Re: Labor Party

[Adam Rose <adam@xxxxxxxx>]

But, Neil, you don't really give any hint as to what to say to those
workers who are attracted by the idea of a Labor Party but who aren't
prepared to join a small revolutionary group.

At least some of those people do actually see the need for a revolutionary
party, of some sort. And a large proportion of those that don't will be
crucial in the battles ahead. The outcome of these battles will be determined
by the battle here and now between the reformist union leaders and 
revolutionaries
for the attention of these people.

You can't just dismiss them as poor deluded fools who have been conned by
the Labor Bureaucrats, particularly as they are quite correct in thinking
that a Labor Party would be a step forward for the working class as a
whole. By dismissing them and their ideas you give yourself the luxury
of not seriously arguing with those ideas, and drive these people into
the hands of the reformists.

It seems to me that you have nothing to say to them other than giving
them an ultimatum. It seems to me that any conversation with such people
has to start "Yes, you're right, the Democrats + Republicans are Capitalist
Parties. We do need an independent workers party . . ." and then a real
discussion about what sort of party can be had.

The relative weakness of Marxism in Britain through the 20's and 30's can be
traced to the sort of politics which meant that the SLP ( not Scargill's one,
the original one ) didn't even go to the founding conference of the Labour 
Party,
while the BSP went, delivered an ultimatum that it should be a Marxist Party,
and when they lost, simply walked out [ Like the rest of the 2nd international,
the BSP leaders supported WWI, naturally enough ].

The CP-USA did itself no favours in the 30's when it put loving up to the
democrats before building a Labor party either [ although I can't say I'm
familiar with the details ].

Adam.


Adam Rose
SWP
Manchester
UK

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