Southpawpunch Comments 2 - The best of my comments from my site

As mentioned last week, this week’s post is another joint post with my new subsidary site Southpawpunch Comments and features what I think are the most interesting of my comments that I have left on my site (in reply to others).

As I said, "pulling them out to the main site will make them easier to find." This post also includes some of comments that I have made this week on other blogs (at bottom).

I’ll resume with the usual format for this column next week whilst Southpawpunch Comments will continue as the place for the best of my comments.

All from Southpawpunch:

The SPGB’s internationalism

"Well, I’m not sure that I have ever mentioned the SPGB before but yes, you deserve credit for your call for a borderless world – but aren’t the only Lefts to do so.

But I think you’re wrong in ‘criticising all the self determination and national liberation movements.’ For example, the great wave of African movements, from the 50s onwards, could have brought socialism but instead at least liberated millions from direct occupation."

08/05/07

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The long 80s

"I remember, say in 1985, promising that when the Tories were finally removed (which I thought would be far into the future, say 1988?) we were going to drive round the posh area in Cheshire, where I partially grew up, playing the Red Flag out loud and generally annoying the locals.

It didn't quite turn out like that."

19/03/07

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Kronstadt

"I knew my Kronstadt stuff once enough to debate - read all the Goldman etc

I can only say principles now.

If, despite being good revolutionaries, the Kronstadters were aiding the Whites, and even if they were completely unaware of this, or were doing it unknowingly - then the repression was legitimate.

If they weren't, it wasn't.

Maybe it's a London thing, in particular, but most 'anarchists' I knew were just interested in (their own) alternative lifestyle and had a very snooty (would be the correct word) attitude to anyone who didn't, say, dye their hair pink. I have met some good ones, though."

19/03/07

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Racism

"It’s interesting that ALL the UK media is now officially ‘anti-racist’ on issues like this, so Jade Goody was Public Enemy No.1 for a day, even with the rightwing press like The Sun and despite her quite mild, but none the less bigoted, comments.

If you rang any talk radio station in the UK and said, ‘I think Jade may have a point about Indians’ they would doubtless just cut you.

Now to be clear, there is acceptable racism in the media on other issues e.g. against asylum seekers, Roma, east European immigrants, Muslims, etc.

Personally I think such censorship is bad. If you want to fight with ideas you need them to be expressed, it makes stuff like EastEnders unrealistic and also, call me a liberal, but I also do think censorship is just wrong."

26/01/07

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The future of communism

"I don't know that I am advocating post Trotskyism. I am certainly not arguing for any dilution in revolutionary socialism. I am arguing that Trotskyism, let's call it revolutionary socialism in C21 won't necessary solely be based upon the 'unbroken thread' upheld by a few thousand (mainly) Westerners."

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"I suppose two passing people with political views will inevitably agree on a few things - if you gave me 100 statements by Cameron (the Tory leader), I may agree with a couple.

I used to think that the very sharp denunciations of, for example, Pabloism, made by people I knew - 25 years ago in Stockport and Manchester, to keep in the theme of my article - could be a bit sectarian. I still do.

But another way of looking at it is a bit like something else that happened then - being smacked in the mouth ('Are you looking me, pal? - smack! Which was just a northern way of saying 'Nothing personal, mate, I just feel a bit violent').

My tooth developed a small crack that I thought nothing of but which gradually lengthened and deepened over the years.

Maybe I should have realised then that small differences can grow. Not long ago, the whole part of that tooth fell away and left a raging infection underneath.

Likewise whilst discussions at present, on whether to join the LP or not can, at worse, just lead to potshots across blogs. But if things ever do kick off they would be machine gun fire across opposing barricades."

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(From Dave Osler - "But Southpawpunch, what shines through from your post is that you know - in your heart of hearts - that Trotskyism is finished. You just haven't got the balls to say it.")

"First I think Trotskyism = revolutionary socialism = communism. I don’t think you do. But finished how? You give no detail.

Few supporters of revolutionary socialism? Yes, but then maybe more than 10% of the French electorate may again vote for ostensible Trots in the first round of the Presidential election.

Finished organisationally? Yes, there is no credible international but that could possibly change.

Finished policy wise i.e. it’s wrong - No, It’s right. Clearly many areas need new thinking e.g. green issues but I think the fundamentals are as true now as before.

It doesn’t matter that the Aztec chocolate bar became very unpopular and was discontinued long ago. It still remains the finest chocolate bar and could again reconquer the confectionery shelves. You may have changed to Snickers but that doesn’t change the iron law on what delivers and what just gets you through as few pangs of hunger."

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"It's the name of the thing we propose but still we must change it.

Socialism – Gordon Brown supports it, so does Ségolène Royal and so did Stalin. It's clearly not the same as what we support and they have custody of the name.

I agree we don't have the power to change it - if I made up a name now it would just be an eccentric quirk at Southpawpunch (but then again may get me first mention in the Oxford English Dictionary's etymology section - immortality) but the movement must."

11/01/07

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Trotsky’s long dead and publications

"Your mentioning of the long dead Ukrainian is disingenuous. You’ll find no pre-war statement here or similar. I much prefer the term ‘revolutionary socialism’ to 'Trotskyism'.

As you will know, there's a big difference between publication such as yours and agitational ones that are written by communists.

Your magazine (Notes from the Border) makes an interesting stab at explaining how things are. I don't need to tell you that the point of this blog (and similar) is what are we going to do about it?

You can read page after page on what David Shayler’s real agenda is - or in Lobster you may have read endless stuff about who really shot JFK. It is interesting to have a glimpse through whatever lies may be commonly believed - and I enjoy reading the findings - but it changes little.

Personally, I am not overly concerned on the exact level of deviousness of the state – whether it is just honestly brutal or slippery malicious - it still needs to be taken on and it’s that I prefer to write about."

17/01/07

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Saudi Arabia

"I think that any Saudi revolution would be different to Gulf ones, as the native Arab population would be key. So I am not sure Indians, Filipinos and others may play the role that you suggest. As you say, there are 18m Saudis and 5m foreigners in the country.

I enjoyed reading your article but note you say the regime could fall in a moment. I think it could but such comments have been made for decades. I also think that Saudi Arabia is a good example of what’s wrong with left reformism. Unless you smash the rulers in Saudi with no sign of weakness, they would certainly eliminate you permanently and ruthlessly.

I agree with you completely about the lack of any Left impact there. We all look forward to that changing. I wonder whether this has always been the case e.g. have the large CPM or CPI (Indian communist parties) ever tried (they have reasonable influence amongst south Indians, who form a fair part of their expats)?

Was there any Left organisation in the more liberal city of Jeddah before the conservative measures in the 80s that banned women from driving and forced the veil on some (although some women, near Yemen, still don’t wear it)?

There are lots of unanswered questions about Saudi e.g. what happened to the once numerous Jews? I suspect there may be a fair bit of hidden history or destroyed history. An ancient church discovered near Jubail was ‘disappeared’ not long ago."

23/11/06

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Will the cops be oppressive in a socialist state?

"It’s a fair point.

My view is that I wouldn’t care if some equivalent of the cops checked my ID in a socialist state. I don’t object to the role and in any revolutionary situation, I would expect heightened surveillance.

The ‘cops’ would be different e.g. preventing private trading. I’d support them doing this in the same way I would point out the direction a fleeing hit and run driver has gone to any present day cops chasing him.

But I do want the state to whither away and I’m sure there would be abuses until it did.

I’m confident any problems are much more likely to be solved when you have, for example, delegates who implement laws answerable to you (as a delegates, not ‘representatives’) and who are immediately recallable. There would, I think, be a lot less likelihood of crime when people have enough or are less inclined to commit anti-social behaviour (e.g. vandalism) through having worthwhile activities to occupy them."

16/11/06

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How could Lefts be in the same organisation, with such wide differences between them?

"Yes, I would support the Taliban in their fight against the occupiers. That's support for their military struggle and not for any of their reactionary policies. In the same way I would indeed give any spare RPGs I might happen to have to Hezbollah at the present time.

I am guessing you wouldn't agree with such support but that's a good example that relates to the call for unity.

I don't think there would be a problem at all being in the same organisation in the UK with such opposed views - it would make no or very little practical difference and, if the organisation was asked the question you pose, the response would be that 'we have different views on this.'

Now of course if you are in Lebanon, Israel, etc. you need a strategy. There, ideally you would work to the majority line (which would of course be best determined internationally - but not essential). I know that's not always going to happen, but I think that can be lived with, as the alternative is a lot worse.

So yes, in extremis, you could even end up on different sides of the barricades but I personally think I could work with comrades in the afternoon after exchanging shots with them in the morning!

That really would be the very worst-case scenario. I can see the holes in my arguments BUT I don't think this should distract from the very large majority of work that can be done with broad agreement.

This may sound unlikely but I think the pull of a hegemonic and accepted international (or national) organisation would make you not want to put yourself outside of that.

Although I have heard of the Socialist Green Unity Coalition I am not familiar with the detail. My view on any unity is that we should work with any socialist from left LP members leftwards.

With Greens it would depend. If there is agreement on a minimum set of policy, then yes. So no to rightwing Greens and yes to left Greens.

I don't buy the classic answer that only movements based on or from workers or their bodies like TUs can be worked with as bodies like Greens can turn right.

It is correct that Greens can go such (e.g. in Germany) but then workers parties can head even further right e.g. JVP in Sri Lanka, endless 'official communist' parties that were in power, Labour, etc. I judge them on what they argue for in the here and now, not some spurious dated 'analysis' of whom they supposedly represent."


28/07/06

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Southpawpunch on other blogs - this week:

Islamists

"I’m also sure that there are also various fundamentalist sects - Christian, ‘New Age’ and more that threaten death or at least very bad things to those who leave.
But none of that would interest you would it? It’s just Muslim this or Islam that in your monomaniacal obsession with just one of countless superstitious belief systems that maybe the majority of the planet participate in.”

-

You are, as always, selective in your information, Modernity. The Taliban have undertaken many vicious activities, I fully acknowledge it and support them in full knowledge of this.

But you make no mention of the much higher level of imperialist murderous activities e.g. the very rare apology this week by the US forces for a deadly 10-mile random highway-killing spree by their troops. Who do you think can kill more - Taliban AK47s or US aircraft?

And you can indeed be in the same camp as fascists and correct, as Marxists acknowledge. For example, the Indian National Army was worthy of support. They were a Japanese funded army that used captured POWs and pre-war Indian nationalists to fight to kick the British out of India.

Of course the Japanese, whilst promising a free India to the INA, intended no such thing. The INA knew that - they expected to try and come through the middle to remove both invaders - they were right to do so and were a 100 times better than the Congress collaborators in their idea of how to free India.

It can be hard having the courage to be against your own country or even the majority view of Lefts. When the heat turns up and the social chauvinism runs riot, many a former left will capitulate. But it’s ‘moral’ to stay focussed on the big picture, despite all this pressure - such as the 650,000 dead because of the invasion of Iraq."

Shiraz Socialist

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State monitoring of Lefts

"If I had to guess, I'd think that the intelligence services probably used electronic monitoring more than informants - cheaper and more reliable, but I also think that there may be more active than people think.

If there's one set of people who have an exaggerated impression of the importance of left groups, apart from the left itself, it's the cops/MI5 etc.

Information that we have on the state’s activities is slender but what I take to be true, snippets have been uncovered - such as MI5 agents in caravans in Skegness monitoring the adjoining SWP summer event and cops under the stage recording proceedings at a Militant conference.

The former WRP and groups like the Spartacists take one wrong approach to this - they were/are paranoid and have both taken mad actions because of their perception of the threat and have smeared rivals as touts.

The SWP take the other wrong approach - they laugh at the threat and malign any suggesting basic security as being toytown politicos playing at being counter-spies.

I think there is also a danger from the social gnomes who do things like become special constables and are not a million miles from the 'corbeaux' who wrote many letters to the authorities in wartime France denouncing their neighbours as communists and Jews, etc.

A modern day incarnation of these sorts of people, those who like to suck up to authority, are those in organisations like 'Vigil'. They got a lot of glowing media coverage a little while ago, their method was interesting - they infiltrated Islamist web boards and both acted as agent provocateurs and tried to entrap Islamists.

I think it only sensible to conclude that such lowlifes operate on Left boards as well. I think comrades should exercise more self-restraint. It may be hard not to respond to someone who is trying to paint you as being not left at all but you need to think that the 'militant' questioning your commitment may in fact be a sad individual looking to ingratiate themselves with the authorities by seeking to set you up.

There's a correct third route. Use basic security that may thwart some of the more amateur attempts of the state but also will help if things do ever turn left and what today seems just a lifestyle becomes a matter of life and death

I recommend a couple of article about security - http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/static/security.html
and http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/static/security.html"

Dave's Part

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Flickr, Yahoo’s photosharing network, is criticised for censoring

"I think it's an interesting wake up call. Flickr are superb at the Bodyshop school of capitalism – ‘we’re just doing it for love and to help people and our ethics are beyond reproach.’

So on Flickr, you see endless naive posts by people very politely taking up customer service issues on their forums.

It's time people realised they are just like your phone company - you pay them for a service, they do as little as they can get away with and make a bundle off you. Your attitude to them should be the same as any other company. They’re not your ‘friends’."

Let's Take Over

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A celebration (by some) of 30 years of punk with a chance to win commemorative t-shirts

"I can do no better than reproduce what I wrote elsewhere on that band (The Clash).

‘I’ve always found the cult of Joe Strummer, on the Left, strange.

I remember people would do things like carrying Beatboxes playing Clash songs in the mid/late 80s on demos. I thought it had gone but I have seen some revival recently...

A little of the music is ace, much so-so - … the political line throughout is soft Left or third-worldist (so admittedly better than the present all non-political stuff).

My memory of the Clash, growing up, was a very few good tunes but also the laughable posing - the 'guerrilla' ' style photos in scenes of urban deprivation which even us 14 years olds could see through … and, when I did see the band, them being worse than the (lamentable) Theatre of Hate who supported them at The Manchester Apollo in 1980.

But the life - Strummer was a Chilterns dwelling Squire with kids in public school. A hypocrite.’

But I can do better in talking about punk as a whole and people who wear t-shirts like that. I can quote Jah Wobble, writing in the Independent on Sunday, yesterday. He was talking about an Alan Parker (a hack biographer of Sid Vicious).

He said that he is “is one of a coterie of blokes that eke out a living by stripping the last remains from the carcass of punk. Most of them are from the provinces and the majority of them seems to be in their late thirties/early forties and therefore would have been no more than 12 or 13 when it happened…They all gather at the funerals of punk luminaries, where they adopt the personae of old soldiers attending the wakes of fallen heroes…Rest assured Sid would have hatred them all… It is the absolute antithesis of the punk scene in 1977.’

The past has gone. Out with old and in with new. Burn it down and start again. The pleadings by others to win the t-shirts are both risible and very fucking sad.

If awarded the shirts I promise to BURN all of them straightaway, photograph the whole process and publish a comprehensive set of photos of the action on my website or a linked one.

I’ll even throw in a shot (if I can get it sent to me in time) of me, aged 15, pogoing to a long forgotten Manchester punk / new wave band to conclude the ‘Who is Southpawpunch? Poll’ on my site."

Dave's Part

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A call for even more Southpawpunch websites?

"Yes, Strappy as it happens I was thinking along the same lines.

Maybe ‘Southpawpunch Energy’ - switch your energy supplier to Southpawpunch and get discounted subscriptions to various left publications and a complete refund of all your energy payments once the utility companies have been expropriated.

Or perhaps ‘Southpawpunch Dating’? Are you Billy No Marx? Do women laugh at you when you invite them back to your bed-sit to have a look through old copies of Socialist Challenge? Join ‘Southpawpunch Dating’ to get the details of 3 hot trot women.

Be aware though that, as the Left ever shrinks, you may well have expelled your prospective date, already slept with her or she could be your sister."

Stroppyblog