[Marxism] Revolutionary days - May 1968, a personal memoir by Alan Woods

["Darren Cogavin" <darrencogavin@xxxxxxxxx>]

The tragedy was that the worker activists were desperately looking for the
very thing the students could not provide: a revolutionary leadership. This
fact was demonstrated before my very eyes. In the middle of this discussion
a group of young workers entered the room (I think they were electricians).
They were from an occupied factory in the locality and were clearly very
frustrated, even a bit desperate.

I listened to the conversation between the workers and one of the leading
anarchists (oh yes, the anarchists also have leaders!). The former said:

"Look, we young workers are with you, but most of the others are older
workers. When we speak about revolution they do not understand us. We cannot
make them see what we mean. What we need is leadership!"

I remember the discussion very well and these were the workers' very words.
I also remember the look of absolute horror on the student's face: "No! We
do not want any leaders!" he shouted. The workers remained adamant in
insisting that this was precisely what they wanted. The discussion (which
was really a dialogue of the deaf, since neither side would be moved) began
to get a bit heated. At that point I intervened:

"Excuse me, but I think that what the comrades are saying is that what is
needed is a revolutionary party and leadership capable of advancing concrete
slogans and winning over the majority to the programme of socialist
revolution!"

The workers all shouted that yes that was just what they wanted. The poor
student just shrugged his shoulders and gave up, no doubt bitterly
disappointed in the workers' inability to understand the finer points of
anarchist philosophy.

Discussions like this must have been taking place all over France. The
workers, especially the most militant layers of the factory youth, were
beginning to grasp the fact that the movement was beginning to wane. Having
held power in their hands, they saw it gradually slipping through their
fingers. An increasing number was beginning to see through the treacherous
role of the trade union and "Communist" leaders. If there had existed a
strong Marxist current in the factories, trade union branches, Communist
Party and Young Communists at that time, it could have gained a tremendous
echo. But it did not exist.
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