IWCA and Open Polemic

[R-HICKMAN@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

This is written with my Open Polemic hat on; I only say this
because there has been some confusion on the list recently as to
the status of various positings. I think I can safely say that
what follows accurately reflects the position of the collective.

Recently, our comrades in the CPGB, took us to task over our
involvement with, and support for the IWCA. We were told that it
was not a proper place for serious communist work. Set out below
are our collective responses to that criticism:

1. In line with the Open Polemic collective's previously stated
position - as a pro-party, Marxist-Leninist project - our primary
interest in the IWCA is as a site for communist rapprochement.
Open Polemic sees the IWCA as a potentially valuable site for the
pursuit of its stated aims of 'open polemic - action in common'.
2. OP's support for the launch leaflet is on the basis of it
being an initially 'accepted' - as opposed to finally 'agreed' -
position around which to form an anti-Labour, pro working class,
left united front. As such the leaflet - generally referred to as
'The Moment of Truth'- should be understood as a point of
departure, a beggining, not as a final destination, an end.
3. In the specific historical context of the IWCA, OP understands
Labourism to be the particualr contemporary expression of the
general standpoint of social democracy to which Marxism-Leninism
is opposed.
4. 'The Moment of Truth' does not contradict OP's
Marxist-leninist fundamentals, neither does it endorse them.
However, the IWCA - with 'TMOT' as its founding statement plus
the other discussion documents produced so far - is at least a
potentially multaninmous and historically specific organisation
(see post on Communist Unity). As such it is a possible site for
communist rapprochement. Therefore both OP and the CPGB need to
be involved.

The organisations referred to above can be contacted at the
following addresses: CPGB, BM BOX 928, London WC1N 3XX - IWCA, BM
IWCA, London WC1N 3X - Open Polemic, PO Box 1169, London, W3 9PF




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