I WAS surprised to read ['Brussels sprouts a Bonaparte', SO 107] that Belgium's "working class tends to absorb the ideas of the ruling class relatively easily."
That was probably the cace during the years of imperialist prosperity. The post war economic boom helped integrate the workers' organisations into the state.
The long recession reversed that process. Now Belgian work- Europe. ers face increasing attacks and the working class organisations are starting to diverge from the policy of the ruling class.
There is a growing fracture inside the working class movement between the unions and the politician who are backing the Maastricht process.
The ruling class is campaigning against the welfarist ideas that backed up the post war arrangement in Belgium.
trade unions, Belgium's working class will accept these new attacks no more weaknesses. easily than any other in western Duncan Chapel, Harringay N4. opened up the next expansion of mittee of a Campaign for Socialthe Labour Party, which reached 2.1 million members by 1915, ism after last year's party conferand 3.5 million by 1919. ence, rather than walking out, he In fact these figures are de- could have strengthened the Left ceptive: the Party did not allow rather than weakening it.
Whatever the name, the conindividual membership until 1918, and relied exclusively on tent of Geoff Martin's suggestion affiliated organisations - it was should receive wide support or overwhelmingly the party of the the left of the unions.
Indeed as an Observer columreflecting their nist summed up recently, if Lastrengths and their political bour's union link is severed, the Though proclaiming itself rump that remains will not be 'New Labour' so much as 'New 'socialist', and adopting the famous 'Clause Four'commitment Liberalism'. Our history is still very much part of present-day to nationalisation. in practice labour remained politically tied to politics.
Socialist ISSN 0957-8657. PUBLISHED BY AURORA LTD. © 1996 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED BY EASTWAY OFFSET Blunkett sides instinctively, unerringly with the employers against the workers Union-bashing is to be a centrepiece of New Labour's bid for the votes and donations of millionaire businessmen and reactionary layers of the middle class.
Together with Blair's talk of tax cuts to a 10p basic rate, his lamborees courting business sponCLINTON'S ENCIRCLEMENT of Iraq has forced Saddam Hussein to recognize the extension of the southern no-fly zone and agree not to reconstruct its air defences.
The mans show that Irao is allowed no control over the great majority of its territory. The United States have made it clear that this is in order to protect sorship, and the party's increasingly right wing social agenda, it is the latest sign of the modernisers' determined attempt to transform the party into a cross-class neo-Liberal party. Given the actual policies already adopted, whether or not the party also drops the charade their crucial oil interests, not the rights of the Kurdish people.
Countless Iraqi people were slaughtered during the barbaric Gulf war. Millions have suffered since as a result of the devastation wreaked then and the sanctions subsequently imposed.
the lanour movement must oppose military action against Iraq. We must demand an end to the ambaroo. Despite the fact Editorial: Page 3 sideration. restrictions on the right to strike. against the unions. embarrass the Labour Party. that the U.S. has engaged in extensive diplomatic discussion, it has failed to recement the Gulf war alliance. In Britain however, not only the Tories but also the Labour Party have yet again shown themselves slavish followers of U.S. imperialism. We must demand an end to labour's bioar. tisanship and an end to the use of British bases by the U.S.
Bosnia elections of calling itself socialist is of only secondary conGone is the debate over how much of Thatcher's vicious barrage of anti-union laws a new Labour government might repeal: if David Blunkett gets his way, none of them will go.
His keynote speech to the TUC, leaked in an article to the Tory Evening Standard, has made it clear that the only changes will be even tighter He wants to impose more ballots - every time an employer claims to have made a new offer -to disrupt and demoralise union members.
He likes the idea of pay review bodies - which eradicate any collective bargaining process - and compulsory arbitration, which does the same.
Acting as if he believes he is already in government, administering capitalism on behalf of the ruling class, Blunkett regards strikes as the problem - no matter what the Issue - and ne sides instinctively, unerringly with the employers He dismisses the battles over pay and conditions on the rail, underground and Royal Mail as 'playing politics with our public services' - as if the strikers had no grievances, and were only out to • The capitalists and their governments are conducting a world-wide offensive against the past gains of the working class, whether under the guise of austerity programmes or the Maastricht treaty. • Socialist Outlook is organising a weekend of discussion with international speakers aimed at a better understanding of this neo-liberal offensive and how to fight Speakers so far include from the French trade unionists, the international 'Cancel the Debt' campaign and socialists from the Ivory Coast, with more being approached.
And he sets the scene for a massive witch-hunt against union activists by denouncing those who are willing to engage in disputes as 'armchair revoltionaries.
All this of course, like every other right wing policy of 'New Labour", is dressed up in meaningless ohrases about 'partnershid'. "cooperation'. 'goodwill and 'sensible and sane discussion' between employers and unions.
Blunkett knows, of course that none of this Mary Poppins fantasy has anything to do with the real world in which a continuing, increasingly vicious employers' offensive is attacking the jobs, pay and most basic working conditions.
The class war is still alive and kicking. The employers who are now pumping money into the Labour coffers are doing so as an investment because they believe New Labour is now on their side of the barricades, against the workers.
Millions of trade unionists and Labour voters still believe otherwise: that s why they want the Tories out and a Labour government elected. But with Blair's hard-right modernisers in charge and the party up for auction to end its financial dependence on the unions, the fightback for real change to benefit working people must start now. Socialist Outlook International Forum Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October central London. Future issues will carry more details on speakers and venue LTD. (TU ALL DEPTS)
What is at stake in Blair and Europe Iraq
Fight for free education