class saw to that.
containment revolution had become a worldwide crusade. Its standard hearers were the United States. The foot soldiers were supplied by the Western European ruling classes.
Stalin's crimes and blanders hac propaganda theme io the holy war of provided thein many the so-called "Free World" against the totalitarian menace of communism, As with all hypocrisy, this invocation of biberty and freedom by the exploiting classes in the West must he understood as the homage which vice pays to vittue. The Cold War had cast its spell throughout infecting number of semi-Marxist currents as well. The Filth Republic in France appeared as a solid rock. De Gaulle was much adatired by other leaders in the West. His benevolent larianism wasthe ensy of politicians in Germany and in Britain May 1968 did not come as a bell trom a cloudiess sky. Caultism had created conditions for the specific forms which it took. A ten year wage freene coupled with an antiquated educational system proved to be a powerful For Trotskyisti like ourselves. the appeared as an incredibile vindication of central teneti of out programune. Describing the fortured decade of Troisky's life, bis biographer Isaac Deutscher wrote (paraphrasing Marx):
This was a time when... "the iden pressed towards reality ,but as realiry did not rend towards the idea, a gulf as set Delween mem, i yu marrowe yet deeper than ever (The Prophet Outcast: Trotsky 1929-40, p. 510)
1968 was a year when at last reality began to tend towards the idea again Thousands and thousands of youth bypassed the traditional reformist rganisations of the working class What is more, they were joined by millions of workers Or course they quid not politicully bypass the Fren PCF). bu their beyond the wildest dreams of the PCF leaders.
And their demands were not simply for higher They began 1o question the averall oppression of capitalism. There Wiss global contestations and we can still see als effects.
The movenient women's Iberation, the fight for gay rights, the laree number of votes rained by the ecologists, the anti-nuclear moveof what was started in 1968, Therefore we refuse to allow May 1968 to be strait jackeled into a very marrow There were three basic stages of the struggle in France In May 1968. The first and the best-known was the explosion of the student movement. This led to solidarity actions from the working class.
The nest phase was the quantitative growth of the movement. Alpest every ver of society except the ruling cla ecome involved. What emerged fror united uchions against repression was the most massive general strike in bistory. The question was posed of averthrowing the governanent and offering another political alternative. Here the working class could nor depend ou the scudents. They had prear confidence in our ability to mount street demonstrations (many building SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 25 May 1978 page B