Sectarianism and the left

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Ice must inevitably lead to a split. tion is pressing. This is why the This does not reflect 'revolution- notion of revolutionary unity is ary intransigence' , but on the so popular - and deservedly so.

You've nothing to gain, papering over the crac Differences between them, tend to emphasise That change is sown in the bag of diplomacy -The class struggle, a push button war from the skies.

This isn't really a song, as you can tell from the style And the Wobblies were wrong about how to organise John Douglas, USDAW CWS Packing Factory Station, Sees His Baggage Taken Off At Beloostrov « SCIENCE YOU ASK John Lister in your interview with him in Socialist Organiser no.120 why the Socialist League have proposed fusion with the Workers' Socialist League. May I answer on behalf of the SL?

John explains that calls for unity 'can be very popular with sections of the British left who are understandably irritated by the divisions among those fighting the right wing .

He goes on to say: 'It is unfortunately the case that these divisions for the most part reflect genuine political disagreements which must be resolved rather than ignored' But in our view some of the divisions on the left in Britain a change of management.

But it will take more than a change of management before capitalist S&T ceases to injure and poison, squander, pollute and oppress, not to mention putting millions out of work.

Policy

The left still needs to develop a socialist S&T policy and as an aid to this, I am attempting to approach a wider audience, with articles in the forthcoming issues of London Labour Briefing and Science for People.

I am asking • tor readers of London Labour Briefing, Science for People and Socialist Organiser who are interested in develnning such a poliev to contact me, so that we can arrange a preliminary meeting.

A few ideas for a socialist science policy: 1. What is a socialist energy policy? Most socialists would probably want to scrap the present nuclear energy programme, but should we go all out for coal? Can we cope with the inevitable pollution from are precisely unjustified. For example, we have long been of the view that the differences between ourselves and the WSL are not sufficient to justify the existence of separate organisations.

No revolutionary socialist organisation can be monolithic. Inevitably there will be political differences and debates which arise within its ranks reflecting different experiences and assessments of the class Unfortunately the British far left is rife with sectarian notions that any major tactical differendallalandian onlit enin, Anticipating His Arrival At The Finland Automation "And now watch when I plug this th this?. What about 'alternative' sources of energy - sun, wind, tira atn ? nut, en.. 2. What is a socialist health policy? Should we just fight to preserve the NHS as it is, based contrary, the relatively low level of political class struggle in this imperialist country in the twentieth century.

The ability of both of our organisations to conduct lively internal debates without resorting to splits is a healthy antidote to this dead-end tradition. It begins to show the kind of combination of internal democracy and revolutionary united action that is necessary to build a party rather than a tinpot British sect.

Today the necessity of constructing the strongest possible revolutionary socialist organisatina in mannaina Thin in richer tha cine The Whtp Heat ing in' on drugs, machines and surgery, or should we look at altomatira tunas of modirino wy uco vi LICUILLIO that treat the human as a whole individual (homeopathy, acupuncture) and as a social being The SL's December conference adopted the proposal for fusion with the WSL because the WŞL is the organisation of revolutionary socialists in Britain that is closest to ourselves.

This, was underlined by the fact that our organisations eventually adopted identical positions with respect to the Malvinas war - the acid test for British revolutionaries in the past year.

Tactical

Our common tactical line today makes fusion a pressing practical question for supporters of our organisations.

It is because we respect the work of the WSL that we are convinced that uniting our forces would result in a revolutionary organisation qualitatively stronger than the simple addition of our numbers. In fact a united organisation would be in a real position to rebut the media fabrication that it is the Militant tendency which represents Trotskyism in the British labour movement and prove that there is a genuinely internationalist Marxist alternative.

Such a united organisation would, of course, attract many militants to its ranks who today are sceptical of revolutionary Marxist ideas - precisely because of the seemingly endless list of organisations and groups claiming that title.

It would be able to play an increasingly powerful role in ending the retreat of sections of (looking at the structure of society as a cause of physical and mental illness)?

And while capitalists spend millions pushing booze and fags, why do socialists have nothing to say on the slow-motion slaughter caused by these arugs? 3. What is. a socialist food policy? Should we waste food by turning it into milk and meat so that some die of cancer and heart disease while others die of malnutrition? 4. What sort of research should a socialist society carry out? Is there a place for space science? How can we make science serve the people?

Shops

My own hobby-horse the moment is 'science shops' (see SO 122 & 123 in March). I feel that Labour Councils (and a future government) should fund science shops so that trade unionists, tenants groups, women's groups, groups of gays and hlack nennle. environmental groups, etc., can have access to LALAM scientific research to help them in their struggles against the the trade union and Labour Party left, and in uniting militants across the Labour Party, the unions and mass movements like CND, in struggle against the Tories and right-wing bureaucracy To not take such an advance would be criminally irresponsible. Rather than competing our organisations should combine against the right wing and the waverers on the left.

To not take such an advance would be criminally irresponsible. Rather than competing our organisations should combine against the right wing and the waverers on the left.

So our proposal is designed to attract the uncommitted to take a step forward against British sectarian fragmentation, through fusion between the WSL and SL.

This is not to minimise the political differences between the organisations, nor the practical disagreements that inevitably come up in various areas of work. But, as we explained at our recent meeting with the WSL, it is to say that the best framework for clarifying and resolving those differences is principied agreement on the objective of fusion.

The first step along this path will be regular meetings nationally and locally to both coordinate joint work and begin the process of political discussion towards that aim. effects capitalism lives.

I shall be moving the following resolution at my next ward This [organisation] believes that science must be made more accessible and useful to the labour movement and oppressed groups. We therefore request that the Labour Party, at local and national level, look into the -ossibility of providing access to scientific research for ordinary people along the lines of the Dutch 'science shops' If readers would like to move similar resolutions, then they might like to use my recent articles on science shops 88 information. I will supply copies of these on receipt of a stamped, addressed envelope.

Resolutions passed should be forwarded to Council Labour Groups and to the STSG at 150, Walworth Rd., London SE1 (details to me, as well, please).

Readers interested in discussing a socialist science policy ohnuld write in frience Desk. SAUVIL NIC VU MENANT Socialist Organiser, 28, Middle lane, London N8.

D.BIGGS, SL National Secretary

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April 25 4 11 19 26 Monday 6 13 21 28 Wednesday 0. *= 15 22 30 5 12 20 27 Tuesday 14 29 Thursday 1 16 23 Friday 2 17 24 Saturday 3 10 Sunday 1983 LABOUR Committee on Ireland Annual General Meeting: Saturday April 23, 10am to5pm at County Hall, London SE1. Resolutions to be submitted by April 8. Con tact: LCI, BM Box 5355, London WCIN 3XX. Labour Campaign for Gay Rights, National Conferener on "The Fight in the Labour Movement for Lesbian and Gay Male Rights'. Saturday 9 April, 11-5, Shepherd's Hall, Old Market Street, Bristol. Creche Details: phone Bristol 63420 tne SUc