G'day Bob'n'Hugh,
I realise I'm probably giving Bob a bat with which to beat Hugh here, but I
find myself pretty well completely in agreement with Hugh on this one (which
proves anything can happen in this world). Get with the critical mass, help
that mass discover in itself the capacity to transform politics (the whole
boojie-bipartisan model could be in for a public unclothing, with any luck),
and then society is that step closer to thinking in terms of more radical
alternatives. Of all the Anglo political cultures, Britain seems to offer
the best chance we have that such a pressure could actually come from the
left for once (sorry if I seem to have given up on NZ too quickly, Bill).
Livingstone isn't the issue here, for mine. He might just be the thin edge
we fatter wedges are looking for ...
Sorry if the alignment of a menshie opportunist causes you pain, Hugh!
Cheers,
Rob.
>"No vote to the anti-communist Livingstone" is a complete loser. It'll take
>the bullets out of the electoral gun being held to Blair's head in London,
>which is at the moment one of the very best chances we've had of alienating
>the mass of the workers from the political fraud of the present party
>set-up and the betrayal of socialism represented by New Labour. This must
>be the main focus -- the concessions to parliamentarism, reformism etc that
>are constituent parts of Livingstone's politics are a secondary focus that
>will come up in the discussions among the more politically advanced workers
>and activists as these aspects of Livingstone's campaign become clearer,
>with Livingstone doing a Lula and hobnobbing with the capitalists to show
>he's a "serious" politician able to do right by "business". But the main
>focus must be massive electoral rejection of Blairism and New Labour on
>principles of basic democratic rights and good services for the people.
>This will show people in a very concrete way that they can say no to
>reactionary forces and hurt them electorally, maybe even clip their wings a
>bit in refusing them certain arenas for profit-gouging. Only then will it
>be possible to take up the questions of the inadequacy of Livingstone's (ie
>left reformism, lip-service radicalism) policies for solving the problems
>facing the mass of working and poor people.
>
>Massive strike action against privatization can be argued for even during
>and as part of a campaign supporting a vote for Livingstone. This is the
>case even if the figure-head himself tries to oppose it, which would be
>dangerous for him however as the people striking will be the ones voting
>for him, because the rank-and-file union support for a Livingstone
>candidacy has been enormous.
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