parlies and che Labour Party have been further to the right than in any previous post-war election.
But this does not mean these policies have acceptance from the working class.
For instance, that trade unions have too much from power may well have won some support amongst backward layers in the working class, but this is a far cry from assault on working class organisa-
By Dodie Weppler and John Ross
tions she is after.
conflict;
with the buresucracy re-asserted
fundamentally
Inva vot
political living
Sate, and soon.
been
*work-shy scroun Despite seriously
rights of its living STEISTEN barcaucracy.
be
coisic has
He did BOC the miners.
years: the social forces
econonic legal existing under formidable
and
setback it is.
she begun to use
will meet, dangers the whatsoever, rein forced.
SESSILICI
qualitative sucoesses in the
chose la won wholesale
Thatcher's notion
justified.
agreeing to the full-blooded
agenda.
Similarly, more may agree there are "scroungers' in growing numbers, but
acceptance that wide sections of the welfare state should be dismantled
If there is one thing the election
is the fact that combativity of the class has not been
defeated, and existing commitment to defend basic gains and rights has not been broken Some sections ol workers were even
STruggle during the clection campaign.
The Tories became defensive wben they were accused of aiming to lower
standards through indirect taxation, to dismantle the welfare
This kind of response indicates the limits of Thatcher's victory: It is true that the working class experienced set-backs in 1975-8. But chere bas
qualicative defeat The IcH have mown in membershin evidence that they continue to be seen as organisations of basic defence.
defeats in sectors hit unemployment construction, shipbuilding and so on
active militants haven't heer integrated into the
Ford workers and lorry drivers showed that the bosses could be defeated by serious struggles wager by strong groups of workers. In the
public sector, setbacks were mflicter
but new struggles around compara bility are on the agenda. The bourg
can win a major confrontation which would involve groups of workers like
Furthermore, there have been big
especially atonest youth — organised by the Anti Naz Leagud and the anti-racist strugele And while women's gains have been
the one sharp move to limit the 1967 Abortion Act was met with rapid mobilisations
It is this class relation of forces which determines perspectives for struggle. Ultra-left bravado that the Tory victory is irrelevant is useless, The fact that the working class was unable to overcome the effects of its leadership and DIETERE Thatcher forming a government will be fell by sections of the working class as the
The Tory victory gives confidence and clear advantages to the ruling
Nevertheless, the - recent struggles of the working class and oppressed, and their general political consciousness, combined with the rapid unpopularity which Thatcher
all create a tendency towards struggle. In Sentland, where
Tories have mandate this can only be
It would be idle to speculate on the exact form and tempo of the coming
ruggles But the general perspecti
re clear: whatever the initial dela while Thatcher collaborates with the union leaders, tens of thousands of workers and oppressed will enter into struggle against Thatcher's policies. Revolutionaries should prepare now for struggles which will finally involve central sections of the working cluss
This duamic clearly does not call for the shift to the right in political approach which is apparent in the left - from the Labour left through the Communist Party, to the far left, Thatcher's victory is a setback but not at all the end of the wat
Any rightist political stance based on an analysis that a fundamental defeat bas been suffered cannot be
And it certainly won't provide the fighting lead chat is needed for the confrontation between the classes which is clearly on the
Page 3 scan of this page
Revolution!
Our first
weekend, being a success.
all.
By Jude Woodward
The organisation of the rally
one another,
When the Sum discovered that the rally was taking place our troubles really started.
Their headlined Revo kids make a date with Marx' was good free publicity, but it didn't please the administration University where the rally was booked totake place.
The Vice Chancellor of City University tion's booking thought Tarig Ali's presence at the rally would be inflammatory.
So with little over a week to go, Revolution had no venue -but all the indications were that
P0UDA planning to come.
The rally was saved, twice over, by the Student Union at the prestigious Institute Education in Central London.
The Students Union agreed toallow the rally to go ahead in their student building.
We all breathed a sigh of relief and began to puzzle over how we would get the people who arrived at City University down to the new venue.
But then the Principal of the Institure decided Jock good if the rally took place at such a famous educational institution, and be too wanted the venue cancelled.
But this time the authorities didn't get their way.
The students at the Institute
- more power to their elbows - held an emergency general meeting and occupied their own Union building so that the rally could do shead
The rally began at lunchtime on Saturday and soon the hall was filled with INVEST IN THE FUTURE, FUND YOUR PAPER
THE BRITISH press, the education authorities and even the army in Ireland seemed determined to prevent the Revolution rally, held in London last
All their best efforts were doomed to failure. The rally went ahead, was well-attended and enjoyed by
problem after
front page article. discuss
City
about Ireland. cancelled Revolubecause he people were
of
England?*
But
wouldn't
which Cardiff,
Over 300 CHIe
supporters, 75 percent of whom were school students, young workers and young women.
After milling round bookstalls for a while and eating picnic lunches, everyone broke up into workshops to
various facing the youth
The tilms Blacks Britannica and Home, Soldier Home were particularly popular and pro. voked wide ranging discussions
racism, fascism
While these discussions were
ahead attempts were being made to sabotage the rally from a long discance.
Ireland, MacAliskey, who was due to be the main speaker at the rally in the afternoon, left for Belfast airport to catch the 12.30 plane to London.
At the airport she was stopped by the British army. They asked her two questions: *What are you going to do in
and What time is your plane?'
They kept her sitting at the roadside waiting until they saw the Loudan plane take off, then she was released.
even this destroy the rally, it just helped lo bring home to the people present the repressive nature of the British state in Ireland.
A statement from Bernadette was read to everyone present
pointed action of the British security forces in preventing her leaving shouldn'i surprise anyone who
anything about situation in Ireland.
Par Watkins, a youth from
CHEERLE why decided not to join the army.
He was due to enlist at the end of Apcil, but after going to
of Pat Arrowsmith's
revolutionary
world.
Cuba, the played
questions The rally
tremendous
The and particular,
part
thanked for solidarity Bernadette youth rights.
fact
lution were
social in the evening
their student union.
couldn't London.
for their help, The sig that Inc planned
Tun and
birth
The
Mary
struggle for socialism.
youth rally
| election meetings on Ireland he changed his mind and decided to join Revolution instead.
Barney Mokgatle, a Soweto student, talked about the events in South Africa in June 1976, and gave concrete evidence for the truth that the youch will be the audacious spearhead of the
South Africa and all round the
The final speaker was Tarig All, who pointed out that in
Vietnam and recently in Iran the youth have
in carrying forward the struggle for liberation and socialism.
ended with cheer for the students of the Institute for fighting to allow the rally to go
women's group in who interrupted their own conference to take
in the general miceting which decided to occupy, were
showing their with the light for
Some measure of the success of the rally can be taken from
that over 100 membership cards for Revo
sold ALTR collection raised over E200;
The final problem facing the day's events - a venue for the
solved at the eleventh hom when the students of Middlesex Poly in North London offered
Coaches were laid on and everyone was ferried to North
The band Charge provided PA equipment and so they and the students at the Poly were also in line for a vote of thanks
went ahead as with The Straits playing, everyone danced, had
celebrated with militant choers the fact that it was the anniversary of Marx's
A fitting day for an event marking such an important step towards creating a revolution-
youth organisation. revitalise and carry forward the
Socalist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
Scotland's minority party
WRITE US A LETTER - AND ENCLOSE A DONATION
ELECTIONS
Hy Des Tierney THE MOST significant feature
Scotland was the collapse of the Scotlish National Party's vote.
The SP's share of the vote Tell from over 30 per cent in the October 74 election to just over 17 per cent last week. The party's Parliamentary representation has plummeted from 11 MPs to two.
The interpretation of this result is not too difficult to
Labour's policy assembly and its championing al the scotesa Desceparat Agency. won Labour votes throughout 1978. Ibs stunning hy-election victories in Gursadden and Hamilton fore-
scotland In general election.
Serprisingly, the referendum result on devolution and the SUTECOUCIE Labour government to get the Scotland Act Implemented did setslow down this process.
The Labour Party was able to go into this clection as the party of devolution and point to the SNP as the party which gave Thatcher her chance by supporting the Tories in the no
More than in most parts of Britain, the working class in Scotland fears the Tories economic policies.
It is difficult to find any substantial employer throughout the central bell of Scotland
hasn't depended intervention THE defeat of Tribunite MP | tion: Arthur Latham by 106 votes in Paddington has highlighted the
question of when the far left
BOURSE LESLEDOUT
Tung: Banjo. the Workers Revolutionary: Cary canoE date. pot 117 votes than the margin of Latham's
Labour Party supporters and
the WRP for the defeat. Banjo
Coming soon!
OUR PAPER will be carrying the bigeest and best debate on
Tories. Unity in action will be the theme. But what sort of action do we need!
those Tony Benn, Labour erns Roberts, and leaders of the Socialist Warkers Party. /
Maulest Challeape fr Ma 1979 page 3
SNP support plummets
- the Tories
The suspicion that the SNP was prepared to put this at risk weighed heavily with voters. The second reason for the SNP collapse was that their traditional supporters, sections of the rural population and the middle classes, showed - by their rejection of the Scotland Act in the referendum - that their flirtation with the idea of CLOSIN Independence over.
Their fear of the Scottish the working class and its powerful
dependence on the union with England.
The SNP faces an uncertain future, Itis, as has been pointed out by Tom Nairn, a bourgeois nationalist party without the support of the boargeoisie in u country which is dominated by the working class.
Will the SNP continue as the party of Scottish nationhood WOOLT TONI the fantasies of the middle classes?
Or will it be able lo grasp the potential of the
Westminster aspirations?
The collapse of the SP vote allowed both the Tories and Labour celebrute election.
Certainly for the Party its increase in the share of the Scottish vote by 6 per cent and the retura to ne
on politics offers it some comfort.
The demand for the assembly
Mke not to bame
for Latham defeat
Mr Latham blame us for his failure in the election.
'Callaghan betrayed
working class who put him in TOGE WIN REIT YOICS more he whohas letthe Tories uet in.
Santo is about correen WE Question ine caccal WISCOm O1 standing in and unfortunate that Latham lost Lave an aucrae explana our be would De better advised
Tony Chaler, editor of the
debate next week.
Other points of view will also be comme in trom the trade unions, the women's move MERE WOO TOC DECK TOUYEIGERE Aiso in next week's Socialist Challenge report of movement in iran.
could be seen by some of the Labour Party's more opportunist members as a way or attacking Tory policies, fuelled by the discontent of the Scottish working class could lead to a massive anti-Tory. anti-Union movement.
cause great dificate for the
Lahour Party in Britain.
Similarly. with receiving 42 per cent of the pall in Scotland, the Tories 31 per cent. the INDEEEEE celebrations could be cut short. minority Scotland, whose policies huve been decisively rejected by the
will INVESTEE erhups impossibl mplementing their They are pledged to cut the power Development Agency and the regional incentives ployment. They pledge to bury the Scotland
prospect succeens ines projec without the Scottish fighting back is remote.
anti- A footnote on the Scottish
Labour Party. Despite the large the quite significant vote in the this Paisley constituency formerly held by the SLP, the loss of the Labour two seats spells the end of this
party Sillar has already said that 'after 20 years in the fight for 'British' socialist policies in Scotland' he
has decided to look for another occupation. to look at why the Tribune IrVINE LE Groun raised nothing in the
way opposition nolicies 0l the the leadership lost them the election - and it is We should resist all attempts
to make the WRP a scapegoat bill tde of voting against WAP but that does not change
is The reason for candidates against Labour is to provide a locus for resistance to the policies of
the all Tory struggle.
We said before the election that the WRP'S refusal 10 ap the examer s and black moremenis
meant Brat Saere Was do Cason for voting for it.
The campaign has borne us When it came to biggest mass struggle of the on-the-spot Women's Southall, the WRP as usual was
nowhere to be seen.
would
Labour
party in
the Tories
difficult
- IXSA 01
Scottish
for em-
have also
of their
working class
*
Thatcher
analysed the Callaghan policies which
standing
the Labour thus also stimulating
NEWS LINE sectarian account of the support, for
autononious Seen
'Mrs
and ex-military
Honing like this is common in Scotland and elsewhere
Views from the left
UNDER the headline The the coming period.
rampage stopped' the Communist Party Morning Star lust Saturday
the reasons for left Labour's defeat. It correctly analysed: "The election result is • serious setback, but not a reason for defeatisms. The forces esist which can throw huck the Tory onslaught.
It noted of its own electoral results that 'in the majority (of cases) our vote went down and this is a setback. We shall need to examine the reasons for it in
News THE
There is
Lines
continued its place. ruling class preparation to launch u civil sinister is the refusal to recall particularly
Fehruary ten year-retired R.A. Rutler, miners strike and the decrepit octogenarian Macmillan to the Cabinet: Election.
Thatcher's Cabinet weekend bristles with rabid right wingers
officers. forces.
Morning Star
The reasons in fact are well contained in the same Issue of the Morning Star. It suid: i the
alternative policy of expanding the economy and challenging the domination of the big monopolies had been adopted, jobs would have been provided, prices kept down and democracs extended."
In fact if the CP's policy of of industry had been followed, raging inflation would have been the result.
Furthermore, while the
Thaicher's Cabinet marks u complete break with previous post war Tory goveruments.
truce of "Supermar" or R.A. Butler in this administration
Even Edward Heath, the author of the haled Industrial Relations Act, Is considered loo radical and "soft" to pet a
"The ex-Tory leader, deposed by Thatcher, is still blamed for "bowing to the unions" in
1974 during the
Instead of calling a General
Thatcher and ber friends believe that Heath should hase stuck to his guns and used the police, the armed
The courts and
The one that's different
Morning Star denounces the right-wing Labour leaders. (who) have abundoned SocialIst aims, It has not a word ag the 'lefts" who were supposed to he the hope in 1974. What about Scunion and Jones, criticism of whom was supposed to be 'splitting" l 1974? They were the most pelive alles of the Labour right.
As usual the Morning Star's comment on the election shows it has forgotten nothing and learnt nothing-
emergency powers to cresh the miners
"Thaicher's class-war Cabinet is proposing to pul this policy into action without very much deluy.
All this might seem merels alurmist nonsense If it were not used to justify the WRP'S campaign against such cam paiges as the ANls on the grounds that they were "provocations'
Meanwhile on its inside pages News Line continues Its campaign of pruise for the lenders of Iraq In their drive to murder thousands of Com munists and workers.
Perhups News Line considers Thatcher not radical enough in some respects?
Page 5 scan of this page
The sound and the fury
ALTERNATIVE POLICIES DON'T GROW ON TREES. DONATE NOW
ELECTIONS
clection. It also
Ireland platform.
its work in the election.
We decided to stand candidates because we wanted
Labour Government and put forward the case for a socialist alternative.
The way that the overwhelming majority of the left. MPs Tan their campaigns fully justified that decision.
Although a few, and they were very few, like Emie Roberts, Ken Livingstone and Ted Knight, did publish manifestos that raised the issue of sociulist policies, almost without exception, the rest of the left buried their differences with the right-wing leaders and camely campaigned on official policies.
Even the supporters Militunt, which organised force in the ranks of the Labour left failed to forward real sociall alternative.
standing candidates we were able — in a limited way — to show militants that were alternative socialist policies to the ciass collaborationist programme of the Labour leaders.
We realised that many of the people who agreed with our programme would still vote Labour. That did not matter to
Shop stewards in places bike Birmingham and Manchester, who time after time told our FREESPEECH for Thatcher and Callaghan -
her campaign.
party candidates who stood in Cardiff SE.
SU election campaign
sponsored and supported campaigns or Independent socialist, Fat Arrowsmith, and Brendan Gallagher, who stood on a Troops Out of
Socialist Challenge asked BOB PENNINGTON national organiser of Socialist Unity, how he assessed
canvassers: 'Yes. I agree with what you are calling for, but l must vote Labour to try and keep out the Tories", were won to policies which they will fight for in the trade unions.
Winning support for such policies was always vital with Labour in power return of the Tories, it is even more vital.
We decided from the very beginning that it was important to combat racism, not simply by propaganda but by mass action, Without doubt we had some successes in this respect.
We were able to play a big Tole in mobilising Leicester ainst the National Front. of In Southall, where thousands best of Asians took to the streets against the Nazis, Unity was right to the fore in this campaign. Tariq All, the Socialist Unity candidate in the area, became one of the leaders in the fight against racism.
In Bethnal Green and Bow.
Socialist Unity mobilising force - in ESPISECHOI against National Front: This demon stration was sponsored by over 20 organisations, including the Communist Parly, as well as
Socialist Unity organised a picket of over 50 people outside the surgery of the doctor who was standing as the National Ireland. Put Arrowsmith, standing in Cardiff South-cast, was arrested twice at street meetings during
hare to peat upon at get fre pet are he Plates de and her thee
A demonstration and rally are to be held in Cardiff on Saturday 19 May at 2pm, Further detail гнп IN Hookshop, Salisbury Rd. Cardiff. Tel 0222 30183.
well as organising a meeting of the over 100 people on the fight against racism.
The clection rally attracted another 150 people and some 50 OTNECHEICAHCKABEKEES men and women, from the area.
Manchester Unity helped demonstrations against National Front Rochdale and outside the studso when the Nazis did their broadcast, In every place we stood we put the fight against racism right in the - with the programme and
election campaign to help to build the Anti-Nazi League and the local anti-racist committees.
I think that biggest successes the issue of Ireland. All the main parties had an unspoken truce to keep Ireland out of the for the election arena.
ag- We were determined to try and change that equally determined to
Socialist We organised a national tour
with Brendan Pat Arrowsmith mectings in every constituency WE BLEE Socialist standing.
At these meetines we were was the main able to expose the record of
the British imperialism in Ireland CELE and to win supporters and new activists to the United Troops activity on Ireland just to the We places where we were standing.
At most where organised on demonstrations - but not for those who dared to mention troops out of
Socialist
to build
the in Hyde
centre of Ol
used the
one of our
was around
and make
Our Callagher and Callghan
and held
Unity was
and their role in Ireland
change that.
restrict
of the meetings
spoke
blanket"
to the sidelines
_Har
political prisoners
morning viewers!
CARDIFF South-East: allaghun ;Lat)
rrowsmith (s)
Arrowsmith percentage: D.3
BETHANAL GREEN & BOW:
Mikardo (Labl Psor IC WHOSE F Covill (WRF)
WHOSESUT SU percentage: 0.5
ISLINGTON NORTH:
simceon iSU ough IWAP SU percentage: 1.9
Socialist Unity in Glusgow. The campaigns attracted large numbers of youth
supporters heckled disgraceful record on Ireland and made youth. sure that he could not avoid the question of the British troops
In Barnsley, where Brendan Gallagher stood against Roy Mason, there had been little or Kids for no local activity on this issue, Gallagher's campaign helped to
His eve-of poll rally Was attended by over 100 people and rallies. and the vote of 638 that he got showed that his fight against British imperialism had made an impression in this solidly working class constituency.
Pat Arrowsmith showed in Cardiff that just because the polis bad closed, Ireland could not be immediately dismissed been
Not only did she challenge Callaghan after the result was declared bul made a speech against the treatment of the
from the Saturday a speech that was lorward televised to millions of carly
tion
Socialist Unity's votes
Elot WAP 1,740 501 436
SOCIALIST OU
UNITY
In all our campaigns we made a big drive towards the
particularly the young school leavers, the unemployed and the black youth. Many youne people became active in
In Hull there was a School
Stanton group. We were able to win young people lo come out on the anti-racist that Dickets and to ee arouDs 01 them to come to our meetings
Ar the Socialist Festival in Manchester which was attended by 300 people there was a large contingent of youth
Many of the youth that went on the pickets, worked in the campaigns and attended our mectings, bad never before
involved in organised policical activity.
Our attention to the youth really helped us to get people to allend the Revolution Kally which was held in London Tast
major step towards building a revolutionary youth organisaLIVERPOOL TOXTETH:
SU percentage: 0.9
BEH WINGMAN SMALLERIM
349 SU percentage: 1.2 SU percentage: 0.4
MANCHESTER Ardwich:
SU percentage: 0.9
The Socialist Unity election campaign made it possible for us to do a number of things.
We were able to win new forces — albeit on a modest scale — for the fight in tbe mass movement for socialist alternative
What is more, by our activity and campaigning we showed
tieht for such a programme needs united mass action.
This is why we placed big stress on building the left inside
on building organisations like the United Troops Out Movement, the National Abortion Campaign, the Anti Nazi League and
Furthermore, the election campaigas coubled us to win new people to revolutionary politics.
Here, I can only speak for my own organisation, the International Marxist Ciroup. know that in every aren the EMiG made new recruits, and Farhurst iNF
SU percentage: 0.8
GLASGOW Queune Park:
Greene ISNP)
Tallel Cont
Brathwaite INFI Stanton (Sol SU percentage: 0.0 NOTTINGHAM EAST
Brander-bravo G
SU percentage: 6.8
Socialist Challenge 10 Mus 1979 pose
Page 6 scan of this page
The Front is down
BOOST THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM BY FUNDING YOUR PAPER
HOME NEWS
Asian
defence
patrol
By Anwar Hussein
BLACK self-defence made an important, If brief, appearance in Saltles, Birmingham, earlier this month.
On Saturday 28 April two ex-army white youths with their female companions abused und swore at a couple of Pakistanis who were working on their car in Parkfield Road, Suitley.
Pakistanis Nacem and his brother had enough, they battered these tro thugs who promised to
with reinforcements.
At 9,50pm, some 20 to 30 whites with knives, Iron bars, chisels, and stones turned the STEEL HILD 'ONE battleground. Shouting and 'Kill the
they smashed windows of Nacem's house und tried to get in.
As they ran off, one of the racists threw a chisel at Pakistani house It missed is target, but smashed through a window in the next door house. giving white 65-year-old woman inside a heart attack.
MITE BILE LAUDAEL
for support, and to hold
patrolled both streets. This was
On 30 April, Denis Howell,
and assured the
The patrol carried on for a further two nights and then collapsed.
If such an incident recurs, the community elders will not find i1 30 easy assurances of the reformists and the police.
Terrified about the incident, 65 Asians From Parkfield Roud and the neighbouring street met the following day. Everyone at the meeting talked about the racism of the police.
Speaker after speaker referred to the system that is run in Pakisten do protect the villages,
emphasised that needed to prolect themselves along these lines.
A rota was set up, so tiat ten WAS CO DILAN UNHA euch night. A military plas was drawn up to defend the streets.
Socialist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 6
- had Nazi League and others.
deposits in the process. By Colin Talbot
The NF candidates polled an average of 638 votes, as against an average October 1974 clection, a fall of the almost 60 per cent. This is not due to the larger number of candidates,
A comparison of the Front's top twenty candidates in 1974 with the same constituencies in this election shows a drop from in average 5,72 per cent of th oll to 3.4 per cent, a fall o over 40 per cent.
The reason for this slump is
- with 20 horses and 40
meeting in the Glasgow Pollok
early in the morning. Students
the road in front of it was
supported the counter-demonSEE SOG.
and Socialist Unity decided to
IN BRIEF
the Coventry carnival
By Will Reese
The Coventry Carnival Against Racism was a major success and, in its own way, blow against the Coventry.
At least 3,000 people, the majority of then attended tbe procession carnival, listening from Squad, Hard Top 22, and they Belt & Braces.
Over forty and do mun political, organisations had stalls at the carnival. Speakers Colin Lindsay, Coventry Trades Council, and
but not out
THE NATIONAL Front fielded 300 candidates in the elections, hoping to regain some of the ground lost because of the successful campaigning of the Anti
The Front failed dismally, forfeiting £45,300 in lost
two-fold, First and foremost are the big successes of the anti-fascist movement.
The NF 1,487 in the steadily 1977. following when the Front began to be the tions and pickets all over the COURTY The high election was undoubtedly the huge and heroic mobilisation in Southall.
Wherever they went, the NF met open and massive hostility - they had the Nazi label so
CP quits Glasgow picket
marched to the school and sloganse of this was to the liking
Bul by this time many had decided that goine wh Queens Park with over eight Raghib Ahsan, shop steward from Rover, Solihull.
The event was an cnormous impetus to the anti-racist forces locally. The organise a series which can continue the appeal to young people and to extend anu-racist activIty
We are already forward to next year's carnival. another NF in NF broadcast
youth, By Geoffrey Sheridan aUSO music THE free advert for racism provided by the five minutes allocated to the National Front by the during the gemeral included campaign president of co-ordinated mounted to a broadcast.
NF vote falls by 40 p.c.
to deny it.
The left
vore has been falling since spring Wandsworth.
the period right-wing Thatcher.
point in this racist flag. outbursts about black
undermined the workers Joined us.
Pickets
and the Racism in task now is to of events
April. in the Large
looking
Scottish TV number studios in the city.
*ho
Iwo
television companies
election the most opposition yet
firmly pinned on them that they should spent most of their time trying
overall
This anti-fascist campaign was carried out mainly under the leadership of the revolutTonary left and black milicants.
reformists of the Labour Party and Communist Party by and large abstained, In with some notable exceptions
Hackney and
SELCH ERE which undermined the NF was the
offensive by
The Tories stole the NF's
Thatcher's 2,9 people *swamping' Britain, and thei Leicester. general anti-socialist offensive
Nazis still strength
The anti-fascist movement candidates The 'unofficial picket of the NF's Glasgow meeting
TV stations, about the NF. called by the Anti Naxi League
Campaige Against the Media, look ham: place in 10 cities to coincide chester; with the NF party political, which was transmilled on 26
Cardiff. numbers of police guarded the BBC headquar ters in Portland Place, London aguinst a 200-strong picket. In Glasgow, 300 protested outside
and similur picketed the BBC critically
Members of ABS and ACTT
work for BBC-TV In Bristol came out to join the
pickets who demanded no uncritical cover. age of racists and fascists, and Unite
Southampton the trades council hanner was to be seen among the placards demanding that the BBC tell the truth
not be complacent about the NF. Despite this
set-back, they have retained important areas support- In the East End of London Tyndall and Webste polied an average of 6.8 per cent, a drop of only 20 per oent on previous figures
London.
Deptford and Bermondsey, the NF vote dropped from 4.8 per cent to 4 per cent.
For the fascists this compares favourably with other areas of London, for cxample Tottenham and Wood Green, where they crashed from 8.2 percent
per CeDT, and the decimation of their support in
Wolverhampion, and other traditional areas of
Standing only a couple of
Wales and mounted at: BBC Pebble Mill, Hirming-
Granada TV. ManYorkshire TV in Leeds; BBC Newcustle: Anglia TV, Norwich; and the BBC in
Misty victim
A VICTIM of the police riot in Southall on 23 April remains
Will in the Central Middlesex hospital.
Clarence Baker, manager of the regane group Misty, is suffering from a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain
Clarence was in the Poople
Creative Arts and Education Centre in Southall when it was attacked by the police on the afternoon of the anti-fascist mobibsation.
Scotland, it is clear that the fascists have no base in these
Our optimism needs to be guarded. Not only have the Front managed to sustain their support in bast and South-east London, but they polled almost 200,000 votes nationally
Given the success of anti-fascists in pinning the Nazi label on the Front, and the racist turn by the Tories, this vote could be an ominous sigr That a small bur strongly fascist hard-core is emerging.
The Front may be down, but they certainly aren't out.
We still have a long light ahead to ensure that they stay down, a fight which can only be made harder as the Tories step up attacks on fiving standards and democratic rights.
hal. TARRI
A statement from People Unite explaits what happened
The SPO stormed in...and brutally attacked and wounded 100 people or so in the house. They savagely used truncheons on helpless youths who were dragged from the house.
The police arrested 350 persons during the demonstration, 100 of them were from the house. The SPG ruthlessly and needlessly damaged and destroyed thousands of pounds worth of musical equipment, records and other property-
Damages are estimated at a minimut £5,000. The permanent damage Clarence Baker may suffer is yet another reason to back the call for the disbanding of the SPG and an independent inquiry into the police's murderous behaviour in Southall:
Page 7 scan of this page
Ennals opens door for Tories New attack on Abortion Rights
HELP BUILD THE LEFT IN THE UNIONS. SEND US A CHEQUE TODAY
HOME NEWS
the right to choose.
key question of viability?
By Steve Potter
The debate about viahility is not one that merely divides pro and anti-choice puigners, it is a major issue amongst abortion righis campilgners
Advances in medical science have spurred the discussion WELCH despite the fact before 28 weeks a foetus' lungs are not developed and the brain does not function, a foetus can be kept alive outside the mother's womb at an carlier and carher stage.
Carlisle
By Anna de Casparis NUT representative, Archway
EDUCATION Minister Shirley Wiliams' surprising loss of her parliamentary seat will not be deeply mourned inside the schools.
It was thanks to her decision to postpone talks until after the
*Thatcher the Milk Snatcher' in their negotiations over pay - a grim prospect given the Tory plans for sweeping cuts in COULSEE
Of course Williams" confidence in saying wait" teachers whose negotiations were supposed to have finished weeks ago indictment of the ineffectiveness of the NUT'S campaign on theissue of pay.
IN THE USA in 1974, Dr Kenneth Edelin was convicted of manslaughter for performing an abortion on a 24 week foetus. Ever since 1975, when American women won the right to abortion choice up to six months, anti-abortionists have used the viability argument as the main way to attack the law.
The last decision of Labour Health Minister David Ennals was to order an inquest on a foetus which was aborted after a 23 week pregnancy. The order opens up the door to new legal restrictions being placed on
What should pro-choice campaigners argue on this
This means that if abortion laws ure made droendent on cam- viability eventually there would be a han on abortion from the carliest weeks conception.
This is the importance of the issue to pro and anti choice that campaigners alike. It is not because of the number of late abortions carried out.
At present 80 per cent of NHS abortions within the first 12 woeks of conception, when the foetus is a
Teachers square up to
response from the rank and file be blamed for this; in the last week, all 258,000 members have goodwill fi.e. have refused to participate in any lunchtime supervision, of aller school activities), Even the Assistant Masters and Mistresses (which in no sense is a trade union, and has never taken any action in its 100 year existence) staged a half-day walk-out last week forcing several schools to close! to We can be certain thai if the union leadership agrees tbat the claim is referred to che Comparability Commission, or to compulsory arbitration deleat for leachers is inevitable.
The Tories propose to cut
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE TRADE UNION CONFERENCE
26 May, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1.
Further details from TU Conference, SC, PO Box 50, London NI
of
tiny blob of tissue no bigger than a bean. adequate provision and easier access to there would be no doubt that the figure would be higher. take place
Given the medical complications in late abortions, women of
education budget.
If we Tail to put up a good NUT fight on pay it will give the Tory withdrawn Black Paperites
confidence in the world to crack down on other areas of education — on decomprebensivisation, on building up still further private Association education, on school closures
and on insisting that education serves industry The time to take a stand on the full 36.5 per cent is now. The Ioner London Teachers Association has already urged the NUT executive to adopt a one day no-cover campaign and to call for selective action.
A similar motion was carried by the Birmingham Teachers Association.
AL meeting members expresse considerable anger over the ineffectiveness of the present sanctions and called for sharper action.
Only such commitment can we bee That action wit better still co-ordinated with other employees — such as the Sootrish Teachers and further education Jecturen in NATFHE
If there were abortion facilities
to choose for herself.
After the second Conference of the from the
the
nurseries, on MARK CARLISLE strike
the Bristol peneral
South
Abortion stage. lives for us.
use them Many women's
Ennal's cannot take the decision to undergo a late abortion lightly strengthen The medical procedure should be explained fully with all the on potential hazards, but after this and a woman should have the right
SNOND DY National SPUC National don
WHAT'S LEFT
WORKING Weekend scheci Farsital College
Winter
Campaign three leading members of NAC, Dr Berry Beaumont, Gill Butler and Rose Knight, wrote:
•We do not accept an upper time Limit, because we believe that women are capable and responsible cough to decide whetber or not to terminate WEEDECIS REWARENE
*To set an upper time limit is to say to the pregnant women, "Yes, we believe in your right
make decisions
vour body and your ble for th
ust 12 or 24 or 28 wecks o your pregnancy, then it must be someone eise's decisson"... the someone cise being a doctor or some other expert living our
We want the state to provide abortion facilities, we do not want it to tell us when we can
choose to have a late abortion, but we must realise that we have no right to generalise from such personal feelings and present other women from choosing termination ar any stage?
want carly, safe abortions which will cradicate the need for late ones, but we
eyes need for late abortions even under these dEmaran decision on thie Barnsley case paves the way for further attacks rights under the Tories, in the same way that the Concordat lays the basis for attacks on trade union rights.
The danger is doubled if the Tories feel that they have to
reactionary base by throwing concessions
capital punishment, race
women's rights. The are pressure on them to do so is
STAC 30.000 strong demonstration in Londuring the election Joint International Marxist Group/ Intemational Socialist Alliance School
'SOCIALISTS AND THELABOUR PARTY"
Sunday, 20 May, YWCA, Great RussellSt, London WCE
Under the auspices of the London World Affairs Group Registration 1pm Further details: Mistley (Esses) 5141 (eves)
The school is part of a series organised for those who have
esigned, or are interested in signing, the appeal for revolutionary
unity by the IMG/ISA.
aroup on economics
eaching in schobis has been sen up: t
so the backing o che Conference o
misis and ine sociali!
prosel
LUM UNIS NICESTY C1 LONDON 11
527 Finchley Rd Londor NW3, 1Cam such morning.
Workshops and spokers on the Open Universic. Acm free. Details from The
DEMONSTHATON
Union (Glasgowl nd BAZO-PS
Child
Protection?
THE restrictions on utortion rigete results are evident from the situation ETER SHE BE ECHINI
All abortion legat there and one result is that in the last ten years 12,694 residents from the South of Ireland hase bad abortions in Britain.
More disturbing are the figures for Infunticide, In th
ast 94 years the South o Ireland has averaged an infanticide rate 73 per cent higher than England and Wales.
There is even more disparity WERE contes the abandonment of chlldren under two years of age.
During the past 75 years the South of Ireland has seen over four times as many instances of child abandonnent as has Britain.
As the slogan goes, ever child a wanted child
campaign
Nobody should be taken in by the Tory argument concern for the child, unborn or otherwise, since another major priority for the Tories will be the slashing of social service provision
In the words of the American pro-choice campaigners fightElein decision resus or the
CLE ISL to make the International Year of the Chil the year of the wanted and loved child. Many of those who claim to be concerned with the life of focuses are those who
against more welfare has hey do not care fou
They do not care about what happens once the children are born.
El in advance for papers
Teal Wi Prisoners All Ireland - Film
REVOLUTIOMARY Communis
UTTE Ourere Fate and Conferen
5 June. Coach leaving Lencon 1 Jur
REVOLUTIONARY Communist Te
The workin
Halborn Tube
Socialei Challenge 16 Mas 1979 page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
Unite to fight th
HERE'S A PROMISE. WE'LL FIGHT FOR A SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE AND KEEP YOI
class to that promise.
under the Tory Government. THE TORY Victory qualitatively changed the strength of the forces on either side of the battle lines between the ruling class and the working class and oppressed. What it has changed is the way in which the battle will be fought
So *Labour or Tory the struggle continues is thoroughly inadequate. For five years the working class has faced a Labour Government pursuing viciously anti-working class policies. The line of divide that ran through the labour movement was who would fight these policies and who would acquiesce.
This paper argued for the unity of all those prepared to fight back, summed up in the slogan Alternative to the Labour Government"
This socialist alternative included the effortsto build a new left wing based on class struggle policies in the unions, building united movements like the Anti Nazi League, drawing in the widest numbers of the oppressed into the women's movement and the black movement, presenting
struggle candidates clections, and fighting for a unified revolutionary organisation.
Now the key line of divide will be against the Tory Government and its policies. The fight against the Labour leadership will go on in a different form.
The chief enemy government. The chief slogan is 'Unite to fight the Tories!"
Mass Action to Defend Basic Rights
problems Thurcherisis to pillin problems British demand the weakening and final removal of many basic social, political and organisationa] gains made by the working class since the Sccond World War.
To carry through this project Thatcher needs to wage a fight against The belief that these are rights at all. She need to divide the employed from the unemployed, the public sector workers from those in the private secror, the back from white, from ntale.
The Tories face strong opposition. While the working class is nor yet fighting for a clear socialist perspective, it sees defence of its gains usion rights, the Service, social benelits, womens' rights and many others questions.
So both the drive of British capital and the consciousness of the working class and oppressed means that the decisive battles of the coming years will be the fight for the defence of basic rights.
The relevance of socialist policies will be judged on how immediately they Socialist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 8
Editorial Statement
"factional opposition' to the policies of the new Tory Government made a fitting end to his career as Prime Minister.
But there is little possibility of Callaghan binding the working
As we argue on page 2 the labour movement has not suffered a massive defeat and the Tories' policies will be met with major
struggle first contribution to a debate in which we ask others on
the left to contribute we outline our views on the way forward
has not fought for them.
DO WORR
right but redundancy. Defence
rights Fishts, defence of nuncios,
*Build a Socialist policies of the strikers" families.
TURNIN end
deleat the fascists. through in a bance with tac internationally Ireland, Zimbabwe in the be fought for
the
La firm
is the Thatcher
ruling class,
defend basic rights.
CAD THESE Build a Class Struggle Left Wng
economic. wing
women workers
living standards',
trade National Health necessity for wige controls.
as fundamental
mensbers.
picketing, secret
relate to defending these basic rights | tostrikers" families all coincide at least
and the way in which the struggle will be
Defence of living standards — no
national minimum wage, automatic compensation against inflation. Defence of jobs and the right
reduction of the working My natali elencer dime creatin
of the services — no curs, abolition of the cash limits system, a sliding scale of social expenditure to keep pace with inflation.
Defence and extension of women's
no restriction on abortion and their extension against the cuts. Defence of
001083 00 pickets or the right to strike, defence of union democracy, no penalising of
Defence against 'Sus' laws, immieration controls, mass action to
These policies can only be fought for
working class troops DUL of recognition internal settlement.
The unity of the working class has to
unity of the working class in struggle, democratic control of struggle by the rank and tile, unty oi
workers" organisations in action.
These policies must be placed within
socialist context. Even the gains of the working class cannot be detended without chellen. ing the capitalist domination of the economy and the political power of the
That is why only mass action can
UNITY will be essential in the light acainst the Tories. When basic rights are at stake we would favour a united front with even the most right-wing leaders in the labour movement. But the basis of unity cunnot be uniled declarations but united action - what is needed is a fighting class struggle left
What action will be required is already clear through the declarations and promises that Thatcher has made
• Defence of trade union rights and
Despite Thatcher's talk to the contrary all the serious sections of the ruling class believe in the
Necessarily, therefore, Thatcher will rapidly move for talks with the trade union burcaucrats to investigate which particular form of incomes policy they will best be able to impose on their
Another item on the agenda will be praise action port k
balloting and restriction of social security payments
partially with the interests of the union bosses in restricting the power of their
These backroom deals should be nipped in the bud. The demand for 'No talks with the Tories should be raised on lobbies of trade union leaders, in right up to the TUC Congress in September.
Defending trade union rights militants who fall foul of the offensive should be the job of trade union defence committees. conferences and action committees
La nationally coordinated campaign.
*Defence of the public sector" is the second key theme. The economic policies of the Tories are based on huge
social expenditure. backbone of any incomes policy will be control of the public sector, and one of the first key issues facing government will he the outcome of the comparability studies in the public sector.
In the public sector Tharcher is not looking for collaboration with the trade union bureaucrats but to deliver really savage blows against the power of the
Fighting against this offensive will demand maximum unity amongst the
public sector unions expressed through the demand for a local and national public sector alliance and trade union action to defend social services. be encouraged by the lack of major response under the Labour Government to a doubling of the jobless. Youth and women will be hit almost immediately if the Tories start to axe and Labour's cosmetic Tory schemes. A united campaign on youth
unemployment is more necessary now Local than ever
rights'. The entire political strategy of Thaicher demands early and particularly severe attacks both against even the limited gains of the most oppressed
rights. Already clements, in addition to the attacks on trade union rights, are clear. Thatcher tbe is already pledged to clear reactionary
moves penalty, and attacks on abortion. This will almost followed up by moves against freedom of expression, demonstrations, student unions, etc. campaigns in these fields
- will be carly priorities.
The Battleof Salley Gates. Struggles like these smashed Tory policies and pared the way for the ousting of the Torie
• On unemployment Thatcher must
Jub subsidy
• Defend social and democracio
layers in society and against democratic can only
some of the BALT organised
the death
certainly rapidly
united front Relations Staring probably with those on immigration aws and state racism, and on abortion of
expression.
THE
OLLE
1S
* International policy. One of aneas where the Thatcher wing of Tory Party has pot up most stewn is foreign policy. She faces a key ci decision on whether to recognise internal settlement in Zimbabwe, wh there is likely to be a crisis no mat
she does. Labour being opposition may also tend to weal bipartisan pressure on the base of labour movement on Ireland, open up the opportunities for the troops movement to extend the impact mad
These are the themes on which should be fighting for united actio the whole working class, a fight 1
be made by a left in the labour committed to class struggle pol not the class collaboration of the lef
Such a left wing will not come existence overnight, What we can and, more importantly, do is to sup
push all movements lik which emerged under the Governitient around the Indi
ACE OF those like Anti Nazi League which have com the fore under Labou, In the direc
action, unity and il
MIN
Page 9 scan of this page
e Tories
IN TOUCH IF YOU ENSURE WE MAKE OUR FUND DRIVE TARGET
Kick Out the Tories! For a Labour Government!
ALL opposition towards Thatcher will sturt from particular issues, but the inevitable tendency will be towards a
•ШІС УСТУ existence of the Tory Covernment,
How to get rid of them. That's the central theme that will start to dominate discussion in the labour movement. Callaghan's line is already clear. Unite in inactivity and wait for five years for the Tores to fall and elect a Labour Government.
This is not only a betrayal of the working class in is struggle to defend basic rights, but also utopian. In five years without resistance, Thatcher can so alter the relation of forces against the working class that the likelihood of Labour returning would be remote.
Mass action can both defeat the offensive of the Tories and be the vehicle to sweep away that Government itself. As to what would replace it, the best conditions for building a socialist alternative to the treacherous policies of the Labour leaders are when those leaders are in power.
The revolucionaries are nowhere near even starting to be seen governmental alternative. Under these
conditions workers are right to vote in thee misons against the ruling class parties and for Labour. We must be in tavour of the return of a Labour Coveriment.
Remove Callaghan and his supporters CALLAGHAN will block with the trade union leaders in opposing any mass action against the Tories, His parting comment as Prime Minister
The new government is entitled to a fair show on its voyage. It has got plenty of difficulties WIDOLECUE unnecessany adding them by factional opposition' - makes explicit his intended role.
The sentiment tnat must inform our attitude to the labour bureaucrats is: *Fight the Tories, Fight Callaghan and his supporters because they obstruct that serial igle."
against the Inside the AUEW and the NUM as well as other unions is a life or death struggle for the continued strength of those organisations. Building an alternative leadership and a new left inside the unions will have to be stepped up.
In the Labour Party the lefts should be forced to run against Callaghan or his right-wing successor. The fight for
than previously,
his supporters.
Purty?
to overcome the Labour
place. The
primarily be a reflection of right wing force for example,
round section of the
series of capitulations to policies since the dass of
MueDonald.
Beyond
the bureaucracy
result.
Party, the 'Militant' maintaining its
further and
Among the
Lestle.
wuthentically
Wilson and Callaghan's policies.
revolutionary
sectarian positions
automatic resclection of MPs, for the party conference to cloct the leader of the party and the abolicion of bans and proscriptions will be more significant
All these actions in practice will pos the question of sacking Callaghan and
What type of policy inside the Labour
THE MOST decisive struggles in the coming period will not be those inside
Parly. It is above all through and inside the trade unions class struggle that the decisive struggles will take
women's movement, ants-racist committees and movements, membership anti-imperialist campaigns, the organisations of students will also play a role in 1970-74.
Movements in the Labour Party will
these developments rather than their driving
- a situation clearly different, Irom the Bevanite movement in the early 1950s. It is to these mass struggles and not to the
of resolution passing and rights, canvassing in the Labour Party that revolutionaries must direct their main work. But this should not obscure the class itself. fact that there will be a revival of
The challenge for
revolutionaries
THE PERIOD of the last Labour government was a testing time for any
workers claiming to be socialist. The Lahourleft The
the most ignominious right-wing
alliance and the the Labour Party the Communist Party remuined paralysed Socialist by its refusal to break with the left of
Socialist influence, und politicul credibility as a
The current terming ibself the Marxist alternative in the Lubour
group, placed altered positions Can Ie apparatus of the Labour Party above the needs of the working class. lis shift
Further to the right was rellected in its open espousal of a pruceful democratic road to socialism.
forces of the capitalise left the situation was mure creditable. The Socialist Workers Party played a key role in building the campuign, single most effective political initiative of the last five sears — the And Nazi
No matter what important BETHE atiomary differences exist with the SWP it also
fought for. solidarised with, every massstruggle of the werking class and oppressed againsi
Within the Labour Party some small
currents, I1 DECIS Action and the Chartists. took wrong
on major questions such as the AL and the SHEESE DI devolution referendum, but took the the first Initiative, in the form of the
TOT A DOUT
Anti
Nazi
membership and activity in the Labour Parly and the Labour Party Young Socialists in the next period. This always tends to occur when Labour is in appostion but there is a high level of
- a sharp increase in membership of the LPYS and a more modest but definite increase in the
of the Constituency Labour Parties took place for example Tories.
Given that Tharcher will pursue extremely reactionary policies this increase is likely to be more rapid this time. Furthermore many Labour figures will try to recapture credibility. and conceal their record in 1974-79, by campaigning on issues of democratic
foreign policy, and social questions on which they hope Thatcher will al front even sections of the ruling
For all these reasons a real and Victory, which might have approximated to the type of uniled response needed in the Labour Party. gained.
International Marxist Group wSl. was able lo take initiutives with significant impact. The best kaown
Sochilist Calty Socialist Challenge newspaper. But they also incleded the
Teachers Allance, the Campaige for Action in NEPE, the
Students Alliance, Revolution youth paper, and playing its active role in building the ANL and the National Abortion Campaign.
On that basis the IMG significanily
-THI an orgunisation based in the trade unions and increased its relative weight umong the forces to the left of the Labour and Communist Party bareaucracies.
Hut despite these limited gains the revolutionary left absolutely failed to
cIl the guins that WETE them. Under the 1964-70 Lahour major political the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, helped to shape politics and
cumpaign for revol- This waged try the Internutional Socialists (now the SWP] resulted in a serious and credible revolutionary organisation coming out
ADOCHE AS 2E alternative to militants, The advent of another major campaign with an even greater working class composition, the Anti Naxi League, abso affected wide layers. But the secturianism of the
if organisacion of the extreme lett blocked serious organised force coming out of it.
The SWP paid the price for is
definite increase in membership and
activity in the LPYS and CLPs will
the period which
revolutionaries must relate to and
politicalls orientate 10
they support more class struggle
policies anywhere. The key aim must be
to draw the Labour Party into united
activity with all those fighting the
The election of Thatcher was
serback for the working class. But it
ULT DELUD by
bankruptcy of the policies of the
Labour leadership and not by a collapse
in the combativity and struggle of the
working class and oppressed.
Major struggles are coning in th
ight against Thatcher. Out of these
will be possible TO Can Incron
Government and open
struggle for socialist policies. That is
the real perspective in Britain.
policies in 1974-79 by coming out of the end of te period of the lahour government not smaller in numhers but drastically weakened terais working class militants with a real position in the unions compared to 1974, and having suffered a major los of cadres. And its sectarianism was able to block the winning to organised revolutionary -POSSUCS of the young workers who could have been
The smaller sectariun groups - ICL
all had major splis and lost forces. The campaign for revolationary anity waged by the IME corresponded to the objective needs of the situation, and therefore allowed it to maintain numbers, and significantly improve Its social composition, but the size of the orgunisalion was not enough to schieve the unity of revolutionary forces which was needed.
This situation is of significance in the new period of struggle which is starting against the Tories, -The reformist Enhour left have not paid anything like the politicul price they should and could have done for their whysmul record ander Wilson and Callaghan.
Left reformists never automatically pay a price for their betrayuls tt onis if a real organised alternative is built to
Asalways sectarianism has not alded the revolutionary organisations which practise it but hus aided the obstacles to the working class.
problen also revolutionary left a sharp challenge The way the posturings of the Labour lefts can best be countered is through the fur left making the most vigorous and concerted drive to both show theanselves the most consistent fighters uguinst the Tors government and at the same time put forward the basies of a socialist alternative to tiled social democratic policies.
The need for a unified revolutionary organisation that understands the Fundumental lasks ahead under the Tores is now even more important.
Socialist Chullenge 10 May 1979 page
Page 10 scan of this page
WE'RE MAKING IRELAND AN ISSUE. GIVE GENEROUSLY
IRELAND
Hear nothing
JUST a week after attacking those who heckled Callaghan
Ireland, Conor Cruise O' Brien returned to the subject of Ireland in the 22 April edition of the Observer.
This time his message was even more cye-catching. Head. lined 'Where Mr Powell is a moderate', the article went on to culogise Powell's candidature in the North of Ireland constituency of South Down.
Because he thought Cecil Harvey, Powell's United Unionist opponent in election, was a little more extreme, O'Brien decided that Powell was 'force for moderation'
But by the time O'Brien" words hit the streets, event had caught up with Harves had stood down in Favour of Powell and thrown his 'extremist" support behind this 'force for moderation".
The stupidity of O'Brien's tenant waterus apparent te anyone interested, extremist Harvey had hacked down in favour of Powell, then how could the latter be a "moderate"?
Those obsessed with affairs may claim that O'Brien was appointed editor-in-chief of the Observer just because of his gift for being wrong about Ireland — since that seems to qualifications for editorshipat
Socialist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 30
a British newspaper.
He is only among the controllers of the British media in writing often on the subject; otherwise he is completely at one with other editors and TV chiefs in secing it almost as his duty to missport arcano.
Welcome evidence of such misreporting is available in two recently published pamphlets
the British media and Ireland, One is produced by the Belfast-based See nothing that Research Unit, the other Dy Information on Ireland.• the Both these published splendid
sefore Information on Ireland brought out British Soldiers Speak Out on Ireland, and the Workers Research Unit bulle tin is the sixth in a series which him. has previously tackled such subjects is women in Ireland and repression in the North.
The two pamphlets on the media are in fact complementary, Information on Ireland have an impressive list journalists and contributors. The Research Unit touch on more aspects OE INE ATESS Ireland, including for example Irish içtul run-down alternative Irish press.
Both ire well-rescarched, with a number of case studies Both give a rounded analysis of how and why British preas censorship 00 operates.
Working on the press gang
John Arden and Margaretta CECE OBEI D'Arcy, writing
Information on Ireland pam50 phlet, come is close as any to pinpointing the ideology under which the media operate: "The tradition is deep in the bones of Britain: if the Trish defend themselves against the their neighbours they are criminals; if they endure it they second class Britons praised only for the virtue of Workers attempting to emulate
controllers.
One of the articles in the Workers Rescarch Unit bulletin uses the example of the Guardian to show how this ideology works out in practice. It concludes: "Its reporting and editor alising on the Northero Irist situation illustrates the classic dilemena of liberal commentators when the capitalist state is under attack: how to report the "truth" while at the same time defending the
groups have material
Speak nothing of continuance of the as under threat..
Workers establishment
integral par The Guardian is perhaps somewhat exceptional. At least its reporters in the last years, especially Simon Win chester in the curly days and the improving Anne McHardy today, have tried to carry out the classical function of the Ireland liberal терогс:
reporring of
Thatcher
Secretary:
persuading. the
former speech
was four domineering
SUBBEDS are to be Observer, their
Mary Holland
still goes on. are
even 'halanced"
values and
continue to have to
outstanding examples
British Media
WI.
65р Workers Research Limit, plus 15p
The Other system Upper Street, London N1 of which the press
ten
lE sou don't know what h
ГВІЗПИ, НИ ВИЧІ ПаТЕ ОТ
listenine to Beitish rudio sad the all sides in the
The
'extremists'
gather
look set for another re-run of that adage. By Geoff Bell
It is fairly obvious why dealing.
Humphrey Atkins as Northern Ireland
former Chiel itself, Whip, his talents lie in cajoling.
and wheeler- there demands
had conti tor the most of that same period the reporters have had to encounter the deputy editorship of Terence O'Neill's
writer, John Cole. His influence saw to it that editorially the Geardian
behind whatever the current British
was whether internment or power-sharing.
Cole has now gone to the
and his partnership there with O'Brien has ensured him. that much of the copy filed by
from Ireland never sees the light of day. McQuade,
It is not surprising that such direct and obvious censorship
Although there politics in
signs that cracks in the "wall of silence' are beginning possibility in the establishmente there little press of anytbing approaching
reporting on Ireland. There is too much ar stake for the establishment.
Those looking for explanations of why this 15 so, and the real truth about Ireland, will
look to fringe publications, of which these twe latest pamphlets are * Information on Ireland: The ian,
and Ireland.
Price 50p, plus 15p pap. From 1 North End Road, Loadon
Belfast Bulletin: Media middle Misreport N. Ireland. Price
From
Broadway, Belfast 12. Or from way
BUNKSHOE 328
Irish
"suspended"
payroil.
Atkins and the election
BACK in the 19th century some wag once noted that the problem with the British government and Ireland is
that it has always offered 'too little, too late'. We now
He's the prime candidate for a Mr Fix-it, and from Britair
from the South of thered have beenet
have growing over the last few months that Britain tries one more political solution' in the North of Ireland.
Even a year ago such a "solution' might at least have
chance of getting past the starting gate. 11 Koy Mason had not been so intent on his military solution if he had offered a devolved parliament, a Bill of Rights and
minimal element of powersharing, he might bave started the politicians talking, he might have sown a few seeds of
But now, whatever Atkins' ahility to arbitrate in smoke filled rooms at Westmoster, the odds are stacked against the
One reason can be summed up in the figure of Johnny
limelight of North or treate
1969, when from inside the Unionist Party (now Official Unionist Party) he emerged as one of the most hysterical critics of the policies pursued by the then reforming Northern Ireland Prime Minister, Terence O"Neill.
McQuade represented every: thing Northern Ireland was supposed to be moving away from. As one of the few members of the working class ever to be selected as a Unionist MP, his politics were those of back street Loyalism: sectar-
fundamentalist, intransigent and scarcely coherent in polite company: won
McQuade wouldn't last, the
class commentators insisted. His traditionalism was Ulster's' past, not its future
For a time that seesnied th
things were moving. McQuade resigned from the all-powerful Unionist Party to form the Democratic Unionist Party with lan Paisley. His elimination from the Northern
political scene was assured, said the experts
In 1972 McQuade resigned his seat at Stormont. The parliament itself hac been
by the Tory government at Westminster, but the MPs remained on the
McQuade resigned in protest at the suspension, and because he said be didn't agree with being paid for doing notbing He was going back to work in the docks. And that was meant
The the end of Jobn McQuade
But last week he was elected
MP for North Belfast, defeating the Official Unionist by just under a thousand votes.
Despite the narrowness of hi: victory, and that of fellow DUF member Peter Robinson in Eas Belfast, this double success for Paisley's party is one of the most significant politica developments in the North of Ireland in the last couple of dismal prosthere of the Taken together with
most moderate Unionist part
- Alliance - it can oniy b concluded that Loyalism. and
Protestant petty-bourgeoisie and working class generally, have moved significantly to the right; or at least that the coptinuing "estremist nature of Protestant politics has been confirmed.
On the anti-Unionist side, too, the 'extremists' fared none too badly,
In Fermanach and South Tyrone, SDLP member Austin Currie made the refusal of sitting MP Frank Maguire te condemo the Provisionals his main platform. Magure was reclected with more than twice Currie's vote
In North Antrim the recently formed trish Independence Party — the most intransigeor anti-partitionist constitutional party — won over 40 per cent of the anti-Unionist vote. It also anti-Unionist vote in Mid cent Ulster.
What all of this means is that there is no middle way in the North of Ireland. From each community the cry of *no surrender" drowns all ochers
There is not the ghost of a chance that the Tories can erect a coalition of 'moderates" to oversee the governance of the Six Counties. The instability of the Northern state not only remains but deepens.
The crisis of British unperialise in Ireland promises to become sharper and sharper in the months ahead, and there is precious little Humphrey Atkins can do to avert it.
Page 11 scan of this page
For a United Socialist States
- m Undemocratic
ELECTIONS
eight countries of the Common Market.
interests.
capitalist
THE Fourth International I participating in the electorul divert the campaign for the European Parliament to ensure that an internationalist and capitalist voice will be heard, * voice speaking out for workers, for women, for the oppressed nationalities, the youth, for the immigrants.
It will seck to show that in the face of the coordinated international actions of the European bourgeoisies. necessary and possible develop a united response by the European working class fo fight for the same objectives In all the countries.
The European Parliament will serve above all as a body to rubber-stump the decisions already taken by the states and governments that defend the Interests of capital in the nine countries of the European Community - a community founded totally principles of the capitalist market economy.
This means forcing the workers to bear the burden of unemployment and of attacks on living standards democratic freedoms.
The elections ure not. IN FRANCE there will be a revolutionary slete despite the high expense wader the French election laws.
This has been made possible by the asprecedented gener U3451 of Lutte Ouvriere (Workers Struggle), offered to foot most of the bill For • Joint slate with the French section of tbe Fourth International, the LCR currentiy going through
being forced to suspend daily gublication of its paper.
following extruct Trom their manifesto outline their perspective for a Socialist United States Europe:
TODAY, at the same instant.
ETLLISO lorry-drivers, and French workers bare had to defend
Common Market Elections
of Europe!
IN FOUR weeks time more elections will be upon us
Parliament. They will be held in Britain on 7 June and at various times in the same week in the other
Below we look at the nature and purpose of the clections, and the possibility of using them to mount a campaign in defence of international working class
Coordination
however, simply an attempt to attention of TrOm the problems that confront them anti- from day to day. They are not merely a propaganda operathe tion to try to European institutions.
The clections яге intended to reinforce tions designed to help the Earopean bourgeoisies arrive at and formulate measures and it is goals for protecting interests against enemies and competitors.
Working people huve nothing to hope for and nothing to delend in this Common Market parliament.
The workers have nothing in common with this Europe the trusts and banks, with this neo-colonialist Europe continues to exploit its old colonies, with this Imperialist the Europe allied militurily with US Imperialism.
Irreconcilable opponents of the Institutions of this Europe... (from the Fourth International platform for the clections, und published in Intercontinental Press/Inprecor, 5 1979) themselves against the offensive launched by the bosses and of Europe to make them bear the costs of the crisis. the countries Вигоре, women are fighting who for equal rights with men, and
their bodies through free and unrestricted access to abortion and contraception.
Everywhere the installation of nuclear - POWEL threatens the environment and Jives of the local population, as the accident ar they Island in the USA has just dramatically shown. of The demands of European workers take the same form: for example, the sliding scale of against price rises and seductions In purchasing power: the 35-hour week without I058 INTERNATIONALISM - VITAL INGREDIENT
national election laws.
They prevent the running of a singie slate — independ it or the nationality of the candidates - in all nine states. the different have placed countless obstacles to the running of candidates.
These supposed defenders of human rights' deny millions of immigrant workers the most clementary civil and political rights, such as the right to vote or to run for office. the such clections would be to run We affirm that our goal in
grave
refurbish
also
institu-
their all their
THE social-democratic Communist parties have pur capitalist
anti-capitalist alternative to the attacks on the working class coordinated by the EEC. of Indeed, these parties — such as the Labour Party in Britain, or the Communist Party Italy firmest defenders of 'national'
We are AUSCHEY TECHICS Six months ago the sections
of the Fourth International in the nine BEC countries, along with those in the which have applied to join it
March LITEELC issued a call for a revolution- Portugal,
Mary socialist campaign.
Joint slate in France
which is affecting millions of capitalist workers throughout Europe
The more the workers Europe are of struggle, the stronger they will be... The workers
The working class of France, like that of Germany and al the capitalist states of Europe is made up of workers of all HOLEOUS origins. They and their families
come not Three Mile different regions of France
but from beyond its borders -trom Italy, Spain, from all over Europe and even from Africa and Asia.
In the factories shops, in the fields or offices whatever their origin, the colour of their skin pay or their native language, they
from
all the affected Including In immigrant countries they non-European countries. level.
platform)
Revolutionary
campaign
candidates,
Luxembourg in standing. are often among the Britain,
trate
countries Europe.
Spain), unemployment all produce for the
the same capitalists.
united in this
have no oppress Europe and the world.. merel from pretext of
Greece
For work
geographica the capitalists.
slate of composed of worker militants
countries of the EEC but from
countries, representatives of WOTALIS from
The undemocratic laws in
arious countries prever
com doing this. But we wi defend this perspective even
RELE forced to present slates on the national
(from the Fourth International
The clection laws in many of the countries make it difficult for small organisations to run
However, apart from the revolutionary slate in France reported elsewhere, the Fl sections in Belgium and
will also be
100, the International Marxist Group is
roposing to stand Tariq Al His campaign would concen
particularly in Ireland. grant workers in capitalist
The Fourth International is • mass rally planning two major international gatherings in the course
same coonomy and are exploited by the
peoples,
The only foreigners in th great community of labour everywbere, are the minority of parasites who exploit and
all the peoples of
We are for a Europe rid of the capitalists, of their states and their frontiers. On the
defending these latter, the European imperial ist states have already set the peoples of Europe against each other three times in the last century, causing millions of deaths and incalculable dest ruction — to the sole profit of
with
Today, behind these same frontiers, the states continue to
The European Council in session of the campaign. The first, in Turin on 19.20 May, will be a debale with other currents of the left on the fight for a socialist Europe
Two weeks later, on 2-3 June in Antwerp, there will be
conterence worker militants to discuss how this light B being built in the struggles going on today in the motor industry, steel, etc
One particular theme of the FI's campaign will be against them cric Europe. This will imperialist Tole concentrate especially on the need for solidarity with che struggle for self-determination
The IMG will be organising
as part of this campaign on Friday 1 June in Porchester Hall, London. For
as instruments of the capitalists in the permanent coonomic war which they conduct against each other, to
detriment all the
All those who want no more bloody wars, all chose against the economic wars which bring on crisis, unemploymenr and poverty, must be able to say so in these election Untied
We are for Socialist States of Europe. The workers of the Soviet Unior and the "people's democracies' the must be assured of the tota solidarity of the workers of Western Europe in their fight against the bureaucratic caste of the Kremlin, which from Prague to Moscow deals out psychiatric treatment, tanks, and the Gulag
All those who think that socialism bas nothing to
the bloody which Stalin and his successors have imposed on the peoples of
GIVE GENEROUSLY
details of the Turin and Antwerp conferences write to: IMG, c/o PO Box 50, London NI2AP
10 0 8
the USSR and Eastern burope must be able to say so by voting for a revolutionary communist slate..
The rational organisation of the cconomy in place of the capitalist anarchy, the develop ment of real relations of solidarity between the workers of all nations, the flourishing of all the cultures stifled by the machine of the oppressor bourgeois state reguires the end of the national states and
establishment of a free federated Socialist United States of all Europe by the European workers themselves.
That wouk Tepresent gigantic step towards the universal republic of the workers, towards a world socialist federation where hunger, ignorance, poverty and war would he banished for CyCT..
Socialist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
Zimbabwe: the thieves fall out
REACH INTO YOUR POCKET TO HELP MAKE ZIMBABWE AN ISSUE
given to the issue.
leaders are falling out among themselves.
NDABANINGI Sithole's de- 1 indisputable
sanciations of the 'internal
settlement elections have come
they have Still opened ap
serious problems for the Smith
regime.
Sithole leads the smallest of
the black parties to support the
Internal settlement with Smith
march law seur. in Ene
the
elections he, like all the party
took stand. All black
hemselves solely by their
apport for the settlement and
fetinguished themselves from
candidates
Sithole, whose party won a
measly 12 per cent of the vote,
sow gleges eleclord mal. practice. As we have repeatedly argned these arguments are By Azar Tabari
IRANIAN women must have the solidarity of the internatonal women's movement for our struggle. Kate Millett and the women's delegation from France had a oig impact on us. For a lot of women it was a ict and a source ol strengin
realise that they are not alone and that women in other countries are fighting back.
The international messages that were read out on & March started breaking down the preadices that Iranian women had
the
ent in America and in other Western countries
A lot of women in Iran and in other underdeveloped contries remard these movements as those of the privileged, Both privileged in the sense that they are from imperialist countries, but also within these countries they are from privileged layers. To he honest the feeling was
But now this has completely changed, There is now a strong desire to extend hands to the women's movement internationally. Delegations coming
other countries links help to break the isolation of
movement and prevent AnoMicinE Irvne lo renresent us as the left-overs of the Shah.
in the future if thines po adly these links may be o
practical character making sure that individual women's leaders don't become the largel for intimidation or victimisation.
The women's movernent will have to be very sensitive to the
Socialist Challenge 10 May 1979 page 12
INTERNATIONAL
LORD CARRINGTON, the new Foreign Secretary, is a director of Rio Tinto Zine, one of the top profit-makers in Zimbabwe. So there will be few surprises over his attitude to the racist regime there. The appointment of this former Guards officer and top troubleshooter is itself an indication of the priority
Tory statements throughout the election campaign have indicated that they now want to recognise the lan Smith regime. Whether they will be able to get away with that is something we will discuss in future issues. This week we look at how the internal settlement"
electoral roil, 28 per cent of the seats hised off to the whites in 30711L7. and mos oi me country under martial law.
Of course, for Sithole to come out with this now is just sour grapes. But it still makes the election more difficult to sell to world opinion and, most importantly, it could create a April constitutional obstacle to the asembly ever
The result has to be confirmed by the Executive Council appointed after last March's Internal settlement, which hy consensus and of which Sithole шлетст gereman cam. who takes a similur line, are BESEECEN The sight of the internal settlement leaders falling out among themselvesis predictable
Iranian women say:
give us your solidarity
problems and women's movesent will Very few women at the present time are willing questions like sexuality or even abortion. This Isn't a positive ching. In's a reflection of the backwardness of the LEERLES Bet this is where we have to build the women's inovement You can't something unreialed to that level of consciousness.
The more help we get from the women's movement
and four fighting the white regime as a
whole. But the power struggle al the top is only part of'a more bitter rivalry internal settlement forces — in which the Zimbubwean people
Private armies Sithole Muzorewa, the victor in last month's clection, have been trained in Sudan and Libya, armed under the forebearance of the white authorities, and now exercise a 'nationwide Hitlerite terror' (Muzorewa's phrase].
The increase in terrorism and political killing shows the sort of dead-end to which right-wing polities of collaboration lead. Even Illustrated Life Rhodesia commented:
the tribespeople Viewer described the auxiiries being as bullies who used coercion in
trying to drum men and women into the purty ranks.
The Catholie for Justice and Peace reports
by that Sithole's
purticulurly brutal, beating up or kilne covenans tor reTung to buy party cards-
Reports of rape are legion: the whole morality of the area has been destroyed, not a Iranian athers internationally faces quicker we will pet to our aim
of the complete liberation of raise
frum the whole Solidarity with
pamphlet No Withour Women's Liberation. The pamphlet is available from impose
Upper Street, London N1. fo 30p including postage here is in raniao Women, Saturday, and
encouraging for those
the
loyal to
- DINGER Abel
Uganda, Zaire,
the
inter-
Commision
forces are people. present conditions. the Conference Eniversity, afternoon session will EMISSI The article is reproduced Campaigo for
trau's new Square Revolution
darity Bookshop 328
Women's Centre.
Street, Lnndon SW4.
them they are shot by Sithole's
One African even told the
Commission: "Sithole's Forces
we are
symputhisers and [they] are so
brutal that we would prefer to have the army [of Smith] than
Security and Constituent against
to do so.
London. City
The Barclays Bank.
following 19 May, there will be a nutional denstration from Trafalger
the Iranian Embassy, starting at 2pm.
The Iraniun Women's Soll-
Group, which is organising these erents, can be contacted at the South London
45 North authorities
Trotskyists
held in Peru
FIVE members of the Peruvian Socialist Workers Party (PST) are still being held in prison after raids on the PST's Lima headquarters on 22 April by State Security agents.
Thirty-one members of the party - a sympathising section ol lhe fourth Internalinal were held after the raids. They were all taken to the State
detention where they were beaten and
The arrests were answered by a number of immediate hunger strikes, Huge Blanco, a central leader of the Revolu tionary Workers Party (PRT)
deputy Assembly, Was
Students demand
disinvestment
By Neil Faulkner King's Rent Strike Committee STUDENTS at King's College in Cambridge have begun a rent strike this term to protest
the South African corpection. Already abour 70 students have paid their college bills into the union account, and many more are intending
The student demands, first presented to the authorities last Desober, are that the college should reveal its holdings in companies operating in South Africa, that it should sell them all, and that it should boycott
The authorities responded with a traditional mixture of indifference and anstruction Last term for example, the students were told to provide parl information about the companies from which they wanted the college to disinvest, but the task was immediately rendered impossible by the refusal of the
either to reveal their investment portfolio or to allow the students to put their
one of those taking part.
The PRT (which is also a sympathising section of the Fourth International and the PST are currently engaged in A TUSKRE PrOCESS
The huager strikes, together with telegrams protests from Swiss and Swedish MPs, secured the release of the WHOSE BE TOOSE PERSECUR TH it is particularly worrying that four of the five still being held are not Peruvian nationals and thus face deportation.
The BUSI NETHEL case concerns Lidia Vasquez, an Argentinian woman whose life would he in dunger if she was forced to return to her country of birth. Two Colombians are also being held. case to the relevant committee of dons. Carch 22!
Now that they are on rent strike, the students plan other activities intensity of the campaign. To LUCIRS authorities tourists will be grocted by demonstrations and handed leaflets warning them not to be deceived by the picturepostcard image of ivory-tower aloofness and explaining the reasons for the reat strike.
Although the authorities refuse to give information about investments, research in Landon has indicated huge involvement in the apartheid economs. King's is knowo to have 25,000 shares in Reckill and Coleman, and 130,000 in the notorious sanctions-buster British Petroleum.
The rent strike at King's, campaign for disinvestmen. university-wide follows successful action by about 130 students at Christ's College last term. Aller five woeks and an attempt by Tory students to smash the strike, the authorities agreed to move their accounts from Barclays.
Page 13 scan of this page
restoring Marxism's moral sense
INVEST IN THE FUTURE. FUND YOUR PAPER
writing The Alternative in Eastern Europe.
of the book German authorities are so anxious to avoid.
FOR anyone whose Marxist education was in the canonical formulas of 'dialectical materialism' this must appear a
suspect, if not un Marxist* bool
After all, the author discounts the possibility of a classical" socialist revolution in the capitalist insists that the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 doomed to lead to a social formation" entirely different from the expectations of Lenin and Trotsky. relects the toring role of the Most working class' Indeed, Bahro Come no longer soficien
be a "Marxist" in the traditional sense"
Yet what has become of *Marxism In the traditional sense! in the hands of burcaucratic pigones of the October revolution? Wha does it mean to the oppressed masses in actually existing socialism'?
Scientific socialism become the science of the objective
i governing history, against which only petty bourgeois subjectivists and counter-
volutionaries can reb best aderstoo
ualified exercise - the Polburo and Cente of the proletaria Committee.
These latter have a dusy to protect the gullible masses from the siren calls subjectivists and counter-revolutionaries → who therefoenal disorder see. Sore
disorders treated with the latest psychiatric methods and their imperialist paymasters exposed.
Orthodox Marxiam becomes the science of social manipula tion and bureaucratic domination.
It is against this back-
-interest restoring Marxism's moral credentiais, that Bahro sets out
retrieve the humanistic dimension of communism. The aim is the general emancipation" bumunity liberation of individuais from all socially determined limita tions on their development' not catching up with the West in the competition between the systems.
The risk of exposing himself to charges of "utopianism" "petty bourgenis idenlism" and revisionism — particularly from those who distigured Marxise in the first place - is hardly a serious consideration when faced with the task of Easing *to a higher level
SURPLUS VALUE
Bahro:
MANY TIMES have we drawn attention to the imprisonment of Rudolf Bahro in East Germany for
of the best forms of solidarity is a critical discussion
- a discussion of the type that the East
This contribution by GUNTER MINNERUP is in preparation for a Bahro solidarity conference to be held on Friday evening and Saturday 18-19 May at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WCI.
Marx's own legacy, the most developed theory and method of social science that we have, and (transforming) it into the communism of the present.
THE vertical division labour which Babro identifies as the real source of class and divisions is not simply
Twits manual ideologists on the one hand and those occupied partial, repetitive, ised and de-humanising activiAs long as humanity exist under conditions of material scarcity and the emancipation of all individunis From their servitude to nature is an objective impossibility hoth rulers and ruled the themselves caught dialectic of what Bahro calls Laws those the
of
their emancipatory needs (the striving for liberation) *the compensatory needs (compensating lor the lack liberation).
The state is both the HOLESSI agent reproduction and a means by which the rulers satisty their compensatory need for power over their fellow people. The coonomy is both the necessary motor of human towards the abolition scarcity and a way of satistving ever-growing needs.
These features persist even
But one
of
the intellectual
with de-human-
general
find up in the
after private property has beer and abolished, so that Bahro ca summarise 'the historical task of which I have In mind' as the abolition of the vertical division of labour, and
social the revolution of the
structure of bound up with this.
His slogan of the cultural revolution' stands radical change in all customary modes of procedure in sociely and ibe economy compensatory Bahro's method of viewing
history as the rise and fill of the social division of labour
traditional the abolition
entire independent
needs that is exploitation
of women,
our OVer the institutions and
mental worker.
of
and fatalism.
revolution quences.
correctly
productive
Czarist
The tus establishing
This
Immediate backward
facing determined
necessary
Usable of psycholog
that alienated class producers, division "itself"
hegentony
chables him to focus sharply on all the forms of oppression and exploitation that are not automatically eliminated with
capitalism because they arose prior to and
L1: 'the and oppressior the overall patriarchal family structure... the dominance of the town.
the exploitation and oppression of country... the psychological the manual worker.. by the
But this method also has one serious flaw which is responsible for many of the weaker
parts of the book: the danger
of collapsing differeor modes
production and social full rather one dimensional anthropolozy
certain
This is nowhere clearer than in his analysis of the Russian
and -its conse Since the socialist revolution presupposes, as he
affirms, the bour-
geois development of the
forces Babro retrospectively concludes from
the "Asiatic backwardness of
HUSSL that the
Bolshevik revolution could not
possibly have led to socialism
'Lenin-Stalin -succeeded ra only *industrial
Despers in astonedana Togy to the Asiatic "agricultural despotism, and themselves as the "substitute for an exploit ing class, as the labour lord of Soviet socicty".
analogy with the "Asiatic mode of production'
- a strong and centralised stale bureaucracy lording over
fragmented producers highly problematic. However
and Asiatic' the Russia of 1917 was, The casks
the Bolsheviks WCTE by Some abstract need to industrialise the country in u vacuum, bur by the capitalist world market.
Hut Balro has little to say on the role of the historically
bureauc racy in strangling the international revolution, the indispen-
precondition of Sovier Union's socialist future And he dismisses the concrete political alternative to Stalin Opposition as the tearguard offered Left battle of people who 'no longer understond the process they were taking part in'
IN Mark's time, particularly because this prodated the work
Freud and his school, had yct reached the level of develop ment that today enables it lo declare it as simply impossible
oppressed and of immediate subjected 1o the of labour, could become the ruling class and in this role exercise
Over the entire cultural process of its socicty.
There is no reason for a Marxist to disregard psycho logy sumply because warx did not write about it, but surely its development was primaril concerned with the psychology of the individual, whereas the dynamic of the class struggle is essentially one of the conflict betworn collectives.
Does Bahro's emphasis on psychological change, and the meetier of the in to powe
working class ground:
Ignore the need to destroy th old state apparatus and replace it with a new one? And does it not permit an elitist interpretation of the role of his new League of Communists', exer
cising a paternalist regime over the masses that falls short of
socialist democracy? ('The conception of party pluralism sooms to anachronistic picce of thought lessness.)
Whenever it comes translating his "cultural revolution" into concrete political categories, Hahro vacillates between reform and revolu tion, beiween a developed soviet democracy based mass instiative and politica pluralism and a form of enlightened, humanistic pater nalism.
Yet all these weaknesses and ambiguities have to be seen in their proper Bahro himself writes that the programmadi dimension. should derive, epistemological grounds, but
sociological. fron collective political practice which for us in the countries of
actually ine s
for time still notoriously forbidden.
He might equally have added that the theoretical and historical practice of even the most gifted individual unavoidably hampered by the inaccessability of much crucial SLUTILE and thenrelical material. Symptomatic of this is Babro's vague recollection of Troesky's The Revolution Betrayed "Socialism Be traved STEELEI unfortunately altered in the English version in a piece of editorial over-enthusiasm,
The teriptation in attribute сусту disagreements Onc of with the SCIOUS Bahro
indicated above that situation should, however, be resisted. There is no reason to suppose that -Bahro would become an orthodox Trotskyist even if forced to read The Revolution Betrayed half a dozen times a day
The Alternative in Fastern Europe is a genuinely original and independent attempt to revise, not to ditch, Marxism from a revohitionary stand point, to equip its theoretical arsenal for the tasks facing it in a society oppressed in the name of Marxism. Pereil provide a consane TelerenCE point discussions among East Euro pean socialists for many years and should be read. studied and criticised by every Western socialist a5 REll • TOE HI problems of the transition 1o socialism of abolishing all fornts of social oppression once capitalist private has been dealt with, will soone or later also be our problems.
The belts price charged for the NIB edition is really quite small compared with the price Bahro is paying for its writing and publication.
• The Alternative in Eastern Europe, New Left Books 1978, 19.50. SHETICT Minnerup secretary of the Rudolf Bahro Defence Committee which has recently published issue No 3 of its GDR Bulletin. Copie (sae) Iront: 24a Bellevue Road Ryde, Isle of Wight.
Sociatist Challenge J0 Muy 1979 paze T
Page 14 scan of this page
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE EVENTS
WRITE US A LETTER - AND ENCLOSE A DONATION
LETTERS
Push needed on unity
the present time Socialist Challenge is throwing most of its
Those involved in the Socialist Unity campaign appreciate that we are not offering a parliamentary socialism. In Hull, as in other arcas, we are propagandising and agitating around anti-capitalist programme when working people's political consciousness is raised, and trying to organise them into ongoing
Only blind sectarians would argue that SU is 'the IMO's attempt to build a left reformist party', Our position is clear → SU does not have an adequate programmatic base revolutionary party.
However, what is crucial following the general election is a renewed push for revolutionary reunification on a principled basis. The Socialist Unity campaign is bringing militants into activity who support this conception. Those drawn around the AN are also responsive to the need for a global socialist alternative.
The opportunity is not to
Socialist Challenge, candidates and supporters, the IMG, ISA. Big Flame, independents, etc. should he pushing for a national tour to thrust forward the revolutionary unity, with a view to a founding conference later this year. Let's make the Daily Mail's mythical 'Socialist Unity Party' a reality. PETE MIDDLETON (Hull)
Sour grapes
Pennington (26 aenounces the WRP as 'sectarian', opportunise", and a 'caricature of a revolutionary organisation* bemoans the fact that the WRP is able to put itseif across as the biggest alternative to reformism' (because of their air-time on TV).
This smacks of sour grapes. ignores the obvious common aims of the WRP and other revolutionary groups — the overthrow of capitalism establishment of a workers state, troops out of Ireland. oppressed nations, etc. These general Cort rederas pot for no by Corin Redgrave broadcast, and he rightly refrained from arguing against other left-wing groups despite the differences that do exist.
Although the WRP chooses to go it alone, revolutionary socialists of all shades should support intervention in the general clection as a challenge to capitalism, which a vote
r Labour clearly is n
E. ENTICKNAP (Hyd NORTH WEST WARRINGTON Socialist Challenge
Ring
081-230 2352. lenge oflices for
ChOD 30001S
r the paperand would like to get
chaster SC Conire. 14 Placadily. wote
Socialtel
NORTH EAST DURHAM Socialist Challange Sup
ramn: & Romer Colleges, Low
Chaie lonery stand a Cleveland Cantre
socialist Challenge - 10 May 1979 pugo 14
general clection.
action Sectarian on WRP for a united
I DON'T agree with your Telusine a vote lo the
own sectarian level.
grounds. First,
struggle be SU
organising struggles is very poor. debate However, the
Unity material: pianned economy, DOCUDatIOnS 01
end April Ireland, and so on.
He important campaigns (ANL UTOM, etc.)
support for CP or IMG were present.
However,
party
party. undeniable confidence
their empressure uns.
STOCKTON-ON-TEES readerscan bu
actailst Challenge trom Green Hooks upstairs in the Spencer Hall shopping
SCOTLAND For intermation about the paper or its
BAD TASTE
HALING STAT #43
many
policy of WRP in the election. You are descending to their
Bob Pennington (26 April) refuses them a vote on two quite precise
in extending their support to the Arab masses in the
Zionism, they simultaneously lend support to the bourgoois regimes in Libya, Syria and Irag. Second, their general record in
taking part in WRPS election programme, while it contains support for the Arab regimes, also proposes a whole range of socialist policies, often more cogently stated than in Socialist unity
nationalised workers control, factories creating redundancies, no incomes policy, an
provide immediate withdrawal of troops from
And while the general record of the which WRP in struggle is not that of a truly revolutionary party, it is not true that the WRP have failed to 'organise or participate in any mass astion' as Bob alleges. The WRP have often helped to organise strikes and other actions das. on a wide range of issues. But they have refused to take part in several
NAC, - usually for the thoroughly sectarian reason that the We
many workers, disillusioned with Labour, will want to vote for socialist policies and for the barty, despite having les than tal
despite having less than the WRP and reservations abour its record. In the absence of SU or SWP, a vote for the WRP is the only available means of
This state of affairs dictates policy of critical support to the WRP We should have urged workers to vote for the WRP, but also to take up its from Newsies in MIDLANDS
Sushiam Cooks Halcole.
LEAMINGTON Sucia isn опгаст 31177 YORKSHIRE
Northumberland Street
5st und
BEDS Sorla let Challongs sales meer 1Tam-1.30pm. And af Eland Roll when Leeda uld are playing at home
тона сомин спанепро 15 сп вле.
1 HATE THE THOUGH
ON THEM SITTING ON
THE OPPOSITION SIDE
OF THE HOUSE AND
POSTURING AS THE
DEFENDERS OF THE
RIGHTS candidates on their Arab policy and their sectarian abstention towards
those fighting socialise policies to which the WRP subscribes DAVE BAILEY (Fast London)
Need for ANL conference
THE impressive mobilisations Leicester and Southall demonstrated the continuing strength
anti-fascist movement.
Brighton & Hove ANL welcomes Socialist Challenge's call for an ANL conference. Towards this end, we felt it important to share our evaluation of Leicester with other anti-fascists.
The two most important lessons of Leicester were the importance
and the TORMELL democratic leadership: and we can ensuring an adequate and recognised achive unity action leadership. National ANT Failed to
La leadership which both involved representatives of all ANs at Leicester in planning strategy and
could assign Leicester comrades to cach out-of-town group.
As a result, the strategy
nitrating the town centre in saal
roups left most of us on the wron ide of police lines for much of the
Under these conditions we fel that it was a strateric mistake to divert all of our forces to the route of the Front march and away from the school where the Front were to meet.
call democratic leadership for national mobilisations; 2) unity in action observe the discipline of the organisers even when we disagree with it; 3) an Immediate recall conference of the council to democratise the ANL and discuss strategy for the future NEIL MaDONALD (Press Officer, Brighton & Hove ANL)
Offensive
WHILE I strongly object to Arthur Scargill's justification of sexism and
SOUTH WEST BATH Socialist Challange sale:
PORTSMOUTH Commercial Road Pracine sales SOUTH EAST
Inversity c* Ear: Argil
TALLATHAN, BASEME REES, BENN AND-
"pin-ups", neither can 1, after just reading your paper, come to terms with your so-called (19 April).
As you are well aware, the women's movement is against all forms of sexism, and yet you see fit to produce a photo of him nude with Scargill's head dubbed on top. Surely our aims are to remove all forms of sexual repression? But how can we do this when a paper such as yours indulges in male pin-ups?
ОК. it may just have been piss-take of Scargill, but as far as l can see it didn't come off. I find it rather offensive, and I'm sure that many women will feel as I do DOROTHY GILSON (Leamingion of Spa) of Scargill "pin-up" sexist
THE photo and caption used to put CoWn Arthur Scargill in the "pin-up' debate article (19 April) is sexist and should not have been published. The photo is taken from gay soft porn of which reproduces male supremacist values of dominance and submission in sexual relations in common with straight porn.
Moreover, the use of the pin-up objectifies and exploits the male body 10 an analogous fashion to that of pin-ups of women. Just as capitalism exploits the female body (and the male body in nags such as Playgirl) in glossy soft porn to sell a lifestyle of instant consumerised sexual gratifica. tion plus accompanying commodities, Socialist exploited the male body to sell' a dubious message.
The argument which underpins the use of this photo is the same as the justification, in the name of 'equality" of female strippers for encouraging male vomen. The point is to challenge an reject sexist distortions of sexuality i
0 177.30-3.90; ai Caney Bireet.
OR INFORMATION on aclivilies.! Bittor an, 10 Chelenhan Road
LONDON
Haymarsel
and Bath 20290 tar turthe
SOUTHAMPTON ate Came
Saturdays
arove tube
them, pin-up of him
For should I say a Pauline Roel
Secondly, retormism. real names request.
Challenge has men by strippers for costares man regularly For diate phone Steve an Wivenhoe 2948 Shridan's Newsagenis, en Hoe 9
Suturday mornings in Times Square •Deser ballen revceulionar:
under Westway Fiyover
PADDINGTONIN KENSINGTON supboners sell the paper overy Saturday at
Portobello Ad/ Westboume Park Ad. W11,
GOOD GRIEF. all forms, not implicitly to reinforoe PAUL SMITH (Liverpool 3)
Mistakes in NUS report
THERE were a couple of fauks in your report on the National Union of Students conference (26 April). Don't you think you were carrying antisectarianism a bit far when you cold your readers about the election of two SWP members to the NUS executive without mentioning the clection of Socialist Student Alliance member
your coverage of the Broad Left/Liberal open letter" for a new alliance in NUS failed to come to terms with the aims of the lecer's sponsors. In their new alliance the Broad Left aim to cement a bloc in NUS around positions to the right of the Broad Left's traditional Tribunite
Debatethere will be — and the SSA
THE LENGTH of letters printed will usually be kept down to 400 words in order to encourage us wide a range of contributioas as possible. All letters may be cut at the Editor's discretion. Lasigned letters will net normally be published, although we will withok
from publication on
should undoubtedly intervene in it — but we sbouidn't have any illusions that the result will be an alliance of the kind that the far left would want. Quite the reverse: the new alliance will represent an organisational reorganisation by the NUS leadership in line with political changes (moves away from mass actien towards lobby poblics and negotiations with the state) which have already occurred
LEWIS DAVIES (Teeside)
HACKNEY Socialist Challange grou
вибля роб ва 5 1, Ур.
Rd, Londer NWh
Milare feld on the first Tunso онс. NW2. 7.300 Everyone welcome Hare and an Sister te Thur
Sockmarks, Finsbury Far TOWER HAMLETS Socialisi Chal-
BeS Conto
Page 15 scan of this page
tno Sudan
ПоцІм
ueaae
jo siodar ueadoung Suee sajonb pue
AJaDOs sadosd
341 01 Hasad
sasodya spagoy SUURE aul
- Berunu
purz
Spur
SESULE OETOTIR
-TINERS TOI
a4 M00
341
adad pasnd
DHE JBa anu pT!
SUNNY
asppadsuod 01 TRKVO HLAH
20 L
e u!
pJom
sanad
masir jo sanaan puegimey wies
Isuteae
шо11
DAOL IsturuaPUE-IOSI
sagod
Quo puE 19111L4 Sasanea
SAMOIRCO SOUE TIMIIE
Spur Ksupodsq Sean
a4S saop
Sugan jo ssacosd aut bind 10 35
Eg poirnbas osje
Surpeas anssec ducas au pa
зрел
раов JOu
DAMISUOS
MOLE 13130 Ajdws
шаам120 mapesnar jo BIBS J0u SEY 01 3
You si as0y]
00a]
E ag ainssand pio Pio ue sen 11. no ло ten Appec por paup pocd
nos jo spoou ou Suany Bulagl pue
ano ma an pue sparu sop ioddns n pue1000 noso massy pue no
1A Anaod
gidap ¡Epos pue
Dos 01 podi st i pue
Sganou u
suopdussap Jo migue) 3e
5,1300m
souad sag BALITEE
In Buysem jo sapd poe suid iddeu
роцівер uy dn pacuans ale
101 ms pue
шацт ако раво зл pun "urou
0 77511 t puesapun tues ano uu -pospaqsue 1 Pey 30 0 sin
agnop aJiys SХEAД
parad, фича
ureep
4n, s00ej s4s ouur sassed, pir
aus spal
pue
2112 1
SIE ArO puE SIs Inoge SARMIE SI
paal pun 18a pur fagom pur sujod
сашам Jа40d
uea an mun puy o4I j0
SIEJd
DR LICEU TIVNIASY 30S Basq 584
sopses pue cisaer vo syoo pue sided jo
000e3
Auo
Pd wane 583J74M1 Яноше 210M
Sunr
зачо
LVIRIBAM S351381 24)
La[gnos
ssaosnojastco
DJO%
Sumoge pue duple Adas sae an
Spur Капри цамоля
sunat
IN I1 saagaal 310M
sdeqad LABAJE
puessapun ISDs]
suterda 33041
sip ПR103A852 put оцт. Cosnchuco
Spire: релох.
Copoyeisd por szen parsddes amainey pqoN B0j 20310]
Франко рати
SMO11a1
IN SILIM 1
5H1 uadxa, am ssoppaj
1511 назвав spesar
SNINNHE MEHONY
Page 16 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge Not too much socialism - but too little Why Labour lost
JOB CENTRE OUR landowners,
tion we face in
FUND
DRIVE
Registered with the Post
massive Britain.
Labou
Labour
Fact. and
Benn's
THREE millionaires, two big
and every ONC a director of a major capitalist enterprise. That's the opposi-
the newly announced Tory Cabinet.
Before the election the great nass of the press styled their front pages faithfully on Angus Maude's press hand-outs from Conservative Central Office. Now he is Payntaster Gencral, responsible for making sure sales that the same thing happens when the Tocies are in power
newspaper. Published by
against any moves towards socialist policies.
ummer of 1975 they had pursuer
return of the Tories. It was the old, old story. By John Ross
The facts prove otherwise:
In the 'winter crisis" of 1974
struggles rocked beading up . 10 the all-out miners" strike. Far from Jeading to hostility to Labour. the Tory vole collansed and
Was returned The conchision from the February 1974 and 1979 elections could only be that any government which stands up to trade union strugales is unpopular. But the
leaders and press naturally wish to bury this
The Labour leaders seck other salteroats Alonu with the Daily Mirror and the of the press they clamn that tne defeat was due to the trade union struggles of the winter and the threat of the left'
What about the threat of the left? Once again it was when the left of the Labour Party was most active 1974 and early 1975, challeng ing Tory lies about coal stocks, opposing EEC membership
establishing workers cooperatives that Labour was most popular Tested after 1etts been defeated 1975
demotion in the Cabinet and the capitulation of the Tribune Group before
The Daily Mirror and Guardian, who in their leaders echoed the line of Callnghan in attacking The untons and attacking the left, have now joined with him in wishing Thatcher good luck embarks on her crusade against the working class.
The need for a socialist press that fights the Tories is HOW even more urgent. This was reflected in the big boost in our
during the election campaign. Six hundred copies of Socialist Challenge were sold,
Relpocrest Ild. for
THE GREAT INQUEST is on. Who was responsible for Thatcher taking power? For five years the Wilson and Callaghan governments had blocked and fought
Since their campaign in favour of Common Market intry and the introduction of wage controls in th
an openly rightwing course of cutting working class living standards. The result was inevitable. Electoral disaster and the
tremendous unpopularity the government
real TeasOns Labour's defeat are only too clear, Following che downfall of Heath in February 1974 the
make concessions. The govern ment froze rents, introduced Tood: subsidies, Industrial Relation Took steps to cushion BreE ployment. win the October clection. was after introduced the 1975 austerity measures aimed af cutting back that Labour's support collapsed and the road to victory hegan.
The Labour left aided that defeat. The crisis we inherit will te the occasion undamental channe and no he excuse for postponing i proclaimed Benn in 1973, But when it came to the crunch, Bene and Foor saved in the wage-cutting Cabinet and the rest of the Tribunites took no sensous measures to light the government's policies.
There is a learned from Labour's defeat.
The problem was not too much socialism, but far too little.
in Southall in one week. In other major cities sales went up by between 60 and 200 per cent. cent.
We would be in better position nearer nur tuna drve larger Wetopped our weekly target of LE US WERE DO 8 OTOL effort is needed to get back on the road to cumulative total to the €1000 we should have had in the bank by now. Please contributions in.
Our thanks this woek to;
that
- began
for repcaled the
Wilson
•Tory
for lesson to be
R. Ruine Dundee SC Group N. Long C. . Van Gelderen
Lan even 1. Harrison
we were Cardiff Socialist Unity
Southampton IMG G. Irwin O.J. Elliot A.E. Enticknap making up the Iranian student
Anon C. Arthur Swindon supporters D. Brazil J. Lyst
SMUPIED
но пістки
TOBST FOR LEACHERS-
E5.00 J. Shutt 50.00 E. Short 2.00 20.00 2.00 16.00 10.00 3.00 5.00 1.00 1.00 30.00 tan Miles 5.00 26.00 5.00 TOTAL 5,00
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London NI. Printed by Feb Edge Litho Led (TU),
2.00 5.00 Oxford Public Meeting 6.17 Cambridge supporters R. Hurcombe 1.00 Alan Freeman 5.00 in memory of Neil Williamson T. Hirsch, C. Vallender 2.00 Red Drinker 5.00 B. Ebbatson 2.00 Dr. S. Kramer 10.00
5.00 Dr. S. Rose 10.00 A.H. Naim 5.00
207.67 Cumulative total 709.22
1-4 The Oval, London E2
← Socialist Challenge No. 94, 1 May 1979Socialist Challenge No. 96, 17 May 1979 →