Socialist Challenge No. 29, 19 January 1978
The scan: sc-n29-jan-19-1978.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge WE'VE BEEN CENSORED!
At 12.45 pm on Tuesday 17 January, the Editor of this paper received a phone call from Chief Superintendent Wilson of Scotland Yard. We were warned that if we published all but one of the documents in our possession, relating to details of bribes paid out by British Leyland, we would be prosecuted. Given the shortage of time it was impossible to obtain the necessary legal advice. We have therefore delayed publication. For further details see Page 3. We apologise to our readers for the imbalance this has produced in the
LEYLAND BRIBES SCANDAL
newspaper.
dares
Slush, slush, whisper who
'absolutely
official
15 Jana 4 1570 19 23 130 The Leyland alush fund The cover up
Page 2 scan of this page
End participation now!
Ed:lon8101-3598180 9. concluded between the
public sector workers.
pulsory redundancies, speed-up and demanning.
Balance sheats of nationalised indusines
holder. There companies.
theold private owners. back when these industries genuinely do make a loss. industries are politically inspired. The
information information on the steel industry,
proposala for slashing Sif Charles Villers.
sensitive is this area of Government policy making.
FIGHT BACK
that the workers movement can adopt to conspiracy against them in Government
Information of nationalised industries
fight-back.
he had handed over the correspondence,
like Derek Robinson (see page 2).
the SInC BONERS
the way a workers solution to nationalised industries can start to be thrashed out.
ADDRESS
BRITISH LEYLAND
Editorial
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1.
Advertising 01-3598371.
Whatever
happened
to
nationalisation?
CONSPIRACY Is the name of the game in Britain's nationalised industries. The rules are simple. A pact is
Labour Government, the Confederation of British Industry and the Liberals. Wages are to be held down below 10 per cent for Britain's six million
When these workers fight back (or even if they don't) the trump card is brought out. The nationalised industries are bankrupt. Youmust take a wage cut, you must accept com-
appear to confirm the argument. But closer examination reveale a different story. There are several reagons why nationalised
In a private sector company, two different groups of capitalists get a rake-off: the shareholder and the loan stock
Their capital all comes from loans. Share holders are paid dividends from after-tax profits, Interest on loans la caiculated on pretax protits. A large part of these loans result from compensation that the government paid to
Inaddition the nationalised industries, particularly power industries, make losses so that private industry can benefit. Several nationalised industries also calculate the cost of boreden o capa, a costo production, on ine basis or the cost of replacing capital equipment rather than on the current value of their asseta. This is not to say that workers nationalised industries for on that basis they should hold
No, the argument is that all decisions on nationalised
government can veto all proposals which put the responsibility for the capitalist crisis on the backs of workera in these industries, This Is why nationalised industries are so chary about releasing
and themselves and the Goverment. Even MPs who wanted
better to make Villiers even declared himself ready to go to the Tower of London, so
there is a loss orman our muen more erective ponc
and Industrial пота срел e соскавно гео зне сотідел
will start to give a political basis to the fight-back against redundancies in the the Labour Government is the most deadly enemy in such a
Who would start such an investigation? Well, It won't be the union leaders. in the row over the Villiers/ Varley corsespondence, Iron and Steels Confederation secretary Bill Sirs
. we would have been on his back. "Nor did press leaks of Michael Edwardes plans for Leyland seem much of a surprise to union leaders
Union leaders are up to their necks in collaboration with
committees, accountable to the rank and file to start the investigation, are
the crisis of Britain's
WANT TO KNOW MORE? If yei agres with these principies and wantfo be
Immelped In acovies by Sociallet Challenge sup
portersia your stes, fufle the forta belge sad send is
Held like additions tarrere and endole so
quit.
Solihull plant.
12,000 jobs will go in 1978 aione, according outlined by Whitaker at asi Thursday's meeting of the Cars Council, The top worker participation body in Leyland. The proposals were in line with the new year revelations Michael Edwardes that 30,000 jobs will go by 1980,
SACKINGS
Edwardes is not one to do tbings by half. The cut of ten per cent in the workforce this year will be accompanied by an mercase in producton rom 780,000 cars last year 825,000 cars in 1978. theme is reduced manning levels plus higher productivity.
ParIs OF officially unveiled wardes last Monday, were revealed to trade union leaders rematioed siest.
LOCICE believe that the
senior stewards to tell their members that nothing of the plan till they tead the papers.
PARTY
Even s0 response of Derek Robinson, senior steward at Leyland's Longbridge plant, splutter about the lack condemn the
will have tation' in plenty.
After Thursday's meeting the Edwardes plan taken to a full participation conference in February. mispose of the excruise is to involve the union leaders achieving the objectives with the minimum of disruption.
But Edwardes has already made it clear that the role of participation comittees is to
Mass redundancies at Leyland
Thousands of Leyland workers facing the sack this year will be pleased to know that the wife of Cars managing director, Derek Whittaker, is 'not worried about money because of her husband's decision to
Few car workers can afford to be so complacent, writes PAT HICKEY, steward at Leyland's Rover
discuss implementation. to plans contempE lackeys, Party member
CITESSESS "cannot be prolonged"
in the
The INVESTIGATION - full plan. by Ed-
*Where the
"Icaks" to tbe work offered.
knew the central
an cod ta participation. the immediate those
was to of rather than by elected committees. i have come Now CONFERENCE The new
worker; The top in
ment.
OUR POLICIES
palive shoald he lowd un the
for his union like Communist Robinson,
that these discussions with
representatives
The real decisions will be made in collaboration with the National Enterprise Board and Industry Minister Eric Varley.
So much for the view expressed
Communist Party pamphlet on Leyland tbat participation gives 'a say in future decisions on investment and location of work which helps to ensure joh security'
Perhaps Derek Robinson would now care to justify the Communist Party claim that: Leyland steward:
question of redundancies has arseil. the prepare unions are receiving long term warning of this and alternative pation and clect
In fact participation is being decent used to prevent opposition to the company's plans. So one of
demands for launching a fight back must be кревс пр-
all forms of
plants where participation schemes operate militants must demand withdrawal from these bodies. All
scandal
security o Plans threaten the
every Leytand white collar, skilled and unskilled. They come or Cover now iner
of the new wages and Incentive scheme which will continue to hold wages down Leyland. and put future negotiations in the hands of the union leaders already up to their necks in collaboration with manage2 Dur socalem will be infinindy mun up arms against the soduler stale. The stalisist
natibnal conference of to unity tee work a necessari
and the tight back conterence must end partici-
La leadership committed to hebring Tor s
wage TOT all of Leyland's workers and to opposing redundancies and
It should also call for an investigation into the com pany's books by committee to establish the real
-Tor example estimating the amount
finance houses in interest.
of the millions pounds allocated to the shush fund', it would also need to enquire into the books of tbe component suppliers to dis-
double and treble their profits in servicing a bankrupt'
COMMUNIST
The Communist Party will argue that the newly revived
4
are in orch.
SOCIALISTCHALLENGE 19January 1978 page 2
Cars Group Combine meeting
on 21 January will plan and
like this in the past.
unaccomtable lo the rank and
file, have never been more than
TOT the senior
stewards
And they really scrape the
barrel when they say that then
are too many Leyland steward
for a full cobference. We need
them all. We can hire the
Albert Hall if necessary
FIGHT BACK
Sociulist Challenge support-
ers throughout Leyland will he
stewards committees calling
SUE CURESHE SHIE prepare toe highback: 10l
prepare the tiehtback
plant based struggles such a
that at
the speke niart or
Merseyside must receive the
малітшо supporl
come their present isolation.
If we do not stand together.
we will hang separately - with
Edwardes tightening the noose
and participation committees
releasing the trap door. the Canimans communis or the pro Moses
more fave urable than aser the precedie three
Page 3 scan of this page
HOW THEY CENSORED SOCIALIST Statement from CHALLENGE editorial board
Because Socialist Challenge heck the authenticity of these against them documents we handed them to a national newspaper, with an avrecment that we would publish on the same day.
When thai paper approached British Leyland, the company promised to comment on the documents by 12 0000 Tuesday 17 January — the day
that time arrived Leyland was still refusing to comment. Instead they acted the police. The editors o both the national newspaper and Socialist Chalienge were then contacted by Detective
Wilson of Scotland Yard, on behalf of
Director Public
We were then formally warned that if we published the documents we could be found in contempt of court. This could mean a crippling fine and possible imprisonment. The case in question is that againsi Graham Barton, the Leyland executive ments on the slish fund to the Duily Mail last year. these were Tater said to forgeries,
Socialist Challenge decided DUL MOULSE LEE COMMIES I question, bur we publish one.on this page, which we were toid is not involved in the Barton
This document BETPET reveals that the marker factor
- the polite term for bribes ant illegal payments is still continuing, despite official denials from both Leyland and the Government.
The decision not to publish is made for this issue of the paper anty. We are secking urgent legal advice on the possibility of publishing these documents in a future issue.
One thing we can state. Every day national newspapers, and indeed the left press, publish articles which are technically in contempt of court. They are
BRITISH LEYLAND
Within the last week Socialist Challenge has received anonymously through the post copies of documents which appeared to be internal memos correspondence from British Leyland. If genuine these documents reveal a trail of corruption and bribery.
not threatened by top police officers. No charges are made
The reason we have beer warned by the police is because of the nature of the documents ve have — listing how, whon and how much Leyland brib They involve the very top of Leyland management and huge on in one case a bribe of £700,000.
Itis obvious that Leyland and the Labour Governmear would do everythine in their Dower to cont stop the publication of such documents. That is why Chief Superintendent Wilson contected 1s The affair is the latest stage in a cover-up which stretches back six montos, loc case agains the Mail allows under the documents that company has never claimed to be lorgeries. documents- as well as Born new ones - that we intended to publish. week Leyland b threaten to sack workers, This week as well evidence emerged of a cover-up by the Department of Industry the nationalised Corporation. Now there are the be threats against Socialist Chall CRLC
We say that working people have every right to know what goca on in industries. We say the attempts to censor are a direct attack on the free press. this instance the contempts of court 'issue
tempe at a cover-up.
We denisod a fel workers inquiry into how nationalised HOUSES ATE CITH In the meantime we make this
the end of the affair. We still
was or another we will make SUCH become known to the labour GRAHAM BARTON -- the man who leaked details of the Leyland
and
Leyland to
carpet
even the
was these of the British Steel
TAIGRATSEE
We say that in
4.
THE CONCHA TALON
1. Seiler - Inusanne G. Nocicles
co E.G. Field -
BLI Ltd. - Loncurideo/ PRIVATE & GOTETIENTIN.
AOCOENTINE TOR AT FACTOR" period:
figure separately). liability
otier in the periou D.D. PRENZICE Визпос Мало-ов - Snac
THIS IS the one document the Director of Public Prosecutions did not prevent us from printing
It deals with the accounting procedure for what is known as
aiso known as special commissions" it is clear from other documents in our possession that special commiesian is the term used to describe the bribing of foreign government officials. It is what Dobson referred to as "bribing wogs' in his notorious after-dinner speech.
This is to confim the accountine procedure for special comissions com no Market Factor" in respoot of leyind Cura. operate in due course Zor leyland Tnick gal Dis.
On or before the l0sh voricinm day followine the cad of cach raspective
Bob Field will colex 1. Seiler aith the vame of the
rolevant credit noses from Leyland Cars.
The value of the "dariet bactor" will be accounted for In the perdod;
(1) by MIS as an expense gim:ltaneously establichar the respectivo
(1L) by 2t05 as income cobiider Leyieid Cars
The precise account cales to be used for Carpe incisactions will Se determined alter consultations vita l. Caller.
al. Reo iceto
DI. Prentice
for the period (he will send or bove seat cetailo of chio catal
Bob Field will send Gilbert lockles a copy of chis telex with the thoreby the expense of Lt and income of 1.05 id31 offset cach
This document suggests that the money is 'laundered through BLIS Switzerland. From there i finds Its way into the pockets of the government officials named in other documents Previbus allegations concerning the operation of the Leyland 'slush fund' suggested payments were made up until August 1976. This document suggests the market factor was operated after this date
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 19 January 1978 page 3
14.2.77 A sinilar procedure will
"harkot Factor" - British Leyland International Services,
- until February 19/7 at 16981.
Page 4 scan of this page
CENSORED
BRITISH LEYLAND The Leyland slush fund The cover up
R058053
....
SOCIALISTCHALLENGE 19 January 1978 page-
100.
*xM:x0
DOMAIN open
00 43 pox
Page 5 scan of this page
Slush, slush, whisper who CENSORED
dares
ake autor.
odes a the Kritin Overas Irede Boork
ік сомераок BASERE
BRITISH LEYLAND
Koco ioc Poite Mail Shot published Selling to the highest bidder
SHARE
AND BONER RANGE ROVER A TRAVELINE
Bribery
official RECEIVED
SOCIALISTCHALLENGE 18 January 1978 page Racal corruption trial
'absolutely
necessary'
Her Nooy" Joc
Page 6 scan of this page
Troops and bureaucrats ensure defeat
Ford shop steward victimised
Another Grunwick picket gaoled by JONATHANSILBERMAN
After starting a strike with even greater public sympathy than the miners' strike of 1974, ТВо совсе всостеса вл offer within the Government's 10 percent code
In a press conference tolowing toe acnate terry Parry claimed that: Long term KH WALL HE CUBAN save been won, that other trade
right arm for." But when asked
the pay promises would be immune from the fourth round of incomes policy in November being mooted by Jim Callaghan, he said 'promises from Mr Callaghan himself.
But the strike was called precisely because of the failure of Labour and Tories to honour past promises on pay-
Nor is the FBU going back to work in a strong posation to enforce those promises. 1n Lincolnshire, for example, the County Council is going on tbe offensive and claiming that fewer appliances used for fire cover during the strike are now others to lose their credentials. explains what happened in the factory. FOR SOME time now the company has been looking for pretexts to get rid of these SCARISE Their pressure succeeded in getting the trade BOON QUESTO SCIA CENSO the shop stewards threatening them with discinlinary action. The so-called crimes of these stewards have been that thes Well. The have conside noly
They have consistently fought against speed-ups, dangerous working conditions and sackings.
CONFRONTATION
This has brought them into confrontation, with the venors and union officials. The latter have over the years developed a cosy "don't rock the boat relationship with the company. This relationship was cemented by an agreement after the paint, trim assembly plant strike last June. June.
Roys appealed before Judge Stucley at Knightsbridge Crown Court on o Januar The juder concluded that a £50 TIne WaS Dot cooget He seni Roys to Pentooville Jail for 21 days, cows is tbe latest in a number of Grunwick pickets to such a change. be jniled, but the first to bave his sentence raised on appeal. With more than 200 pickets still awaiting trial, Roys is clearly being made an example of.
Grunwick has been the baccleground in the fight for the right to picket. In his book,
HOME NEWS
Lessons of FBU strike
*I shudder to think what would have happened to me if it was not for the police'. That was Terry Parry after he had squirmed past 350 lobbying firemen at the Bridlington recall conference. And no wonder.
A majority of three to one accepted Rees surrender proposals and the mine week old firemens' strike was finally crushed by its own leadership and the TUC.
sul bocent for permanentine But even if the promises of uture micreases are met this cannot compensate for the cut in feel wages which the Isremen are suffering now by accepting Ju DeE cell. more could bave been won, but when the FBU leadership failed to call for ctive support from the 1 nion leaders who voted 1 support of a compaign against the 10 per cent at the TUE Seneral Coanel meetine not December demanding that L organise natonal sondar ity action — they set up their members for deteal.
RESPONSIBILITY it was because alore bad have been won, and the FBU leadership failed to take the steps to achieve it, that they inuse bear the responsibility for the defeat of the strike alope with the TUC General Coupei?.
There are those on the left who would like to think otherwise The Morning Stur, in its Editorial of 13 January, says Over the last ten days the Ford management, aided and abetted by union Convenors have succeeded in sacking one militant shop steward and causing two
STEVE HARPER
The terms were as follows: the company would give a 24-bour notice before provided that all disputes were taken through procedure. The convenors and union bureauc rats were only too happy accept. is It strenathened their position in relation to the shop-
The result of this has been that the senior stewards on the joint works have become the MOCCA TOESICASE IT Even worse the letters sent by the T&GWU and the AUEW to the company in October 1975, stating that any sacked workers would get unmediate union COn- backing. were withdrawn.
SHOP STEWARD Ibe reasons given by the company for sackine sbop steward Tom and ham were that 'sabotaged a Fiesta underbody CHRISTOPHER ROYS, a Bradford University student, was arrested on the Gremwick picker line last summer. In September, Roys was fined £50 plus £25 costs for allegedly using threatening behaviour on 24
Grunwick, George Ward calls for a change in the law to
six, and to prevent anyone from
picketing The National Association for Froedom supports
The Financial Times's Assistant Editor, Joe Rogaly, argues for changes in the law to 'make the work of the police casier', in his book, Grunwick.
Tories favour further change, and the Labour Government Fort itself has announced the need to
DE the real responsibility lies 'not with the leadership of the Fire Brigades Union', but with the General Council majority.
This is hardly surprising since to have criticised ibe FBU leadership would have meant facing up to the disastrous failure of the TUC minority, including Dist Party member Ken Gill, to wage a campaign SURE REBOO TOILEE unionists with the firemen.
amon leadership and urinated in an airduct" Much to their displeasure and CREWICH ATACE HERCI admitted responsible for the damage. He too was sacked. The depart ment where Tom Bermingham works voted on 10 January to strike against the sackings, but any Iny-offs a third to a ball resumed work under beavy pressure. ta
CP COLLUSION
The remander were to be dealt with by the trade union officials.
Committee members. included longstanding bers of the Comminist Party, colluded with the management to send telegrams culling the men back to the department for a meeting the following day. J was here that the Works Committee members recommended an unmediate return to work without Tom's reinstatemen militant It was accepted. Berming- Ibe following day the com had ралу, encouraged success, threatened another look at the picketing laws.
While these people scand for the right to picket. they oppose the rights of effective picketing, and as discussions continue, the police and the courts have used
picketing rights. Thus the enormous number or arcas di Grunwick.
The police have used Grunwick as a training ground for
capacities. Pickets have been picked released. More sinister was the
Special Patrol Group attack on the Chapter Road picket on 7 November which led to changes of police brutality from Labour MPs and trade union leaders.
Eldon Gräffiths, special police MP, confirmed
MERSEYSIDE
REJECT
"THIS SELLOUT
O MERSEYSIDE
WONT BE SOLD UP THE DIVER
BICCELEI
strike. Jim Battersea FBU argued: equally Commofor mass.
from the unaccountables. sack Mick that he had been
Wray refused The Joint Works
who Dave Wray. 'strong trade union mient. The
by its have drawn the Grubwick bus Parliament.
'military
beaten and ther
Hall,
November
Tory and the above address.
by Noel Hibhert and Rich Palser committees
Forward,
I remind
date for the Rank and File Firemen"
After the lobby of the Bridlington conference, a
150 (Jeremien discussed the lessons of tbe
Fitzpatrick •of
*If there is one thing every lisation man here is committed to, it is driving Terry Party our of the union. The achievement of this strike is that many workers
need to democratise the union.
removing the
"We have to make sure that shop steward, Dave Wray, In the same department with the
Murphy, the T&GWU official suggested to Wray that he should resign his post in order to keep his job.
and was supported by his branch. The following day the Joint Works Committee members called
HOCS EE another meeting and persuaded ITALIANS BOL TEnSED it would "create more trouble'.
They accused Wrav or being "irresponsible" for not giving in
this atmosphere of confusion Digures
confidence was passed against SUCCESS
The compery had suceeeded, in connivance with convenors and union officials, in inflicting a defeat on what is known as a
departrepercussions of this will be felt elsewhere. The company are boasting that they
trout eaten up a list o
Aberdeen,
that the SPO attack came afler
had gone
Police knew this brough their than the left." "walkie-ralkie" system, and Next their attack was nothing but a Jons premeditated decision to inflict physical damnge on pickets, an action supported later by Home Secretary, Merlyn Rees, in
A defence campaign for arrested pockets is vital, Funds are particularly needed. Collec right wing. Lion sheets can be obtained This Irom Brent Trades and Labour
175 High Road, London has NV 10. The Newsreel Collec tive film of the events of 7
can De obtained from the Strike Committee at
resolutions that are moved through branches to remove Parry are made to stick'
Denocracy is certainly a central lesson, but Rank and File should have been fighting for this throughout the struggle by calling for elected strike
area and national level to plan the way
Equally it should have been
Taside the union to
national solidarity
by other trade
Instead the rank and file
group attempted to substitut
itself and its bulletin for national union strike bulleten. raising no demands upon the : FBL leadership, and simply calling for the rank and file to organise flying pickets.
Unfortunately even iniciatives at rank and file level could not he achieved without confront ing the union leadership who sation to preter trad
other trade
Low poll in
UCATT
elections
by "Building Worker' Editorial Committee
'Left win control' and 'UCATT left tarn' declared the building trade press after the election results for a vacancy on the UCATT executive. And if that were true, it would make the employers' blood run cold.
Even the Morning Star last WICK TUREUOHSSTLE Left advance in won. But their
election of kelly, a Labour Party member with a left of centre vich describes his polirics — mean a
A closer examination of the
Linion of Construction, Allied Trade and Technicians elections shows in fact the decline of the left vote. Tbe four leading candidates polled as follows Kelly: 6,706; McTurk: 3,765 Graves: 2,513; Rea: 2,195. All of them are full-time officials.
less than 900 voles between
Only about 5 per ceot of the membershin bothered to von - 16,176 out of 300,000. And ite work was doot for lett victor Kelly — be was not even formally backed by •g Broad Left meeting in the North-cast Decause he Is aD orDaniser. 1E
and no-one knew anything about him
The Morning Star could better have said: Left of centre candidate scrapes home In abysmally low pou as right wing in UCATT sbows itsell te be even more disorganised
nominatheretary of hennion. Beneal open to stand a candidate, but to support the present assistant general secretary. Les Woods,
grounds that tbe alterbntive, Hardman, is more
continual cringing before the CATT leadershin
not produced dividends. The CP has moved rapidly to the right since publication of Beilding Work ers Charter ceased in 1976.
The CP has also moved to the right on the issue of rivalry 50p.
SOCIAL/STCHALLENGE 19 January 1973 page b unionists.
In the absence of any clear allernative strategy for winning the strike, the executive were able to win a vote for a return to work. Wbist this is certainly a defcat for the firensen, as for all workers suftering wage curs, a fighthack agninst the union leadership is possible.
UNION LEADERS The claims to insurance offices (standing at E42.700,000 for November against an SETTLE of E18,500,000 0 1975 month on average show that it was not only the troops, but also the TUC and the union leaders who defeated the strike.
Thousands of firemen realise this. Rank and File Firemen should now hold a national conference of FBU militants to thrash our a policy which can Teally challenge Parry and his supporters on the executive, and prepare the FBO for Tuture struggles. between UCATT and the Transport Union. Several of
Jeading lights have NATACKCO MIC recruitment of building work-
especially Party members and Building Group Peter Kavanugh. Not all CP members have gone along with these policies, bur little or no opposition has emerged.
A picker last Friday oubside the civil engineering employers office shows the attitude of CP members in UCATT. The picket was to protest at the death of four construction workers on the Littlebrook called by Kavanagh. The MorninG Siar picker only brictly tro day: berore, members in UCATT showed
A group of building workers broke away from the CP in th London Joint Sites Committee
September, 1976. formed a Rank and File Building Workers Committee Since then we have produced eight issues of the paper Building Worker.
The framework for a natiocal organisation was thrashed out Inst year, but it is still very weak, and tbere has been no national acrivity apart from selling the paper
If the Communist Parc does not put forward candidate on principled DOUL LILE general secretary's position there 1s a scrong possiounty that Building Worker will mount a campaign for socialist around a candidate, followin an open national meeting of al Building Worker supporters
Copies of the Building Worker policy statement and eight issues of the puper un available from: 178 Stadholme Street, London SEIS. Price
Page 7 scan of this page
McKinnon affair
Britain having
advanced anti-racist laws in the
world': which Callaghan
boasted about in India. For
despite demonstrations,
113 Lahour MP's
demand for his dismissst,
Judge Neil McKinnon remains
And Fascist leader
Kingsley Read faces
more than the slogan "Black is
Beautiful' daubed on the side
of his semi-detached Black-
burn house.
terrorised'
DOES HOME Secretary Mer lyn Recs pogrom? That's the question Bookshop Joint Action group, a group of bookshops which have been attacked by fascists. are asking.
And on Tuesday picketed the Home Office to protest at the inaction of the police and Home Office when bookshops have been fire-
finth letter to Mr Rees drawing nis attention to the larents and attacks against them.
If it's trth Lime lucky this time they might receive a reply. Because Inc Jour brevious letters were igaored, placed, and only one replied to by a card of acknowledgement since last February - almost a year age,
The Bookshop Joint Action say the inaction of the police and their tablure to arrest ans
the fascists who terrorsing thein is astounding
The unusual faiture of the Police and the Home Office raises the very serious question of complicity between sectiens
the police and nen-fascist forces in country", they say. And they cite examples of the attitude of the Metropotitan Palice while
HOME NEWS
most
Judge McKinnon, a white doesn't mind being called pro-
friend, has asked not to handle Cases talstos race And the Lord cebor in the circumstances, 15 taking no further Not a very pood advertise ment of the Labour Government's committment to fighting racism to the people of Black community bookshops say:
"We won't be
making their enquiries the Headstart bookshop
North Londoa were told that the police would not be able to after they received threatening they phone calls saying "Nigger get
our. Some time this weck we're going bomh FOT sollowed by their windows being smashed in November Last year.
They could only give thac sort of protection to Buckingham Palace and Downin street Headstart. And one senior SSULLEHCO SIEHE unless the fascists were caught difficult to make arrests. But the bookshops, most of which serve the black community, are won't be terrorised out are existence'
anti-Tascists ta raise the matter with fany organisation they are in, and write to the Home Secretary expressing concern at and anger al his the total indifference the entormation from: Bookshop
Joint Action, (Tel: 01-579-4920]
NIGGERS
BEWARE!
HANDE oFF HenrEs!
BOX 6414 Uneois, NB 66506
This Filth wasaflixed outside The Other Bookshop In Islington iast
Get rid of him!
India, Bangladesh
recently payed a visit. Much black Britain, to whoen
down, a million to go'.
Chan-
SPINELESS action' Mickinon that Wel, that cin unlikely mean anything.
The Labour has this weck amply demonstrated that it spineless in the face of racism its failure 10 McKinnon for remarks. The whole however sparked off controversy even among the right WIng columnists national press. The Economist CUMCS limiting the honestly held opinions only when
another, more important right, WhICh in 1ss instance is to show you face want to in peace, even when it be brown or black'
And Peregrice Worsthorne, a self-confessed "Tory realist" on questions of race and one of Fleet Street's most prominent right-wing scribes, says his own views cannot be freely expressed without ottense to people who are now
RACIST' REALISTS' my fellow citizens'
He describes Judge MeKinnon's remarks as demonstrating bearted and jocular approach to these matters", of which he implles disapproval. realists bke Mr claim to have taken race questions seriously all along and recognised white racism,
ITTO their desire shops. immigration and thus identify
in
-We
of are asking
Further
SA Chignell LOROON 1713
the political scene.
workers,
and PakiCallashan problem,
people in Read was 'One They those black people.
with
can it not?
Government
utterly LILL
dismiss his racist case has
of the
favour of 100. expression of - but INDEPENDENT? freedom of COATICES with
courts by the where you judiciary МсКіллов
race Government
giving
active boost 10
many
somewhat light- Party musi
ment Tory Worsthorne recent broadcast
restrict Old time lascist leader Cleaver (lain Cuthbertson] in a scene from Destiny by David Edgar, to be shown on BBC1 at 9.25pm on 31 January. The play skeiches the revival of British fascism in the late 1960s and the conscious decision to use race to propel itsell onto
On ane side we see the splits between the fascists" and 'populists', on the ofher the paralysis of the Labour Party In the tace of fascism, contrasted with the selt organisation of striking black
Though Destiny is a tough political drams, there is no aversimplification or cardboard characters. Not anly is It the bestever British play on racism and fascism, It remaine the best play to nave appeared on the West End slage for some time. Make sure you
black people as their
sinice you must expect racism where there arc black people. But he doesn't
think that even he should be Iree to incite hatred against
You would expect a Labour Goverament to cake that view too — in fact it is implied in the new 1976 Race Relations Act. You wowd expect them te want to maintain a facade of prolecting black people capecially as the new law is part of
whole 'race telntions Industry', set up not by black
but by the Government as an intermediary between the State and those people who suffer from racism, That way there is à machinery to dissipate their struggles against their oppress-
But whatever law is passed is open to interpretation in tbe
'independent" - and they may people like not always have the same ideas
relations tbe much less as anti-racists, If the McKinnon judgement shows anything, it is that the independence the judiciary is never an independence in favour of the labour movement, but an
people like Tascist Kingsley Read or to the institutionalised police harassment which is a daily reality
black people.
Anti racists in the Labour
now urgently challenge the Labour Covernallow ail the pood effect of the uniess they want
against the National Front to be destroy ed. And all anti-racists should encourages continue the campaign to sack HeKinnon, and refuse to allow racises to hold public office in the judiciary or anywhere else.
should observers, VALGO. campalen.
League and Community meeting
A MATOR broadcasting union
has adopred a code of conduct
on now is memeers originale news and current aHaire programmes should portraval of blacks and other deal with race reporting. There
abo a clause dealing with
drama and light entertainmen:.
The code - based on the policy of the journalists" ило
-has just been accepted by the general council of the Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians.
Playwright David Edgar, a member of ACTT's equality committee which drated the
policy of not beine reintra on domestio racism COMMUNICATIONS HOUSE Martin Webster outside London Broadcasting prior to discussio
programme, Including the Bishop of Woolwich, on the Mont
Modlyn Radio Broadcast.
The code calls on members not
DIELTEN discrimination or incies tatred on the crounds al race, coleur, creed or national
In says that the sympathetis
of racist ideas mte discouraged, and thal black and anti-racist biganisadons should have an automatie and conterapora noous right of reply whenever
THE CHELMSFORD campaien against racist prejadice
boost at its second meeting In
Thursdas 12th January. Forty delegates, individunls, and
from fourieen
one of the lorger whire-collar unions IN PASEN had donated L50. The Essex County Branch of the National und Lacal Government Officers Association has also decided to affiliate to the
Speakers from the Anti-Nazi СИГУ
the Newhum Renewal will be invited to Press
10 February is now the date set Town Hall. John Tyndall will
The council are clearly determined to dEow the meelus Wo lake place de-pite incrcastne pres-
ESUL movement. Iniprant organsations and MPs
There is every sign that the Trades Couneil's picker will be a large one but the Community 26 Relations Council, supported by the local Labour Party, 15 picker tring to undermine its support hy organising an *alternative
racial harmony elsewhere in the town al the
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 19 January 1978 page?
In Brief
racist allegations are made ou Tacist views expressed.
ment, the code calls Tor the
ethnic minorities as ordinary atembers of the community.
At ACTI's annual con ference last sear, delegates narrowls defeated - by 84 votes to 14 — a motion to pull out the plus on any party political broadcast by the National Front. Für reason, che new code is so far conted to programme origi nators, such as producers and direct ors than those who handle material, such as camera operators and fin processors,
"In tay view, the code is a first step." savs Edgar, land it will prove of limited value unless
it is ultimately enforceable
up came from the NUJ and the
the Media, and I hope that the
now built up within the labour movement will help us to win a harder line.
the compaign.
Last week's successfal LUCCLIMA concentraled 135 exploring a wide range of possibilities for fulure action Education against rucist prej udice, teatre leafletting. exhibitions, helidays for inner-cily children. and active opposition to the National Froat were some of the suggestions. A motion criticising Judge McKinnon for his recent remarks will be sent to the local MPs and the Lord
Officers elected were: Secre-
- Grahum Evans (U.sheral partyl. Treasacer Hurry Dempser (Labour Partyl, and
Officer Jabn Whitfield (NALGO).
satie time as the NF meering. The CRC bave asked immigrant organisations to boycott TIE PICKEI and attend the meeting inslead.
This makes it all the more necessary for anti-fascists in the North West to mobilise for the Bellon Emportal Pache propose Ne picket. Just
meeting in Tameside -Scenle of their last major defeat — on
where the Tameside CARF is organising a
Further desuis and antone tion from Neil Duffield, 52
Page 8 scan of this page
Crisis of Society, Crisis of the Left
The last period has witnessed a significant crisis of the revolutionary left in Britain. The fact that some organisations still fail to see this is, in itself, an indication of the extent of the crisis. While the far left has clearly grown in size over the past ten years, it would be extremely foolish to deny that it has faced severe problems.
The largest and most significant organisation on the left of the Communist Party is the Sociales Workers Party (SWP), It has been increasingly characterised by a sectarian political line and extremely undemocratic internal structores. The latter has even been presented by the SWP leadership as a "virtue' in its appeal to the TELESTE TOrOSLESCOS
The Workers Revolutionary Party and its daily paper apportunism with a systematic and deliberate falsification of the positions of its opponents on a scale rarcly seen outside the most extreme Stalinist The waront curreor in ine Labour Party has adapted more and more to the social democratic mileu and has, in the
URINGS TO COME !
TELEONEUL RIS CoUlD HAPPEN
LACE US TO COMENDER
THAT, HIEN HE MF
99
BRITAIN 1978:
roces, dispensed with a whole bumber of Marxist positions.
Outside of these changes in political organisations there has also been a whole series of developments in the women's movement, the trade unions, and various teorerical currents
Finally, and directly affecting this paper, there is the International Marxis Group which, too, was not immune from serious political errors and went through a period of lengthy internal debate in 1900-76, The conclusion of this debate culminated in the launching of a whole series of initiatives, Challenge but also involved Socialist Unity, the Stodents Alliance, It ls obvious that sumposition of the extense left wing of the workers' movement is taking place al che mo to what lessons various forces have drawn from the past ycars of the class strugele.
All this raises the obvious question: what specific features of the class strugale in the last ATTHETALP Tisr Sou ne
PROH WHAT
CHiLE!
CLICK
ABAJO LA DICTADURA
TRIA LEET TRESTES
tional politics.
class Issue whatever is legendary:
NARROW ECONOMISM
This attitude,
The LAb-
colonial 15
SEARS TO
180 THE
people led to the Conservativereaction in Britain than BOT THIS WOR? HAPPEN, MILI AY, BECHOSA ME YE LEMRNT
PAN TRABAUC Y UBERTAD
UTILL
period have tested the revolutionary left, found large sections of it wanting, and produced the present turmoil? In our opinion the answer to this question relates to the whole traditions of the Labour movement in Britajo as a whole The dominant tradition of the Marxist lent in Britain is one which was best summed we the SWP's "Rank and File Movement', The steakar concetned declared, to loud appluse: If you look after the little things the ing times
The statement could he virtually caken the motto for how all the dominant sections of the lendership of the working class hav historicully attempled to wage the class struggle. Ignore such big questions as Empire, the oppression of women, Ireland, na
concente sacad on te "bread and butter questions'. This has been the
movement, les indifference to theory Dobles. internations cuestons or any bu
Vol course, was nol a racial characteristicof the British". H had its material base in the very real strengh of British capitalism. And such a position, even at the best of
sections of society, but also let to severe sed nations and the oppressed backs for the working class movement itself. The politics of militant syndicalism collapsed when confronted with the First World War. The failure to support women's suffrag helped in handing the bulk of the women' votes to the Liberals and the Tories, The refusa to solidarise with the struggle of the trisi
establishment of the Orange statelet in the North, backed by
But in spite of these setbacks the attitude embodied in look after the little chings and the big things will look after themselves seemed in Scope, general - "to work". After all the trade union movement grew, retorms were won, and de feats were reversed. The few people who raved
elorm or lution", 'the character of the State' were all out ol louch wilh redir and could satels be in nored. The realities of the British workers movernent were considered more prolomid
all this boring "German aod Russian' stuff. The fact that these realities' reflected a century and a half of bourgeois domination was
FUTILE SECTARIANISM
arianism. The little things tirse"' fortula is an ideal recipe for the construction of socts In Marx's famous words: "The sect sece the justifi cation for its existence and its poist of bobour not in what it has in common with the class moverest but in the particular shibboleth which distinguishes it from the movement. The refusal to confront the "big problems" mcant elevating lactics and sale above prog ramme and politaes. The failure to unite on futdamentals was explained by the necessily te have complete agreement on tactical and seo ondary questions. The whole Marxist concept of an organisation which is indesd founded on a programme on the big questions, bur within which it is absolutely inevatble and nutural that there will be many disagreements on strategies and tactics, was almosi completely absent on
CRISIS A
From this sectarianism flowod, in turn, the ar titude to internal democracy Tf lible Issue really come before big ones then even a smal difference in an organisation must be a funda. mental threat to its proletarian be. Any person who came forward with a differcoce get something done, or was actually quite wrong on same tactic or other, but was ob viously the reincarnation of Burnham, Shacht man, Marlov, Kautsky, Stalin or someone els troin the gallers of revolutionary anti-heroes
LABOUR STRATEGY
When, on occasion, some rocalcitrant mem bers did want to cuphasise the importance of bie Questons. such as the Labour Party, women's oppression, or Ireland, they were trested vith denson soe conlchot Worker are not interested in these questions', was the stable response. in any case there 1simes Li verted attention from the leele questions Those who challenged such a view were 'petty hourgepis academics, teminists, third-world ines etc. If they persisted they bad to be ex ciuded from the proletarian party
The results of this tradition were devastating They justified splits, rejected undertaking uni ted action, trampled on internal democracy and Heca te Bras cac central poates questod confronting the belt. This tradition can he pro perly delined as national economist secarian
m. les ideological expression was 'look afl be little chings and the big things will look af tbemnscives.
For a revolutionary left brought up in th tradition, the period which opened up in 1968 Last week Social at how the crisi affected the ref left. We challe
which they gave
solutions they o
part of the art
argues that the p
found much of th the revolution
and led to important working class victories i 1972-74, scered to confire all its prejudices After all most of the steugeles were narrow i
when compared to other countries Four-filths of the days lost in strikes were ol wage disputes. The mais, overtly struggles were almost all connected with tradi union rights: the struggie against the Industria Relations Act, the freeing of the Five and th muners agaiost wage controls. There were non of the mass struggles and strikes against repre sion, major convulsions over issues such as di vorce and abortion, collapie of regime Aroupo colonial wars, formation ar possi bility of Popular Frontist and ocher excel
governments such as occurred i Portugal, France, Italy, or Spain
In spote of chese Limitations, however, ll workers" movement appeared to be acluevin pectacular successes. The Industrial Relacion Bill sens smashed, the Heath Government w brought down by the miners, and living sta dards actually west up. Dido't that prove tha the little thines' governed the "big things'?
Of course, there were the pessimists wh were not totally satisfied with this conchision They were arguing chat these victories were wo Hot because of the advanced character of the struccie, but because of the exceptionally las ourable social celarionship of forces facing the British working class. They painted our tha struggles of this character aloue were not suffis lent for a political leap forward. They argue that the British workers confronted a skillfu and powertul ruting class which could utilise it political strenath to overpower the workin class's polilical weakness. All these ohjection were dismissed our of hand by the bulk of th left. What mattered was not this "intellectualis rublish but "bread and hutter questions'. Ebi strugeles in the period 1968-74 re-inforced thi economism of the hulk of the far lent Thi major crisis which it confronts today is the d
Page 9 scan of this page
THE LEFT
rect outcome of this fact.
The election of a Labour Government in Feb-
ruary 1974 and its re-election the following
October brought out all the political weak
nesses of the British labour movement. Thi
ruling class now bad an instrument at its dis
posal which could wage an offensive against the
workers without meeting an immediate class
hatredithis instrument was a Labour Govern-
ment backed by the major trade union leaders.
It was confronted with a working class which
WAS HOT ACE AND SEONE DEEDS COROME
issues, hut which had not faced up to the bis
political ones.
trade union bureaucracy used their political
hold over the working class to break up, dis
rupt, and defeat the struggie of the working
cas on cosoane цисяи.
The fashion in which an incomes policy was
introduced by Labour provides a class illustra
tion of the real political way the bureaucracy
defeats the masses. Here the Labour Gover-
ment utilised the very depth of the economic
crisis and transformed it into a political weapon
against the working class. In 1904, the Labour
Government allowed wage increases.
were rapidly croded by inflation. The Labour
leaders urilised this fact to claim that the strug-
gle could bring no results and was therefore
pointless.
Following this, Wilson successfully exploited
the nationalist and chauvinist weaknesses of the
ket referendum, Membership of the EEC was a
vital question for British capital. A successful
assault by the workers" movement could have
had dramatic implications, But the Benn cam
paign failed to dent the ruling class. It put na
tion before class. The result was yet another de
feat and the further political strengthening of
t Challengelooked
of British society
rmist and centrist
ged the analysis
f this crisis and the
Fered. In this final
ele, JOHN ROSS
esent crisis has also
e old 'traditions' of
ry left wanting.
/National
Rank and File
DELECATE
CONFERENCE
the Labour hureaucracy. Immed ately Tollowpaign around the collapse of the pound". It was paralleled by calls for a vatlonal government to deal with the crisis.
In this situation, Jack Jones delivered the final blow. He proclaimed that the Tories or a coalition had to be kept out at all costs. The workers should accordingly accept every sacrifice to keep Labour in power. The utter bankruptey of Labourism was once again revealed in all its nakedness. The campaign was successful. Incomes policy was successfully imposed without any mass resistance of the sort which had defeated the Tories.
Since the introduction of incomes policy of course important struppies have taken place While some of these have encountered repres sion, as outside Grunwick, that has not heen the main reason for the defeats.
Throughout this whole period the real trump card held by the bureaucracy has been polinics. Whether it he the nationg interest keepins the Tories out', "preserving democracy agains the siege coonomy", or, next in the list, "accept These Phase four to win thie election for Labour', it hus beet lie due guessons whieh Lie bureau cracy and bourgeoisic have utilised to deteat, disorient and demobilise the economic struggies. Any struggle, to be successful, has to com-
ine not only militancy but also a political stra regy to fight the bureaucracy. To that problem economise sectarianism — the idea that "if you look after the little things the big ones look after themselves - has no answer.
REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGY
The post-1974 period represented a trial of strength Marxism' and the realities of the class struggle. The traditions were found to be seriously wanting That is what explains the local nark which the struggles in 1975-77 have left on the far left. It is not that the coonomic defeats are final, nor that the days of mass trade union struggles are over. What has been decisive is the glimpse we have had into the future of the class struggle in dominated by little things bat by the biggest possible issues of the crisis of British society
ind politics — Issues increasingly inserted in a LUTOOLAR CUBLES The economist strategy can provide no an
swers. Nor can sectarianisin. Whar is needed is a strategy which attempts to both unite the left and take up the challenge of bourgeois politics by developing a
strategy. The launching of Socialist Chailerg to contribute to reversing the processes of the last years.
But to break with economism and sectacianism requires a conscious break with the dominant tradition of the British lell. It means learn ing that big political questions are more impor tant than style' or tactics. It means under standing that internal democracy is not i luxury but a weapon without which a revolutionary party cannot be built. It mcans grasping that united action of revolutionaries and working for a united revolutionary organisation ist't an 'obstacle to building the party, but a vital par of taking forward the struggle of the working
FASH PHASE,
RATIONS AO
DUSTEIN
berween the traditions of "British
Britain. That future will not be
working class politica
unized organisation the revolutionaries themseives
class and the oppressed. In short, i mean standing the entire conventional wisdom of British Marxism on its head, It means a policy based, not on economism and sectacianism, but on polities and the fight for aired action and
This is the real challenge facing the revalutionary left in Bricain in 1978. The class struggl nas already bezue to denver as verdice der di raditions of the British Marxist left. Bu whether the crisis which is already underway will be followed simply by collapse into a Dew cconomist sectarian ghetto for revolutionaries socialism in Britain depends on the actions of
judged
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 19 January 1979 page9
The first small steps in attempting to develon a new straregy were taken in launching Socialist Unity, in developments in some trade unions, in the women's movement, among students, and in sone other fields. How far they succeeded in creating on alternative political and waitery tradition to that af economism ond sectarianism, how much they succeed in gaining roots for such a tradition in the working class and oppressed; how for they sicceed in trans lating tha policy into the building of a new revaintionary organistron will be the wardstick be which the activity of revolation aries daring the coming war will finally be
Page 10 scan of this page
Bloody Sunday from Sinn Fein
IRELAND
The benefits to both groups
should be enormous,
With a constant influx
prisobers, the 28182001
imprisomment will be lessened,
and a united front against the
prison authorities guaranteed.
It will probably take a while
to get adjusted to this new
development, but as most of us
come from the same working
class background and we are all anti-imperialist prisoners, tbere should he litle difficulty. exciing un nere, bun0t ELESLTHS was
been for those
sympathisers. We had enough
to cat and a little to drink, as we have a few expert peleen makers, around.
VERY POTENT
Poleen is a very alcoboßie beverage made illegally (which ACIL BISC better) from yeast. potatoes. fruil and many orher ingredients. It is usually brewed in the
ISBECU area to avoid confiscation by the police. Those LEUNLL making il are liable to a beavy fine or even jail. We were lucky We weren't caught!
But Christmas waso't all extra food and niceties, and if we had been dependent on the priSOn SELL OTIE WE
have had a very poor "holiday IOCCE
Terry George, a fellow comrade was refused compassionate parole for bis grand OLICI WICHE EILENO he was on the last six months of his six-year SCUECHLL MeQuade, another who had only 17 days left of his eight and a haif-year sentence
COMMENT
\ CHAIRDE COMRADES
sinn Fein, Britain, wishes to make the following statement GODEL LNE SauEnOn aat nas given rise to the probability of two separate Bloody Sunday demonstrations. One is supporred by neary au tbe far left organisations and both sections UIC TEIE VEERBCLE
ORGANISATIONS
The other is called by the main anti-Imperialist foroe — Provi510031 Sinn Fein supported by the Irish RepubBE DOC CATE Prisoners Aid Committee, the Kevolu sonary Communist STouT trish Support Friendship Commiltee tives Action Commitee, West Indian Defence Conmittee, Indian Workers Movement, some trades ibdividual members ofUTOM. That this situacion has arisen can oily be regurded as a sien of wcakness on the part of the left. It has become clear since tbe inception of TOk that a rroops
Long Kesh Letter
A celebration
New Year's day has been a memorable and historic one for us in Cage 13. For the first time, Provisional and Irish Republican Socialist Party prisoners have been moved into the same cage — a demonstration of the unity which repression by the establishment can bring between republicans and socialists in Ireland.
was refused compassionate
both leave to soc his 8H-year
father who was seriously ill.
No doubt the Christians in the Northern Treland aNe A curious interpreting the Christmas spirit of joy and goodwill.
HARASSMENT
The prospects for 1978 aren't all that bright for us in prison All we scein assured continued harassment, a det-
would erioration in living conditions, had it and another year of oppression extras from those who occupy
and laho have pofnical soni can Those of us in Long Kesh
always comfort ourseives by comparing Dur position to those in H Block, who are being denied political status for the same allegod offences for which VC WEC CARVHO"
These three hundred or potent OSOCINZIC DOBETE TEBEH
yards from us. They live in the Most Lespicahle conditions clothed only in a blanket and confined to a cell for 24 hours a day.
The conditions in which we, with political status, live leave a Jot to be desired. and cold; the authorities seldom repair them, and we are plagued wIn lEake in rne iFDI This year will be one intense strugale would anti-imperialist prisoners.
struggle outside the walle will ABOCOTLE - as long as there is a British presence in Treland. I will probably bea long drawn out affair, bur the determinДП CT TAUC L E DAISr will ensure that this will be the final struggle for che liberation of Treland.
TAUTS Tiefuich Ar La out position is meaningless without raking a position of solidarity with the forees acteally, fighting the British Stare in Northern Ireland.
We appreciate the difficutties building an movement amone the British working class, hur only when BEVE SUENSUTHEE USUII defeated hy the Trish will the chauvinismol tre workine chass here beseriously undermined.
What this implies is thar the only TENNIC InO
and position that can be taken by
POVOLOIa IUS IEEES COUDIr 15
the oue of solidarity with all anti-
the Irish struggle. Wecall on all concerned to recous der theu decision as to which march they wal besunnorsoe weureethet British revolutionaries Join themr Irin tomtades on 20 January , sn commemoration of Lose who have eiven theis lve: for freedom over the past 9
Is Mise DUNINPEIY BTERALL,
PHIL
depuly
of the Irish local govern-
ment union,
Britain on 24 January just one month after he
was held in
under the Prevention of
Terrorism
TOMMARLOWE.
Flynn ls one of the main she House of Commeni te
the House of Contmons. office launching of the International mecting marks the public way of
Tribunal on Crimes Apainst the
Trish People, which will be held
in L.ondon later in the yeat. Joan
Maynard MP will be apotber
speaker at the meeting, to be held in Room
Commons at 7,30pm on January. of is HL SUnLAM UFACTE national Tribunal coincides wilh the saaouncement of the verdict by the European Court in which Britain is being tried for torture — for a lew of the rastaly imperialist forces in Ircland.
The verdict further embarrass wilet In InE weeks has suffered a number of set-backsinis wareffort.
SUCCESS
Most recent was the row over the statement by Irish preauer Jack Lynch, thar Britain should
indicate its willingness to leave
Ireland some tim OSSI TEITE . Le nOts aTE reaction was truly accused Lynch Terenoe , while the British press rooling - lod by failed Irishman Conor
by all accused the trish premier of The all sarts ofevil
Vet Lynch's remarks were no thore than restatement of the traditional
party. One of the reasons they LOJAL such because British policy in Ireland is going through something of a minor crisis.
On the military boast of Masoo and Callaghan Socialist Challenge replins: WE AGREE that all revolutionarles in Britain should have a position of solldarity with the anti-Imperialiet forces involved IWo SH Uei. GUE IuAti lew thousand revolutionaries in anti-war Britain proclaim that solidarity Is not in lisalt a tremandous benefit to the Irish people.
Indeed, often it's proclaimed wItn sucr thumping that it bacomes an excuse for ignoring the tash of Bntish socialists as many peopla as possibie in principled British presencein traland. active opposition to the
UTMOST UNITY
If ia this task to which the Brifish loll needs lo address Itself, and if one thing has beon proved the YERTA NISH He UIMOSTUnL - around the demand Troope Dut Now, TO SB PUDDeSnODs to accomplish this task
It was lo secure such unity TWInG BOOKY Commemoration Demonstr
Committee ished, and in so doing it has
Phil Flynn returns to Britain
FLYNN. the general secretary
returns 1o
Liverpool
Act, reports House of 24 crimes conmitted bs
expected Britain past couple of in the far The hysterical ta Lynch's remarks
amazing. Masoo
interPBECIE down
FiaDDa Fail
ennoyance w'AS
exploded,
front, the "successes". All the partios hare now success.
the BSCDC desplie having
the demonstration.
DIFFERENCES
moralistic tabla that such a
nYO DE such DOOINSSIOH troops
last couple
Selt Determination how the solidarity
Sunday
estab-
International Tribunal
launched next week
that the IRA were on the verge of defear has received a rude
EAST counle o North weeks. Sinco Masen's end-ofyear statement about defeating the IRA, three businesses a day have been blown up or burnt to nnyway. the ground by IRA activity. Last weekend cight more bomhs
Also disippenring ipto thin air have been Mason's political
MaJOr POTTESIE withdrawn achieved a fair amount of
Sinn Fein after originally saying It supported
TEIGERI спетапсев on te domands of
If Sinn Fein Is now saying
demonstration must havo as a slated position USTY MEM HE HAS Ian
differances do indeed That position, as a basis toi & demonstration is In our view politically incorrect: the kay issue for socialists in this COUnT IS IAR COOHS80ND 'their government of the Irish people, and the moans of that
UTES OTIEISn
Weropeet what we have said belore. No oroanisation in Ihls country has the right lo diclate
EECIISE SMOUFE DO CLIC BOnE nAS IHS right to demand that they lead march, it. This is not only seciarlan in that it pute the interests of one organisation before those of the movement as a whole; it is aiso sell-defealing, in that It
from the bi partisan talke on a future poltical structure for the
The Ubionst parties usod Lynch's statenseil as an excuse: but the truth is that the rallis had more or leas collapsed
All and all, it could not be a hetter time to launch an international tribunai which aims to investigate closcly the whole
HC UbruSo presence in Ireland.
Bigocdlay Sth
DEMONSTRATION 1.30pm SUNDHY JANLARY 29
Bartle SHEPHERDS EASIGREEN WIZ
PUBLIC RALLY
Semacktte Mete kay
DETERAEUTION FOR PELA
splinters the morement and demoralises many activists.
If Sinn Fein does not accept this, we hope it will do so in the future, Moanwhlle, we hope it will at least take up the invitation of the BSCDC to have s SDOEAEE CL Ine To COTEOC TAS
Not to do so would deprive hemselves .or an LUO EnCE MO S2 O WHED not usually available to them. It really would be cutting off their MOSC TOSOIO NOTACH
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 18 January 1978 page10
What's
Left
LONDON IMG Day School
an the Revolutionary Party
Salurday 4 February, 11am
SOM SE SE On n BuEs. John's Way, London N19
ING SCROOE IS 4I8N TO SI
sympathisers
Socialist Challenge sup-
Donela Py PHueEHs crom
LondonIMG, cJ aPO Box 50
For by signed
leitars from local IMC
organisers.
NORTH LONDON Socialist
HU DITE
'Hospital Closures and the
role of Labour Councillors:
OLaENETA. (GMWU shop minu pimpson steward
Royal Nonhern Hospitar BUARANHI TUCUE (invited). 7.30pm, Thunsday 26 rary. January John Barnes
Camden Regd London N7
DEFEND Keith Hackett
arrested for distributing
leaflets Picket Crown Sauare Mag-
strates Court, Manchester Tueaday 24 January al Sam Banners welcome. turther details Manchester Anarchist Or-
Bah si. Longa ght cio 21 Holm
firth St. Man-
chester13. Tel 061 2243022
CLEVELAND Association o
HODEO YoUnL a ComEI on community relations.
ly 21 January
in the AUEW Hall, MiddlesTOrOdDE Open 1o isbour, political and community organisations one dele-
CAR HAEN gUB observers
Prone Stockton 582351 for more information.
SOC ALISM and Feriniem Mesting Thursday 26 January. Speaker Hilary WainTon opm Sr EnB Uter national Communit: Centre Mansfield Nottingnit YORK UNIVERSITY WeekCNE GODTETENGE and Gulture. Organ sed by
University Socialist Englisn Group. ThIRS January. The speake P incite Terry Theory and Practise
CErCIGn AIA bA0 GaM
Greche, creshpads avail able. For mone detalls contact Anne McGeughran, B Priory St. Yark.
LONDON IMG WIE organeng s sones oah London aggregates over the next two months as part of AnerSS pro-conterence discussion, Because of the crieie of perspective on the nwo toner lertand moves towarde revolutionary groupment. the follow ng DERARI SAHOES CABE INHUduals have been invited to attend conference: Vorkere League, big r lame, International Socialist
groupings, Libertaria:
GOTTENS BOLD and Socialist Chailenge supporters, It you are a merber of any o toae cousoce Bro would Ilke to attend the Landon discussion. write OT BHENS u OCanG c/a PO Box 50, London N1. CAMPAIGN against Racism in the Media. General meeting to discuss policies RIO SELVHIRS Cin particular preventing the
ascists making party politica bregdcaets suith speakers, Friday 27 Jan-
ary. Tpm al the Roebuak
TOTTenTEn Court Road, London W1 (Between Goodpe St and Warren St tubes 1 Please note new addresa of CARM, dla PO Box 50, Landon Nt JOURNALIST UNAEN disco Saturday 21 January at the Roebuck Pub, ham Codn Road. London FOTEI W (Between Warren Stand Goodge St lubeg). Front apm to midnight. Tickets at the doorf1.
SALT OF THE EARTH, SONOST COR TIMT HOOUE the great Mexicar mining strike with sonps Trom 1he perioo. Friday 20 January
At the Brixton Socialist Ciub, T99 Carter bury (behind Brixton police station), Canterbury Cree cent. Brixion. Adm. 50p
Page 11 scan of this page
East German dissidents attack Eurocommunism "Unmask the demagogues'
Criticism of Eurocommunism has been voiced for the first time by a group. of East European oppositionists:
The criticism is contained in
obed lelter to Wolf Biermann from members of the East German Commun ray which was recently publisbed in the West Berlin journal Der lange Marsch (Tbe Long March). Timed to mark the first anniversary of Bierman's expulsion to West Germany, the main purpose of the letler is 1o express continued scuidanty with toc pock ang singer agains the bureaucracy's contemptvous dismissal of socialist democracy.
SOCIALIST
DEMOCRACY
But the authors go on to say that they "do not share pour
ympathies for what is termes
Eurocommunism", for it tie the aspiration for socialist democracy to the illusion that socialism can be achieved without the violent destruction
the bourgeois
Egypt:
POLITICAL repression in
Egypt has been on the increase
food arice rises a year ago
JUL OL LUR most prominent
victims of this repression has
been the popular poet Alued
Fouad Negm, who bas
started a hunger strike with 21
other political prisoners 10
protest against their detention.
Negm is suftering trom
haemorrhaging stomach ulcer
and it 1s
Egyptian authorities may try to
opposstion
'doing a Biko
Negm was born in 1929 in an
Egyptian village, received no
formal education and worked
for years as an agricultural
labourer, His stinging political
poems are read througbout the
Arah world. The example we
print here gives some idea of
why Sedat's regime is afraid of
him.
INTERNATIONAL
by MARTIN METEYARD
apparatus, without establishing che revolutionary dictatorship
howit is that Biermann can sing Communist Party while at the мате пас стантад ше срроме conclusions from its BETESMELT. on the late Popular Unity in The authors stress that their conception of socialist democ racy involves a commitment 1o the right of everyone to express their political conceptions whose declared am is not the overthrow of socialise', But
freedom of thought and orber democratic rights can only lead to socialist democracy when it Lied determination to unmask the demagogic. CSIBERSAIPOUE freedom which are propagated houreenisie right-wing social-democratic agents through the channels of the bourgeois mass media when it in subordinated to the state direct domination of the Mourners at the funeral of Sleve Biko, murdered In a South African jail last September
"prisons all around us'
BUILD YOUR PALACES
With our labor and our hands
And prisons instead of gardens just
You can steal our sleep We have slept too long You can overwhelm us with pain
him.
Workers, peasants and students
No turning back
Victory is on the horizon
Ahmed Fouad Negm
working class, *Socialist democracy without the direct exercise of power by the impossible; just as this exercise #nower B impossible winou the organisation of the workers in councils established by themselves or their delegates. the construction of socialist leader democracy must for this reasor be the work of the workers Chile. themselves; that is why the oppositional conununists must pay the greatest attention to the workers.
OPPOSITION As for themselves. authors, they see their initial 'circles' and initiating debates democracy. They will fight to
and its given the present relationship of forces between bureaucracy and the oppo sition, But at the same time they You can build your palaces on our fields
You can set up night clubs near the factories
You can let your dogs loose in the streets And put your prisons all around us
We have come to the end of our suffering Now we know who inflicts our wounds We are conscious and we are united
Our hour has sounded and we are marching
Victory is in the palm of our hand
DEALSSES and needs of the
say tbe
citizen or
the Together Africa.
schools expenditure on
pupils. School students
Consciousness
every racist institution, moment becuuse they
pupils who
change its hostels, this was issue.
will not let up in the struggie to and the allow Biermann to return to Fast Germany: "You remain a
East Germany Germany in because the citizens of this
with Rudolf Bahro's book, The Allernative,
Soweto struggle continues
We all remember Sowelo in demonstrations, attacks on government buildings, a schools boycott and two general strikes, all within a few months. But, as JOHN HUNT explains. Soweto has fought on, and its continuing struggle holds important lessons for revolutionary strategy in South
Blacks must pay school fees while white oducation is free the pupil-teacher ratio in black resign. schools is 60:l, in white
20:1; government each white pupil is 17 times that on black the first section of the Soweto population to adopt on a large scale the ideas of the Black
movement, the South African Stodents Movement, which were hased on Lie rejection of
Then boards STUDENT ACTION
These were expressed in a fort that was neither socialist nor even particularly colerent, but they met the needs of the
challenged the institutions through which the regime controlled the Soweto working class.
1977 began quietly: The mutine we schools went back. been saying that they would give the Government six months lo
policies. Then in
April tbe West Rand Bantu agreed Administration, che govern ment body responsible fo Someto, decreed a heavy rent ibcrease. In a township where 15 million live in only 100,000 houses and 12 government
an explasive The saweis demon
strated, rioting erupted and
the Governmen: backed down.
In June the students turned their attention to the Urban Bantu Council, a puppet city council full of goveroment stooges and without powers.
The Soweto Student Repre sentative Council summoned
UBC to a meeting. The UBC failed to arrive at the appointed time, whereupon large numbers of atudents went
XxX
workers and students in Jena who were expelled from East
September for solidarising with Biermann. this open letter is yet further Drool or the cbcreence of a current in East Germany which task. is redixeuvering and defending
Soweto fights on
1976: mASS to visit' the UBC mayor, UBC members rapidly began to
next đay Sechaba Monticsi, the SSRC president, called on the people of Soweto to form their own representative body. The students had recognised the need for a permanent political expression to be given to the mass struggle which drew in the whole Soweto. A commitlee of 10 composed of leading cubicante was formed to investigate putting this into practice.
La campaign was launched against the school
bodies of black parents who participated in the running of the Banta Educat-
Mass action smashed the boards in weeks. The SSRC called for a period of mourning fiom 16 June, the
the shootings. In effect this was a call for a general strike.
The sucoess of the students in winning other sections o society to the contmon struggle against apartheid was shown by the fact thar football clubs beer hall owners, and the traders' associacion readily
to shut down for tha period. Oothe 16th, 40 per cent of Soweto's workers stayed at home. There followed several weeks of mass demonstrations accacks on state buildings, and shootings by the police
GOVERNMENT
In August Trofomo Sone the new SSRC president since Montitsi had been detained, mapped out an alternative programme for education.
rejecting every facet of th
Bantu Education system. I demands included an equal per capila expenditure, more facilities and an end to control by the racist state.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 19 January 1978 page 11
CISSOLS revolutionary Macxism, Thos in the West who, like them reject both Moscow and
must do evcrything possible lo ensure that they are not isolated in this
Dr Motlana, who had emerged as the leader of the Councine, or foese programme for CLAC government of Sowero and demanded goverument achoo on bousing. These were Dol demands tor roe terorm o apartbeid; they were important CELETPLA mobilise the
980054 their alternatives to racist insti TUTIONS.
Soweto's mass circulation paper, The Warld. carried foods of letters discussing what sort of future South African society should have
September a massive boycott by pupils wils underway. 700 teachers resigned in sympatby, Mass meetings of pupils, teachers and parents ducation seriout ap ate discussed setting control.
SOLIDARITY
In the lace of this dass movement and the rising aight at the death of Steve Biko, the state responded on 19 Ocloher bannine The World, the Black Cobsciousness organisations and the SSRC, and arresting all the could Jay its hands on.
1977 showed that cver Vorster's repression cannot sop mass action - the school boycott still continues. And it shows that a revolutionary strategy in South Africa mus be based on the political mobilisation of the urban WOrKLe CLASS. not, ax sotte would have it on abstract schemas of guerilla warfare.
The solidarity movement in Britain has unfulfilled respon sibilities to educate the Heirish working class about events in Soweto. In the March trade ution week of action on South Atrica education workers and students in particular take up the fight for solidarity with Soweto, and especially the continuing struggles in its schools,
-Thanks do CIS, 9 Polane Street, London, for the use of their archives.
Page 12 scan of this page
-In Brief
ARGENTINA: On Christmas Eve Susana Lugones became the fortieth journalist 10 disappear in Argentina since
military coup in March 1976. 29 others are dead, 70 are in prison and 400 in exile. Thousands of journalists from all over the world are being Invited to cover the World Cup in Argentina this summer. IRAN: On 9 und 10 January police opened fire on a demonstration, killing more than 100 and wounding 500, -was against the banning of religious ceremonies BOLIVIA: President Banzer, the military dictator who recently promised elections in July, has now said that "If the people wish there will be no clections.' What worries him is the furry of growing strength from ihe left parties and the hunger strike of four hundred people demanding a genuine amnesty for political prisoners Baazer's fake amnesty announced at Christmas.
AUSTRALIA: One of the more obscure aspects of the recent clection campaign was the arrival of a boatload of Vietnamese refugees, just in time to give campaign a boost. Labour spokespeople have pointed out that 29 such boars have arrived since the end of the Vietnam war and that there i some profiteering racket behind it. CANADA: The publication of the wartime diaries of William Mackenzie King. the then Canadian STETHSLEE provides a revealing insight of the qualities needed lo run a capitalist country. He obsessively affectionate to his irish terrier. When it died he sang hymns over its corpse and reassured himself that would be reunited in the next world. When he received the Order of Merit he wrote that the little creature deserved an than I do." In 1947 Mackenie King had at least 32 visions. including two of Adol! Hitler.
THE IMG Is holling a school on 'South Africa the rise of workers struggles on Saturday 28 January, 10am.
Palytechnic rei Ist floor. Polytechnic Central London, Cavendish St, London W1. [Note the change of venue.] Socialist Challenge supporters are welcome.
SHARE SHREE far left organisations in France have published a joint ONCEUTE LOr the
elections. "The TENE
signed by the HAECCICIE.
Revolutionary Communist
League (LCR), Communist
Workers" Organisatica (OCD,
and Communist Committees
printed in the first issue of the
NOW COMEDUCERNET
continentul Press/Inprecor include: "Bangladesh
-Where is the ETA Headed?" Unfinished Revolution'
and Suarez's Economic Emer.
ency Plan - Big Cut in Rea
Single copies are 30p
plus 10p&p. but why not take advantage of the Favourable
subscription races: E9 for one
VenT 143 issues). for
months (24 issues), or £2.50 for
an introductory offer of 10
issues. All new subscribers will
also get a free copy of Imprecor
the world economic situation.
Preas/ Inprocar, PO Box 50,
London NI 2XP. All cheques/
POs should be made out to
Intercontinental Press
INTERNATIONAL
Party
governmental crisis
writes RICHARD CARVER.
possibility of participation at ministerial level had recedod even before the Carter administration made its typically clumsy intervention to denounce this non-democratic party leadership or the Christian Democrat party had rejected requests from the Communsis (PCI) to go one
abstentions"
PCI has kept the right-wing minority in power since June 1976.
The PCI now awkward dilentina. On the one hand it desperately wants consummate its strategy of the "historle compromise coter government alongside the major capitalist party. On tbe
austerity, law and order, and they DEICT LATOSEL
Christian Democratic rule
trouble now it will Small
the majority d'Estaing.
Until quite recutly it seemed that the March elections would be a straight fight between the two allianos of ruling workine class parties March with the Union of the Left this
thread which held wing snapped. On both sides there is The
strike for six months.
Italian goverment crisis
Communist
promises
to behave
By the time you read this, Italy will probably be without a government. There's nothing so sensational about that. Cynics might say that it hasn't really had one for thirly years. But the difference with this
Italy's thirty-seventh since 1944 — is that people are now seriously talking about the entry of the Communist Party into government,
It looks as tbough the undone all its years work DE
Communist its attitude towards the country's problems. So the most likely. outcome is an extension of last summer's ords. ruling name to a programme which included an extension of police powers of surveillance, grealer governent control over the 'government mass modia, incrensed selectiwhereby the vity in education, and cuts in wages
STRIKES Taces an One of the conditions the to Christion Democrats have now and with the PCI is that it becomes a true pany or wovenment not a "party of struggle. transformation was completed a long time ago, but as a token a iL union leaders have used the much past few days to clamp down have on militant opposition to the
Gaullists abandon Giscard
Four-part disharmony
French polities are in a mess. A year age nobody could have predicted the four way split which was finalised last week when Jacques Chirac's Gaullists broke from
alliance led by President Giscard
La clear crisis of leadership in the face of inevitable class con
and The crisis of the right is more Now, than a dispute between parties.
It reveals the crucial acakness in the Gaullist constitution as a the Tight whole. That weakness has been exposed, not from outside for the working class parties
ABRE TA
102
Demonstration in London laer Saturday in sclidarity with Turkish steel workers, who have bean on E
the Italian ruling 'responsible
governmental accThen the PCI put its
Government's
and social spending.
bare shown
file.
COUROUOILOUE Fiat in
That exceutive demanded that abead on 18 January. good faith PC trade
decided to abslain. embarrassment work.
PRESIDENT
TURES
OZER R54
po- increased licy. A planned national strike
austerity has been called off in lavour of sporadic local actions, and even on Lhis
off the strike. itself less Just to
This has provoked angry reactions from tbe rank and
Assemblies in the country's two larpest cor plants
-Turin and Alla employers Romeo in Milan - rejected the
instruction and are the strike
delegates were understandably embarrassed and al Alta's
Their of demands" was only power. followed him,
ly RICHARD CARVER
CENTRE will do anything to avOid Where challenging the constitution -but through the absence of th personnel to make the system
The 1958 constitution, witl
overwhelming presidential
was designed by one
inan for his own use: de Caulle
When he departed there w'as an
constitution. gunmickery
I leiste
CHIRAC
P.C.I.
after another, factory councils and
gional federacions of l
Cl-dominated union can our against the decision to call
pile on the agony, this was Tollowed Immediately by the simultaneous pubheal bosses' ion of economic policy documents trom the unions and the Confiodustria, the
TECTATIO esscotials the two documents
identical. Only the vocbulary is different: the employers talk about reducing Jabour casts" altilo the unions prefer a responsible restriction
Both are agreed on the need
adequare, if weinspicine, suc cessor in Pompidou, who had been trained in at the Lous XIV pretensions of presidential
BUCHSEETA this made abig method of government which WES HATE TRIEDIC.
de Gaulle and Pompidou had used a solid bloc of patrotic middle and ruling class support lo maintain their authoritarian rule, Ciscard has tried to dispense with his cold style reactionary backers and win a Dew centre ground. But Be chose the very moment when the centre was sappearls
His project is well expressed where he admits the possibility of a left-wing party taking a slice of coveromental power. The working class parties are happy to resure the complineat and serve in povertment under Ciscard, respecting the 1958
For the most part Giscard's capitalist backers have been prepared to buy this sort of iden. The old sovte Gaullists still the largest single section of the French cloctorate have not. The middle unpressed by Giscard's
This womel ministers and 'progressive
Ara time when the coonomy
worsening. workers struggles were on the up, and a left government seemed creasingle-Jekely. classes were not prepared lo wait in the centre to hecome voting Todder for an asing
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 19 January 197B paget2
"mobility of labour' Workers have a be able to move from one lactors 10 another say the unions, though the more likely prospect is tha they will move from their factory onto the dole queue The unions also back the
demands for higher purchase rax and a further cut In public spending.
This is "Eurocommunism' in action. It is a brile ironic that while the British Communist Party routines dercunces wage controls their Italian comrades are putting forward a policy that makes the Social Contract and its successors look mild by comparison.
trendy. They jumped one way arthe other
Jacques Chirae. Giscard'. Price Minister. recognised
While Giscari was developing hit own unique bend of the chic and the foikey Chirac USTINE an carly Iceislative election to forestall
Giscard wouldn't listen he ser up be his own, good against Giscard's candidate for major i Paris nst sear... and won
Already the line up was clear.
side Ciscard 200 a goveroment of 'technicians" who would come up with all the right policies to save the rubine
wage cuts, uncorployment and the rest but couldn't win an election to save their collective life. Dr the other Charac and the majoric: of thema ority
COLLAPSE
Too late Giscard tried to stor the split. The pust year a French oclonial niventures in
Africa was, in part, an allempt to reassert Giscard appointees as the representatives of a united France.
But this could only works
opposition hel long as the together. The Gaullist support-
class electoral win und the mas. upsurge that would follow
worse than 1968. The collapse
of the left and their pathetic
failure to provide a workine
class leadership has been 1hi cue for the detacicive break.
The old Gaullist consensus' is dead
No doubt the next few weeks will spring more surprises, but
wecansay with confidence that French politics will never quite the same again.
Page 13 scan of this page
SURPLUS VALUE
N 2 months time, on 12 March,
elections to the Legislative Assembly there exists a good possibllity that the Socialist Party (PS) and the Communist Party (PCF) will win an absolute majority. A government in Western Europe in which a "Eurocommunisr" Party has a prominent position is on the agenda,
Ten months ago such an outcome was a near certsui. In the municipa cestions the F3 and PCF had swept to victory. However since
Union of the Left, which includes the PS, PCF and a sail bourgeois
pretender of at car the os and Pr
found themselves unable to agree over the re-drafting of the 1972 Common Programme. The dispute arose over two issues. The secondary one related to the national minimum wage. PCF called for minimum wage oi 21i frane wile the Ps stood for 2000. On this question the PS found
Trade Union lederations, the COT
PS has fallen into line.
The major point of disagreement occurred over the extent of nationalisation the Common Programme would call for. The Programme states that nine major firms would come under state control. However it does not specify if all their subsidiaries would he included. The PCF therefore claimed tha 1450 firms should be nationalised. The PS said only 60. After discussion the PCF
wered its figure to 729 and the PS upped i
o 250. Among the concessions the PCF mad was to dropsnc demand for nationansation of the motor giant Peugeot Citruen which employs The differences berween the two Parties had narrowed to such an extent ax to only involve 0.000 workers, or less than 1 percent of all the firms in France. But let us not forget that both agree to
cave N5 per cent of the economy in privat
revertheless this difference prove insoluble. The negotiations on the updated Programme broke down and a fierce polemic began.
LETTURN
pretext. Underlying this apparently 150C 20С CHICSUCHS of the balance of forces within the Union of the Left and the prospects of the two Parties should they form a joint Government.
In the space of ten years the Socialist Party. under the leadership of Francons Mitterrand,
risen from a humiliating 5 percent Presidential vote, to the country's largest vote winning Party, In the 1976 cantonal elections the PS. for the first time. larger percentage of the vote than the PCF. From being a Party irrelevant to ine ruling class the PS has become the one which may yet prove their saviour, The PS has made this advance essentially since its agreement with the PCF in 1972. The elt turn i took at iL 1971 congress, the growth of the CFDT (the trade union corlederation led by the est the radicalisation of white collar workers and the STEELEIS gained within working class due to its alliance with the PCF has consolidated the growth of Mitterrand's social democratic party:
Mitterrand, recognising that the PS has grown deto the Union of the Left, knows he cannot govern successfully without the backing of the PCF. It is the PCF, via the CGT, which dominates the heavy industria sectors of the workers movement. Without the support of the CGT and the PCF Mitterrand could give no stability and thus his use for the ruling class would decline. Mitterrand therefore wants the PCF to be responsible to a new left! government, but he has no wish to make any concessions to the Communists to persuade chem ro do sa.
CLEFT STICK
The Communis: Party finds itself caught in
force its way into government and secure
On the other hand it realises that when in зостате 1 ми вате to поріснесл austerity measures which can only lose its
operate workera morer
The recent local elections were a ster warning to the PCF. On is right flank che PS continued is rise to become France's largest polilical DarEy while 115. let a revolutionary slate won not insignificant votes, The conclusion drawn election by a section of the PCF leadership.
led by an old member of the Political Bureau, Roland Leroy, was to reassert the authorty of the PCF within the working class The Party of the Poor./ Above All the Parly leadership wants to avoid a repeat of 1943-43 whereby it look its place in the De Gaulle government only to be unceremoniously
dropped after two years with no lasting gains
If the PCF is to take the respoosibility in u Guverument Jacing a capitalist economic crisis then it wants its own ranks homogenous
The State of
Socialist Party to power in the legislative elections on 19 march.
transfer votes to the Socialist Party after the first round of the election on 12 March.
Party leadership?
RICSISSONS and PAM HURST explain.
1967[L] 1968(L) 1969[P] 1973[L] PCF 22.51 20.05 PS 18.96 18.53 [L]: Legislative.
and somerhing in return. The prize it desites is ministerial portfolios and leading manage. ment nostons within the nationalised industries. Within those sectors of the conomy designated by the Common Prosral ime for nationalisation the CG is the dominant union. As it is the employees who will elect the managing director, the PCF is sure through its influence in the CGT to win such positions. future someone denie the Po ca Nevertheless the present situation.
tensions both within leadership of the Party and between it and the rank and file.
Since the September break over the
redrafting of the Common Programme the PS. Ate the Cental Come nt 5-6 PS. After October last year sorges Marchais
General Secretary of the PCF, accused the PS
of moving ro the right; of seeking new allies in
the centre of French polities; and wanting to implement a left austerity programune. On all these points we can only remain sceptical.
Was it not this same central committee
FRANCE:
the Union
It is now two weeks since the French Communist Party finally tore up the Common Programme, which was expected to sweep themselves and the
Furthermore the same conference of the Communist Party threatened not to
What are the reasons for this turn-around in the tactics of the Communist
Voting figures for the PCF and PS since 1967 [per cent]
1976[C] 21.52 21.29 22.82 5.07 19.16 26.28 [P]: Presidential. [C]: Cantonal.
niceting that Marchais stated: 'Have we been seeking a project for the constriction of a socialist saxiety? Obviously It is also the case that the PCF. not content with dropping from its progranute the call for the dictatorship of the proletariat. now also maintenance of the French SUPPOrTEE nuclear strike force and favours a year of compulsory military service. A PCF deputy in the Assembly recently staced, We have confidence in the military.
Marchais accuses Mitterrand of seeking nev allies. Does this mean that the PCF has dropped its approach Union of the Left to the Union of the People of France'? How was this to be done it not by seeking allies in the centre such as the left CHUN SERIESSIE ADELI allies in the centre does the PCF still favour the presence of the bourgeois Radical Party in the Union of the Left?
Marchais continued by accacking Mitter. rand for: preparing to implement an of his English and Portuguese colleagues.* Bur have not Marchais" fraternal parties in
SOCIALISTCHALLENGE 19 January 1978 page 13
Spain and Italy already supposed austerily
Does the now condemn Carrillo and Berlinguer?
In reality on the fundamental issues the PCF does not differ fram the PS. Boll agree their tole to be that of reform; both aceeps that the capitalist market will be paransount within the economy: todi are prepared to form Cheerment under Ciscard, the ommoptent President who bas the right to dissole the CASSETED IREOCECAHCIECS MC CONSUL drafted by De Gaulle after his coup in 1958 neither sanred to dron the bourreats RadIA! Party from any alliance; and both defend NATO and the EEC This polemic against the PS was renewed in January of this year when the PCF held a two day national congress. Ar this congress, attended by 3,000 delegates, Deray steted: The strength, power and influence of the PCF constitates, henceforth, the only way for merely echoed the two and a half hour repor representatives that reede set to were at the PS in he be mea PCF should not round in those towns where the PS was the highest placed workers party after the first round As the French system operates on two rounds the usual practice is for the Jess successful workers parties to withdraw after the first round leaving the hughest placed to take on the right. Starchais caregorically stated that if the PCF only received the 21 per cent being predicted in the opinion polis. they would Bot withdraw. Thus the possibility arises of the two major working class parties contesting against cach other in the second round and allowing the right to win. If such a decision was inplemented it is certain that the workers parties would win an overall numerical majority but be the parliamentary minority:
GENERALSTRIKE
Marchais, rallying the Party's forcer belore the clection, set the target of a vote of 25 per cent in the first round. This he considered to be the only way to block the PS austerity moves. Bur was it votes or the general strike that won the working class the 40 hour week and paid holidays from popular front government?
Whilst Marchais campaigns for demo: racy in France within his own party that is a different question. Marchais report, which was put to the vote, was anly shown to the leadership of the Party 24 hours before the congress and not at all to the membership. There was no right to amend the text. All the 3,000 delegates were picked by tbe federal committees in the regions, not lected by the
tian tendencies within the ranks of the PC a position which Alchusser, the PCF's leading left intellectun], supports in his article in New Left Review 104. Needless to say there were no opposition speeches af the congress and when it came to the vote not one delegate Hoted against or abstained!
Al the present time wich the GiscardBarre Government implementing an austerity prograinte the central task 15 their removal. Eaving blocked all such moves by mass strike action for the last 12 months the PCF now jeopardises that possinility by a sectarian refusal to call for a vote for the highest placed workers party in che second round CLASS STRUGGLE
For resolutionaries a campaien for a second round vote for the highest workers party comes to the fore as this meets the desire of the masses for unity. But that alone is not enough. It is also vital for revolutionaries to intervene in the elections around programe of demands which can take the class struggle forward, For example not nationalisation of limited sectors of the cconomy, but of all the key sectors, and most importantly without compensation and under workers control.
Such a campaign can aid the mass mobilisntion of the working class, which is the only way to stop the implementation of austerity programmes. It is through the self-activity of the workers movement rhat Giscard and the 1956 Constitution can be removed and it is on the basis of this mobilisation that tise reformist lenderships of the SP and the PCF can be forced to hreak with the bourgeoisic, its parties, such as the Radicals, and with the capitalist economy.
Such a revolutionary alternative does exist in the first round. Encouraged by the success of the revolutionary slate in the 1977 municipal clections three organisations, the Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire (French section of be Fourth International), Ibe Organisation Communiste des Travailleurs and the Comiles Communistes pour Auto eestion have agreed a common platform and LEst or candidates socialism, the power to the workers."
A large vote in the first round for a clear revolutionary socialist alternative advance the strugale for revolutionary change in France loday.
Page 14 scan of this page
COMMENT
Of saints and
sinners
F MY old friend Martin Shaw 1s going to ge inywoere as toe scul appointed Patron Saint o Regroupment (Letters: SC 12th Jan 78) be ought to moderate his spleen against SWP Last week's installment of his running commentary on the state of the Left with its sotted history of the debates on Socialis Worker was stunningly inaccurate and out o dAlthough a lot of other things were on, the argument about the direction of SWi 974 was not about jettisoning politics t attract a wider audience insulting conception. It was rather about how to find new ways to present the ful range o ocialist politics in a genuinely popular idiom
Cliff's conception was for a more political paper the frothy her at plen particular, and here the Russian revolutionary journalists excelled, we wanted SW to present the ideas of working class people, in their own words, rather than processed by professiona journalists.
We also wanted to overcome the London centredness, to inroouce more merary material and non-industrial features. On the first week of the change paper, far from "imposing" an 'abysmally low, 'brash' "sensational' etc paper, round the office suggesting we publish a racher poignant short story by Maxim Gorki. As for Socialist Challenge, I've enjoyed some
and think it stimulating effect on Left journalism. God
improvement on Red Weekly. two fundamental abjections... which apply to the Socialist Unity project too and do much to explain SWPers lack of enthusiasm for Socialist Unity (ts genuine disinterest not top-down sectarianism, honest). committment to working class politics, to the battles and BELG DINERO RICELS passions and the creations that make working class life and from which socialism draws its meaning. Sure there are strike reports SIdE SERGES Martin Shaw thinks of as "politics' — reviews by Marxist ineblectuals. other Marxist intellectunis recent books.
But the paper reeks of a kind of Upper Street chic, with very little interest or appeal to the sort of people who revolution you are programmes for. the point; at a critical week in a critical strike you produce an anthology of not very funny Marxist in-jokes and re-prints.
The second problem is that, strenuous efforts to appeal to the general left, Socialist Challenge controlled by subject to the discipline
The IMG sheep's clothing before. over The Black Dwarf, there was Red Mole,
Socialist
Challenge
EVENTS
For details of activities. In the
NW
•Manchester Socialis
Third
Tuesday 5-8pm, Thura
room avallable for meetings.
uplicating tacities vitable
SURY Socialial Challange
Lavery Wednes at the
whetleid Inear Whitefield
LIVERPOOL Socialist Chall-
alane one tor alie
067-2902002 • offices for dotalls.
NORTH EAST here: Dunan Cry mai MANS TONE
14 January on Aims se WIth E The Boclalls
moral upint. *trade irregular Cliff was
has had
would have been an
But there are and the up
lescers and what
preferably him, of
will make the busy LOWELS The Xmas issue illustrates
despite all the
still completely IMG who are themscives Scargill's,
of a Trotskyist wolf has worn its After failing to take
Challenge sales on outside Boats in Centre 11-1pm MUUUCHOTICLE Challenge is on sala Balundays
socialist chalonge on Thursan:
Januar at the White Lion pub.
Cross Church Stream, Epm anc fortnightly theresiter.
SCOTLAND
Challenge contact Scottien Socialist/Socialist Challenge bookshop, 84 Queen Street, Шіняномн-UHI-са3408 VICA MOCKODE 104. L318
Wide range of Fl publications.
Sociallat Challenge activities from Queen
11am-2om.
EDINBURGH Socielist Chall go meange. every meanesosy.
Kerevan, 12 Merchision Grove Edinburgh. Tel: 031-346 0456 SOUTH WEST
PUNTAHOUTH SOCIABET GRAN enge readers group ever 7.30pm Tupstaire) Hampshira MIDLANDS COVENTRY Challenge Finday, 3 Fetruar 573pm Elastic Inn.
launched with much talk of revolutionary ubity, non-sectarianism, Scarle cartoons and
It even had independents on the editorial hoard. Then the IMG changed its mind again. al the carry groomca mopperous not Iropped and ir was Red Weekly Line. Now, i he IMG and Big Flame want to go out with each other, swap a few members, 1scle tot a mont every general canon, we. hat's great. But don't dress it up as some gren event in labour history. It's what's called in th trade a 'unity offensive"
We in SWP de believe in revolutionary
now, not next clection and berween people actually involved.
nih cler a diplomati ted and allen time
exist, the IG and Big Flame Grunwicks, Hounslow, in the unions. as well doing as doing things in our own right. And we Mandel to give us permission.
Finally. Martin sneers at the rather Socialism Journal. 15J is in fact the longest established revolutionary journal in Britain and we sectarian hacks and unpolitical buffoons of the SWP still, in my produce a more interesting.
egular publication than the tyros of Big Fiam
nd theoretical sophisticates of the TMC
ly guess, based on the experience of it
ational Convention of the Left and VSC, Socialist Unity is no-hoper and independents involved will come COUL completely wrong. But either way, it won't get anywhere on the inaccurate jibes at the SWP which are such a central feature of the present
DAVID WIDGERY
Sexism and the
labour
movement
from Dick Hall of the National Union of Liners defendine Arthur Scarail. He basically said that whatever the wrongs of having a pinmatter compared to the overall struggle to achieve a socialist societ
I sympathise with a lot of whar Dick said. Scargill is undoubtedly one of the best union leaders we've got, and considering the shit chat has been thrown at him recently by the capitalist press, it is unfortunate Challenge should be criticising him as well. The Yorkshire Miner is generally a good paper, and from what I hear its sexism is more the doings
journalises CUDD
But having said that 1 think there are dangers in some of Dick's views. Certainly the problems of oppressed groups can ory be eradicated by transforming the whole structure of society
LONDON
Clevelan
BRENT Socialist Challenge
Socialist group. For details of
JU. LONODE NICAr.
NEXT CAMDER SOCISE CASINO third Wednesdaya of sach month in Kentish elaila ring Neil 350-8286 rite PO Box B0, London N GREENWICH/LEWISHAM Sosaliet Chailenge group meats ring Ray, on: 01-059 1187 SOUTHALL Supporters noels tornighly. For detail
Dn00O LI 31S0UE SOUTHWEST LONDON SOc Been her formation Battersca STORT trom 26 Latchemere Road
(corner of
Challange Bui din Internationa George January, a Polar inter or the Library, Wye Street.
HARINGET
Istnichly in the Weel fortnigntly in the loac loll West Green Roacl Nearest tube: Tumpike Lane Next meeting, Monday, 23 January, upm ine
Socialist
Oliver Challenge editorial beard and of The
even to
not self-apporter
- MCALL the firemen, the cuts.
don't need Ernest
of the International
pinios reliahle an
think, force has to destroy
worst. 1 could be
Struggle —
pay and
The white,
union leadership these women. labour and so the sack Ultimately
Miner doesa't help. that Socialist publications
produce it than
S. Nottinghamshire
board
Town. For I s00
HEE MARHIN Workers"
Wednasday. 2
30pm. Speakers:
workers (Lenin),
ical committee, York
Socialist WOOL YOU SLADE meete Greet
SOC SHRI
Protestants of
But that doesn't mean, as many male socialists
that the largely male industrial workcapitalism, women, blacks, elc, will be able to do some ching about their situation
Take Grunwicks which Dick mentions. It is the most hard-fought and polstically advanoed struggle of the year. Firstly. it is being fought by Asians, many of them women. Second, it is a
primarily - against the super-exploitation of the swearshop, and against the low
bad conditions faced women and immigrants.
male workin class - have been taught on heil of a lot about the role of the State and
by the sectional struggle of This is the same way the miners in their sectional struggles have taught the rest of the working ciass a lot
One of the tasks of revolutionaries is to be continually trying to generalise sectional struggles, not saving to one halt of the population 'Hang on a few years whilst we miner defeat capitalism," Struggles of women aguinst capitalist exploitation/ oppression are not going to be generalised whilst many men see women only as sex objects and unpaid domestic
say "Who cares whether they get they ute only women' only the self-organisation of women will change those attitudes which are a fundamental part of reformist consciousness, but the pin-up in the Yorkshire
Would Dick be angry if Spare Ribar Women's Voice
suggested to miners" wives that they shouldn't support their husband's strike because they don't treat their wives with enough respect? 1 am sure be would
Finally, I must add that I think miners will go on accepting productivity deals and working in dangerous conditions as long as they feel that they have to work hard and risk their lives to preserve their image as 'real men'. JOHN WALLER, Linby Colliery,
A sounding
THE DEBATE on the furure of Socialist Challenge has raised a crucial question for so. cialists: how do we utilise our resources in the most elfective way to get our ideas across to the working class and its allies, in order lo intervene in the struggle for socialism?
several dangers in the approaches mooted so far. Comrade Mellings sets everything is quanticative lerms — 10-12,000 sales
WhO have experienced the worst kind of manie-activism (Healy s
Revolutionary Party) know how meaningless are paper sales, woen divorcel from a consisteut political struggle
More than this, the paper should be a resonant sounding board in the class struggle: a two-way tribal com-tom, a bridge with a doubleNow of traffic, not just a bleak sign shouting its messages from a spray-canned hoarding.
If the puper is the organiser' of the Party
forces around l clarifies ideas through discussion — renuine debate is not a concession le liberalism, and it mobilises within you and
I do not believe that the choice is between a "revolutionary' Mirror or a militant Vangward. ian, as Comrade Cantell argues. It is nonsense to suggest as does this comrade, that SC is simply a newsified version of a theoretical Journal Like New Left Review
If it has a fault, then the tailure lies in the Inability to bring theory Into issues in consistent educative way 1 agree with Rig Flame that che ideal socialist paper would be an agitational weapon in the working class, and
underestimate, and ultimately short the working class by
the class struggle.
possibility of a
constituency of committed militants But this little"
getber to decide
accent to deepen its effect. brown shoes doen't make it
JIM MASTERS, London
and then
healthy
by many
that
ical debate
cluding the IMG inevitable classless society.
JOR HILL, (Manchester].
Out of the
kitchen
by the TUC
Hence?
War conmen come out screaming.
under prices in those relevant areils.
went mad
SaD be wage and saland
FOR SOONEY.
hence,
tives: right, lelt and centre
T. WILKINSON, (Rhyl)
SOCIALISTCHALLENGE 19 January 197฿ page14
that SC is not. Certainly, a change of format/ rale is the main question oo the agenda.
However, this does not entail collapsing into the mawkish populiam of Socialist Worker The short term gains of the SWP and its puper
change, confronting its COD sciousness at the level dictated by the bour Bootie, SC should have the perspective of becoming the paper that provides these answers in a form suitable for mass propaganda work io
Yet the problem remains: is the left ready for sudit so euervention rue there 1s wiways the
horched, hurried, empty espousal of struggle-for-struggle's sake. Again, it is true that SC is little more tian a review, a contemplative reflection of politics for a fixed
is quite a lot. it is the one, the et for alone trationality to be heard on
Unless/until the lett pets its idens/arse to
what Its scrategy of interscotentine working Class go to De, LUCE there is no point in putting on a proletarian.
leave school don't fake it' (Frank Zappa)
Refreshing and
Having bad a tendency towards socialism from an carly age, and a past member of che Communis: Party and the International Socialists (SWP), 1 would like to express my appreciation of recent issues of Socialist Chullenge. find refreshing and bealthy, because it at Jeast
paper read by other socialist groups besides those who as tongue us samarine costout post-
I must stress I am not a member of the IMG. But at 59, 1 do not find this bars me from com bined political discussion and struggle, alongside contrades from other organisations. ab
May I suggest that your supporters and critics alike rend again the "Barcie of Ideas' in Donald commented on the crisis facing the
To do so could possibly lead to the corn DIng DE MuSt a see a present as cabre brand sations — capable of linking together in an
Tam looking forward to the Xmas 1978 issue. Does the official abandonment of the firemen Party, they have finally betrayed those very principles which are their only reason for exist-
Before any of the apologists, Labour, TUC
consider
Is it possible, in a genuine democracy, t officially restrict incomes whilst allowing,
obviously phoney smokescreen of controls, prices and profits to run wild? This is an important question sioce when wages and salaries in basic industries are recognised as the platform of the economy and thus control indirectly 'all" wages and salaries.
Then before phases 4 and 5 etc. are accepted we have the right and "duty" to insist upon knowing the wages and salaries in basic industry expressed as a percentage of the consumer clude figures both now and, for comparison, 25 years ago, before price and profit inflation
Also, we need to have stated officially what is the currently acceptable percentage relation-
CONSCI prices in the same areas excluding the pay-
This letter is a direct accusation that vital opinion-forming material is being withheld from publie knowledge as national policy that this situation is an intolerable breach of humao rights - a denial of the basic principles of democracy: i.e. the decision of the people in full knowledge of - all of
The ability to recognise, resist and expose this kind of political mindbeading and mass indoctrination is a principal gunlification for all genuine trade union and political representa
To those in office and to the TUC: if you can't do it, get out of the bloody kitchen?
Page 15 scan of this page
John Berger on Padre Padrone *The cruelty of peasants has often dismayed the urban observer.... The violence inflicted on them has often been far more individualised contai telet gen than that suffered by proletarians.'
OMERO ANTONUTTI as Gavino's father: 'cruel and tyrennical, obstinate and vengeful, but also the human pivot ofa word.
Sardinia, Padre Padrone is th story of a shepherd
from school at the age of five by his satber who already need him in the mountains to look after the family's sheep and
Thus, denied literacy and tyrannized by his father, thr son finally revolts, and his revolt takes the form of his be-
eventuaily be takes a degree in linguistics, The story, however, is not the conventional one of the bright peasant boy who,
good and becomes a bour-
PADRONE...
For the son's acute awareness of language and its relation to experience forces him to return to study the Sardinian dialect in the village where he was born, where he was taken away from school, and where nevertheless the meaning of his life remains.
The him. based on an 8900biographical book by Cavino
was inadeDy ine Tavians brothers for Italian television. A bize WInner n the 1977 Cannes Festival, it was heralded by Roberto Rossellini, just before his death, as a masterpiece. And in my apinIon Rossellini was right.
Having himself contributed so much to the creation authentic cinema made to be faithful to the lives of those they
brothers had made what it perhaps the first authentic film about peasants.
Most comments on this tilm have concentrated on the individual story of the son. This may. come from ab understandable urban bias of the cities. (Concerning the big
London critics one cannot
facetiousness and ignorance.)
PEASANT CRUELTY
What interested me more than Gavino. the son,
were the mother and father. In an unauthentic film the father
would have been cast as a vil-
lain. We see him as cruel and tyrannical, obstinate and
vengeful, and yet the film also
allows us to soe bim as human pivot of a worki. He is not guilty,
In this comparatively brief
article want to discuss one
ceatral issue raised by the
fatber's character: the issue of
cruelty. Yet before
doing so, it's necessary to make
two general points about the
film, so that this great work of
the Taviani brothers is seen for
what it is.
First
specifically about a village
Sardinian shepherds,
been created by local history
and so — altbough it is exactly
what I'm going to do — it is ju
some ways unwise to generalise
from it. For example, the sub-
MissIve rolE DI women iD the
story is by no means typical of
some
munitses.
COOLNESS
Scoond point. The way the
film has been made
courages the spectator from all
vicarious identification.
has ted come comrade to ND0
lacking in emotion and psycho-
Logical depth. The proper the
atrical comparison would be
Yet there 15
another reason for the 'cool-
ness of the film.
Peasant emotions are expres-
sed Joore often in music
the filo beartrendingly shows
thao in narrative; peasant
UNDER REVIEW
Films
he
narrative is epic and therefore cool.
As for psycbological interpretations, they do nor exist as such in peasant culture for they the presuppose a certain space
cicarca Dy leisure. spaoe is never there: questions
of character. "He's as straigh A HOOTS AUROLER "What made him dishonest?"
PUNISHMENT
The cruelty of peasants has often dismayed the urban observer, Gorki, for example, was
of appalled by the cruelty he wit-
MCCO 10 MIC tryside. I cite Gorki because,
The cannot be accused of cosy scotimentality It was not killing of a rabbit which appalled him. Unque ionably peasants are capabie of a special kind of cruelty — just as they are also capable special kind of courage or generosity.
In the film there are at least TWO SAILES DESECTUME Once when the father is punishdis-
conditions of life This mountains, the punishment is
just — he continues to beat him
be second incident cor erns a vendetta between tw families. A young shepherd from one family reconciliation, and it follows that the two families will shear their sheep together. When the
to kill two lambs and celebrate by feasting. family stuns the lamb; when, in turn, the shepherd bolds the second lamb, he himself is murdered — with a blow from the same sledge hammer.
Nothing is served by defend ing such crucity. Yet if it is to be Not Judged, this
understood for what it is, and this means relating it to the whole context of peasant experience. It will remain an evil, but not noossarily the one the stranger first assumed.
Straightaway one must come to terms with tbat over centuries the peasantRussian caun- ry has been the victim of every
kind of violence inflicted by the ruling class and its And this violence the been far more individualised
— far more apparently gratuitous than that suffered by proletarians who were able, in some measure, to organise their own defence
STRICT DISCIPLINE
the fact in those family's chances of
have usually been so slim that traditions of obstinate discipline became necessary to sustain even the
Nations, however, cannot take us ID S far
Manding tbe cruelty. They suggest a kind of shearing is dane, the custom is they make generations after
The son of the first the
for action.
cruelty has to be able connection
pleading.
the fact
your control.
servanli. has often
training of an
valved.
One must also reckon with
survival
strict and
sciousness.
Such mega-historical explan-
towards underspecific act of
as a result,
generations of peasants appear too passive. Whereas in truth to your life.
impulse towards crucity usually stems, in the case of peasanta, from a frustrated desire
This frustration has little to de with what is now called trustramon in too canes Halury at the immediate and inexortween event and consequence.
There is no time or space lor
You live with your face right up against what has happened to you. No outside SOng intervention or compensation is possible. You are the events life — most of them beyond
The fatber, who is respon sible for the survival of the whole family, has to train his eldest son to be a reliable shep herd. The training of a boy incurs punishments as does the
animal. Wher the boy fails, the father beat
.m. So Tar no cruchy 15 in
But he continues to beat him, tbe beating making hun ever more furious: furious because his son has made bim beat him, furious because be has no choice. This fury is what has to be understood. Tough 1S21101 when understood, the boy has individuals still been beaten into uncon-
In general peasants are neither indifferently nor secretly, covertly, cruel. They are expressively so. And the act of cruelty is a way of expressing how near to disuster one is onesell. It is a comment on an eveal
term tion. be GENER fered which, unchosen, now belongs
(1 say commens because 1 hesitate to use the word appen yet in a world where, as I have said, there is no space for ap-
A breath of air in Brixton
by NICK DAVIDSON SOCIALIST MUSICIAN and
Leon Rosselson played in South London Inst Friday on the opening night ot a new club in Brixton. The club the Brixton Socialist Cluh, will be providing songs and music, argument and discussion, information and entertainment on most Friday nights.
This week the film Salt of the Earth will be shown. It's about the great Mexican mining strike with songs from the period.
The aim is to provide a good night out and a chance to meet other socialists and militants in the area, plus an opportunity to advertise and learn about what's going on others are doing. The club is supported by Lambeth Trades Council, local socialist organ-
and dozens
Lambeth, like many parts of the country is short on social centres for socialists and trade
There's no labour Club in the borough, and the one or two former working men's' clubs and "radical" chub long ago lost any links they may have had with the labour
SOCIALISTCHALLENGE19January1978 page15 pesis, an act of cruelty is a black appeal; each murder in a thar vendetta.) Except to the denier or justified; instead it is assumed -- in the scose of boing taken upon oneself ABSTRACT
The evil of such cruelty (a
ARICA WADESSED would accept) needs to be dis tinguished from another kind of cruelty which, far from TICLE CABLESSED CLOSETI mous, denied and systematic. A cruelty which operates Trom those who inflict it and derives, not from any situ but from an abstract principle
The latter cruelty is implici in most penal systems, forced labour, racist policies, tortur practices which many govern ments endorse without ques
Ibe good citinen Jieves that he or she anyway will
exempt from institution alised cruelty
casanis are cruel becau
ey have never been able t gain exemption from their own au pain. Their acts of cruelty
and they can beat t
Save monuments. Lo Loc pau
- both their own and chat of
- whuch they bave suf-
WHERETOSEEIT
I6mer prints of Padre Padrone, suitable for swine by film so cieties, will be armiable by the end of March from the distributors. Artificial Eje, 3 Torterham Street, London WI Tel 01-637 2532) The Talm (certificare X) wit be showing if the following cinemas:
Camden Plaza North London, until 9 Feb. Aaben, Manchester, 22-28 Jan. Arnol
Feb.
Syneride Fim Theatr New castle, 7-li Feb. Arts, COm bridge, 9-11 Feb. Edinburg! Film Theatre, 13-18 Feb, Steki Film Teste 2 Featre,
Queens
Belfasr, 27 Feb. 4 Mar. Stirling
Film Theatre, S Mar. Arts Centre, Warwick University
13.14 March Norwich Film
Theatre, 20-22 Mar. Doncaster
Pilm Theatre, 20-21 Mar. Sherman Flien Thearre, Car dits, 16-19 May.
movement, The club's first job
is to fill this vacuum.
More ambitiously, and tenta tively, we see a couple of other goals the chib should strive for
First, we want to use it as at opportunity to get awas tron ibe common idea that socialist politics is only abour clections
meetings and strikes, anc
demonstrations, We want t
show that socialism is about a lot of other aspects of Gle
Secondly, and more difficult by presenting a wide range of
CreWs, We HaD to break out pl
the 'charmed" circle of the left.
people who never normally
think of themselves as political
or left wing will come along and: feel comfortable. Not an casy
or short term task. It should be
easier when we get our own
premises in the not too distan
For detalls of the program:
look in tbe events column o
this and other left papers and
Time Our. Come along to The
Canterbury, Canterbury Cres
cent, behind Brixion Police
Station, at 8pm. Heip and
suggestions of events welcome.
Entrance 50p.
Page 16 scan of this page
As Callaghan steals Tory clothes WILL THEY PLAY THE RACIST CARD?
Get us off the drawing board
deportation for illegal entry.
There is nothing terribly exceptional in that,
"law and order'
AFTER A GOOD start to the sprig fund drive, the flow of money has begun to dry up Over the past seven days only E85.25 has come in. This brings the cumulative total to £244.H5, which purs us slightly in arrears.
Unless our readers respond.
Socialist Challenge
Tories to see how state racism operates. A forty strong picket at Durham jail last Saturday drew attention to the case of Rupa All, an immigrant from Bangladesh who has been held in custody for over a month facing
but what does make Rupa's case rather different is the fact that he has been held twice before by police and each time be has been told he has the right to stay in Britain.
One explanation for this treatment might be found in the attitudes of the Northumberland police, who last month invited Nazi leader Martin Webster to speak on
The police put Webster up at a five star hotel, in marked contrast to their treatment of Rupa Ali. The latter's laywers are currently applying for a writ of habeas corpus. There will be a rally against racism and fascism at Newcastle City Hall on Saturday 21 Repistered with the Post Office as a newspaper. Published by Reigocrest Laa. Jor Sociafin: Chumac, 338/9 Liper Street, London Nf
dilemma. Most of their clothes have been stolen by Callaghan and the Labour covernment. The defeat Inflicted on the Fire Brigades Union and
successes scored by the right wing in the National Linion of
Minewarkers on the 'incretive
schemes have further strengthened Callaghan's standing in
little doubt that an attempt by the Tories to do what Labour has accomplished would hase anised an explosion on bott Fronts. Callaghan has indeed
Baldwin able even to BULOWI eyes British capitalists.
RACIST CARD
So what should Mrs Thatcher do! Should she Prioritise Josephise? Her choice on this front is not unrelated to the
question of racism. For if the
Tories Bourge 1o rE increase unemplosment, imple ment more cutbacks
expenditure, there could well be SUCHE
ideolagical cover which plays on the weaknesser of the labour movement could therefore
Why not then play the ricis card? It might not come E trumps but it could aid in further dividing the working
weaty ed to lame a major
However for that the Tories Future issuçs: OE DOCUSI Challenge "like the Tallin lower, our fund drive logo might not get off the drawing STARTE
Tatlin's monument 10 Third International was to have incorporated all the latest
its summit an immense sereen
reports wasplanned. Withinthe STULTEC there were
and
rooms were to he cylindrical. and to rotate — the uppernicst level making one turn per day, thesecond rotating once a week, and the third once a month,
Socialist Challenge is also endeavouring to use the most modern technological equip meneto produce a beller quality paper, but these can be very
could takeaturn for Lie better!
The week's most Interesting subscriber must surely be the information officer at British Leyland. They know Socialis Challeuge carries all the inside information. We brought Leyland workers the news of the racist Sir Richard Dobson, and today we reveal more details of the slush fund used to bribe overseas officials to win orders.
Ourthanks thisweekto:
present state and the overall political situation in the country precludes this possi bility. In the first instance the the Heath/Walker wing of the party would he extremel hostile to such a move. Peter Walker has been, speeches, stressing the necessity to make more funds available to deal with urban boutung in the black ghettoes. An overtly racist campaign would sharpen the existing divisions within the Ta be secondly a racis campaign as this stage in British fascist organisations more than the Tory Party, So while there must be strong temptations to play the cacist card Speed's proposnis are a reflec tion of this - the Tory Part will be content merely warning Labour that they have this card in reserve.
IMMIGRATION
The Tory proposals in themselves are not new. They have been discussed numerous civil servants in the Home Office for the paar five years. They seek to pur more тасів! measures on the statute book by restricting the right of back dependents and Fas African holders of British passports to enter Britain, I The Tories wage a campaign on this it must be fought and
D. Smith J. Kolodziejski M.B.
Nottingham supp C. Gardner A. McNellle
A BIOLOC D. Tradgett
Travellers Inn T.A.
J. McDermid ANOT R. Howard TOTAL 285.25
Domestic: 6 months, €5: 12 months, 410
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