My view on the Socialist Workers Party in Britain
Because I've always been close to the political ideas of the Socialist Workers Party in Britain, though I've been active in politics in France since 1986 (and so obviously a member of French organizations and not of the SWP), a number of people have asked me what I think of the crisis in the SWP, notably the resignation of dozens of comrades this week, including a couple of comrades who have been in the party for several decades and for whose work I have tremendous respect.
Well, I am in general agreement with the leadership of the SWP. I think that whatever mistakes may have been made in dealing with serious disciplinary problems involving one leading comrade, the opposition faction are wrong to suggest or encourage suggestions that the cases were dealt with in bad faith, or that there was a cover-up.
I think that the opposition were very naïve at best about the encouragement and assistance their approach would give to people outside the party who are hostile to all marxist parties and jump on every opportunity to damage them (this week we saw anarchists in one UK university physically attacking SWP paper sellers and destroying their papers!).Once in the logic of opposition, many party comrades did not even try to contradict the lies being spread about the party.
The dynamic behind the opposition cannot be reduced to the way disciplinary cases were handled. It comes more generally from a frustration at the slow progress of class struggle in the UK, and an attempt to find shortcuts.
Also, factionalism has a psychological dynamic of its own, and can be hard to stop once started, especially in a situation where there is little mass struggle to pull people's attention away from internal conflicts.
So I'm sorry to see comrades leave, but it is necessary. I think the SWP will be fine, apocalyptic reports flying round twitter and facebook not withstanding.
I'm generally a great fan of the internet, facebook, twitter etc, but with this kind of situation, anyone who wants to insult you can get their friends to do it in dozens, and I've been called a "rape apologist" by some very silly people (at best). For comrades getting insulted, use your "block" option often, and all my best wishes for continuing to build the fine revolutionary party that I believe the SWP in Britain is.
Well, I am in general agreement with the leadership of the SWP. I think that whatever mistakes may have been made in dealing with serious disciplinary problems involving one leading comrade, the opposition faction are wrong to suggest or encourage suggestions that the cases were dealt with in bad faith, or that there was a cover-up.
I think that the opposition were very naïve at best about the encouragement and assistance their approach would give to people outside the party who are hostile to all marxist parties and jump on every opportunity to damage them (this week we saw anarchists in one UK university physically attacking SWP paper sellers and destroying their papers!).Once in the logic of opposition, many party comrades did not even try to contradict the lies being spread about the party.
The dynamic behind the opposition cannot be reduced to the way disciplinary cases were handled. It comes more generally from a frustration at the slow progress of class struggle in the UK, and an attempt to find shortcuts.
Also, factionalism has a psychological dynamic of its own, and can be hard to stop once started, especially in a situation where there is little mass struggle to pull people's attention away from internal conflicts.
So I'm sorry to see comrades leave, but it is necessary. I think the SWP will be fine, apocalyptic reports flying round twitter and facebook not withstanding.
I'm generally a great fan of the internet, facebook, twitter etc, but with this kind of situation, anyone who wants to insult you can get their friends to do it in dozens, and I've been called a "rape apologist" by some very silly people (at best). For comrades getting insulted, use your "block" option often, and all my best wishes for continuing to build the fine revolutionary party that I believe the SWP in Britain is.
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