Socialist Challenge No. 110, 23 August 1979
The scan: sc-n110-aug-23-1979.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 WANTED FROM THE TUC A CALL TO ACTION
IN TEN DAYS' time the Trades Union Congress meets in Blackpool's Opera House.
what is needed from the trade union leaders is summed up in a motion tabled by the Association of Television and Allied Technicians. reads:
*Congress views declared intention of the government to undermine the existing protection of trade unionists in relation to the closed shop, picketing, redundancy and allied issues.
Congress means at its disposal these fundamental attacks on trade union rights. Congress instructs the incoming General Council to institute a campaign resources and membership of the entire
conference at
Cinematograph, It
with alarm the
Statutory
action
resolves to resist by all
mobilising the
N U trade union movement in a campaign as powerful and effective as those organised in opposition to "In Place of Strife" and the Industrial Relations Act.'
This motion appears alongside one from the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians. This includes the demand 'to withdraw from all discussions with the government based proposals as published.
No talks with the Tories, the type of
used against the Relations Act [i.e. strike action] are the twin demands which can unite and mobilise rank and file trade unionists up and down the country.
The militancy shown by engineering workers in fighting for their current claim on pay and a shorter working week, and
SERS WAS D
R АТТАСК
THE BI
АГТА working
Government.
on their union leaders
militancy
Industrial overwhelming.
- these
the promises of unequivocal resistance from shipyard workers to the Tories' plans to cut 10,000 jobs in that industry, signs enough that large sections of the
class not frightened demoralised by the return of the Tory
Indeed, it is obvious that the trade
are holding back of their members. engineering strike is a case in point. Support for the one-day strikes has been
But so far those strikes have barely affected the employers. Even the prospect of two-day strikes does not appear to worry the major bosses. Who would deny that it would be an entirely different case if the engineering unions called an all-out strike?
The same point can be made with the
, are
UCATT or
an anti-picketing injunction. the The
Tories.
loud and clear from the TUC.
No. 110 23 August 1979 15p UCATT motion for 'no talks'. Such a position is best stated from a position of strength. But while tabling this motion,
also instructed its •OWI members not to support a picket at two building sites in Wandsworth, London where the local Tory council have obtained
Such an attack on trade union rights is exactly what the Tories are aiming at. There is no time like the present to fend off that attack, and the Wandsworth dispute is as good a place as any to mobilise in strength to take on the
The simple formula is that militant words need to be backed up by militany action. A call for such action is what millions of working people want to hear
Page 2 scan of this page
Khomeini's dustbinful of death
OUR POLICIES
(apitalion is in crisis.
of the Labour Party and the trade unions offer solutions that are in
"tal of the workerbut at the capitalisi ciss.
Arcane halienge believes that the iwo vital lasks contronting revolutionary socialist are:
• To build broad-based class struggle tendencies in opposition
lahour movement. These should
grouping together militants hold. ing a midt range or pontical iras.
• To begin lo light for the creation unified
organisation which can, through
application united front lattes, begin to he seen as ar alternative thousands Horkers engaged in sruggles.
such an organisation should he baser on the understanding that:
The struggle for seeks 10 unite the fight of workers alüinst the with that of other oppresied layers ot society. - women. black people.
struggling liheration. This socialism can only heachiered hs creating new organs of power and defeating with all nectssary means the power of the capitalist state.
Our incialism will
than what exists in Britain today. with full rights for political parties and currents that do not take up arms against the socialistsate. İ he Stalinist models of socialism' In the i ok Eastern Europe hare discredited vecialism in theeses of milions of norhers throughout the He are opposed to them and will
lichting dor socialist democracs.
ji heinterestiot workers and capitalists are irreconcilable ron a world scale. N'apitalism has not onis created market. created world politics. Thus we fight lor working class unit!
Scaft. This unit! will in the long run he decisive in detestine the imperialist regimes in the West and the brutal dictatorships sustain lalan America. and Asia.
In Britain it implies demanding
British tronps from Ireland and letting the Irish people determine their run future.
The Communis parties in Europe are in crisis.
the prosperseon wings hase ans mraninolol emeribren of the capitalist state. dew trionary sodas partis
nort necessiers Iban
more lavourable than wer the preceding three decades. Bad sach parties can only rejeeting setarianise and seeing
badas is sital necroside. This means * go so organese any go
I sort aaree wah these principles
lem bards and send si do es.
interested
• I remind like and ruddene Sep de coser deale
Name...
Address...
send de breaded & hallenge, 32% " Ipper de. done of.
Sócialist Challenge 23 August 1979 Page 2
EDITORIAI
I he leaders
opponents
printworkers, formidable list.
been fighting
and
Then the Kurds won.
people in the north of Iran, of from them by
self-government. socialism
bosses
their
The
all
and
world.
those
world
both
they Africa Neither
are
quite clear.
end of the wedge'.
The group
abortionists.
Although
Professor Sir Professor of
Socialist Challenze, 328/9 Upper Street. London NI 2XQ.
AYATOLLAH Ruhollah Khomeini promised his
include oppressed nationalities, oil workers, socialists, journalists and
feminists and lawyers. It is
Most formidable of all are the Kurdish people. Now with the whole population armed, they have
against national chauvinism decades. It is not the first time they have been attacked by the Khomeini-Bazargan goverament. Earlier this year Phantom jets and helicopters were sent to the city of Sanandaj to back up troops fighting the Kurds' struggle for self-determination.
They were quickly followed by the Turkoman
who demanded that they be allowed to take the land which had been
Shah. Then in oil-producing south the Arabic-speaking people demanded that they be accorded some elements of
The failure of the goverument to quell thes uprisings by force led to attacks on the left who supported them. Forty militants of the Fedayeen guerilla group, which played such a prominent role in the overthrow of the Shah, were imprisoned. In another celebrated case, & member of the Slamic guerilla group, the Mujahedeen, was framed up. In the south 15 militants of the Iranian. Socialist Workers Party (HKS) were imprisoned in the town DOCTORS and gynaecologists all around the country have made their opposition to the Corrie abortion Bill clear that
Doctors in Defence of the 1967 Abortion Act, representing more than half the professors of gynaecology in Brtain, described the Bill as 'the thin
has correctly pointed done for out that the Bill, if passed into law,
women back into the hands of the back street
doctors involved limit themselves to defence of the '67 Act, statements from some of them reveal a certain understanding of the need for a 'woman's right to choose':
Dugald Baird, Obstetrics and
Arab. people. for
priority to
opinions differed on
the core of the new state. piecing back together the
the Despite measures, Khomeini still support
promises
next those
Anti-Corrie doctors
condemn interference
by half-educated males
Gynaecology at a Scottish university, told the Scotsman that it was quite
people these days that the choice and responsibility for
abortion was with the woman concerned.
Another Scottish professos, MacGillivray of Aberdeen University, said that abortions are really
the genera welfare. women and the law has been working well for the past 12 years and I see no
He added: 'Undoubtedly, if this becomes law, women will be driven into the hands of backstreet, criminal, septic abortionists.
The members of the group have
their Members of Parliament urging them to vote against the Bill.
Editorial: 01-359 8180/9. Distribution/ Advertising: 01-359 8371. of Ahwaz for supporting the just demands of thi
The elimination of the functionaries of the Shah regime is now taking second place to these attacks. The reason for these changed priorities became apparent with the fraudulent elections to the body of constitutional experts who will yet the already firmly ensconced laws of the Islamic republic. Both Khomeini and his prime minister Mehdi Bazargan are sworn to defend capitalism in Iran. Their first
reconstruct shattered apparatus which safeguards private property. But
how to do this. Khomeini wanted to integrate his substantial popular base as
Bazargan favoured after cosmetic 'purges'. Now both are agreed on the necessity of crushing opposition to their pro-capitalist plans.
spirited opposition to these sorts of enjoys mass popular evidenced by the demonstrations last weekend in support of the Palestinian struggle This support, welded together by anti-imperialis
of a society free from Western decadence, has arrested the process of discontent with the regime's social policies.
But this discontent with unemployment and soaring prices is slowly mounting, and Khomeini's credibility is beginning to run out. Amongst the Arab people who used to hang Khomeini's portrait
their own leaders the They mention suffering that will be caused to many and Rational Health the need for more early abortion and lan clinics, and point to the tendency of the Bill to confușe and delay leading to more rather than fewer late abortions Dugald Baird saying: 'I don't think this has a very good chance of becoming law because women much today than they have ever been. They will not stand for this interference in their lives by half-educated males.?
It's up to all of us, women, to make sure that this is the case.
disenchantment is themselves part of a oppressed nationalities in Iran. "the Fourth
people demanding
the comparison
forces who overthrew the Shah a civil war, not a return to reaction.
to demand *An end to minorities. *Free the socialists in prison.
Iran.
PICKET of the Iranian Embassy Abortion East London.
Tower
Tower
"
unionists,
the mental for the campaign.
the inadequate up to
fundraising, contraception hospitals.
- nence
ended up by NEW
more powerful
The anti-Corrie not just from Corrie Bill,
total, and they consider united front with other
Internationalists of the HKS continue to sell their paper to tens of thousands of constituent assembly and a winters eid peasants immediate elections to government to replace the autocrats of the mosque.
This is the vital difference with the regime of the Shah. Both Khomeini and the Shah fight to defend capitalism tooth and nail. Both are enemies of the working class and oppressed. But the point is not
between personalities. The difference lies in the struggle. What is going on today in Iran is a sharp differentiation among the
the beginning of
The best way we in this country can help to make sure that the result of that war is favourable to the international working class and oppressed is
repression of the nations.
"For a workers' and peasants' government in
- demand an end to repression against the national minorities; free all socialists in jail. Saturday 25 August, 12-1pm, Iranian Embassy, 16 Princes Gate, London SW7.
CAMPAIGN NEWS
LA WOMAN'S RISHI TO CHOOSE
LAUNCHING meeting for Birmingham Campaign: Against Corrie will take place on Thursday 30 August in Digbeth Civic Hall, Lecture Room 3 Speakers will include the National Campaign and a local pro-choice trade unionist.
A day of street action is planned in the area for 8 September.
THE MILE End Day Care Abortion Clinic is a valuable asset for women in
But there are fears that the local Area Health Authority will think it': expendable when it has to chop £2 million off health spending in the area especially if Corrie's anti-abortion Bill gets through Parliament and the 'demand' for abortion declines.
This has added an extra edge to the Hamlets Campaign Against Corrie, and among activities planned by the local CAC group is joining a picket of the AHA on 13 Septembe against cuts in the local NHS.
Hamlets Campaign Against Corrie was set up from a public meeting on 8 August called by the Trades Council and attended by nearly one hundred people. Last week the first campaign meeting attracted nearly forty people - including trade health workers, socialist feminists — prepared to work actively
A number of subgroups were set organise activities such as publicity, petitioning and work in the trade unions and local The next meeting of the campaign will be in a month's time.
leaflet, Anti-Abortionists Tell Us Lies!, has been produced by the Campaign Against the Corrie Bill. It gives all the details to answer the horror stories about foetuses left to die in hospital drains. leaflet, and stickers with slogans, are available Campaign Against the 374 Grays Inn Rd, London WCIX 8BB.
Page 3 scan of this page
again this
year
KEVIN Burrage is twenty-five and unemployed. He went on the original Right to Work march and is intending to go again this year.
Socialist Challenge talked to him about why he was going on the march and what he thought about the Right to Work campaign.
"A friend took me along to the
first Right to Work committee meeting in Bradford five years ago. After a couple of meetings I decided to the march as unemployed and agreed demands of the campaign.
I spent months sponsors from factories and doing campaign work before going on thi
Eventually I was the person who went from Bradford.
I'in going on this march because I am unemployed again at the moment. But it's also because I disagree with some things about the Right to Work campaign and I think that the only way to change things is to take part.
In Bradford campaign is wheeled out two months before the march, and there's nothing.
News
nowhere
Pink perks AMONG those to squeal loudly about the possibility of business people's perks being taxed is the president of the Engineering Union, Terry Duffy. He seems to think the bottom will fall out of the drivers of the two 'company' cars on the road had to fork out for them themselves.
Of course, he could be right. But the fact that all full-time officers in the AUEW, in common with many other unions, are provided with a free car (renewed every two years) has in
way influenced Mr thinking.
Rentaprop THE AIM of Sir James Goldsmith is to be a press baron in ine moua or Beaverbrook and Northcliffe. Goldsmith made his money in groceries, raising the turnover Foods from under £10m in 1970 to £2,000m today. That means he has the cash and the audacty to want to bus his way into our homes and hearts.
While Goldsmith has mark on the French media, securing a controlling interest
L'Express, he has so far failed in his attempts to add a British newspaper to his empire.
Instead, are shortly to presented with Now, a glossy weekly which promises to be an amalgam of Time, the Readers Digest, and Free Nation.
Goldsmith's love of press freedom is well known. He has done his best to shut down Private Eye, by highly obtained the backing of the High Court to say some
Right to Work campaign
Why I'll march
At the first Right there were groups
each
the council
W88 surprises in between. with the Later these turned
getting sites or factories.
should have been only discussion rather than
so on.
reached Hendon. the
before that
out. from he doesn't like.
known since the text with such consists of Latin script
I'm supposed
people on the desk
industry if the million or so
Duffy's made his
the news
be
Socialist Workers
Inter your brand oft Group.
way of your brand of beer, and
extremely
The Tories are going to realiy make unemployment a lot worse so I think it's ridiculous not to have a
on all the year roul Work march set up based on geographical areas. One person from
group was nominated for the march council. For the last two weeks
member as the original person had to drop out.
Basically we got told what the march plans were going to be, with
diverting off the road into building out to be effect.
That was a good ides, but we were kept in the dark. It
brought up for people not knowing where they were going and
The organisation on the march up. was very good. There were quite a few incidents with the police on the way,
but no-one was arrested until we
People always defended those nearest to them.
The collective strength was ver,
good with all the chores being share
unpleasant things about a TV reporter
So what of Now? The dummy issue includes an article on anti-fascists,
— as is common pre-publication issues
When Socialist Challenge was rung up by a Now journalist a couple of months ago for information about the of his magazine's editorial policies.
be objective, think,' he said. "But since most of the
There have been press. asking whether they're happy to be sharing the column with such as the
Party and the
fags, or whatever turns out to be advertised in Goldsmith's delightful organ, you Headline might care to return the compliment. 15.8.79.
RIGHT
TO WORI MARMI RIGHT TO WOP:
MARCH RIGH TO
I think there will go on being Right
to Work marches, but I'm not so sure
whether hey do muc. good.
novelty has worn off, it's become
pilgrimage which has little
But I think the campaign has laid
the foundations for a mess movement
of the unemployed. Now we have to get into the factories and the unions
year round rather than once or
twice a year when the march is coming
I think the campaign may stagnate
if it relies on the old tactics, like the
marches, rather than coming up with
fresh approaches. I'd Ilke to see all the
unemployed on a march. campaign-
irementec rost fora massed 79
vement against unemployment.
been preparing material on terror-
in Britain, and the problems UCUbIc themselves into bullet-proof vests.
More insidiously, they have been on the phone to organisations which announce me time out magapine, recruited from the Daily Telegraph
Goldsmith's highly-paid hacks have
Southampton constituency Party put forward a motion for the
emoracy. But this did not sult th
welfare was put through
Open government
THE Central Intelligence Agency has come in from the cold, or at least its recruiting methods have. The backers of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the funding channel for Chile's right-wing press under Allende, and much else besides, now openly advertises for operatives in the job vacancy columns of the US
Adverts begin: 'In these times of meaningless jobs, here you can make a differarce here's career The message would seem to be: work so apita liste CiA and help oresk
join CIA and help political developments which could make a difference.
Lord Grade's salary drops to £195,208
the Daily Telegraph
RIGHT TO WORK
IGHT
TO
'WORK RIGHT TO WORT MARC
RIGHT RIGHT TO
TO WORK WORK MARY MACH
RIGHT TO WORN
. The
By Mary Ryan ALLAN ROBERTS Labour MP for devastated area to Liverpool. Last Thursday he spent the day behind the counter of his local Job Centre. The Merseyside Right to Work Campaign held an occupation there so that we could tell him about life on the dole in Bootle and the rest of Merseyside.
We knew Roberts is a left talker so we expected to get his support and sympathy — we hoped to find him prepared to take action.
Other commitments he agreed to speak at the Pier Head at the start of the march, and perhaps come some of the way with us. even handed. over marcher's card.
We hope he turns up there's a lot we could discuss with him. Undoubtedly he will work hard to fight local closures and to bring jobs ultimately he looks to the return of a Labour government to solve the problems of unemployment. 'But', we asked, 'most of us became unemployed when there was a Labour government in power, surely its policies paved the way for the Tories?'
Is he prepared to fight anyone the leadership? "Yes l'm prepared to fight anyone inside and outside the Labour Party for the things 1 believe in. thing there are two battles to fought, one against the Tories, and one within the labour movement.' When asked whether he support action against Tory attacks,
RIGHT • TO
WOR
MAR
TO WORK
FISTS FOR
Bootle MP signs on
IS the new Bootle, grey
north of permitting,
He
50p for his
because
Merseyside, but
Labour not be democratic
be
would
THOME NEWS
Stop the chat
and fight
back Liverpool to Blackpool, 1-5 September
JOIN THE MARCH
I would like to join the march/have more
information about the march
Work IGHTON mass action to kick out the Tories now, as the miners did to get rid of the Heath government, his reply was that 'of course' he would support anyone fighting closures and so on, but he thought it wasn't the miners that gor rid of Heath but the Labour Party. He thought we must wait until the next election for a chance to democratic
of about
says: "I don't believe it's impossible
government to bring in socialism, if I didn't believe that I wouldn't be in the
explain to you why no government can get rid of capitalism.
won't give up and go away because of
«FEND
These
The only power great enough will be that of the working class - it may
peaceful but it will
The Labour Party swallows up and swamps young hopefuls like Allan Roberts every year. He may say now that he's 'not here to defend the capitalist system or how it works', but that's precisely what he's doing by relying on the Parliamentary system. Socialist Challenge 23 August 1979 Page 3
* if fia
Page 4 scan of this page
HOME NEWS By Pete Grant AT 10.30pm on Wednesday i August, Sarwan Singh Grewal phoned for a taxi from • public photie box London's Southall. It was the last phone call he was ever to make. Three hours later Sarwan Singh was lying dead in Southall police station.
The police say he choked on his orn vomit. But bruises found on Sarwan Singh's body suggest that the death that simple, demands are growing in Southall for a public enquiry into the mysterious
What is known is that after making the call Sarwan arrested by the police for being drunk and disorderly. According to his wife, the police say they because they saw him putting telephone receiver down the wrong
What happened after that, no-one zay ever know exactly. The police say
Sarwan Singh died at 1.30am, in the early hours of Thursday morning. What they have yet to explain is why it took them a further two hours
victim's wife.
credibly it was another nine days
Blair Peach funeral cortege
By Oliver New
will put 342 anti-racists in the dock.
to 'criminalise'
people Southe
Southall
conference and
well known for the rough
the largest possible attendance
undervay to
London on that day.
at Chalcage 23 Avigast 1979
Death in a
Southall
police cell
When the
exceptionally severe bruise there were definite signs of an
and
was also handicapped.
Singh was
arrested him death. the has. come
Rights, Scope Southall, munist Party, Party, and Group.
to And today.
Show trials near
THE START of the Southall show trials is just over two weeks away.
The trials, arising out of the police invasion of Southall on 23 April,, himself in this situation, Blair Peach, will not be present, and as the trials draw near it seems more and more certain that his murderers will be left free to rampage around London in their blue uniforms.
The triais are the most concentrated attempt so far by the British state
atl-racist activity. There are fears that anything up to 80 sent to jail, while others could well face hefty fines. have made appeals observers to be present at the court, both to the recent Commonwealthi
Amnesty Interantional. seria on 10 September at Barnet magistrates court, a venue: treatment of black people. A picket on that day has been called by the Southall Committee and People Unite at which
is required. organise a massive show of strength by all ratt-ractsts la
before she and the family doctor were allowed to see Sarwan Singh's body.
doctor, Mangat, finally did examine the body be noted bruises on the elbow and shin, and an head. The doctor hes since said that
assault.
Sarwan Singh has lived 13 years in Britain. According to friends he was a quiet, intelligent man. He was known to the police beause he had a drinking problem, but he had never shown any signs of violence and the police were aware of his history. Sarwan Singh
A 30-strong picket was held on 18 August outside Southall police station in support of the demand for & public enquiry into the circumstances of hi
Already support for this cal the National Association of Asian Youth, Southall
the ComSocialist Workers International Marxist
One fact, however, is clear without any enquiry - if Sarwan Singh had LAST not been arrested he would be alive
the
Tures, End.
One who could well have foundl
Plans should new causeo
BLACK
CHILDREN
DETAINED-
END:
RACIST HARASSMEM
SPLITTING OF
FAMILIES
CRAP
L AMMIGRATION
Picket agalast the immigration laws at Heathrow detention centre
demo
By Mike Rodney Campaign Against Immigration Laws
week's issue of Time magazine informed its world-wide readership that Britain has a racial crisis on its hands. nine-page feature included an 'exclusive' report that
government wants to cut immigration to 5,000 a year.
If this is true it will of necessity involve the introduction of a whole range of oppressive meas-
among them the introduction of a register of family dependants. The scale of such a reduction ot Tal allo can only be achieved by the breaking
international
THE Tory-controlled Greater London Council has sabotaged a festival for racial harmony' in London's East
A highlight of the festival, planned for Leyton County Ground on August Bank Holiday Monday, was to nave been two hours of music from new wave and reggae groups. But when th GL Cheard of these plans they slappe ori a series of regulations which the festival's organisers could not possibly
Among them were
• the provision of 62 extra toilets;
Free at last
PIERS Corbyn is free! This was the news brought to a cheering crowd of staunch supporters at Knightsbridge crown court after a two hour hearing.
was the end year-long: campaign to defend the 14 people arrested during the Huntley para-military eviction of squatters last summer.
The 28-day prison sentence against Piers — for resisting the Sheriff under the Criminal Trespass Law commuted to 200 hours community service. Piers was also ordered to pay $50 compensation for damage
the Sherriff's suit throwing a bucket of water.
On the steps of the court after the
IMMIGRATION
Backing sought for immigration law
agreements including the Treaty of Rome, which enables EEC workers to enter Britain freely
The revelations in Time are an extension of the policy outlined by the present Home Secretary, speech in April 1978. Th William Whitelaw threats made then included the denial of the right of husbands and fiances join the increased use of 'countermeasures to detect illegal immigrants' and 'encouragement' of those wishing to leave.
Since gaining office the Tories have already tight ened up procedures. This
indicated increased use of deportations, the growing diffi-
Racial harmony - No thanks' say Tories
• the banning of all prams and pushchairs from the grounds; even banning 'otherwise than Sections 2(1A) and 5 of the Hypnotism Act 1952'
But what really floored festival's organisers regulations the Tories imposed with regard to the stage 07,000 to construct and the whole budget for the festival is only f1,400! "The whole thing is ridiculous' said Marshall Colman, a spokes-
hearing, Piers said: "It's nice to be here. It's clear our message is getting through. we did at Huntley Street, we stood our ground and carried on campaigning That's why 12 people got ott Street February, that's why the prosecutior London failed today to get
sentence they were after. Our message to all occupations and squats is that the best defence threats is to carry on occupying.' — We something of a surprise. It was widely The court's
expected that the appeal would be turned down. But
by waged in defence of Piers and the
other Huntley Street defendants -extending as far
Southall petenc Om/72
SCRAP
THE
LAWS!
culty Common-
wealth' face
obtaining and
increased use of the prison
cell as a means of detaining
children who are consid-
ered illegal immigrants.
For the autumn the
government planning
not just to tighten up the existing immigration laws introduce new nationality Bill. This may render some people stateless and others could have their right to vote taken from them. the light of these the Campaign Against Immigration planning country-wide LOWS speaking tour. CAIL also hopes that as many organisations as possible will mobilise for a
person
hypnotism
provided for by
the were the
. The design insisted GLC. would have
without Leyton demonstrations
We apologised for nothing the outcome.
making a
the exemplary
agalus! eviction
verdict came
the campaign
as solidarity pieces.
national demonstration planned for late autumn in central London CAIL started up a year ago specifically to demand the repeal - 0t the 1971 Immigration Act and to oppose any future immigration controls. Regular newsletters nate beer published and during July simultaneous pickets were held outside 14 prisons housing 'detainees under the terms of the 1971 Act CAIL believes that it is only by such expressions opposition racist immigration laws that the fight against the new Tory proposals can be won. FOl further details of the campaign write to CAIL PO Box 133, ; Free 182 BOOKS IOU Street, London N1.
the Waltham Forest Campaign Against Racialism. Explained Colman: "This is a community festival, just like dozens of others that have taken place all over London, but the GLC are treating it as if it were Knebworth pop festival.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 people were expected at the festival, so the requirements imposed by the Tories were clearly out of all proportionto the event. Now the festival has to continue
bands, although the Buzzards are planning to perform on an open lorry • the entrance. Events begin at 12 noon.
Holland and Sweden — goes a long way to explain
The court bureaucracy was clearly marind t mit cool pies. "Phis,
of Piers. milarlyr combined with an excellent submission from his lawyer, secured the lighter sentence. Nevertheless it was a close shave, and as Piers said after it was all over: "The question of support for so-called "peripheral struggles" and the defence of all militants hauled before the courts has to be taken a lot more seriously by the left.'
As for the SO compensation, Piers says that the money will be handed over to the Sheriff - in half-pence
Page 5 scan of this page
NO CUTS HERE NO CUTS HERE
By Alan Turner
A FIERCE struggle to save the 10,000 jobs in the nationalised shipbuilding industry, threatened by swing of the Tory axe, was promised last weekend.
lightning strike, workers the Clyde immediate walk-out after government announced plans to close five shipbuilding yards. meeting declared there would be no further ship trials on the Clyde nor would there be any deliveries. The meeting also called for a national campaign and
threats closures redundancies are lifted.
Plans
Among the yards affected by last week's announcement of the Tories' plans are:
*Scotstoun Marine, part of Govan Shipbuilders on the Upper Clyde -2,260 redundancies.
*Cartsdyke, part of Scott Lithgow on the Lower Clyde redundancies.
*Robb Caledon, Dundee - 1,100 redundancies.
*Scott and Sons (Bowling), part of Scott Lithgow on the north bank of the Lower Clyde - 226 redundancies.
As well as these closures, Shipbuilders also plans to 'restruc-
S London
PROTESTS continue to mount concerning the
effects of the health cuts in South London now
that the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham
Area Health Authority has been stripped of its
powers by the Tory government for refusing to
cut its budget by £5:5m.
have now been detailed by the King's Healtb
District Management Team, which covers part
of the area for which the banned AHA was
responsible. The team is particularly concerned
about one expected cur -
kidney dialysis patient levels to those of 1977/8.
dialysis
two-thirds of the way through the financial
year. This means that patients from the South
West Thames Regional
where there is only one dialysis unit, are likely
to die.'
the liver unit at King's College Hospital, says:
*Shutting the department
people
happen to them is quite simple. The cuts will kill
patients.'
Another threatened
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham district is
the Sydenham Children's hospital. The AHA
rejected a move to close this hospital, but the
five commissioners sent in to replace the AHA
are not expected to feel so strongly about
children's health.
way to save Sydenham. Doctors, nurses, union
officials and
pledged support for the hospital. Local Labour
councillor Jad Adams explains that 'we want to
develop so much popular feeling against this
closure that it will become virtually impossible
for the commissioners to carry it out'
staff in
~ DI
summed up by
Macarthur, senior
cardiothoracic surgery
cuts would reduce open-heart operations and
heart valve insertions.
until there are no more heart valves left. Ther the commissioners will have to explain to the
Crisis in the shipbuilding industry
These jobs must
not be sunk
the latest
5,000 staged an the
Tees is to lose 150 jobs. *North. Sands
550 jobs.
to lose 1,000 jobs.
mean another over-depressed.
- 300 the last couple Weir Pumps,
what it was a few years ago.
British by the closures, time; Eramples of the effects of the proposed cuts
the reduction of Say the team: It could mean that funds for
patients will run out approximately
Authority,
Dr Roger Williams, consultant physician to
could What would
hospital the
Already a well-supported campaign is under
40 local organisations have
Feelings among trade unionists and medical
Were perhaps best comment from Angus surgeon King's department. Budget
Says Macarthur: "I will go on operating
MILLION MAN-HOURS LO
British Sai beikrs Strike Becord ture work, with redundancies at a number of yards this year and next.
*Smith's Dock Company on the
yard, part of Sunderland Shipbuilders, is to lose
Cammell Laird at Birkenhead is
If the closures go ahead it wil
layer of economic depression on areas which are already
Govan and Scotstoun, on opposite sides of the Clyde, have suffered badly from closures in
of years. Major employers such as Goodyear Tyres,
and Beatties Biscuits have all recently closed, while Singer has cut its workforce to a fraction of
Dundee, another Scottish city hit
has also had a lean local employer,
next patient why he (sic) might die because he can't have one too.?
Portsmouth
TORY housing policies in Portsmouth are to come under the spotlight of a workers' and tenants' inquiry. Sponsored Trades Council with tenants' and community groups from the city's major council estates and Havant Trades Council, the inquiry should provide a focus for growing opposition against the city council's increasingly vicious attacks on its tenants.
The Portsmouth Tory council has a long history of disregard for the need viennes This coming announcement of the second rent rise within a year — at least £1.40 a week on top of a 17½ per cent increase already imposed. At the same time all council house building has been axed and housing maintenance slashed. Council officers admit that f1 ½m worth of 'essential' repairs will not be carried out.
On top of spending cuts called for by the Tory government, the council is demanding that tenants pay for a massive backlog of debts built up by their Many of the 400 flats Portsdown Park estate are because of damp caused by structural and building faults: the fruits of giving the project architects, sub-contractors: On two city centre flat blocks sections of side walls have literally dropped off for the same reasons: shoddy work by private enterprise.
Militant demonstrations have been against the council's Occupations greeted bulldozers attempting to demolish houses in the Cumberland Road area to make way for a road. Although nearly 4,000 are on the waiting list, a road to property speculators houses according to the Tories.
Protests have been organised by tenants of pre-fab homes at the Paulsgrove estate, where it has been estimated that it would take only six minutes for fire to engulf a house completely. The council refuses to take action. It is the same story over the lack of safety on Portsdown Park balconies, where a child death, and the problem of damp at the massive Leigh Park oyerspill estate at Havant.
The strike record (left) and how this "moderate' approach hasn't worked (right)
National Cash Registers, has created 5,000 redundancies in recent years Two other areas hit, Sunderland and Birkenhead, already suffer from 12
Keith Joseph, Minister responsible for impressed with the recent decision of Govan yards to give up their holiday to meet management's targets for the completion of several Polish ships.
strike record, cannot be wheeled out
Fewer hours have been lost through strikes in the last couple of years than for many years previously.
The fact is that the shipbuilding industry is experiencing a world-wide Hull
by Portsmouth
TRADE
head with own Conservative policies.
at the 'prestige
uninhabitable
and 224721.
held
housing policies.
benefit has priority over 400
Maternity
recently fell to his
300 ENG/COWA
GOLDING
KINCAID (JOHN G.) 250 WELLERIG SCOTTS& CON
COTT & SONS 226 SCOTSTOUN MAR managcinch half-hearted nationalisation measures taken by the last Labour government, which meant that what money was allocated to British shipbuilding went on running costs and meeting cash flow problems.
and modernising the various yards. All this is hardly the fault. Indeed, the collaboration of the the inquiry, in which a panel of judges vill be brought to the city to hear the evidenc of tenants and trade unionists, can help in the building of a united campaign against the Tory cuts and anti-working class policies.
By Keith Sinclair
unionists in obtained a confidential document revealing the extent of the education cuts in the area. The document is an estimate from the Humberside County Council Education Committee and list: among the planned cuts a loss of 185 teaching posts, a complete halt to the nursery programme, ending education classes.
But the cuts will not go unanswered. Last week & public meeting called by Hull Trades Council agreed to elect a provisional committee of trade unionists to co-ordinale the fightback. The plan is to work towards an clected delegate committee.
The public meeting was suggestion of Socialist Challenge who are continuing to build the committer and fig ting to representative and committed to action against the cuts. The next meetiug of the committer takes place 29 August at Bevin House George Street. For further detalls phone S. Cunningham (trades council secretary) at Hull
Islington
By John Crofts (GMWU)
ON 15 August an action committee was formed to fight the proposed cuts in district of London's Camden Area Health Authority.
The district management committee of the AHA has proposed the kind of closures which are becoming all too typical in Proposed closures include the City and London
Hospital, Royal Hospital casualty and intensive care units, and two nursing homes.
Local members of the Municipal Workers Union are planning to do all in their power to stop these closures. picket of the next meeting of the Area Health Authority has been arranged for 3 September.
WHERE THE SEIPBULLDING CUTS FILL TALI
ROSS CALEDON" 1,100 2,260
CAMAMELL LAIRD 1,000
union of the
Keith
None was spent on dispelled.
on
workers' answer.
Workers Action debate with the IMG REVOLUTIONARIES AND THE LABOUR PARTY
Speakers: Brian Grogan (IMG), John O'Mahony (WA)
Fri 24 Aug, 8pm; Hemingford Arms, Offord Rd, London NI
ENTRIES D Friday 52741967/Brixion THE RELEASE experienced
Hamberside have
2.30-2.45pm
budding RED NOTES. all adult
1909-19
kidnap account), £1. called the : supporters anti-cuts make it more would be the Islington Denou WACA and Islington breakawa
London. mistancer
Northern issues DOV
General and
(obs to be axed)
DOXFORD I
HAVERTON HU 91 CLOSED I MAR SMITH'S DOCH 150 CONTAiNG PRODUCTICI *YARDS TO BE CLOSED t YARD TO BE PUT ON CARE & MAINTENANCE BASIS
leaderships in accepting previous redundancies, urging that
Joseph that the
• saved, impression needs to be immediately
All-out strike including seeking the support workers not directly employed at the threatened yards, is obvious WHAT'S LEFTL
All paysacat
SOCIALIST feminist
area.
collective is looking with an interest in one or more areas of our men
• drugs, the law, immigration, abortion esc 23,700, generous holidays. Apply in writing tox Release, 1 Eigin Avenue, London W9. NAMIBIA DAY. Sclected viewing of films a Namibia to commemorate 13 years or arrace
ARz , ICA Theatre, 12 Carlton House • London SW1 • Tickets £1. Proceeds te Retonomy and the Crisis: bian Marxist Ter published; 'Workers of the Theory and Practice of a Class Mover
joint publication wit Notes,
SORT LATE RAINING Ur London nood
design work. rintshop experict would be useful asset. Applicants must have ha
Challenge (rive), PO Box 30, London NI 2XP Communist Tendene dayschool eat 1a
day, Jup evening only
the LP youth movement from the 1930s to
seedbed of all the present day far-left group A workers ACOn SuDoKmcHl, woo pust crim WORKERS ACTION No 148 contains the sixt instication of the 1910 debate i Kaursky on socialist strategy. Coversall th
BOOKS for Southern Africa
needed international activity. Books for Southern Africa, can Socialise Challenge, PO Box 30, London N HACKEY Socialist Challenge group ma
Thurs Aug 7.30pm. The Britann pub, Mare St, London E8 Socialist Challenge 23 August 1979 Page!
Page 6 scan of this page
THE BATTLE ON
The shape of
public sector
pay to come
By John Suddaby Secretary, NUPE Camden General Branch THE CLEGG Commis sion report on pay 1.4m poblic sector workers ought to surprise no one.
Who waS under any illusion that would concede the £60 minimum which we demanded?
does absolutely nothing to abolish lOT pay. The lower grades in the local authorities and the hospitals will still be on inder t50 a week, while differentials are widened.
This does nothing to unite the workers involved.
Impossible
Before the strike, the difference between the lowest and highest grades
25.85. One Clegg's recommendations, it monte commission also
The commission suggests to management that it should tighten up on over-time, bonus and Incentive schemes, which - in the context of the cuts
is a green light management to reduce pay and increase workloads.
Alan Fisher, NUPE's general secretary, des-
the LbUr Socialist Challenge 23 August 1979 Page 6
partial victory. He has little alternative.
Many of the union leaders in the public sector have argued that comparability is the way forward, because they эге not prepared to lead mass struggle and because they
intimidated b the COOLEL situation, which the Tories have linked pay rises with cuts. Timetable
In Camden, where we won a £60 minimum wage after an all-out strike, me showed that the problem of low will not be solved in committee rooms but on the picket line.
It was Fisher who in the middle of the dispute last winter came gut with the
proposal for comparability study of the kind that had been conducted into the fire fighters' pay. Strategy
That was Fisher's strategy, although it was never that of the union officially. When Clegg was
appointed to head the
commission, NUPE ex-
itS satisfaction.
The effect of this union
support for the commisALAN FISHER — the call for a comparability study was his brainwave
HUGH CLEGG - handed out peanuts sion is to disarm union resistance.
Among public sector
generally, the wages struggle last winter was seen as a defeat; the
didn't anything, so there has been demoralisation. short term, we are unlikely
• SEC response to Clegg.
It will also affect how members respond to this year's claim. There probably won't be much enthusiasm for action. The leadership is anticipating this by remaining silent on the kind of claim that will be put, and doing nothing Dichotomy
With the strict application of cash limits -
begun by the Labour government — the union leaders will no doubt be very vocal about
while keeping quiet on pay in case that brings more cuts.
It's a dichotomy the left has to avoid. • We need united militancy on pay, which will also strengthen the union's ability to resist the cuts.
means unity with stronger sections, not least within our own union, in which the water workers could spearhead the breakthrough on pay norms. The same goes foi cuts, if we are not to be paralysed these demand rates increases, which the Labour left is inclined to do.
Banks
We need broad strategy, with demands on councils refuse to implement cuts; a programme of direct works,
take workers off the dole to build houses, hospitals, and the rest; and the nationalisation of the banks and finance institutions to fund these operations.
These are the traditional ALOWCO given by socialists, and the time more than ripe for us to elaborate and fight for them in the labour movement.
Oxygen
workers
fought
and won
time round. Here's why THE BRITISH Oxygen Company is a Branches in more than So countries in multi-national company all five continents. Last year its profits topped f115m and its assets were great enough to allow it to fork out $250m for the take-over of an company, Airco.
Its main business is the manufacture and sale of industrial gases, medical gases and equipment, and products. These are essential for many industries and services in this country. Mining, steel production, shipbuilding
and int health service are al dependent on BOC's products.
The company's size and importance to the economy attention of both the Commission and the Prices mission the DaSL International has proved to be too tough a customer for civil servants to deal with
Yet in 1977 workers in BOC's gases division brought this giant to its kneees Their four-week strike increases of 20 per cent upwards, drove a tanker through the Labour government's 10 per cent pay norm
Last year, the company gave in to a large wage demand without even the ceremony strike, making BOC workers pace-setters in the wages struggle and the fight against pay policy.
Socialist Challenge talked to the
of BOC's Hackney depot, Coveral John Walsh, and deputy convenor Micky Boulter about this remarkable achievement. Had BOC always been so strong?
BOS
How British
THIS YEAR's pay claim by British Oxygen workers is for a rise of £40, with an extra five
days' holiday. Their track record over the past
two years gives them confidence of winning this
every year. depot against depot American
after year.
welding
resulted ir which cost 800 jobs.
majority of have attracted the Monopolies ComBut BOC with a journalist from
pay and fightback.
sale helped them to unofficial
stewards organisation
was never implemented.
stewards workers strike. John
neg BO Fro tha the
La fo talk stril thir con
retu put Ma the the WY C late
•IVE
and LUI
cor
*Be
the
'No, not at all, says Micky Boulter rig 'we used to be called "fifty bob BOC because they used to give us fifty bob
. Our union officials were issI weak and the company used to play off bra
and department sta against department. In this way they used to attack us day after day, year
These attacks came to a head in 1971, when the labour force suffered a very nat serious defeat. Two work study reviews
productivity agreements
John Walsh explains: 'The company put in front of us f3 per person and the people accepted the £3 alw
for a reduction in staff. As for myself, I 111c
thr never agreed with it and never could.' off
Neither could Micky, but both were very much in the minority. Together
Red Mole (a predecessor of Socialist Challenge) they BO wrote a pamphlet explaining the effects of the productivity deal and stressing the need to organise nationally for a
Iwa cor
The discussion which followed its
strengthen im] national shop stewards committee within BOC. Through the wo leadership shown by the committee, the im
able to stiffen of the • rank and file Rel workers. A proposed third work study the
In 1977, it was the national shop the
committee which the less Walsh explains: "The second work study review was the worst Lal
Ch Mi of! reg got E
dor tha sol eng wh sup De wh Ra
Patti org bro tak Ho
Page 7 scan of this page
THE PAY FRONT
THE WAY TO BEAT THE PRICE INDEX RACKET
settlement we ever had at
in weakened
organisation.
on the company believed
ras no way we could take
er we had taken them on for in 1977, they still would not
because they thought the ald crumble. Ihen, in the
, the national shop stewards - called an emergency meeting
ampany was preparing for a work the following day by at the flipping loads. But the at vote was 37 to 5 to continue From that moment onwards any realised that the union = to be reckoned with. A week. ad won.'
nchester meeting was able to
high-level behind-theves between the management
bureancrats. Through the
the rank and file was to own views about when the uld end and under
Boulter stresses the importis democratic organisation: * Manchester meetings, when a rise in the pipeline, the tiators met the company and ou a couple of days later you
ce an hour, just like that. i no right of report-back. no eptance or rejection. But the lop stewards committee was
the basis that it votes that everything goes to the The decision-making power he shop floor.' ational shop stewards
now.has effective recogthe TGWU bureaucracy, in s the lay delegates on the egotiating committee are •of the shop stewards
which in practice the claim.
come about because the a of the rank and file has
combinea witn winning unity of the work force king demands on the union
¿ just the organisation of the ers that had changed in the reen the acceptance of the ductivity deal and Lne on to fight in 1977. There
changed political
i come in between was the experience of the fight
Heath government. BOC ere involved in all struggles, like the marches
against the Industrial ill and the campaign to free
ille Five.
and Micky insist that ences taught them manv h they later used in the fight BOC management and the crament. poke at the recent Socialist trade conterence er stressed that the defence living standards once again
Place up to the
* to bring this government
s. But he is quick to add
must include effective
all those workers efensive struggles. That is hd Micky's TGWU branch he recent Rank and File
Unions conference il be campaigning for the le Code of Practice. to be supported", Micky
back these
our rights and our •, ll we call l acrenq our
ister workers, how can we Tories on anything else? make socialism?'
OUTRAGE from trade union leaders has |
greeted the overnt a sette pete inder
over inflation with a rigged price supposedly incorporating tax changes.
The TUC, Retail Prices Index, new index were to be worth anything it should include changes in the provision of public services — that is, the cuts.
Socialists have long argued for a sliding scale of wages, keeps pace with prices, contallices should determine rates.
Here MIKE EAUDE, & member of the 3/256 branch cr General Workers Union, details the battle which has taken place in his union for the sliding scale. He writes capacity.
VOTES at TGWU conferences are always 'unanimous' or 'overwhelming'. This year tellers were called for the first time memory. The composite which divided the conference was on the sliding scale of wages:
At two previous biennial conferences. in 1975 and 1977, several branches forced a
which defends the existing
revolt in points out that if the
the votes
so that pay automatically
and that workers' inflation The issue of the
Transport and and
personal against inflation. in 1973, Nevertheless
sliding scale composite to debate.
In 1977 Jack Jones was defeated on incomes policy when the Communist Party
unprecedented conference-floor favour of free collective bargaining. A motion on the sliding scale, representing a 'third line' to that of both Jones and the CP, received about a third of
At this year's conference, the only fight against the leadership was waged by the tiny forces of the revolutionary left.
sliding scale had particular resonance, both because of the hard preparatory work done in branches
previous conferences this question, and because it is the only polic that can defend workers' living standards
the Heath government brought in 'threshold agreements' of 60p for every 1 per cent rise in the cost of livin‹ This distorted version of the sliding scale operated against workers' interests the government cost-of-living index was false, and 60p was an inadequate rise.
the scheme proved inoperable for the bourgeoisie, given the
for them, it raised the bogey of a genuine sliding scale.
Just before the TGWU conference this year, Thatcher floated the idea government compiling a new cost-of-living index excluding the price of oil, which affects all types of production transport costs
Opponents of the sliding scale claimed we were playing into Thatcher's hands by tying wages to inflation. We were able to reply that we wanted flat overall increases
well, and to challenge the leadership to respond to the capitalist index with its own index.
The widespread support for the motion meant that Moss Evans could not argue strongly defeat of an proposal but only for its remittance. was unable argue that proofing contradictory collective bargaining, as all speakers to the motion had emphasised its complementary nature.
Evans made a weak plea for remittance on the grounds that negotiators' could not be tied down. Nearly half the
Ву an AUEW member, Leicester
holiday.
luere was
to win by bluff alone.
reprieve
support for the strike action.
the action
agreement.
One Leicester
British equipment, other (wo days. and has told the union to 'get lost'. Meanwhile,
we do not gain the 35-hour week. high rate of inflation. Most dangerously 1 conference clearly thought that it was high
specific policies.
of the Thatcher's new index,
and
argument for a sliding scale.
Thatcher
bourgeoisie's indexes "ultra-left' index to
He inflation- allies. to free
Wages are inflation.
standards.
hands
over the capitalist economy.
Engineers:
We need
maximum
unity for
maximum
effect
WE HAVE been fighting for our 'nationa] claim, which consists of a demand for an 80 basic wage; an hour off the week this year, with a 35-hour week by 1982; and two days' more
The response to the three one-day strike calls has been far better than Terry Duffy and the rest of the Confederation leadership desired.
campaign to prepare the membership for the struggle, yet Duffy had the temerity to threaten the employers as early as last May that we are 'collision bound', hoping
Yet despite the hope for an 'eleventh-hour
to quote our union bulletin -indicating the reluctance of the leadership to fight, locally there has been overwhelming
Three factories were given dispensation from
Metal Box, Dunlop, and Marconi-Radar, which has a reactionary staff
We feel that this is a divisive measure, because if there is advancement the factories which have given up nothing would still gain. We need maximum unity for maximum effect
factory, Goodwin-Barsby, scabbed on the first Monday. This plant is part
Leyland, making quarrying and decided to come out for the Control Equipment, another Jocal factory, is boycotting the work of one member. who scabbed on one of the days of action. A Transport Union official is to hold an inquiry.
Tube Inyestments in Leicestershire, which has a thousand union members, is not striking
the mass media locally and nationally are doing their best to minimise the claim by saying that it's just about wages. The Engineering Union will be totally discredited if
Token strikes leading to selective strikes are useless. Only an ali-out strike can win the claim.
tume negotiators' hands were tied down to
Last week the TUC came out against which supposedly
includes tax changes. This response and
the TGWU conference debate show that
the proposals for a fiddled cost-of-living
index allow revolutionaries to deepen the
We can provide a fighting answer to calling a price index
formulated and monitored by the unions
We should publicise the experience of the
European working class in counter-posing
their own idea of what inflation means to
false cost-of-living
We should call for a trade union price controlled elected committees of trade unionists and their
not responsible Wage rises must match price rises in order to defend working class living
And a union cost-of-living index is a step towards workers' control
Socialist Challenge 23 August 1979 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
Indian politicians scramble for power
NTERNATIONAL From Ahmed Yussef in New Delhi
THE FALL of the Desai government in India last month has opened up a new period of crisis for the ruling classes.
The Janata politicians ranging from the right-wing Hinduchauvinists of the Jan Sangh to the ex-Socialists of George Fernandes, was forced together in 1977 by what is now called the 'authoritartanism' of Indira Gandbi's Emergency.
When Gandhi was thrown out in the general election the danata politicians, much to their own surprise, found themselves in government under the leadership of 80-year-old teetotaller and eccentric Morarji Desai.
From the outset it was clear that this coalition would be unable to guarantee the interests of the allinace of industrialists and farmers which shapes Indian politics. A wave of class struggles broke out in the countryside between the rich farmers labourers, often taking the form of clashes
caste Hindus ('untouchables'). Charan Singh, the man who replaced Desai, the Indiesperson of the rich farmers of North Squabble
At the same time industrial workers were not slow to take adyantage of the removal of the Emergency restrictions on democratic rights. Important sections of the working class, such as
employers and the government. that the organised strength of the movement, far from being smashed by Indira Gandhi's repression, plenty or connuence tor tre Dallies ancau
In the absence of any clear perspective for the ring classes, the canata pondcians aa waat comes naturally to them: factions and began to squabble for the spoils of
By Chinese Trotskyists overseas ACCORDING to reliable confirmed reports, eight Trotskyists - among them Zheng Chaolin (Cheng Ch'aolin), a founder member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — were released by the Chinese authorities and restored to full citizenship on 5 June this year.
These eight people (apart from Zheng, the only other names we know for sure are those of Wu Jingru (Wu Ching Ju), Zheng's wife, and Jiang Zhengdong (Chiang Chen-tung), a leader of the Shanghai workers' insurreçtion in 1927) were arrested along with over two hundred others on the night of 22 December 1952 by the CCP secret police. spent the entire period since then in prisons and labour camps, despite the fact that they were never publicly tried or sentenced.
As far as we know, over the last 27 years some of those arrested have been released under strict surveillance and returned to their places of origin, where. they were forced conditions of great participate in unpaid or badly paid manual labour, after spending five or more years in detention. Others died as a result of their sufferings in prison. Zheng Chaolin and the other
released represent the fortunate enough to have survived this experience.
The Chinese Trotskyists originally constituted, and for many years remained, the Left Opposition of the CCP. This Left Opposition originally formed around Chen Duxiu (Ch'en Tu-hsiu), founder of the CCP, who was elected or re-elected general secretary at each of the first five congresses of the party.
The Chinese Left basing itself on the experience of the Chinese Revolution of 1925-1927 and the theories of internationalism and permanent revolution, ' Sodalbt Challenge 23 August 1979 Page 8
Party, a ragbag coalition of
affluent
and landless
and Harijans
acknowledged won concessions from the
This showed workers
intact, and there is
they divided into
Chinese Trotskyists released
and Chinese They have ZHENG CHAOLIN in 1941
Mary democratic actively opposed under
hardship to
1937-1945, and actively
not abandon
probably batch of those
Tion as means
Guomindang. was (1946-1949)
Opposition,
of government directed its
office. These factions, which are also present in the two wings of the Congress Party, are not based on ideological considerations but on a network of patronage, corruption and personal loyalties to regional 'bosses'. 'false
energies toward freeing the CCP from the grip of Stalinist nationalism and bureaucratism. After the defeat of the revolution, we advanced a revolution- start
programme and the CCP's and Moscow-inspired adventurist line.
During the Sino-Japanese war of
we resolved to support participated the anti-Japanese resistance, but we did
our revolutionary position, and after the victory of the rights. resistance we called for immediate implementation of agrarian revolut-
countering Guomindang (Kuomintang) repression, and eventually of completely overthrowing the reactionary rule of
During the period of the civil war
we participated in the struggle on all fronts, and played a special role in the big cities of east and south China, where we led struggles in
After the victory revolution our tain contribution was in the struggle for the democratisation of the new organs
and for further advances along the road of socialist
CHARAN SINGH (right), who resigned as prime minister this week, with President Reddy revolution. All this, far from being a crime, was positively in the interests both of the Chinese workers and peasants and of the revolution itself.
However, the CCP leaders, especially the Moscow-controlled Wang Ming faction, all along saw us as theit main enemy, and attacked us mercilessly. Their first step was to expel us from the party. Later they slandered and persecuted supporters. They took all sorts of unscrupulous measures against us, • not stopping short of murder, Finally, in December 1952, they crushed our entire organisation by arresting all our comrades throughout China.
The CCP's treatment: of Chinese Trotskyists over the past fifty years is the most flagrant of the
charges, "frame-ups? 'mistaken verdicts currently being denounced by the Peking leaders. If the latter are sincere in their resolve to 'rectify such abuses, then they should
by reversing the wrongfully passed on the Trotskyists,
completely rehabilitate them. They should not only restore them their freedom and their right to work, * declare their innocence of any crime and restore their good revolutionaries, but also grant the Chinese Trotskyist tendency full legal
Will the CCP authorities grant these demands? This depends on the struggle carried on by revolutionaries both inside outside China. In the past, not only did Trotskyists on a world scale protest on behalf of the comrades in China, but even the human rights organisation Amnesty International expressed its concern.
These protests and expressions of concern played at least some role in the recent release of Zheng Chaolin and the other comrades. grateful to these people for their past help, and hope that they will continue to give us support in our future struggles
challenge Ten me riley to ries jor
railway "workers, are demanding that the bonus' system which prevails in the private sector of industry extended to the railways. This would mean an
our the
and
verdicts By Dave Kellaway
Human Rights in Argentina.
as
cops.
socialist and
prisoners'.
Chile
We are
labour in India.
1974 thousands more
Northern (headquarters branch) in
leader George
their leadership for promises of Janata ministers.
which had stood
disintegrates. forces. Both
coalition.
and the struggling
leadership, unable. second-rate face on the iocialist revolution.
Latin American Solidarity
THE VISIT of an Argentine torture ship to London last week was met with protests organised by the British Argentina Campaign and the Committee for
A dozen people managed to board the ship half-raise a banner calling for the release of the 8,000 political prisoners in Argentina. They were quickly bundled away by Special Branch plainclothes
The BAC also got a good response when it leafleted the West India Dock (see photo) about the repression of trade unionists in Argentina. for the ship's company at the Argentine embassy was met by a I-strong picket, including women bearing white scarves in solidarity with the women who go each week to President Videla's palace in Buenos Aires to demand information about their disappeared relatives.
As the Tories threaten to restore full military, political and trade links with Chile, Argentina, and other repressive Latin American regimes, the need to develop such solidarity action is increasingly important. Immediately vital is a big turn-out for the 16 September Chile solidarity demonstration - march behind the banner demanding 'Freedom for all Latin American political
KEITH SINCLAIR adds from Hull: The Chilean junta was put in a sticky situation last week when Hul dockers boycotted I&D tons of cargo bound for
- including a container-load of bubble gum. The ship Alange was forced to sail without the consignment - marked 'via Valparaiso' (Chile's main port)
when the dockers walked off after loading the rest of the cargo.
I did not know there was a ban on cargo for Chile', said D. Webster of the Consortium Line on hearing of the dockers' action. It's up to trade unionists throughout Britain to make sure the bosses know in future!
extra month's wages for the railway workers who are the strongest section of organised
They have a long record of struggle. h
went to jail and thousand sacked by the Gandhi regime, which was only able to break the strike after a long resistance. This time round the railway workers are determined to win. A mass meeting
Railwaymen's Union New Delhi on 1 August unanimously condemned their former
fernandes minister in the Desai government) and criticised
placing reliance on the
The entire spectrum of Indian ruling class parties is being torn apart by the mad scramble for office which is happening at national and regional level. The masses watch this squabble for spoils with a bewilderment which is fast giving way to cynicism as the Janata Party,
for restoration democratic rights after the Emergency, finally
A tremendous opportunity Is opening up te build a genuine socialist alternative to all the
bourgeois factions. The two Communist parties (CPI and CPM), however are either unable or unwilling (or both) to take up the challenge. The crisis of the bourgeois parties has caught them unprepared, exploding their project of forming 'anti-authoritarian and 'anti-fascist alliances with ruling • class
Pet the ice Can sing
"qualified support' to the Charan
So while the Janata and Congress politicians fight it out amongst themselves, the worker
masses of India remain tragically deprived of any independent political
intervene into the political stage, unabl
produce the real bistoric drama 'of the
HU D the Libertad (Liberty!), and
And a reception
Page 9 scan of this page
Zimbabwe
For world campaign to defend Nicaragua
By Jobn Hunt
IT HAS GONE almost unnoticed that
Andrew Young's resignation as US
ambassador to the UN came just after
major tribute to his diplomacy
the Tories' adoption of proposals on
Zimbabwe which are almost identical
to those previously worked
radical' Andy and Labour Foreign
Secretary David Owen.
Thatcher's conversion from
original approach
towards recognition of the Muzorewa
mystery. Both the Foreign Office and
Commonwealth leaders pointed out
that such a l policy
backing a no-win war against
Patriotic Front,
military commitment
eventual prospect of political defeat.
It just wasn't on. Hence her amazing
The six-point plan agreed at the
Commonweaith conference - inclu-
ding all all-party
London, new elections, and a new
constitution - has the same objective
as the Owen-Young plan: to split the
Patriotic Front and draw a section of
rit into a settlement. In this way Britain
hopes to prepare for the establish-
Zimbabwe and the crushing of those
in the Patriotic Front
continue the struggle
imperialism.
Let's make some
Both plans propose free
supervision.
BELOW we print the bulk statement issued on 15 August by the United Secretariat of the International on the basis of reports from its observers in Nicaragua. ON I January 1959, the Batista dictatorship was swept away by the military offensive of the Rebel Army and the mobilisation of the Cuban masses led by the July 26 Movement. On 19 July 1979, the bloody Somoza regime in Nicaragua, maintained by American imperialism for mole than forty overthrown by a massive nationwide popular insurrection that capped a co-ordinated offensive by the rebel armed förces of the National Liberation Front (FSLN).
The popular insurrection led not. only to the overthrow dictatorship but to the dismantlement of the old regime. The mobilisation of the masses in popular committees, as well as the revolutionary already taken in the short time since the overthrow of the hated regime, indicate the proletarian and plebeian dynamic of the process unfolding.
The toilers of the entire world could not have hoped for a more magnificent celebration iwentieth anniversary of the Cuban revolution! The road has been opened that can lead to the victory of the second socialist revolution of the Americas.
But imperialism will be everything possible to try to prevent the toiling masses of Nicaragua from moving forward on this road. With the same cold-blooded brutality which they propped up Somoza to the bitter end, the imperialists are now bringing into play economic. and military resources to try to stop the revolutionary upsurge. There is no more urgent task for the world workers movement than to mobilise in opposition to them.
Nicaragua has been devastated by the civil war. In his ruthless attempt to maintain power, Somoza ordered the bombing of neighbourhoods factories. He plundered the monetary resources of the country.
More than 1 million people are in need of food. More than 300 tons of food are required per day. thousands of refugees are seeking to return to the country, and will have to totally disrupted by the months of civil • cared tor. Agriculture has war. Industrial investments blocked. Hundreds of stoppea production.
Lodetend the revolution and solve this crisis is an enormous task.
of proceeding
HIROHING
would mean
the entailing a possible
and the
cher's version specifies
Cult CHec
British troops to.be
who reject this externally settlement.
Lusaka deal minority of who wish to parliament
against
comparisons.
elections of
fourth Instalica and
years, was.
Sandinista
now
of the
doing
the with making capacity elements
diplomatic,
Latin America as
FSLN leadership economic BOUCILY Ilcuessal y and
Tens of those that
retreat Somoza's Honduras and were currently preparing
factories
Common-
wealth or UN supervision. The way is therefore opened for a military force
to be sent into Zimbabwe; for UN or
used against sections of the nationalist movement
imposed
Like the Owen-Young plan, the
proposes to reserve a seats the new whites. Young's
suggestion was 20 per cent of the seats office.
(for 4 per cent of the population), and
unlikely less
gener baressing the power envisaged by Owen and Young - is
the most reactionary section of the
NUESTROS
PDI
Masaya, 2 August 1979: Sandanista
Imperialism's goal is to try to
weight. and decisionof the bourgeois the . Junta LaTe Government of National Reconstruction' and other points of support for the bourgeoisie. It is trying to utilise the European social-democrats and some of the bourgeois democrats
intermediaries for
to renounce the inroads on capitalist LU satisfy the elementary needsof the masses, and to stop the arming and mobilisation of the masses, in return for economic aid.
But imperialism depends aboye all end on its own military striking force and
closely controls. demonstrated this by organising the
well-armed units National Guard into El Salvador. It is Ior a DossIdic military intervention along the lines of Clatemala in 1954, the Bay of Pigs in: Ciba in 1961, or Santo Domingo in state:
Picket planned for London Conference
Hands off
population in the new state. Just to make sure, the British constitutional proposals also provide two-chamber • parliament with indirectly elected senate to act as a block on any radical change.
Both plans propose to protect thie independence of the judiciary. Loosely translated, this means that Smith's judges who have industriously imprisoned and hanged the freedom fighters — will remain in
Another aspect of Thatcher's constitutional - again
the setting up of an 'independent'
YIVIRANLTERY»
i- Pancazán — performs at
Following the Cuban outlined by the Second Declaration of Havana, the revolution, the way Nicaraguan toilers to consolidate their victory.
In order to resist the pressures of Washington, to assert its complete independence of the imperialists, to press forward the agrarian reform, to expropriate all imperialist property and the big holdings of the national bourgeoisie, to assure control by the workers over industry and domestic and foreign trade these things the Cuban revolution had to break with the bourgeoisie, put an
to coalition installed in 1959, and set out on the course charted by the new workers and peasants government based on armed and mobilised masses organised by the July 26 Movement. In this way the Cubans were able to carry the revolution through to the endthe expropriation of the bourgeoisie and the establishment of a workers
The road to socialist revolution in
Public Service Commission. Effectively this means that the existing civil service structures would stay intact,
an with a few blacks brought into senior
positions for cosmetic purposes.
Owen and Young proposed the up Development Fund' to economy - in other words, to bribe 50 white experts: to
compensate them for their losses Thatcher's plan proposes a £600m 'Commonwealth Fund'.
In fact Thatcher has out-Younged Young through her success in winning the collaboration of the neo-colonia road Nicaragua is mined with obstacles.
Imperialist pressures and attacks will oblige the FSLN manoeuvre. The difficulties created by the lack of food and goods of all kinds will compel this leadership to try to gain time.
Call these overcome, as the example of Cuba has shown, if the tremendous power and energy of the masses is organised. The example of the showed the close relationship between over the upsurge and mobilisation of the - to dc exploited and oppressed classes, the
development of according to the rhythms imposed by the revolution, and the evolution of consciousness of the leadership of the mass movement itself. This will also be the the factor that determines the future of and the Nicaraguan revolution
The Fourth International calls on the mass parties and organisations of the workers movement to build the broadest possible united exclusionary strugale of the Nicaraguan people and
constitution
ending of
Britain sanctions). support undertake imperialism.
London last week,
Zimbabwe London revive the
stay оп, OI to send British
advisers to
Resettlement next week.
5805
SOA
RIZON
rally honouring those who were killed in the struggle against Somoza.
leadership to
Solidarity obstacles can be Revolution!
Cuban revolution
their consciousness Cuba
Italy and spain
рбер,
international 10 weeks. and non. made out to in support of the
NI 2XP.
"front line states'. Nyerere, Kaunda and other champions of the 'struggk against racism' agreed at Lusaka that the British government. was respon sible for a settlement, that the new
should include safeguards for minorities (i.e. the whites), that the British government could supervise the elections (i.e. intervene militarily if it wants to), and that the
sanctions was a major objective (i.e. they will keep quiet if
removes •weakens
At the London conference on 10 September the Tories will have the collaboration of the front line states in attempting to dictate such a sell-out to the Zimbabwean people. This must be rejected. We defend as a principle the right of the Zimbabwean people to decide their own future. And we
Many struggles that they against racism and
At a meeting of the Zimbabwe Emergency Campaign Committee in
official represen tatives of both ZANU and ZAPU spoke strongly in favour of a picket of
conference to solidarity with the struggle against Muzorewa and oppose ELY LEGIED
For UN troops Zimbabwe. was agreed and details will be announced
So let's greet Thatcher's conference with a massive picket that says "Hands - off Zimbabwe'. We'd do it for you too, Andy, if you were still around
the fighters of the FSLN, whose
courage has become a most precious
heritage of the world proletariat
Immediate aid to Nicaragua! Imperialist hands off!
No threats againsi Cuba! with the Nicaraguan
THE latest issue of the weekly Inter.
continental Press/Inprecor [Vol. 17,
no. 30] contains a contribution on
"The Revolutionary Character of the
Castro Leadership' by David Frankel
and Larry Seigle as part of the debate
which Journa
carrying. Other features in this issue
include a letter from the imprisoned
Iranian Trotskyists and coverage of
the struggle by women workers in
Individual copies cost 30p plus but subscriptions work out
cheaper at £ll for a year (48 issues],
£6 for six months [24 issues], or £3 for
Cheques/POs should bi Intercontinental Prest
and sent to: IP/I; PO Box 50, London i Challenge 23 Argin 1979 Prene
Page 10 scan of this page
The UDA— by British approval
INTERNATIONAL By Geoff Bell
LAST WEEK the Uister Association announced a 'shift of emphasis towards more military role', a euphemism widely interpreted as meaning ACON DMD HNC CR &• a new terror campaign. need to be taken seriously, especially because the UDA has throughout history connivance of the British authorities in the North of Ireland.
that Sounes exaggeration, consider the following:
*In the last six years the UDA has claimed responsibility for countless
sectaris militari n operati
military operations include bombs in Dublin and Monaghan in May it wa s descriled in Noven.
was described in 1977 Belfast judge organisation repeatedly involved in criminal acts'.
Andy Tyrie, "supreme commander', his six years of office been arrested, let alone charged, by the British Army or the KUC.
Instead Tyrie, a former steward wa0 volunteered redundancy money, has at times been • courted by the British administration. In 1974 he was asked, though he declined, to join a sponsored committee for the welfare of released detainees.
the British Army has displayed a similar friendly attitude to the UDA. Its policy was spelt out in October 1972 by Brigadier Denis Ormerod, then head of the Ulster Regiment. Said Ormerod: member of the belonged to the UDA no action would be taken.
But what has being a member of the UDA meant? The organisation
21-23 September 1979
MARXIST
SYMPOSIUM
DAYONE
10.30-1.30pл CURRENT ISSUES OF MARXISM Perry ABCerson
2.30-5.00pm
or Debate on Eaglida Histor
conomic Stratezy, Bairo's Marxls
eakers include: Perry Anderson, Jobn Ro
lan Freeman, Guatber Miunerı
7.30-10. 00pm 100th ANNIVERSARY OF TROTSKY'S BIRTH
akers inclade: Pierre Frank, Tariq Ali, the
ice of Leon Trotsky
DAYTWO
.00-1.00p
LENINISM OBSOLETI
Dodie Weppler and twe of the authors of
Beyond tbe Fragments
Workshops
Class Analysis and Polltical Straicky, Kanisky
ism, The Communist Speakers include: Robin Blackbern, Pierre
2.00-5.00 CULTURE AND POLITICS NTTCA ICR THE TRADE UNIONS TODAY
Richard Hyman, Steve Jefferys SWP , IMG Sperkstops bachude youth and revolution
Fill in the form below:
Name..
Address..
• Sociallst Challenge: 23 Argest 1979 Page 10
Loyalist terror threat
Defence of Belfast. By 1972 the para- "paramilitaries', Belfast's streets
that the
jackets and masks.
Such threats
muSYAolrCIL LOU WUUL operated
WIk1 Ene
the UDA's
like
earnest.
November
'an
the UDA's has never in
shop for
government-
and the Ulster
Defence "If regiment (UDR) that the
sectarian assassinations'.
XIYCH 'the
, Alternative
HABISN
10.00-1.00pm
DALAN do m ess
Workshop:
in Eastern Earope DICKAL DBEI
2.00-5.00pm THEREYULULIUNAKY LEFTIN EUROPE Chris Harman [SWP], Tariq Ali (IMG)
Creche facilities Refreshments available
insersion $5.50 six sessions excludiag the rally £1 for rally
London Make Cheques and Postal Orders out to 'Socialist Challenge'.
was built out of various local Loyalist vigilante groups which sprang up in 1969 in Protestant working class areas
UDA had become the largest of the Loyalist
openly parading in wearing combat
Such displays did not concern the
In June bane one-b leilI lu minister responsible for the North of Ireland, held a full scale meeting with
"ruling council'. It was around this time that the sectarian assassinations of Catholics began in
UDA
affair
This campaign was called off in a joint communiqué issued by the UDA
'Freedom Fighters in October 1977. At the time the UFF was an illegal organisation, but in fact it was simply the UDA under another Tyrie name. The UDA/UFF statement said
organisations had abandoned the practice of carrying out
The reason successes of the 1975. security forces' — in other words, the TWO TRADITIONS OF MARXISMIN
Workers Plans and Workers Comtrol, Womer
inclade: HHary Wainwright, Dave
5 for all the sessions except the raily [El including the rally] if paid before 1 September. VENUE: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square,
British Army was doing the UDA's job for it.
The violence e rom nee per eras nor just
was not directed against Catholics particularly horrifying episode the murder and torture of Ann Ogilv in 1974. She was 'punished' by other women in the UDA for having an
with a married Loyalist paramilitary.
Violence has also been a feature of
Tommy Heron, another leader of the
with whom Tyrie was constant conflict, and the attempted murder and subsequent flight in 1975
Charles Harding-Smith,
replaced as the 'brigadier'
The whole record and history of the UDA was summed up this way in
"They have murdered Protestants as well as Roman Catholics in
JUST two days after the
demonstration in London the Daily Mirror repested its
call for the withdrawal of Britain from Ireland. It would
be too much to assume that the former led to the latter,
but what was interesting about the Mirror's coverage was
the most sadistic and inhuman ways and have sought to intimidate people who carry out their business in a just proper manner.'
The speaker was none other than was Ian Paisley.
patched up his differences with the UDA, that Paisley could make such a criticism of the organisation shows just how violent the UDA is.
Since 1977 concentrated on 'political solution' of an independen Ülster. But this has attracted little support from any significant sectior of the population in the North of Ireland, and the recent successes of the IRA and the failures of the British whom Army have apparently decided the UDA's UDA to go on the military offensive
once more.
Just what amount to is difficult to tell. In the last couple of months a number of Republicans have been assassinated or: narrowly: survived assassination
suiccessful 12 August
Although he has since
publish a list
the UDA has
promoting its
useful
unlikely to
the that offensive will
diminished
administration the space it gave to its call, front page and centre-spread, and that the editorial statement was the paper's most radical so far, The Mirror ended its editorial by attacking the 'cowardice' of the British politicians of 1920 who agreed to the partition of Ireland
attempts, and the UDA is saying that this time it will concentrate on known Republicans rather than indiscriminately killing any Catholics available
In many instances knowledge of chosen Republican targets will come from the files of the British securits forces. In 1977 the UDA threatened to
of 207 Republicans which it said had been handed over by the British Army. Although the list was never published, a report in the Irish Times contirmed that the list wa from British military intelligence. The newspaper commented that 'the most
source of information to Loyalist groups is the regular Arny'.
Fortunately British Army intel ligence is so out of date that it is
•give the UDA much assistance. But the fact remains thal
UDA's ability to hit at the Catholic population would be much
were not for the assistance and, but its legality, the protection it receives from the British
Page 11 scan of this page
Theory may have its limits, but... We still need Marx
BEYOND the Fragments is likely to be received by most of the organised left with a sigh of irritation and treated with outright hostility. It would be a great mistake to react in that way.
The three essays in this questions and criticisms which we can no longer afford to ignore. Even if the answers suggested here are inadequate or inappropriate, it will no longer do - as it önce might have — to treat them as closed questions, settled long ago in the formative years of the Third International:
We seem revolution than we were a decade ago. Are the sir part to biame Are they based upon a in part to manipulative politics which is doomed to fail? blame?
What Hilary, Lynne and Sheila share is a conviction that the experience of the women's movement in particular over the last ten years can point to new ways of organising and, more broadly, to new ways of being a socialist. I shall concentrate here Sheila's which tries to focus the experience in a sharp critique of the practice of the left, though I shall return to the other two later.
For Sheila the traditional Leninist (and Trotskyist) approach is bound to fail. It must be challenged in a whole number of ways — in terms of how it conceives assumes that consciousness changes; how the party is seen to relate to other movements; how the scope of politics is defined; how individual socialists relate to themselves and to other people.
Underlying all these points is, Sheila believes, a manipulative politics, springing supposedly superior knowledge that leaders of revolutionary groups presume to possess. Theory
Drawing on the Lenin of What is to be Done? Sheila sees theory for Leninism as a knowledge of truths brought from discoverable by a purely cerebral activity -"thought comes (p. 63). It makes theory above experience rather than an integral part of it. It ought to be, Sheila puts it, a little elliptically perhaps, the attempt to sum up the relationship of what we have travelled to the whole journey' (p. 27).
There clear weaknesses approach both philosophically and politically. All forms of knowledge can't be reducible to direct experience. How for instance could you explain the making of Marx's Capital in this wav! And could you economic theory is irrelevant to grounding revolutionary political other than a purcly subjective preference for one kind of world rather than another?
But the view that cheery has to connect to experience has a real strength when we turn to Sheila's second theme about consciousness and how it changes. Here her critique hinges on the criteria used to distinguish between advanced and "backward' consciousness. Those elements with advanced consciousness tend, inevitably, to be those who find their way into the party. But it is only the party's prior "theory' identities self-justifying circularity is introduced, one which blinds us to the consciousness in daily life.
Vanguard
The contrast is posed acutely. approach to consciousness perceives its growth as many faceted and contradictory. of the vanguard doesn't fit into this way of thinking. It's not even like trying to put a square peg into a round hole. It's like dropping
Up. since just a little earlier Sheila stresses the dang rintorical and social estimation ing
historical different kinds of consciousness' (p. 56). But at the same time it is of tremendous value stressing how uneven consciousness how individuals can be advanced and backward at the same time, how consciousness spills over boundaries
describing this, experience of women's groups, and an insight, grasped abstractly perhaps by many on the left comes across with tremendous vitality. The left has too easy a hierarchy of
disdain not
collection raise goal of socialist
based upon contribution, lessons OI this theory; how
from the Tone outside,
from thought in Leninism'
with this
argue that Marx's
activity in anything
which advanced. Thus
real ambiguities of
"The feminist
The model issues,
59) Exaggerated, certainly,
estimation
can be,
ments'
Sheila draws on the
force and desire
questions raised by the essays. '
CONCLUSION
I EYE DO UNITS THE SKRA
CORRECTION TO "WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
NOTES arenas of struggle (factory struggles, near the top; struggles over schooling or community
way down). The way consciousness emerges out of an understanding of the intertwined nature of power relations in
of social life is something the various space left is often blind to. The left prefers to seek the key link and pull in the hope that the rest of the chain will follow. Maybe, Sheila is suggesting it isn't a chain at all...
Sheila's third theme is about how the party relates to other movements. argument dislodges 'the superior relationship of the party to the movements of the working, class and other radical autonomous
(p. 64). It is hard to see how she establishes this point. movements have taught us to contest the 'lived relation of subordination' wherever it is to be found and requires that changes in feeling and
become part of the movement
'BEYOND the Fragments', a pamphlet by Hilary Wainwright, Sheila Rowbotham and Lynne Segal, raises a number of points of controversy on the left. We have invited a number of contributors to give their views on the
This is the second one to be published by Socialist Challenge, and is by RICHARD KUPER, a member of the International Socialists Alliance.
and Organization of Revolo
FOR AN ALLRUSSIAN POLITICAL
to Being.
WITH THE
suggests. which
consciousness She believes her
the party).
Even if autonomous But
of
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
Burning Questions of Our Movement"
strong by purging inself..
strength resistance' this does not imply what Sheila
Somehow the various understandings exploitation, oppression, domination and so or
be synthesised and generalised. Obviously thi
to some within (and in this does not have to be spills over boundaries establishe this point, which regrettably still needs arguing (there are still Neanderthal men who would sonial rehe and make polio the presente confine the autonomous
is no synthesis needed? Can an
utonomous movement (or indeed a number ‹ them), depending on circumstances, the vantage point from which all the relations of power and domination in society can be
destroyed by her argument.
Labels
reformist as ing lems of challenge of the
41).
pre-Leninist and any obviously flawed.
(rightly) to
explored
Both
practical choice. Leaming
For Hilary,
Lynne of
ifferent reas
society.
criticisms and questioning
provide
SURPLUS VALUE
grasped? Having a party is no guarantee l this will happen. But unless Sheila denies d need for such a synthesis she must face up to d concrete problem of how and where happen. The need for a party in this sense is 1
Her fourth theme is the need to extend concept of the political. She highlights 1 dangers of using labels like centrist, uitra-le
substitute for cogently the actually responding formal grafting of women's caucuses Leninist party need in reality change little if t content of what people do remains unalter What is involved is indeed not a conflict on political line, but over what politics is about
This leads straight into her concern with need for 'a politics which enables people
different relationships'
Sheila attempts to recapture the concern o
movement Britain "brotherhood', 'solidarity', "fellowship'. W clearly limited, bound up as much of it was assertions of masculinity and craft pride stressed the importance of values and cult
women s movement recently discovered for itself.
All these arguments and insights are I th of great importance to all of us on the i questioning in fundamental ways what it is
But there absences in Sheila's work. Themes like seizure of state power, the smashing of state, and the dictatorship of the proletariat vital in understanding how the Leninist cor of the party arose. They cannot be wished a
critique which ignores them
In Sheila's concern — with the means modes of relating — the ends can get lost fr
of the values which she wis foster compatible with reformist practice. How they can be integra into a total revolutionary practice has still to
Hilary's introduction and Lym discussion of 'A Local Experience' contril to the beginnings of such an exploration. On their experiences with local socialist centre Newcastle and Islington, they are able to r
They are neither of them blind to problems and limitations of what has achieved. But at the same time they restor proper respect for learning from forms organisation and struggle which have evol
the local impetus will be crucial.
up against eyond the Fragments, then, is an atte
oint the way out of the morass in whi sections of the left find themselves, Approach which fails to connect to to needs and desires of real individuals, exp
nd oppressed in a myriad of differen
nd trying to find their own defences the batterings they are subjected to in capi excuse for not facing up four square
Beyond the Fragments, Feminism 8, t Making of Socialism by Sheila Rowbot Lynne Segal and Hilary Wainwright
Socialist Challenge 23 Argast 1979
Page 12 scan of this page
ALL OUT ACTION
By Pat Hickey, Deputy senior steward, Rover SDI
THE INDUSTRIAL action carried out by members Confederation of Shipbuilding and Enginecring Unions in pursuit of the national claim has met a breadth of support from the rank and file which has surprised even the bureaucrats who called it.
It's ironic that the Bible-thumping right wing which annihilated Broad Left leadership should now be doing what Scanion failed to do - calling nationa: action
support of the annual instead of passing the buck to shop stewards at the local level.
No doubt the motive of Duffy and Boyd is to consolidate their position in the AUEW, the dominant union in the Confed, to further advance their High Court approach to democracy. The immediate question for us is how do we win against the Engineering Employers' Federation?
There are two problems to gaining the united support of all engineering WOTAN COOCHEL
The claim itself - details on page 7 — is inadequate. It will make little difference to conditions industry. The two-tier structure of wage negotiations, with a national Registered with the Post
Socialist Challenge
ENGINEERS
NOW!
the being Confed's demands marginal. of the Secondly: two-day strikes
effect. Some manage hours, others get a lot less.
some get more.
This backlash from elections
claim,
weeks maternity holidays,
limited actions,
1UW.
of engineering products.
the
Office as a newspaper.
RACE
TOWU
BSA GUNS
5/202 BRANCH
settlement setting minimum conditions and local negotiations providing
packet, makes the Such
Line policy of one- o coupled with overtime ban has an extremely uneven
to work 32 winter With dispensations in process plants, such as paint shops in the car industry,
presents the danger ot a the membership, which can best be contronted by two demands: for the reinstatement of the full claim, and all-out national action no The full claim, which includes the 35-hour week, lay-off provision, 18
leave, and extra would make a significant difference to engineering workers.
Such demands cannot be won by
which have so far been three one-day stoppages, with Name. iwo-day strikes to come next month. It means an all-out national strike Address
with pickets of plants which continue to work, and of docks and warehouses to prevent the movement
Mastemeetings will be needed to win the support of the membership, with regional and local conferences of shop stewards and delegates to spread the fight. The membership has to be
Published by
involved in the pickets, meetings and demos to their support. Strengthen the left in the Wich action would
victory by the engineering workers would be a major blow to the goverament and set the pace for the
wage round. considerably upset Ine employers, who are aiming for speed-ups and redundancies:
*].WO thousand marched Birmingham during the one-day
Domestic: 6 months, £5; 12 months, £10 Abroad: Airmail, £16.50. Surface, £10 per annum. Multi-reader institutions: double individual rate l enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of .
Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to 'Socialist Challeage?.
Relgocres! Lid. fox Socielet Challenge, 328/9 D
SAVE JOBS •PRITAIN
FIGHT NEEDS INEMPLOME CRAFTSMEN SHORTER REWARD WORKING THE
WEEX SKILLS
BRITAIN
NEEDS
PRODUCTION
engineering strike on Monday. resolution passed at a mass meeting congratulated the stand, and called on it to keep up the pressure The chair motion from Pat Hickey calling for would all-out strike action, although those
who spoke in favour of this position were loudly applauded. *A mass workers in Hull on Monday voted 228 to 220 against a call for all-out action.
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HACKNEY
by this
Confed for next to
refused to accept
booksale
meeting of engineering
discussed about a Bank picnic?
Brent IMG Bath IMG Leeds IMG Swindon IMG Anon Camden IMG
E. Mahood Oxford IMG
London NI
P.O. Box 82, London E2
GLAL
NOW
Penny for our
thoughts
Socialist Challenge
this week carrying heavy bags full of small change. £11.55, in fact. in lp ½p, and 2p pieces, patiently collectec in a jar over the past months
Rather than being weighed down
relatively useless small coinage, which is capable of buying
nothing in these inflationridden days, why not save the pennies for the fund drive?
Other supporters have done us proud, too. Oxford raised money for the paper via a picnic, second hand
bar • billiards tournament, making f80 in all.
And some Camden IMG members donated one day's income each. How many other supporters groups have
similarly? Or how Holiday fund-raising
Whatever else you may be doing over the holiday weekend, spare a thought for Socialist Challenge and help us to the £20,000 target by the end of September.
Our thanks this week to:
£15 40 18
20 Hackney pennies collection 11.55
83 Brighton SC sponsored walk
10 80
This week's TOTAL £397.55
OVERALL TOTAL £13,477.55 Printed by East End (offset) Ltd,
← Socialist Challenge No. 109, 16 August 1979Socialist Challenge No. 111, 30 August 1979 →