IT'S BEEN a long time since I last read quite such a farago of half-baked ideas, sweeping speculation, unproven assertions and downright prejudice in a left-wing publication, as John Ross displayed in his article "The Bosses Market' (SA 29 July).
Not since around 1975, in fact, when people like comrade Ross were last scraping around for reasons to jump on the little England antimarket bandwagon.
Actually, most of Ross's article is not about the EEC at all but about ine aulnor s speculation on the build-up of a European military power in competition with Alciica In fact such a development could take place quite independently of the EEC. which remains an economic unit, Ross's chosen example - - Concorde of the strengthening of curope s millary aircral manufacturing capacity', Britain joined, and would have proceeded whether Britian was in or out And anyway, it is by no means clear that a more integrated Europe, more independent of the US, would strengthen capitalism' overall, as Ross assumes.
It would actually be just as likely to disrupt the military, political and economic hegemony ecadenc after World War.2. It would be a re arrangement of existing capilalisi lorces, nol an addition to them.
More fundamentally, socialists do not simply 'the process of European Colas coordlalloll.
We defend working class interests at every stage, but we recognise that to oppose the process itself is both reactionary and utopian and can only mean reurcallls Into an isolationist, little englana posion i practice.
Our aim is to seize the means of production, not to roll back capitalsm to an earlier form, or to side with one capitalist bloc against another Similarly Ross completely. fails to explain how getting out of the EEC would make one iota of difference to the causes of job loss in the steel industry — 'the United States - putting the squeeze on the European capitalism?.
Surely, our answer
must be to advocate the HARRIS Fortunately, serious socialists in the Labour Party are caming to see the fallacy of the "get Britain out"
cause - which is why Kinnock is deserting it as well' — says Jackie McDonough development of international combine committees and international workers' alternative plans — the 'get Britain out' line could only detract from that.
Certainly any serious moves towards socialism and a working class Britain, would involve breaking out of the EEC. But that would be the east of our problems compared with the battk we'd face with the ruling class, its army and police here in Britain.
of the it as well. diversion.
Socialist Action 18 August 1983, Advertisemen Wandsworth workers strike