01.02.1996

Reform or revolution?

Scottish Socialist Movement AGM

SATURDAY sees the annual general meeting of the Scottish Socialist Movement in Glasgow. This meeting underlines once again that Scotland is well in advance of the rest of the country in the fight for working class political unity in a party to challenge Blair’s Labour. In England and Wales, these same discussions have been precipitated by Scargill’s call for a new socialist party: in Scotland, important organisations on the left have been working in this direction for some time.

It is also a sign of the mature approach of comrades in Scotland that the work towards this unity is conducted in a spirit of open debate and inclusiveness. Sadly, this contrasts starkly with the situation in the rest of the country. The Socialist Labour Party project has been launched with no discussion and with a constitutionally enshrined aim to keep other working class politicians out.

Thus, a resolution to this AGM from SSM co-secretaries Alan Green and Bill Munroe welcomes the decision of the Scottish Socialist Steering Committee to “open a discussion period to examine” the draft constitution of the proposed Scottish Socialist Alliance and the draft Charter for Socialist Change it will campaign on (see Weekly Worker 125). This period of open debate and clarification will be followed by a recall Socialist Forum to ratify the amended drafts.

The Communist Party in Scotland and throughout the country will participate enthusiastically in these important discussions. We will vigorously put the case for a united revolutionary party, organised on an all-Britain basis to challenge the all-Britain state - a reforged Communist Party of Great Britain.

At the moment, many comrades are looking towards an alternative organisational model to this proud example from our history. For example, the Green/Munroe resolution mentioned above speaks of the need to “unite as many socialists as possible under a common banner: on the basis of an open affiliation/dual membership structure in line with progressive left developments elsewhere in Europe and internationally.

Specifically, structures such as the United Left in Spain and the Communist Refoundation in Italy are being looked towards. These organisations have individual members, but also include affiliated parties, newspapers and organised trends. These retain a separate identity, but “in elections, all groups share a common electoral platform and candidates” (Socialism Today, December 1995 - Militant Labour theoretical journal).

Rather than the revolutionary heritage of the Communist Party, many comrades are also looking to draw on the essentially rotten traditions of British Labourism. Militant Labour for instance also positively cites the early Labour Party, which was a “coordination of like-minded organisations whose aim was to present the viewpoint of working people to parliament” (Morgan Phillips, The British Labour Party Vol 1, quoted in above - my emphasis).

The structure of a party reflects its understanding of the tasks facing it. We believe that socialism in Britain cannot come through the “dungheap” that is parliament. We know that the revolutionary overthrow of the British state is necessary. An affiliated party, with organisations retaining their essential identities and separate structures, has more in common with an electoral bloc than with the unified, democratic and disciplined combat party we need.

Reform or revolution? That is key question. Our organisational forms will flow naturally from the resolution of that central debate.