openings in Europe new workers struggles in Italy and the thoughts on Europcan polities. As part of our continuing coverage of publishing below articles on the left-wing Juquin presidential campaign in France, the political developments in Europe, we are
17 or last become new realists, are sliding into crisis: There arc important differencesan how this pruness in the French Communist Pans; they are both repressmative ofthe wine teneraltrends': The tempo workers movement has nor seen sinceahe lost worked class polarisation are foreing the pace of polical retormist parties and sirganisations which continue though the Labour Party let wings polinvally pather different from the left wing renovateurs" (renewers) has sane Iron coney to country, bur all chost cither to base their politics on che post war consensus, - Nie kind of political cross whih the European Economic depresson, castity and the conscquent change on both det and restr. For cxampic in France Teau-Maric Le Pen's Nathmal From has ten per cem of the vote — ten percent for anco-fascist party This deselops in ditterent countries for cxample. al war. THE EUROPEAN workers" movement: correl hampered in replying to these aucks be the role of the burcaucratic leaders ni the trade unions and mass Treet able to simply policically by pose ihe mass organisations The most combative sections of the with long-term economic depression, mass unem- ploymen, arcarks on social security and the welfare stare, and attacks on democrate rights, deserywhere scorking class parties Bul the working class Jas not working class continually push torward, and rest out. The blockage represented by the ditterent Euro- pean cariants of richewing new realism? Ripeating the proconditinne for explosise desclopments within the traditional negonsations: — and even splits trom Them. Kevolutionary socialists have to acidress ibemi- elves to this political recomposition from warhun the now alterumive leaders from asphin their man tanks. SOCIALIST OUTLOOK 5 Lening February 1089 miss urganisations.
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held Chesterfield conferencc. Benn and Scargill (who tatives were flown into Britain to attend the recently led an attempted standing ovation for the Sovict racy is far from being an attempt to turn these parties into ideological fellow-travellers of Moscow, It is rather an altornative to "adlanticism', an appcal that plays on the desire to preserve welfare state capitalism in western Europe, together with elective trade union All this is a far cry from the traditional atlanticist" preoccupations of the old guard social democrats like But reformist pan-Europcan ideas arc emerging as an important trend within European social demne- racy today, and they have close parallels within a number of communist parties. They are as bankrupt Gorbachev's approath to Furopean social democ- representatives), appear excited by Gorbachevism. Schmidt, Healey, Craxi and Soares. and civil liberties. But one of the key factors determining the form of Euopennism — counterposing a closer integration of the political recomposition is the response of the ruling class and the right wing to the growing tussle over the system of international alliances which the Europcan states should adopt. Simply summed up. the United States, through its cold war offensive against ihe Soviet Union and the eastern bloc. is trying to force the west European states into a morr The main ruling class opposition to the Reagan- the common market nations against the domination posture — political, military of the Amcricans. This implies much closer technolo- gical, economic and military links than currently and economic subordination to the United States. was unthinkable ten ycars ago. *adanticism' determined atlanticist*
as the old atlanticist idcas as a socialist international It is necessary for revolutionary socialists to present and rcactionary working class solution to the problems of Furopean capitalism, war and trade war, is a socialised and planned cconomy on a pan-Europcan scale that would include the castern bloc countries. This poses the task of uniting the west European working class and its allies with the 300 million people of castern Europe including the Soviet Union in a united socialist states of Europe based on a new international cconomic Such a solution would be a goal for the workers in the west, in the framework of a socialist transfortra- tion, and for workers in the cast in their struggic to throw off the fetters of the burcaucracy and establish capialist 'Europeanism" — including the FEC. A a cicar alternative to 'atlanticism' co-operation and division of labour. capitalise 'Europeanism" workers democracy Iwo questions immediately arise: where does the conflict, and where should socialists stand? As far as the Gorbarhey leadership is concerned, their stance is burcaucratic calculation. In order to give themselves relorm (perestroka) they above all want international stability. They want to get Us military and political develop their economy. Therefore the political line of Gorbachev in Europe is for the capitalist European' determined not by socialist internationalism bur by pressure off their back. Moreover, They want closer technological and trade links with capitalist Furope to option and against atlanticism. In other words, while wanting to see more political independence in western Europe vis-a-vis the USA, Gorbachev is a stout defender of the basic and political status que on both sides of the The response of the more idcological leaders of the the breathing space for the programme of economic European workers movement has been significant. Gorbachev Icadership in the USSR stand Furopean divide.
1 As Trotsky put it each national situation is an uneven crystallisa- bat nirbe elemrutcol he world procco: for bruntsumming up of his views on the relation between national specificities and the international sitarion ser the preface to the ferman edition in his book Proment Relation: The come ideas are expressed at length in The Conmanis Labratna 2Ifter Lean. Al a time when many Gorbachevism has won applause from the rightward- leaning eurocommunist parties, The Italian Com- munist Party (PCI) after years of distancing itself from Moscow, is singing Gorbachev's praises at the top of
socialists are expressing concern only fog hational specificities'. it 2 Even the former leaders of the for left T/ Manifene, who have gone into the POT. ure now saying that Gortcher shows that they in importan in emphasise some of these idcan. "undercstimated" the Sovier Union. SOCIALST OUTLOOK no JonupryiFebruary 1988 Gorbacher's westpolitic" is also having its impact on Europcan social democracy, not only within the German SPD. but also in the Icadership of the Later Party and others. It is significant that Soviet represen- 18
At LASi something's moving. The message on campaign badges indicares the reaction to Picine Juqum's deci- swin to stand in the French presidential leading - disident Communist Although die elecuous are pot until expelled from the Communis Party. Cecions, Juqum B 'Ichovatenr
LA POLIC ready donnated by the opinion polls: Mav 1988, French politicad life is al- and specularion ahour who will be the The main right-wing runners are arewly kuown. These are Jean-Marie. National candidates ques Chirac for the gaullist: Rally for the Republic', Raymond Barre for de Front (too much for even the Tories trim the present majority of the na- fional usembly: prime minister jar- Le Pen of the men-tarcist 1 final candidates in the race- to swallow!) and two alrewly known. "
On the left things are nor quite so straightforward. Franchis Mitterrand has nor ar the time of writing an- nounced whether he will stand for re-clection as president. He is still His mitin tival within the Socialist Party (SP) is Michel Rocard from the daing well in the upinion polls and calls on hun to stand are multiplying-
19 'Something's moving' have stood m the prestorales tinns. a decision they foul after drains drew ourn Pierre Jaguns cancel: foreseen by the LORS Mas Tichso able to rally greate one thon mor Alain Krivine. whole sod ole of the Fourth Totesationah ins Ten stune aspects of a dear left anti supirds! Ligue Cumennon and ethicsed bo o santo pational movement of Cancan presidential electine one THE salE workers and not to repeat thr expr neutc of the left goretine or 1901 ine not to support Pierre Juti Communist Intonacontine toil the Juquin campaign gathers momentum Workers Stangle and T (Movement for a Waltere conlerence an Novemter platform: determinal a LER done, defending is the Gest time that The bem who is standin Revolumnnaire (LI R rumr was announced! Iroar for bes orgatusd right, to delein! and entersed by пирогалс cantatate of the worker right. 35. Scene from student demonstrations didare Andri Lajoinie hardly pots hun. will be on 9/10 January in Lyon Arielle Laguller ol Lage Durier The present standing of the CF can ahead W ihe marginal candidates where 400 inpresentatives net Pierre Juquin pectod to attend SOCIALIST OUTLOOK ne 5 January/Fabruary 1988 WINCE THE BEGINNING of 1987 a left ren and Jean-Pierre Chevenement as a: delaved reartion to the experience of the 1981-86 SP dominated povern- Like Jugum, this current calls for boracion in goveronent with the righe ing is in the arca of Doubs, a bastion of The rénovateur? current irself is: wing has tentatively begun lo lake shape within Lie st led by Jean Pope- ment, the last winter's struggles and dissolution of rhe national assembly in the case of a leff vietnity in the presi- This Despite the unanimity of its rocent congress, the Communis Party is still suffering the effecte of the crisis which cement by Pierre Juquio that, an the mist renovarcurs" (renewers), he ins to the expulsion of humself and handreds of his supporters from the Direct intervention From the party centre has succeeded in "norma- federicions, but one ol the two remain- the Peugeot car workers and reported uneven. In some places it is little more than groupings of individuals, else- wherr it is a real spir wirhin the local party apparatus. The first marional meeting since the current was expelled current, however. does not bave any cuiminated in the 15 October announ request of the coordination of Com- all but two local Communist the ellect of the Tuquin campaign. dential election, that is agaitist colla would stand as a candidate, thus lead as is the coc at the moment. serious candidare for president. to be AD per cent oppositional. The Juquin effect" рагту с lising'
participate in ir md not have a pro- Toots romantices are therelore draw- 1 number of taruly- based curnminees have already been One of Tuquin's ccatal coneçrns o that the ramnaign should refleet isc aspirations of those that grammie toposed upon it The grise: ine up local appeals of support for de December 1986 — French students protest at the murder of Malik Ousseline by police 3007 те 19682 ideas lend formed junction pair for activiss from thi is within the Cl eradicon — to disces socal trovements, from the far left thar is people whose wai esperince and extrange them different ideas and from the renovateur cuncut isc- organisations supporring Jaguin, Activist committees to build planks of Pierre Tuquin's carpaign are: anti raciem and the right to vole for immigrants; the 35 hour week, independence lor Kanaky (New Caledonink scrapping agains nuclear power, and lor equal represenration of women in the musticu- the Trench nuclear Merce de Irappe Juquin campaign supports mass THL CENTRAT muvements
dis is pairtly inevitabile given the strue- Jugun candidature cocuse no a bases mitices begin to develop real actisin, the rampaien is dughly persomlised The naconal meering of the com- Huwever. until these com trond the figure of Turain, of coarse mittee caller for fanwars will make alectay delvis to the core ture of the presidennal yarmo JEILECES. THE BASES OF sipport for the Taggin compaign are the commitrees that are •Alain Krivine withdrew once Pierre Juquin's candidature was announced" campaign These themes are a rellectinns of the social mosements" bad the struggles live figures front all these more- campaign leadership: This two most meals lo participace in his national line who was a marinal spokesperson pronment members are Dared Assou- of last winter He las iossed represen Mr the sident movement in tions through 50 per cent guitas.
a test of whether a is possibile for lorces possible a real axessment of che forces of Lien Supe that thic campaign will polinical force an tracie, to the tell of ycal for example in workplecy when Cel and crt mimhers are drawa ino the campaign so far Many open the wav to the creation of a new the Stand or The committe will be Xint have tot worker rogether: The local arcas where communes: Tres nutaber abrat: 200 mationwide: In Pans itself torer arc 33, some 25 ol which are in workplares, dudine Have been formed infude the Paris springing up like mushroms th Incali hospitals, government drpartcus. shops, railways and the postal service These Morkplates. and Les first match foc egpality" in Dererher: Lember 1906 and Kassa Titous Tourn the national bureau of Sos-Racisme and one of the main mangators of the Non inchided in his statt are Rene Bell, lormer confederal secretar of tac CET mnon federation, Mara Sur- from Paris, Maric-Therese Parry Fron dors. @ well-known femimiss 1915.
SOCIALIST OUTOOK no 5 januery/february 19EE Radine un to tic chengen, however, the man tasks of firthe campaien, and then achieving a bud enougli resalt in the efertion: to ou the Fiend Jell lor thi-mane- the committes will be to sun sapport cmonrate that there asthe space anu PHILOMENA O'MALLEY are to work togelin In the perind a role 20th arrondissement. the main immi- Fruct got over ten per sentin the 110 Obe of thie most successful mert? Sorbonne wirest mmark that suel a parked politied meeting had nor bren grant area and when the National sTudents parkerd into the mum amphi- Theatre to Listen to Tuguin, provoking so far: was at thr municipal elections the mievitable us the Paris region CFDT union ledera- the class scoggle opposition Nondene tion and Bobvallor, former representa- lice of the CGT lohe Workt Federa- This contral stadt works vall com- i Broad layer of activist can contri Fuse commissions ran be a usctiol missions on the dilleren thens slicre bate to preparing compaign minceri tion nt Trade Unions in Prague 20
Italian rank and file re-organises PCI loses one million votes Today theorist Stonel Tall, casting abour for some stired of Tich votes and 21 MES. A lot oftbe lost FOLFONING LABOURs election de hope in his Goadion article, sidsind 119 all to look forward to the pertormance if the Ttalian Communis Party (PCD Thr Pot sullered is wars election defeit since the 1940s Losing bne mit- votes went to the Greens (in parla- ment lor tie frer time with 2,5 pr cent), and to the hard left? Proletarian Democrars (Democrama: Proleraria, Bly The PCT subsequently changed tes positione on the ti-nuclear referen- in italys June generul clecuuns. (car Mancin
The same Smart Hall on a recent da. Its intercial debate, unfortunately mostly betweca various roformist posi- dricary Channel 1 discussion on Gram- sci's relevance today speculated un tue (stivals) for developing working class begerous. On both occasions he gor ir ull wrong. The is lonking at the wrong part of the TOl and has certainty not In the last six months it as not the importatice of PCI-organised "festas heen to very many "Jestas rions, has bolted up.
cancy involving lens of thousands of workers, particularly in transport and ¡ a recent The new Goria-led governmicot is else betwech the two mam protagon- PCt leadership and is convoluted de- bates on a new eurosorialism that has one 1 attended only drew a derchr cruwul wben the raffle for the Skoda car more of an armed truce than anything made the running, but another resor- gence of rank and file industrial mili was beld - hardly threatening benr: education, As for the "festas" cross hegerony there
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 5 January/February 1988 hind the PST the smaller secular Tels of prime mister and gives him rime and space Social Democras, Kadicals, even parts of rhe If Craxi can pull off some sorr of realgnment he believes he will have butir a force tug enough tu seriously lake on the Communis — an any would come an around 23 per cent whael is mot far short of the weis declining 20 per cent share of the vote. Ir is even being asts in the coalton, the Socialist Party irst and the Christme Democrats (DCT). PST success at the polls (up * per cent, allowed PSi leader Craxi to vero for his grand project of drawing be- PCI secretary Natta - sporting the kind of snappy suit that heavyweisht DICT eurocommunist should be forces every well-dressed wearing this year caligned groupang partics. Grecus!- centre* aLES
cralytrike od 15 November in response increasey and agaiust legal regulation strike since 1981 was a success but it was a one-oft means of pressure used The bourgeo and PCI press were also keen to present it as a reassertion of the offrial unions? authority over the dangermas derrabi- The latest developments m the itical dilliculties in organising such ab coordinating meeting of the COBAS in Democrat induenced CISL) called a one-day gen- to the finance bill's proposed tas CORAS have revealed some of the pol- uf Lade unions. The firs anti-burcaucratic current the Carstan tising male of the CORAS by the bureaucracy Naples before the A feature of these struggles, all of which have been in defenco of jobs or opposition of rank and file workers to They have now decloped agam in certain important sectors in the last six went restructuring plans, has been the dicals negonared by the reformist appa- ratures. Time and time again at Alfa lia or on the rail we bave seen votes as with the Unda (che PCI newspaper) has had to recognisc the alienation of the union membership conditiols: against govern- union leaderships usually Runico, with the teachers and at Ahra Ocrasionallys from their leaders. wörking sugeested thar he coald then threaten continuing the cough, deanine of In any case Gorld's goverment in This is similar in some respects to Thaccherissa: atlacking onc by onrall the sliding scale of prices and wages Up to now, however, despite the ing srandards and working conditions. Italian governments have not been his presenr DCT partners with a wow thc gains made by working peopin in cpiromised by his successful atrack on Irontal offensivc on working class liv- able to go as far ax Thatcher, Party the threc-ycar Cras goverment. struggles from 1969-75 PRI PCI alternative. mechazust. the
remher demonstration ended in a split tist" (anti-political) forces and the hard but obviously rhis dispute allected mobilisation for the demonstration. Ad the same time the bureaucracies and the press did everytling to tar the COBAs will the brush of oxtremism and in fact the police banned the Neverthelesse significant mass ral- lies were held in Milan and Romc. With the big trade amon contedera- tie committed to further campaigns on the upconung contract neghations and the finance bill there wall he plenty lef activists. The left won a majoricy of opportunity for the CORAS to deve- planned 12 De between the more rightist, demonstration in Milan. In fact, Orchero, heir apparent to much in the balance sheet he drew of industrial strongholds as a result of members voting against their leaders they are organising independently m Another reason for this sense that cant thar Democrazia Proletaria Lock votes from the POl in i nordern what has been happeng in the unions. Not ouly an trade tien the CORAs (Commati de Base. — base the PCI's election losses. It is signifi *significant mass rallies in Milan and Rome! systern Aself halien social security cover has always But perhaps the key question for thr delicit stands at nearly 13 per cent of GDP For the bosses it is the maggot growing bigger away al thie The media's fascination with Italian Britain's (22 corpon) does nat food the but mainly they are hampered both by and central to the new finance bill they want adopted, is get buoyant growth and export success. real mattery who are looking envadosis this is because there is less to attack — and by continuing delensive struggles, ring the state budger delicit reduced. been less extensive than in Britain bourgeois political
recent years. At the same time there is the same nid probiem of bow to build a cv in the unions challenging the bald of dency is nerded in huild on the gains ol carh wavr of sif-activity so that the Bext wave can go even tarther. Al- Rowlurionary arrivists in traly ure encouraged by the opening presented by tbe slightly increased vote for rad- ical policies at the election and the However they are aware oftle limita- nons of the movement: Holy affects certain sectois and has not yet reached even the scale of the autorpent ul ore permanent class struggle lenden- shinguent cank and he mlitanes predominantly the PCI. the apparatuses do not belong to the membets is the way thar unson posts are divided out at the top on a regional or bational level between the PCI and PST factions of the bureaucracy, with- cul any relerence being made to the membership in the real support for rescrititives Of dillerent COBAS was More worrying for the union leaders arc the frest attempts to coordinate the latest rank and file cornmittees, the COBAS. A meeting of about 200 rep- took votes from the PCI •Democrazia Proletaria cach faction at the base: in proportion to political influence in Alongsale the battle over the lance: ten prr-1969 gains — the proposals to rowards Tharcher's medicine Jur cull- The Italian deficit is partly a resir mic in much of the stare sector, that is johs and pensions are often distributed in return for political loyalty. A That- cherice line of managerial officimey/ dition of sharing our different heldom» the majority coalinion. Despite this the new finance bill will Jerociously ratio- malise the health service and other state bill slicie is one attack that does thren- of the political patronage system ende privansation comics up against the tra ing state deficits.
SOCIALIST OUTIOOK no 5 Jangory/Fehruary 1988 tempts in the CGIL, die must impor- Democracy) was set up in 1981 coming Many ofis leading lights belong to DI but independent activists and the Ta- Communist 1 caguc (ECK) are alko involved. A meeting in Ocrober tried to draw a balance sheet of the tenden- Some nEthe differences at that meel- ing revolved aroond a diflerent con- racy. Di', with its Mrs and tcam of full Lime trade union officials — who nfren play a positive role: — tends m skirt tant union, bave hughlighted thie prob- han trotskyists of the Revolutionary not of the anooteran experience cepton of low to igh the burcaur poocd self-regulation of the right to sectors is understandably relictant to hand over the strike weapon to the Not wanting to be outflanked, and with the government refusing to con- code in any case, the three trade union confederations (the above mentioned held on 21 and 22 November and among other things it decided to call for delegations to a demonstraton in defence of the right to strike on 12 union confederation has more or less pendent trade unionism. The PCI-led CGIT, opposes such laws but has pro- strike in such sensitive sectors as transport, Mass. sentiment in such December. The Socianst-Jed UlL trade acoopted such interference with inde thc policies is the resilience of working ecunomist approach disinte- limit the right to strike in certain case resistance. Undoubiredly thix 1s rested in overall political solutions for The other difficuley for ruling case attempes to carry out new austerity uneven from sector to sector. Some strongholds like Fiar bave not reco- vered from their big deleats, and some rank and file activists have a corporat- The phenomenon of rank and file Iront 1969-74 and then resurfaced with the comnutices goes right back to an occa contract negotiations a fow ycars ago around Version sectors, particularly transport. examinecy ultra-icitist working people vulturerat sionally ist UT 22
M ILJ. lenging the ICT on the key program- matic, questions Jor die unions, This can Le further seen in pencral political teres in their topen letter to the left wilch altempred, correcdy, to uner- amund the quesrion of frontally chal
vene among PC militants debating The letter makos several grocral points agalast the idiocies of the PCT* search for the holy grail of the culture of guvernment by realfring the their parry is deleat.
Greens arrive in the Bundestag for the first time in 1983 23 to the 'new politics'? ry and the class struggle went out of This is nor to suggest that the rise of The subsequent rapid expansion of ruling SPD-Liberal coalson in Bonn, now shorn of its initial reformism of the Brandt years, had disillusioned a provided there was an issuc capable of sent into a coberent challenge to Lie erablishment in Bonn. This issue was provided by NATO's decision in De- remher 1979 to depiny a new genera- pean countries. It was the peace move- and outside the SPI) that brought down Whatever happened badges. Caricature? imperialism and social imperialism inco Certainly, but the speed at whach theo- the Greens was merely a matter of the old radical left dressing up in new Clothes. A new awareness of ecological issues bad gradually spread ever suce the wil crisis of the carly seventies had The women's movement and the 'citi- zen's initiatives had spread political activism beyond higher cducation and the trude unions and laid the founda- lions of a new, participatory political culure manside the cruditonal struc- tites of partiumentary and party poli- The prolonged death agony of the Thus, by the turn of the derade, the graund had been prepared for a politi- cal phenomenon such as the Greens. focussing the disparate forces of dis riun ul nuclear missiles in West Ger- tany and four other western Furo: Tient and its ropercussions both within put energy onto the political agenda. focus for spectacular mass rescance. nuccar power schemes provided swords whole generation of young fashion was still breathraking badges. wearing ploughshares The German Greens in crisis: TOOK FOR MANY ON the Britich and western European lef, the rise of the (Green Parry in West Germany sance the carly years of this decade has served as the model of a new politics': a radical movement.which not only managed ro cranscend the fragmenration of a Gier- man far left notorious for sectarians but even succceded in thie arca of cloctoral politics — which hi- there had appeared the impehetrable Immators sprang up all over western lesser - success Even in Britain the intervention of Greco Ecology Party randidates tay well have Cost Labour Bevond the purely electoral scene, the chief impact of the Greens has been on the termis of debare on the intellectual lett, where the appeal of the new police often served an cover 1 was in West Germany, of course; nost-1968 this former barbed of critical universi- rimles, suddenly became decidedly unfashion- The distriburors of red tracte at the morning shutt in favour of more rurd! target sroups in the vicinity of pucicar power stations, and the apologists of Chinals homh as a defence agains Burope with varymg - and generally for a besty retreat from an outdated, where tbc collapse of marxist s legs: Ins wing bookshops overflowing with re theory abandoned the carly quotation-hurling polemicists and left- • handful of seas in the general elec generanoo was most spectacilar. prints of the socialist classics, ries. Dar Napita reading fortress of social democracy mons among thr radical Merile marxisat. factory gates devision. able. SOCIALIST OUTLOCK is 5 January/February 1998 a porno star Me, Tan need for a peal changr, a real brcak However in is remarkably unspecific about who it is challenging, being careful nor to nail ibe PCT with specific responsibility for Fach sector — the unions, ecological movements and women for example - is mote or less corroctly deait with but the dillicult question of how rhe left can rcfound itself is vague and ively painless "coming together of The exact role of the working class is tudged and the nurs and bolts of the Aght with the majority working class urgamnsations like the PC are not exa: Coming hark ro Denizia Conciliare work would favour its development ar am ideological current favnuring rank cial organised movement challenging The trade unions become just another and the imporrance of pol- itically organising against the POT is underestimared or is left to the DP and Then is an element of how the British SWP sces united tront work in the unions, a sort of reflex nos to get too involved in the nitty gritty of united front tendencies because it detracis from projecting the actvities of the independent party, competing head to Lead with the big working class par- Hcoce critics of TiP say Donarasia urganised structures of activists which can bring in wider layers chan just those who agree idcologically with the an tarth trade union bulletin lor organis: Unfortunately the British pross inclading the Morging Stor) has bardly mentioned rocent developments in Rush's problems with the ramacio, sors. Even Maram Today which seeks so much inspiration there tends to look at yer another interminable P61 sem: mar rather than the experience of the ike gains made by rhe righr since 1975g we can sce that DP's general frame- and file demorracy, but not as a cros. the POT's bold over the working class: the scries of movements in sociely. I# or the LER on a national level. approach would lie a more down to and not rurning up to see the Wind: could even be serpreted as a relar Comfor should have denucratically if such these dillerent movernents. Anorher: consequence DAVE KELLAWAY with the system. Ital. Newsis ing activists. movement' • BOBAS mined lies-
• it was surely mare to expect che Salto nucleas energy programme agest Crowing Feistance Trom its own basc, blindly continue on this disastrones curse once in opposition. Faced wath • growing programmal covegenc with soul democrav and the chal- lenge of a red-erce alliance to mist Those whise political activist baud ilemoeras Ike the vil rights wover Orn Schily old pappagance of tee POla missile deplovinenciand its own concern forthenry, srategy or megan- ment, tying to loyally lamplement Na never been informed by any indiviralist Kohl-Stranss-Cornsrher. Inst thair guilitical nerve parties have robbed che Greens of Thr Tosses in the Hamburg clection» their sronghold of Hamburg, and accelerating the abject capitulation of the realos' to the srD's demands of public professions of loyaly to die "democratic state' befere any collabo- Thas what initially appeared to be have puhlicly soldified into prolound programmaric divisions just when Le decline of the peace movement and the distuvery of the vote winning powerof eculugical concern Dy the established wore follower by the failure to wit in Schleswig-Hoiscein, and a merely tactical differences in many ration could be cunsidered. much of their momentum. the Schmids governmem and opened The hundreds of thossands who. sudden drumatic incrcase in the forces. parliamentary leadership. the voterans: While the publir face of the Greens demonstrated in the sireeis of Boun against cruise and Pershing, and the mans more whose vote carried the Green Parry beyond the critical live i did nut represent 7 ation of the new party, and particu- larly in irs parhamentary and extra- bf the scudent movement of 1968 and bf die inaoist sects of the 1970c soon of the far left Bar inside the organis the road into parliamenr played a leading parr. per rent barrier!
political operation fas alwavs been demoralised ex-maoises in bowing to By contras, those whose mode of deburialis in social demirade be: Bendic und loschka Fischer — joined Ten in the real? fartion which de- fends the state emmopoly A violence. ched. urges the Palestinians to cotor lo Ist will linch occupation, and ae- cepts ANTO membetship Test a dis- armed Federal Repubhe should find sectar no rever back to a sterils tresals and the quasi-stalinist world ming aloud whether Corrharhes is hor tie art of the possible Thisismos itself exposed in Rossian hlackmail. view of their macist period ferd anarchist like thinks the police Transcending traditional concepts of lernos stare since the election? From all vestions of the party, loud The crisis is really abour the collapse left and right. nE claw strugale and founded on the programmarinal baris begun to take shape within benefit from the Barschel scandal shaking thar nor- are voiced, and public calk of an im- pending split has been rife for months. of the allusion that a new polities *a left wing has tentatively complaints about poltical of the croingy moror total failure to hared by the Tamburg-based group is League). the remants of the dis- solved pro-Chinese KPD, thr Inrmer: Cohn Bencil the fart than despire their clectoral soccenses, the Greens never acquirod.a mass membership and most of their local party branches lead a marginal existence not entirly dissimilarito Has of the local branches of the old far-felt was identitied with individual Ake Pera Kelly and de former Bandes- general Gerl Bastian, the politi- around Rainer Trampert and homue Ehennann dormerly of the Guannun- and Toschka Fischer, and the erswhile KAW. Thor influcore was helped bo cal infrastructure came to be demi Frenkfure-based around Daniel
preparing d capiraber restoration in witch soill passocin many nunnere as Yet the temptagon co gloat over the crisis of the Grecos — which may well herald deir imminent denis as d sugnificant political force - should be resisted. Notonly have they forced rhe let to widen its theorctical horizons bevond the coonomisn and rarism ordicdon marisa. bot they havr so, and m practice, exposed the moth that in non-revolutionary rimes the ginal to real politics and reduced to Their demise, parricularly it it were to occur now under the present cu- radical let must, by necessity, be mar acrile propagandim. tus It was based on the peace musement population from social democracy and l'tis multicoloured protest vote was The widespread noon thar thr conlogy party b. n any case, mistaken. While the coule- ocalises provided a real, and by no means only tactical, bond between the parts of the Greens, their political success wat nor exclusively or even primarily based on as well as on a hroad range dif ster issues which alienared sections of the helped conscitute a kind of rambos from feminism to third fundamentalis opposed to since thr movement's inception and is Ir is only against this backgnurki that the present crisis of the German Bit what is this crisis? In the bourgcois press, much is made of the public puabbles between the reales" — Nic realis wing advocating - close al- lance with ibe SPD. which has al and, arcording to all polls, among the vast thajority of the Greenes toember- Che Lualitionist srategy of the realus. But dus conflict has been ragwig majority in the parliamentary party Greens can be properly urulerstu, who control the national executive, slap and electorare caitre parties.
2 On the ese if the election, the Christn- portial suas manor, a minimum share of 0% of the national vote is requred 1. Demenu Poonice of Selicone-Hobsem wis dence be allegations, has SOCIALIST OUT OCK n0.5 Jensatyifahruary 1983 cumstances, would bedsctback for the whole Eurpean left and a most unwel- come, negative conGration of mars- and rapidly rang star in the CL, Lu* spocal branch agents against his solf oppo- 1 Lnder the West German svaem of pro croche hum with leake abour his private lite GÜNTER MINNERUP ist octiodox; • Ver it propelled into parliament fas regional and focal level). groups nf arrivists who now found themselves in the unfamiliar role of and the abilin to nimbly take up the Greene icone of peace and roology with unsuspected was cling out along seans govern: tasy er solidified into some kind of iren- The present crisis does lite more than to lay bare the Hawe which have characecrised the Green project from its inception White it could empo- marily calch the sPD on the hop as it logical or organisational coherence. groups with more secure ideological: roots ninthing new. As long as the Greins were Carried along on the tide if the as long as only they cout offer the Sit not — the prospert of a ronm to government, the warring lactions were Since the gencral elections earlier come harder. The outright геесцол bE Greens be the SPD Jeader, Johannes fered a crushing elecrocal deleal in - whether ir liked the terms offered or any sind of arrangeluct with the Ran: during the clection campaign dening the soctanianism afthe funda- who subsequently suf peace movement and electoral success, had the ellect of sumulancoosy har- this vear, however, the going has be held togetlier niore or less uncasily 24
increased repression on both sides offthe border. continuation of the process which stared with: sophisticated, strategy in dir imperialis war He argues that ties developments are the the accord. and represent a new. mor After Enniskillen The offensive against republicanism SOCIALS OUTLOOK i Lay February 199A against the Irish people: IRELAND accord. Here PIERS MOSTYN maps our the November saw the second anniversary of the Hillsborough agreement — che Anglo-trish response to the Enniskillen bombing. the signing of the extradition treaty and dir
IRA poster, thousandsol which have been wild in Ircland. backed up by the unsubstantiated word of a superinten- dent that he is a member of the IRA. As the politcial fortnightly Mugit has punted our, this lays even An Central in this frenzy of collaborationism has been the ratification of the extradition trary with Britain. With the agreement of all the parties it went through with very to rubber stamping by the attorney general and the act is Thatcher and Hanghey were described as being on very: minor amendments. Extradition orders are to be subject to lies reviewed in a vear. After all the 'concern' about the Birmingham six the Dublin authorities are quite prepared The potential consequences of extradition for ordin- ary Irish people have heen widely recognised, The Irish Tat attempts an fishing expeditions with the gathering ofevidence beginn- ing after extradition: Magill extimates thar as many as 600. people living in the 20 counties may be threatened with extradition, many of whom had associations with republi- A large scale British military mobilisation in the: with Sinn Fein councillors, and the catholic bishops/ to band over dozens more victims to Britain on demand. north was mounted simultaneously with that in the south, involving over 300 raids: 40 Sinn Fein members were arrested, including five councillors and vice-president Martin McGuinness. The scaling of the border was used to construct hirer new army spy posts. The reaction to Enniskillen was used to whip up sectarian violence char claimed ar least one life anif a large number of injuries. The SDEP announced that they would refuse to co-operate pronounced that supporting violence against the occupy- ing forces is sinful — provoking spontaneous walk-ours in Enruskillen was only an excuse for the escalation of a process that began well before the bomb went off: Secret- good terms when they discussed the issues subsequently: Phobiacht sellers open to charges of IRA membership. Timer has described previous extraditon "in Monaghan county alone, 500 houses were raided in the first week' churches across the six munties. canism which arc long past, IRELAND THE END OF 1987 saw an unprecedented offensive against the anti-imperialist movement in Ireland — osten- sibly in response to Enniskillen and the seizing of a 150-ton arms shipment, allegedly bound forthe IRA on 23 launched the biggest military mobilisation ever secn in and 2500 soldiers, amounted to a virtual declaration of forces in the north with the stated aim of "flushing out IRA November, the 26-county justice minister, Gerry Collins, the republic. The raids, inviving 4500 gardai (police) emergency, They were organised jointly with British The operation was equivalent to mobilising 110000 volunteers and locating hundreds of tons of milirary soldiers in Britain. This was designed as the Guardian editorialised, to demonstrate that the arpument that After ten days thousands of homes were reported to have been searched. In Monaghan alone, 500 houses were raided in the first week; one housing estate was subject to a seige by troops and police and half the 187 houses were claim that the search was for a staggering 150 cons of raided. In the Cabra area of Dublin over 30 houses went operation covered every one of the 26 counties. Given the armour-piereing shells and rockers, 125000 Ibs of high grade commercial explosive, a batch of Sam 7 missiles and so on— it seems pathetic that all they found was a couple The air of the cxercise was casentially policical — to demonstrate resolve in upholding the border by brute Gerry Adams MP has thus warned that it is the beginning oFa full frontal assault on Sinn Fein' and part of the Hillsborough agreement's hidden agenda'. Armed gar- dai raided Sinn Fein's Dublin HQ and the offices of its age and removing files, photos and cquipment. Republi can premises in other parts of the country were also Dublin is soft on the IRA cannot be sustained any longer" force and terrorise any potential internal opposition. newspaper An Phoblacht/Terpublican New — causing dam. raided in a pattern that was repeated all over the city. of dozen rifles and four republican cscapers. emergency equipment.
ary ol state Tom King had previously announced a didates aimed atexcluding Sinn Fein and floated the idea when a number of Sinn Fein-dominated connels were suspended for refusing to recognise the British govern- government proposal for i declararion by clection can of an outrigh: ban. This is catircly reminiscent of 1922 TD whose vote, ironically, has been vital in keeping Haughey's minority government in power. The target- Onc of the many victims of the raids was Neil Blancy ing of Blancy was symptomatic of the broad sweep of the repression. The offices of the Ami Extradition Campaign were raided as were many activists associated with langu-
THE PRO PARTIRON ofensive has been extended to - mainly in the form of a vicious witebhunt against the principled stind of Ken Livingstone in re- of chosc denouncing him — few of whom lost any sleep grann or when the LS bombed a mental hospical in asserting the teed for British withdrawal. The hyposcrisy Grenada — i nausearing. The offensive in Rritain has been part of a determaned drive to roll back support for a The establishmens in furious that Tony Benn. an ex-cabinet minister, in defending Ken Livingstone