09.07.1998

No shibboleths

Comrades who attended the opening rally of the Socialist Workers Party annual ‘Marxism’ school on Friday July 3 report an interesting phenomenon. The willingness of SWPers to take copies of our leaflets and speak to our comrades appeared to be inversely proportionate to their length of membership. ‘Greener’ recruits were friendly, more open and interested in ideas; longer-term cadre were characteristically sullen and taciturn, when not aggressively hostile.

The culture of this organisation - still the largest on the revolutionary left - remains unfortunately narrowly insular and sectarian. Clearly, the SWP stages schools in order to confirm its preconceived theories and prejudices, not to have them challenged - even by an A4 leaflet.

Communism 98 is in marked contrast. The wide range of invites to our school reflects an openness to challenge and progress in the field of ideas. This is indispensable to the development of Marxism, but not to the defence of the sterile nostrums of the past that unfortunately characterises so much of the left.

Communist University ’98

A week of intensive debate and discussion for all socialists and communists.

Includes specialist discussion groups on the Soviet Union and the fight for a mass party.

August 1-8, Brunel University, Uxbridge, West London.