historic defeat of Stalinism and the vindication of Trotskyism. We are the only current claiming to be communist which has a stainless banner, and which has condoned no crime against the toilers of any country. We alone can look the Soviet, the East European, the Indonesian, the Spanish, the French, Italian, the Greek and Chilean workers in the face We have also the theoretical and political advantage of being able to explain Stalinism, why it fell upon the labour movement, and the way forward for the Soviet, East European and Chinese masses. We have a long, long road before us: but the crisis of Stalinism has freed tremendous potential for emancipation, and the possibility of a NO FRESH VEGETABLES. NO FUEL. NO SOAP. NO MEAT. FOURTEEN PEOPLE SHARING A BATHROOM. FIVE FAMILIES SHARING A KITCHEN. SHODDY CLOTHES. SHODDY SHOES WHEN YOU CAN GET THEM. TEN YEAR WAIT TO BUY A CAR. PERESTROIKA, MY FOOT. •GIVE ME A BREAK, MIKHAIL! I CAN EXPLAIN, BUT IT WILL TAKE SIX OR SEVEN YEARS... € 1900 ETTA HULME--PORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM Gorbachev's efforts to shake up Soviet society while that process was directed against bureaucratic inertia and while the emphasis was placed on "openness' rather than economic restructuring. When, in August 1987, left groups united to for the Federa- tion of Socialist Social Clubs, its programme was explicitly one of support for perestroika and of supporting the course adopted by the twenty-Seventh Congress of the CPSU. A rapid evolution began to take place, SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 20, Dec-Jan 1989-90
Appeal for material and financial assistance for SOTSPROF A new, independent socialist trade union movement in the USSR At this time of fast moving revolutionary upheaval throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, socialists in the West face a paradox. On the one hand, we delight in seeing the collapse of oppressive bureaucratic regimes. On the other hand, however, it is "socialism') rather than Stalinism that is loudly pronounced dead by politicians, pundits and media alike - while they constantly seek to inject free market rhetoric with a new lease of life, despite the savage crisis of capitalism raging throughout the world. This is why the emergence of an independent socialist and trade union movement in the Soviet Union is such an encouraging development. SOTSPROF has now been legally recognised, and is a growing organisation, yet it does not have the basic means to function effectively in terms of office and printing We, the undersigned have been authorised by Boris Kagarlitsky and SOTSPROF to publicise this new movement in Brifain, and, perhaps more urgently to raise funds for it. We are hoping to arrange public meetings in most major towns throughout Britain with guest speakers from SOTSPROF. We are appealing for Tony Benn MP: Oliver McDonald: Hilary Wainwright: Branka Magas: Eric Heffer MP: Tamara Deutscher: Quentin Hoare: Paul Foot: Alice Mahon. (Treasurer): endorsed by the Camapign Group of Labour MPs For further information about the SOTSPROF TOUR contact John Rose on 01 538 5821 Send contributions to Alice Mahon, Treasurer, PO BOX 2988, London WC1 N3XX Cheques
however, from that moment. By June 1988, when the Nineteenth Party Conference took place. The Left's programme was becoming progressively more radical on the political front but a debate was continuing on the question of economic demands. The Left accepted the need for a degree of marketisation but not at the expense of the workers" social guarantees: full employment, subsidised food and accomodation, a free health service and so on.
The Left still remained in small groups and clubs, however, and there was a need to link up with increasing popular resentment at the slow pace of reform. The Left therefore set about the formation of Popular Front organisa tions which were modelled on the various popular Fronts of the Baltic Republics which had succeeded in uniting broad forces in the struggle for national rights.
Popular Fronts were established in many major Soviet cities, causing the demise of the old club structure, although one or two groups which had moved away from a socialist orientation refused to join the Popular Fronts. These organisations were viewed primarily as instruments for mobilising the masses to support socialist and radical candidates in the March 1989 elections to the Congress of Peoples Deputies, the first genuine multi-candidate elections in the Soviet Union for decades.
Popular Fronts scored big successes particularly in the Russian republic itself. In Moscow, the Popular Front, as well as running local candidates (two of whom were elected), supported Boris Yeltsin for the overall Mos. cow constituency. Yeltsin's programme was vague in ts details but clear on the need to fight bureaucratic privilege, defend social guarantees and quicken the pace of reform.
While the Moscow Popular Front had an explicitly socialist programme, it was still SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 21, February 1990
FEATURES primarily an elec- toral machine and not a political party. Leading members, such as Kagarlitsky and Mikhail Maliutin, now saw the need for such an organisation and launched Commit- of New Tees Socialists as the con- stituent units of a Socialist new Party(SP), These have been formed in Moscow, Leningrad and other cities but as yet the SP is a small politi- cal organisation. The SP's position on the CPSU seems rather contradictory. On the one hand, it con- siders the CPSU to be purely part of the state machine and on the other it has mem- bers inside the CPSU, headed by Maliutin. for the Soviet Left The SP fights for of programme revolutionary reforms based on mass action and definite links with the workers' move- ment. Representatives of the SP were in Karaganda and the Kuzbass during the miners" strike and acted in close co-operation with the strikers - a fact noted with some concer by Pravda. equipment. donations, and labour movement sponsors of the tour. payable to Alice Mahon, SOTSPROF
National movements like that in Azerbaijan (above) pose a challenge Leading members have also been involved in the establishment of the socialist trade union organisation Sotsprof. At present, the SP's main task is collaborating with the Popular Front around the republican and municipal elections for a programme involv- ing the municipalisation of property. Page 27
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