What is the purpose of a joint electoral slate?
We agree with Duncan Hallas that tbe success of revolutionaries in elections cannot be gauged simply by the sumber of votes won. However, to say that our success or failures can be judged simply by 'memhers recruited, contacts made 5H readers gained and so on, is quite upside-down way to see things The starting point in elections, as in any policy, is not whether the organisation grows froen it but whether it takes forward the class struggle. For example the German Communist Party reacbed it height of membership in the 1930% as Hitler came to Third Period prevailed, Furthermore, as is divissed in the excelent OOOK BENIC the contrary, the 5WP see 'rank and file organisations sadily growing tothe point at which they involve the mass of workers under the leadership of the SWP, without having to engage either other forces of the left or the refoctnist leaders in united fonts and organisations for common action Thesis the perspectiveof the untied front from below which attempis to involve the rank and file reformist workers withou having to confront the reformist leaders otber than by denouncing them. This is the real balance sheet of the decline of the cani and file groups —not that it is necessary to 'work harder, build better in the work. places, and all the ather solutions pu forward by the SWP leadership So too they must become democratic. MAKE COC UNIS CORTES DISDIS I the uncoos cannol be "bentral berween col tal natties Hopeser. revolutionan socialists have to atrempr to win these groups la volumtarily submitting them-