NELSON
MANDELA
SOLIDARNOSC was born in Poland five years ago in August 1980. It was the largest and most prolonged movement against the bureaucracy seen in Eastern Europe since the 1920s.
Contrary to the Polish government's claims, its basic demands were intolerable to capitalism. first statements spelt out its commitment to Polish socialised production relations.
claim that 'socialism actually exists' in Eastern Europe. What 'socialist' regime needs to crush ten milion of its own workers demandino workers management, to bureaucratic privilege? The view that Solidarnose's demands foundation.
But Solidarnose's rise also posed sharp questions for Western socialists.
Europe, the Soviet bureaucracy its most powerful support: genuine popular fear that World War Il barbarism will again march East — only this time armed with modern weapons.
Solidarnose's meteoric rise also illustrates one aspect of why the 'soviet threat' is illusory. It shows just how weak is a bureaucracy with no independent source of income or power, when workers rise against it.
The Soviet and East European bureaucracies bureaucratic castes wedded to the status quo and with no historical future. The 'defence we need is to smash Reagan and his allies' wardrive and make common cause with the working class of Eastern European continent — not some defence against a non-existent threat from Hastern durope.
Solidarnose contributed to giving a glimpse that this vision of unity of the West and East European working class is no historical utopia. tremendous power of the Last European working class was revealed to the entire readersmo coura not realse te polendar the movement created. A mass Eastern European opposiSocialist Action 6 September 1985 Its suppression belies any strict material equality, and an end 'threatened socialism' has no Capitalist Western with NATO rockets pointing East, gives juggernauts waiting to roll throughout the The during weakness of solidarnose was that its AS WE go to press the outcome of the crucial known.
AUEW's open flouting of its decisions — although Willis was opening of the reconciliation.
But matter sharp the intrabureaucratic clash and it has a DeLores dynamic of its own which not necessarily under control - there should be no confusion on the core of the matter.
nay and tuesday did Monday and Tuesday no to A and the EETPU on government trade union legislaCICCLEU openly adopting that line.
On all practical matters the general council, backed by the majority at the voted the AUEW/EETPU line of the Tories anti-union laws.
But the truth is that the general council position formally was, is as flat as pancake. The reality is that the TUC has made no effort in practo implement the wing's Nor is the reaction of the TUC to the working assiduously throughout the to bring about a miners"
significant regardless should accept anti-union Motion was unions TenC their As Hammond well package. Terry Duffy
----- pull-quotes -----
ACTiON five years on
AUEW executive decision on Tuesday night on conti- nuing to take government funds for ballots is not