Fe of the Scotrish Workers Republicen Party feel we must take up the distortions nd confusions in Colin Macpherson's Comrade Macpherson opens correctiy by pointino out the soecific économic problems of Scotland, However, we fail D SE MON URITREOS SUCE OSO WOIKE nquiry into social expenditure' can be mufficient politica/ basis for struggle agmut these problems. In any case, who mould conduct this enquiry?
Comrade Macpherson asks what is the 'specitically political oppression of Scotland by England'. In our view, the pecifically political oppresion of Scotland by Engiand is a denial of Scotland's micht to sel-cetermnation, IBy The way. an far as we are aware, the IMG recognises thin rightl.
Comrade Macpherson is wrong to equate national oppression with political Sobression —there are elements ofher Than political ones in the national oppréssion of Scotland. Scotland did have e natianal pulture that was suppressed by English mpertaliem. An exampie of this was the deliberate suppression of the Gaidhlig lanpuuge -that is not to say that the defenice of Gaidhlig is a key problem facing the scotisn wor sing ciass, Dut neverrciess, i in essential to defend the Gaidhlig language't right to mxist in thase areas whiere Historically, we would argue against S CODORUAOER OE SCOLISI COELICSI rutitutions which, by comrade Macphason's own admission, were 'brutally uppressed, That is not to say that we ocate the resurrection of a Scottish roeois carliament in Edinbungh —waf re in favour of the suppression of bourmois institutions by the Seottish workThe key democratic task which faoe the Scottish working ciass is the same one that faces the frish working class, ue nauon ser-outerminstion, o ни sever sid that the SNP opposes imperm m perso. vinat wo co say ss 1n8t the SNP tavours the constructian of a nationar' capital ism in Scatland, and this leads to a clash of interests with perialism, though it would be absurd gressive nationalisation under workens control of Scottish industry, by the action of the Scottish working class.The creation of a workere state in Setoland would mean the socialist expioitation of Scarland's economic resour ces Iowame ch.wut chu reourcus oz-cot Jand would be held in trust for the world warking cless by the Scottish workers' sate. pending the advent of world socielism. - NORMAN EASTON, (Press Officer, Scottish Workers Republican Party).
Comrade Earcon's erner anilf favis to anewer the desic quection that we posed in the last TOS CMI WG TRN SOEIC EMPE AWI peratie taeks that the Scottish working class has to canfranr in the fight for socsallam.
As we said, these tasks are clear enoug/t in the covitext of the Basque country, Quebec or over Irafand: political discrimination on natfonal grounds, persecutfon af natioru lnaugge aed curturg. suppression of mational political institutJons, ever occupation by foreig armies. Comrade Easton can aniy find riwo sueh examplos: The Gaidhlig fefvch ir ".. not class) and the disagpearance of Scottich political institutions (which "we wowld argue againsr... Ascorically').
Iastead of an explanation af which pol itica/ strugales we should rake up, wher initiabives we ahauld launch, or what siogww. sow roo, ro dre trastoo co a taboured tetwogy. Scotland is an opprered natiom..because it does not havg self-determination.
A zecond probiem ariser when cornrade Esston deduces from the right of Scortand JO ANYELNAAON IA ANDOCTHE PIOTIC Motieh we support! that therefore all socialist must be in favaur of asparation of Scotand from Erigiand. If the comrade is COUTNSKOREDC W OSO DRE CU AFIRA pendeet capitailat Scorland would constiTite a step forward for the Scottish wonking clase (as it wawld in iraisnd).
We would argue that, generally speaking. е dre Hot in woroar en seporeten and dismembenmant of iarge political units excthe federal government to intervens, with force, against the lynch mobs in the South. This was necessary, becausn at that time the lynchers operated with me open compicity or one swte ona local governmental autharities, are becking away from enforcing the law on besing. In this situation, revolutionsts demand that the federal Government intervene to enforce the law.
that civil rights laws be passed, and then