[and indeed of Labour voters do not regard…]
Socialist Organiser1981 1981-11-12Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 7 →
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and indeed of Labour voters do not regard Labour's electoral defeat as a matter of indifference to them, they will rightly utterly reject those who do.
This does not mean that those who are aware that increased accountability is a necessary condition for any future Labour government! implementing socialist policies, should abandon their aims.
It does, however, mean that if these aims are to be eventually realised, they must be pursued by taking full account of every change in the situation.
Where the situation is not particularly favourable, patient explanations must replace some immediate demands, and. only such immediate demands should be pressed which have some chance of being actually realised. In this context one might usefully recall what Lenin wrote 60 years ago:
"It would be absurd to formulate a recipe or general rule (eg. 'No compromises') to suit all cases. One must use one's own brains to be able to find one's bearings in each particular instance.
"To accept battle at a time when it is obviously advantageous to the enemy, but not to us, is criminal, political leaders of the revolutionary class are absolutely useless if they are incapable of 'changing tack, or offering conciliation and compromise' in order to take evasive action in a patently, disadvantageous battle. (Collected Works volume 31, pp.68,77). HARRY