There was always a problem with the type of government anticipated by working class — two problems really. The two major workers Socialist Parties (PCF and PS) kept grouping, the Left Radicals, in and the PCF has TOW. agreed support Gaullist candidates in wo constituencies.
These obscure and apparemiy meaningless sects went almost unnotioed until the Radicals tried to assert their independent role in September cosis that meant the end of the Union of the Left. - The Importance of Radicals was — and is - only partof a wider problem. PROGRAMME The Common Programme of the Union oftheLeft — inetber the PCF or PS version → was class collaborationist to the core. Above all it was tied to the acceptance of the existing constitution and the preservation of the vast powert of a right wing President. The logic ofitspolicy of piecemeal retorn to defend living standards was austerity policy dilferent from that of Labor Government in Tritain of the Socialia Party CovertThe Left Radical Fated neatly snic that stratewy, ancie seasovable theniling classcoeld be and wlay it was therelore tecessary not to upect them, That if by, with the collapse of the sulance, the PCF set off it роскос of nice Teh Doulasta and there" muttering io corners abou an impending agreement between the PS and Gicard majority If now looksanthough the split patched up. There if certainly strong pressure in direction. were getting fed up with what the PS and bizarre sectarianism From the PLF.
Since there was no fundaClas Gramme despite Marchals" claims to the contray -*Left couldn't they get back together codefeat theright wing? Thereis even a secret opposition in the PCFdemanding as much.
This reflects a basic and Left healthy working class instinct for wily But unity is moL the enough. The question must be unity with whom, and for what? The first step must be for the workers' Left Radienls, Left Gaullists other baggage that comes their way These parties only because they provide the the PSand PCF te provide more radical measures. the that The workers' sounding a conscious echo of WOTACT the French Popular Front of the 1930%. Only then the electoral weight of the Radical Party provided the workers excuse plausible even if it was fake prog Their allies now are just a larcicalahides.
The PS and PCF must take government becaule they are res clutionary organisations streich of the imagination) but because they are still the parties based on the mass organisation of the working class that most workers look to for leadership.
So the question then becannes:
LOC whatsort ofleadership can these ruling class parties provide? The slogan of the Socialist Party-Communist Party powernment may DOa hoary old Trotskyist cliche, bur like most cliches it has a firm core of accuracy. reason weargue forthese parties DE GAULLE: his shadow hangs over the election campaign. parties arc parties which was (DOL by the parties to take reformnist leadershups.
The main probiem needsot the warkingclass місп а родіона Cubal must ne the Gaullist decisions.
introduce policies. 1936: building workers march on the partiament bullding after the election of the Popular Front Government.
power is that this redundancies. provides the hest conditions for advancing the mass struggle and for workers to challenge thei and To do that we have to put forward a programme that we attacks; fight for such & government to implemei. Weden'idochisina abortion on spirit of sectarianism towards the mass parties, nor simply to "expose chei, imagining thai this will automatically solve the revolutionary leadership. The progrimme we Tight for is one that is busest on the immediate and long-terin In France the revolutionary strike in slate which is standing in the first round has begun lo present There's hardly room to spell our all the PENE demands bere. but we can pive leaders. an idea of the sort of ching we enter today one of the government of the PS and PCE Polls Show rejection of the 1958 constitution Which gives vast presidentia powersol velcover government and which would effectively shitle any alteripe to working class The revolutionary slate also puts forward a comprehensive progranume in defence of living standards, with o minimum across-the-board rises maintenance of huying power on a trade ution price index: guaranteed jobs for all and nationalisation without compensation under workers Vol TirIns creating FOR NOTRE THALL one progrannie cemens Le end of racist immigration laws inunigrants" democratic rights, defence against an end pr discrimination, equal pay, tro demand, and delence against sexist violence.
It gives escensive colcrage to the detence of the demociatic right of youne people and the conscript soldiers and against all forms of state repression, af well as demanding an eod role. withdrawal from NATO, and STeEPHOLAE BILLICHE strikeforce is ten a programme the Socialist and Cosmunist esders would be loo keen on. Bur it is one that answers be immediate needs of the massor worker. Noris it a programme of government" in the sense understood by the reformists and much of the European Far all anstead is a ane OF advance for the mass struggle of the working class a struggle which will be made that much easier parties cometo power.
Even If every single measure were introduced by a governmcar (which is hardly on the cardsl) socinlism would have arrived. There would still be the limal stronghoid of capitalist economic and stale power lo conquer. That is not the point. The fight for such a programme, partscularly under a PS-PCF government will heip break down those strongholds Yes, it may be a bit of a chiehe, But the demand for a government of the Socialist and Communist Parties and the Tant Torn class strugale ogramme just happens to hold the key to the current political sitention in France continental Press