Societal 038l0 Distribution Advertising 01-389 8371. Socialist 328/9 Upper THREE WORRIED politicians went into secret conclave at Camp SHERLOCK HOLMES was staring intently at a couple from his bay window. He began to chuckle as he slowly re-filled his pipe. No doubt about it, he muttered softly to himself. No doubt at all. They're nom-sectarian sectarians, It's a new and fashionable breed."
He was speechless, inquiringly.
man, 'All you have to do is observe the halo above their heads. Then study the blank badge. If denotes a game away.
stuttered. "You're a genius. the sad saga.
Don tget it wrong. Wearen't about to go on a sectarian hinge else. Bur the element of truth in Holmes observation cannot be denied. Far better then to bring all our doubts into the open and discuss them.
There are tens of thousands non-aligned Britain. In different degrees, they regard themselves revolutionary socialists. They reject evolutionary 'Eurocommunism" and social demoOwever, they are genuinely repulsed by the inability of the major currents of the far left to ofter a unified and cohesive socialist alternative to Lahourist.
They observe that no ceedible arganisation exists to the left of Labour, and draw trom this Le mistaken conclusion that they should postpone the thought of joining a revolutionary organisation. Mistakenly, they re main aloof.
LEARNING Their work is consoc tO self-defined arenas of trade political activity. With these comrades a fraternal debate and dialogue is both possible and producting We have a lot to learn from their varied experiences.
There is, however, another category of the non-aligned, X IS 0 typical example.
bostile to any form of left organisation. She sneers at the bulk of the left press, mocks the activities of major lefi groups.
X can only contribute venom and spite.
Ils/he is at a meeting where a member of a left group is also present, s/he will almost always disagree with what be or she is *I by some accident of fate this is not possible, she will speculate aloud on the theme that there must be a catch in it somewhere. It is a suspicion His old comrade-in-arms stared at the master in but his eyes looked •Elementary, my dear Walson, replied the great Wered! Won steadered TARIO ALl continues word Holmes', he that borders on paranola.
What is bizarre is that chis holier than thou approach is dignified by the necessity lo fight sectarianism. really amounts so is a virulen sectarianism towards those who belong to left groups. The aim is to ntake the latter feel PECULIAR Some do. Others react in an even more sectarium fashion The last must be avoided from being counter2100 productive, it only enables Xto polish his/her badge and put an extra shine on the bato, Mhich of the comment on the activities of the far lell groups 16 the Leveller has tended to ian strain, Instead of anilising the magazine to aligned and aligned activists by making it into a genuine forum the Leveller b increasingly becoming Ideological locus for sectarian" sectarians All this is done in the name o the broad movement'. The only problem is that no sucl movement exists in this country and attempts to artificially create one are likely to fail.
it Is true that there are n ments — women's liberation. say liberation, black groups. and these continually come up against the operation of the bourgoois political system. Any penuine anti-capitalist current will later face the question of the prevatling forms of bourgeois political power This comprises a super structure of governments and parties which rest on the consent of the masses, and a state apparatus which rests on armed bodies of men and women. The latter is the lynchpin of all bourgeois social relations.
Capiralism is in crish, The leaders of the Lahour Party and the trodes unions callios be cobtested. an Jefeated by even the larges "movement".
Hence the extience groups Hence the global contestation of bour ideology, politics, and stife power.
X isciot interessed in all these "Typical left-wine sargon Irrelevant real needs,' And so the dinlogue o! the deaf continues.
There are other forms of the disense. There Is the militant who functions in a broad united fram alliance. S/he individual not aligned to any group. Most of the people in The said alhance are in the same situation. However the largest organised force is a left wing Broug, LMN.
I follows that LMN will be the dominant political influence in the alliance. That 25 unless all the individuals aimply unite on an anti LMN DasIs. This rardly happens.
So individual Y can develop ultra-sectarian attitude Lowards the LMN essentially Because its supporters are organised TOIL political understanding of what understandal Excusable For whit i leaves our of accoubt is the power and primacy of politic Socialist Challenge has no finched in the pas making sharp criticisms of the weaknesses of the revolutionary lefi country. If has printed many letters and articles criticising the Marxist Croup without long or eved short replies)
Westate this to indicate that weare awareof the problems of the far left. That is why we find the "non sectarian" secturian approach both crude counter-productive. banner is Apainst Organisa Torers no political solutions, not even a glimpscor the way forward. I canpot provide the answers because 1 is not even sure what questions should he caned.
We certainly do pot have the solution to all our problems.
intatible and have answers. But we, at the very least, are certainly posing the correct questions, Of this we are sure.
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pride in not having any coherent set of ideas. The copy of the Leveller sticking out of their pockets gives the
In the rossef the millions if workers throngmut the world, We are apped in them and will offer full sapport to all inose Fatting for socialie demmerins