20.06.1996

Revolutionary faint-hearts

Around the left

The revolutionary struggle in the occupied Six Counties never fails to reveal the ‘British disease’ which afflicts most of the revolutionary left in Britain. This disease mainly consists of a mixture of national chauvinism and social-pacifism (revolutionary in rhetoric, pacifist in reality). The exact form it takes varies from organisation to organisation.

Militant Labour’s condition verges on the terminal. Militant has consistently supported the imperialist-brokered ‘peace’ talks, placing its hopes in particular on US imperialism in the shape of Senator George Mitchell. The exclusion - so far - of Sinn Fein from the ‘all-party’ talks is described as “an ominous indication of the talks’ future” (my italics). It then proceeds to equate the oppressed nationalist/catholic community with the oppressor Unionist parties (and hence British imperialism): “Unionists and nationalists still need people to vote along protestant/catholic lines. If this ended they would be deprived of their political bases. Sectarian politicians will only agree to a ‘settlement’ that leaves sectarian divisions intact” (June 14). Presumably, ML therefore labels Sinn Fein - and the republican movement in general - as “sectarian”, or believe that IRA volunteers are “bigots”.

Socialist Worker never commits the cardinal sin of dismissing Sinn Fein/IRA members as “bigots”. However, its ‘economist’ world view - which reduces all political questions down to the trade union level - means that it inevitably ends up backing the ‘peace’ process. Unfortunately, the talks “got off to an unpromising start”. Why? Because, mysteriously, “all the political parties involved assume there are two distinct protestant and catholic communities with separate interests. All the structures of government, the police and education will centre on these alleged differences, and so institutionalise sectarian divisions” (my italics, June 15). So, the catholic/nationalist community only think they are oppressed by British imperialism. SW knows better, of course.

Both ML and the SWP have unusual allies. New Worker calls for a “genuine and workable settlement of the northern Ireland conflict” and, very statesman-like, condemns John Major’s stance as “bordering on sensationalist irresponsibility” (June 14). Workers’ Weekly, paper of the Revolutionary Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist), is worried about the IRA’s statement, saying that it will not hand over its weapons: “Where can discussion on ‘decom-missioning’ go if the IRA demands a political settlement first?” (June 8)

Such ‘revolutionary’ faint-hearts are useless to the oppressed in the Six Counties.

Don Preston