ACTiON SOCiALiSt AFTER HAVING reached a peak on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, when Leon Brittan came close to being forced to resign, the lid is being put back on the Westland affair.
Brittan has been saved from resignation. British Raymond Lygo, British ecutive, that their famous clash was based on a 'misunderstanding • There of course purely immediate reasons why the lid is being pushed back on the affair. If Brithad been forced to resign it would have been neck OWIl which risked being on the chopping block.
Phi Leon Brittan Furthermore Aerospace dependent for its profits or ment contracts. If Sir Raymond vgo nad pursued his original course people believe his first letter would not only brought down the Home Secretary but would have Deen culllllalcly about some of his future Contraca win LuIs ZUvClu ment.
But behind these immediate questions lie much more fundamental torces It is totally wrong to present the struggle berween capitalist Europe which lies shin dity Wise a sterisis, nichica, in any sense a struggle between LWO equivalent capitalist forces. All the decisive cards lie with the United States.
You may be wondering how the stitch-up between Lygo, chief executive of British Aerospace, Leon Brittan was worked out. As week s Sunday Times contains a blow by which DON account couldn't possibly improve on. So we are quoting it at length:
'One of the industry sente as (Leon Brittan's) biggest problems the conflicting асcounts about his meeting with Sir Raymond Lygo..
'Lygo said bilial . had» told . him his company's participation in the Aerospace's chief exThe ability of the United States to exercise relentless pressure on its capitalist allies Is nol question of the threat to ban the European airbus from the United States which Brittan hinted at ir his ITV's Weekend World on Sunday. Nor is it simply the United States control of Ine monclar system, the fact that possesses a unified state its west rivals do not, that US freaker compared to their unions much uropean counterparts, ( that the JIlELC States possesses overwhelming military superiority although all these are fundamental and weighty factors.
What is involved is the entire relation between Western Europe and the United States which has existed for over 70 years. Ever since 1914, outbreak of World War I there is no evidence that capitalist Europe has any economic, social or equilibrium independent of the United States.
After World War I it proved impossible for the United States the European capitalist economies collapsed as well the same atte!
World War II. Despite the successful efforts of the Socialist and Communist Parties maintain capitalism Westerr Europe after 1945 Capitalist Europe did not succeed in reviving •itself. It was only when US aid began to flow in with the Marshall plan, that European capital stabilisThe rapid growth of the West economies the late direct American aid, by an inflow of American investment to Europe, and by an price kept low American pressure. When the US reversed its policy - sharply from 1973 on wards - the growth rates of the west economies came shuddering down This is the fundamenthrough western Europe. Without the relation to the United States, the west economies are not stable or vlaDie This no capitalist force can resist the Stater western Europe why all the hopes on this matter entertained by journals such as Marxism Today or Tribune always dashed.
A capitalist break with the United States would economic social instability in Europe that would place socialism or the order of the day. Only a western Europe, that hac Inclu thorough going break with the United States.
Naturally this fundamental relation of forces does not work itself out mechanically on every issue. Il Is not lDossiok that capitalists could defeat the impossible western Euopean capitalists to win on the decisive clash. This underlying relation of forces works itself through even. affairs such Westlands It provides an underlyaid the pro.
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Aerospace is under great pressure to withdraw from leadership of the European consortium bidding for Westland. The two events are tied together in the agreement negotiated berween Leon Brittan and Sir