return to the fighting spirit of the - even the 'sprat war' with Denmark is designed to re-kindle exactly the same feelings.
... the effect of successive defeats creates deep scepticism among the workers.' But while the Falklands war was undoubtedly a political victory for the Tories, we can be sure that it was a very limited victory. It does not represent political capital that can be lived economv is not ending. CCOHOHY with a vengeance.
carly the policies, missiles.
the chronic. off indefinitely. Inflation may be slowing down, but the decline of the There is no prospect of living standards rising in the foreseeable future. As the year progresses the basic issues of unemployment and the state of the will re-assert theseves Thus despite the defeats which the Tories have succeeded in imposing on the working class there will be no 'easy victory for them in the general election. There is neither the prospect Thus the SDP-Liberal alliance whose fortunes have seemed on the wane in pleased by the prospect of a coalition with the SDP In this situation, while in general being in favour of democratic reform, socialists should oppose any move towards proportional representation which would play into the hands of the SDP-Liberal coalitionists. '... socialists should oppose moves towards proportional representation.' As we have argued therefore in 1983 socialists need to gather their forces for a mighty onslaught against Tories on the basis of socialist end prepare for further advance. A basic action programme for this project has to be as follows:1. Stop the missiles in '83. As we report on page 2 of this issue, all the parties are running for the nuclear disarmament vote. I hatcher nopes to defuse this movement both by pretending to be serious about multilatera disarmament and by advancing the date for the installation of Cruise Massive action by the labour movement can strike a body blow a Tories this year. The proposed CND-TUC-LP demonstration Hiroshima Day should have as its target a million on the streets. 2. Fight unemployment. Every day under this government brings a fresh cascade of redundancies. But the union tops have given up any determined resistance. The example of Sirs in the steel industry This ycal there will another Peoples March for Jobs — this time from Scotland. Foot and Murray both opposed this in an election year, but they were defeated on the TUC general purposes committee. The march goes ahead. In fact it can be the most massive aid to anti-Tory propoganda in an election year, and should be supported by every section ot the labour movement 3. Defend socialist policies. The right wing onslaught in the Labour Party is winning back the gains made by the left over the past few years. The right wing re-capture of the NEC and the attack on Militant are just an episode on that road. But it is the radical policies of the past few years which are the trump card for Labour in the coming election fight. 4. Organise against the witch hunt. The anti-left crusade of the Labour Party NEC seems to have a stop-go character, with the legal difficulties being put in the way of the witch hunt judged. But clearly Tribune is in the best position to act as an organiser of the bénnite left, if a clear call went out from the leadership.
Equally, in the unions left leaders like Scargill should try to organise on a cross-union basis to end the isolation of the militants. 6. Build broad lefts in the unions. Since the mid downturn in strike struggles has led to a steady drift to the right in the unions. The grip of the right wing is once again posing basic questions democracy fact that the right wing dominate the Labour NEC Is in good part due to the stranglehold and Duffy's and Goldings in the unions. Their reign can only be systematic organisation from top to bottom, and this means building permanent caucuses of the left against them. building Broad Left-type formations. The move to Committee union basis is very valuable in this respect and its conference on the accountability of the block vote (see the article by Phil Holt on page 3 of this issue) should be widely supported. 7. Build a mass campaigning LPYS While the YS is in the sights of the on witch hunters, the situation of mass unemployment and despair among youth creates the best opportunity for decades for the creation of a mass campaigning YS. The domination of propagandism of the Militant tenden- Old saes cy has created an enormous obstacle most in linking up the YS be and those youth in the Labour Party who really want to fight.
But a mass YS is a possibility; as a first step the Easter conference of the LPYS should be built on the most enormous scale possible, and opened up to une labour movement as whole, as a decisive rebuff to the NEC witch hunters. 8. The Labour Party must defend all sections of the oppressed. Every section of the oppressed has suffered from this Tory government. Women policy have been the unemployment. The tightening the screws on immigration, strengthening the police to use against blacks and youth, and clamping down on social security benefits.
In this situation the Labour Party LPYS must forefront of championing struggles especially bring forward policies for positive action for women, blacks and youth.
oil shock the pound, price of oil.
OPEC, 1970s the gradual industrial and other sell in a hurry. of union and accountability. The control over American Chapple's ended by them come from oil.
In most cases this will mean set up a Broad Left on a cross tries who against ample, ultrawith YCND collapsing duction hardest hit by Tories are be in the all the oppressed, and and me.
In January's Economist a U-turn may be found: the greatest threat to we're told, is the falling Between the two comments came a lowly event: the near collapse of the oil-producer's cartel Which the Western nations have been out to smash since it was formed -led by Britain, with a gigantic balance of payments deficit and a lot of oil to But though they didn't like Arab oil prices, both the o1l magnates and the British producers needed the high prices which OPE produced. Now anyone, Britain needs because thirty per cent of all the British capitalist's profits now More important still, the banks, unable to invest in Western industry with its collapsing profit rates, have lent their capital to third-world coun mortgaged their future the production of raw materials such as oil. Mexico, for exis responsible for half the assets of nine major American banks.
But this slump, unlike the 1974 slump, marks the beginning of the end for monopoly price maintenance. Basic commodity prices are falling, though you haven't noticed because the food importers (surprise, surprise) haven't passed on the decrease. And suddenly, all the bank assets in third world countries are about as desirable as toytown money.
Britain gets it both ways. Bank assets and hence the banks' capital are because or ine decline in commodity prices, and the pound it under threat because if oil prices go down much further, Bri tain's oil income will vanish.
Moreover, Britain's oil income will vanish exceptionally fast, because profit margins on North Sea Oil prothough fabulous, are not nearly as high as Saudi Arabian oil.
Do not shed too many tears for Britain's bankers. Most of them, like the good Mr Raymond Postgate of Lloyd's insurance, have salted their money safely away in art treasures and the Cayman islands. But do, on your next visit to the Stock exchange, pause and reflect awhile on the changing fortunes of those who have to justify their antics to the likes of you Socialist Challenge 14 January 1983 page 7