general election and the possibility of a Labour government raise questions about 'democracy'. What are the differences between marxists and reformists over the nature of the capitalist state? Is gradual progress towards socialism possible?
The basic premise of reformism was explained by Konrad Schmidt in the early 1900s. He wrote that the trade union struggle for hours and wages and the political strug gle for reforms will lead to a progressively more extensive conthe conditions of And so 'as the rights of the the proprietor will be diminished through legislation, he will be reduced in time to the role of simple administrator'. The 'the direction and administration of exploitation will be taken away from him entirely'.
Monopolies
After nearly a century of reformism in western Europe, the opposite has happened. Capital has centralised into powerful and unaccountable monopolies and multinationals which determine policy far more than the electorate.
The Labour Party has always been a liberal reformist (ie bourgeois) party which bases itselfis working class. This bureaucracy has always been servile towards the capitalist class and loyal to its institutions.
extol parliament as progressive and democratic, and see it as the instrument of social date.
Because of this timidity, the labour bureaucracy is recognised by the bourgeoisie as an acceptable, even useful, player in parliament and the bourgeois Kinnock's idea of 'democratic socialism' is nothing more than an embellishment of bourgeois agenda The momentous political events of the last year have raised many new tional issue. This school will provide an opportunity to discuss these issues in a relaxed and open atmosphere.
* Programme * The history of our movement * Stalinism, the post war social overturns * Destalinisation and political revolution * Achievements and limitations of the Cuban and Nicaraguan revolutions Workshops democracy, designed to cover up its hypocrisy and limitations. Marxists maintain that behind this facade of democracy lies the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.
Every bourgeois democratic state limits constitutionally, legally, or in practice - the rights of assembly, strike and the freedom of press. It has mechanisms of repression, using police and troops, to use against the working class in cases of 'violation of public order'.
Machine
'In reality' explained Frederick Engels, 'the state is nothing but a machine for the oppression of one class by another, and indeed in the democratic republic no less than in monarchy! Bourgeois ideologues have understood this too. In the famous book 'The Wealth of Nations', Adam Smith wrote 'Civil government...is in reality instituted for the defence of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have not at all!
But, argue the reformists, things have changed since then, society is more democratic. Unfortunately, present day 'democracy' is still a class society controlled by the rich. The 1984 miners' strike showed " how the state is not impartial, but defends one class against another.
Universal suffrage does not alter this. For most people, 'democracy' lasts five minutes every five years - the time it takes to get in and out of the voting booth! None of the representatives we elect are accountable, and voters have no way of ensuring that policies will be imBoth the Tories and abour frequently flout their manConditions of crisis and war can move the majority of the working class to launch a determined fight for radical change. But upheaval and revolution are not in the reformist model. Under these conditions, the ruling class will always defend itself with every means available: state repression and fasSocialist Outlook Residential Summer School North Wales 24th - 29th August 1991 * The Foundation of the Fourth Intera* The middle East and Palestine Trotskyism and decolonisation in etc. China, Vietnam, Algeria * Women's liberation debates * The armed struggle * Trotskyism and the unions Basic Marxism * State Capitalism * Permanent Revolution * Political revolution * Economics * Women's liberation * The national question * Leisure * cism are two examples.
Do we urge workers to accept the 'rule of law', return to work, and put its faith in parliament, the civil service and the army? Revolutionaries urge the working class to create its own instruments of struggle and government and The reformist project has always led to bloody defeat.
Parliamentary elections cannot be the road to socialism. In reality they are used, by the Labour Party and others, to integrate the working class into bourgeois politics -and away from the struggle for workers' power. In times of upsurge and general strikes, such as in France in 968, elections have been called in order to demobilise and break the momentum of the revolutionary movement.
Objectives
However, revolutionaries do not reject parliamentary activity, nor do we reject reforms which im prove the situation of the workers and oppressed. We call on left governments to implement anticapitalist measures. ' Our disagree ment with the reformists is over the objectives of parliamentary activity and the relationship between this and the struggle outside parliament.
The aim of the reformists is to tinker with the existing system, and improve the conditions of the working masses - finances permitting. This is called 'realism! Even for left reformists, the activity of the masses fighting for their interests is subordinate to parliament, or at best, it is seen as a support to their work in parliament. liamen tary actiolutionande, pren But for revolutionaries, liamentary activity is undertaken to support the struggle of the working class and oppressed - as a platform to spread revolutionary ideas, help the organisation of their struggle and expose the limits of parliament itself. It is close to the beaches of Anglesey and the mountains of Snowdonia. Opportunities for walks, visits to pubs, sports * Accomodation * Single rooms with self-catering facilities. Children will be catered for, let us know their ages in advance.
* Costs * £60 for waged, £30 for unwaged and students. (£12 and £6 for bookings on a daily basis) The school is open to supporters of Socialist Outlook and those interested in our political ideas.
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