*The false idea that unemployment is an ill to be avoided at all costs is a myth that must be destroyed.' This was part of Portuguese premier Azevedo's austerity message on television two days before Christmas. Also included in the package were massive price rises and an extension until March at least of the wage freeze imposed in the aftermath of 25 November.
This broadcast was the clearest indication yet of the Sixth Provisional Government's determination to extend the advantage it won inside the armed forces with the collapse of the military rebellion to the rest of Portuguese society. The aim is to make the working class pay the cost of restoring capitalism to good health, while at the same time avoiding any premature confrontation by too blatant a crack-down.
REPUBLICA
The regime has therefore concentrated its open workers and their supporters would be.
to crush the vanguard of the workers movement has been the struggle over the land reform. additional aspect here has been the open mobilisation of extreme right-wing forces encouraged by the Government's repression against the left. Indeed, the struggle for the land illustrates in a nutshell the dilemma which still faces the regime -and its Socialist Party members in particular.
FARMERS
came with a mass demonstration of farmers on 14 December at the town of Rio Maior, 50 miles north of Lisbon. most of the British press as a demonstration by small peasants against Communist thugs who were trying to seize their tiny plots and leave them destitute. It was left to a Le Monde correspondent on the spot, Dominique Pouchin, to point out that the gathering was actually dominated by large and medium sized proprietors, many of them Another example of the Government's attempts But an The most dramatic expression of this conflict This was hailed rapturously by League (LCI-Portuguese group of the Fourth International) called for a public discussion on the balance sheet of the FUR and on the ways of bringing about unity in action of the different workers' and revolutionary forces.
Another group, the League of Revolutionary Unity and Action (LUAR), has also left the FUR. In a public self-criticism, LUAR considers that the FUR's "triumphalism' was partly responsible for the adventure of 25 November, but declares itself 'ready more than ever to engage in unity of action with all the revolutionary forces if it is based on clear principles'. It also makes an importone still not grasped by groups like the Revolutionary Party of the Proletariat (PRP) and the Movement of the Socialist Left PORTUGUESE READERS SAY 'THANKS:
Thank you for your article, 'The Revolution in a State of Siege'. A small group of Portuguese left students has A first starting point for an examina tion of the line of the PRP is the question of social democracy and fascism Comrade Harman claims that we attack the error ura-dangerous corrusions on social democracy and fascism when in fact all they do is remind people of the fact that social democracy prepares the way for fascism - something which trotsky pomica out in mis wartigs on Germany Here, unfortunately, comrade Har man is simply playing games on a deadly serious question. As comrade Harman mUSt KnOw. rOtsKy was ConcernCE LO emphasise not merely the historical truth that social democracy prepares the way for fascism, but the absolutely crucial qualitative difference between social democracy and fascism. Furthermore, we attacked the PRP not for asserting historic truths about social democrac paving the way for fascism but for its