Re: Forwarded from Ben Reid

[benj <benj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Greens pose a difficult problem for socialists.
If we leave aside the option of simply liquidating and joining
them (which I think Ben has at least indicated the nature of the
problems with) it is very difficult to get a hearing. While
results such as Cunningham are good objectively for the working
class, political situation, etc., every such victory for the
Greens takes them further from the league of the Socialist
Alliance -- making any proposals for unity or collaboration
increasingly irrelevant to them (especially considering the
results SA got in Cunningham). And while strengthening the Greens
is good in one sense -- it weakens the ALP hold on being the
"opposition" -- it also has in practice drawn their politics
increasingly to the right, for example in Tasmania and the A.C.T.
where they have formed coalition governments with both Labor and
Liberal parties while holding the balance of power.

I think that as the Socialist Alliance consolidates itself as a
stable party-formation, we may have to eat humble pie a bit and
even support Green campaigns in some places -- perhaps with an
agreement that they support campaigns of ours in this or that
seat, a non-aggression pact. The activists coming into the Greens
are generally quite left (here in Victoria at least). At a
construction workers' rally yesterday Greens activists were
handing out a leaflet proclaiming their support for the workers'
struggle and some of their (reasonably good) policies on
workers'/unions' rights.

Where the Socialist Alliance is bigger than the Greens is in
grassroots campaigns. Although they pay more attention to the
"kerbs and gutters" aspects of politics in some areas, in the
more political campaigns the SA has many more activists. We need
to encourage Greens members and supporters to become more
involved in this area of activism (i.e. non-electoral) to be able
to make alliances with them. It's not a matter of exposing or
opposing the Greens at every turn; such an approach would be very
counter-productive as they do genuinely have good practical
politics on a number of issues. If they do take a turn to the
right once again as they get a whiff of parliamentary power, that
will be the time to go against them.

As to Drew Hutton et al I've never come across them directly but
they sound a lot like the Tas Greens, with whom I am quite
familiar. The Victorian Greens have probably been the most
left-friendly, as they have many lefties in their leadership and
have historically been much smaller than in other states,
necessitating more collaborative relations with the socialist
left.

Ben Courtice

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