[Alan Clinton reviews the new nove The state…]

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Alan Clinton reviews the new nove The state and its machinery are always with us be prepared to engage in 'of trying to proceed on the such an enterprise. But 'parliamentary' road that would that be all that the he sets out.

Comrade Mullin is good need to do to win? Would on many such details as our parliamentary instituthe interior of 10 Downing tions, our civil service, our Street and Chequers and royal family, our Athenof the thoughts of the aeum for Christ's sake, inhabitants. He is more still be left as they were vague, however, on the before? Would society political dynamic in the as a whole, the organised THIS novel sets out a fictionalised account of what might happen if a future Labour government tried to carry out the policies which are now largely supported inside constituency Labour parties. Mullin tries to indicate what might develop if there was a government led by a determined left winger which tried to introduce radical measures, and in particular to force the withdrawal of all American bases.

This is not a novel to read for profound analysis of character or motive. Nor as a writer of suspense does comrade Mullin display the literary panache of a Raymond Chandler or the relentless movement of a Dick Francis.

However, his aims in writing a 'political thriller' are simpler than this. He does provide a well-written yarn, and also the possibility, not usual in such cases, of allowing the consideration of quite profound political questions.

The government of Henry Perkins elected in 1989 tries to carry out various socialist policies. From the start it is attacked by the bankers 'establishment' Ways are found around this. Loans are negotiated with _ wait for it -Algerians, Libyans and Iraquis. Campaigns are then arranged against individual left-wing ministers, one of whom is driven from office after an affair with a girl who inhabits the same flat as a member of the - wait for it again - Workers Revolutionary Party.

A national • strike is arranged by power workers led by a thinly disguised version of Frank Chapple, with the backing of the American embassy. A period clearly resembling the 3 day week of the winter of 1974 follows.

Eventually, the secret service with the help of the press find a scandal which links Perkins with a large company with which he has dealt. He is bundled away out of the reach of friends and • political colleagues, and a figure not unsimilar to Dennis Healey is installed in his stead.

This wins back the confi

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Japan Airlines Alitalia working class would do? outsiae wuriu. Juro to tuv think that the development of socialist policies would need to go beyond large CND-style demonstrations?

In the end many of the issues he puts into the rarified world of Downing Street and Whitehall would be settled in the streets and factories outside.

Of course, the novel is a tragedy. 'Our' side loses, because as comrade Mullin realises, this is the logic What then would we working class, the socialist "stina race the enrialist and trade union movement go on without cnanguig we -'Lad ahanrinntho form, without toppling in any way the institutions of the bourgeoisie?

Only if they did topple those institutions would it be our victory. How else could we get rid of the bases, limit the power of the barons of Fleet Street, and bring key sections of the economy into public ownership?

Nobody could be SO foolish as to argue that there are easy answers to the problems of how to win. Just to counterpose such slogans as 'build the revolutionary party or 'mobilise the working class' to the serious and hard questions set out in this book could be to deny them the consideration that they deserve. But by setting out the conclusion that he has, Chris knows very well that he has not answered them either.

This novel is certainly to be recommended for raising these, important questions. For my part, i wait impatiently for its sequel.

In this, comrade Mullin could employ some of his narrative tatent to setting out what would need to happen in order for us to win next time round.

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nostalgia Stoughton £6.95].