Outlook for Socialism socialists to examine and discuss questions like: • What are the main tasks for socialists inside • What should socialists be doing both inside November, It will provide an opportunity for • What can and should socialists do to assist and widen the struggles of the autonomous debate and discussion in London on 14/15 the trade unions and workplaces? and outside the Labour Party? movements of the oppressed? strength of national identity of Wesuminster. The Assembly is the British capitalist connomy: coonomy However, to be won an allempt to gain democratic in today's conditions it means the Scors and their awareness The demand for a Scottish peripheral when viewed from Such a democratic demand would have relevance even in that, in the growing crisis of a British socialisr, planned Assembly arises from the control of government in Scottish interests are Scotland authority stmingholds. Having spent the last lew years selling samue councillors will suddenly Wales, this poll tax confronts policies of cuts in services can find the gumption to fight the about his advice. On a recent illegal action: 'I never advise we have any faith diat these visit to Scolland he made it clear he would not condone Scotrish Tabour in its local Neil Kinnock is certain implementing other Tory council houses to pay for housing repairs and
• What are the best ways to aid anti-imperialist can be deducted from all registration categories. Registration for the whole weekend is £10.00 (waged), £8.00 (students) and 15.00 (UB10 and Registration forms and further details can be obtained from Outlook for Socialism', PO Box Gorbachev and "glasnost" in the Soviet Union? OAPs). If registering before 23 October, $2.00 Speakers will include Ernest Mandel, Tarig • What should be the attitude of socialists to • What must we do to help build a united Ali, Jeremy Corbyn and others from the resistance to attacks on civil liberties? international socialist movement. and national liberation struggles? 705, London SW2 SUN. popular campaign breaking the tradition of integration into the of the Scottish Labour Party tu power of Westminster and the the present Tory government. To win 4 Scottish Assembly hot zive much enchuragement. financial intercars dominating the arguments and actions of relictions from the leadership parliamentary disruption do Trades councils and Cus challenging the centralised now will require a radical. labour movement from its. constitutional life. Recent British sate and British Denis Canavan on people not to pay their taxes port of the Westminster system Secretary of Stare for Scotland. stated Dewar at Westminster. have not been slow in coming- The quesnion musr be asked within the rules of the House The rewards for such sup- of Commons will be done to this. "Everything we can do Labour MPs now hold posi- issues high on the agenda!, is unlikely ro disagree with keep devolution and other Donald Dewar, shadow Sistern of Scorland's fifty shadow front bench team. Lions in Neil Kinnock?y
socialists troughoat Britain: opened to set a deadline for: TUC rightward slide weight to Scargill's fight Bi This In turn added new deserves the support of The Scottish Newmbis meets resistance an overturnt ban. JIM NIBLOCK bur all has not gone according growing lelt wing in tie SNP Have shown a willingness 1o get involved in arch groups. TI WAS SUPPOSED to be business monism as usual, Lo Norman Willis" plan for such local branches. A Scornsh Assombly is discussing props The Campaign for a greater emphasis on building changing in structure to lay could take the initiative in building local campaign The Tory party in striggling deviation Tories have indulg hard no regain some credibility SP have not been slow to ash would liave to mean restricted toprescied: in Wesmibster so of Scotland's fity Labour MPS and anyway Srotland is over- where will their priorities lie for Scottish MPs, they argue, voting rights at Westminster in the coming period? The Jehaviour. Any Assembly ed in a little threatening Both pro-and anti- the question. in Scotland
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK an 3 September/Ocober 1987 deputy general secretary John Todd to withdraw the TOWU'S desperate cilurts to dodur the torre a dohare on the issue of confrontation with the LETPU Cis. and now the elecrion od Scargill's firm line on this was also strengthened by the probien in persusding Kon Willis predictably had no new left wing stance of the umotist, despite Willie Mactradic to the goperal collaborationis business issue and avor any no-strike dealand council Bur the class struggle rudely rather sochie right. setting tie hoped for an uncontrovcisial disciplunary code! and with a this yoar's TUC congress He voted the day belor rhe TUC and rther union leaders had notching up a 77% vote for penne nicely for mors "now Scargill te NEM exceative showed thei resence by delestism at the Latiatr British Coal's draconian industrial action against strong lead from Arthur antersened Tire miners Puriy conference: Norman Willis prays for a peaceful life Et los Guerite Kohlex: The Tory arguments do not there should only be filty-nine. appear to be designed to warn number should he reduced 1o relor of parliamentary scats Scottist peuple. Kather they the Labour Party to keep its instead of seventy-two MPs Furtier, il an Assembly or Senate is granted the this people in Scotland quier or appear to be aimed at the which could only further else lace a constitutiona! decimate Tabour's representanon, forty-seven:
UPFRONT rutused to sond mine sweepers and ran hold tailor-made bpporlunity.to do then tid a u-turn and sent the Kuwait cankers was jumped its own in the region. So the request to rellag and cacort le is aimed at shoring up to help thr Americals, but America's interesrs in the Britan? Allist Thatcher all rhose things or cuce What of France and minesweepersanyway. Americu's power and ademistration as a at by the Reagan with "terrorists", region Kav inh THE HYPOCRISY olthe Ls naval intervention in the Cabl miliary firepower, backed up was completely exposed when unite to defend tankers going by Britist and French naval the Gulf attacks on shipping in the Gulf ar the end of August. the Trans resumed cir Despite the alray of US Behind crisis when the print umons suck m hat even though the congress the general council, cosuring voted to shelve discussaun, it rejection of the rue's line of Nor was Willis pleased to min-strike deals hut Scarvill forced the issue to a vole on Wapping dispute upder the sweeping Lie lessons of the their guns and pressed for see the congress vote for a charrariment for. Willis die not keep tout of the own. resolution againsn Meete was mute punte syr.
lu deepen France's simmering comada ol western barleships. clubroiled himself partly as.a have nuclear weapons on the mudhary clash with Iran, and attitude, partly nut of a wish in the Gull Probably the es difficot to refusc a request I'he scene is being ser for a ussault ship Cuaduaranal. war of the diplomats with Thatcher alwavs finds it There is now a huge traditionally pro-Iraqi: Chirarin France has response lu France's from Reagan 'Ral as calculates that pressure will be cconomy has been wrecked by Saudam Thussein is desperate By stoking up the clashes mn Meccu between guards march in Tehran built up for Iran to come to the situation in the Golf, he important polical event — Women revolutionary The contlict in the Golf Iranian shi'ites and Saud: comes in the wake of rwo the war So Tragi leader the negotiating table. for a ceasefire. straightforward. The lit for tat killed 35 American sadors. by to Tragi porrs from the altacks of the Iranians, ncarl-all. the strikes against shipping in the attacks ou stupping arr being attack on the Uss Stark which Even mom bizarre, tue main arrack, the Iranians got most The basic facts of the Gulf sungle event which provoked shipping war are ximple anr camied out by. Lie hagis profile in the Gall was the the Tragi airlorce! For this the Americans to up their Gull were started hy the it the blame. ever more fondamentaliy righr are a public embarrassment to but also give-legal protection against disciplinary action to wing and hostile to any form laws, which will ampore new These votes and bonhlicts 7 T1C leadership which has requirements lor bullois.— resprinser to right years of l'he 'new realism' looks to Thatcherism be becoming campongh against the new decimore for strike action: of class struggle resiscance ruund of Tory anti-union collaboration rather than acabs was flour ballot
Socialists have no reason to: Reagan, Thatcher and Chirac with keeping the Gait open to buth reactionary tyrannies, in. whipping. which conid only he from Norman Willis, vagucly ahieved by putung pressure the war. But they have every one which has nothing lo do kupport either Tran or irag. on Irag lo stop die tanker intervention in che Gulf. reason to demand that stop their imperialist PHIL HEARSE sumi pilgrims and police, and strengthened the belief among financed Trag's war eilort that hearings have pur pressure on the Reagan administration to Iran. does not have any truck the aftermath at the Trangatr and subversion against them scandal in the United Stares. the Arab states which have Iran was preparing attacks. revelations as the Irangare. show that it's not solt en now-style trade union In the Urated Srancs The Mecca incidents want to examine who gains by overland pinchine. all Iranian exports and lius a cruel bluw wide open for recruitment by Tranian oil exports: Whereas the shipping war, we have to start with the basic fair that withour Gulf shipping there Traqus as a weapon agamst oil has to go by sea. If we to the Tranian economy. would be no Iranian oil! Iragi nil can go via the arrogan and uncompromising employers. Thus was why Eric Far from being blackmailed union movement should have good thing if this happened. withdrawal from the roc if proclaiming the BETPU-ARU declared that it would be a furore, and threateneng to in the rin-up to the TeC lipe to be de vuice of the they were voted down on by Hammond, the crade Tammond had boei so confrontation with the ballot his members on no-strike deals.
few in his American opposite American unions to slamp to endorsing the idca of women tell delegates how exactly the number, AFL-CIO chief Lanc congress: he could of course becoming more involver in So commited is Willis to working population. Is this this new approach that he Willis model of business Kirkland, to addres the only 18 per cent of the the way of the future? unionism has helped The movement, holidays, insuraner, and credit replaced by a bland statement the only explanation for why conflict on anything This is now approach is to avoid all individual memherss cheap campaigns and PR wOrk for movement looks heavily to even proposals for the TUC women's department were The prerequisite for the promorion vidcos, media EETPU-type schemes for: fighting the emplovers. cards — and seeks to substitute expensive protection beraise his mole on LuC, Hammond knows his is Despite his setback at the Britain is far from finished: among most union leaders, non-electrical jobs ranging behalf of tor employers in Hammond needs TUC docklands Light railway. still the dominant mood Even now the FETPIT IS froni the Aberdeen oil The "Willis plan" for a industry to London's lighting m rechuir in genuine unions. September/October 1987 Had the BETPU been correctly bluffing. He knows he would members in many industries Wapping he would not even He would lose the general council's protertion and the have rycrything to lose and rOc for its scabbing role at expelled last year from the be able to raise that threat 'no poaching Bridlington nothing to gain hy being In Fact. Hanumond is agreement, leaving his SOCIALIST OUTLOOK na 3 outside the TUC пом:
willon these countrice to bang constitutc a race = a point on consider judaist reacrimary- incompatible. However, Tda The above totally ignores the which both Dave and Tagree rejected jodism, thar I have playing into zionism's Hands. Tam jewish bor Lam mot To my mind, marcism and about the Israch state. And not beliese. Because T have power of the zionist lobby rejected jewish history un - why should we have a religious As a marxist 1 connection whatsoever' anyway, jews do not Dace again, Davc 15 Socialist Outlook wants your letters! I you feel moved to write — and we hope you will - judaist are quite jewish culture John Turkie 'homeland'? please try and keep to a maximum of 300 words. Send to: PO Box 705. electively a colonial proxy are colonial people do not have ab world's 16 million jews, Dave cutting to mention that the absence of any homeland 15. after all, precisely why they proples, against racion wal imperialist homeland. The confusion. Whilst agreeing inseparable from the fight. countres with whuch most are there! The imperials powers lur whom they ate honogencity amongst the Toraelis have no historical There is another cicar: alongside all persecuted groups and progressive takes Issue with me for illustrarion of Dave's that there is no racial jews must be seen as London SW2 SUN. fascism. colonisation of Palestine at the suicluary Dave Lalks abrat). recommend, Whilst indiradual ideology and sucicty whittis racier to the core. Anti-ruciar capitulation. Moreover, thr jews most nor support — at jewish homeland", In other anti-semitiam, zionism the inhabitants Has created an anti-scmiusu The fate of words, the prubles will be enlved" by segregation, Zionism's response to any level — "the jewish: homeland' (the securr ideology clearly does not. anti-semitist is one of rationalisation of the exactly as the racists expense of its Arabi It is an solution to zurusts may fight Dave Landau's lemter (Socialit fight aguinst anti-semitism or means the Latter, be is simply (atond 2) of using arguments concessions to anti senntisi.: In the arnicie, Tasserted thar, capitulates to anti-semitist, Dave asks: "wherher John Cutied 2) accuses my arccle antr-scuptism is inseparably abandon this struggle. 1f he logical conclusion of zionist principles is to abandon the zionists actually de always anti semitisin — Societ Linked to the fight aguns! urd that the fight against Zionism revisited Turkic is saying that the whether he is saying the that can casily slip into ar cvery turn, zionism (Anti-ziunism and Dear Comrades.
SOCIALIST OUTIOOK no 3: Saplember/October 19฿/ answers when the Tory atacks leading role inside a united lett "tighren their belts and await a It is the bulk of trade union have illusions in left-rounding intensify over the next period. factions together is a common Labour victory but will tbey. activists at rank and file level Finally a flexible approsch turn to the organised left, for fear nt what they perceive to adhererus to corocommunist on dietn and their members The LEG A hutterly divided. be Trockvism. Nevertheless union leaders ar the present lut "bringing the anion into appears to keep the various some elements which don't agree with Trotskyism cad "line" as such and who can They will turn away from who do not adhere to any must be adopted towards those who urged them to plus an active and even and stalust tendencies. Bermondsey, London und the only thing chat who will be looking for Building a class struggle movement in the unions whose priority is peddling their opportunists, and de carecrists and debate within: Tendencies in the unions must be based at now prioritise the building of a organised it must be prepared allowing for fraternal criticisn Secondly, the urganised left version of left wing policies ar against attempts to witchhunt at every level of each union's indivindal activists on the lefr and narional levels. This will require patient work but will thar other gmups follow suit. wherever possible, be united constructive left opposition. prove to be the best defence publicly without demanding rebuilding the left they must Lins stage on union activists Thirdly, where the left is divisinnal, district, regional opportunities to raise theni individual union members tu challenge the right, the with opposing wewpous the exclusion of building structures pf the unions. whilst at the same time rather than handfuls of wold still be afforded let current within the structure, at branch, there being a sustained and co- that the lett must build in a lar It has been frustrating to see Outlook, Although I don'T agree Phil Hearse, Anne Somers and more serious fashion inside the comrades Lixter and Hearse in I was particularly interested the industrial issues facing thr appears to have ignored such Peter Smith concentrang ou British working cass and the the drill cowards the right of general tone is both readable trade union organisations — influenee within the Labour trade unions, in particular: lightback when tiey argue Congratulations on Socialine developments, bur if such The so-called 'hand left' elements are serious about written hy John Lister and by points raised in atticles ordinated upposicion fron whole sections of the left. unions like NUPE without not least becanse of their with everytlung in it. the inside the Lahour Party the picee Preparing the I entirely agree with Dear comrades, among non-jews. Accordingly, faced with anti-semitism, jews should not waste tume lighting should simply emigrate to the "zunim. Zionism is an ideology "zionist leadership", bur not of zionist idenlogues behieve that beliets of individual zionists 1s confusod. He states: "there is, ultimately, a defcarisr logic in for our rights throughour the we should stand up and fighr particularly pernicions error. the zionist position... Clearly world, bur then he adds the rider that the establishment struggles, often laving down this (incurable) raciscu, but zionist leadership may lave zionist believes that when and must be understood as Tus plays right into che relation to the fight against played a despicable rule in of a sccure sanctuary does To be sure, secrions of the On this crucial point. it ground zinnists have been anri-semitism is endemic such. To go on about the seems to me that Dave is Dave writes at zionist actively involved in sch scom a wise precaution". hands of zionism: Most principles, ziobists? wrong and the is a to miss the point. apti-scmitism..
Since its founding congress, COSATU hus 100.000 respectively of the volume of South Africa's: THE MINERS' strike marks a new srage: in the arruggle against the apartheid regime in The black Suuth African Ishour movement has conscionsly shoulder- ed the responsibility of first place in the strike wave in South African Hierory - The more workers than the 240,000 membership ofthe NUM. It was preceded by the second workers and in which the NUM playod a On the other side of the mines dispute and export of gold und coal The relative independence of South: apartheid regime has proved much les than The jobs of week long South African companies are responsible for the mining. miners' strike came at the head of the biggest represented more than 800,000 organised Africa's bigges corporation, together with owned — like Consolidated Goldfields) in the Soutl African chamber of mines. These miners were killed, ar Icast 500 were injured July which South British- representing 40 per cent and 10 per cent chatnber of mines the previously aimed; | During the strike eleven Such is the cannot survive without the state Anglo-American's stridem in their public expressions of distaste record of company bosses who are normally for the excesses of the apartheid trenue. Irom insisted thar the big corporations other smaller companies (mostly. Anglo-American, sector unbraced 36.000 are now on the Bine. and more than O0 arrested congress (19-19 business Behind the liberation struggle. ranged itsell stancis the state. The three: South Africa Africa's big Icading role. COSATUET refining exports. insisted The Were striki SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA
breaking up a union members with conspiracy to buF private army and the South African police meeting at Klerksdorn, charged 78 strike The reçent upsurge in trade union activity murder, These lacts speak for themseives: lines: Ticket meetings: after and committee attacked queues
N congress extremely significant. There are xed views about the conronr of some al those decisions, they were certainly a definite and deliberate shutt in policy direction. This was in large part magnaged by the NUM and several makes the decisions uf the recent COSAL (obviousiy aware of its impending industrial tegures urgent When COsTU assembed on 15 July, it was the only part of she heration movement which remaied substanrially undamaged. Indeed more powerfil than it was a vent achievement) regirered as part of the confederation By 1987 that number had membership was all die mor remarkable Decause te rest of the organised liberation movement Tad been hit badly by repression before. Ar the louncing congress in 1985, barely hall a chillion workers can mamense COSATU itself had not escaped. COSATU Promigent trade mop leaders had been increase la burned down doubled: This in the intervening period. therethre evalation. hausr black working class is in first place in the